Learning objective: To study Common, TV special with consideration given to representation issues
people, places, events and issues
Key terms:
Mediation - This is the way in which a media text is constructed in order to represent the producer of the text's version of reality. This is constructed through selection, organisation and focus.
Window on the world - This is the idea that media texts, particularly those that present aspects of reality, are showing the audience the real world as it happens.
Understanding the concept of representation is essential at A2 level. You must be able to go beyond a simplistic discussion of stereotypes or positive and negative representations.
To analyse the impact of representation in media texts you must be aware of the context and the purpose of representation within the text. There are some key questions you must be able to consider:
- How has the world represented in this media text been constructed?
- What ideas and values are being communicated in the text? In this case by McGovern and the BBC.
- Who is the target audience of the text? How may different audiences respond to the representations contained within the text? Who will accept and who will challenge? (Consider Stuart hall here - Preferred, negotiated and oppositional readers).
- What messages are contained within the text? How might these messages impact upon the audience? How might Common impact upon a teenage viewer?
Task 1: Watch Common and discuss the four questions above.
The producers of a media text encode ideas and messages within the text through representations. The aim of the producers of the text is to communicate their ideology to the audience. Audiences then decode the messages and respond to them in different ways depending on their own life experiences.
All media texts are constructed and all representations contained within texts have been constructed. This gives an illusion of reality which some audiences will accept as truth without challenging.
Representations are constructed through visual and technical codes, audio codes, language and mode of address.
The CONTEXT and purpose of the representation is important. The representation of young people in The Inbetweeners is constructed to make the audience laugh because it is a situation comedy.
Stereotypes are constructions that are made up of over exaggerated and easily recognisable character traits. They are used to convey information rapidly as audiences will have ideas and expectations of how certain stereotypical characters should behave. Not all representations are negative.
All media texts go through a process of mediation. They are not windows on the world. Through construction and selection the texts are interpreted for us and the representation of the issue, event or social group is presented in a particular way through this process.
Task 2:
Watch Common and identify examples of positive and negative representation of young people.
How have you arrived at this conclusion?
Common is a rich text in terms of examples of representation. there are a range of representation areas for you to study and discuss.
There are positive and negative examples of older people and young adults. These have been constructed through the use of visual and technical codes and depending on how the audience decodes the messages within the text, there will be a range of responses.
As well as age, you should consider the representation of gender and class.
Task 3:
Watch Common and write down how the characters Johnjo O'Shea, Coleen O'Shea (Johnjo's mother) and Margaret Ward (the mother of the murdered boy) have been represented positively and negatively. Consider representation of age and gender as constructed through visual and technical codes.
Bullet points. Orange books.
Representation as a media concept
The producers of a media text encode ideas and messages within the text through representations. The aim of the producers of the text is to communicate their ideology to the audience. Audiences then decode the messages and respond to them in different ways depending on their own life experiences.
All media texts are constructed and all representations contained within texts have been constructed. This gives an illusion of reality which some audiences will accept as truth without challenging.
Representations are constructed through visual and technical codes, audio codes, language and mode of address.
The CONTEXT and purpose of the representation is important. The representation of young people in The Inbetweeners is constructed to make the audience laugh because it is a situation comedy.
Stereotypes are constructions that are made up of over exaggerated and easily recognisable character traits. They are used to convey information rapidly as audiences will have ideas and expectations of how certain stereotypical characters should behave. Not all representations are negative.
All media texts go through a process of mediation. They are not windows on the world. Through construction and selection the texts are interpreted for us and the representation of the issue, event or social group is presented in a particular way through this process.
Task 2:
Watch Common and identify examples of positive and negative representation of young people.
How have you arrived at this conclusion?
Jimmy McGovern
There are positive and negative examples of older people and young adults. These have been constructed through the use of visual and technical codes and depending on how the audience decodes the messages within the text, there will be a range of responses.
As well as age, you should consider the representation of gender and class.
Task 3:
Watch Common and write down how the characters Johnjo O'Shea, Coleen O'Shea (Johnjo's mother) and Margaret Ward (the mother of the murdered boy) have been represented positively and negatively. Consider representation of age and gender as constructed through visual and technical codes.
Bullet points. Orange books.
No comments:
Post a Comment