Key Aspects Flashcards
Narrative Codes
Story telling- the way different elements in a story are organised to make it meaningful - Features of the narrative that appeal to a certain group
Narrative Structure
The way the story or plot unfolds
Representations
Representation is how media texts deal with and present gender, age, ethnicity, national and regional identity, social issues and events to an audience. Media texts have the power to shape an audience’s knowledge and understanding about these important topics.
Selection Representations
This refers to what has been selected to include in a media text.
Ideology Representations
These are ideas and beliefs, held by media producers, which are often represented in their media texts.
Construction Representations
This is the way a media text is put together. In a film or television programme this includes the editing and choice of camera angles, in a magazine or newspaper it includes the layout and writing as well as the choice of images.
Denote
Literal description e.g. the dress is coloured flame-red
Connote
To explain the meanings of the codes (symbolic) e.g. the red of the dress suggests sex
Montage
A series of camera shots which tend to present ideas rather than simple action
Action code
An event within the narrative which acts is catalyst for subsequent events
Cultural code
A code which is understood within a cultural context e.g. dress, speech
Technical code
A code which is created through the use of technology e.g. camerawork, editing, lighting, soundtrack
Anchorage
When two or more signs are used together to make the meaning clear
Polysemy
The polysemy of codes is the overall understanding of the signs in a text
Diegesis / diegetic
Sound that comes from the story itself
Non Diagetic
Music/ Sound effects that are added to the editing
Enigma
The questions to which the audience wants to know the answer
Binary opposites
Extreme opposites in ideas e.g. good and evil, life and death, love and hate, Communism/Capitalism, theism/atheism
Institutions
Internal Constraints & External Constraints
Technical Code- Long shot
Characters entire bodies (good for showing more than one character)
Long shot
Characters entire bodies (good for showing more than one character)
Establishing shot
Usually of a place/ outside to establish setting
Medium shot
Waist up/torso (good for showing conversation between characters/ common in sit-coms)
Close up
Object/ Face, with some background (good for emphasising facial expressions)
Extreme Close Up
One Feature/ Part of object fills the screen
High Angle Shot
Looking down on a subject, making it seem smaller/vulnerable/isolated
Low Angle Shot
Looking up at a subject, making it seem bigger/ more powerful
POV shot
Shot from perspective of a character
Tracking/ Dolly Shot
Used for Action Shots
Birdseye/ Ariel Shot
Shot from the sky
Editing
Continuity Editing & Parallel Editing
Lighting -High Key
Bright lights- Normality or happy/ lighthearted
Lighting- Low Key
Dim Lights- Dark/evil, sinister
Target Audience
Who the text was made for
Mode of Address
How the text communicates with the audience
Preferred Reading
The intended meaning
Differential Decoding
How the audience interprets the text based on their individual backgrounds, values, ethnicity, age, gender etc)
Categories
The type of text and features of it
Access
Which people have access to the text e.g. channel/time/age group
Intertextual References
Does the text refer to other texts?
Discourses
Comments made by the text that would appeal to a certain group
Awards
Best Picture
Best Actor
Best Adapted Screenplay
Major Credits:
Producer: Albert S. Ruddy Director: Francis Coppola Writer: Mario Puzo Cast: Vito- Marlon Brando Michael- Al Pacino Sonny- James Caan
