Film Terms and Definitions
Film Terms and Definitions
Shots
EXTREME CLOSE-UP (ECU): Emphasises a portion of the face, a small detail.
CLOSE-UP (CU): Close-up (often of a face). Draws attention to detail, especially facial reaction.
MEDIUM CLOSE-UP (MCU): Figure framed from the chest up.
MEDIUM SHOT (MS): Figure framed from the waist up.
LONG SHOT: Also known as ‘establishing shot’. Indicates the environment and places the human figure in a setting.
Angles
LOW ANGLE SHOT: Camera positioned low, looking up. Emphasises the size of the object in frame.
HIGH ANGLE SHOT: Camera positioned high, looking down. Emphasises the vulnerability of the object or person in focus.
WIDE ANGLE SHOT: Special lens gives wide-angle view – gives context or setting of action.
SUBJECTIVE/POINT OF VIEW SHOT: A shot from the perspective of a character ie; seeing it through their eyes.
Movement
STATIC: The subject remains in relatively the same position.
ZOOM: A smooth change in focal length to make the objects in the frame appear to come closer or recede. The camera does not move.
PAN: Camera swivels slowly, giving a sweeping view of a wide area.
HEAD ON: Subject moves towards the camera, this involves the audience.
TAIL AWAY: Subject walks away from camera, often a final shot.
TILT: Camera tilts up or down.
TRACKING SHOT: Camera moves along a track on a dolly, keeping pace with a moving object which is being filmed.
PULL BACK TRACK: Camera moves back from an object first seen in close-up. It places the object in context and is sometimes used as a surprise technique.
CRANE SHOT: Camera is placed on a crane and can move in any direction.
FREEZE FRAME: All movement on screen stops – action is frozen.
Special Purpose Shots
CUT: Abrupt end to a shot. One shot is instantly replaced on screen by another. This is sometimes used to emphasise a change in mood or to point to a contrast.
CROSS-CUTTING: Cutting back and forth between two scenes to create the impression that they are happening at the same time. Again, this is often used to point to a contrast.
RE-ESTABLISHING SHOT: Usually a long shot, it shows the audience the whole scene once again slowly.
FADE: image slowly fades from the screen, usually to black.
DISSOLVE: As one image fades out, another fades in. The two images will be mixed together for a time.
Camera Adjustment
SHALLOW FOCUS: Focus is clear in only one plane, the rest of the image is blurred.
DEEP FOCUS: All areas from foreground to background are in focus.
Other Terms
FRAME: A single image; 24 projected frames per second create the illusion of movement
MIS EN SCENE: The composition, the placement of objects within the frame, the setting, the lighting, what is happening.
SHOT OR TAKE: The footage taken by one camera without interruption.
SCENE: A segment of film in which the narrative takes place in a single space and time.
SEQUENCE: A segment of film involving a complete stretch of action.
SOUND EFFECTS (SFX): Sound effects – noises other than the spoken voice.
VOICE OVER / VOICE OFF: A voice is heard but the person speaking is not on screen or does not appear to be talking. May be an unseen narrator or a character’s thoughts.
GRAPHICS: Lettering or drawing by artists eg. for credits.
SOUND
Background Noise – This creates the atmosphere in a scene, for example the sound of intercoms, a lot of people talking and planes taking off will give the impression of an airport.
Background Music – This usually ties in with the action. It can be used to let the audience know what is about to happen or to affect their emotions. The music heard at the start of a film sets the tone for the whole film and is sometimes repeated at important times throughout. There are many different types of music used in films:
- loud, rhythmic and fast – supports violent or rapid action
- soft, melodic, use of harmony – romantic
- sudden and discordant, use of brass and percussion – humorous
- electronic, synthesised – sci – fi
- rising melody, discordant – builds tension
LIGHTING
Natural Light – The best shots are made with light to one side of the subject. This avoids heavy shadowing, little shadowing (which creates a flat appearance) and squinting. Shadowy outdoor areas create dark pictures.
Key/Modelling Light – Towards the subjects face at eye level. Gives the effect of natural shadows.
Fill Light – This is a lower powered light nearer to the camera. It softens the key light so that the shadows are not so dark.
Back Light – A light high up behind the subject creates a halo effect and gives depth to the scene. A stronger, lower backlight gives a silhouette effect
Analysis of Magazine front cover
Analysis of Magazine front cover
Unique Selling Proposition
Does the magazine have one? What are its competitors?
Cover
Identify Font and colour of title: what connotations?
Identify Anchor image: why used? Connotations/Denotation?
Look at subsidiary headings and call outs: Examine font/colour/placement
Look at subsidiary images: cut outs? Straight sides? Of what? Of Whome/ Why? Links with content?
Use of white space? How much? Useful clue as to how upmarket the mag is.
The cover denotes target audience and mags placement in market: how?
Any use of lines to make eye follow a direction?
What type of font? What colour? Why?
Are sub headings used? Where and why?
Identify how much white space/image/headings/body text: % of each and explain why?
How do images relate to text.
Audience Demographics
Audience Demographics: socio-economic classifications
A High rating professionals: lawyers, doctors etc
B Middle raking professionals: middle managers in business, teachers etc
C1 “white collar” (office) workers: junior managers, office clerks, back clerks, office clerks, bank clerks, nurses
C2 skilled manual workers: carpenters, electricians etc.
D Semi and unskilled manual workers: drivers, post sorters, labourers etc
E people subscribing to state benefits.
Anatomy of a Tarantino Film
Anatomy of a Tarantino Film
“As you know, I’m quite keen on comic books, especially the ones about superheroes. I find the whole mythology surrounding superheroes fascinating. Take my favourite superhero, Superman. Not a great comic book. Not particularly well-drawn. But the mythology… The mythology is not only great, it’s unique. Now, a staple of the superhero mythology is, there’s the superhero and there’s the alter ego. Batman is actually Bruce Wayne; Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When that character wakes up in the morning, he’s Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic Superman stands alone. Superman didn’t become Superman. Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he’s Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red “S”, that’s the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears – the glasses, the business suit – that’s the costume. That’s the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He’s weak… he’s unsure of himself… he’s a coward. Clark Kent is Superman’s critique on the whole human race. Sorta like Beatrix Kiddo and Mrs. Tommy Plimpton.”
Bill from Tarantino’s Kill Bill Volume 2
The above excerpt from the super revenge-flick Kill Bill Volume 2 is one of the juiciest examples of what Quentin Tarantino is all about. His pulp-noir world draws inspiration from elements as diverse as Pulp novels, Grindhouse cinema, comic book superheroes and Far eastern weaponry. Though held responsible for borrowing heavily from the works of other well-known and lesser-known filmmakers, Tarantino is attributed with developing one of the most exciting and original styles of filmmaking. As for the accusation of ‘borrowing’ styles, Tarantino can find shelter in the shade of the likes of Elvis Presley, as Tarantino himself is heard declaring:
“I lift ideas from other great films just like every other great filmmaker.”
With that topic taken care of, let’s take a look at the style of Quentin Tarantino.
The Tarantino World
The layout of a Tarantino world finds itself somewhere in the intersectional setting of a classic Film-noir and a cult Pulp novella. All his stories take place in a single big city, a tradition which he broke with his Kill Bill duology. There is always an air of crime in the atmosphere, with all characters with a default inclination towards crime and fearlessness. All these elements essentially form the perfect characteristics of a black city.
The characters are very basic and the typical lot you’ll find in any crime-movie with the exception of a certain added depth to their persona. There is the usual gangster duo or team often dressed in sharp black and white, there is the femme fatale, the ruthless big-boss and the booty. This basic layout spreads over several Tarantino films in the following manner:
Film Gangster Team Femme Fatale Big Boss Booty
Reservoir Dogs Colour-coded robbers None Frank The Diamonds
Pulp Fiction Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield Mia Wallace Marsellus Wallace The Briefcase
Jackie Brown Ordell Robbie and Louis Gara Jackie Brown Ordell Robbie $50,000
Kill Bill Deadly Viper Assassination Squad The Bride Bill None
The objects in the Tarantino universe are also quite characteristic. The black and white suit worn by Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction finds its way to Jackie Brown; similarly Butch Coolidge’s white Honda from Pulp Fiction becomes Jackie’s Honda in Jackie Brown. The Samurai-sword used by Butch in Pulp Fiction is re-incarnated alongside several others used by all the major characters in the Kill Bill movies. Fictional consumer products and services are common to all Tarantino films. Characters always smoke Red Apple cigarettes, eat Fruit Brute cereal or Big Kahuna Burgers and listen to K-Billy Radio Station.
The Tarantino Story
Pointless Conversations
In every Tarantino film, we find the characters often involved in one or more conversations that seem completely pointless. What initially seems like a cheap parlour trick to extend the running time of the film later turns out to be an essential part of a sudden shift of mood. Examples include Vincent and Jules discussing the science of foot-massage followed by the killing of three double-crossing thieves from Pulp Fiction and The Bride and Vernita Green discussing a setting for their battle followed by The Bride assassinating Vernita Green in Kill Bill volume 1.
But there are other times when these pointless conversations don’t lead to a following change of mood; instead they tend to push the story forward. Examples of this variation include Mr. Brown explaining his take on a Madonna song in Reservoir Dogs, Ordell explaining Louis about ‘Chicks with Guns’ in Jackie Brown and The Bride and Hattori Hanzo discussing ‘Sake’ in Kill Bill volume 1.
Toilets
Tarantino uses toilets as an important point in the story where the main characters go and upon their return find themselves in an unexpected change of events. Pulp Fiction uses several instances of this point, all involving Vincent Vega. When Vincent goes to the toilet the first time, he comes back out to find an unconscious Mia Wallace. The second time he goes to the toilet, he comes back out to find Pumpkin and Honey-Bunny holding up the Diner they’re in. The final time Vincent visits the rest-room and comes back out, he finds Butch Coolidge pointing a gun at him which eventually leads to his death.
Instances in other Tarantino films include Mr. Orange finding three policemen and a dog in Reservoir Dogs (but nothing happens here because Mr. Orange is lying about this incident), Inspector Ray Nicolette hiding inside the toilet to come out and shoot Ordell down in Jackie Brown and The Bride visiting the restroom in Oren Ishii’s club to prepare for her oncoming assault on the Crazy 88s.
Non-chronological Narrative
Almost all his films have an unconventional narrative structure. Reservoir Dogs makes massive use of flashbacks, Pulp Fiction follows a severely fractured timeline, Jackie Brown, though initially seems like a straightforward narrative, makes effective use of Time-twisting towards the end and Kill Bill is entirely told in anachronistically placed chapters.
Tarantino the Director
In the role of the director, Quentin Tarantino achieved a certain kind of boldness that is both astonishing and unconventional at the same time. He made up for his severe lack of text-book knowledge by observing the methods of his long list of favourite filmmakers.
The Trunk Shot
This signature shot, even though not invented by Tarantino, was perfected by him. This infamous shot, now closely attributed to the director finds itself in several instances through Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown and Kill Bill.
Passenger-side Window Shot
Tarantino frequently places the camera at an angle through the passenger-side window of a car. This shot occurs with the characters Nice-Guy Eddie, Pink, Orange and White in Reservoir Dogs, Vincent and Jules in Pulp Fiction, Ordell and Louis in Jackie Brown and The Bride inside the Pussy Wagon in Kill Bill.
Dead Body POV
Most Tarantino films feature a shot from the point-of-view of a dead body with several characters around the body speaking either directly to the body or among themselves. The shot from Ordell’s point-of-view after he is shot in Jackie Brown and the members of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad talking around The Bride’s comatose body in Kill Bill are two such situations where this shot was effectively used.
Long Takes
Tarantino uses the phenomena of long takes like none other. The incredible long take in Jackie Brown towards the end in the mall, follows the lead character from one point in the mall to another and for some reason absolutely hypnotises the viewer in its immaculate camera work, leaving one wondering how such a take was achieved. The same applies to the follow-shot of The Bride entering the club preceding the climatic scene in Kill Bill volume 1. Yet another example would be the camera following Mr. White and Mr. Pink back and forth between the two rooms in the warehouse from Reservoir Dogs.
Film Stock
Tarantino reportedly uses 50ASA film stock (Pulp Fiction) which “is the slowest stock they make. The reason we use it is that it creates an almost no-grain image, it’s lustrous. It’s the closest thing we have to 50s Technicolor”.
Death Proof and Upcoming Projects
Tarantino’s latest film Death Proof is omitted from this study because it marks what seems like a new era in the career of Quentin Tarantino. It’s seems like the first of a new direction that Tarantino is taking. He even modified his signature Trunk shot in ‘Death Proof’.
Looking at the projects that currently lie on Tarantino’s table like the WW2 epic saga ‘Inglorious Bastards’ and the English language re-make of the far-eastern 1966 classic ‘Come Drink with Me’, it feels like Tarantino is making a bold move away from his beloved Pulp-Noir world and into new territories. Needless to say, the spirit of Tarantino will make a documentary on Kangaroo Rats seem like a roller-coaster ride. And with this faith, we await his upcoming endeavours.
In closing, here’s a brilliant long take from the film Kill Bill volume 1, reportedly filmed in one single take.
Show this by clicking on this link…
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Is this realism?
What is the point?
Why does he do this?
Is he just showing off?
Web Site Analysis
Web Site Analysis
General Website Analysis:
1. Layout
2. Text
3. Graphics
4. Downloading
5. Navigation
6. Uniformity
7. Legibility
8. Call-to-action effectiveness/audience targeting
Findability web site analysis:
keyword selection, site architecture, and link popularity.
1. Visible elements: graphics, text, keywords, title tags, and links.
2. Invisible elements: meta-tag keywords, meta-tag description, alternative text.
3. Site architecture: includes HTML, style sheets, and scripting.
Web Site Usability
Usability best practice is an easy to navigate site that supports frequently accessed information and tasks that match the visitors’ intent, while meeting the business objectives of the site owner.
Usability pitfalls are tactical and ergonomic site elements that may be confusing, frustrating or distracting users, causing low conversion rate of site visitors to customers and undermining branding efforts and the business goals for the site.
Web Site Creation
Designs should follow 5 Basic Rules of Web Design.
All web sites should be:
1. easy to read
2. easy to navigate
3. easy to find
4. consistent in layout and design, and
5. quick to download.
Elements supplementing web site design.
Graphic design services:
photo retouching
stationery and package design
logo design
banner design
search engine marketing for web sites
directory submission for web sites
Practical considerations.
Domain name registrations
Cost
Findability
How much a site costs to design depends on a number of factors:
number of pages on the site
types and number of graphic images on the site
programming
web copywriting
online marketing
A web page without any high-level programming or search engine optimization will
cost a lot less.
Purposes of Web Sites?
Business, Advertising, Selling, Recreation, News, Hobbies, Interests, Educational
News Stories
News Stories
Your lead should emphasize the most “newsworthy” information in the story you are trying to tell. But how do you figure out what information is most newsworthy? There are no pat answers. The information you consider most newsworthy depends in part on your own values, experiences and knowledge. But some general guidelines exist. Below are several characteristics that can make information newsworthy. The more of these characteristics a piece of information has, the more newsworthy the information is.
Impact: information has impact if it affects a lot of people.
• A proposed income tax increase, for instance, has impact, because an income tax increase would affect a lot of people.
• The accidental killing of a little girl during a shootout between rival drug gangs has impact, too. Even though only one person — the little girl — was directly affected, many people will feel a strong emotional response to the story.
Timeliness: information has timeliness if it happened recently.
• “Recently” is defined by the publication cycle of the news medium in which the information will appear.
o For “Newsweek,” events that happened during the previous week are timely.
o For a daily newspaper, however, events that happened during the 24 hours since the last edition of the paper are timely.
o For CNN Headline News, events that happened during the past half hour are timely.
Prominence: information has prominence if it involves a well-known person or organization.
• If you or I trip and fall, no one will be all that interested, because you and I aren’t well known.
• But if the president of the United States trips and falls, everyone will be interested because the president is well known.
Proximity: information has proximity if it involves something happened somewhere nearby.
• If a bus wreck in India kills 25 people, the Nashville Tennessean will devote maybe three or four grafs to the story.
• But if a bus wreck in downtown Nashville kills 25 people, the Tennessean will devote a sizable chunk of its front page to the story.
Conflict: information has conflict if it involves some kind of disagreement between two or more people.
• Remember how, when you were a kid, everyone would run to watch a fight if one erupted on the playground?
• Fights have drama — who will win? — and invite those watching to choose sides and root for one or more of the combatants.
• Good democracy involves more civil — we hope — conflicts over the nature of public policy. That’s why the media carry so much political news. Journalists see themselves as playing an important role in the public debate that forms the basis for democracy.
Weirdness: information has weirdness if it involves something unusual or strange.
• Charles A. Dana, a famous editor, once said, “If a dog bites a man, that’s not news. But if a man bites a dog, that’s news!”
• Dana was saying that people are interested in out-of-the-ordinary things, like a man biting a dog.
Currency: information has currency if it is related to some general topic a lot of people are already talking about.
• A mugging in downtown Murfreesboro generally won’t attract much attention from reporters at the Daily News Journal.
• But if the mugging occurred a day after a report by the FBI had named Murfreesboro the city with the state’s fastest-growing crime rate, the mugging would be big news.
• People would respond to news of the mugging by saying, “See, here’s an example of just the kind of thing that FBI report was talking about. We’ve got to do something about the crime rate!”
Conditions for News
Conditions for News
• Frequency: Events which occur suddenly and fit well with the news organization’s schedule are more likely to be reported than those which occur gradually or at inconvenient times of day or night. Long-term trends are not likely to receive much coverage.
• Negativity: Bad news is more newsworthy than good news.
• Unexpectedness: If an event is out of the ordinary it will have a greater effect than something which is an everyday occurrence.
• Unambiguity: Events whose implications are clear make for better copy than those which are open to more than one interpretation, or where any understanding of the implications depends on first understanding the complex background in which the events take place.
• Personalization: Events which can be portrayed as the actions of individuals will be more attractive than one in which there is no such “human interest.”
• Meaningfulness: This relates to the sense of identification the audience has with the topic. “Cultural proximity” is a factor here — stories concerned with people who speak the same language, look the same, and share the preoccupations as the audience receive more coverage than those concerned with people who speak different languages, look different and have different preoccupations.
• Reference to elite nations: Stories concerned with global powers receive more attention than those concerned with less influential nations.
• Reference to elite persons: Stories concerned with the rich, powerful, famous and infamous get more coverage.
• Consonance: Stories which fit with the media’s expectations receive more coverage than those which defy them (and for which they are thus unprepared). Note this appears to conflict with unexpectedness above. However, consonance really refers to the media’s readiness to report an item.
• Continuity: A story which is already in the news gathers a kind of inertia. This is partly because the media organizations are already in place to report the story, and partly because previous reportage may have made the story more accessible to the public (making it less ambiguous).
• Composition: Stories must compete with one another for space in the media. For instance, editors may seek to provide a balance of different types of coverage, so that if there is an excess of foreign news for instance, the least important foreign story may have to make way for an item concerned with the domestic news. In this way the prominence given to a story depends not only on its own news values but also on those of competing stories. (Galtung and Ruge, 1965)
• Competition: Commercial or professional competition between media may lead journalists to endorse the news value given to a story by a rival.
• Co-optation: A story that is only marginally newsworthy in its own right may be covered if it is related to a major running story.
• Prefabrication: A story which is marginal in news terms but written and available may be selected ahead of a much more newsworthy story which has to be researched and written from the ground up.
• Predictability: An event is more likely to be covered if it has been pre-scheduled. (Bell, 1991)
• Time constraints: Traditional news media such as radio, television and daily newspapers have strict deadlines and a short production cycle which select for items that can be researched and covered quickly.
• Logistics: Although eased by the availability of global communications even from remote regions, the ability to deploy and control production and reporting staff, and functionality of technical resources can determine whether a story is covered. (Schlesinger, 1987)
Stereotypes Enforced in Music Videos, Study Shows
Stereotypes Enforced in Music Videos, Study Shows
April 9, 1998 — A major study out of Harvard University has found that popular music videos overwhelmingly portray black men as aggressors and white women as victims.
The study, published in the US journal Pediatrics, was conducted in 1994 by Dr. Michael Rich. Rich, a psychiatrist and former filmmaker, says the study should raise concerns about the influence of videos on how teens approach conflicts and how they view each other.
The study analyzed 518 videos on the four most popular music video networks in the U.S. Researchers found that violence occurred in 14.7 per cent of the videos shown, with MTV showing the highest rate of violent videos at 22.4 per cent.
In particular, black people were portrayed as aggressors in 25 per cent of the violent videos — 95 per cent of them men. Of victims in the violent videos, 47 per cent were white women. Almost all of the aggressors (85 per cent) in the violent videos were portrayed as attractive role models, not villains.
Michael Eric Dyson, a visiting professor of African-American studies at Columbia University calls the study “lamentable but predictable proof that television reinforces the perception that blacks are predators and should be viewed with suspicion.”
Dr. Bruce Perry, chief of psychiatry at the Texas Children’s Hospital, says this type of research will prove helpful in determining the influence certain images have on children.
However, Perry says that TV cannot be solely blamed for youth violence.
“Kids who don’t have a solid family and community value system to anchor them — they’re the ones who are influenced by TV. They are living with a parent who is overwhelmed, they are disconnected from a cultural, religious or ethnic set of beliefs…so they learn how the world works from TV.”
Globe and Mail, Apr. 8, 1998
Republished with permission
Music Video Codes and Conventions
Music Video Codes and Conventions
The purposes of music videos
Purposes: promotional; extension of income; extension of outlets (music channel,
direct DVD or CD sales, website, download); links to films or TV programmes
(synergy); producers’ strategies (major label, independent, artist self-produced)
The styles, conventions and techniques of music videos
Styles: popular music genres; in-concert and ‘as live’ footage; animation (stop
motion, digital); interpretative; narrative; impressionist; surrealist; pastiche;
parody; referencing; homage; influence of commercials
Conventions: lyric interpretation; extending or consolidating song’s meaning;
allusion; links to other artists
Techniques: cutting to beat; effects; miming and lip sync; playback and lip sync;
multiimage; camera movements; camera angles; chroma key
Music video production
Originate ideas: choosing music track; analysing music track (meaning, content,
imagery, narrative, duration, pace, style, semiotics); performer’s style;
performer’s image; video’s style; creative concept
Research: sources for locations; found footage (video archives, libraries,
websites, copyright, waivers)
Planning: script; storyboard; shooting script (camera movements, takes, angles,continuity); selection of technical and performance crew; team roles and responsibilities; production organisation and schedule; location recces; risk assessments; permissions to film; clearances
Blur – The Universal – analysis
Blur – The Universal
With the video for their 1995 release The Universal, the British pop group Blur has created a parallel to Stanley Kubrick’s works A Clockwork Orange and 2001: A Space Odyssey. This song, according to Blur’s lead singer Damon Albarn, is about a “drug like Prozac” that has taken over the lives of the people in the future. The theme of loss of free will in A Clockwork Orange, combined with the futuristic style of 2001: A Space Odyssey gives the video a setting necessary to create a powerful portrayal of this drug’s role in the future. Although The Universal and the movies are not direct parallels, there are significant similarities which need to be addressed.
In A Clockwork Orange, the main character Alex becomes a victim in the government’s plan to control and reform the lives of criminals through reconditioning. After his experience, Alex is nothing but a shell of his former self with his every thought and desire under complete control. Similarly in the video, Blur’s drug, The Universal, appears to have the same effect. Knowing that the effect of Prozac is the induction of a state of consistent normalcy, Damon’s lyrics are hinting at the theme of external control. For example, the lyrics “Yes, the future has been sold” alludes to the idea that the path for the future is set. When people are on The Universal, like Prozac, they feel no highs or lows, and therefore for them, change is infrequent if at all existing. The same theme reappears later in the song when Damon sings “tomorrow’s your lucky day, so here’s your lucky day”. He is suggesting that, since The Universal ensures that every day is the same, and that “every paper that you read” tells that tomorrow will be lucky, today is just as lucky as any other. The idea that this is a futuristic tale is expressed through the lyrics “this is the next century”. The setting of the video reinforces this through its resemblance to the space station in 2001: A Space Odyssey. As well, the lyric “satellites in every home” can also be taken as a reference to the idea that this story is to take place in the future.
In the beginning of the video, we are taken inside to a bar which appears to be a combination of both the space station from 2001: A Space Odyssey and the Korova Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. On stage is Blur, dressed in similar outfits to the 4 thugs in A Clockwork Orange. Damon with his eerie resemblance to Alex, is singing about The Universal to the bar patrons. The remaining imagery in the bar, hint at the drugs effects. Along the ceiling of the bar are many mannequin parts, but at no point is there a complete model. These images imply the separation of ones self as a result of the drug, and are later reinforced through the static image of a hat sitting upon a pair of legs. This image is flashed for a brief moment on the screen, allowing little time for contemplation. But the image idea is strong enough to emphasize the effects of The Universal and its control over a person. They are no longer themselves and any thoughts are a mere results of the power of the drug Their minds are not their own, shown through the hat having no head to rest on. The people outside of the bar also poses this look of complete blankness, reinforcing the idea of sameness and emotionless that the drug possesses.
The impact of The Universal appears to have the same effects that the drugs in A Clockwork Orange had on the upper class patrons or “sophistos” as Alex called them, of the Korova Milk Bar. These people can also be found in the video. The majority of the patrons of the milk bar appear to be quite hedonistic. This too can be seen as a reflection of Alex’s comment of how the sophistos are “not caring about the wicked world”. Many of the patrons can be seen laughing and having a good time, while Blur on stage appears to be more like the common folk on the outside, completely straight faced. In actuality the patrons of the bar are more like the outside people but choose to ignore it. They hide behind there facade of hedonism. These upper class citizens have the necessary means to uphold this hedonistic lifestyle, unlike the common people who have considerably less. It isn’t until closer to the end of the video that we actually see that Damon’s words have in fact made an impact on the “sophisto’s”.
As Damon is on stage, he appears to be eyeing a female patron of the bar. His inability to do anything more beyond a sly grin or snarl is reminiscent of the Alex in A Clockwork Orange who was unable to fulfill his desires due to his reconditioning. It isn’t until the she makes eye contact with Damon that for a brief moment, a look of fear comes across her face It is as though she now understands the words that he is singing. There is no future, “it has been sold”. The Universal will now be influential in the path that your future will take.
Damon appears to be more closely paralleled with the Alex that we see towards the end of A Clockwork Orange. At this point, Alex is aware of what has happened to him. Damon too appears to be aware of the drugs effects. This imagery of awareness is shown through the gigantic speakers that can be found throughout the city. Through these speakers, Damon’s warning about The Universal is projected. The common people outside begin to converge in front of them. But the words that are being spoken appear to have little or no effect on them. They all appear to be expressionless and emotionless. It is as though they are all entirely under the influence of the drug. The fact that “the Universal’s free” plays a major role in these people’s lives. Unlike the milk bar patrons, theses people cannot afford any other means of escape from this “wicked world”. It is for this reason that “The Universal’s free” and that “you can find it anywhere”.
In order for the video to be effective and reflect the content of the lyrics, the use of appropriate imagery is apparent. Drawing from both A Clockwork Orange and 2001: A Space Odyssey, this Kubrick inspired video shows the effects of The Universal on the lives of the futures citizens. For the elite few who by other means, are able to escape the unbearable, the future does not seem as bad. But for the rest of the inhabitants, the future does not offer the same outlook. It is Damon who attempts to get though to the masses and let them know what in fact is happening to them. The parallels between the two films and the video are both effective and appealing. In the end, the viewer is left contemplating the possibilities that these lyrics and images hold. After all, “it really, really, really could happen”.
In A Clockwork Orange, the main character Alex becomes a victim in the government’s plan to control and reform the lives of criminals through reconditioning. After his experience, Alex is nothing but a shell of his former self with his every thought and desire under complete control. Similarly in the video, Blur’s drug, The Universal, appears to have the same effect. Knowing that the effect of Prozac is the induction of a state of consistent normalcy, Damon’s lyrics are hinting at the theme of external control. For example, the lyrics “Yes, the future has been sold” alludes to the idea that the path for the future is set. When people are on The Universal, like Prozac, they feel no highs or lows, and therefore for them, change is infrequent if at all existi! ng. The same theme reappears later in the song when Damon sings “tomorrow’s your lucky day, so here’s your lucky day”. He is suggesting that, since The Universal ensures that every day is the same, and that “every paper that you read” tells that tomorrow will be lucky, today is just as lucky as any other. The idea that this is a futuristic tale is expressed through the lyrics “this is the next century”. The setting of the video reinforces this through its resemblance to the space station in 2001: A Space Odyssey. As well, the lyric “satellites in every home” can also be taken as a reference to the idea that this story is to take place in the future.
In the beginning of the video, we are taken inside to a bar which appears to be a combination of both the space station from 2001: A Space Odyssey and the Korova Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. On stage is Blur, dressed in similar outfits to the 4 thugs in A Clockwork Orange. Damon with his eerie resemblance to Alex, is singing about The Universal to the bar patrons. The remaining imagery in the bar, hint at the drugs effects. Along the ceiling of the bar are many mannequin parts, but at no point is there a complete model. These images imply the separation of ones self as a result of the drug, and are later reinforced through the static image of a hat sitting upon a pair of legs. This image is flashed for a brief moment on the screen, allowing little time for contemplation. But the image idea is strong enough to emphasize the effects of The Universal and its control over a person. They are no longer themselves and any thoughts are a mere results of the power of the dru! g Their minds are not their own, shown through the hat having no head to rest on. The people outside of the bar also poses this look of complete blankness, reinforcing the idea of sameness and emotionless that the drug possesses.
The impact of The Universal appears to have the same effects that the drugs in A Clockwork Orange had on the upper class patrons or “sophistos” as Alex called them, of the Korova Milk Bar. These people can also be found in the video. The majority of the patrons of the milk bar appear to be quite hedonistic. This too can be seen as a reflection of Alex’s comment of how the sophistos are “not caring about the wicked world”. Many of the patrons can be seen laughing and having a good time, while Blur on stage appears to be more like the common folk on the outside, completely straight faced. In actuality the patrons of the bar are more like the outside people but choose to ignore it. They hide behind there facade of hedonism. These upper class citizens have the necessary means to uphold this hedonistic lifestyle, unlike the common people who have considerably less. It isn’t until closer to the end of the video that we actually see that Damon’s words have in fact made an im! pact on the “sophisto’s”.
As Damon is on stage, he appears to be eyeing a female patron of the bar. His inability to do anything more beyond a sly grin or snarl is reminiscent of the Alex in A Clockwork Orange who was unable to fulfill his desires due to his reconditioning. It isn’t until the she makes eye contact with Damon that for a brief moment, a look of fear comes across her face It is as though she now understands the words that he is singing. There is no future, “it has been sold”. The Universal will now be influential in the path that your future will take.
Damon appears to be more closely paralleled with the Alex that we see towards the end of A Clockwork Orange. At this point, Alex is aware of what has happened to him. Damon too appears to be aware of the drugs effects. This imagery of awareness is shown through the gigantic speakers that can be found throughout the city. Through these speakers, Damon’s warning about The Universal is projected. The common people outside begin to converge in front of them. But the words that are being spoken appear to have little or no effect on them. They all appear to be expressionless and emotionless. It is as though they are all entirely under the influence of the drug. The fact that “the Universal’s free” plays a major role in these people’s lives. Unlike the milk bar patrons, theses people cannot afford any other means of escape from this “wicked world”. It is for this reason that “The Universal’s free” and that “you can find it anywhere”.
In order for the video to be effective and reflect the content of the lyrics, the use of appropriate imagery is apparent. Drawing from both A Clockwork Orange and 2001: A Space Odyssey, this Kubrick inspired video shows the effects of The Universal on the lives of the futures citizens. For the elite few who by other means, are able to escape the unbearable, the future does not seem as bad. But for the rest of the inhabitants, the future does not offer the same outlook. It is Damon who attempts to get though to the masses and let them know what in fact is happening to them. The parallels between the two films and the video are both effective and appealing. In the end, the viewer is left contemplating the possibilities that these lyrics and images hold. After all, “it really, really, really could happen”.
Leaking.
Analysing CD Covers
Analysing CD Covers
When analysing any CD cover, consider the following points:
• Genre: as well as considering the genre of music that the CD belongs to, you must also consider the generic conventions of the CD cover itself: what goes on a typical CD cover? Consider how the front and the back are different and contain different sorts of information: why is this? Remember, on a shelf in a shop, people are attracted to the cover first, then turn it over to read the back. On the front cover, CD covers will typically have the artist or name of the band, the name of the album, an image and stickers (such as parental advisory, or announcing a particular well-known track). What purpose does all this serve? If some CDs deviate (veer away) from the convention, why is this?
• Lettering / font styles and sizes: how does the lettering fit with the genre of music or design? For instance, Marilyn Manson’s greatest hits CD uses gothic font to complement his style. Some punk bands have very basic handwritten type styles to fit with their ‘basic’ or anarchic image.
• Image: what picture is on the cover? Is it a design or artwork? Is it a photograph of the artist? Look at the mise-en-scene (how the scene is set). This includes colours, props, lighting, make-up and clothing, how the star or subject is posed (eye contact, facial expressions etc). Consider the messages given out by choices of colour and connotations (associations) gained. How will the audience react to the CD? Do different people receive different meanings? If so, how and why?
• Stars / icons: is this image of the artist one you’d expect to see? For instance, a star like Beyonce always has an image constructed on glamour and sex appeal whilst a punk band like Green Day tend to focus more on social issues to sell CDs. Do bands or artists have particular props, costumes, dress, fashions that are instantly recognisable? For instance, Eminem’s hair colour, Marilyn Manson’s contact lens and metal teeth or Slash’s top hat? Some stars constantly challenge their audience’s expectations, like Madonna. Her CD covers reflect the new image or re-branding that she is going for.
• Representation: look at how bands or artists and the genre are represented and how the audience will react to that. For instance, hip-hop stars have been criticised for portraying guns, cars and ‘gangsta’ images. Critics say this presents a negative image for young people to follow and also sets up stereotypes of black culture. This type of music has been criticised in portraying women as sexual stereotypes. If your CD either challenges or reinforces stereotypes this may be something to comment on too.
• Audience: who exactly will buy this CD? Try to be specific. Why will someone buy a CD? Is it because they want escapism and pleasure, or to gain a sense of their own identity or feeling of belonging? Or are they buying it because they have been influenced by someone else?
CD cover © Green Day
All text, photos, and graphics, are copyrighted by Green Day, its affiliates, or its licensors under United States and international copyright laws. ‘Green Day’ as well as certain other names, logos, and materials constitute trademarks, tradenames, service marks or logos (‘Marks’) of Green Day. http://www.greenday.com/greenday.html
CD cover © Marilyn Manson
The cover is an edited version of Manson’s own painting, entitled ‘Experience is The Mistress of Fools’ – http://www.marilynmanson.com/art/index.html.
Shocking adverts in blitz on binge drinking
Shocking adverts in blitz on binge drinking
The Home Office is out to quench students’ thirsts for alcohol with a multi-million pound, multi-media campaign, designed to shock
Bladdered. Rat-arsed. Sozzled. Wasted. Smashed. The extraordinary number of synonyms we have for getting pissed must say it all about Brits and our attitude to alcohol.
The statistics almost for themselves. The British Crime Survey shows that 46 per cent of victims of violent incidents believed the offender to be under the influence of alcohol and 18-24 year-olds are most often associated with alcohol related offences.
Little wonder then that the government is so keen to discourage youngsters from hitting the bottle that is has just launched a high-profile £4 million media assault across television, radio, and the web. With one advert aimed at boys and one at girls, this week saw the premiere of the commercials targeting 18-24 year olds.
The adverts reverse the sequence of a drinking session gone wrong, showing a young man and woman preparing for a night out. The young man can be seen tearing his clothes, smearing himself in a take-away, ripping his earring out (with accompanying sound-effect), urinating on himself, and proceeding to thrust his face into his wardrobe door.
The girl has the indignity of wetting herself, throwing up in the bathroom sink, rearranging the vomit in her hair and breaking the heel off her shoe, before hobbling out of the house ready to paint the town red. The ads carry the punchy strap line: “You wouldn’t start a night like this, so why end it that way?”
The government is clearly resorting to shock-tactics reminiscent of the campaign against drink driving, but with 50 per cent of girls and 44 per cent of boys in England having been drunk at least twice by the age of 15 – according to a World Health Organisation report – they have an uphill struggle ahead of them. For the average British youngster, drinking in moderation is a thoroughly alien concept. “Responsible” drinking is consigned to a small-print suggestion in the corner of adverts like these.
The brains behind the campaign wanted to avoid it being didactic in favour of driving home a hard-hitting message; torn clothes and vomit-encrusted hair are just the comparatively lighter side of alcohol taken beyond its limits. On the darker side, the consequences of drinking yourself to distraction can be physical assault or even rape.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith warns: “Binge drinking is not only damaging to health but it makes individuals vulnerable to harm. People who are drunk are much more likely to be involved in an accident or assault, be charged with a criminal offence, contract a sexually transmitted disease or have an unplanned pregnancy.”
The tentacles of the campaign certainly extend far wider than a traditional TV campaign and sound bites from the Home Secretary. In a bid to create as much buzz as possible around the campaign, there is a viral video intended to sweep the net (even more graphic than the TV ads). The government will also be targeting Facebook, YouTube, and the like.
To help launch the campaign, a fashion display taking up a four-window shop front has been unveiled in London’s Covent Garden. It looks like a rather twisted reimagining of a Harvey Nichols’ shop front showcasing what’s de rigueur for any self-respecting young binge-drinker.
Among the neon lights of your average high-fashion window display, there are half-dressed mannequins stooping and staggering in their underwear. One female mannequin is replete with what looks like the latest designer dress, but stands above a distinctly personal puddle.
The Language of Advertising Claims
The Language of Advertising Claims
by Jeffrey Schrank
All or most of the brands available are nearly identical. Since no one superior product exists, advertising is used to create the illusion of superiority. The largest advertising budgets are devoted to parity products such as gasoline, cigarettes, beer and soft drinks, soaps, and various headache and cold remedies.
The first rule of parity involves the Alice in Wonderlandish use of the words “better” and “best.” In parity claims, “better” means “best” and “best” means “equal to.” If all the brands are identical, they must all be equally good, the legal minds have decided. So “best” means that the product is as good as the other superior products in its category. When Bing Crosby declares Minute Maid Orange Juice “the best there is” he means it is as good as the other orange juices you can buy.
The word “better” has been legally interpreted to be a comparative and therefore becomes a clear claim of superiority. Bing could not have said that Minute Maid is “better than any other orange juice.” “Better” is a claim of superiority. The only time “better” can be used is when a product does indeed have superiority over other products in its category or when the better is used to compare the product with something other than competing brands. An orange juice could therefore claim to be “better than a vitamin pill,” or even “the better breakfast drink.”
The second rule of advertising claims is simply that if any product is truly superior, the ad will say so very clearly and will offer some kind of convincing evidence of the superiority. If an ad hedges the least bit about a product’s advantage over the competition you can strongly suspect it is not superior–may be equal to but not better. You will never hear a gasoline company say “we will give you four miles per gallon more in your care than any other brand.” They would love to make such a claim, but it would not be true. Gasoline is a parity product, and, in spite of some very clever and deceptive ads of a few years ago, no one has yet claimed one brand of gasoline better than any other brand.
To create the necessary illusion of superiority, advertisers usually resort to one or more of the following ten basic techniques. Each is common and easy to identify.
1. THE WEASEL CLAIM
A weasel word is a modifier that practically negates the claim that follows. The expression “weasel word” is aptly named after the egg-eating habits of weasels. A weasel will suck out the inside of an egg, leaving it appear intact to the casual observer. Upon examination, the egg is discovered to be hollow. Words or claims that appear substantial upon first look but disintegrate into hollow meaninglessness on analysis are weasels. Commonly used weasel words include “helps” (the champion weasel); “like” (used in a comparative sense); “virtual” or “virtually”; “acts” or “works”; “can be”; “up to”; “as much as”; “refreshes”; “comforts”; “tackles”; “fights”; “come on”; “the feel of”; “the look of”; “looks like”; “fortified”; “enriched”; and “strengthened.”
Samples of Weasel Claims
“Helps control dandruff symptoms with regular use.” The weasels include “helps control,” and possibly even “symptoms” and “regular use.” The claim is not “stops dandruff.”
“Leaves dishes virtually spotless.” We have seen so many ad claims that we have learned to tune out weasels. You are supposed to think “spotless,” rather than “virtually” spotless.
“Only half the price of many color sets.” “Many” is the weasel. The claim is supposed to give the impression that the set is inexpensive.
“Tests confirm one mouthwash best against mouth odor.”
“Hot Nestlés cocoa is the very best.” Remember the “best” and “better” routine.
“Listerine fights bad breath.” “Fights,” not “stops.”
“Lots of things have changed, but Hershey’s goodness hasn’t.” This claim does not say that Hershey’s chocolate hasn’t changed.
“Bacos, the crispy garnish that tastes just like its name.”
2. THE UNFINISHED CLAIM
The unfinished claim is one in which the ad claims the product is better, or has more of something, but does not finish the comparison.
Samples of Unfinished Claims
“Magnavox gives you more.” More what?
“Anacin: Twice as much of the pain reliever doctors recommend most.” This claim fits in a number of categories but it does not say twice as much of what pain reliever.
“Supergloss does it with more color, more shine, more sizzle, more!”
“Coffee-mate gives coffee more body, more flavor.” Also note that “body” and “flavor” are weasels.
“You can be sure if it’s Westinghouse.” Sure of what?
“Scott makes it better for you.”
“Ford LTD–700% quieter.”
When the FTC asked Ford to substantiate this claim, Ford revealed that they meant the inside of the Ford was 700% quieter than the outside.
3. THE “WE’RE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE” CLAIM
This kind of claim states that there is nothing else quite like the product being advertised. For example, if Schlitz would add pink food coloring to its beer they could say, “There’s nothing like new pink Schlitz.” The uniqueness claim is supposed to be interpreted by readers as a claim to superiority.
Samples of the “We’re Different and Unique” Claim
“There’s no other mascara like it.”
“Only Doral has this unique filter system.”
“Cougar is like nobody else’s car.”
“Either way, liquid or spray, there’s nothing else like it.”
“If it doesn’t say Goodyear, it can’t be polyglas.” “Polyglas” is a trade name copyrighted by Goodyear. Goodrich or Firestone could make a tire exactly identical to the Goodyear one and yet couldn’t call it “polyglas”–a name for fiberglass belts.
“Only Zenith has chromacolor.” Same as the “polyglas” gambit. Admiral has solarcolor and RCA has accucolor.
4. THE “WATER IS WET” CLAIM
“Water is wet” claims say something about the product that is true for any brand in that product category, (for example, “Schrank’s water is really wet.”) The claim is usually a statement of fact, but not a real advantage over the competition.
Samples of the “Water is Wet” Claim
“Mobil: the Detergent Gasoline.” Any gasoline acts as a cleaning agent.
“Great Lash greatly increases the diameter of every lash.”
“Rheingold, the natural beer.” Made from grains and water as are other beers.
“SKIN smells differently on everyone.” As do many perfumes.
5. THE “SO WHAT” CLAIM
This is the kind of claim to which the careful reader will react by saying “So What?” A claim is made which is true but which gives no real advantage to the product. This is similar to the “water is wet” claim except that it claims an advantage which is not shared by most of the other brands in the product category.
Samples of the “So What” Claim
“Geritol has more than twice the iron of ordinary supplements.” But is twice as much beneficial to the body?
“Campbell’s gives you tasty pieces of chicken and not one but two chicken stocks.” Does the presence of two stocks improve the taste?
“Strong enough for a man but made for a woman.” This deodorant claims says only that the product is aimed at the female market.
6. THE VAGUE CLAIM
The vague claim is simply not clear. This category often overlaps with others. The key to the vague claim is the use of words that are colorful but meaningless, as well as the use of subjective and emotional opinions that defy verification. Most contain weasels.
Samples of the Vague Claim
“Lips have never looked so luscious.” Can you imagine trying to either prove or disprove such a claim?
“Lipsavers are fun–they taste good, smell good and feel good.”
“Its deep rich lather makes hair feel good again.”
“For skin like peaches and cream.”
“The end of meatloaf boredom.”
“Take a bite and you’ll think you’re eating on the Champs Elysées.”
“Winston tastes good like a cigarette should.”
“The perfect little portable for all around viewing with all the features of higher priced sets.”
“Fleishman’s makes sensible eating delicious.”
7. THE ENDORSEMENT OR TESTIMONIAL
A celebrity or authority appears in an ad to lend his or her stellar qualities to the product. Sometimes the people will actually claim to use the product, but very often they don’t. There are agencies surviving on providing products with testimonials.
Samples of Endorsements or Testimonials
“Joan Fontaine throws a shot-in-the-dark party and her friends learn a thing or two.”
“Darling, have you discovered Masterpiece? The most exciting men I know are smoking it.” (Eva Gabor)
8. THE SCIENTIFIC OR STATISTICAL CLAIM
This kind of ad uses some sort of scientific proof or experiment, very specific numbers, or an impressive sounding mystery ingredient.
Samples of Scientific or Statistical Claims
“Wonder Break helps build strong bodies 12 ways.” Even the weasel “helps” did not prevent the FTC from demanding this ad be withdrawn. But note that the use of the number 12 makes the claim far more believable than if it were taken out.
“Easy-Off has 33% more cleaning power than another popular brand.” “Another popular brand” often translates as some other kind of oven cleaner sold somewhere. Also the claim does not say Easy-Off works 33% better.
“Special Morning–33% more nutrition.” Also an unfinished claim.
“Certs contains a sparkling drop of Retsyn.”
“ESSO with HTA.”
“Sinarest. Created by a research scientist who actually gets sinus headaches.”
9. THE “COMPLIMENT THE CONSUMER” CLAIM
This kind of claim butters up the consumer by some form of flattery.
Samples of the “Compliment the Consumer” Claim
“We think a cigar smoker is someone special.”
“If what you do is right for you, no matter what others do, then RC Cola is right for you.”
“You pride yourself on your good home cooking….”
“The lady has taste.”
“You’ve come a long way, baby.”
10. THE RHETORICAL QUESTION
This technique demands a response from the audience. A question is asked and the viewer or listener is supposed to answer in such a way as to affirm the product’s goodness.
Samples of the Rhetorical Question
“Plymouth–isn’t that the kind of car America wants?”
“Shouldn’t your family be drinking Hawaiian Punch?”
“What do you want most from coffee? That’s what you get most from Hills.”
“Touch of Sweden: could your hands use a small miracle?”
Advertising’s 15 Basic Appeals
Advertising’s 15 Basic Appeals, by Jib Fowles
(from “Mass Advertising As Social Forecast”)
1. Need for sex- surprisingly, Fowles found that only 2 percent of the television ads, he surveyed used this appeal. It may be too blatant, he concluded, and often detracts from the product.
2. Need for affiliation- the largest number of ads use this approach: you are looking for friendship? Advertisers can also use this negatively, to make you worry that you’ll lose friends if you don’t use a certain product.
3. Need to nurture- every time you see a puppy or a kitten or a child, the appeal is to your paternal or maternal instincts.
4. Need for guidance- a father or mother figure can appeal to your desire for someone to care for you, s you won’t have to worry. Betty Crocker is a good example.
5. Need to aggress- we all have had a desire to get even, and some ads give you this satisfaction.
6. Need to achieve- the ability to accomplish something difficult and succeed identifies the product with winning. Sports figures as spokespersons project this image.
7. Need to dominate- the power we lack is what we can look for in a commercial “master the possibilities.”
8. Need for prominence- we want to be admired and respected; to have high social status. Tasteful china and classic diamonds offer this potential.
9. Need for attention- we want people to notice us; we want to be looked at. Cosmetics are a natural for this approach.
10. Need for autonomy- within a crowded environment, we want to be singled out, to be a “breed apart.” This can also be used negatively: you may be left out if you don’t use a particular product
11. Need to escape- flight is very appealing; you can imagine adventures you cannot have; the idea of escape is pleasurable
12. Need to feel safe- to be free from threats, to be secure is the appeal of many insurance and bank ads
13. Need for aesthetic sensations-beauty attracts us, and classic art or dance makes us feel creative, enhanced
14. Need to satisfy curiosity-facts support our belief that information is quantifiable and numbers and diagrams make our choices seem scientific
15. Psychological needs- Fowles defines sex (item no.1) as a biological need, and so he classifies our need to sleep, eat, and drink in this category. Advertisers for juicy pizza are especially appealing late at night.
Source: Media Impact Introduction to Mass Media (4th Ed) Author: Shirley Biagi, Wadsworth
Suggestions: Why Analyze Ads?
Classroom teaching aid, pro bono publico, from Persuasion Analysis | © 2007 by Hugh Rank | More at http://faculty.govst.edu/pa
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Ads aren’t going to disappear. During your whole life, you are going to be the target audience of many different kinds of persuaders (commercial, political, social, religious). Television is the main marketplace in our society. See yourself as being in the middle of a noisy marketplace: but, recognize that while some sellers may be loud, shrill, and annoying — other sellers may be soft, sweet, and seductive. In a free society, you should expect (and appreciate) so many different persuaders, commercial and political. Learn as much as you can about common patterns used by all, so your choices are more informed.
Analyzing ads is the easiest way to learn about all persuasion techniques. Ads are usually seen in carefully crafted packages (30-second spots on TV; in print, on pages) with coherent messages, involving simple transactions (“buy this”). Other kinds of persuasion (political, social, religious) are harder to analyze because the subjects are more complex, the emotional issues are more involving, and we experience them in bits and fragments (in headlines, TV news, in random discussions) often edited by others. Many ideas here can be applied to other persuaders, but try to analyze ads first.
Ads are designed to be remembered. When kids claim that they “know all about an ad,” they are partially right. Most kids are very good at remembering the surface: not only the brand name (including slogans, jingles, symbols, packaging), but also the little details about the characters, actions, dialogue, backgrounds, catch phrases, sound bites, and visual images. When talking about ads, many kids often focus on the sequence of the obvious surface story (“First this… Next… Then”), simply retelling the message as presented by the advertisers, often unaware of the external creators and their techniques.
Ads are designed to be replayed. Most kids are able to echo the exact words (often imitating voice tone, gestures), to sing the jingles, to hum the music, to re-enact the scene and situation of ads directed at them. Such replays of any fragment associated with an ad is enough to trigger a memory of the whole ad. Even when such parroting is used humorously to mock or mimic, it still shows that the message has been noticed and received by an audience.
Ads are designed to be liked. Most ads (targeted at us) are fun, entertaining, enjoyable, not boring, fast paced, well made, with good “production values” (acting, camera work, editing). Ads are interesting, often humorous or emotionally involving. Ads appeal to our fantasies and daydreams.
Ads are designed to offer us benefits we want (popularity, excitement, fun, esteem, sex appeal) by becoming like the people who appear in ads and use the products (nice clothes, good times, entertainments, sweets and treats).
Ads don’t scold. Nobody likes to be yelled at. Unlike parents and teachers who often require hard work, obedience, rules, and discipline (“for your own good”), ads tell kids what they want to hear. Ads flatter us, praise our good taste, and are “on our side.”
Ads are the most commonly-shared “stories” in our society. Neither novels nor movies, nor TV programs nor sports, are as known and widespread as ads. Everyone now has a vast “library” of ads within their memories, a common consciousness, a shared experience, a way of bonding with others. Kids talk about ads at school, in classrooms and hallways, on the bus, and at home.
The 30-Second-Spot Quiz … a “fingertip formula” useful to analyze ads
Ask these 5 questions, based on “The Pitch”
Classroom teaching aid, pro bono publico, from Persuasion Analysis| ©2008 by Hugh Rank | http://faculty.govst.edu/pa
1.What ATTENTION
-GETTING techniques are used within the ad?
_____________________
Anything unusual? about:
Senses? (motion, music, sounds, visuals, graphics)
Emotions? associations with sex, nature, fun, pets, family (see Audience-Centered list, 24, in center column) >>>
Thought? humor, news, stories, questions, advice, lists & displays, lead-ins, demonstrations, claims & promises, “breaking rules”
TV programs (& other media) function as the external attention-getters designed to “deliver the audience” to the ads.
Most ads now are targeted at specific audiences which you can infer by when and where the ads appear.
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Multiple, simultaneous attention-getters, product claims, and emotional associations (see #3) are common. Don’t restrict your analysis into one category. 2.What CONFIDENCE
-BUILDING techniques are used?
_
_________________
Do you recognize (from past repetition) the brand? logo? the company?
Are any confidence words used? (e.g. trust, safe, honest).
Are any nonverbals? (smile, soothing voice, friendly, sincere look)
Do you know, like, or trust the presenters? – the actors, endorsers.
Are they “authority figures”? (someone expert, wise, caring, protective); or are they “friend figures”? (someone you’d like as a friend, admire, or like to be – on your side)
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EXPLICIT CLAIMS ARE RARE in all categories. Commonly, these ideas are IMPLICIT, suggested or implied , by the visual associations.
VISUALS IMPLY. As viewers, we
“co-create.” Sometimes, we “jump to conclusions,” or visuals can “put words into our mouth” without ever explicitly making a claim. 3. What DESIRE-STIMULATING techniques are used?
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Who is the “target audience”? Are you?
What’s the basic benefit sought? Protection, Relief, Prevention, or Acquisition,
Is the ad product-centered? (12 common claims: Quality, Quantity, Efficiency, Scarcity, Novelty, Stability, Reliability, Simplicity, Utility, Rapidity, Safety.)
Is the ad audience-centered? (appealing to emotions, using the association technique to link (1) the product with “good things” (2) already liked, or desired by (3) the target audience.
24 common needs, desires often suggested in ads: Basic needs (Food, Activity, Surroundings, Sex, Health, Security, Economy); Certitude, or approval needs (Religion, Science, “Best People,” “Most People,” “Average People”); Space or territory needs (Nature, Neighborhood, Nation); Belonging needs (Groups, Intimacy, Family );”Growth” needs (Esteem ,Generosity, Curiosity, Creativity, Play, Success). 4. What URGENCY-STRESSING techniques are used?
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If an urgency appeal, what words are used? (e.g. Offer Expires, Rush, Now, Deadline, Last Chance, One Day Only)
Any nonverbals? (e.g. ticking clock, staccato sounds, quick tempo in music, countdown).
Not all ads use urgency appeals, but always check for them.
If no urgency appeal, is this “soft sell” part of a product’s long-term ad campaign? – based on repetition for name recognition of a brand name, standard product, or established store; or association using product placement (within movies, TV programs); providing celebrities with free gifts (clothes, cars).
Corporate image-building (“feel good”ads) are so often “proud sponsors” associated with good causes (charity fundraisers, PBS programs) that “greenwashing” commonly describes these corporate conditioning campaigns. 5.What RESPONSE
- SEEKING techniques
are used?
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Are there specific triggering words used? e.g. To buy? (buy, choose, select); To take the 1st step? (Visit, Come in, Ask your Doctor, Call 1-800, Click); To use the product? (Drink, Taste, Experience, Enjoy) ; to get the benefit? (get, protect, prevent, relieve) Most ads will use some common verbs, but…
If no specific response is sought, is it part of a “soft sell” (long term, repetition) for a standard consumer product? Or a store?
Or, if the ad is not about a consumer product, is it a “feel good” ad — an “image-building” ad: PR, public relations to make us “feel good” about an industry (e.g. defense contractors, energy, oil, pharmaceuticals) or a specific corporation to get favorable public opinion on their side in any controversial issues (e.g. upcoming legislation, lower corporate taxes, less government regulations).
Now or later, immediate or delayed, persuaders always seek some kind of response!
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This 1-2-3-4-5 “fingertip formula” describes the most common pattern of “the Pitch” in advertising.
Try it: 1. Hi — 2. Trust Me — 3. You Need — 4. Hurry — 5. Buy
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What’s Wrong With Advertising?
Intrusion (“too many ads…”)
Deception (ads lie, mislead, deceive)
Nutrition (ads for unhealthy “junk foods” promote a national obesity crisis)
Offensive (ads offend women, minorities. ethnic groups, religion)
Personal Problems (ads contribute to debt cycle, family stress, poor self-image)
Other critics deal with the indirect and less obvious “hidden harms” of ads, such as: psychological harm to the individual and the family; or long-term, cumulative harms related to materialism, waste, environmental destruction, and social injustice.
Materialism (religious and secular critiques)
Environmental Problems (consumption, waste)
Social Justice (Issues relating to affluence and poverty; “Haves” and “Have-Nots”)
What’s Right with Advertising?
Nobody complains about the benefits, the good aspects, of advertising.
The value of the information (“new products … new services”)
The entertainment (“clever ads… humorous… cute… interesting”) received.
Creative people might even mention the advanced techniques — the “high production values ” — used to get attention.
However, in a wider scope, advertising (for better or worse) has a major economic role in modern society.
An engine of economic growth.
It raises capital, creates jobs and spurs production.
It launches new products, provides consumer information and furthers competition, thereby lowering consumer prices.
It increases government revenues since jobs produce taxable income, and greater sales increase sales taxes.
The Language of Advertising Claims
by Jeffrey Schrank
All or most of the brands available are nearly identical. Since no one superior product exists, advertising is used to create the illusion of superiority. The largest advertising budgets are devoted to parity products such as gasoline, cigarettes, beer and soft drinks, soaps, and various headache and cold remedies.
The first rule of parity involves the Alice in Wonderlandish use of the words “better” and “best.” In parity claims, “better” means “best” and “best” means “equal to.” If all the brands are identical, they must all be equally good, the legal minds have decided. So “best” means that the product is as good as the other superior products in its category. When Bing Crosby declares Minute Maid Orange Juice “the best there is” he means it is as good as the other orange juices you can buy.
The word “better” has been legally interpreted to be a comparative and therefore becomes a clear claim of superiority. Bing could not have said that Minute Maid is “better than any other orange juice.” “Better” is a claim of superiority. The only time “better” can be used is when a product does indeed have superiority over other products in its category or when the better is used to compare the product with something other than competing brands. An orange juice could therefore claim to be “better than a vitamin pill,” or even “the better breakfast drink.”
The second rule of advertising claims is simply that if any product is truly superior, the ad will say so very clearly and will offer some kind of convincing evidence of the superiority. If an ad hedges the least bit about a product’s advantage over the competition you can strongly suspect it is not superior–may be equal to but not better. You will never hear a gasoline company say “we will give you four miles per gallon more in your care than any other brand.” They would love to make such a claim, but it would not be true. Gasoline is a parity product, and, in spite of some very clever and deceptive ads of a few years ago, no one has yet claimed one brand of gasoline better than any other brand.
To create the necessary illusion of superiority, advertisers usually resort to one or more of the following ten basic techniques. Each is common and easy to identify.
1. THE WEASEL CLAIM
A weasel word is a modifier that practically negates the claim that follows. The expression “weasel word” is aptly named after the egg-eating habits of weasels. A weasel will suck out the inside of an egg, leaving it appear intact to the casual observer. Upon examination, the egg is discovered to be hollow. Words or claims that appear substantial upon first look but disintegrate into hollow meaninglessness on analysis are weasels. Commonly used weasel words include “helps” (the champion weasel); “like” (used in a comparative sense); “virtual” or “virtually”; “acts” or “works”; “can be”; “up to”; “as much as”; “refreshes”; “comforts”; “tackles”; “fights”; “come on”; “the feel of”; “the look of”; “looks like”; “fortified”; “enriched”; and “strengthened.”
Samples of Weasel Claims
“Helps control dandruff symptoms with regular use.” The weasels include “helps control,” and possibly even “symptoms” and “regular use.” The claim is not “stops dandruff.”
“Leaves dishes virtually spotless.” We have seen so many ad claims that we have learned to tune out weasels. You are supposed to think “spotless,” rather than “virtually” spotless.
“Only half the price of many color sets.” “Many” is the weasel. The claim is supposed to give the impression that the set is inexpensive.
“Tests confirm one mouthwash best against mouth odor.”
“Hot Nestlés cocoa is the very best.” Remember the “best” and “better” routine.
“Listerine fights bad breath.” “Fights,” not “stops.”
“Lots of things have changed, but Hershey’s goodness hasn’t.” This claim does not say that Hershey’s chocolate hasn’t changed.
“Bacos, the crispy garnish that tastes just like its name.”
2. THE UNFINISHED CLAIM
The unfinished claim is one in which the ad claims the product is better, or has more of something, but does not finish the comparison.
Samples of Unfinished Claims
“Magnavox gives you more.” More what?
“Anacin: Twice as much of the pain reliever doctors recommend most.” This claim fits in a number of categories but it does not say twice as much of what pain reliever.
“Supergloss does it with more color, more shine, more sizzle, more!”
“Coffee-mate gives coffee more body, more flavor.” Also note that “body” and “flavor” are weasels.
“You can be sure if it’s Westinghouse.” Sure of what?
“Scott makes it better for you.”
“Ford LTD–700% quieter.”
When the FTC asked Ford to substantiate this claim, Ford revealed that they meant the inside of the Ford was 700% quieter than the outside.
3. THE “WE’RE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE” CLAIM
This kind of claim states that there is nothing else quite like the product being advertised. For example, if Schlitz would add pink food coloring to its beer they could say, “There’s nothing like new pink Schlitz.” The uniqueness claim is supposed to be interpreted by readers as a claim to superiority.
Samples of the “We’re Different and Unique” Claim
“There’s no other mascara like it.”
“Only Doral has this unique filter system.”
“Cougar is like nobody else’s car.”
“Either way, liquid or spray, there’s nothing else like it.”
“If it doesn’t say Goodyear, it can’t be polyglas.” “Polyglas” is a trade name copyrighted by Goodyear. Goodrich or Firestone could make a tire exactly identical to the Goodyear one and yet couldn’t call it “polyglas”–a name for fiberglass belts.
“Only Zenith has chromacolor.” Same as the “polyglas” gambit. Admiral has solarcolor and RCA has accucolor.
4. THE “WATER IS WET” CLAIM
“Water is wet” claims say something about the product that is true for any brand in that product category, (for example, “Schrank’s water is really wet.”) The claim is usually a statement of fact, but not a real advantage over the competition.
Samples of the “Water is Wet” Claim
“Mobil: the Detergent Gasoline.” Any gasoline acts as a cleaning agent.
“Great Lash greatly increases the diameter of every lash.”
“Rheingold, the natural beer.” Made from grains and water as are other beers.
“SKIN smells differently on everyone.” As do many perfumes.
5. THE “SO WHAT” CLAIM
This is the kind of claim to which the careful reader will react by saying “So What?” A claim is made which is true but which gives no real advantage to the product. This is similar to the “water is wet” claim except that it claims an advantage which is not shared by most of the other brands in the product category.
Samples of the “So What” Claim
“Geritol has more than twice the iron of ordinary supplements.” But is twice as much beneficial to the body?
“Campbell’s gives you tasty pieces of chicken and not one but two chicken stocks.” Does the presence of two stocks improve the taste?
“Strong enough for a man but made for a woman.” This deodorant claims says only that the product is aimed at the female market.
6. THE VAGUE CLAIM
The vague claim is simply not clear. This category often overlaps with others. The key to the vague claim is the use of words that are colorful but meaningless, as well as the use of subjective and emotional opinions that defy verification. Most contain weasels.
Samples of the Vague Claim
“Lips have never looked so luscious.” Can you imagine trying to either prove or disprove such a claim?
“Lipsavers are fun–they taste good, smell good and feel good.”
“Its deep rich lather makes hair feel good again.”
“For skin like peaches and cream.”
“The end of meatloaf boredom.”
“Take a bite and you’ll think you’re eating on the Champs Elysées.”
“Winston tastes good like a cigarette should.”
“The perfect little portable for all around viewing with all the features of higher priced sets.”
“Fleishman’s makes sensible eating delicious.”
7. THE ENDORSEMENT OR TESTIMONIAL
A celebrity or authority appears in an ad to lend his or her stellar qualities to the product. Sometimes the people will actually claim to use the product, but very often they don’t. There are agencies surviving on providing products with testimonials.
Samples of Endorsements or Testimonials
“Joan Fontaine throws a shot-in-the-dark party and her friends learn a thing or two.”
“Darling, have you discovered Masterpiece? The most exciting men I know are smoking it.” (Eva Gabor)
8. THE SCIENTIFIC OR STATISTICAL CLAIM
This kind of ad uses some sort of scientific proof or experiment, very specific numbers, or an impressive sounding mystery ingredient.
Samples of Scientific or Statistical Claims
“Wonder Break helps build strong bodies 12 ways.” Even the weasel “helps” did not prevent the FTC from demanding this ad be withdrawn. But note that the use of the number 12 makes the claim far more believable than if it were taken out.
“Easy-Off has 33% more cleaning power than another popular brand.” “Another popular brand” often translates as some other kind of oven cleaner sold somewhere. Also the claim does not say Easy-Off works 33% better.
“Special Morning–33% more nutrition.” Also an unfinished claim.
“Certs contains a sparkling drop of Retsyn.”
“ESSO with HTA.”
“Sinarest. Created by a research scientist who actually gets sinus headaches.”
9. THE “COMPLIMENT THE CONSUMER” CLAIM
This kind of claim butters up the consumer by some form of flattery.
Samples of the “Compliment the Consumer” Claim
“We think a cigar smoker is someone special.”
“If what you do is right for you, no matter what others do, then RC Cola is right for you.”
“You pride yourself on your good home cooking….”
“The lady has taste.”
“You’ve come a long way, baby.”
10. THE RHETORICAL QUESTION
This technique demands a response from the audience. A question is asked and the viewer or listener is supposed to answer in such a way as to affirm the product’s goodness.
Samples of the Rhetorical Question
“Plymouth–isn’t that the kind of car America wants?”
“Shouldn’t your family be drinking Hawaiian Punch?”
“What do you want most from coffee? That’s what you get most from Hills.”
“Touch of Sweden: could your hands use a small miracle?”
Glossary of terms – Contextual based
Glossary of terms – Contextual based
ABC Audit Bureau of Circulations – an independent organisation that provides circulation figures for magazines and newspapers
Aberrant readings when a reading of a text is entirely different from the intended meaning. Such a reading may be mistaken or deliberate
Aerial shot or birds eye view – shots filmed from aircraft or helicopter, extreme high angle
Advertorial in a magazine or newspaper this is an advertisement that has the appearance of an article
Ambient sound natural background noise on television, film or radio. In the same manner ambient light refers to natural, available light that is not enhanced in any way
American Dream the belief that anyone in America can succeed and achieve their dreams, regardless of their social background
Anchorage Roland Barthes suggested that all images are open to a variety of interpretations or meanings. He referred to this as polysemy. However, if an image is anchored by written text, or sound, then this restricts the possible meanings
Artificial lighting any lighting that is used to light a film or television progamme that is not available from a natural source of light
Audience all those who receive or interact with any media product. A target audience is the group of people to whom a product is particularly aimed. It may be identified as either mass (or mainstream) if it is targeted at a very large number of people or niche if it is targeted at a smaller, more specific audience
Auteur a French term meaing author. It is used ot refer to a film director who may be said to direct his or her films with distinctive personal style
BARB The Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board is an independent organisation that is used to measure audiences for television companies. BARB is jointly owned by the BBC and the ITCA (The Independent Television Companies Association)
Binary Opposition where texts are organised around sets of opposite values such as good and evil, light and dark
Broadsheet the term strictly refers to the size or format of the newspaper although the term is frequently used as a synonym for the quality press
Character the Russian critic and folklorist Vladimir Propp examined hundreds of folk tales and presented an analysis of characters and their specific roles in narratives
Chiaroscuro lighting a term originally applied to painting and drawing, it comes from the Italian for light and dark. It applies to high contrast lighting that gives deep shadows and bright highlights
Cinematographer the person in filmmaking who is responsible for camera and lighting, often referred to as the director of photography
Connotation Roland Barthes refers to this as the meanings that words, images and sounds suggest beyond the literal description or denotation
Continuity editing sometimes referred to as invisible or academic editingm this is the unobtrusive style of editing developed by Hollywood and still empolyed in most commercial productions. The basis of continuity editing is to cut on action so that the whole sequence looks natural
Convergence this is the coming together of different communication devices and processes. With the aid of a modem, the telephone and computer converge to give access to the Internet that is the new means of communication. Convergence is often made possible by alliances between or mergers of different compaines, but the terms are not synonymous. Alliances are when separate individual companies become one larger organisation as with the merger of AOL and Time Warner
Cover Lines informationa bout major articles given on the front page of a magazine
Cross-media ownership when corporations own different businesses in several types of media such as News Corporation that has interests in other areas of the media, television, film and the press
Demographics demographic data refers to the social characteristics of the population, studies according to groupings such as social class, gender and age
Denotation the simple description of what can be seen of heard (see connotation)
Depth of field the distance between the furthest and the nearest points that are in focus. A wide-angle lens will have a much greater depth of field than a telephoto lens
Diegetic/non-diegetic sound diagetic sound is what appears to come from a recognisable source within the narrative of a film, radio or television text. Non-diegetic sound would include a film musical score
Digital the conversion of sound and visual to transmit information in a code using the numbers zero and one
Discourse A discourse offers a set of statements about a particular area for discussion and organises these statements and gives specific structure to the way that the subject is discussed. Discourses therefore give expression to the meanings and values of institutions or social groups. This can refer tot he way in which a particular social group may construct discussion, as in a feminist discourse
Editorial this may refer to a statement by the editor in any publication or it may also refer to any feature material, that is, not advertising
Enigma is a question or puzzle that may be posed at the beginning of and throughout a text. It refers to one of Roland Barthes codes of narrative that he called The Voice of Truth: also called the hermaneutic code. These puzzles work to maintain the interest of the audience: they are there to be solved or to delay the pleasure of reaching the end of the story
Equilibrium/disequilibrium/restoration of equilibrium these are tensions within a narrative. A secure and balanced state is often used to begin a narrative but this is soon disrupted by tensions or events that cause disequilibrium. A typical happy ending will result in a restoration of balance and restoration of equilibrium. The Bulgarian theorist Tzvetan Todorov is most frequently referred to in relation to this narrative theory
Establishing shot is a long shot or extreme long shot that establishes the location, general mood and the relative placement of main subjects within a scene
Form this term means the structure, or skeleton, of a text and the narrative framework around it. For example, a feature film commonly has a three-act structure. Some structures are determined by a genre and its corresponding codes and conventions
Frame as a noun this refers to the single area on a strip of film that holds a single image (or a single still image on video). As a verb it means to adjust the position of the camera or to adjust to camera lens to construct a close up, long shot or medium shot
Gatekeeping is the process by which news stories are selected or rejected. A gatekeeper is a journalist usually the editor who filters the news stories in order to present them in the most successful way possible to the audience. The term is also applied to other major decision makers in media industries
Genre this is the classification of any media text into a category or type, e.g. news, horror, documentary, soap opera, docu-soap, science fiction, lifestyle etc. Genres tend to have identifiable codes and conventions that have developed over time and for which audiences may have developed particular expectations. Media texts that are a mixture of more than one genre are called generic hybrids
Hegemony the process by which dominant ideology is maintained is called hegemony. This concept owes much to the work of the Italian political theorist Antonio Gramsci. It is a form of consensus that is initially constructed by institutions that wield social and political power, such as government organisations, the mass media, the family, the education system and religion. It is a form of consensus that is frequently re-negotiated between the powerful and the dominated
Horizontal integration is when an organisation owns different companies of the same type, for instance Rupert Murdoch owns several newspapers. This occurs when a company takes over a competitor at the same level of production within the same market sector (see vertical integration)
Ident in broadcasting this refers to a jingle or logo that identifies the channel, station or programme
Ideology often referred to as the system of ideas, values and beliefs which an individual, group or society holds to be true or important; these are shared by a culture or society about how that society should function. Ideas and values that are seen to be shared, or perpetuated by the most influential social agents (the church, the law, education, government, the media etc.) may be described as dominant ideologies
Intertextuality often related to post-modernism and its culture and criticism. The notion being that we now understand texts by their relationship or reference to another text, or that a text is successful principally because of its intertextual references (e.g. The Simpsons, Scream). One of the effects on the audience of recognising intertextuality is that it flatters their ability to recognise references and feel superior, or feel part of a group who share the same joke
Masthead the title of a magazine or newspaper usually placed at the top of the front cover
Mise-en-scene literally everything that is put in the scene, or frame, to be photographed. This usually includes production design, set, location, actors, costumes, make-up, gesture, extras, props, use of colour, contrast and filter. Lighting is often included within mise-en-scene. Camera shot composition/framing/angle/movement is sometimes referred to as mise-en-shot
Montage is taken from the French, to assemble. It has several meanings in the context of film. (1) as a synonym for editing. (2) In Hollywood cinema to edits a concentrated sequence with a series of brief cuts with a series of transitions creating the effect of the passage of time or movement over large distances or for expessionistic moods. (3) Thematic or Sovit Montage was developed by Sergei Eisenstein by arranging striking juxtapositions of individual shots to suggest an idea that goes beyond meanings within the individual shots. He called this collision montage. (4) Any sequence that creates a particularly significant effect mainly through its editing. The shower scene in Psycho would be such an example.
Narrative the way in which a plot or story is told, by whom and in what order. Flash backs/forwards may be used as narrative devices.
NRS National Readership Survey, an organisation that sets out to provide information on the number and nature of magazine and newspaper readership
Newsgathering the process by which news is collected from its source in order to be treated or packaged for presentation
Oscar this is the popular name for an Academy Award but actually refers to the trophy itself. The gold plated statuette is awarded by the Academy of Motion picture Arts and Sciences and is so called, it is claimed, because an ealry librarian of the Academy thought that it looked like her Uncle Oscar
Plugs information about the contents of a magazine or newspaper given on the front cover
Polysemy is the possibility of a sign to have several meanings
Post-modernism is a movement or phase in the twentieth-century thought. The term is complex and difficult to define in simple terms. It is applied to all the arts and at its most basic refers to the way that new products can be constructed by making reference to already existing ones
Preferred reading this term describes the way in which a media text offers a reading or meaning that follows the intentions, either conscious or unconscious, of the maker, or the reading preferred by the dominant forces in society
Primary research is research information or data that you collect yourself. Sources for this may include interviews, questionnaires, analysis or original photographs or other media texts that you undertake yourself (see also secondary research)
Proxemics is the study of the way people approach each other, or keep their distance from others. What we do with the space between us is seen to be a form of non-verbal communication. It also refers to the way we inhabit our own space, including extensions of ourselves such as rooms, houses, towns and cities
Public Service Broadcasting broadcasting that is intended to entertain, educate and inform but does not have a primary commercial intent
Puff words or phrases on the cover of a magazine used to boost its status
Pyrotechnics are all explosive devices used in films, television on in theatrical stage productions. They are commonly referred to by the abbreviation pyros. In common usage pyrotechnics is a term more narrowly applied to fireworks
Qualitative research is research undertaken through observation, analysing texts and documents, interviews, open-ended questionnaires and case studies. It is reasoned argument that is not based upon simple statistical information. Overall qualitative research enables researchers to study psychological, cultural and social phenomena
Quantitative research is primarily statistical data most frequently obtained from closed questions in questionnaires or structured interviews. Quantitative research may estimate how many 15-25 year old males watch EastEnders but qualitative research is necessary to determine why they watch it
RAJAR Radio Joint Audience Research – this is an organisation involving the BBC and commercial radio, similar to BARB, that is responsible got controlling the system of calculating audience figures for radio
Ratings are the estimated number of people who watch or listen to broadcast programmes and can be seen to be a guide to the relative success of broadcast material
Readership this does not simply refer to those who buy a newspaper or magazine, but to the total number of people who are likely to read the publication: usually considered to be three or four times the number of copies actually sold
Realism is the dominant mode of representation in television, mainstream films and print. The term usually implies that the media text attempts to represent an external reality: a film or television programme is realistic because it accurately reproduces that part of the real world to which it is referring. The concept is, however, much more complex than this brief definition
Representation the process of making meaning in still or moving images and words/sounds. In its simplest form, it means to present/show someone or something. However, as a concept for debate, it is used to describe the process by which an image etc. may be used to represent/stand for someone or something, for example, a place or an idea. Inherent in this second definition is the notion that there may be a responsibility on the part of the producer for any representation, with regard to accuracy, truth and the viewpoints and opinions that such a representation may perpetuate
Scheduling is the process by which programmes are broadcast at particular times and in particular sequences to maximise their potential audiences
Semiology/semiotics the study of sign systems and their function in society
Stereotype is an over-simplified representation of people, places or issues giving a narrow set of attributes. Stereotypes are frequently thought to be entirely negative but this is not necessarily the case
Storyboard the planning of a moving image by using a series of drawings with written instructions for the methods of filming
Stripping (also occasionally referred to as stranding) is the form of scheduling on television where the same strand or genre of programme is offered at the same time every day, every week
Style this refers to the look of a media text, its surface appearance. It can be recognised (according to the medium), by the use of colour, typography, graphic design and layout, vocabulary, photography or illustration, mise-en-scene, lighting, music, camera angle, movement, framing, dialogue, editing, etc.
Synchronous/asynchronous sound synchronous sound is where the sound matched the action is speech in film or television. Asynchronous sound is when there is a mis-match – the most obvious example is when lip-synch is out, in other words, when the words spoken and the lip movement of the actor on screen do not match
Synergy is the establishment of the relationship between different areas of the media for mutual benefit. This may or may not be within the same organisation, although conglomerates such as AOL/Time Warner and News Corporation are in very enviable positions to make the most of such opportunities. An example might be when the launching of a new film is accompanied by the promotion of a wide range of merchandise, or just a CD of the music. Synergy between films and music is quite common. A rarer example occurred in 2000 between a novel and music. The success of the best selling novel by Vikram Seth, set in the world of classical music, An Equal Music led to the production of a CD featuring all the music referred to in detail within the novel
Tabloid a tabloid is a half-sized newspaper. The term is strictly speaking related to the size only, but it is frequently used critically, referring to newspapers such as The Sun and The Mirror (these are also referred to as red-top tabloids). The Daily Mail and The Daily Express are referred to as mod-market tabloids. It should be pointed out that several broadsheet newspapers have tabloid supplements
Take a take is a single run of film (or video) as it records a shot. In commercial filmmaking several takes of the same shot would be filmed until a satisfactory one has been achieved
Teasers short phrases on the front cover of a newspaper or magazine to tempt a reader to buy the publication. Teaser trailers are short film or television trailers shown before a full length trailer is shown
Terrestrial transmission of radio and television that are from land-based transmitters
Tone the overall impression that is given by a media text such as serious, comic, romantic, sensationalist etc.
Typography the typeface or font that is used in print texts
Vertical integration a term used to describe how one company owns all stages of production and distribution (and in the world of film exhibition). The Hollywood Studio System from approximately the late 1920′s to the 1950′s was organised in this way. In print publication it could refer to a company that owns the paper mills that make the paper, through to chains of newsagents who sell the magazines and newspapers
Voicer a scripted report that is presented by an additional reporter within a main news bulletin
Vox pop the opinions on current issues or topics recorded from members of the public.
Wide shot or wide angled shot is a shot that takes in more than 60 degrees of vision rather than the normal range of the camera at 45-50 degress
X-certificate in the UK the X certificate was originally introduce to restrict entry to cinemas for certain films for those under the age of 16. In 1970 that age limit was raised to 18 and in 1983 the X Certificate was superseded by the 18 certificate. The term Certificate has now been superseded by the term classification. In USA the term rating is used.
UCAS how to write a personal satement
What a University is looking for from your personal statement – from the University of Reading’s perspective.
The Personal Statement is absolutely critical to the success of your application. It is your only real chance to sell yourself to the Admissions Tutor in a very short space of time. Below you will find a guide on what to include in your UCAS form.
Personal Statement
Bear in mind the following areas (this isn’t a definitive list or a prescriptive order in which they should appear – each personal statement will be unique to the individual)
- Sixth Form studies: skills developed, subject knowledge relating to degree, motivation
- Mention why have you applied for this course (keep this non-specific to a university)
- Willingness to study at a higher level
- Work experience and relevance to degree
- Planned intentions for Gap Year (if you are intending to defer you entry)
- Extra-curricular activities, hobbies and interests inside and outside school
- Personal/ academic achievements
- Any other qualifications
- Tasters/Masterclasses (what skills did you develop as a result)
- Positions of responsibility (e.g house captain/head boy/girl/mentor)
- Future plans and how does that link to degree?
Top tips
A good place to start is to make lists of personal skills and qualities and extra curricular activities and then link them together.
Be selective about what you include. We don’t need to know everything about you but chose things that highlight your abilities.
Do make sure you have some extra-curricular activities to talk about. We are looking for an indication of what sort of person you are, and how you will contribute to the university outside of your studies.
Key points to note
- Be honest (Admissions Tutors will be able to tell if you aren’t) so be able to back up statements/facts
- Make sure you write your own personal statement but get help from school/college or parents (they can give a fresh perspective)
- Not all courses interview so your UCAS application has to really sell you as a good potential student
- Your Personal Statement should not look like a CV or a list of information
- Take care over your choice of applications; consistency of choice is important as it is very to difficult to justify why you want to do 5 very different subjects on your personal statement.
- We are always looking for that something else / little bit different in terms of content NOT style.
- Don’t expect to get it done quickly and leave plenty of time
- Be clear & accurate in all that you say, including spelling and grammar
- Think about layout and how it’s presented
Risk assessments
A2 MEDIA : POP PROMO
INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH & PLANNING CHECKLIST
STUDENT: DATE:
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INDIVIDUAL TASKS |
STUDENT |
TUTOR |
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1. 3 analyses of Pop Promos. Use of handout guides |
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2. Obtain and analyse lyrics to chosen song |
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3. Write 2 rough synopsis and treatments for song |
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4. Gather and analyse research into the chosen band |
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5. Write 15 questions for an audience questionnaire |
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6. 2 analyses of Pop Promos. Same or similar bands. |
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7. Detailed synopsis of video content. Individual |
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8. Detailed treatment of video content. Individual. |
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9. History & characteristics of Pop Promos report |
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10. 4 analyses of Pop Promos. (To make 9 in total) |
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11. Journal of the project. Decisions made. |
Tutor feedback: …………………………………………………………………………………………
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PRED. GRADE:
LOCATION FINDERS CHECKLIST
Production Title: Shoot Date(s)
Location contact: Location address:
Telephone No.:
Fax:
Email:
Mob:
Directions from college to location:
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Is the location right for the script? |
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How available is the location |
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How noisy is the location. Is it suitable for recording sync sound? |
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Is the location bright enough? Will it need extra lighting? |
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What power supply is available at the location? Can it be used by the production? |
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Is location heated? |
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How long does it take to get to the location? |
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How will you get to the location? What means of transport will you have to use? |
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How much will it cost each person to get there? Are there parking fees etc? |
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Is the location big enough to accommodate crew and cast? |
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Do you need permission from local council/police to film at the location? |
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Where are the nearest toilets? |
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Are there any special health and safety issues with this location? |
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Nearest Hospital?Casualty? |
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Notes:
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VIDEO RISK REDUCTION SHEET
PRODUCTION:
LOCATION:
STUDENT NAMES:
PROGRAMME/COURSE:
DATE(s):
LECTURER APPROVED:
ENSURE ALL FIRE AND FIRST AID PRECAUTIONS ARE IDENTIFIED.
ELIMINATE SIGNIFICANT RISKS FROM CHEMICALS, VDUs, ELECTRICITY, FOOD AND CATERING, LIGHTING, LIFTING, DANGEROUS TERRAIN, OBJECTS AND HEIGHTS.
CLEARLY IDENTIFY ANY EXPERT HELP REQUIRED OR SPECIALISED EQUIPMENT.
ATTACH SITE PLANS, RECCE NOTES AND PHOTOGRAPHS WHEN NECESSARY.
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ACTION TAKEN |
PRODUCER, SIGN & DATE |
VIDEO RISK EVALUATION SHEET
PRODUCTION:
LOCATION:
STUDENT NAMES:
PROGRAMME/COURSE:
DATE(s)
TUTOR APPROVED
THE HAZARDS LISTED BELOW MAY ALL BE ENCOUNTERED DURING PRODUCTION AND MUST BE IDENTIFIED BEFORE FILMING COMMENCES. IF THE RISK IS PRESENT YOU MUST THEN ASSESS THE LEVEL OF THE RISK FROM LOW TO HIGH. IF THE RISK IS PRESENT YOU MUST THEN FILL IN THE REVERSE SIDE OF THIS SHEET RISK REDUCTION AND STATE HOW YOU WILL MINIMISE THIS RISK DURING THE SHOOTING. THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF YOUR CREW AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC MUST BE PROTECTED DURING ANY LOCATION SHOTS.
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HAZARD IDENTIFICATION |
HAZARD PRESENT |
RISK ASSESSMENT |
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YES |
NO |
LOW |
MEDIUM |
HIGH |
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AUDIENCES AND GROUPS |
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BUILDINGS/CONSTRUCTION SITES |
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CHEMICALS AND SUBSTANCES |
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CONFINED SPACES |
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DANGEROUS TERRAIN |
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DERELICT BUILDINGS AND LAND |
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ELECTRICITY AND CABLES |
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EXPLOSIVES AND PYROTECHNICAS |
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EXTREME WEATHER |
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FIRE |
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FIREARMS/WEAPONS EVEN FAKE |
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GENERAL PUBLIC |
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MACHINERY |
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MANUAL HANDLING LIFTING |
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NIGHT OPERATIONS |
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NOISE |
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ROADS OR DRIVING OR TRAFFIC |
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SCAFFOLDING OR HEIGHTS |
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SCENERY CONSTRUCTION |
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STUNTS |
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VDUS AND COMPUTERS |
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WATER SAFETY |
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OTHER |
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Revision for Critical Research Study
Have you got…?
- Primary research with conclusions
- Case study notes and your own conclusions and opinions
- Content analysis notes
- Academic criticism- with notes/own conclusions
- Popular criticism with notes/own conclusions
- Notes on everything on the list with own ideas/conclusion
- Make sure that you have covered the above points, but concentrate on 3 main topics.
- Develop areas of study or hypotheses based on what you have studied
- Write out your conclusions for these, so that you are clear in your mind about the topic.
Guidance on Candidates’ Notes
- Candidates are able to take 4 sides of A4 research notes into the examination; these must be submitted with the candidate’s examination script.
- The purpose of these notes is to serve as an aide memoire for the candidate, for detailed information, as below.
- The notes, which must be hand-written by the candidate him/herself, should cover primary and
- They should not contain essay plans or continuous prose.
- On no account should additional sheets or materials be brought into the examination room, nor should the research notes be word-processed, printed, photocopied or typewritten.
It is recommended that candidates collect their research findings carefully during the course of their Critical Research Study, which should then be selected and edited carefully at a reasonable period before the examination and presented as the final four sides of research notes.
Do’s:
- Have brief notes to jog your memory
- Use personal research- especially primary
- Reference everything
- Develop a series of hypotheses based around what you have studied with notes on your conclusions and references
- Discuss one or two of these hypotheses in Q2 to focus your answer
- Use evidence to back up your ideas- compare different pieces of evidence
Don’t:
- Have long, prosaic notes
- Use sources without referencing
- Use only one example
- Just write down everything that you know.
Question 1
Accounts of the kinds of research undertaken, to include the following:
- The producers, institution or industry concerned
- Academic criticism
- Popular criticism
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Audience reception, including the candidate her/himself
Question 2
Analysis and presentation of the research undertaken, to include the following:
- The investigative process and the findings of the research
- The presentation and development of an argument or thesis, with reference to research and textual evidence
- Where appropriate, conclusions
Renier van Loggerenberg
reniermediahttp://www.renierthephotographer.com
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