News Practical Task

1. Explain your role/responsibility within the team and the task. What were you required to do?

Within our editorial team, each group were assigned specific roles. Morgan and I were in charge of creating a realistic looking Daily Telegraph front page, using a template as guidance. To complete this task, we had to create/include several features of the cover such as the display ad, trail, pug, standalone, headlines and of course bylines, turns and text blocks to accompany each headline. Personally, I was in involved of creating the trail, choosing an appropriate advert, typing up some of the text and headlines and of course cutting and sticking everything down. For the headlines, we were given seven possible news stories of which we chose 7 to rewrite into an appropriate headline for a Telegraph front page. Throughout the task, we had to consult with the other groups in order to maintain consistency and avoid any key errors.

2. For one media form, describe the codes and conventions you chose to follow and explain their intended impact.

Instead of using a splash, allowing the photo to be related to the main headline, we decided to use a standalone, as we felt the best way to inform about the snow was visually. The standalone shows a man with a bicycle in the snow looking towards a large church. The ELS allows the man to look overpowered by the snow connoting how the feeling of isolation which the reader will also be feeling. The caption to the standalone summarises the photo and invites the reader into the newspaper by giving a flavour of the article inside and also has a turn below it which has the same function. Beneath each headlines copy, we have also conventionally included a turn inn order to tempt the reader into the newspaper and to guide them to specific articles. 

Additionally, the headlines we created are all relatively short and summaries the story clearly, as they are in real Daily telegraph cover pages. For example, "Trump Twitter Troubles Strike Again" is one of the headlines. This headline gives the key information needed in the least words possible, and encourages the reader to read the copy below and learn more. In this headline, we also used alliteration in order to emphasise the first few words. 

Along the top, we included a trail and a pug, both with in a pink rectangle box. We used this specific style and placement as this is how many other covers of this newspaper have depicted these features in the past. Similarly to these, we have used a rounded font for the text and yellow capitalised text for the first statement and white lowercase for the second, in order to keep it consistent with other Telegraph covers, allowing for familiarity which is often what readers of newspapers will be looking for. Also, the use of the word 'you' in direct address to the reader making their reading experience more personal and making them feel more involved in the news. 

3. Explain how your choices reflect the real newspaper's values and target audience.

The headline we chose, focusing on Brexit reports on a deal being agreed. We used the phrase "Britain's Brexit Deal" to connote the feeling that Britain and its people deserve to leave the EU and be 'independent, portraying the typical right winged Brexiteers view on the issue, which is a point of view which the readers of the Daily Telegraph usually agree with. The copy also reinforces this view which the ABC1 group would agree with, allowing their reading experience to be more pleasurable. 

Furthermore, we altered the headline about online shopping into a more business concept by calling it a 'Trading Revolution', thus making it more interesting to the predominantly over 35 middle-class readers who are likely to be interested in a business section of the newspaper. 

Along the bottom we have conventionally placed a Gucci fragrance banner advert, which we have used because the readers of The Daily Telegraph are predominantly from the ABC1 socioeconomic group and therefore we have used an advertisement of a luxury, high end item which people of this socioeconomic group are more likely to purchase than those of the C2DE group. 

Although we had to use the headline about the TV "I'm a Celebrity", we decided to place it as a smaller headline along the side, as the predominantly over 35 readers are unlikely to be interested in this. Along with this, we also included the story about Trump as a secondary story as news that isn't specifically related to Britain is often not given as much importance by The Telegraph, as British values are expressed more. 

4. Explain how your team adapted the news across the three different media forms and the reasons behind your decisions.

In order to have a successful outcome, we had to work as a group and communicate well as our individual jobs frequently overlapped. We had to ensure that the photos and/or headlines used in each media from was appropriate to reach the audience using that from. For example, for Twitter, the headline was about Brexit, as this is a topic that is often heavily debated among Twitter users. However, for Instagram, the story about shopping made the headline as this is more relatable for the younger users of Instagram. Also, as this was on Instagram, the photo had to have an aesthetically pleasing feel to it which I believe we achieved. 

Additionally, the website featured a photo for each headline, making it more interactive, whereas the newspaper front cover only featured one, as more information has to be given in a limited space on the cover, whereas the website has unlimited space. 

5. In hindsight, is there anything about your team's outcomes that you would adapt or improve?

In hindsight, although I believe that our front page was successful and includes several codes and conventions, if given more time, I would liked to ensure that all of the copy in the front page was related to the headlines, rather than just stock text. Additionally, in order to made it look more realistic, we could have altered the size of some of the headlines in comparison to the copy, in order for the headlines to stand out more. Also, for the website, in order to make it look more realistic, the bold text boxes could have been removed from around the headlines. Overall, I believe that we worked well as a team there was some communication between each group and between individuals, however in order to make the headlines more consistent with the headlines on the website, further communication would have been necessary.

My Billboard Magazine Cover

1. Summarise the music celebrity you have created. Include name, music genre, personality and how they are being used to comment on contemporary celebrity

The music celebrity I have created, Chris Stewart, is a an indie-rock singer who is part of the up and coming band, Sea Angels. As well as his quirky but contemporary nature, he believes in voicing the opinion of society through the music it creates. Despite recently coming into the spotlight, he has voiced his disagreement on the ability of fame to alter the music industry. His key message is an emphasis on the fact that the music should be the most significant part of music industry instead of the fame. 

2. Evaluate how you have constructed the representation of your celebrity through your cover image and cover headline/text (denotation/connotation of text and image).

      My cover image is a MS of my celebrity wearing a conventional band member jacket with rolled up sleeves and a black T-Shirt. This is what a band member is likely to wear, however its simplicity and relatively dark monotone colour adds to Chris' contemporary persona. This is also reinforced through the contemporary grey/black brick wall background.He is also holding a guitar in his right hand. He is carrying it confidently as if it is always with him, suggesting that his has a strong connection to his music and that it is very important to him. Direct address is also used as the artist looks directly into the camera, allowing the audience to be addressed directly. This allows   intimacy to be created between the celebrity and the audience, allowing for his personality to be expressed: he is a character who wants to be upfront and direct with his audience and he values this connection with them. 

    Overall, the focal image of the celebrity dominates the Billboard cover, however the cover title is placed on top of him, reinforcing his beliefs that to him, his message and his creation of music are more important than his celebrity status. The white, contrasting cover headline expresses Chris' recent rise to fame and more mainstream media coverage, however the cover text describes him as a 'mouthpiece' for what people in society want to be said. How he has shaped the music industry is also a key feature of the cover text, through the blending of genres, enabling him to create his own revolutionary style.

3. Analyse how far you have used and/or challenged stereotypes of gender/race/age/sexuality in your cover.

My celebrity is a positive role model for young people and young artists as he shows active care for the needs of society, as explained buy him in the quotation located in the cover text. He also is described as a 'prodigy', suggesting that although he is young, he has not let fame influence his music. Also, my cover does not address racial stereotypes as the celebrity is not of a specific ethnic minority group. Despite the artists relatively tough and confident look, I do not believe that I have specifically reinforced male stereotypes as I have not presented him as overly confident or aggressive, as this goes against the persona I wanted him to have. 

4. Reflect on the production/editing process.  Are you pleased with the end result? Identify what is successful about your shot?  What would you have done differently in hindsight? 

Overall, I was very pleased with the end result of my Billboard magazine cover, however due to the time restraint, there are some ways in which I could have improved my poster. The shot I chose was the one that I thought most accurately portrayed the celebrity I wanted to create. However in hindsight, if i was to re-shoot, I would give my artist a slightly less serious look, in order to allow connotations of a more open character. Additionally, I would have used a different font for the cover headline and text which was more suited to the style of a Billboard cover, however the current one allows the text to be displayed clearly and in a contemporary style. To conclude, I am very happy with my final Billboard cover, however some small tweaks could improve it further. 

Minecraft Pocket Edition Gameplay Video for YouTube

How you did it: What videos did you look at? What technology did you use and how?

In order to complete this task, I had to obtain a deeper knowledge of how Minecraft YouTube videos work and how they entertain their intended audience. Therefore, I watched many videos from famous Minecraft youtubers such as 'DanTDM'  and 'Sky Does Minecraft' and some less famous such as 'CaptainSparklez', allowing me to get a feel of the colloquial and cheesy style of the videos, so that I could incorporate a similar style in my own video. 

To produce the video, I recorded myself using the front facing camera of an iPad while watching the video of the gameplay on another iPad. Once I had finished recorded, I used Filmmaker Pro in order to place my recording in the corner on top of the gameplay, to simulate how Minecraft youtubers would assemble their content. Additionally, I increased the volume of the commentary my recording, making it more audible. 

How your video might attract the attention of Mojang and/or Microsoft, and how it might influence them.

If my video obtained a substantial amount of views over a certain time period and became widespread within the Minecraft community, it could attract the attention of Minecraft. Prosumers are encouraged to make content by Mojang as it provides good exposure to the game, reducing the need for advertising, therefore encourage more people to play the game without more of Microsofts' money being spent. Very popular Minecraft youtubers also often have an influence in how the game is developed and what is included in order for the audiences needs to be met. 

Video Game and Me

I do not regularly play video games but over the years I have played a variety of games on several platforms. Initially, I owned a Wii and enjoyed playing games such as Wii Sports, Mario Kart and Just Dance. I often played these in the living room with friends or family as this made the gaming experience more fun. More recently, I have played games such as FIFA, GTA, Rocket League and Call of Duty in my bedroom on my PS3 and more recently on my PS4, however I do not use this very often anymore as I often do not have time for it. I mostly play games such as FIFA and Rocket League only with friends, as these games have a multiplayer option, meaning that I rarely play the single player games. I would not consider myself a gamer as I only play video games once in a while and often only during school holidays.

Despite not owning these consoles, I have also experienced playing on PS2, Xbox 360 and Xbox 1 with friends or family at their houses. Surprisingly, I have never owned a handheld/portable console, as I prefer to play video games inside.

Minecraft: Pocket Edition Mission

Although I have played Minecraft before on a PC, I found playing the pocket edition on an iPad much harder, especially when playing on survival mode. Despite this, the games unstructured sandbox style allowed me to thoroughly enjoy my playing experience as the feeling of infinite possibilities was created. One important point that I noted while playing the game is that its blocky/indie look doesn't hinder your ability to become immersed in it. A downside to the game is that it is an individual game in which it is difficult to play with people around you, therefore it appeals to those who enjoy playing games by themselves. 

Additionally, as I was playing this game in a classroom with others around me, I couldn't enjoy the game as much as I would if I was in my own bedroom, as the game encourages you to switch off from the real world by providing an alternate world, which is harder to become immersed in with others around you. The idea of escapism is a key factor when playing the game, therefore it would be most suitable to play in the afternoon/evening when you are looking to unwind. Also, the fact that the game is now available across multiple platforms including portable ones such as iPads, PSVita and Wii U, allowing you to play wherever you are and on the go.

My Breakfast Show Segment

Did you fulfill all the content requirements; both in terms of including all the correct features and as well as the actual choices made.

I believe that we did fulfill all the content requirements as we followed all the rules on the brief. We made sure to included 10 seconds of two contrasting music tracks: Too Good at Goodbyes by Sam Smith and White Noise by Disclosure, both of these being British artists. We also included three different jingles made on Logic, one for Latymer Radio, one for Celebrity Gamble and a final one for the news towards the end. The segment predominantly featured the host talking but we also included a member of the public who calls into the radio station and a news presenter as requested by the brief. Additionally, there was some interaction and banter between the host and the caller/new presenter. Crucially, we included Celebrity Gamble as Nick calls up on his was to University, allowing audience interaction to be made. After this responses about the callers choice are read out from Twitter by Morgan, the host. Additionally, we included a quick promo of the celebrity guest for the day, Mr Pashley, near the beginning and two headlines at the end about the Latymer community, including the Latymer team football score and an update on the schools financial situation, both of which are relevant to the audience group of the radio station.

Have you nailed the conventions and style of Nick Grimshaw and the Radio 1 Breakfast Show?

Overall, I think that we have nailed the style of Nick Grimshaw and his show, through the use of direct address to the audience, done by the host. Additionally, we have a created a similar lively and energetic feel to the show, just like Nick Grimshaw does. Additionally, we have created a sense of Britishness, by playing songs by British artists, however also music that is varied but still mainstream. Perhaps to make our radio show more like Nick Grimshaw's, we could have included more jokey banter between the host and the caller, in order to create a more light hearted feel to the show. Despite this, I believe that we achieved the style of his show through our hosts conversational tone and upbeat persona.

How did you manage your running order/timings?

Timing was possibly the area in which we struggled the most in this task, as there is so much content to include in such little time. Our first take was far too long, around four and a half minutes,  however we manage to reduce this to three and a half minutes in our final take. Overall, we followed the running order template but the second section was too long in our first take, so this is where we cut down significantly, in order to reduce the overall length of the segment. We also made sure to not create any awkward pauses in our final take, as this would waste time and sound unprofessional. Also, we used the jingles to help us separate out each section, making it easier for us to follow. 

Music Video Analysis

Taylor Swift- Look What You Made Me Do

                     

1. Fast Pace Editing

Towards the end of the music video, there are fast pace montages such as the one on the left. This is done to follow the pace and tone of the song just before the dramatic finish, leaving a greater impact on the audience.  As well as being cut to the beat, there is a 180 degree angle change between two shots, which would be unusual in a film but gives this music video a dramatic finish.     

2. Cutting to the Beat        

There are several examples of cutting to the beat in this music video. The example to the left stood out to me as the cut is also shows a complete change in mise-en-scene, despite the camera angle and framing being the same as the previous shot. The cutting to the beat allows the change in the shot to be more prominent while allowing narrative to change.                               

3. Varied and Fast Changing Mise-en-scene   

In this clip, there are four consecutive shots all with completely different mise-en-scene, allowing a non-linear structure to be formed. This allows the broken narratives to come together towards the end of the video. This allows different versions of Taylor Swift in different costume and make up to be shown, a typical convention of music videos.

4. Beauty Shot

A beauty shot or close up is also very common in a music video. This CU shot of the artist, Taylor Swift with a make up, is a convention of music videos as it adds an aesthetically pleasing element. It is also an example of direct address as Taylor Swift is looking directly into the camera, allowing the audience to be engaged early in in the video. 

5. Visual Depiction of Lyrics

This shot is of Taylor Swift making a gun sign with her hand. This follows what is said in the lyrics of the song during this shot. The lyrics are: "You said the gun was mine". This allows the video to illustrate the video in this moment, allowing the lyrics to become more prominent. 

Film Trailer Analysis: IT

IT

This is an analysis of the trailer for the horror/thriller film, IT, which was released on 9^th September 2017:

              

Audience Appeal

• The primary target audience would be horror/thriller fans.
• The secondary target audience would be fans of the 1980 TV show 'It' and fans of the Stephen King's novel 'It'.
• The sudden music pause before the introduction of the clown figure in the gutter (0:40)  , creates suspense before presenting him to the audience for the first time. This creates tension and a possible jump scare, gratifying a thriller fan audiences' needs.
• The fast pace editing and a montage of shots where the children are trying to fight the 'clown' figure gives the audience a feel of the children's motives, but leaves how and if they can defeat the clown a mystery- persuades them to watch the film.
•  Establishing shot and following shots introduce a typical neighbourhood which is relatable for most of the audience but with a “dark history”, enhances the idea in the audiences mind that this may happen in the real world, enhancing the element of fear.
• There is a major appeal to thriller fans. For example, the last shot of the  clown running towards the camera indicates to the audience that they will get scared along with the characters, fulfilling their expectations of a horror/thriller film.
• There is a hint to a possible romance between 0:07 and 0:09 between two of the characters, which would be appealing to a wider audience. 

Genre Signifiers

• The genre of the film is  horror/thriller.
• The music is eerie and suspenseful and starts off by building tension and then becomes more sinister after the 'Warner Bros' logo is shown. The pace of the montage speeds up simultaneously with the music and non-diagetic sound can be heard such as the dripping of water getting louder. 
•  Predominantly dark shots with low-key lighting, especially towards the end.
• The ident is in a crooked font and glowing red, indicating blood/violence
• All of the title shots are in black and white
• The clown figure (antagonist) is a conventional creepy character, designed to cause fear.
•  Conventional settings of a horror film are shown in the trailer, for example a LA haunted house shot at 1:00.
• Typical structure i.e. antagonist must be fought by some someone, in this case a group of children.
• The innocence of the child with the paper boat means he is more isolated from others so he is more vulnerable.
•  Repetition of a child's voice throughout, repeating the phrase: “You’ll float too” creates fear and an eerie atmosphere. This gets phrase gets louder and more emphasised after every repetition.
• The inclusion of the author Stephen Kings name reinforces the horror genre for those in the audience who have read his books.

Characters/Representation

• The group of children are portrayed as strong at the beginning until the idea of their vulnerability is introduced at 0;15 using the voice over: "If you thought you'll always be protected and cared for....then one day you realise that's not true".
• The main characters are relatable for many people in the audience as they are young teenagers, which is a large amount of the films audience. 
• The antagonist, Pennywise, is portrayed as a character who should be feared from his first introduction to the audience at 0:49.
• From the trailer, the film appears to have mainly male characters, apart from one girl who joins the boys in their attempt to defeat the clown. 

Branding

• Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures- logo shown at 0:21
• Produced by: New Line Cinema- logo shown at 0:22
• ‘From Stephen King Terrifying Novel’- 0:56
• The film was released on September 9th, 27 after the end of the 1980 TV show 'IT'. The film suggests that the clown only comes out every 27 years, allowing a link to be made between the TV show and the film.
•  IT ident is placed after the action and is blood red, glowing and in a crooked font.
• The trailer ends with names of screenplay writers and directors name: Andy Muschietti
• The final shot has the hashtag: "#ITMOVIE" to attract interest on social media

TV Drama Still Evaluation

Analyse your chosen shot and identify in what way it could be described as signifying your chosen TV Drama genre/subgenre.

As a team, we decided to create four still shots following the TV drama subgenre of horror/thriller. In my chosen shot, I implemented several conventions of this genre. Firstly, the shot was taken in an area with very little lighting, creating a very dark shot which I was able to light artificially with paglights coming from the right side of the shot. This allowed an eerie atmosphere to be created due to the darkness behind the protagonist, which may connote the entry of the antagonist from the light which would be the dominant reading. 

How did you intend the audience to interpret your still?

In using artificial lighting, I attempted to create a shot in which the audience could apprehend the vulnerability of the character, while waiting for the antagonist to create a dramatic, scary moment.

What did you actually do to achieve this effect?

A crucial focus in signifying the theme of horror was the framing of the shot. It was taken as a MLS with the character in the centre of the frame, in order to present the characters entire body, which allowed me to denote his nervousness through his negative body language; hunched shoulders, eyes facing the floor and hands clasped together. This stance allows the theme of horror to be depicted successfully, by creating a suspenseful atmosphere, giving the audience an idea of how they should feel.
Identify what is successful about your shot

Along with the lighting, the scenery I used in this shot, or mise-en-scene was also vital in portraying the theme of horror. For example, the sofa in the shot is old fashioned and the floorboards are wooden which could connote that the setting is an old house, which is a convention of horror dramas. 
What would you do differently in hindsight?

In hindsight, if I were to do this again, I would possible change the position and facial expression of the character, to make him seem more vulnerable. Additionally, I may achieve this vulnerable look by using a HA shot.

Continuity Evaluation Task

Our task was to create a story featuring an accident in 6 shots, cut in camera. This is what we came up with:

1. Explain the story of your video 

Our video tells the story of two boys (played my myself and Morgan) playing catch with a tennis ball on a school playground. Not paying attention, the third character walks between the boys playing catch and subsequently gets hit by the ball. The story ends with the girl giving a look of disgust towards the boy who threw the ball at her.

2. How did you attempt to create 'narrative flow' (continuity)?

In an attempt to fulfill the demands of the brief, Morgan, Alize and I discussed and planned the story we were trying to present, the types of shots we would use and how we would create narrative flow. One of our key focuses was to follow the 30 degree rule which we achieved by ensuring that consecutive shots had camera angle changes of at least 30 degrees, in order to avoid jump cuts.

Another way we discussed, in order to create a narrative flow, was to use matched cuts. We tried to make sure that each character appeared in the same place as they were last seen. This proved to be one of our greatest challenges in this task, as we were a group of three people and our video included three characters. 

3. Did you achieve full continuity? If not, why not?

I do not think that we achieved full continuity in our video. The most notable lack of continuity was between shots 4 and 5 because in shot 4, the tennis ball moves from the left to the right of the screen, however in shot 5, it appears to be coming from behind the camera, creating a lack of continuity and confusing the audience. This could have been resolved by having the ball thrown in the same direction. Additionally, due to where we positioned the camera, it often seemed like the girl character changed direction, between shots 3 and 5. To resolve this, we could've placed the camera behind her, to make it clear to the audience that she is walking in the same direction. 

4. In hindsight, what would you do differently to improve the narrative flow of your video and tell your story more effectively?

Looking back, the video we attempted to create may have been too ambitious for the amount of people we had and the time limit. The narrative flow of the video could have been improved by the correct placement of the camera in order to avoid confusion about the direction of the characters movement. Additionally, minor detailed also could have been rethought, for example shortening the establishing shot and using a more simple and direct shot to introduce the third character, in order to avoid the unnecessary build up of suspense.