Media Language Flashcards
What does Neale say in his Genre theory?
Genres do not pre exist - they are man-made and follow audience preferences. Mainstream producers may only produce a genre text if success is guaranteed. Genres exist within a economic context, producer make them if they guarantee a profit. Repetition: if a product is successful, more of the same will be made as it proves audiences pay to consume it. Difference: If profits start to fall and audiences decline, producers change the genre by adding twists or blending with other genres. Subgenres are a more specific part of a genre. Hybrids are a blend of two or more genres to make a new one.
What does Neale’s Genre theory say about repetition of genres?
If a media product is successful, more of the same will be made as it can be proven that the audience will pay to consume it.
What does Neale’s Genre theory say about difference of genres?
If profits start to fall and audiences lose interest, producers will change the genre by adding twists or blending with other genres.
What does Neale’s Genre theory say about subgenres and hybridisation of genres?
Subgenres are a more specific part of a genre. Hybrids are a blend of two or more genres to make something new.
What are critiques of Neale’s Genre theory?
This theory might oversimplify the diversity and complexity within genres. Not all genres follow a strict pattern on repetition. The theory doesn’t have a comprehensive exploration of how audience expectations and interpretations influence genres. Resolution of genre texts have ideological significance. This is the way a story ends reflects the beliefs of the producer.
What does Todorov say in his Narratology theory?
Equillibrium is narrative balance. Disequilibrium is lack of balance. He says narratives run in 5 stages: equilibrium, conflict, climax, resolution, new/restored equilibrium. Narrative focalisation is the POV of the story (who is telling it and who is the protagonist? This will impact the outcome of the story). Linear narrative are when events are delivered to the consumer in chronological order. Non-linear is when the order of events are played outside of chronological order (flashbacks for example). Flexi-narrative is where many stories are interwoven.
What does Todorov say the 5 stages of a narrative are?
Equilibrium, Conflict, Climax, Resolution, New/restored equilibrium.
What is equilibrium and disequilibrium in Todorov’s Narratology theory?
Narrative balance and lack of narrative balance.W
What are the critiques of Todorov’s Narratology theory?
It overlooks the complecity and diversity of individual narratives. Narratives are not always neatly categorised into specific stages or types. The theory doesn’t reflect many modern narratives that blend genres.
What does Propp say in his Character Archetypes theory?
Every media text has characters that fit into these 7 archetypes. 1. Hero/protagonist. 2. Villain/antagonist. 3. Donor. 4. Helper. 5. Dispatcher. 6. The princess/prize. 7. False Hero.
What are the critiques of Propp’s Character Archetypes?
The theory was based on Russain fairy tales and may not be as applicable to non-European cultures.
What does Levi-Strauss say in there Structuralism theory?
Our understanding of the world is based on pairs of oppositions. We have to know both sides of the opposition in order to understand one on its own. The opposition of pairs of concepts is used in meda as a storytelling tool. The way these pairs are used, challenged or broken will reflect the ideologies of the producer. Binaries can also be used to reflect the producer’s beliefs. We might apply structuralist ideas to analyse how media products reflect and contribute to broader cultural patterns and norms. We can explore how signs and symbols are used in media to convey meaning and how these elements contribute to the overall structure of a text.
What does Barthes say in his Semiotics theory?
Audiences know how to interpret signs within a specific context and the connotations of a sign change depending on what else is in the text. Meaning is communicated through signs (denotation) and signifiers (connotation). Connotations are anchord culturally - they are shared between groups of people with the same cultural competence. Messages can be encoded and connoted over a long period of time and they will eventually become unquesitoned (naturalised) and an accepted basic belief (myth). There are 5 types of signs/codes: Engima, Action, Semantic, Synbolic and Referential.
What do each of Barthes’ sign/codes mean from his Semiotics theory?
Engima: create mystery. Action: create mpovement and advance the narrative. Semantic: the position of elements in relation to each other and the frame. Symbolic: meaning of the code depends on the society is is being used. Referential: intertextual codes that refer to an event, place or element outside of themselevs.
What are the critiques of Barthes’ semiotics theory?
Meaning changes in different cultures and groups depending on cultural and historical circumstances.
What does Baudriallard say in his Postmodernism theory?
Because so much of the media we consume is a simulation of something we have no experience of, the line between reality and fiction is blurred. We now live in a ‘reality’ defined by images and representations.”
The media create hyper realities based on a continuous process of mediation. The messages we are sent are constantly refined and adapted based on cultural discourses.
This means that what is encoded as ‘real’ is not ‘real’ but instead a ‘simulacrum’ which offers us a hyperreality.
Hyperreality can be identified by the following characteristics:
Exaggerated, Small parts of a culture are taken out of context, Creates nostalgia for the audience and this makes them want to repeat the experience.
The reality gets forgotten and the mediated experience becomes the new reality or “hyperreality” and we accept this as real because we are so consistently exposed to it. Some features of a postmodern text: Intertextuality,
References to popular culture, Bricolage, Self-reflexive, Parody/Homage, 4th wall breaks, Narrative fragmentation or temporal distortion.
What do the features of a postmodern text from Baudrillard’s Postmodernism theory mean?
Intertextuality is acknowledgement of things ‘outside’ the world of the product. Bricolage is a mash up of different intertextual or cultural references. Self-reflexive is where the text refers to the construction of itself. Pariody/Homage is a remake of an original for comedic effect or to pay credibility to it. 4th wall breaks is where the product explicitly refers to things in the real world. Narrative fragmentation/temporal distortion is where stories are broken into non-linear segments.
