Reflection.

 

 

Throughout this bridging task I have experienced and learnt a few new things.

I have learnt about how media effects our everyday lives and thoughts almost unknowingly, I have learnt in to further detail about different genre’s of films and how there different to eachother.

I have learnt in more detail about how actors/actresses are perceived by audiences, and how the appearance of something can make it more appealing/make you want to buy it more.

I’ve also learnt how to upload my own texts and thoughts about different things, and edit it too makes more sense too more people.

 

In this course I am looking forward to learning more about social media and how it affects our everyday lives and how the world around us has evolved, I am looking forward to making my own types of media and showing my own opinion for example – short films and magazines. I’m also looking forward to learning more in to detail about everyday media and making my own input on it.

I feel this bridging task has helped me a lot, having never done media before too making my own blog in a few days. I feel I have progressed and learnt new skills.

Media Guardian.

 

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/aug/31/julian-assange-ecuadorean-embassy-year

On the link above there is a story about Julian Assange, and his case against the charges of sexual abuse.

Julian believes all charges against him will be dropped and that he will get away free with no prison sentence.

 

I found this story interesting, as the man has been accused of what is to me a large and unforgivable crime, yet he believes he will not get a sentence. Although he may know he is innocent I don’t think he should be so sure on his verdict as it is not up to him but up to the jury, I also find it interesting as I would like to know more about the story and what will happen to him, if he will get convicted or not. This story is a bit of a cliff hanger which I find interesting and would like to watch unfold.

Magazine.

This magazine cover is very eye catching, bold, bright and looks interesting. It uses many techniques to get people to buy it, like using large celeb names, freebies and diet tips. The genre of heat is a gossip magazines, mainly about celebs and I think the cover helps convey this, it is all about other people and their lives that gossips would want to read. It represents the people on the cover as how the audience would like too see them, for example if someone is losing weights normal readers would be happy for her, however the skinniness of the other celebrities is obviously bad so they are perceived to the audience badly. I think this magazine will appeal to the target audience, as it would stand out due to its eye catching headlines and colours and interesting looking stories.

Television Drama.

 

 

Lately I have begun to watch an ongoing drama, which has been on for about two years in the United States of America for about two years and was introduced to the United Kingdom about a year and a half ago. It is called ‘Pretty Little Liars’. It is loosely based on the books by Sara Shepard. When the show first began ABC Family only ordered 10 episodes, but the ratings success were so large the show made the series of books be extended beyond the eight novels. This teen drama, mysterious thriller is about a group of five best friends, Alison DiLaurentis, Emily Fields, Aria Montgomery, Hanna Marin, and Spencer Hastings. One night they are all having a group sleepover, but when they wake up the leader of the group, Alison has gone missing. About a year later her body is found, we too Rosewood and begin to connect with the remaining girls. We them find out they all have mysterious secrets which they only told Alison. The days leading up to the funeral the girls all begin to receive texts from a mysterious ‘A’ who happens to know all the girls secrets, the game has begun. A uses the girls to do whatever she wants, manipulates scares and bribes them using the girls large and secretive social lives. The more the girls fight back, the worse it becomes for them.

 

·         Genre: Teen drama, Mystery, Thriller

·         Main Cast(Starring):

·          Troian Bellisario- Spencer Hastings.   Ashley Benson- Hanna Marin.   Tyler Blackburn- Caleb Rivers. Holly Marie Combs– Ella Montgomery.   Lucy Hale- Aria Montgomery.  Ian Harding- Ezra Fitz.
Bianca Lawson- Maya St. Germain.   Laura Leighton-Ashley Marin.Chad Lowe- Bryon Montgomery  . Shay Mitchell- Emily Fields. Janel Parrish-Mona Vanderwall. Sasha Pieterse-Alison DiLaurentis

·         Created by: I. Marlene King (TV) Sara Shepard (Books)

·         Developed by: I. Marlene King

·         Executive producers:Leslie Morgenstein, Bob Levy, I. Marlene King, Oliver Goldstick

·         Producer: Lisa Cochran-Neilan

·         Running time: 41–44 minutes

·         Production companys : Warner Horizon Television, Alloy Entertainment, Long Lake Productions (season 3) ,Russian Hill Productions (season 3)

·         Distributor: Warner Bros. Television

·         Broadcast; Original channel: ABC Family  Original run: June 8, 2010 – present

- On this link is a news paper review of the Hit American TV show, Pretty Little Liars - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/arts/television/08liars.html.

 

 

I watched the first episode out of the Pretty Little Liars Seasons for my written response, in this episode we learn a lot about the characters and how the four main girls have all been affected by the loss of their good friend, Ali. We also learn the secrets which they have hid from everyone except Alison, Emily being a secret lesbian, afraid to come out with thing happening with A. Aria watches her father cheat on her mother and agree to keep it a secret. Spencer has an affair with her sisters soon to be husband and Hanna eats when she is supposed to be on a diet. In this episode we really learn a lot about the characters and how they all look up too Ali. We also learn how easy they cn be manipulated. For a first episode it is very gripping with many story lines to get you hooked to the show as you want to learn more, it is one of the most interesting dramas out in ages and I advice anyone to watch it, its brilliant!

How are the characters represented?

Aria- A strong minded girl who knows what she wants and how to get it, she cares deeply about her family and keeping it together. She is very brainy and a easy individual who can be alone and not mind.

Alison – The leader of the group, all the girls look up too her and trust her. She is manipulative and clever, she knows what she wants and always gets it, she is the best at keeping secrets even if she does use knowing them to her advantages at points.

Hanna – She just wants to be ‘cool’ or ‘popular’ and thinks hanging around with Ali will help, she follows the group around but is so happy she has been let in. She is quiet, shy and reserved at the moment, just waiting to be accepted.

 Research page used - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Little_Liars_(TV_series)

 

Media Representation.

 

 

On this Blog post I shall be researching the term Media Representation finding out what it means and writing my own definition on the term.

For my research on this topic I simply Googled the term Media Representation a summary of what I found is:

Representation refers to the construction in any medium, especially the mass media, of aspects of ‘reality’ such as people, places, objects, events, cultural identities and other abstract concepts. Such representations may be in speech or writing as well as still or moving pictures. The term refers to the processes involved as well as to its products. For instance, in relation to the key markers of identity - Class, Age, Gender and Ethnicity (the 'cage' of identity) - representation involves not only how identities are represented (or rather constructed) within the text but also how they are constructed in the processes of production and reception by people whose identities are also differentially marked in relation to such demographic factors. Consider, for instance, the issue of 'the gaze'. How do men look at images of women, women at men, men at men and women at women? A key in the study of representation concern is with the way in which representations are made to seem ‘natural’. Systems of representation are the means by which the concerns of ideologies are framed; such systems ‘position’ their subjects.  Semiotics and content analysis (quantitative) are the main methods of formal analysis of representation.

- I got this information off: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Modules/MC30820/represent.html

o    My own definition:

·         Media representation is a way that the media puts across a stereotype and makes it more popular. The media does many stories on different age groups, genders and races.

·         One example of media representation is how the ‘perfect’ look can be shown through media, where they show really skinny people and make people want to look like them, which also makes people look at others and how we should be in a different way as everyone wants to be like what they see in the magazines.

·         Media representation is not all bad as it can show some people in positive and good ways such as showing people healthy diets and new ways too exercise which brings across a healthier country.

·         Media is normally shown in newspapers, television, billboards and adverts.

Three Resources I found most useful/interesting.

 

 

These are three sources I found on the Beaverwood blog and found interesting and or useful, I shall also explain the reasons why - http://beaverwoodmedia.blogspot.co.uk.

 

 

·         http://beaverwoodmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/drama-genre.html - This source explains too me about the difference of drama compared to other genres of film, I found this video interesting because it taught me a lot of things I didn’t know like how Drama films use different camera techniques to help show more of the main characters emotions, and I also found out that in drama films you connect the most with the character and learn the most about his/her emotional journey compared to other genre’s. I found this helpful as it was really simple and clear to understand and had a lot of useful information in the clip.

 

·         http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Getting-started-with-Windows-Movie-Maker - I Found this source interesting because I was able to learn a lot about windows movie maker. As I have never used it before, if I was put on to it I wouldn’t know how to use it. However, from reading this I learnt a lot and many new skills that I can put too practise when I use this software later in the course.

 

·         http://beaverwoodmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/introduction-to-film-genre.html - I found this source interesting due to the fact it taught me a lot about media and film genres I wouldn’t know without this source, it taught me very much in an easy and understandable way and I found it very informative and helpful.