Category: 182 module

It’s been 8 weeks! So many things have happened, I have gained so much experience living alone and being away from my family. Be that as it may, I enjoy being here.

This week we are studying the audience and fans. So, an audience is conceptualized group of people that consume any sort of any media products. Despite the idea, that we often think about the audience as a people sitting in front of the TV, the audience is any certain group of people who watch a “Youtube” video, read books, play video games. Talking about conceptualization, it is people who have an understanding themselves as being a member of a particular group (e.g. fan groups). By the way, it is really important to understand that the viewer is not the same as the audience. The audience is a broad understanding, while the viewer is the individual. 

There are several audiences’ models:

• The Hypodermic model – it is a model which sees media as a syringe, as a tool for injecting ideas into the brains of the audience. This model is a particularly problematic way of assuming the audience, so you have to think very carefully and critically what they are talking about. 

• Two-step flow model – it is the model where ideas first flow from the mass media to opinion leaders (who are seen as more important) and only then to a wider population. It is still a quite problematic model because the ideas of media still are seen as being injected into the audience. 

• Active audience model – this model is based not only on importance what media says but also on what the audience does with that text, what people choose to take from that text. This is the most appropriate model to use because it provides the best understanding of the audience.

In conclusion, I want to emphasize that the audience is not a product of the media, it understands the media and creates meaning from the texts. We have to assume that the audience accepts each story as a fact that is shown to them but understands the difference between fiction and facts.

To look more into Audience Theory, I linked a video to watch:

05.11.2020

In the last week, a few things happened in my hometown, so I was not concentrated on my studies a lot. However, I am back on track and ready to go!

This week we are talking about Discourses Analysis. It is a broad term for the study of how language is used between people, both in written texts and spoken contexts. Often a particular professor or particular location or social structure have their own way of using the language. Different researches take different approaches, but whichever approach is taken, it has to be read sceptically. So, what should be analysed?

• vocabulary – what words and phrases are chosen to be used;
• grammar – the way that sentences are constructed;
• structure – how it creates emphasis or builds a narrative;
• genre – how certain ideas are put across in different genres to understand the aims of a certain genre;
• non-verbal communication – the tone of voice, pauses, gestures can reveal aspects of underlying meaning;
• conversational codes – how a person interacts with others, such as turn-taking, interruptions, listening reveals power dynamics, engagement or social roles.

Talking about the ways in whiches discourse analyse can be used, it can be applied to any instance of written or oral languages, such as books, newspapers, marketing material, social media posts and comments, interviews, conversations. So, discourse analyse helps us to underline the meaning of the text, it allows us to look at a broad number of texts and by that, we can make some conclusions.

If you want to read more about Discourse analysis and to learn how to do it, here is a link for you:

https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/discourse-analysis/

22.10.2020

It is a month now of my being here and studying. Finally, I can say that I feel settled in and feel great being here. 

So, this week we keep talking about Visual analysis, but it is non-identical compared with last week’s lecture. This lecture is about camera movements, editing and sound. 

Camera movement is one of the most useful tools in a filmmaker’s armoury. It can be used to reveal information to the audience by providing clearer visual information. There are some examples of camera movements:

• PAN – the camera horizontally swivels from a fixed position (right to left or left to right);
• TILT – the camera vertically moves from a fixed position (up to down or down to up);
• DOLLY – the camera smoothly moves forwards or backwards;
• TRACK – the camera moves from side-to-side but still looks forward;
• ZOOM – the camera stays still, but the camera lens moves closer or further away from the subject;
• POV – it is like being in the position of a character, seeing everything from the character’s eyes.

Sound is a powerful technic in films/videos that can shape how we perceive the image. Things that have to focus on are the rhythm (a pace, beat), fidelity (disparity between the image and the sound), time (synchronous or asynchronous), volume (changes in volume). Also, we have to notice if the sound is digestive or non-digestive.

Talking about editing, it is a technique to put a few shots in larger strings. In the lecture were explained some editing theories, such as “The Kuleshov effect”. So, if you want to know more about that, I linked the video. 

10.08.2020

This week is about Visual Analysis. It is used to understand artworks’ visual elements, to read and critically interpret images, advertisements, news, films. 

One of Visual Analysis thing is “Mise-en-scene “, in other words, it means “to put on the screen” and it is useful as a starting point of describing what you see on screen. It includes setting, lighting, costumes, make-up and hair, figure behaviour. 

Setting 

It does not need to be constructed but it often is. The setting consists of sound stage and props (short of properties). The stage sound helps to simulate whatever environment the filmmaker wants to create. Meanwhile, props help to amplify the mood or bring up details, not just the big scene. 

Lighting 

It establishes the mood and directs attention to details. There are a few types of lightning. One of them is “three-point lighting” that illuminates shots subject by throwing harsh or soft shadows. Another is “high- key” that makes a little contrast between bright and dark. One more lighting style is “low- key” that makes a high contrast. The lighting helps viewers to understand the setting.

Costume, make-up and hair

They help to create a certain image of the character. For example, if we want to depict an 80’s woman, we probably do a crazy and messy hairstyle, dress her in very colourful clothes, put vibrant colour eyeshadow. 

One more important thing in Visual Analysis is the Cinematography which includes the camera’s angle, gaze, framing, distance. Talking about the camera’s distance, it affects the human subjects that they are being shot. For example, close up is very useful if we want to be in tune with the emotions of the character. While a long shot can be used to make the character feel smaller.  

There are some more examples of camera distance:

So, Mise-en-scene is the first thing we need to start with by analysing movies, videos, commercials and etc.

01.10.2020

This week is about Semiotics.

First of all, Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols, how they can create the meaning. Also, it is the way of seeing and assuming the World. There are a few words that are extremely important to know and understand in this study. 

Sign – the object.

Signifier – the form or a sign.

Signified –  is the idea or concept of the thing. 

Denotation – literal meaning of a sign, symbol or word.

Connotation –  is the visual meaning of a sign, symbol or word. 

Initially, in this picture, we see the apple as an object (sign). Thus, in this example, we see an apple as the image but we also can hear it as a word (signifier). However, at first glance, it makes some sense to each of us (signified). For some, it is usually rounded yellow, green or red fruit. This is the meaning of an apple that we can find in the dictionary, so it is Denotation. But we can also associate the apple with a healthy lifestyle, freshness, or even a computer. For me personally, an apple reminds me of autumn, my grandparents’ garden or an apple pie. So, the apple takes on a visual meaning or even can evoke feelings for us, so then it is like as Connotation.

This study can be used in many ways, such as in films, advertisements, poetry. The sign can be used as a certain code by trying to deliver a message to the audience or consumers. One thing/object can have many meanings, but it can have just one meaning in a particular way.

24.09.2020

This is my first week of this course. I’m very excited and motivated to study!

In this lecture, I was interested in “Research Ethics” the most. I understand that it is a really important thing for both surveys participants and researchers to know ethnics before doing the survey.

So, what do participants have to know?

• they must do it voluntarily, with no compulsion;
• they have to be fully aware of what they’re doing;
• they must know the purposes for which their information will be used;
• participants should feel that they can share their information, ideas, thoughts safely;
• they should understand that they can withdraw at any time.

However, researchers also have to know how to conduct the research, for it to be conducted ethically.

• researchers have to provide all information about their surveys to participants so that they could fully understand what the research is about;
• they must be sure that they will not accidentally reveal that data to other people which could damage participants privacy;
• they must ensure that there is no possible risk to their participants (social, economic, physical, mental);
• the survey should be well-designed so that contribution is honoured.

Research ethical norms help to build public support for the research and promote a variety of other important moral and social values, such as social responsibility, human rights, animal welfare, and public health and safety.

✨Fun coincidence that a few days after this lecture, I got a call to participate in the survey about my shopping habits. Before agreeing to participate in this survey, I listened carefully to all the information provided. So, all the things what I should know about the survey were mentioned.

17.09.2020