This document discusses how media representations are constructed to show a biased or subjective perspective of people and events. It explains that representations in media are not objective reality, but rather one person or group's selective portrayal designed to convey a particular message to the audience. Mediation, or how something is framed and presented through various techniques, shapes the interpretation and ensures the audience receives the intended meaning. Captions, camera angles, music and other elements are used to guide the audience's understanding of the representation.

2. Teacher

3. Teacher…?

4. What do you see?

5. Look
again…

6. Representation…
• These are not the actual thing or person –
they are a representation of the thing.
• Representation means to re-present (i.e. show
again)
• Remember: Individuals and groups of people
are represented in the media as being a
certain way. This is a construct of reality and
NOT reality itself.

7. How we are represented
• I could represent this class as diligent and hard
working.
• Or I could represent you as off-task and
disengaged.
It’s all about HOW I choose to show you, and
what I leave OUT.
It’s also about WHO is doing the re-presenting

9. We can show the police as caring and
helpful

10. OR
NOT!

11. MEDIATION
• The media selects (mediates) the way it shows
people to serve its own purposes.
• A media producer (the person who made the
media product – advert, film, TV show) will
deliberately represent a person or group
according to what they want others to believe.

12. Key term: Mediation
Mediation refers how a
representation is put together and
what message it gives the audience

13. Key term: MEDIATION
Actor Mediation Representation
of character
Selection process:
Type of media
Editing
Camera Angle
Costume
Language
Music
(Reality)
The outcome
Message to the
Audience

14. Key term: MEDIATION
Actor Mediation Representation
of character
Selection process:
Type of media
Editing
Camera Angle
Costume
Language
Music
Orlando Bloom

15. Versions of reality:
Every report of an event is a representation of the event, NOT
reality.
What you hear and see in the media is controlled by the
person who is informing you –
IT IS ONE PERSON’S REPRESENTATION AND
THEREFORE WILL PRESENT THEIR OPINIONS,
BELIEFS AND BIASES.

16. Key Term: ANCHORAGE
Media representation can have many
interpretations so as to direct the audience
towards a desired outcome or message the
producer can add captions, music, mise en scene,
lighting or film from certain camera angles.

18. What do you think?

19. Look at the picture below and think about
what it means to you.

20. How does the following caption affect the
meaning of the same picture:
Corrupt officer arrested

21. Construction and Focus
• So media texts ( and representations) are
all constructions – they are built.
• Focus – mediation also encourages the
audience to focus upon a particular aspect
of the media texts to push us towards a
certain perspective.
• E.g. in a drama the camera may focus upon
a particular character or in newspapers
and magazines our eyes are drawn to the
headlines and coverlines

22. MISE EN SCENE CINEMATOGRAPHY
SOUND EDITING

23. MISE EN SCENE
Costume, make up
Lighting - high key, low key, interior,
exterior, artificial, back lighting
Production Design
Props
Performance (body language, facial
expressions)
Space
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Close up, extreme close up/long shot,
mid shot, two shot, POV, high/low/canted
angle, over the shoulder, composition,
proximity framing, rule of thirds,,
deep/shallow focus, depth of field,
tracking, panning, zooming, tilting,
craning
SOUND
Sound bridge, motif, non-diegetic/
diegetic, ambient,
instrumental, soundtrack, tone,
tempo, dialogue, sound effects,
foley,
synchronous/asynchronous,
incidental, music score
EDITING
Fast/slow pace, long/short takes,
fade, dissolve, cut, transition,
180 degree rule,
montage/continuity editing,
match on action, eyeline-match,
cross cutting/parallel editing,
simultaneous action

24. MISE EN SCENE CINEMATOGRAPHY
AGE
EDITING SOUND

25. How could age be represented
through sound?

26. How could age be represented
through mise en scene?

27. How could age be represented
through cinematography?

28. How could age be represented
through editing?