Jess Simpson's Media Blog : 2012

Thursday, 4 October 2012

Year 13 Media Studies Homework for Miss Davies

Answer these two questions about these two trailers:

1. Do you believe that the Media promotes violence?

Black Ops 2 - The clip is not really promoting violence, because the events shown are not everyday type things. It's not like any person can just get their hands on the weapons and stuff shown on the Black Ops 2 trailer. It's not like when you get shot in real life you can just respawn and run around again. The trailer is violent and although a similar sort of thing can technically happen in wars it isn't quite so glamourised as Call of Duty makes it seem. It could however make people think that in a way they can get away with being violent. The diegetic sound within the clip says 'techology got stronger, but we got weaker'. In a way this sort of shows that the violence shown in this game is like properly technologically advanced, so it's not exactly promoting violence because it's not likely everyone has the equipment to mimic what they see in the game. It also says 'They'll always need men like us, those who are willing to do... What others cannot.' In a way this also shows that it's not promoting violence because not everybody can do what is shown. However, in an indirect manner, if you were probably a bit strange or something then that line could also make you want to be one of those men, who can do it even if others can't.

Grand Theft Auto 5 - This trailer could actually be seen to be promoting violence more than the Black Ops trailer, because the violence in this trailer is much more realistic to the everyday person. There is not too many scenes of violence within the trailer, although the game itself is pretty violent. The trailer shows simple violence such as hitting and shoving people, this is more achievable for normal people who don't have things like guns, so in a way it could be more impacting than black ops.

None of them really promote violence, it massively depends on individual differences as to whether a video game is going to make someone think they can get away with being violent or not, and lets be fair many of the people who play video games are teenagers and that's a difficult age really.

2. How do the clips represent violence?

In the trailers there are explosions ,guns, shouting, and scenes that represent a battlefield. These are common things that you'd think of when you think of violence and each clip, particularly Black Ops shows these well. Both of them are set in a city, which makes it more down to earth and everyday (in a way, especially in GTA). There is physical violence displayed in Grand Theft Auto from person to person, this shows that anyone can be violent whereas in CoD it is shown to be more military and not for everyone.

Monday, 24 September 2012

Violence in the Media

There are suggestions that violence in the media can cause people, particularly children and teenagers, to become more violent in real life.

Computer games are becoming far more graphic now, the violence looks more real, as do the bodies, the blood, the weapons etc. It has made the whole gaming experience become a lot more real, and some teenagers can get in too deep. Although video games made an appearance in the 1970's, it wasn't really until consoles like the Sony PlayStation that violence became an issue.

Research has shown that violent video games can have a negative affect on children, and can make them become more aggressive and lead to behavioural problems. Violent television can also have a similar affect and lead to some children becoming more violent after viewing.
Research has also shown that people who view/play violent media regularly (4+ hours a day) put in less effort at school and are less friendly.

Friday, 21 September 2012

Bad Education

1. How does the trailer use media language to engage it's target audience?

The bad education trailer engages it's audience by using a close up shot straight away on the main character. This straight away gives you an insight into the people you will see the most in the series and I suppose if you like the character then you're more likely to want to keep watching. The trailer is for a comedy so instantly there is comedy involved which engages the viewers attention. Showing adults in the first shot makes all audiences interested, whereas if there had been students in the first shot it may have only sort of appealed to teenagers and adults would have thought that it may not have been a programme that they would be interested in. The non diegetic sound of more upbeat music sort of seems like the pace of the show, like it will remain interesting at all times, but it is music that young people are more likely to enjoy which suggests that the programme is for a younger demographic and if the people enjoy the music they are more likely to watch the whole trailer.

2. What sort of representations are created of young people?

The trailer overall represents young people as not very serious, and more interested in having fun than working. The cut that shows the students celebrating during a football match shows them to be motivated less academically but more interested in having fun and taking part in activities with friends, showing that young people are happier when they are doing and being with their friends. The part showing the two boys where one is wearing red beats and snapback and the girl with a tattoo and a lot of eye make up on represents young people as image concious, and that they're more interested in how they look rather than their education. The way the students enter the classroom is in a disorganised manner suggests that they do not act ready to learn and they are uncooperative and again are only interested in having a good time and a laugh etc.

Thursday, 20 September 2012

Made in Chelsea

1. How does the trailer use media language to engage it's target audience?

The Made in Chelsea trailer uses a range of different camera angles, lighting and editing techniques and mise-en-scene to engage its target audience. The use of sound in the trailer is non diegetic as it is out of the scene and we cannot hear where it is coming from. The start of the trailer is an extreme close up of a black lace mask being held by a young woman. This engages the viewer because it come across as mysterious and they'll want to know where the rest of the trailer is going. The non diegetic music at the very start is classical but then it quickly changes to more modern upbeat music which is not what you would expect when you see the outfits that the cast are wearing. The classical music is the sort you would associate with upper class and more posh people, this could draw in the more wealthy and well off audience as they may be able to relate to the tv programme in some way. The clothing suggests that they are wealthy and posh which again could be attracting an audience that could relate but also one that would aspire to be like them. The shots showing the various relationships in the trailer makes the audience believe that they are going to get an insight into the secret relationships.

2. What sort of representations are created of young people?

The first shot of the trailer is an extreme close up of a black lace mask. Black lace has sexual connotations, portraying the women as flirtactious and maybe a little bit provocative. The mask could also suggest that the woman behind it is nosey as she wants to observe everyone else but doesn't want them to see her. The shot then moves to a close up of a young, white man smiling and he's clearly having a good time and appears to be at a party. This shows young people as care free and always ready to have a good time. The clothing suggests that they are wealthy and posh which could suggest that young people like to spend money on things that they don't need. Young men are represented as pretty childish. The medium shot of them bouncing on the space hoppers shows this but just also shows that they like to just let go and enjoy themselves. The women in this trailer look like they are there for show, they don't really move much and in most shots they're with a man. They are seen to be quite image concious/ obsessed. The shot showing the woman leading the man upstairs shows young women to be sort of provocative/sexually promiscuous but also in control. The party shots show young people as care free, the use of the wide angle shot shows everybody in the room to be dancing and having a good time. They're making a mess and knocking things over, making it look as though young people don't really care about property of others or authority etc. The champagne and the sword has sexual connotations showing that sex is important to young people.

Wednesday, 19 September 2012

Teenagers in the news

Many people are quick to stereotype teenagers, usually in a negative light, and the media is likely to have influenced this, thanks to news coverage and things such as TV programmes and films. For example, people feel more threatened by a teenager if they're wearing something like a hoodie, however it literally could just be a case of it being cold hence the hoodie.

Stereotyped as troublemakers;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9532019/Teenager-stabbed-to-death-after-Facebook-party-is-gatecrashed.html

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/burnley/9919597.Burnley_teenagers_banned_from_estate_for_two_years/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2194644/Cannabis-innocent-drug-Teenage-addicts-risk-significant-brain-damage.html?openGraphAuthor=%2Fdebate%2Fcolumnists%2Fcolumnist-1071910%2FDr-Robert-Lefever.html&videoPlayerURL=http%3A%2F%2Fc.brightcove.com%2Fservices%2Fviewer%2Ffederated_f9%3FisVid%3D1%26isUI%3D1%26publisherID%3D1418450360%26playerID%3D72484359001%26domain%3Dembed%26videoId%3D&hasBCVideo=true&BCVideoID=1810168951001

Shown as more caring;

http://www.itv.com/news/2012-09-10/boy-17-killed-as-facebook-gatecrashers-storm-house-party/

http://oakton.patch.com/articles/teenagers-give-back-to-fairfax-county#photo-11283297