24/04/15

1b.) Pick one of your production pieces and evaluate, in relation to one of the following theoretical concepts;
genre
narrative
representation
audience
media language

Genre-
Appeals to different audiences
Audience expectations- conventions
postmodern- intertextuality of conventions
Hybrid
Setting
Lighting
Soundtrack
Characters- Propp, fairytales

Explain how your skills in the creative use of digital technology developed over time. Refer to a range of examples from your media productions in your answer.

From AS to A2 my creative skills have been able to be develop through the use of digital technology. In my AS project, we had to make an opening to a thriller movie. During the research sector of the project I used different websites to locate references from other films that I would be able to use. When presenting this research we did not experiment with different types of software, and therefore mainly used Powerpoint. In comparison to our A2 research, my time management was more advanced this allowed me to do more in depth research into blogs and social media to find out more about my target audience for our artist. By finding this information out, it meant we could plan a brand identity that would sell to an existing audience. On the other hand with our AS project, I did not research the audiences for thriller movies so we stuck to typical conventions to guarantee some audiences. My creativity when presenting has improved since the AS project, as i experimented with different softwares that we found online. A website that we used most was 'Prezi' and 'PowToon'. With 'PowToon' we created our pitch, describing the genre, colour scheme and information about our intertextual references. We had learnt how to embed on our blog in AS, and this skill was transferable to our A2 project as well because it meant we could refer back to our pitch continuously.

When filming both, we used the same digital camera. Our skills with the camera developed through our first project, but reviewing the end product we could have framed the scenes better as we did not know how to use it properly at the time. In our A2 project we had more advanced skills with the camera, and therefore were more confident to experiment with our ideas. When editing the footage for our A2 project, we used 'Final Cut-pro'. We had some difficulty matching the lyrics with the actor so we had to repeat filming. If we was to remake our music video, I would create a list of shots needed and taken so that we film what is necessary as it was quite time consuming. In our AS project, we edited it on 'Final Cut-pro' as well but without the necessary creative skills we became very risk aware and therefore just used simple filters an effects.

Explain how your skills in the creative use of digital technology has developed over time.

My creative use of digital technology has developed over time. I have used the same sort of technology  in both my AS and A2 coursework but have used them more confidently for different outcomes.

Firstly i have used final cut for both projects. At AS i made a 2 minute thriller opening we edited this on FinalCut pro to make it look scary and give it a particular feel. We was not very creative with our editing skills because it was one of the first products we had made. We stuck to the thriller guidelines, we edited our video and then created a foley to match the visuals on the screen. At A2 we worked the other way around we had to create a music video. We had the song and had to film visuals that would match this. We beat edited so that the video kept to the beat and we also lip synced the words that the actor said to give a sense of hyper reality and making it look as if the artist was singing. This was difficult to do and you can tell that we decided that to show we had developed from AS that we should incorporate lip syncing.

We used websites in both years. In AS we used blogger to embed videos and present all the research and planning. this was helpful because it was a place to keep all of our work and give a clear theme of what we wanted to create. In A2 we used Wix to create a official fan site for our artist. We done this to sell our artist and advertise them, we know that social media sites are important to sell and are a good advertisement method. So instead of using blogger we decided to appeal to a wider audience that we should make a official website for fans including merchandise and links to their social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Soundcloud. 

On final cut we decided in AS that to give a strong sense that it was a thriller that we would edit and put effects on to the video, such as shaking and quick sharp shot types. However in A2 we used slo motion because this kept in with our conceptual theme. We are still following guidelines to a music video like we did in AS for our thriller but we had more scope to e creative and try loads of different things. We wanted to make our music video more original, at AS we just copied the conventions for a thriller and did not mix it up where as in A2 we were more original and although we used a lot of intertextual references we bricolaged them together to create something completely new. We also used slo motion to create a sense of hyper reality and simulation, not being real and being in a virtual world. 

Overall we developed these skills enabling us to create a brand and campaign that would sell to the auidience, it is about style over substance the audience want something that looks good the content of the text could be empty and meaningless. The more that we became aware of Post-Modern theories such as simulation, intertextuality, commodification and bricolage the more creative we could be. We showed this in AS by sticking to the main thriller conventions but were unaware of doing this, in A2 however we knew that we were creating a music video to advertise a campaign and make money. Digital technology allowed us to be creative and experiment. 

Exam Mock

Explain how your skills in the creative use of digital technology developed over time. Refer to a range of examples from your media productions in your answer.

From our AS to A2 project, our creativity skills using digital technology has developed a lot, as in A2 we had more freedom of what we were going to create. Learning about postmodernism allowed us to thoroughly understand the meaning of originality.
In our AS thriller we did not use a large variety of presentation software for our research and planning. When creating our rough cut we used final cut pro, this allowed us to experiment and learn what looked right for our specific genre which was thriller. As we had to follow the conventions of a thriller, we were unable to use the software to it's full ability. In comparison to our A2 music video, we chose our own genre and could rebrand the artist as applicable. When making the video, we added a soft blur across the majority of it to make it look more professional.

Having more freedom in this project it allowed us to be more creative, but we were still targeting a specific audience as the point of the creation was to sell. To sell our brand we used different social media networks, to market our artist to the audience for example twitter and sound cloud. We created a fan website for Yasmin (our artist) on WIX.com. On there we included an iTunes link to purchase our artists music, allowing a direct way to sell to fans. Throughout our brand we had a running colour scheme which was based around light great, white and pink and themes that were related to nature, petals and feathers. The colour scheme was similar to other artists album covers and websites when we researched for intertextual references. In our AS opening, we did research intertextual references, one we based our thriller on heavily was Shutter Island, however in comparison to AS, in A2 we combined small ideas from several references allowing us to create something new as a bricolage rather than a copy.
When filming for both pieces, we used the same digital camera. During our A2 project we had a better understanding of how it worked, and therefore had a clearer outcome.

24/03/15

How do postmodern media texts challenge traditional text reader (immersion) relations and the concept of representation?

Postmodern texts (BM&WIR)do not challenge the text reader relationship because of their modern forms but digi modernism texts (GAMING&SOCIAL MEDIA)do a lot.

They are stylistically but theoretically Pomo ideas. Old form trying to be young and new. Modern forms referencing old things. It is not postmodernism challenging text reader relationships but digi modernism to a large extent. 

Simulated- fluid identities 

How does postmodernism make text a richer experience for audiences?

To what extent can some texts be considered to be postmodern?

1.)Define postmodernism

Relationship to modernism- traditional ideas and structures 

REJECTS THESE IDEAS 

2.)applying it to the text- empty, superficial, hyper real

Style of postmodernism- Jameson 👀

Theoretical Pomo- baudrillard💭

Argue rejects structure but it is a structure

Historical Pomo-👵 tron(1982)

 

10/03/15

Theoretical- gaming is applicable to postmodern theories 

Lyotard 

Buying fake stuff to express your fake self 

Historical- beyond modernism and postmodernism, digi modernism 

Stylistic- hyper real and simulation 

Assessment

I have concluded the gaming is more postmodern than black mirror and wreck it Ralph as gaming is interactive and is only apparent with an audience. The audience are immersed into the game and have an influence on the narrative, where as in black mirror and wreck it Ralph they have set narratives as a result are modern. As well as breaking the boundary between text and audience, gaming allows the character to do as they please without any consequences rejecting traditional morals and therefore giving them freedom. This presents a lack of belief in progress as we would rather be in a simulated artificial world than in natural reality. Although rejecting traditional morals, it's sets a question whether this is "right" as it brings out the violent and sexual desire in people which could be dangerous for society.

1980s games do not allow the audience to have freedom, for example of what the character looks like, thinks like and what their outcome is. In postmodern gaming you are able to create fluid identities and in turn create a simulated version of how you want to be. Becoming immersed in a game gives the audience a sense of power, a sense in which they may not get in reality. This implies the emptiness which we feel, as we do not have freedom or power in our own lives. 

Tv although a modern concept as it can not be interacted with, can still attain aspects of post modernism. Black mirror does this by collapsing he boundary between human and technology, the rejection of societies traditional morals is also a post modern theory. The use of this is to create a warning of the future, by doing this it continues to appeal to audiences. By putting a negative view on gaming it gains audiences as they may turn against it.

10/02/15

Immersion- involvement in a text through imagination 

 Flow- the harder thee game the more pleasurable 

Fluid identities- our identities change they are not set real vs artificial 

Simulacra-collapsed boundaries between reality and hyper reality 

Ironic position/Detached position- viewers watch to be a apart of something in a group even if it is bad so they feel involved 

Sandbox games-minimal limitations, the player is free to roam around and select their own tasks to complete 

Avatar- simulated character portrayed as you want yourself to look 

Text vs audience

Historical 

Interaction

Audience has become the text 

Narrative has weakened 

The boundary between audience and text has weakened 

Hyper reality and simulacra has strengthened 

Detached positioning- guilty pleasure 

No value 

Popularity vs cultural value 

Meaning or significance- no human progress and therefore nothing matters anymore 

Style over substance- Debord 

Black mirror and wreck it Ralph aren't interactive and therefore aren't post modern 

Gaming is more postmodern 

Watchdog game 

Technology takes over the world 

Simulated characters- real people feelings 

Technology in technology 

Wreck it Ralph- game in a film 

How do games challenge traditional media-

you can do what you want 

No moral boundaries 

Storytelling- conforming until you can change the narrative

Wander around - sandbox 

Why do postmodern media texts cause controversy -

Lack of morals 

Emphasising with nazis

How is audience consumption different with game texts -

The audience become the text 

Prosumer 

Interaction 

Not believing the hyper reality 

Illogical 

Definitions- text 3

Immersion- involvement in a text through imagination 

 Flow- the harder thee game the more pleasurable 

Fluid identities- our identities change they are not set real vs artificial 

Simulacra-collapsed boundaries between reality and hyper reality 

Ironic position/Detached position- viewers watch to be a apart of something in a group even if it is bad so they feel involved 

Sandbox games-minimal limitations, the player is free to roam around and select their own tasks to complete 

Avatar- simulated character portrayed as you want yourself to look 

White Bear

Xfactor

Summary

Future, distorted reality, dystopian
Constant advertisements
No escape
Makes us analyse where the world could be heading
Questions our society now and the future, reliance on tv (reality tv)
Fakery is what we like- superficial
Consumerism- buy shit that isn't even there
Bing's deep opinion sells out, becomes a product
Irony

Black Mirror questions our current society and where we are headed, by exploring our reliance on consumerism and reality TV. We depend on these to be happy. Bing's speech backs this up but he ironically sells out and becomes a TV star.

30/01/2015

Panopticon- 

Prison under watch 

Voyeurism- being watched 

Sexually 

Style over substance 

God like power- focault

Society of the spectacle- 

Debord superficial 

Style over substance 

Defined by price and popularity 

Hyper reality-

Distorted

Enhanced 

Exaggerated

Simulacra- 

Simulation 

Technology

Real and artificial

1950s-

Traditional 

1980s-tron 

Video games 

2000- broadband internet 

Social media 

Conclusion- where we are going to be in the future 10 years on

Black mirror 

Assessment- black mirror and wreck it Ralph 

Clip 1- google glass 

Baudrillard 

Simulacra 

Mix of human and technology 

Artificial 

Voyerusim- focault 

Clip 2- 

Baudrillard

Real and artificial 

Not able to tell the difference 

Clip 3-

Baudrillard 

Hyper real 

Simulation of life 

Consumerism- advertising 

Spectacle 

Black mirror- 

Baudrillard 

Foucault

Debord

Coursework notes

• q1- part 1- analyse what conventions were used and how they fit  

part 2- evaluate the conventions used, why you used them, did they work? Compare to others

• q2- Analyse and evaluate how well the brand identity worked and kept constant

• q3- Analyse and evaluate what you have learnt from audience feedback

• q4- Compare, evaluate and conclude how you used technologies for your research, planning and evaluation

27/01/2015

Black mirror-

Theoretical

Stylistic

White bear intertextuality- 

the Truman show 

The purge 

Big brother 

Jurassic park 

15million merits intertextuality-

X factor 

Britains got talent 

Sims

Wii characters

Facebook

Apple- real

Individualism no community or family

Simulacra, artificial 

Voyeurism

Dystopia 

No happy ending- human progress

Commodification- something gains value through money 

- Valentine's Day

-charities 

- White bear, justice is commodified 

This text is deliberate to create deeper meaning.

Wreck it Ralph-

Style 

Not deliberately giving a deeper meaning 

Lyotard- still has grand narratives 

Historically- yes and no 

Charlie brooker- 

Understands postmodern theory 

Scriptwriter 

Wreck it raplph does not weaken the grand narratives, however it weakens the barrier between real and artificial and therefore strengthens the postmodern style.

BM-3 WIR-1 1/2

Overall black mirror is more postmodern than wreck it Ralph, as it explores Pomo style, theories and historical context.Through style both episodes of black mirror uses intertextuality, some influences of the first episode "white bear" are the Truman show and big brother. Wreck it Ralph also refers to many intertextuality references like Mario and halo, implying it follows Jamesons theory about imitating dead styles due to the lack of new ideas being created and therefore it has aspects of postmodernism. 

Looking at the historical aspect of postmodernism wreck it Ralph follows the grand narratives as it has a happy ending, this is the result of having a child audience. As it is a Disney film the postmodern reference is unlikely to have been created deliberately, therefore the dominant ideas of modern society still remain. On the other hand black mirror is created using postmodern theories deliberately,we know this due to the director Charlie brooker creates programmes exploring the theories as well. 

Gamer 1999-

Debord-

Superficial 

Hyper reality becomes our reality 

The spectacle 

Consumerism and fame 

Baudrilliad-

Sexualised- voyeurism 

Celebrates the artificial

Simulacra 

Game characters 

Collapse of morality 

Foucault- 

Voyeurism - power 

Watching for entertainment 

Panoptic

23/01/15

Debord

Superficial 

The spectacle 

Celebrities are possible roles for the audience- false representations 

They become reality of our everyday lives 

Put a price on everything 

Baudrillard

False sense of reality- Young people grow up with this from the media 

Hyper sexuality 

Simulacra

hyper reality 

Foucault

Voyeurism

Intrusive and sexual

Panopticon- prison designed to be seen all the time 

20/01/2015

BITron-

Real vs artificial 

Past has been abandoned 

Music, arcade, games - 80s

1982-2013, more realistic 

Comfortable with simulation 

Grand narrative- main ideas 

Religion 

Freedom 

Family 

Grand narratives have not changed much between 1982 and now 

Dubord- society are focused on superficialism 

Selfish 

Vain 

Style over substance- how it sells, selling yourself 

Early post modernism 

Invention of the computer 

Wir- nostalgia for people in their 30s and 40s

Characteristics of post modernism become stronger

Hyper reality and simulation- stronger 

Rejection of grand narrative- weaker 

Cultural recycling- stronger 

To what extent is wreck it Ralph post modern,

To what extent is Wreck it Ralph a Post-modern text?

Wreck it Ralph in my opinion is more post modern to some extent, however by rejecting traditional ideas it often ends up conforming. The film is based around a world of video game characters, who have human emotion, this rejects reality as it implies our world effects the game world. This in a way is true, but just exaggerated in the film as video games are interactive and therefore post modern. The film being based in a post modern setting, does not change the fact that the film itself was made by Disney and as a result conforms to modernist ideas.. The simple linear structure is used, as well as a happy ending. For example, Ralph achieves his goal and beats his binary opposite who is "Turbo". The characters themselves challenge modern ideas, as they challenge their stereotype. Ralph being the main character, is also introduced as the villain but his morality suggests that of  a hero. By challenging this stereotype the film is post modern, but on the other hand giving him traditional morals, this makes the film modern.

Jameson, a film theorist, suggests that originality is no longer possible, which is why we copy dead styles. Wreck it Ralph is evidence of his theory, as intertextuality is a large part of the film. When in the 'game station' there are a lot of references to 90's video games, some examples of this are PACMAN and Mario. The references are not just apparent here but also in the games that they visit. "Hero's Duty", has been influenced greatly by post modern video games, "Halo" and "Call of Duty", as well as "Sugar Rush" being influenced by "Candy Crush" and "Mario Kart". By using these intertextual references, it creates a sense of nostalgia for the older viewing audience. Nostalgia can also be linked to Lyotard's theory that we have no belief in ideas any more. Meaning that we look to the past for ideas rather than humans future and progression. 

9th January 2015

9th January- media

You have to understand modernism to understand post modernism 

Breaking the structures of modernism 

Postmodern- binary opposite, paradox, hypocritical 

Post modernism

Breaking traditional conventions

New ideas

Stuctures

Different

Communication

Hybrid - genre mixed

Simulacra

Comsumerism

Emptiness 

Lack of beliefs

Just a theory - post modernism - don't believe in theories

Contradictory 

Convergence

1960's - traditional ideas changing

Weakening of modernism 1945-1960's

1960's onwards - post modern ideas strengthening

New media - TV, 

1. Central idea of collapsing structures

2. Rejection of traditional ideas (modernism)

3. Emptiness, lack of beliefs (fake & superficial)

Understand modernism to understand post modernism

Post modernism - binary opposite to modernism, breaking structures

Paradox - binary opposite is a modernist structure, but need to be understood to understand post modernism even though the post modernism doesn't have a belief in binary opposites

Lyotard-period of history, postmodernity, collapsing structures 1980, teenagers selfish, belief in ourselves rather than a community, morality 

Baudrillard-think like, hyper reality &simulacra, but it is Disney, 

Jameson-stylistic, intertextuality, simulation etc

Homework- music video etc finished 

WRECK IT RALPH- Q1

Human & Technology-   Although they are shown with human characteristics, the game world is the setting. This rejects traditional ideas because the games are not actually effected by reality.

Real & Artificial- The characters are given human characteristics, blending the wall between real and artificial. An example is of their feelings, jealousy, love etc.  However it is explained by their programming.

Good & Evil- Ralph wants to be a hero, however he has been set as a villain. By breaking this he collapses the structure of his game.

Male & Female- The stereotypical roles of male and female, are different in each game. Hero's Duty is one game in which the female has most power. This is clear when speaking to Felix, however it changes when he saves her.

Genres- Genres are not supposed/ allowed to mix in the film, as when they do issues arise. This collapses games as it breaks structure.

intertexuality 

morality

distopia

democracy 

positive resolution