Close Reading of Media TextsClose Reading of Media Texts

Frank W. BakerFrank W. Bakerwww.frankwbaker.com/mlcwww.frankwbaker.com/mlc

fbaker1346@aol.comfbaker1346@aol.com

Twitter: @fbakerTwitter: @fbaker

August 6, 2015

ResourcesResources

MiddleWeb.com Periodical Book

The task force The task force finds:finds:

“the literacies “the literacies that young people that young people need encompass need encompass media literacymedia literacy,,

digital literacy and digital literacy and social-emotional social-emotional literacy.”literacy.”

““Media Literacy”Media Literacy”

What does that phrase mean to you?What does that phrase mean to you?

““Media Literacy”Media Literacy”

Analysis + Creation/ProductionAnalysis + Creation/Production

video

AASL Standards AASL Standards for the 21for the 21stst

Century LearnerCentury Learner

2. Communication and 2. Communication and CollaborationCollaborationb. communicate information b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of audiences using a variety of mediamedia and formats. and formats.

3. Research and 3. Research and Information FluencyInformation Fluencyb. locate, organize, analyze, b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a ethically use information from a variety of sources and variety of sources and mediamedia..

Defining Digital/Media LiteracyDefining Digital/Media Literacy Access. Finding and using media and technology tools

skillfully and sharing appropriate and relevant information with others.

Analyze and Evaluate. Comprehending messages and using critical thinking to analyze message quality, veracity, credibility and point of view, while considering potential effects or consequences of messages.

Create. Composing or generating content using creativity and confidence in self-expression, with awareness of purpose, audience, and composition techniques.

Reflect. Applying social responsibility and ethical principles to one’s own identity and lived experience, communication behavior and conduct.

Act. Working individually and collaboratively to share knowledge and solve problems in the family, the workplace and the community, and participating as a member of a community at local, regional, national and international levels.

Source: Renee Hobbs, Digital and Media Literacy: A Plan of Action

http://powerfulvoicesforkids.com/

Solution Tree Press ISTE

http://www.frankwbaker.com/

What is “close reading”?What is “close reading”?

What is “close reading”?What is “close reading”?

When close reading a media text, When close reading a media text, you deconstruct (take apart) the text you deconstruct (take apart) the text by by analyzinganalyzing the way different the way different elementselements are used to create are used to create meaning.meaning.

In order to “close read” a text, it is In order to “close read” a text, it is necessary to understand the necessary to understand the particular particular media languagemedia language used. used.

Media LanguageMedia Language

Media language encompasses all Media language encompasses all the ways in which media text isthe ways in which media text isconstructedconstructed to communicate with an to communicate with anaudience, through verbal, visual, auralaudience, through verbal, visual, aurallanguage language (e.g. lighting, layout, shots, typography,(e.g. lighting, layout, shots, typography,images, sound).images, sound).

Source: http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/nqfdocs/ncea-resource/achievements/2011/as90277.pdf

What Media Are StudentsWhat Media Are StudentsExposed to the Most?Exposed to the Most?

Visuals (visual literacy)Visuals (visual literacy)

Ads (advertising literacy) Ads (advertising literacy)

TV/Movies (moving image literacy) TV/Movies (moving image literacy)

Visual LiteracyVisual Literacy

Source: ALA

Visual Literacy & The LibraryVisual Literacy & The Library

Locating imagesLocating images Manipulating imagesManipulating images Attributing imagesAttributing images Evaluating imagesEvaluating images

Source: Visual Literacy for Librarians: Learning Skills and Promoting Best Practices

Bradley Cooper uses a Samsung Bradley Cooper uses a Samsung smartphone to take a “selfie” during smartphone to take a “selfie” during

the Academy Awards telecastthe Academy Awards telecast

Teaching Our Students Teaching Our Students The Rules of PhotographyThe Rules of Photography

Where and how Where and how you position you position your camera your camera has meaning has meaning to to the audience.the audience.

Where isWhere is

the camera?the camera?

How does How does it make it make the giant look?the giant look?

Do you knowDo you knowwhat elsewhat elseit might mean?it might mean?

Jack & The Beanstalk

Low camera angle, shooting up= power

Leni Riefenstahl, filmmaker

Shooting DOWN on people= powerless, weak

http://www.quebecpress.com/pmcodes/fop.pdf

Teaching StrategyTeaching Strategy

Strip away the caption from an Strip away the caption from an image forces students to look deeplyimage forces students to look deeply

For the next image, think of For the next image, think of questions you might askquestions you might ask about about what’s picturedwhat’s pictured

Photo fact-checking in the digital agePhoto fact-checking in the digital age

Investigating ImagesInvestigating Images

Source: AP

The activityThe activity“strengthened “strengthened student student understanding understanding that media that media messages are messages are constructed and constructed and that design that design decisions such decisions such as font as font hierarchy, word hierarchy, word placement, and placement, and color all play a color all play a role in the role in the visual branding visual branding of a product.”of a product.”

http://theasideblog.blogspot.com/

Magazine Cover ActivityMagazine Cover Activity

1. Who is the 1. Who is the audienceaudience for each publication? What are the clues? for each publication? What are the clues?

2. Use one or two 2. Use one or two adjectivesadjectives to describe how she looks on the to describe how she looks on the cover? cover? 

3. How and what might 3. How and what might body languagebody language communicate? communicate?

4. How are 4. How are words, color, design and layoutwords, color, design and layout used to make each used to make each cover appealing and/or attractive?cover appealing and/or attractive?

5. How is each cover 5. How is each cover like an advertisementlike an advertisement? What makes us want ? What makes us want to pick it up, buy it and read it?to pick it up, buy it and read it?

Without prior knowledge of this film or its plot, Without prior knowledge of this film or its plot, what questions might you ask about this image?what questions might you ask about this image?

Photo: Lionsgate Publicity

http://www.customermagnetism.com/

http://www.verticalresponse.com/

Graphic NovelsGraphic Novels

InteractionInteraction

In what ways do you already In what ways do you already teach/encourage visual literacy?teach/encourage visual literacy?

What have you heard here that you’d What have you heard here that you’d like to try?like to try?

AdvertisingAdvertising

AdvertisingAdvertising

Why teach about advertising?

Encouraging students toEncouraging students tothink like advertisersthink like advertisers

Who is my audience? (demographic)Who is my audience? (demographic) What media do they attend to?What media do they attend to? How do I get my product/service in How do I get my product/service in

front of their eyes?front of their eyes? What design technique will be What design technique will be

appealing, attractive and persuasive?appealing, attractive and persuasive? What high profile person or event can What high profile person or event can

I associate with? (Super Bowl)I associate with? (Super Bowl) What’s the best way to reach them?What’s the best way to reach them? How can I get them to commit (buy)?How can I get them to commit (buy)?

What ads promise…What ads promise…

HealthHealth WealthWealth LoveLove HappinessHappiness SecuritySecurity EscapeEscape RelaxationRelaxation CoolCool

FriendshipFriendship WarmthWarmth SafetySafety AdventureAdventure CompanionshipCompanionship EntertainmentEntertainment SavingsSavings ComfortComfort

How to “read” an adHow to “read” an ad

Source: Children’s Media Project

Source: Children’s Media Project

Questions for Ad Questions for Ad AnalysisAnalysis

1. Images1. Images

Identify and describe the visual imagesIdentify and describe the visual images

Identify and describe the symbols.Identify and describe the symbols.

Identify and describe the media tools or Identify and describe the media tools or simple techniques of persuasion.simple techniques of persuasion.

3.3. Emotions and the StoryEmotions and the Story

Identify the story that the ad is trying to Identify the story that the ad is trying to tell.tell.

What “problems” will be solved?What “problems” will be solved?

What are the associations the ad makes What are the associations the ad makes with the product?with the product?

What are the advertisers trying to get you What are the advertisers trying to get you to believe?to believe?

What message is the ad trying to send?What message is the ad trying to send?

What emotions does the ad appeal to?What emotions does the ad appeal to?

What is the “logic” behind the ad?What is the “logic” behind the ad?

2.2. Photographic and Editing EffectsPhotographic and Editing Effects

How is the scene framed?How is the scene framed?

What part of the ad is your eye What part of the ad is your eye immediately drawn to?immediately drawn to?

Consider how color is used.Consider how color is used.

If there are people in the ad, who are they If there are people in the ad, who are they looking at (each other, a person not in the looking at (each other, a person not in the picture)?picture)?

Are there any computer editing techniques Are there any computer editing techniques that enhanced the picture?that enhanced the picture?

Are any objects or people in the ad Are any objects or people in the ad “supersized”?“supersized”?

4.4. Marketing StrategyMarketing Strategy

Why is this ad running?Why is this ad running?

Is it part of a series of ads?Is it part of a series of ads?

What does the corporation running the ad What does the corporation running the ad hope it will do for their public relations or hope it will do for their public relations or product “image”?product “image”?

Who is the target market of the ad?Who is the target market of the ad?

Source: Adapted from “The Ad & The Ego” Source: Adapted from “The Ad & The Ego”

How to “read” an adHow to “read” an ad

Frank’s RecommendationFrank’s Recommendation Read every word on the pageRead every word on the page Make note of any unfamiliar words Make note of any unfamiliar words

or phrasesor phrases Make a list of every imageMake a list of every image Consider: layout, design, colorConsider: layout, design, color

SloganSlogan NarrativeNarrative ColorColor POVPOV PowerPower Techniques ofTechniques ofpersuasionpersuasion LayoutLayout SubtextSubtext Eye Eye

MovementMovement

Who Who createdcreated the ad?the ad?

What is the What is the purposepurpose??

What What techniques techniques grab your grab your attention?attention?

What is What is omittedomitted??

Who is the Who is the audienceaudience??

WhereWhere was the was the ad published?ad published?

Ad ActivityAd Activity

Go to the ad marked in your Go to the ad marked in your magazinemagazine

Spend a few minutes doing an Spend a few minutes doing an analysis & deconstructionanalysis & deconstruction

Be prepared to shareBe prepared to share

VoiceThreadVoiceThread

Source: http://ed.voicethread.com/share/663006/Source: http://ed.voicethread.com/share/663006/

Toy CommercialsToy Commercials

Toy CommercialsToy Commercials

Cinderella’s Magical Talking VanityCinderella’s Magical Talking Vanity

The Race to 2016The Race to 2016

Ted Cruz: 2016 Presidential AdTed Cruz: 2016 Presidential Ad

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/youarehere/ www.admongo.gov

http://www.knowitall.org/artopia/media/artcritic/critical/index.html

Ad Topics for InstructionAd Topics for Instruction AdvergamingAdvergaming AlcoholAlcohol CelebrityCelebrity CosmeticsCosmetics Credit CardsCredit Cards Dieting Dieting (weight loss)(weight loss)

Junk FoodJunk Food Movies Movies (Oscars)(Oscars)

ParodyParody

PoliticsPolitics Prescription DrugsPrescription Drugs Product PlacementProduct Placement PSAPSA Sexual MessagesSexual Messages Sports Sports (Super Bowl)(Super Bowl)

Tobacco productsTobacco products ToysToys

InteractionInteraction

In what ways do you already teach In what ways do you already teach about advertising?about advertising?

What have you heard here that you’d What have you heard here that you’d like to try?like to try?

BreakBreak

Moving ImagesMoving Images

““Movies, advertisements, Movies, advertisements, and all other visual media and all other visual media are are tools teachers tools teachers need to use and media need to use and media we must masterwe must master if we are to maintain our if we are to maintain our credibility in the coming credibility in the coming years.”years.”

Jim BurkeJim BurkeThe English Teacher’s CompanionThe English Teacher’s Companion (3rd Edition) (3rd Edition)

Comparing Print toComparing Print to Visual Language Visual Language

Sentence Paragraph Chapter NovelSentence Paragraph Chapter Novel

Comparing Print toComparing Print to Visual Language Visual Language

Sentence Paragraph Chapter NovelSentence Paragraph Chapter Novel

Shot Scene Sequence Movie Shot Scene Sequence Movie

Source: frankguttler.blogspot.com 

““To ‘read’ a filmTo ‘read’ a film is to is to

analyze how that film usesanalyze how that film uses

images and soundsimages and sounds

to tell a story and toto tell a story and to

powerfully affect (our)powerfully affect (our)

thoughts and feelingsthoughts and feelings

about that story.”about that story.”

“ “Films can be read like texts. Their Films can be read like texts. Their images should be unpacked just as we images should be unpacked just as we would unpack the imagery in a written would unpack the imagery in a written passage. (Students should) think passage. (Students should) think carefully about carefully about how visual or aural how visual or aural toolstools enact, reshape, change, or enact, reshape, change, or critique an author's textual critique an author's textual expressions.”expressions.”

Source: http://wire.rutgers.edu/p_reading_film.html

Questions Students Should Questions Students Should ConsiderConsider

What is the What is the purposepurpose of the film and how is it of the film and how is it structured to suit this purpose? structured to suit this purpose?

What What devices devices (techniques)(techniques) are used to engage are used to engage the audience? the audience?

What do you think the What do you think the central character(s)central character(s) is is feeling at key points and how has the filmmaker feeling at key points and how has the filmmaker shown the audience their point of view? shown the audience their point of view?

What is the What is the settingsetting and why do you think the and why do you think the filmmaker chose it? filmmaker chose it?

What do you think is What do you think is the messagethe message of the film and of the film and how has it been communicated? how has it been communicated?

How does the How does the soundtrack affectsoundtrack affect your viewing of your viewing of certain sequences in the film?certain sequences in the film?

Lesson Plan: Creating A Floor Plan Lesson Plan: Creating A Floor Plan for "To Kill A Mockingbird" for "To Kill A Mockingbird"

Courtroom SceneCourtroom Scene

http://www.frankwbaker.com/tkam_lesson_plan_floor_plan

Movies As HistoryMovies As History

Moving ImagesMoving Images

What’s your favorite movie?What’s your favorite movie?

Before answering, think about Before answering, think about one one scene scene in the film that resonates with in the film that resonates with you. Be very specific.you. Be very specific.

Be prepared to shareBe prepared to share

The Language(s) of FilmThe Language(s) of Film

The Language(s) of FilmThe Language(s) of Filmtools & techniques which create meaningtools & techniques which create meaning

CamerasCameras LightsLights AudioAudio Post-production (editing, sfx, etc)Post-production (editing, sfx, etc) Set designSet design Actors: expressions; body language;Actors: expressions; body language;

costume; makeupcostume; makeup

Language of FilmLanguage of Film Academy Awards CategoryAcademy Awards Category

Cameras; Lights Cameras; Lights Cinematography; Directing Cinematography; Directing

Audio Audio Music; Sound Editing; Sound Mixing Music; Sound Editing; Sound Mixing

Set Design Set Design Production Design Production Design

Post Production Post Production Film Editing; Visual Effects Film Editing; Visual Effects

Actors Actors Best Actor/Actress;Best Actor/Actress;Supporting Actor/ActressSupporting Actor/ActressCostume Design; Makeup & Hairstyling Costume Design; Makeup & Hairstyling

Timely News

RecommendedResources

Lesson Plans; Books/Videos

How to “read” a filmHow to “read” a film

Close reading involves Close reading involves “deconstructing” the text and in film “deconstructing” the text and in film that means understanding that means understanding film terminologyfilm terminology..

Roger Ebert, film criticadvocates

frame analysis

Rule-of-thirds

Camera Focus Color Symbolism

Lighting

“To Kill A Mockingbird”

“Citizen Kane” “Pleasantville” “The Wizard of Oz”

What decisions did the director make for the scene to appear authentic?What decisions did the director make for the scene to appear authentic?

From Page To ScreenFrom Page To ScreenThe Adaptation ProcessThe Adaptation Process

StoryboardingStoryboarding

Group 1: POV of Store ManagerGroup 1: POV of Store Manager

Group 2: POV of OpalGroup 2: POV of Opal

Group 3: POV of the dogGroup 3: POV of the dog

Actual BOWD StoryboardsActual BOWD Storyboards

The Benefits of Digital StorytellingThe Benefits of Digital Storytelling 1.1. The students have ownership over the content they The students have ownership over the content they

are creating, and when their stories are shared in are creating, and when their stories are shared in school or on social media, they are proud of their school or on social media, they are proud of their work.work.

2.2. After the students create stories, Shannon catalogs After the students create stories, Shannon catalogs them in the library. The kids feel like real authors, them in the library. The kids feel like real authors, which is a ton of fun for them.which is a ton of fun for them.

3.3. Creating stories engages students in the class Creating stories engages students in the class material at a higher level than simply consuming material at a higher level than simply consuming stories does.stories does.

4.4. Students hone their essential public speaking skills Students hone their essential public speaking skills when they present their final stories in front of their when they present their final stories in front of their peers.peers.

5.5. Working in small groups or pairs strengthens their Working in small groups or pairs strengthens their collaborating skills.collaborating skills.

Source: http://www.buncee.com/blog/shannon-miller-digital-storytelling-ideas/

Film Ideas for the ClassroomFilm Ideas for the Classroom

Read a passage; then storyboard itRead a passage; then storyboard it For Your Consideration: Analyzing Oscar For Your Consideration: Analyzing Oscar

AdsAds Using Film in The Literature ClassroomUsing Film in The Literature Classroom Movie Trailers As Persuasive TextsMovie Trailers As Persuasive Texts Scriptwriting In The ClassroomScriptwriting In The Classroom Documentaries in the ClassroomDocumentaries in the Classroom Examine how film perpetrates Examine how film perpetrates

stereotypesstereotypes Use DVD Extras to Teach Film LanguageUse DVD Extras to Teach Film Language

From: Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix

Free Disney iBookFree Disney iBook

RecommendedRecommended

ResourcesResources

www.movieclips.com www.movieclips.com Foley Artist

ResourcesResourcesStreaming Video Clips for Teaching About Media

www.frankwbaker.com/streaming_mlwww.frankwbaker.com/streaming_mlApps For Teaching Media

www.frankwbaker.com/online_interactive_ml_resources.htmwww.frankwbaker.com/online_interactive_ml_resources.htm

EvaluationEvaluation

Complete the evaluation & include Complete the evaluation & include your email to receive a link to a copy your email to receive a link to a copy of this PowerPoint (via SlideShare)of this PowerPoint (via SlideShare)

Close Reading of Media TextsClose Reading of Media Texts

Frank W. BakerFrank W. Bakermedia ed consultantmedia ed consultant

fbaker1346@aol.com fbaker1346@aol.com Twitter @fbakerTwitter @fbaker