The document discusses various conventions used in media texts, including representation, technical aspects, and narrative elements. It also covers several media theories related to how audiences receive and understand media messages, such as semiotics, feminism, audience effect theories, and audience address theories. The task is to analyze the technical, symbolic, and written codes used in one's own media texts, and consider how they relate to real examples of the same genre and which audience effect and address theories may apply.

1. Using Conventions of real media texts LO: Explore how and why I have used media conventions in my coursework

2. A convention is a “rule, method or practice established by usage”

3. We need to consider conventions in terms of: Representation Technical aspects (mise-en-scene, cinematography/phorgraphy, editing and sound) Narrative (story (ideology), characters, setting)

4. Discussion Are there any clues that suggest the genre of the text?

5. Discussion Are there any clues that suggest the genre of the text? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEZK7mJoPLY

6. What skills could you refer to in your answer? Research into “real” media texts: Organisation Analysis Use of digital technology Questionnaire

7. Media theory Semiotics : study of signs and symbols – are any common to the texts you have made? Feminism : typical representation of males and females in your texts Audience effect and address : hypodermic needle, uses and gratifications, Stuart Hall

8. Signs and Symbols Media students identify three categories of codes that may be used to convey meanings in media messages: technical codes, which include camera techniques, framing, depth of field, lighting and exposure symbolic codes, which refer to objects, setting, body language, clothing and colour; written codes in the form of headlines, captions,

9. Audience effects theories Uses and Gratifications- the concept that audiences use the media to satisfy certain basic psychological needs. Often audiences will watch to read something to suit their moods. For example watching glossy America dramas like ‘Glee’ for escapism. The Hypodermic needle- the idea that audiences are ‘injected’ passively with a message. This theory has become popular when analysing the impact of media violence on young people.

10. Audience address theories Stuart Hall’s 3 theories of how media audiences ‘receive and understand’ texts: Preferred readings: when the audience can relate and empathise directly with the media text. Negotiated readings : when the audience do not directly relate to the media text and have to place themselves into the ‘world of the text’. Oppositional readings : when the audience and their life experiences have no relationship with the text and are actually resistant to it. This can often lead to an oppositional reading

11. Task What are the technical, symbolic and written codes in your texts? How do these relate to real media texts within the same genre? Would you say your productions utilise the hypodermic needle model or uses and gratifications theory? Why? How would you say your audience would address your work? Preferred, negotiated or oppositional