Assignment 3: Evaluation

AQA's Specification suggests evaluations should include:

• how the aims of the production have been met
• how the product applies appropriate codes and conventions and uses appropriate media language
• how the product represents people, places or events
• where and when the product would be exhibited 
• what regulations and controls might be applied to the product and how these have been taken into consideration
• the strengths and weaknesses of the product in terms of meeting the needs of its audience.

Use the following guidance to help you:

Evaluate your video production

Word count: 800 words (10 marks)

Introduction (50 words)

• Brief introduction to your music video - track/artist/concept.
• What other music videos were you inspired by or did you watch as part of your research?

Target audience (100 words)

• Detailed audience demographics: gender, age, social class, education or employment etc.
• Why did you choose this target audience in particular?
• Bring your target audience to life: what brands do they like? What other music artists do they listen to? How do they watch their music videos? (Online, TV, phone, tablet etc.) Where do they buy their music? Show you know your target audience inside out.

Distribution and control (100 words)

• What technology could your target audience use to watch your music video?
• How did you ensure your music video would be appropriate for websites with safe search controls?
• What controls do websites like YouTube have to protect young people from inappropriate content?

Close textual analysis of music video (350 words)

• How does your production meet the key conventions of music videos?
• Does it contain a creative concept or narrative? Use Todorov's narrative theory of equilibrium and Barthes' enigma and action codes if your video uses a narrative.
• Does it use technical conventions associated with music video? E.g. Fast-paced editing, multiple locations, visual effects, colour changes, dynamic camerawork, mise-en-scene etc.
• Choose three or four key moments from your music video and complete a detailed textual analysis justifying your decisions and explaining what the camerawork, editing, visual effects or mise-en-scene communicate to the audience.
• What are the main strengths and weaknesses of your music video? Would your target audience enjoy watching it? How could you have made your music video more professional?

Representation (150 words)

• What representations did you create in your music video? Did it challenge or reinforce typical stereotypes? 
• Did you try to create a certain representation of the young people in your music video? (E.g. positive, negative, shocking etc.) How would your target audience respond to your representation of young people?
• Did you create particular representations of any other groups in your production? (Men, women, age, race or ethnicity etc.)

Personal response/conclusion (50 words)

• How well do you feel you have met the original brief? Do you think your product would be successful in the media marketplace? Why?

Mark scheme:

Level 6 (9-10 marks)

They evaluate their products making cogent and critical connections between the experience of carrying out the production and all the key concepts. Evaluation responses are communicated using accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar.

KEY WORDS and CONCEPTS to use in your Evaluation:

Genre: hybrid, sub-genre etc.

Representation: of people/places/events; stereotypes, negative/positive representations.

Connotation: of colour, mise-en-scene, camera shots, camera movement etc.

Mise-en-scene: use of costume, lighting, actors, makeup, props, setting.

Iconography: how does your music video use the iconography associated with your genre of music (e.g. costume, props, locations etc.)

Institution: Who produces the music video? How is the music video broadcast? What expectations will the audience have as a result?  

Target Audience and demographics: age, gender, social class (and how you know), audience theory (uses and gratifications).

Regulation and Control: watershed, Ofcom, Broadcasting Code, offensive content, protecting young people.

Useful phrases to use when analysing or evaluating:

• This tells the audience...
• This could signify...
• A possible interpretation of this is...
• The audience could infer that...
• This shows the audience...
• The objective of this shot was…
• This suggests to the audience...
• From this, the audience will understand that...
• This connotes...
• This is significant because...
• This creates...
• This emphasises...

Assignment 3: Regulation and control

The one aspect of the evaluation we haven’t covered in Media this year is regulation and control. This concerns the rules regarding inappropriate content – and is something you need to be aware of when producing your video.

The television industry is regulated by Ofcom (Office of Communications).

Regulate: Control or supervise by means of rules and regulations.

Does Ofcom regulate the internet?

No. The internet is self-regulating, which means individual service providers are responsible for content. 

In addition, websites such as Google offer ‘safe search’ options to allow parents to filter out offensive material. Similarly, YouTube safety mode is used to block videos that might be inappropriate for younger viewers. Find out more here.

Research and planning checklist

You need the following documents in your folder for your Research and Planning:

Assignment 3: Pre-production

In your group OR individually, you need to complete the following planning:

1) Storyboard
2) Shotlist
3) Mise-en-scene planning

You need a minimum of 3 pages EACH

Storyboard

• Use the skills you have already developed in Assignment 2.
• Create a visual ‘feel’ for what you want your music video to look like – you won’t be able to storyboard every shot.
• Use a wide variety of creative shots and draw them accurately.

Shot list

• The shot list is the single most important pre-production document – you will tick off each shot while shooting.
• There will be far more shots on the shot list than in the storyboard.
• You will need at least one shot for every second of the track you have chosen.

Mise-en-scene planning

• This document involves all the planning for anything appearing in front of the camera: actors/cast, locations, costumes, props, make-up, lighting.
• Use images to show you have planned each aspect of mise-en-scene (mobile phone/ Google images/ Google maps are all acceptable here).

The deadline for all your research and planning is the Wednesday after half-term (26 February) BUT if you want to sign out a camera to film over half-term then you'll need to complete everything by this Friday 14 February.

Audience focus group - example

Look at this example of an audience focus group for Kings of Leon: Beautiful War.

Good luck!

Research and Planning: Audience

Focus group
You need to conduct some audience research with another individual/group in the class. This is called a focus group and you then write up the feedback you get to help target your audience and refine your music video concept.

Example

Artist/song 
Kings of Leon: Beautiful War

Music video concept
Three locations for this slow, atmospheric song. One: walking in slow motion by River Thames at dusk/late afternoon looking moody. Two: drama studio, blacked out, single spotlight, singing track. Three: bedroom – super slow motion black and white pillow fight between boy and girl as song reaches crescendo.

Target audience for Kings of Leon video

• Alternative music/rock/indie fans. 
• Age range 15-45 but largely 16-30.
• Slightly more males then females (60/40). 
• Largely white British race/ethnicity
• Largely middle class ABC1 demographic. 
• Likely to live in towns and cities but not exclusively.
• Happy adopting new technology and regularly uses social networking sites and the internet.
• Very likely to own an Apple product/mp3 player and take their music seriously.
• Enjoys a drink – likely to be beer rather than wine.

Focus group instructions

Pair up with another group/individual.

One group pitches their idea and target audience.

The other group offers feedback: WWW, EBI and whether they personally would be interested in that music video and why.

Next, in Microsoft Word,  produce a one-page write-up of your focus group discussion.

Include the following:

1) Your chosen artist/song

2) Your proposed target audience details

3) The feedback you received from another group and what you plan to change about the video due to your audience research

Aim for 250 words in total

Audience Profile

Create an A4 Audience Profile in Photoshop for your band/artist.

Your Audience Profile needs to include the following:

1) Band/artist logo or graphic

2) Demographic breakdown of target audience

3) Lifestyle statements that the target audience would agree with

4) Collage of brands/items that your target audience would use or enjoy

Finish all of this for homework - due next Wednesday.

Music video treatment: plan

Task: Write a shortlist of five tracks you could use for your music video and then choose one and develop a full written treatment outlining your plan.

Use the following guide to help you write your music video treatment. You do not need to stick to these headings if you want to take a slightly different or creative approach to your music video treatment.


Shortlist of five tracks (artist/song title) that you may use:


Selected track:


Concept – sum up the music video in one sentence


Scene/location 1:


Scene/location 2:


Scene/location 3:


Additional notes/scenes:


Pace/colour/tone/feel of video: