The document provides tips for analyzing and deconstructing media texts, including asking how techniques like camerawork, editing, sound and mise en scene construct representations and shape audience reactions. It advises picking these techniques apart to demonstrate understanding of how meanings are constructed and filtered to audiences. The writing should be concise, with analysis rather than description, and reference specific media languages and codes. Introductions are unnecessary; analyses should start by describing the opening shot and how techniques combine to create representations. An example analysis of a TV show is provided.

1. AS Media Studies
Essay technique

2. Quick Tips for Deconstructing
Texts
Every time you view a text, ask:
1.“How was that done?” Pick apart camerawork, editing,
sound and mise en scene
2.“How is the audience being told to react?” Is a
POSITIVE or NEGATIVE rep being given? Can this be linked to the
NARRATIVE PERSPECTIVE?
1.“What CODES are being used to make it clear
what is happening?” e.g low key lighting with one source
of white light = night-time.

3. Quick Tips for Deconstructing
Texts
You are being asked to demonstrate your
understanding of how REPRESENTATIONS are
being CONSTRUCTED
Remember that EVERYTHING is constructed to
FILTER through to the audience the correct
meaning

4. Comment on AT LEAST TWO Media Languages in each
analysis
You are being asked to show how Mise en Scene,
Editing, Sound and Camerawork COMBINE to create
the required REPRESENTATION

5. Your writing must be CONCISE
and CLEAR
This means as little and as much ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTION
as possible. It’s easy to slip and just tell the story.
Distance yourself from the extract by using PEEL
Point
Evidence
Explain
Link to the question

6. First sentence and opening paragraph
• No introduction needed
• ALWAYS start with “The sequence/extract/clip
opens with”
• Then give shot type, angle and movement
• Breakdown of non- diegetic and diegetic sound
• Breakdown of mise en scene.
• How do these COMBINE to create the
representation for the audience?

7. EXAMPLE
Doctor Who
Series 5, episode 1
“The Eleventh Hour”
1 min 43-5 min 54
Representation of AGE

8. Create a key to show media languages
and representation
The sequence opens with a low angle close up of a
red toy windmill. The dominance of the windmill in
the mise en scene, combined with the low angle,
imply that we are seeing the perspective of a child.
Now add sound, editing and camera movement to give a full
Analysis of the opening shot
Then bring all your analysis together to state how
AGE is represented through
MEDIA LANGUAGES and CODES