This document provides an overview of key concepts in media studies related to textual analysis. It defines media texts and various production elements like camera shots, angles, and movement that can be analyzed. Examples are given of different shot types like close-ups, establishing shots, and angles like high and low angles. Camera movement techniques such as panning, tilting, zooming, and tracking are also outlined. The purpose is to introduce students to the technical codes that will be examined in their media studies course and mock exam.

1. Write a list or draw a mind map
How many can you think of in 3
mins?
Types of
media

2. The Media is a channel of communication from producer to
audience.
Producers create MEDIA TEXTS which we consume everyday e.g:
• advertisements
• DVD covers
• CD covers
• newspaper front pages
• magazines /comics
• radio sequences
• Films
• television programmes
• music videos
• websites
• computer games
What is Media?

3. AS Media Studies – WJEC

4. To understand the outline of the course
To begin to understand key terminology

5. AS Media Studies
What will I study?
• Textual Analysis
• Audience
• Representation

6. How will I be assessed?
• MS1 - Examination - 2 ½ hours (50%)
• MS2 - Coursework – 1 Pre Production task
and a linked Production and a written
reflective report (50%)

7. AS Media Examination topics
• 1 Question – Textual analysis of an unseen text
(print or moving image) 40 marks
• 2 Questions on media representations and
audience responses (30 marks each)

8. AS Media Coursework
• Pre-production task (20 marks);
• Production which develops from the pre-production (40
marks)
• 1200 – 1600 word Reflective report on the production
process (40 marks)
• Group work for the production is only allowed for
audio-visual productions (group size no more than 3)

9. Pre-Productions:
Productions
= linked
music videos

10. For the mock exam we will concentrate on
two elements that will come up in the exam:
• Textual analysis
• Audience
• Once the exam is over, we will begin the
coursework element of the course.
Mock exam – November 2015

11. • 1. Textual Analysis
• 2. Audience Response
• 3. Representations
What is the Media Studies Exam about?

12. • All media texts are constructed and
made up of codes
• It is your job as media students to
recognise, analyse and then discuss
the range of codes used in a text
• Use the following as a guide and you
cant go wrong!
Media codes

13. CPE
• Codes – signs in the text that give us
clues to the meaning
• Purpose – Why have these codes
been used, to develop the narrative,
involve the audience create tension?
• Effect – what is the effect on the
audience? Does a POV shot in a horror
make them feel uncomfortable?

14. The 3 Codes
1. Technical Codes
• Camera shots, movement and angles
• Editing – pace and type
• Use of lighting
2. Audio Codes
• Diegetic and non diegetic sound
• Dialogue
• Sound effects
• Music
• Voice over

15. 3. Visual Codes
• Mise en scene e.g:
– Clothing
– Props/Setting
– Expression/Gesture
• Use of colour
• Iconography – objects, setting and backgrounds which
have become symbolic of a genre
• Graphics

16. • Camera shots, movement and angles
1. Technical Codes

17. Establishing Shot (EST)
• This ESTABLISHES
where the action
takes place - sets
the scene
• Often an exterior
shot
• Usually a Wide Shot
(WS)

18. Wide Shot (WS) or Extreme Long shot
• Often (but not always) used as an
establishing shot
• The point of this shot is to show the
subject's surroundings

19. Long Shot (LS)
• A shot which shows all or most of a fairly large subject (for
example, a person) and usually much of the surroundings

20. Medium Long Shot (MLS)
• Knees to head with some background

21. Medium Shot (MS)
• Waist to
head

22. Medium Two Shot (M2S)
• Similar to a MS, but with two people

23. Medium Close Up (MCU)
• Head and shoulders

24. Close Up (CU)
• Shows a character's face
• Used to show emotion

25. Big Close Up (BCU)
• Forehead to chin
• Used to show extreme emotion

26. Extreme Close Up (ECU)
• A very tight shot, for example someone’s eye or a door
handle

27. Over The Shoulder (OTS)
• Used during a conversation
• MCU + the other person’s shoulder/head/back etc

28. Deep Shot (DS)
• When something is in the foreground and something else is in the
background

29. Camera Angles
• Camera Angle: position of the camera
• High Angle: looking down
• Low Angle: looking up
• Canted Framing: frame is not levelled, appearing tipped

30. Overhead Shot (OH) or Bird’s eye View
• Camera will be directly over the objects/actors

31. High Angle (H/A)
• Could be used to make the object/person look powerless

32. Low Angle (L/A)
• Could be used to make the object/person powerful

33. Canted angle
• Used for dramatic effect and helps portray unease,
disorientation, frantic or desperate action, intoxication,
madness, etc.

34. • Use your checklist to recreate all of the shot types and
angles.
• If you don’t have a camera or a smart phone then you may
borrow one.
H/W – due Tues 15th Sept

35. Camera Movement
• Pan: movement of the camera
from left to right vice versa on a
tripod, produces space
horizontally
• Track: camera follows the
object
• Crane Shot: moving through the
air in any direction on a crane
• Steadicam: smooth shot, when
camera is moved very fast
• Tilt: camera movement by
swivelling upward or downward,
Producing space vertically
• Zoom lens: lens that change
during a shot

36. Camera movement
• Tracking – the camera follows the action by moving along with the
characters along a small track

37. The Tilt Shot
• The camera moves up and down from a fixed point (on a
tripod).
See the opening sequence of
Pretty Woman when
Julia Roberts is dressing

38. The Panning Shot
• The camera moves left and right from a fixed tripod. Good
for showing the vast landscape

39. Zooming
• The camera stays fixed but the focus moves in or out
• Simultaneous track and zoom – the camera moves forward
but zooms out at the same time – the object stays in the
same position but the background which looks quite
disorientating

40. Hand held/ steadicam
• Steadicam - a camera is fixed to cameraman so
that it can move around and mimic the actors
movement