1. Question 2. How effective is
the combination of your
main product and ancillary
texts?
Ellie Myhill Evaluation G342
2. Synergy
Synergy is present throughout all three of my products: Music video, magazine
advertisement, digipak.
I did this by creating similarities between the products design, specifically the
advert and digipak. The design is very simple, with the simplistic fonts and
layout of the writing/images. This link is clearly evident between the back
panel of my digipak and the poster. A similar font is present, along with a
character figure and simplistic placing of the icons.
This theme of black and white is present throughout all three of my products.
The entire video for The Elephant Man is in black and white, creating synergy
between all three products.
The same character is also recognisable in my video as the one on the
digipak. I used screenshots from the actual video in the digipak which
furthered the synergy.
3. Identifiable
My products are easily identifiable to the audience as coming from the same
artist, and being of the same genre. I know this because after I produced all
three products I gave three questionnaires to my focus audience: one for the
digipak, one for the magazine advertisement, and one for the music video.
After correlating the results, I found that 100 per cent of my focus group
recognised that the products came from the same artist, and the same genre.
100 per cent of the focus group also said that they would be able to identify
the genre of the artist if they saw an advert in a magazine, or the digipak on a
store shelf.
4. Audience theory
There are three theories of audience that I can use to analyse my products.
They also help better understand the relationship between my products and
the audience.
1. The Effects Model or Hypodermic Syringe Model
2. The Uses and Gratification Model
3. Reception Theory
5. The Effects Model or the Hypodermic
Syringe Model
The products I have created and the way I have created them do not support
these models.
This model suggests that the audience are passive, and they blindly accept
the ideas that are encoded in the text.
I believe that I made my music video with the idea that it could be interpreted
in different ways. I also believe that I didn’t create the music video with strict
intentions. My audience are active not passive.
6. The Uses and Gratification Model
This model suggests the opposite to the Effects Model. It suggests that the
audience is active in how they receive texts.
It suggests that the audience uses the text and us not used by it.
I believe that the audience of my product could be using it for gratification in
many ways. The audience could watch the music video as a way of escaping
from their problems or a means of diversion. The audience could also use my
products to compare their relationships and lifestyles with the characters in the
video.
Because the audience is in control, my products can help them with issues
such as personal identity and social identity.
7. Reception Theory
Developed by Stuart Hall, this theory looks at how media products are
encoded by the producer (me) and then decoded by the audience.
The meaning I implied into my music video was surrounding two different
areas; disability and femininity. I encoded this by using certain pieces of mis-
en-scene. For example, the Elephant Man wore a mask over his head. This
leads the audience to raise questions about how they’re perceiving disability
and how disabled people feel they’re perceived by society. This character
also features on my digipak, creating synergy.
Some members of the audience may completely oppose these ideas,
whereas others may be negotiable as to understanding the encoding.
Hopefully, most will agree with what I’ve suggested in my products.
8. Conclusion
All three of my products compliment each other.
Synergy is shown throughout, along with my incorporation of several different
theories including Mulvey’s Male Gaze, and Intertextuality.
The relationship between each of my products is recognised.
