Category Archives: Component 1

The Camera Talks

Posted on by under Component 1, Preliminary Print Tasks

In this task we took our photos and created a mood board to tell the story of each picture. I included the hastags of technical term (#longshot#lowangle), the example/denotation (#manalone#teacherlookingcross), and the analysis/connotation (#lonely#excited#leaving). I used multiple locations around school to make different images and include many angles.

In this moodboard I’ve shown nine of my favorite images from my photoshoot. I used hashtags to portray the technical term, denotation and connotation of each of my photos. For each picture I thought about the angle and type of photo it was due to it’s distance and composition.  I had examples of close ups, long shots, low angles, two shots and high angle shots. Then I thought about the denotations an connotations by describing what was happening in the picture as well as the emotions and feelings behind it. Such as whether they were happy, angry, having fun, studying.

As the photographer I took a variety of different shots such as long shots, for example the bottom right picture, that shows my model walking away from a high angle as she looks vulnerable and enjoying nature. My use of close up pictures shows the emotion of my model whether she is happy or sad as you can clearly see her facial expression. The high shot image makes the model look lonely and vulnerable. I always kept in mind the conventions of mis-en-scene, by thinking of the posture, gesture and facial expression of my model as well as the background and environment she was in and linking the colours to her mood.

My knowledge I have learnt from unpacking each photo, and using a story with emotion behind it, will help me in the future when making my own music magazine. I will also use mis-en scene and try different approaches to camera angles.

Technical Camera Terms

Posted on by under Component 1, Preliminary Print Tasks


When learning to use a DSLR camera I learnt how to produce a successful photograph by manually controlling the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. I took practice photos for a music magazine by keeping in mind the composition and positioning of my photos, by trying out different angles. We learnt that the camera is analysed by the framing and movement. Framing is the camera’s distance from the subject or camera’s angle in relation to the subject. Examples of distance is extreme longshot, medium longshot, midshot, close ups. There a multiple types of shot which have specific functions within a TV or a programme. In terms of movement we tried out methods of pan, tilt, zoom, and ped.

My image that uses mise-en-scene to communicate meaning

Posted on by under Component 1, Preliminary Print Tasks

As a group we were set the task of creating our own tour posters, as we have been studying, also being allocated a certain genre to base our poster on. We picked our genres out of a hat and received the theme Psychedelic rock. Then we researched together the mise-en-scene conventions that are used, such as the costumes, makeup, setting and type of music. We put together all of this information and inspiration for our own into a moodboard …

 

Made with Padlet

As a group, I was allocated the genre psychedelic rock for this task. Creating a mood board allowed us to see the diverse style of psychedelic rock which is expressed through lots of bright colours and patterns. As well as being very vibrant as well as causal. Clothing and styles of psychedelic rock includes:

  • Tie dye tops
  • Baggy trousers/ jeans
  • Long hair
  • Accessories e.g. headbands, glasses, scarves
  • Long necklaces
  • Peace sign

The positioning and facial expressions that they portrayed were very laid back and casual and sometimes creating a peace sign with their hands as a gesture. From the research there wasn’t much makeup used on as they went for quite a natural look but then used a lot of vibrant colours through clothing and accessories. Overall, we discovered we had to look quite slouched and careless when taking our pictures and almost make our position seem effortless.  Through facial expression the image we added to our mood board the person seemed chilled back and happy which fits in with the vibrant colour choices that the clothing and style includes.

File of photos:

For this image, we asked our classmates to write down adjectives that they thought best described our outfits. These words included:

  • Natural
  • Eccentric
  • Extrovert
  • Creative
  • Energetic

Final Photo

We chose this picture out of the pictures we took because it’s the picture with the most edgiest look which fits in with the psychedelic rock theme. For our costumes we wore psychedelic inspired outfits wearing patterned shirts, round glasses, baggy patterned trousers, long jackets and scarves in our hair. This picture itself shows a good representation of each element to our costumes along with our facial expression which makes us look chilled which we saw from our research is a key part of the look.

My research and practice from this shoot will help me in the future when making my own music magazine. This is because I will think about the mis-en scene conventions which include:

  • Location – the particular place and time created in the frame. 

 

  • Set – the surroundings where the action will unfold; usually the stage, including integral design features.

 

  • Studio/set design – the overall design concept present in the frame, relating to the set. 

 

  • Costume – a style or fashion of dress, especially that of a particular place, time or class. Also hair and make-up.

 

  • Properties – (props) movable objects used in the construction of the mise-en-scene.

 

  • Proxemics (Positioning) – of characters and objects within the frame and in relation to each other.

 

  • Body language – how characters bodies are positioned and their facial expressions.

 

  • Production design period/era – utilised to create characteristics within a mise-en-scene reflective of a certain historical period.

 

  • Colour design – the style & combination of colours used in generating the mise-en-scene.

 

  • Lighting – e.g. High key lighting: illumination that creates comparatively little contrast between the light and dark areas of the shot. Shadows are fairly transparent and brightened by fill light. Low key lighting: illumination that creates strong contrast between light and dark areas of the shot, with deep shadows and little fill light.

I will make use of each of these elements and keep in mind the target audience in order to achieve my successful cover.

 

Print Media that Communicates Meaning

Posted on by under Component 1, Preliminary Print Tasks

From this task, I have learnt there are many components and ideas to create media to fit it’s overall purpose. Even small aspects such as facial expression of the band members and the colours chosen for the images. These aspects convey the ideas that the band are quirky and confident. The overall connotations of this tour poster is simple and plain but still represents a lot about how the band is unique and edgy.

Mise En Scene is an essential element of how meaning is made in Media. Every costume, hair style, lighting state, location, prop, accessory, posture, gesture, facial expression is there for a reason – to tell a story, convey an idea and an image. I’ve used this to analyse this tour poster to see how the band itself is presented to it’s audience.

This task will help me to make my music magazine as successful as possible. This is because I know how each aspect and component is important in creating a purpose and portraying how I want my magazine to look. Through the costume, expression, colour choices etc. I know how to create my own and to make it best fit for it’s purpose.

So…I’m a media prosumer

Posted on by under Component 1, Creative Critical Reflection 1

I consume many examples of media everyday. I watch it, I listen to it and I produce it. This is evident through my collage I have made as it shows how throughout our everyday life media is used and is a big part. It’s used in many ways such as a key part of entertainment, as well as used to provide information and surveillance. Personally I use media a lot for entertainment by watching shows and movies on platforms such as Netflix. However, I also use media as a social interaction for example using apps on my phone like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger to interact with my friends and family wherever I am.

From seeing how the media affects and helps my everyday life and how through particularly social media we can share our life experiences and friends, family or anyone can see what you post. We can interact with each other on these platforms by messaging, liking/commenting on each others posts and reposting. Media plays very a important role and has influence in virtually every aspect of our lives. It is considered as the best source to know about the happenings of world. Newspaper, magazine, radio, television and internet are the different types of media. It greatly affects our lives because media has the power to influence our thoughts. This influence is sometimes positive and sometimes negative.

In my collage, I used the Bulmler and Katz Theory which was discovered in 1987. This theory explores the ideas of the uses and gratifications that come with each media. I showed this in my collage as a regularly use each component in my everyday life as part of the audience and portrays my own uses of media and what particular ones I enjoy and use most frequently.

The use of information in the theory explains the self education to suit personal needs; advice on practical matters; information on events or issues of personal interest; curiosity or general interest, such as Online News – Guernsey Press, Daily Mail, BBC. Personal Identity explores the media reinforcing personal values; models of behaviour; content explored to challenge, adjust or affirm sense of self e.g.  Culture Pages, Good Housekeeping Magazines, Facebook, Instagram. Integration and Social Interaction explores identify with others to gain a sense of belonging; find basis for real life interactions; substitute for real life relationships, for example drama series and reality TV. My most commonly used is entertainment that conveys escape; diversion; emotional release; filling time; aesthetic enjoyment to the audience, like Reality TV, Love Island, KUWTK, RHousewives, Netflix, Instagram, Facebook, Films

I’ve discovered from this research and reflection that the media is key for businesses to promote their product, e.g. magazine, and to know what other products have been successful with the target audience. Also to consider this when making my own magazine cover as it is one of the most important for businesses to earn profit from what they have created.

The Media Ecology. Map of concepts and mediascape.

Posted on by under Component 1, Creative Critical Reflection 1

Media ecology is the study of media, technology, and communication and how they affect human environments. Also it looks into the matter of how media of communication affect human perception, understanding, feeling, and value. The word “ecology” implies the study of  environments, their structure, content, and impact on people. Media Ecology can argue that the media acts as extensions of the human senses in each era and communication technology is the primary cause of social change. This relates to nature as a symbolic relationship to Media Ecology, because of the large structural changes in both. Which is evident in the “Water Cycle” because if one of the components don’t work the whole cycle won’t.

This image below is an example of my own system which can relate to media. The ecosystem portrays the idea that each component helps and supports each other to make the process run as easy as possible while making audience/consumers happy. We tried to create the idea of goods being imported from overseas and coming to land to be sold in a shop and then bought by a consumer. Each process is valuable, from making the goods high quality and brought to land safely without getting damaged to then having the consumer satisfied. This shows that each process is relying on each other similar to “The Circle of Life”.

The Media Ecosystem contains the components:

  • Audience – prosumers, communication technology, uses and gratification
  • Creators- Musicians, Actors, Youtubers, Designers, Film-makers, stars and celebrities
  • Institutions – Media companies (public/commercial)
  • Money – profit, expense, revenue
  • Distribution – platforms that deliver media to an audience, e.g. Wifi, Cinemas, Satellite
  • Social Media – sharing, communities
  • Government – Rules and Regulations, the law
  • Technology – consuming and communicating, data

I showed the significance of my allocated component through the mind map below. We explained how our component “distribution” is dependent and being depended on by all the others. Then we showed the links between them by connecting each component on this mind map :

This is the classes ideas of the different examples or medias and their concepts and how they all connect to each other. Also portrays the study of media, technology, and communication and how they effect human environments.

As I’ve seen from investigating the different components in media, when making my own magazine I will need to think about the process and how each component will link together to make my product work and up to high quality. For example, the use of social media because not only does it help discover what the audience (and finding my specific target audience) wants to see but also helps promote the product. However also linking to the laws and rules I will need to follow which determines the cost and quality.

So…Hello, Media Studies

Posted on by under Component 1, Creative Critical Reflection 1

As I study the course of Media Studies, I would like to learn more about the insights of producing a music video and magazine covers. This is because I have a big interest in all kind of media as well as the industries and how they attract their audiences. For example, artists making music videos and the planning they have to do to ensure their music gets seen by their audience so that they can earn from it.

The subject Media Studies will allow me to achieve a range of different skills that may help me in other subjects I study and further on in life. Skills that I hope to learn are:

  • communication
  • time management
  • researching
  • teamwork
  • connotations/denotations
  • creative approach to tasks

The skill that I think is most essential is the ability to communicate information clearly and effectively because it is a key skill that employers will want in their employee, not only to communicate with customers but with their colleagues.

Hello world!

Posted on by under Component 1

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