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FAHGETTABOUTIT
This Monday’s Media lectorial begun with a short introduction to the analysis of media texts and the use of semiotic theories and signs within the industry today. The session included the origins of Emblem and theory, whilst briefly describing how they are still used and what we can do to employ them within our work. This included Semiotic Construction theory, which I was lucky enough to have learnt last year in yr12. And example which was made in order to describe the theory was the word dog, and how the word dog is the SIGNIFIER, though all the qualities of the dogness were the SIGNIFIED. There is no relation or connection other than learnt association between the signifier and signified.
We also deconstructed what a text actually was; stating it is a vehicle for cultural meaning (sign systems). Texts can be created by using different mediums, and are “read”as well as analysed.
We then took part in a short activity whilst in pairs, and were asked to analyse an advertisement for clothing. It was interesting to pay attention to all of the details of the picture, analysing the different social and formal codes presented to us. There were many mentions of the appealing palette of the ad, the class of the models included, the location and the framing.
After the activity Paul Richards revised how to legally get permission to film “On Location” or HOW TO BE COOL AND NOT A TOOL. This was particularly important information, as we also discussed release forms, hiring of equipment and what we can and cannot contain in our films due to copyright restrictions.
The last segment of the lectorial was titled THE ART OF THE INTERVIEW: This was really helpful as our interview based PB3 is due in a few weeks. We learnt about filming on location and in a formal environment, how background sounds contribute to an audio interview, how to research a participant, and not to say “mm” and “yeah” while an interview is taking place, as it is extremly difficult to cut those out. In succession with this, we had to make sure our participant was comfortable being on camera and could speak naturally without being awkward. It was also important to note that thin stripes and black do not work well on camera, and to make sure your participant wheres the right attire.
Below are the notes from the lesson:
ANALYSING MEDIA TEXTS:
Where does the “textual analysis” tradition come from?
Broadly a response to two concerns:
- ‘Effects’ tradition in communication studies
- post WW2/mid 20th century turn against a particular idea of culture
Doing Textual Analysis:
Communication studies
Textual analysis
Cultural Media studies
- Mass media started making an impact on society
- Film WW2, hitlers rise, how film in propaganda was immobilising thought
- EFFECTS
- Studying a RTV text in the same way you’d approach traditional text
- Happened then because this was the rise on consumer and popular culture, visible, an the prison of media in life
TEXTS ARE:
- Vehicles for the production of culture meaning (sign systems)
- “Texts” in media, communications and cultural studies includes cultural products, images, policy documents, social practices, institutions…
- “Sites where we can see the social production of ideas and values happening before our eyes”
- Was of unpacking and analysing texts
- Material traces, of making sense
- It is the recourses which we understand
- Events are unrepeatable, the make sense, they guess, scientists build a picture of what happened, how to form textual analysis.
- Social value, context, importance.
- Helps to know the micro level, process.
Some previous academic motives for analysing media texts:
- Describe and compare media output
- Compare media with “social reality”
- Analyse the specific cultural forms of content (genre)
- Gauge social beliefs
- Understand function
WHAT IS A TEXT?
- Texts are the material traces that are left of the practice of sense making the only empirical evidence is what other people have to making sense of the world
- Textual analysis is an educated guess.
- Similitude
- Alan Mckee
THE SEMIOTIC TRADITION OF ANALYSIS:
Key (starting) termsL
- Sign, signifier, signified (referent)
- Denotation, connotation
- Codes
- ‘Myth / Ideology
A ‘Sign’ can be visual, linguistic, aural or a combination.
- Umberto Eco, A theory of semiotics (1976)
- The rose has no relation to the meaning romance, it has connotations, red, means passion. Thought the meaning was constructed socially
- DOG mean a canine, or a picture, or the sound
- The signifier is ‘dog the signified is all the qualities of Dogness
- RED: signifier
- The qualities: signified
- Red denotes (a primary colour), anger, sex, communism
DONNIE BRASCO:
The Floating Signifier…
Signifiers always operate in a context…how do potentially ambiguous signs get ‘anchored’ : reader directer directed to a particular ‘signified’
- You need context to interpret
- What Foggetaboutit means, how does the audience direct them to preferred meaning
- Daniel Chandler
- Push the audience to a particular reading or interpretation
- Bart and Keaton
FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH:
Social and Ideological Codes:
- Family
- Gender
- Sex
- Class
- Age
Formal Codes:
- Technical (shot scale, focus)
- Composition
- Genre
‘Winter Heaven’ – Authur Rothstein, 1937
- Aestheics
- Focussing on context and not capturing the family
- B/W documentary photography
Paul Richards:
HOW TO BE A MEDIA OPERATOR:
- Location Release, go to the Film TV blog, pre production.
- Fill it out, read it before you hand it to them
- You are insured, shooting, and public liability
- Sometimes a location have to see your insurance is valid
- Certificate of currency
- Get there earlier than actors and everything
- Everones must focus on interview and performance of actor
- Release form
- Safety
- Safety reporting
THE ART OF THE INTERVIEW:
THE WHO:
- Do they have something to say?
- Are they credible?
- Can they deliver ‘On camera’?
Can they look ‘natural’
- Are they good talent?
In documentary they call them participants, its the person they’re going to interview
- Who is my audience?
RESEARCH THEM
- google them
- read if somethings been written before
- barista “type of copy”
- get on the phone and ask other people
- practice
- remember its not about you, it’s about your subject
CLOSE ENDED: questions
- Do you get on with your boss?
- Who will you vote for in this election?
- HWat colour shirt are you wearing today?
OPEN ENDED: questions
- Tell me about your relationship with your boss
- What do you think about the two candidates in this years election
- Why did you choose to wear that colour today
LEADING QUESTIONS:
- What problems do you have with your boss?
- bad, imply bias
- want to be as unbiased as possible
- make it your interview offside
- it is okay to be playful and provocative
WHERE:
- Location, home, other, work, why, permission
- Things to think about:
- Light – is there enough, will it change
- Sound – background noise, interruptions
- Background – what does it say, will it change, artworks
- Wide shot in there home or private space, all the things in the background tell the audience about their subject, do you have permission?