Preliminary planning

 

1) State the song and genre you have chosen for your music video.


Song: 'I Know' by Dallask

Genre: EDM/Progressive House

2) Choose at least three music videos similar to your song or concept and watch them several times. Make bullet-point notes on everything you watch, commenting on camerawork, editing and mise-en-scene.

Mise-en-scene:

Alle Farben - Fading

German DJ Alle Farben makes wonderful use of the clothing and other aspects of mise-en-scene to create a very eye-pleasing music video. The Andy Warhol-like colour scheme makes for a postmodern feel. The positioning of the props, including the plants and the set of steps further pushes the 'perfect; aesthetic. The costumes worn by the actors is a mix of retro clothing, shiny trousers and harshly angled glasses. This makes the audience feel empowered as the brash style of fashion almost boosts confidence. The lyrics also support this message. The use of no low-key lighting relates to the genre and is expertly shown by the bright colours featured. The camera guy is dressed to suit a comical perspective where the sweat stains enhance his 'funny' appearance. The chequered shirt makes this feel like it's a music video from the 80s. The video almost plays itself as both artists involved in making the song star in the video as a performer and a set director. The actor movement is meant to be minimal but the use of the bike makes this video not completely static. The constant pink and blue background is noteworthy because not much is changing part from where the actors are and what they are doing. 

Camerawork:

Avicii - The Nights

'The Nights' is a cult classic from Avicii making use of the different camera angles and filming techniques to create a beautifully put-together video. The video uses a lot of mid-shots and POV shots to make the viewer to feel like they can live through the actor's experiences. The long shots of the city skyline and a rather cool pool divebomb shot are also present. The handheld camera shot simulates a vlog-style video where it's filmed on a selfie stick. The shaky shits make for a much more grounded shot, making it up-close and personal. The selfie-stick shot is also accompanied by a little twirl which could also be interpreted as a 360 shot as well. The side shots add a certain accent of art and finesse to the whole product as it gives a different feel to the shot, making us see more angles makes us feel like we're seeing something exclusive. The long shots of the night sky, peppered with stars, is a very nice shot which makes use of the time-lapse moments which portray the stars to be moving in a dazzling fashion. The handheld camera, as well as the tracking shot, adds a certain element of time progressing. This puts it in great sync with the lyrics.

Editing:

Martin Garrix - Tremor

'Tremor' makes use of very simple footage but adds pace and effects to make this a great experience for the listener. The track has no lyrics apart from the add-in of a few words. This makes it a bit easier to match the pace of the song with the editing. The thumping beat acts like a metronome as it acts as a breaker for each scene, which is just snippets from the DJ's various shows. The slow fade-to-fade cuts, alternating back to an actor which is staring at screens, is like the beginning of a rollercoaster as this is as slow as it will get. From the moment the beat drops, the pace of the editing as well as the effects picks up massively. ALternating between the artist's shots, consisting of long, mid and close up shots. The flash editing makes you feel like you're there at of of their shows. The 'glitchy' effect is supposed to make the song, much like this subgenre, a very gritty and alternative feel. The use of black and white shots are significant as this draws more attention to the music. The genre of EDM is meant to be energetic anyway, this song amplifies that energy into something tangible.

3) Write or edit your treatment just to include the 30-60 seconds you will make for this preliminary exercise.

Black and white filter whilst I draw something placed a metre in front of me. Almost like an artist and their easel. Whilst this is happening, Johann Strauss' Blue Danube will be playing as non-digetic sound. It sets the scene as the 'dull' section of the music video before I put the headphones on. 

Cutting from me drawing and looking at said subject and then standing back and basking in the masterpiece. 

I stand up, and then the ACTUAL song starts, with dull clothes still on. 

Closer to drop, around 5 secs, I will put the headphones on and then when I put them on, my clothes, filter and the setting change, with a match cut.

Hold boards up with jump cuts every three secs

4) Write a shot list containing EVERY shot you plan to film AND additional shots to create flexibility when editing. These additional shots are often close-ups, cutaways, alternative angles or similar. I advise using a simple table on Microsoft Word to set out your shot list - you can find an example here. 

Art Room

 

Shot No.	Shot	Filmed?
1.	Establishing shot of whole classroom with text “In collaboration with Sony”
2.	Slow pan to mid shot of me sitting down, drawing
3.	OTS shot with drawing, sharpening pencil
4.	Close up of me pausing the song
5.	Pan out to see me standing up *this and above should last 15-20 seconds minimum
6.	Maintain mid shot to me in middle frame, making sure my upper half is in frame
7.	Maintains angle and frame, looking bored by clothes, jumps and switch to next scene

 

 

Outside/Green area -Ruislip fields

 

Shot No.	Shot	Filmed?
1.	Match cut and mid-long shot to me outside, switch to a colour filter, switch to bright yellowish clothes among other accessories with cardboard cards
2.	Jump cut with boards held up, center mid

 

5) Plan your mise-en-scene: what iconography are you including to ensure your audience understands the genre or narrative? Plan your cast, costume, make-up, props, lighting and setting. For this preliminary task, use just one location to keep it simple.

lecture theatre: black and white filter with dull clothes, mix of blacks and greys

- This will feature a long shot with the sponsorship message and acts as the intro to the video, genre and the main theme of the video

cast: just me :)

costume: grey hoodie + black trousers

props: table with drawing object, notepad, pencil, textbook

lighting: high key 

setting: lecture theatre

6) Plan a shooting schedule that will ensure everything is filmed by the deadline. Include when, where, who is required and what shots you will complete at each time/location. Remember: social distancing!

Art room: Friday 2nd Oct P1+2

Ruislip fields: Saturday next week + the Monday following

Ignite LR

 1) Type up your feedback in full including the ratings out of five for each of the six categories. 

Research - 5

MV Concept - 3

Language: 4

representations: 3

Audience- 5

delivery- 5

Good strong confident opening

excellent discussion of genre

clear understanding of genre, demonstrating research

delivery is very good, pace is solid with a sense of humour

explorer phycograhic spot on for genre

presentation istelf is great - use of images

industry - STMPD Records demonstrates research and knowledge

headphone - clear response

very clear ideas

timing is spot on to the last slide

2) Use this feedback, comments from peers and your own reflection on your presentation to self-assess and write a detailed WWW and EBI for your own coursework concept and presentation as a whole.

WWW: I presented my understanding of the topic really well. I used a lot of my knowledge to explain the concept.

EBI: I needed to explain the concept/narrative element a bit more. I needed to flesh out the actual settings where I would film.

3) Write a paragraph discussing how your presentation will lead into your actual coursework production. Do you need to update your statement of intent? Does your concept/treatment offer enough clarity? Is it appropriate for the audience specified in the brief? Is it achievable to film in the midst of a global pandemic? Can you add media terminology or theory to your statement of intent now you have reflected on your presentation and seen others?

I need to update my SOI. I need to add new camera angles, new filters, different theorists and potentially more to do with the concept rather than the genre. I need to add more to explain my magazine and how it will meet the brief. I think my music video will be somewhat easy to film as it features one person only, making it more COVID secure and time reliable.

Music video treatment

Lecture theatre:

Multiple shots, monochrome filter, grey+black clothing

- Actor 1 is reading and writing his textbook in the lecture theatre. He looks at his watch and looks at the camera whilst shaking his head. He then packs his bag and gets up, picking up his bag and headphones case. He then walks up the stairs and turns around. He then throws the bag and headphones case once he's got them out. He then puts the headphones on and jumps to the next scene.

Graffiti Wall:

Yellow+blue clothing, normal filter, static shot, different angles. 

- Actor 1 appears in front of the wall, centre frame. He then dances. He attempts to moonwalk across the screen, which will be shown through a staggered time lapse shot. Jump to the next shot. 

Walpole Park:

Yellow+blue clothing, normal filter, static shot, different angles. 

- More movement here. Actor 1 warms up with exercise including jogging on the spot, star jumps and finally running in and out of the frame. More static shots of him dancing. Jump to the next scene.

Westminster:

Yellow+blue clothing, normal filter, static shot, different angles. 

- This time, Actor 1 jumps into Central London surprised about his surroundings. He checks his watch, which has changed with the jump. He then takes a picture of the surroundings. A1 does the time lapse moonwalk. He then jumps to the next scene. 

Alleyway:

Yellow+blue clothing, normal filter, static shot, different angles. 

- Actor 1 seems unimpressed with his surroundings. Tries to do the jump transition but it doesn't work. He knows why but he then puts his headphones on which teleports him to his next location.

Dickens Yard:

Yellow+blue clothing, normal filter, static shot, different angles. 

- Actor 1 appears in front of the wall, centre frame. He checks his watch then dances. Jump to the next shot. 

END OF VIDEO

Music video analysis

 Chosen genre: EDM/Dance 

Narrative: 

Avicii - Addicted to you

This classic song by Swedish DJ Avicii perfectly captures why narrative makes a music video so great. One can apply Todorov's theory of equilibrium here as it follows the linear pattern of: equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium. Arguably, a multiple equilibrium sentences as well as a condensed equilibrium exist within this video. The multiple sentences of disruption depict a couple robbing many people, including pubs and even a bank. This is then interrupted by a scene that cements the couple's romance through a few steamy shots. The condensed equilibrium is evident here too because within a minute, the first robbery has already taken place. There could also be the irregular structure of equilibrium at the start, then the new equilibrium is only momentary when one of the protagonists dies. That's the disequilibrium again. You can also apply Propp's character theory here, stating that the two protagonists are the heroes and the police the villain. Furthermore, this metanarrative is almost like a movie and makes the consumer feel like they are watching a story unfold. This also features the artist in one of the scenes, often a telltale sign of a metanarrative.

Mise-en-scene:

Alle Farben - Fading

German DJ Alle Farben makes wonderful use of the clothing and other aspects of mise-en-scene to create a very eye-pleasing music video. The Andy Warhol-like colour scheme makes for a postmodern feel. The positioning of the props, including the plants and the set of steps further pushes the 'perfect; aesthetic. The costumes worn by the actors is a mix of retro clothing, shiny trousers and harshly angled glasses. This makes the audience feel empowered as the brash style of fashion almost boosts confidence. The lyrics also support this message. The use of no low-key lighting relates to the genre and is expertly shown by the bright colours featured. The camera guy is dressed to suit a comical perspective where the sweat stains enhance his 'funny' appearance. The chequered shirt makes this feel like it's a music video from the 80s. The video almost plays itself as both artists involved in making the song star in the video as a performer and a set director. The actor movement is meant to be minimal but the use of the bike makes this video not completely static. The constant pink and blue background is noteworthy because not much is changing part from where the actors are and what they are doing. 

Camerawork:

Avicii - The Nights

'The Nights' is a cult classic from Avicii making use of the different camera angles and filming techniques to create a beautifully put-together video. The video uses a lot of mid-shots and POV shots to make the viewer to feel like they can live through the actor's experiences. The long shots of the city skyline and a rather cool pool divebomb shot are also present. The handheld camera shot simulates a vlog-style video where it's filmed on a selfie stick. The shaky shits make for a much more grounded shot, making it up-close and personal. The selfie-stick shot is also accompanied by a little twirl which could also be interpreted as a 360 shot as well. The side shots add a certain accent of art and finesse to the whole product as it gives a different feel to the shot, making us see more angles makes us feel like we're seeing something exclusive. The long shots of the night sky, peppered with stars, is a very nice shot which makes use of the time-lapse moments which portray the stars to be moving in a dazzling fashion. The handheld camera, as well as the tracking shot, adds a certain element of time progressing. This puts it in great sync with the lyrics.

Editing:

Martin Garrix - Tremor

'Tremor' makes use of very simple footage but adds pace and effects to make this a great experience for the listener. The track has no lyrics apart from the add-in of a few words. This makes it a bit easier to match the pace of the song with the editing. The thumping beat acts like a metronome as it acts as a breaker for each scene, which is just snippets from the DJ's various shows. The slow fade-to-fade cuts, alternating back to an actor which is staring at screens, is like the beginning of a rollercoaster as this is as slow as it will get. From the moment the beat drops, the pace of the editing as well as the effects picks up massively. ALternating between the artist's shots, consisting of long, mid and close up shots. The flash editing makes you feel like you're there at of of their shows. The 'glitchy' effect is supposed to make the song, much like this subgenre, a very gritty and alternative feel. The use of black and white shots are significant as this draws more attention to the music. The genre of EDM is meant to be energetic anyway, this song amplifies that energy into something tangible.

Conventions: 

Robin Schulz - Sugar

'Sugar' has most of the conventions stated by Andrew Goodwin in his theory. There is a link between the visuals, lyrics and the song title. 'Sugar' is supposed to be this sweet thing, but here it's used to tag anything one might love. Sugar aso gives you a 'high' which relates to the actions of the disgruntled police officer who goes on a joyride. This fits the EDM genre as its so fast paced and crazy that it suits the listeners of the genre. The whole song is an intertextual reference as its a remake of Baby Bash's 'Suga Suga' which released almost two decades ago. The intertextual references to GTA V with the actor and the whole police costume is an easter egg for gamers. The actors are looking at the road because they are driving. The video doesn't sexualise women but it does the opposite. Instead of the typical 'steamy car wash girls', it's the male actor who's doing that, somewhat drifting from the typical conventions of a music video. The video is a narrative as well as a performance by the vocalist. Both artists feature in the music video, the singer more than the DJ. 

End of Year 12 assessment

Paper 1 Section A

1) Analyse the Close Study Product Score hair cream advert using narrative theory including Todorov. [9 marks]

The Score Hair Cream advert dates back more than five decades ago. Since then, quite a lot of representations of gender, identity and race have drastically changed. Narrative theory seems like a very relevant thing to analyse when it comes to this advert. The advert is in the new equilibrium part of the three-part cycle. Todorov proposed a theory of equilibrium comprising of: equilibrium, disequilibrium and then new equilibrium. This CSP starts in new equilibrium as it states that the cream would improve you to be the perfect man and then introduce a new equilibrium where you are the dream man. The disequilibrium would be before you apply the cream, you are seen as an inferior man without the product and your attraction would increase massively after application. The stages of disequilibrium can also be applied. The 'disruption' phase is when your appearance is preventing you from approaching 'the ladies', the 'recognition' phase is when you acknowledge that you need to do something to fix your appearance and the 'reparation' phase phase is when you use the hair cream and reap the rewards. The man in the central image is clearly enjoying his new equilibrium phase with his smug smirk and the gun which could act as a phallic symbol that represents the hypermasculinity this cream supposedly gives you. 

Other narrative theorists that can be applied here are Propp, Barthes and Levi Strauss. Vladimir Propp came up with a list of stock characters named 'the seven spheres of action'. In my opinion, the 'hero', according to Propp's theory is the central protagonist which is mirrored in the cream. The cream saves the day and the advert is trying to sell it as much as they can. The 'princess' in the advert would be you, the consumer. Your hair is in dire need of repair and Score Hair Cream will fix that, the hero saves the princess. The 'villain' here might be old age or just weak hair which is where the hair cream comes into play. We can also apply enigma codes and action codes courtesy of Roland Barthes. The enigma codes here would be the expression of the man. Why is that man happy? Will I get with that many ladies if I try the cream? This creates mystery for the consumer so that they feel intellectually duped. The action codes here might be the way that the females in the advert are carrying him on a platform which might imply that he will have sex with them later. Furthermore, the pack shot at the bottom of the advert is an example of an action code as it is the product that saves you from ugliness. Finally, we can apply Levi-Strauss' theory of binary opposition. Men were perceived as dominant and therefore more powerful. It was this patriarchal view that empowered men and belittled women. We see that the binary opposite here is men/women or even dominance/subservience. Both Barthes and Levi-Strauss noticed another important feature of these binary opposites is that one generally tends to be seen by a particular society or culture as more valued than the other. In many cultures during the 1960s, the idea of a successful and powerful woman was absurd so the idea of having a man as strong and dependant in the advert is vital to the success of the cream.


Walk and talk video guide:





2) “Postmodernity is said to be a culture of fragmentary sensations, eclectic nostalgia, disposable simulacra, and promiscuous superficiality.” – Jean Baudrillard

To what extent can your music video Close Study Products be described as postmodern? [20 marks]

Both music videos Close Study Products can be considered as postmodern due to them including elements of pastiche, historical deafness, bricolage and many more. In 'Ghost Town', a song by The Specials, we can apply many of Strinati's points as to what makes a media text postmodern. He states that one telltale sign of postmodernism is that there is a breakdown between art and popular culture. The director of the music video for 'Ghost Town' is well known for making arthouse films and this music video is no exception. The merging between highbrow and lowbrow activities is evident here as it combines a song that has topped the charts but has a arthouse style music video. This clearly presents 'Ghost Town' as postmodern. It's also clear that bricolage is present in the music video because we see how the car is driving through London which is a really old and established city whilst the song, which is from a relatively new genre, plays. This juxtaposing of old and new is further demonstrated with the reggae influences which adds to the contemporary 80s atmosphere. 

The mise-en-scene as well as the filmography mirror popular film genres like British social realism, thriller and hammer horror. The use of intertextuality only proves my point that 'Ghost Town' is a really good example of postmodernism. The intertextuality also refers to the lyrics which reference the political mess Britain was in during the time Margaret Thatcher was in office. The song and video offers evidence of Gilroy's Black Atlantic Identity theory. It suggests that black culture is forged through travel and hybridity and was referred to as a "liquidity of culture". The representation of Britain as a multicultural country through the band and song is reinforced through the strong political message 'Ghost Town' sends. 

Common's Letter To The Free is, in my opinion less postmodern but still contains elements of it. Much like 'Ghost Town', the music video is filmed in an arthouse style and the song itself was used in a movie and topped the charts. This is a clear use of postmodernism. We can also apply Frederick Jameson's idea of historical deafness as in the music video, Common emphasises the effect the oppression of black people has had not only on him but the whole black community. Historical deafness comes in because we are not taught this in school and this further shows that the media display information in a certain, constructed way. The 'mediasation' of history is a clear sign of postmodernism as the media tries to filter out information according to their individual views and beliefs. Common also explains that the black square is also a postmodern concept. In an interview, Common said that even he didn't know what it was and that it was open to interpretation. This represents the infinite thing about blackness and blackness cannot be defined in time or space. This links to Strinati's point where he states that a sign of postmodernism could be the "confusion over time and space". 






Walk and talk video guide:





Paper 1 Section B

3) Identify three strategies used to promote Chicken to an audience. Explain a reason for each strategy. Each of the reasons must be different. [6 marks]


One of the strategies was that the film was on a film festival circuit. It featured in many places like Giffoni, Tallinn and France. This was effective because it could relate to a specific audience and the festivals invited many people who are interested in the arthouse genre, cementing its success. Film festivals also invite quite a few critics so the film is more likely to get picked up by a critic who is willing to give it acclaim.

Social media was also a huge player when it came to promotion. Social media was free and for a microbudget film, that's perfect. Their social platforms on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook would reach thousands of potential viewers and therefore creating more buzz around the movie by posting 30 second snippets of the film.

Traditional media such as posters and YouTube trailers were also a key factor in Chicken's promotion. The poster featured arthouse style pictures was accompanied with critic review quotes. This tells the viewer automatically that this is a film worth watching. The YouTube trailer can also capture a younger percentage of viewers as younger people spend their time on platforms like it. The YouTube trailer also gives us an insight to the film, almost like the film festival circuit.

Walk and talk video guide:






4) How do regulatory contexts shape the output of media industries? You should refer to your film industry Close Study Product, Chicken. [9 marks]

The BBFC regulates the film industry in the UK. They assign age ratings to films they deem fit for viewing. The film industry is a part of the cultural industry. This is perhaps one of the most expressive and successful media industries to ever exist. That still doesn't make it risk free. Media theorist David Hesmondhalgh refers to the cultural industry as a "risky business", this means that when a film comes out, its success isn't guaranteed. Risk can be reduced by including star power and even exploring a well established genre or franchise. The BBFC can have a massive impact on how a film does depending on its age rating. If the producer of a film aimed a film at 12 year olds and the BBFC rates it at 15, it might be difficult for that film to make money because it isn't accessible to their target audience. 

The BBFC regulate the films into the following categories: Universal, Parental Guidance, 12, 15 and 18. The higher you go up in age, more restricted things are unlocked. Films with U and PG ratings are perfect for family films and films with a rating of 18 have violence, extreme nudity and drug use. The BBFC has a direct impact on the success of a film. For a film like Chicken, the budget was tiny and it was in the arthouse style genre, which is not widely known. If Chicken was put in the wrong rating, say 15, the film would not do well and lose money. The fact if the film makes even £10k profit that's still something. If the BBFC filters out films that younger audiences might love, then it looks bad on the BBFC's front too. 




Walk and talk video guide:





5) How useful are media effects theories in evaluating the success of media products? Refer to your Radio Close Study Products, Life Hacks and War of the Worlds, in your answer. [20 marks]


In both radio CSPs, media effects theories can be applied to analyse the success of them. In BBC's Life Hacks, the use of Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory could be applied. They suggested that there were four types of audience pleasures. Life Hacks utilises the following: personal identity, surveillance and diversion. One can find personal identity when the hosts include a topic or invite a guest that has the same background as them. Members of the BAME community in particular could relate to the content or hosts in Life Hacks. Surveillance can be found in the news element of the show, as it is run by the BBC and a part of their remit is to "inform, educate and entertain". The last part of their remit links to the diversion part where listeners of the podcast are asked fun questions or the music they like is played. We can also apply the two-step flow model to Life Hacks as the hosts are a key factor in being the 'opinion leader' when attracting young people to the show.

War of Worlds is a much more dated and established radio show that is a completely different idea. Frankfurt School's idea of the hypodermic needle is a 1920s theory that suggest that the media injects content into consumers and therefore can have a devastating effect on them. This is clear with the War of Worlds broadcast when reports suggested that people had packed their bags and left the town following the initial report of invasion. Stanley Cohen's theory of 'moral panic' can also be applied. This is when the media defines something as a threat to societal values and interests. When the broadcast aired the chaos that ensued was similar to the moral panic explanation. The broadcast made a lot of people panic and they called the police station many times, this was a success. 

George Gerbner's cultivation theory could be applied here as consumption of media can affect the way you react to certain situations. Heavy consumption of the radio in the 30s could have been vital in making the radio show seem very real. It made people vulnerable to fake news and it worked. This created the 'Mean World Syndrome' where heavy consumers viewed the world as much worse than it actually is. My final use of media effects is the dependency theory by Rokeach and DeFleur. They suggested that people rely so much on the media that they believe everything they say. This means that the media can influence people on what decisions they make and can create any feeling such as fear in War of Worlds



Walk and talk video guide:





Paper 2


1) Liesbet van Zoonen suggests that gender is constructed through media language and that these constructions reflect social contexts. 

How far does an analysis of Men’s Health and Oh Comely support this argument? [25 marks]

Men's Health and Oh Comely both include rather different views on gender and it's clear why that is the case. OC positions itself as a niche feminist magazine and Men's Health weighs in as a well established magazine helping men around the world. Van Zoonen views gender as negotiated and dependant and social and historical context. She argues that in media today women are: objectified, framed in a provocative way, restricted to secondary roles and reinforce western beauty ideals. This is clearly not the case in OC as we see that the magazine takes in a very different representation of women across the edition. There is an androgynous person who takes a relaxed pose. We question this as we are unable to tell if they are male or female. The colours the model is wearing also reflects how alternative the stereotypes OC show are. This agrees with Van Zoonen's idea about gender being constructed by the media and that OC are opposing that view. The front cover and indeed the other CSP pages in OC actually oppose Van Zoonen's statement as they are showing how it's like to be gender fluid and free. They show that it is not a problem.

In Men's Health, we see a very different take on gender. Whilst they target men with mental health issues, their blatant fat shaming style of advertising is quite profound. This can be seen from the get-go with Vin Diesel's flexed tricep and his dominant stance reinforcing the hypermasculinity and could even hint at bell hook's theory. Radical feminist bell hooks suggests that the media projects men in one way and shames those who do not fit that agenda. She calls this "normalised traumatisation". This is where men are used to show how they should look, and anyone who does not comply with 'the norm' is seen as different. Like Van Zoonen, she agrees that gender roles are constructed and are not natural. Butelr also agrees because she belives that 'gender is a performance' and is influenced by society, culture and micro rituals. The use of many hypermasculine cover lines as well as the obvious PhotoShop to Diesel's muscle shows that Men's Health accepts toxic masculinity. The cover image also rejects David Gauntlett's idea that masculinity is in crisis.

The use of the #slaywinterblues on the front cover links to Gauntlett's theory that meanings change over time and that there are generational differences. The hashtag shows that they want to reach a younger audience and that 50 years ago, they would have got much less attention with this marketing style. Van Zoonen also states that the media sexualises males and females to reinforce sex role stereotypes and sex-appropriate behaviours. She goes on to explain that men are typically presented as dominant and women submissive. This is clear in MH where everything from the very personal editor's letter to the direct eye contact (direct address) Vin Diesel gives demonstrates that MH clearly reinforces dominant masculine stereotypes. Gender is clearly constructed by the use of blue, often associated with males, and agrees with Van Zoonen and Butler. 

The way that the readers may react to these gender representations could be different. With OC, women could feel empowered and go on social media to evoke even more change in the feminist community. In MH. it's a matter of how to sell stuff. The readers of MH may see the feature of the Marathon Man and think why they are not like that, it certainly seems attainable. The way that MH constructs their idea of masculinity has an impact on how the readers may be motivated to make changes to their exercise routine or eat less. If this advice is met with success, the reader will come back for more therefore resulting in a strong connection between MH readers and the constructed image of masculinity.

Walk and talk video guide:





2) “Television dramas reflect the social and cultural contexts of their production.”

To what extent does an analysis of your television Close Study Products support this view? [25 marks]

Capital is a 2015 BBC drama which uncovers the 2007 global financial crash and explores social issues and the dire situation of London homeowners at the time. Deutschland 83 is a 2015 costume drama that is in German and takes place in 1980s Germany at the height of the Cold War. Capital is a state-of-the-nation drama and is based on a book by John Lanchester. Capital does a good job at reflecting the division between rich and poor and other ethnic, occupational and demographic categories. This is a clear use of Levi-Strauss' binary opposition as we see both sides of the story. One side we see Roger, a rich banker and the other side we see Qwentina whos is an abused and mistreated asylum worker who struggles to make ends meet. This in fact was relevant in 2015 as the EU referendum as well as the smaller economic growth meant that the division between rich and poor had increased massively. 

Capital also depicts how the rates of the world's banks are declining which, even though it was more prominent in 2007, was still true in 2015 with the failing high-street banks issue. Although, some may argue that the representation of certain ethnic groups like the Kamal family and Bogdan are somewhat incorrect in accordance with contemporary views. The Asian and the Eastern European communities have swelled in numbers since 2007 and in 2015 even more came to the UK for work. This increase in ethnic minorities mean that tolerance and acceptance towards these groups also increased. Perhaps they weren't represented correctly, this is why the statement isn't 100% right for Capital. You could also argue that Capital is both left and right wing as many ideologies across the spectrum are somewhat enforced. Capital also represents British culture quite well as we see a diverse mix of residents on Peepys Lane and indeed reflects social and cultural contexts of its production.

The producers of Deutschland 83 were a mix of German based UFA Fiction and US based Freemantle Media. This synergy between the two countries enhances the view that foreign language television is becoming increasingly popular and mainstream. D83 reflects the global nature of television and how connected we all are internationally. It's an eclectic mix of spy-thriller, costume-drama and a coming-of-age TV show, it uses the hybridity of its mishmash of genres and makes for a gripping show that relates to the viewers even though it's set 40 years ago. The fact that the construction of this program is done in a postmodern way reflects modern media culture and how the TV shows of today toy around with different genres to find a balance in between. We can clearly see the influence of the German side of production due to the sourcing of the actor, the language and the setting but we can also see that the US side of production has had an effect due to the thriller style narrative, the postmodern conventions and of course the budget.

D83 makes a good case in presenting the time it was produced as we know from 2013, the documents for Able Archer were released for public viewing. We can apply Baudrillard's hyperreality theory because they use replicas of the documents in the briefcase scene which also brings in Frederick Jameson's idea about historical deafness. History was written by the winners and clearly from the reports you see a one-sided report. This is an example of how the media deliberately alters parts of history and we learn from there, not knowing any better. So that is one flaw when agreeing with the statement that it reflects cultural and social contexts. The use of postmodernism is noteworthy too. In the supermarket scene, Sweet Dreams by The Eurythmics diegetically plays whilst the arrangement of the food products on the shelves resembles Andy Warhol's Tomato Soup art. It's this blend of art and popular culture which makes D83 a postmodern TV show a and therefore makes it perfect when looking at the social and cultural contexts of its production. Postmodernism will always evolve and carry on being contemporary.







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