The Big Issue front cover

 

I made my own version of The Big Issue's front cover using their typical codes and conventions. I was inspired by stranger things and the current political events that reflect their audience's ideologies. For example my headlines are about social housing and rogue landlords.

Stranger things isa very popular tv show that is very current in todays society so it reflects the zeitgeist.

David Gauntlett’s identity theory

 I made a ppt about David Gauntlett’ s identity theory (shown on a post from October 25). Then I read the chapter about Gauntlett’s identity theory in the Media Theory for A Level book by Mark Dixon to enhance my understanding of the theory.

-heavily influenced by the work of Anthony Giddens: Gauntlett uses Gidden’s argument's to explore effects of contemporary media

-the diversity of new new products and channels facilitates the process of identity editing by audiences.

-we have desire to manipulate the way that we engage with the world

-marketing and advertising agencies construct multiple possibilities of who we might be through product branding. They provide us with glimpses of who we might become (the ideal version of ourselves) 

-theorists who challenge Gauntlett’s identity theory: Stuart Hall, Bell Hooks, Paul Gilroy

Shelter Advert ('Our house. It's not a home')

 I chose the 'Our house. It's not a home' advert. I chose this one as its slightly different to the other adverts they make. Typically they refer to families that are struggling to stay in their homes due to money or landlords, however the 'Our house. It's not a home' advert refers to a family who is living in a house that they need to get out of. the advert features their home with the dad trying to remove mould from the ceiling, with loud music stopping them from sleeping, and arguing from next door scaring the children. It represents a narrative that not many people immediately think about because due to stereotypes people think that homelessness is because people aren't working enough to afford to pay for their home. this advert represents the families that are trying to move due to unsafe circumstances like mould and arguing from next door.

The advert reflects altruism because it doesn't ask for donations until the very end of the advert. It uses the whole advert to highlight the issues that many families are facing and then at the end of the advert it shows a small popup that simply explains that 'this is what homelessness looks like for thousands of families' and then shows a very short clip asking for donations to help the families that are struggling with this.

They use a child to do the voiceover for the advert to promote pro social behaviour as people are more likely to donate to a child that is struggling that an adult because children are seen as 'helpless'. 

The ultimate guide to making film trailers summary

 The article firstly outlines the purpose of film trailers, which is to give the audience an idea of the films narrative and genre whilst making them want to watch the full film. Trailers hint at the plot whilst keeping an enigma using her re conventions, star appeal and familiar storytelling elements.

A major focus of the article is a films USP (unique selling point), which is what sets it apart from other films in the same genre and the target audience (the specific group the film is marketed to). The article emphasises that distributors shape their trailers to highlight what will appeal most to their intended audience.

It also provides students with a guide on how to make their own trailers which includes tips like studying professional trailers, analysing structures, and avoiding things like using too many different shots, including spoilers and overusing voiceovers.

It also gives tips for the production process including planning shots, selecting music, editing, and ensuring the trailers captures the overall genre on the film.

From this article I have learnt that many trailers are far too long and they don’t typically include enough variety in shorts. I also learned that it can be difficult to get a high audio quality and find music that fits with the trailer.

This can relate to my studies as it will help me if I choose to create a music video for my NEA as there will be similar codes and conventions I need to follow like the length of the video and the variety of shot types.

David Gauntlett's Identity theory

 I made a presentation outlining the key points about David Gauntlett's identity theory including examples linked to long form television dramas and newspapers. 

His key idea is that media audiences are active creators that use media to help construct their own identities and connect with other people.

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David Gauntlett ppt

SHSG 6th form advert

 

I learnt how to use the DSLR cameras. I took multiple photos with a group and then chose the best ones to use for my advert. many of my photos were slightly blurry where I had not focused the camera properly before taking them. I already knew how to use photoshop decently well.

I chose photos that demonstrate all aspects of 6th form life at SHSG, making sure I incorporated the social and academic sides. I also included a photo of the notice board to advertise the diverse amount of clubs that SHSG offers.

Beauty product advert

I made an advert for Umberto Giannini's scrunching jelly. I took the photos at home where I played around with different back drops (changing the colour and texture of the background), the lighting (changing the directions of the lighting and how bright the lighting was), and props (swapping between a plain background so the focus was solely on the product and adding flowers behind the product to make the photo more colourful). I created the advert in photoshop where I already have a decent understanding of how the program works due to previous projects. I made sure to incorporate the classic conventions of adverts like a headline and visual design elements to catch the viewers attention. I was inspired by the brand identity Umberto Giannini have created due to the use of a bright pink and things that are important to their brand like being vegan and cruelty free.