N.C.I.S Homework for Miss Rodden's class: Due Friday 5th October

Watch a Teen Drama this week.

Analyse it in terms of how the Narrative, Character, Iconography and Settings appeal to and attract a specific teenage target audience.

You may find the following prompt questions helpful:

Narrative:

1.    What types of narratives (storylines) do you think this Teen Drama may include and how do you know?

2.    What are the narrative hooks (what is it that draws the audience in and stops them from turning over)?

3.    Can you identify any narratives that would be typical of other genres (hybrid)?

Characters:

1.    What types of characters do you meet in this Teen Drama?

2.    What other types of characters do you expect to meet in this drama and why?

3.    How are the central characters introduced and what does this tell you?

4.    Are there any stereotypical characters? Why?

Settings:

1.    What types of settings (locations) are used in the drama?

2.    What clues does this give you about the style of the drama (types of narratives, characters etc)?

3.    How does this setting appeal to the primary audience (teenagers)?

4.    Can you identify any setting that could be typical of other genres?

Iconography:

1.    What can we see and how does that tell us this is a Teen Drama (visual codes)?

2.    What can we hear and how does that tell us this is a Teen Drama (sound codes)?

3.    What specific type of audience are these codes aiming to appeal to?

4.    Can you identify any iconography from other genres?

Audience:

1.    What types of teens do the themes, characters and settings appeal to?

2.    Create a primary audience profile (ethnicity, gender, age, interests, sexuality etc) using evidence from the opening sequence.

3.    What might the secondary audience be and why?

Minority Report - shot-by-shot analysis

Now you've learned everything you need to know about camerawork, it's time to put it into practice.

Download the Minority Report shot by shot analysis document here and then save it to your documents. Copy the images into your blog and write a detailed analysis of each one - the first one is done for you to provide an example.

Finish it for homework if you don't complete it in the lesson.

Good luck!

Camera shots in action!

Now you've learned the different camera shots and angles, we need to put it into practice.

In groups of four, you will have to come up with a photo storyboard in the genre we give you, making sure you include each camera shot and angle we have learned.

You will then upload the photos to your blog and write a short analysis of each one explaining why you've used that shot and what the meaning of the image is.

Good luck!

Camerawork research task

Some of the key knowledge you'll need as you work through GCSE Media involves the 'language' of film and TV. That means how the meanings that we see on our screens are created by directors. Even though you've only just started studying Media, you're already an incredibly advanced consumer of moving image media and will understand a huge amount about the different meanings certain shots or transitions hold. You don't need a media teacher to tell you that a fade to black in a film probably means the passing of time, for example.

Today, we're going to start with camerawork. That means learning the different camera shots, movement and  - if you have time - transitions. Complete the following tasks on your blog:

1) Research the following camera shots: establishing shot, long shot, medium shot, medium close-up, close-up, extreme close-up, over-the-shoulder shot, high-angle shot, low-angle shot. For each one, find a definition or description (or, even better, an image to illustrate).

2) Research a variety of examples of camera movement. Here's a clue: one example is a tracking shot. How many other styles of camera movement can you find? Make sure you also include definitions.

3) A transition refers to editing - something we'll cover in detail another day. But you could research a few different styles of transition: the cut, dissolve or wipe, for example. Again, make sure you also include a definition.

You may feel the urge to cut and paste your responses but I'd strongly advise you to type it out - you'll be much more likely to remember it!

Good luck - and let's hope our individual blogs are really showing what fantastic media students we are...

Welcome to GCSE Media 2012-13

My name is Mr Halsey, I'm the new Head of Media here at Greenford and I'm very much looking forward to working with you on some brilliant projects over the next year. With 93% of GCSE students achieving an A*-C grade last year we've got a hard act to follow, but I'm more than confident we can do it. In fact, I think we'll see a fair number of A/A* grades too.

If you've got any questions about Media, or any concerns about the subject or what the course involves, please come and see me at any time. You'll usually find me in DF05 or DF07.

Let the outstanding media work begin!

Mr H
September 2012