Wednesday 2 November 2011

Print Research Task

Print research:

Deadline 11/11/11

You need to look at 2 or 3 digipacks and 2 or 3 magazine adverts, in the genre you’re going to work in.

What are the significant elements in the digipacks and adverts? Comment on:

• Use of images – what is connoted by the angle, shot type, mise en scene, lighting etc.? How does this use or challenge the conventions of the genre? How does it contribute to the creation or reinforcement of a star image?

• Use of font and layout - how does this use or challenge the conventions of the genre? How does it contribute to the creation or reinforcement of a star image?

• Use of detail – e.g. copyright, thanks, critics quotes, release date, i-Tunes link .... make a list of important details you want to feature in your print work.

• Size of advert – quarter, half, full or double page? Why?

• Who are the target audience and what elements are likely to appeal to them?


You should also look at:

• Redundancy and entropy – how redundant or entropic is the advert/digipack? Is this appropriate for the genre and target audience?

You could also comment on this question:

• How useful are digipack covers and print adverts when most people download their music and do their reading online? Why is it still important to have appealing and appropriate print work, as well as a music video, as part of a marketing package




Key words: you should be using all these words in your print research

audience genre star redundant entropic

connotation anchorage font layout colour costume

make-up lighting props setting lighting shot type
angle detail

Monday 5 September 2011

Welcome to A2 Media

Welcome to my A2 media blog. I will use this blog throughout the year to explain what is going on in lessons, what you should be doing outside lessons and useful links to help you with your studies. I hope that you will look at the blog regularly. It would be a good idea, when your A2 blog is set up, to 'follow' my blog to ensure that you don't miss important information.

Good luck in your A2 year.


Wednesday 23 March 2011

postmodern media - examiners report

The recently released examiners report fort he January exams contained the following statement...


"Postmodern Media
Stronger answers demonstrated an informed and intelligent understanding of the concept, and supported their answers with well researched case studies. But it seemed that many students had learned by rote some phrases that they repeated ‘parrot fashion’ and this rarely worked. One centre had clearly urged its students to remember the term 'immersion' as a feature of postmodernist texts. One candidate must have mis-heard and repeatedly referred to 'emulsion'. Lyotard and Baudrillard were often referenced (perhaps due to their prominence in the Hodder A2 textbook) and on one level this was impressive but this was accompanied by varying degrees
of understanding so centres are encouraged to be more strategic in differentiating the material they work with. The candidates who had understood and engaged with the concepts and the debates surrounding postmodernism had clearly benefited from the course, and offered some very interesting answers."

- I can't just teach you phrases that you simply learn and regurgitate.
- You have to be able to discuss and engage with the issues.
- Lyotard and Baudrillard- the minimum for a good grade.

Sunday 13 February 2011

Music Video

Well Done everyone for working so hard on the music videos. I have to say the attention to detail and the commitment to producing a professional looking project were good to see. The videos this year are of a very high standard, making my job as assessor very difficult!

I know you are keen to know marks ASAP, but please be aware that as this is coursework, I will need to be careful and mark as accurately as possible. Therefore, it is likely to be at least two weeks before I can give marks back to you.


In the meantime, you have an evaluative presentation to create. The deadline for which is the 4th March.


Looking longer term... We have postmodernism to consider and then a return to Questions 1a and 1b.



Please do look again at the advice given to you in the handout entitled 'getting an A grade' - you need to be putting together those sheets on skills and concepts. This is vital if you are expecting to do well in the exam.

Thursday 10 February 2011

New online tool - timelines

I have just been made aware of a new online tool for presenting timelines.

It is called Timetoast and can be found at www.timetoast.com.

You can sign up for a freee account. Good for evaluation questions where you have to consider your development.

Sunday 23 January 2011

questions 1b and 1a posts

The posts below outline the essay plan that we will adopt when preparing more closely for Section a of the exam. Please take the time to have a look.


Question 1a - www.getaheadocrmedia.blogspot.com/2011/01/structure-for-a2-exam-q1a.html

Question 1b - www.a2mediawsfc.blogspot.com/2011/01/question-1b.html





Question 1b

And question 1b...

www.getaheadocrmedia.blogspot.com/2011/01/a2-exam-question-1b.html


Notice the emphasis on 'theory' early on in the essay.




para 1 Intro: Briefly describe which project you are going to evaluate.

para 2: what are some of the key features of the concept you are being asked to apply? maybe outline two of the theories/ideas of particular writers briefly

para 3; start to apply the concept, making close reference to your production to show how the concept is evident in it

para 4: try to show ways in which ideas work in relation to your production and also ways in which those ideas might not apply/could be challenged

para 5; conclusion

Again remember you only have 30 minutes and that you really need to analyse the finished production, rather than tell the marker how you made it

Question 1a

please take a link at what the chief examiner says about this particular question ....

www.getaheadocrmedia.blogspot.com/2011/01/structure-for-a2-exam-q1a.html


Notice that that specific examples is mentioned as is the need to discuss your development of skills across both years of the course.


Para1 - explain briefly what projects you did in the AS and A2.

Para2 - what skills did you have prior to the course. Explain what you understand by the skill you are asked about.

Para3 - referring to specific examples discuss your skills development in the early projects.

Para4 - How did the skill develop while doing later projects - specific examples.

Para 5 - short conclusion






Sunday 16 January 2011

deadlines

Can I remind all that the deadline for Print production was 17th December. Late entries, in accordance with our published policy, cannot be accepted.

The deadline for research and planning was 4th January (a pre-arranged extension from the published deadline of 17th December)

Please do not submit any more research and planning - all blog posts should now be labelled as 'progress report - filming on location', or something similar.


Tuesday 4 January 2011

Welcome back

Happy new year...

Lots to do this half term.

Film music video
Edit Music video
Evaluate coursework

Learn more media 'theory' and practice Questions 1a and 1b.


busy, busy, busy!

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