A Brief History Of Videogames: blog task

1) What were the first videogames like?
The first videogames had bad graphics and were mainly button pressing games.2) How have videogames changed over time?
Videogames have become more interactive with more detailed graphics.3) What do the most successful games have in common? Answer this in as much detail as you can. Think about audience pleasures - what do people like about playing videogames?
Most videogames provide escapism for players.4) What criticisms have been made towards videogames?
They are unneccesarily violent and addictive.

5) What is Fortnite: Battle Royale?

Fortnite is a multiplayer shooter videogame.

6) How many Fortnite players are there worldwide?

There are over 40 million players worldwide.

7) Why is it so popular? What are the audience pleasures of the game?

The game is free and fun. It uses bright colours and is promoted by famous youtubers/gamers.

8) Copy and paste two comments from 'below the line' of the Guardian article - these are comments written by Guardian readers in response to the feature. Select one comment you agree with and one you disagree with and explain why.

bfoxy 

7 Mar 2018 12:20 

56

A fantastic game for all the family. The violence is cartoon-like, not gratuitous or graphic. I limit my children to only playing the Playstation at the weekends. Simple.

I disagree as I think the childlike costumes and actions will be quite boring for adults and the game seems to be aimed at a particular demographic rather than the whole family.

Galaxy 'Chauffeur' advert: Blog task

1) Who is Audrey Hepburn?
Audrey Hepburn was a famous actress and fashion icon in the 1950's, during Hollywoods 'Golden age'.
2) Why did Galaxy select Audrey Hepburn for this advert? 
Galaxy selected Audrey Hepburn as she is a symbol of beauty and elegance and these qualities fit with the Galaxy slogan, "silk, not cotton". She was also very famous in the 50's/60's and brings a sense of nostalgia.
3) What are the connotations of Audrey Hepburn and celebrity in this advert? 

The connotations of Audrey Hepburn in this advert are luxury, high class and demure.

4) Why is the advert set in the 1950s? What audience pleasure does this provide?
This provides nostalgia and creates an atmosphere of innocence and 'simpler times'. This is used a lot in chocolate adverts.
5) What is intertextuality?
It's when one media product references other media products to interest the audience. In this advert, they often reference Roman Holiday which is one of Audrey Hepburn's most famous movies.
6) What Audrey Hepburn film is suggested in this advert and how is this effect created (e.g. mise-en-scene - CLAMPS: costume, lighting, actors, make-up, props, setting)?
The film is suggested is Roman Holiday. The movie, like the advert, is set in Italy. The actors, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, have been digitally recreated(Hepburn) or played by actors who look similar(Peck).
7) Which of Propp's character types are represented in the advert? (Note: you will not find them all). 

Hero, Gregory Peck

Heroine/Princess, Audrey Hepburn

Donor, Bus driver

8) How does the advert's narrative (story) follow Todorov's theory of equilibrium?
Equilibrium-Audrey Hepburn is riding in the bus.
Disequilibrium-The bus gets blocked and stops. The bus driver begins to fight with the fruit stall owner.
Equilibrium-Audrey Hepburn leaves the bus and drives away in the man's car.
9) What representations of gender can you find in this advert?
Audrey is portrayed as a damsel in distress but later on in the advert, she takes control(e.g. takes the drivers hat and puts it on her 'chauffeur'.)
10) Are stereotypes reinforced or subverted in the Galaxy advert? Give examples.
The stereotype of men saving women is being reinforced as Audrey is being 'rescued' from the bus by the man in the car.
Additionally, the celebrity is being portrayed as superior to the other bus passengers as she seems to be keeping her cool and finds a way off the bus.
Furthermore, Audrey Hepburn is seen as quite flirty and glamorous and she uses her charm to get off the bus.

Represent NHS Blood & Transplant campaign: blog tasks

1) What does BAME stand for?
   Black-Asian-Minority-Ethnicity.
2) Why is there a need for blood in the BAME community? 

  Only 3% of blood donors are black or asian and for diseases that mainly affect black/asian communities, it's better to use blood from people with black or asian heritage.

3) What does this advert want people to do once they've seen it ('call to action')?
This advert wants to encourage more young people from the BAME community to donate blood.
4) Why is the advert called 'Represent'?
The advert is called 'Represent' as it is aimed at getting ethnic minorities to donate blood-it's representing people of all races.
5) Why have the producers chosen famous BAME celebrities to feature in the advert? Give an example of three well-known people who appear in the advert and why they are famous.
Ade Adepitan-British television presenter and wheelchair basketball player.
Kanya King- Founder of the MOBO awards.
Mariah Idrissi-British Moroccan/Pakistani model, public speaker, and online personality.
6) Why is there a slow-paced long shot of empty chairs at the end of the advert?
The three chairs could indicate the 3% that donate and the reason they are empty is to suggest there is no one donating any blood. The slow paced shot accompanied by the music could be an attempt at creating an emotional connection with the consumer, persuading them to donate blood.
7) How does the advert match the key conventions of a typical rap music video?
The advert uses low angled shots in order to portray members of the BAME community as powerful and strong. The rapper also stares directly into the camera to communicate the seriousness of the message.
8) How does the advert subvert stereotypes? Give three examples (e.g. ethnicity, masculinity, femininity, age, class, disability/ability etc.)
They used a disabled man in a wheelchair for a basketball player.
The scientists are female, black and muslim.

Moving image adverts: blog task

1) What key conventions of broadcast advertising can be found in this advert?

• Narrative (storyline)
• Sound (music, dialogue/voiceover, sound effects)
• Logo & slogan

2) What text appears on screen in the advert? What effect might this have on audiences?
The text comments on clips that have been shown in the advert.
They have utilised rhetorical questions to make the audience think/reflect.
3) How many different people feature in the advert?
Many of those featured are young girls of various ages.
4) Why did the producers decide to feature a range of different ages, genders and ethnic groups in the advert?
To emphasise the point of equality: although it's focusing mainly on girls, it doesn't want to neglect other demographics. Additionally, it's to show how girls of all ages, ethnic groups etc... feel the same negative effects.
5) What effect does the background music have on the audience - particularly towards the end of the advert?
As the message gets more powerful, the music intensifies whereas when the music tones down when the conversation is light-hearted.

6) Pause the advert at 3.08. What key conventions of advertising can you find on the screen at this point? How do these encourage the audience to make the campaign go viral?
At 3;08, the logo and slogan are displayed on the screen. They have also mentioned how consumers can get involved. This is a "call to action" and encourages viewers to join the campaign.
7) What representation of women can be found in this campaign?
This subverts the stereotypical representation of women being weak and encourages the view of women being strong, capable and diverse.

8) The #LikeAGirl campaign was hugely successful with over 65 million views on YouTube alone. Why do you think the campaign connected with audiences so successfully?
I think the use of hashtags, social media links and slogans allowed the campaign to stay in the readers mind and also made it very accessible as many viewers were able to share the video.

Gender representation in advertising

Car:

Perfume:

Cleaning Products:

1) What stereotypes of women can you find in the 1950s and 1960s adverts? Give specific examples. 

• Women are domestic
• Women are bad drivers
• A woman is a man's accessory

2) What stereotypes of women can you find in the post-2000s adverts? Give specific examples.

• Women aren't interested in sports
• Women are still domestic

3) How do your findings suggest representations of gender have changed over the last 50 years? 

Although they may have changed slightly, gender stereotypes still exist and these are clearly reflected in the advertisements.

Advertising case study 1: OMO print advert

1) What year was the advert produced?
1955.2) How were women represented in most adverts in the 1950s?
Most women were presented as domestic and submissive.3) How does the heading  message ('OMO makes whites bright') and typography promote the product?
The writing is inside a sharp bubble which adds to the "bright" effect and it's bold so it catches the consumer's eye.4) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the advert (CLAMPS): how is costume, make-up and placement of the model used to suggest women's role in society?
The woman has a bright expression, suggesting she is happy to do the laundry/use the OMO product. She's also wearing lipstick whilst her sleeves are rolled up-She feels the need to look good but also has to do hard work.
5) Why is a picture of the product added to the bottom right of the advert?
6) What are the connotations of the chosen colours in this advert?
The main colour used is white which is a constant reference to the job of OMO. The blue is used to connote tranquillity and peace.7) How does the anchorage text use persuasive language to encourage the audience to buy the product? Give examples.
The anchorage text repeats the word "bright" several times in an attempt to make the consumer subconsciously link OMO to bright and set it apart from other products. 8) What representation of women can be found in this OMO advert? Make specific reference to the advert and discuss stereotypes.
One stereotype is that women are supposed to stay as housewives and do domestic chores. This advert endorses that as the women is cleaning the clothes and there are no men.9) What is the preferred reading for this advert - what did the producers of the advert want the audience to think in 1955?
10) What is the oppositional reading for this advert - how might a modern audience respond to this text and the representation of women here?
A modern audience would react negatively to the old fashioned stereotypes and choose another, more broad minded brand.

Learner response to magazine case study feedback

WWW-

Very strong and impressive, GCSE level analysis of both magazines. So impressed with your accurate use of media terminology how you are very specific about each of the  magazine conventions. Strong links made between features, their connotations and their appeal to target audience. You also understand Preffered and Oppositional readings which is a hard concept. You use a lot of media specific terms such as 'gratifications' and 'produced' and go into a great deal of detail about mise-en-scene in both magazines.

EBI- Proof read your work so that you spot little errors of expression - you have used it's instead of 'its' and 'prestige' instead of 'prestigious' but that is only a small thing. Take some of your answers even further as some of them are not as in depth as others.

LR- Do all the extension tasks - you have a high target and you should be attempting all the extensions to push yourself.

REVEAL:

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

1) How does the front cover engage audiences with possible narratives? Look for stories, cliffhangers, dramatic cover lines etc.
The front cover 2) What are paparazzi images and why are they crucial to the front cover of Reveal? 

They are crucial to the Reveal cover as they catch celebrities doing ordinary things without putting on an act which helps further the idea that the magazine allows the reader to create a close "friendship" with the celebrities.
3) How does the front cover juxtapose text and images to create contrast and narrative on the front cover of Reveal 18 March 2017?

In this edition of Reveal, the images have been strategically placed to create an atmosphere of tension and added drama. The image of Lauren discussing her new relationship has been placed directly next to an image of Mark, who she used to date, and Michelle, his new girlfriend.

TATLER:

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

1) How does the front cover engage audiences with possible narratives? Look for stories, cliffhangers, dramatic cover lines etc.
The front cover utilises bold, sans serif fonts in striking pink colours to attract the audience's attention and then engages with the audience through scandalous cover lines (e.g. "Oops my clothes fell off!") to induce curiosity and encourage the readers to buy the magazine. 2) What does the costume and make-up in the central image suggest about the character featured on the front cover of the April 2017 edition of Tatler?
The eye catching, prominent makeup contradicts the pale green/yellow cover scheme, suggesting that the character on the cover of the magazine is quite daring and unafraid to make bold choices, causing it to stand out from the crowd (an attempt to mirror the usually traditional magazine's new style and changing attitude.)3) Read this Guardian article on the BBC documentary about Tatler called Posh People. What does the article suggest about the people who produce and read Tatler?
The article is clearly a biased argument against the people that produce and read Tatler. It states that the number of readers are shrinking and they involve stuck up people, obsessed with class.