This document provides examples and analysis of different media forms including fiction, documentary, news, advertising, promotional, and hybrid forms. It also analyzes linear and non-linear narratives, single and multi-strand narratives, realist and anti-realist narratives, open and closed narratives, series and serial narratives, and different genres. Finally, it discusses audience profiling, audience analysis, codes and conventions, and narrative analysis as analytical approaches.

1. Textual Analysis
Megan Hughes

2. Form – Fiction
Fictional TV programmes and films are ones that have no ties to the real life
and they are known as ‘imagined creations’. An example of a fiction film is
Harry Potter, I know this because a lot of the things that happen e.g. flying on
a broomstick are unrealistic and the storyline/plot is clearly made up because
nothing what happens in the film would actually happen in everyday real life.
Also, within the film the characters perform magic as wizards which is
impossible in the real world so this shows that ideas have been exaggerated
to make it a fiction film.

3. Form – Documentary
Documentary films or TV programmes are designed to educate and inform
the public. They document a form or reality or history which makes them
non-fiction. An example of a TV documentary series is BBC’s The Met: Policing
London because this follows the real life story about the killing of a young
black man called Mark Duggan sparked the 2011 riots by a Met Officer. The
documentary follows an inquiry about the decision of whether the killing was
lawful or not. The overall programme was filmed over the course of a year,
following the officers of Britain's biggest and busiest police service as they
deal with life, death, crime and its victims.

4. Form - News
The news is on TV today as it has been for many years to keep us updated on
the current events around the world or in your local area. A lot of the time
the news is based on global or political events, however they sometimes
feature some sport and entertainment as well. There are a huge amount of
different news programmes to watch, one that occurs most popular to me is
BBC’S North West Tonight which explores the latest news, sport and weather
for the North West of England which is where I live. In my house this is
watched most often as nobody really has time to watch the news in a
morning so we watch the 10minute blip at night time to find out what’s going
on and to be informed of anything big happening which we have rights to
know about.

5. Form - Advertising
Advertising happens all the time, it can range from marketing to persuade an
audience to take action or vote to buying/selling products e.g. old possessions. All
the adverts that we watch in-between our TV programmes are initially trying to
sell you something. For example, the 2014 Proactive Skincare advert… They try to
sell you skincare treatment but they use a number of techniques to increase their
chances of getting into the audiences head. They start by using rhetorical
questions to draw in the attention of the public and make them think they're
talking to them, as well as this they have used a beautiful, flawless celebrity
Nicole Scherzinger to try and make the audience think that she uses this product
and you will have her perfect skin if you use it. Also I think the fact they have put
before and after pictures of people that have potentially used the product in the
advert, it will encourage people to buy it as they can see the improvements and
shows the confidence change.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFvhE8zrhBI

6. Form – Promotional
Promotional means promoting something which is similar to advertising but
instead of trying to get people to buy something you’re showing it them and
encouraging them to take interest in it. An example is film trailers… By
showing these you are giving people a taster of what they can go and view in
a cinema or when it comes out on DVD. It gives the audience an idea of what
the genre is and gives away a little bit of a storyline so allow the audience to
take interest. Promoting also includes giving dates/times of the release… On
the first couple of showings of the promotion it will usually say ‘coming soon’
but then as it gets closer there will be a specific date that the film will be
released in the UK. This way it builds up tension for the audience and gets
them excited to see the film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBwOYQd21TY

7. Form - Hybrid
A hybrid is something that combines elements of two forms or genres, this
can be shown either in a film or in a TV programme. For example: RomComs
& DocuDramas are a combination of dramas. A good RomCom to discuss is
the film ‘Sex Tape’, just from reading the title you know it’s going to be a
RomCom. It’s tells a tale of a married couple (romance) wake up to discover
that the sex tape they made the evening before has gone missing (comedy),
leading to a frantic search for its whereabouts. Whilst it explores the romance
of their marriage and they show their love and passion for one another as
they’ve very obsessive and intimate, you see the comedy when they lose
their sex tape and they’re all in a panic and unsure what to do with
themselves as they search everywhere for it.

8. Narrative – Linear & Non-Linear
A linear film or TV show is one that is presented from start to finish in terms
of time and story. An example of this is ITV’s popular TV show, Coronation
Street, which has been ongoing for years and years following the day to day
life of all the people who live on the street. It is all shown in the present tense
so it looks realistic and it includes the following a storyline of the same group
of people but different events happen within the shows to keep it interesting.
The opposite of this is a Non-Linear show which is one where all the events in
the film or TV show are portrayed out of order. An example of this is the 1994
film Pulp Fiction as it flips between past and present throwing various time
frames into the picture and it becomes hard to follow the storyline as it all
gets a bit lost.

9. Narrative – Single & Multi Strand
A single strand narrative mainly focuses on one character within a TV show or
film and their story, it’s basically all revolved around them. An example of this
is the TV series ‘Dexter’ because although there is a varied cast within the
series’, the plot always revolves around Dexter and his life and his stories – as
it should considering it’s all named after him.
The opposite is a multi strand narrative which follows a large number of
characters, telling their own story but are connected in a way. An example of
this is the TV series ‘Skins’, each episode focuses on a different character and
what happens in their everyday life, however it still involves the other
characters but they’re more in the background. It goes on and shows all their
different life stories but in the end you see the connections between the
characters.

10. Narrative – Realist & Anti Realist
Realist films or TV programmes are ones considered to be seen as real life. For
example, the TV programme Hollyoaks is a TV soap so it shows the ins and
outs of what happens in the village involving all the different characters that
have their own things going on. It basically tells a story of the locals and
shows what they do on a daily basis as if it’s their real life events.
The opposite of this is an anti realist TV programme or film. An example of
this is the TV series Supernatural, even the title of the programme hints that
it could be anti-realist as it portrays something which wouldn't be normal. In
this term it is completely correct as it involves demons and monsters which
have evil antics but also aren't real so this shows you straight away it’s an
anti-realist programme.

11. Narrative – Open Ended & Closed
Open ended films or TV programmes are those that tell a story and don’t
complete it – also known as a cliff hanger. A good example of a film that does this
is Back To The Future; it tells a story about a young man, Marty, who is
accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by
his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown, and must make sure his high-school-age parents
unite in order to save his own existence. The film ended when Dr. Brown told
main character Marty “Something has to be done about your kids” but what?
Who were is kids? Where were his kids? Most watchers would have finished this
film feeling confused.
On the other hand, there are films and TV programmes that are ‘closed’ as they
tell a story from start to end and it’s very easy to pick up and self explanatory. The
film ‘The Proposal’ is a good example, the RomCom tells a story about a book
editor and her assistant that fake a proposal to stop her from getting deported
from the US back home to Canada, inspectors watch their every move to try and
catch them out which happens on their holiday to visit his family. The fairy-tale
collapses but in the end they do end up falling in love and getting engaged so it’s
basically just a long winded, complicated love story.

12. Narrative – Series & Serial
Many TV shows have a number of seasons which create an overall ‘series’. For
example, The Big Bang Theory began in 2007 and now in 2015 they’re on
their 10th season which shows it’s rate of success. The TV series is based
around a group of males and females, some that live together, some that
work together and some that are in relationships and it shows their everyday
lives. Each episode is based on something different e.g. an event, however
their norm will always fit into the episode as well.
There are also ‘serial’ TV programmes where there is just 1 series with many,
many episodes unfolding a continuous plot along the way. ‘Casualty’ the
hospital based drama is a good example of this as it shows the everyday lives
of the people frequenting the frenetic Accident and Emergency department
at Holby City hospital but each episode links in with the same theme.

13. Genre
There are many genres and mixed genres within the film and TV industry.
Some examples are: Romance, action, comedy, horror, etc. My favourite
genre is comedy because it’s there to make the audience happy and make
them laugh and there is nothing really negative about it. The Hangover trilogy
is one of my favourite comedy's as it involves 4 men doing really stupid but
funny things, a baby wearing sunglasses, stealing pet tigers, someone loosing
a tooth, the guys being beat up by a naked Chinese man that they trapped in
a boot. It’s all just very random and unusual which makes it hilarious to
watch.

14. Analytical Approaches – Audience
Profiling
Audience profiling is the best way of helping you to sell whatever it is your
company want to sell. Once you have identified our your target audience and
established what their requirements and needs are likely to be and what
interests them, it will be much easier to get them to buy products off you
because you already know what they’re after. The same applies to TV
programmes, before a show is aired the producer must have a good idea who
they’re targeting it at to ensure they’re attracting the correct viewers and
giving them what they would appreciate. Whilst the planning of a film or TV
show for example, the company would have to consider the following: The
sex they have in mind to aim it at whether it be more at the female
population or the male, what age preference they would like such as it for
over 18's? or is it aimed as a PG. The ethnicity is also a factor and plays a key
role as there are a wide selection of races based within the UK. Also, sexuality
can also be accounted for as close to three quarters of a million adults (1.5%)
are in the LGBT and it would be unfair for them not to be accounted for in the
profiling.

15. Analytical Approaches – Audience
Analysis
Audience Analysis is undertaken after the audience has made contact with
the product. It’s a matter that is considered in the early stages, just before
pre-production. It consists of assessing the audience to make sure the
information that's provided is at an appropriate level. Defining an audience
requires the consideration of many factors, for example such as age, culture
and actual knowledge of the subject. Once all the factors have been taken
into consideration, then a profile of the intended audience can be created.
The whole process may take form of surveys, questionnaires, focus groups or
even test screenings to get the feedback the company needs to allow data to
be took in and analysed which contributes to an over all audience review on
the product. The information involves gathering and interpreting information
about the recipients of oral, written or visual communication. Writers can also
use conversation to help them complete an audience analysis.

16. Analytical Approaches – Codes &
Conventions
Everyday people use Codes & Conventions to get through everyday situations.
Codes are the system of signs which create meaning, codes can be divided
into two media categories (Technical, Symbolic). Technical codes are all the
ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media text, for example
the camera work in a film. Symbolic codes show what is beneath the surface
of what we see. For example, a character's actions show you how the
character is feeling. Some codes fit both categories – music for example, is
both technical and symbolic. Codes can also fall into the category of audio
codes, written codes in simpler terms.
Conventions are the generally accepted ways of doing something. There are
general conventions in any medium, such as the use of interviewee quotes in
a print article, but conventions are also genre specific.

17. Analytical Approaches – Narrative
Analysis
Narrative analysis breaks down the end product in terms of its ability to
attract the target audience, it’s form, it’s adherence to the genre and it’s
importance to the industry. It can attract an audience by it's genre, it's form
or it's importance in the industry so how could it make a specific company
more money. In my opinion I think narrative analysis is very important in the
Media industry because it sell's it self a lot better to the company by telling
them what the product can do and how will it help them in some way shape
or form.
Narrative analysis can also be discussed in linear and non – linear format. A
Linear narrative structure they will shown everything in chronological order
and they will tend not to show anything from the past in the middle of the
film as an example. Whereas with Non-Linear they will show things in Non-
chronological so they will show a lot of things from the past in the middle of
the film etc.

18. Textual Analysis
My textual analysis is going to be based on the TV show Friends, the popular TV
show that has being going since 1994 and 21 years later still manages to make
people laugh. It is a SitCom show that explores the life of 6 friends, in this
particular episode the characters go through a series of events in the day that are
all funny and they all lead on to one another creating a big comical mess. The
storyline is based on how Ross is trying to get everyone ready for a party at his
work which is important to him but they have 22 minutes until the taxi’s arrive
and nobody is ready. Chandler and Joey begin with arguing and messing around
which resorts to Phoebe getting humus on her dress ruining her outfit. Whilst
Joey has stole Chandlers seat, Chandler hides all of Joey’s underwear in retaliation
and this causes Joey to get angry and make the childish move to wear everything
Chandler owns. Monica, who is Ross’s sister is running late because she is trying
to understand why her ex boyfriend left a message on her answer machine so
ends up hacking into his and gets found out of his daughter which leads her to
trouble. Alongside all of this drama, Rachel, Ross’s girlfriend is running late
because she’s a ‘stereotypical woman’ and it takes her too long to do her hair,
make up and choose what to wear.

19. Textual Analysis - 2
There is a lot of mayhem happening in this series of events but it’s comical due to
the fact how all the characters over react to what goes wrong. For example,
Phoebe gets humus thrown on her dress by the two boys messing around and
screams at them ‘evil boys’ and has an extremely angry facial expression which
she exaggerates with her mean words, this is surreal as it’s something done
‘accidentally on purpose’ to make the audience laugh. This leaves the boys to
apologise a lot creating humour for the audience because what they’ve done isn't
as bad as they think. In the moment they all laugh about each other’s problems
whilst the person in the mess over reacts and makes a scene. The audience
couldn’t help but laugh especially when everyone is acting silly to say the least.
The facial expressions, body language and even accents they use portray the
comedy side of the episode as it is noticeable for the audience that they’re all
freaking out and blaming things on one another. This sitcom is easy to relate to as
most of these situations happen to people on a daily basis… For example, a typical
girl not being ready on time and her boyfriend having to wait or having that
irritating friend that is always on time or early and stresses that everyone else
isn’t ready… This is where aspects of reality are shown.