Unit 6: Critical Approaches toCreative Media Products

Assignment 2

Task 1:Scenario: You are a university media researcher who has been asked to write an article for a Media Student magazine. Write an article for the Media Magazine in which you comprehensively explain how media audiences respond to media products such as music promos and horror films. The editor of the magazine wants you to use elucidated examples and to consistently use subject terminology.

Hi there, I am student in London and I am going to explain how the media audiences respond to the media products such as, music promos and horror films. Whilst doing my research I found out that media have plenty of theories that the media rely on if influences and behaviour of people. As some people believe that the media has a negative effect on people whereas, some believe that media has a positive effect on people.

As I was discussed in my introduction I researched one of the audience theory such as, effects debate, the hypodermic needle model. This is based on a theory that the media believe that it has a direct and powerful effect on the audience such as, the media thinks that parts of the media industry influences a large amount of people as they betray a certain message to the audience e.g., in music video and films. For example, as we look at the 2 artificial article from the media we see that they use the theory hypodermic needle model. Whilst reading this article I found out Horror movies have a lasting effect on teens more than adults. As research showed that ‘1its not easy to predict who will develop anxiety disorder or phobia from a horror movie, but children and teen might be at higher risk than adults.’ This implies that research showed that the media thinks that horror movies have a higher risk of negative effect such as, anxiety and phobia. I know right that can be really DISTURBING for children. By this we can say that the media takes the theory- hypodermic needle model seriously, for example, the BBFC grade boundaries are there to protect young valuable children from harmful footage from movies such as, Horror movies. On the other hand other people view horror movies different as some will say that movie are good for you as they like the effect that hold on people such as, the adrenaline and the tension some people enjoy that feeling of being scared. 1 http://www.livestrong.com/article /1004470-lasting-effects-horror-movies-children-teens/

https://www.utwente.nl/en/bms/communication-theories/sorted-by-cluster/Mass%20Media/Hypodermic_Needle_Theory/

Another section that the media focuses on and uses the hypodermic needle model theory is a music video as some genre of music betrayed a certain image and message. For instance, Grime music some people stereotype or socialite black people with guns, gangs and drugs. Which it not the case. As we look at this article the media believe strongly that music video might have a negative effect on the people especially on the music lyrics. For example research states that ‘Rock music lyrics have become increasing explicit- reference to sex, drugs and violence. Such as, lyrics are of special concern in today‘s environment.’ This implies that the media thinks that the lyrics have effect on the people. Whereas, some may argue that music video have a positive effect on people ‘ Most teenagers tends to interpret their favourite as being about love, friend ship, growing up, life’s struggles, having fun , cars and other topics that relate to teenage life.’ This implies that all teenager’s life and it’s normal. What do you guys think? Ok, take this as an example the music video ‘Skepta Shut Down’ as Skepta samples a footage from the media ‘a bunch of young men, all dressed in black. Dancing extremely aggressively on stage it made me feel so intimated and it’s not what I expected to see on prime TV ’ This shows that media thinks some music video is sending a bad message such as, gangs.

Another theory I came across when researching is Passive or active consumption. 2An active consumption is when the audience will engage and discuss media messages that comes across to them and sometimes question the media messages through life experiences. This implies that people will get involved in media allegations about film and music video. However, 3passive consumption is when the audience doesn’t engage or question the media message but just accepts it, this what media outlets want to achieve when making a film or show as they want to view to except and not question. This suggest that some audience does not always believe what the media put out on social media. Who thinks that music is an important factors in their life? Well an article states ‘4music is important to teenagers’ identity and helps them define important social and subcultural boundaries. The results of one survey of 2760 14-to 16-years-olds in 10 different southeastern cities. This implies that most teenager love music and it can help them to understand different culture and countries.

2 https://mediafort.wordpress.com/2013/07/01/passive-or-active-consumption/comment-page-1/3 https://mediafort.wordpress.com/2013/07/01/passive-or-active-consumption/comment-page-1/4 http://www.ausfamily.org/resources/media-influnce/115-impact-of-music-lyrics-and-music-video

How many people watch horror movies or music videos to for entertainment or information? Well I known that I watch music video for entertainment and the style of music to get whole picture to get feel for the lyrics and message. However, in article it implies that kids are supposed to watch horror movies it part of human nature and every teenager watch horror at the age of 13. That’s young is it? This came under the theory-uses and gratifications theory & reception study. This mean some people might watch movies and music video for entertainment or for information led.

Another theory that I came across is Responses such as, negotiated; preferred; oppositional; participatory and cultural competence- fan culture. Some say that the films industry manipulate the audience feelings, for example, film may make the audience think or feel for character present or acting this is called oppositional. Another responded is preferred which means that the films is structure to make an audience feel a certain way such as, the romantic film are aimed to make cry or happy. For example the notebook is has sad parts throughout the movie also brings out realistic relationship struggles and the audience can relate to. Another response is negotiated this is when 5the audience put their own opinions and values towards the product. This implies that the audience will watch the film and judge it based on their own opinion. For example, ‘Get Out’ it makes people feel in a certain way for example jumpy and makes the audience think more to figure out the plot.

Task 2 –The Media Magazine has asked you to write a follow up article in which you present an analysis of a media product with supporting arguments and elucidated examples, and consistently using subject terminology correctly.

In a music video there are different types of codes and convection of genre that music a music video hyper real and makes an individual artist create their image. There are different types of genre such as, pop music, R&B, Hip-Hop- Rock Metal and Indie. In order to have a

5 http://carasmediaworld.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/negotiated-preferred-and-oppositional.html

successful music video you need to know the genre an artist is going for to fit their target audiences. The media makes sure that the audiences understands their product by making it clear to the audiences what they are producing and putting out certain message to the audience. For example, in films the will have a storyline or plot in a movie such in horror movie they will have plot. Also the media provides this information through lyrics and the music video as the audience will get better understanding of the message they are trying betray and some cases it works. For instance, ‘Cadet- Stereotype’ is a strong message the artist sending out to the audience as he talks about education, family, work and how he missed out and he follow the media betray as ‘Black people.’ In this music video he is owning up to his wrong and trying to fixed.

As I was researching I come across the genre R&B which is usually is slow tempo and is usually based on the theme of relationships. An artist that incorporate the genre R&B in the music video is Ne-Yo ‘Mad’. ‘Mad’ by Ne-Yo is designed to set a mood which is usually sad or happy. Another example that has sense of happy or sad moment’s relationship in the artist’s music video is ‘Curtain Close’ by Ray J. In this video he artist explains his relationship that has happy bits and sad bits. Another R&B music video that has theme of happy sad is ‘Boys two Men- End of the Road’ that is sad theme of relationship is broken. However not all R&B are not always depressing comparing to another example, Nelly ft Kelly Rowland- Dilemma’ Have the same theme which is happy and more up lifting.

MES

R&B music video are usually slow tempo and designed to make the target audience get a sense of feel. The music video ‘Mad’ has MES that is suited to the music which is laid back clothing whereas, in a Hip-Hop or Pop music video the MES would be very strong with clothing and props use in the music video, such as, Lady Gaga- Bad Romance as she is wearing different clothing that really brings out her image as being creative and wild and prop used product placement such as beats headphone, whereas the genre does not have no product placement. Another example that uses MES that is suited to the genre R&B ‘Curtain Close’ by Ray j. the artist is wearing laid back clothing, however the artist wearing 2 different outfits one was laid back and suit and tie. The music video ‘Boys two Men- End of the Road’ have same sense MES, which the clothing is laid back. Last example, Nelly ft Kelly Rowland- Dilemma’ has MES that suited to the trend in that time period of time that is also laid back clothing. Even though it is in black and white you can also see lightening being used such as low key lightening.

The music video is shot as a short film as at the beginning of music there was an intro of two character auguring and then goes into the song. It also had narrative throughout the music video starring the artist taking on a character that going through a difficult time in his relationship. We also see this in Curtain Close’ by Ray and ‘Boys two Men- End of the Road’ when both of artists shows difficult time during their relation whether it they lost their love ones and they had an argument, and also has short introduction whilst music video is playing. Base on three type of music video the genre R&B usually base on couples. Whereas Nelly ft Kelly Rowland- Dilemma’ is different because it has an introduction of film even though there is no dialog you can see it that acting before song starts .

Camera Work

In this video they also use camera shots such as, close up is to focus on the artist more and through this techniques we see the characters emotions. Also uses camera shots such as over the shoulder shot to show that the character is more dominate so in this case the girl was more dominate. There are some camera movement such as panning and still shot this is because the camera person want to focus on the artist more. ‘Curtain Close’ by Ray J’ also has close up in the music video when fades to his suit and shows important event in the artist lives at time (1.57-1.59). Also Nelly ft Kelly Rowland- Dilemma’ has some close up such as, the artist’s face to show emotion at time (4.08-4.09). However Boys two Men- End of the Road’ do not have any close ups in the music video.

Editing

All the shots are slow paste cutting to beat of song due to R&B are quite slow. In music video ‘Mad’ by Ne-Yo there different location being show for example, house, street and a cemetery. This music video would be filmed with a single camera and broken down is series of shots base on editing of the soundtrack. As watching the music video it was continuity editing no jump cut are showed. All of this music video all consider this editing for example, Curtain Close’ by Ray j’ had loads of fades into the next shot or scene, as well as boys to men Boys two Men- End of the Road’ Nelly ft Kelly Rowland- Dilemma’ are all slow songs and because of this the editing or paste of this song is not that fast or upbeat e.g colour)

Over time we see music video has change depending on what audiences like or prefer this is maybe because social media betray music video in certain why on base on their life style. For example, R&B music video 2000s there are more settle and their MES is different to 2017 R&B such as, the clothing the artist wore is related to the time period and the lifestyle is different is more real as setting an image of lots of money or fancy cars. Whereas, 2017 music video the girls are betrayed in more sexy way. For example, Mary J. Blige - Be Without You.’ as you can see the clothing was laid back, also the video is black and white which gives a sense of realest and truth. Now progress in 2017 we see more of the story and we can see a major change on the MES e.g. clothing trends is more different as it more fitted, for example, LeToya Luckett - Back 2 Life. Also it more in depth such as cheating and relationship.

In conclusion whilst watching all 4 music 2 of the video it was in black and white. Black and white purposely use for a sense of intelligent and realism. In R&B videos the artist usually has black and white. But in this case Ne-Yo done different to create meaning which is this relationship has no life and mood is dark. Similar to this theme is Curtain Close’ by Ray j’ which also a black and white music video. However Boys two Men- End of the Road’ and Nelly ft Kelly Rowland- Dilemma’ has colour to music video.

Now in let get into horror films and how the ty develop over years as they was based on a certain theme or subject such as, a cure as in the …. They was disease and there was only vampire and werewolf. This symbolise that vampire and werewolf are toxics and they are virus. For example if watch ‘World War Z’ the plot or theme is about destructions and end of world and use the virus of zombies. But however, it does not affect disable people as they were made differently. In the beginning of the film there was no equilibrium it started des equilibrium which was disruption and trigger to the plot of humanity of human being effect by this deadly virus. In world war z there are multi-stranded character such as the main character and sub character playing the role to save humanity. Throughout the film there is climax which is most exciting films such as when they thought they were safe and at some parts a zombie comes and kills off plenty of human and on the plane. Near the end there was resolution as the problem has been solved for the human but not for people who turned into a zombie however, there is close narrative which that they found cure for the people to stay alive. However there is no emgia as does

not create that mystery as it tells the audience what the main actors what to do.

Representation: negative; positive; of social groups; of social issues; stereotyping; presence and absence. Another film that took horror as a different approach is ‘Get Out’ this is a recent film in the film industry. In the film ‘Get Out’ it about social issue of black people of being slavery or treating like animal as the white people are human trafficking blacking. In the film ‘Get Out.’ Also uses social class as white people are higher up and have money. By having this kinds themes the media hypodermic needle model as betrayed a certain message to the

audience that some states in American be racist and still hold people as slaves. But however some see the film in a different aspect as white people want to aferican American so much that they want to experience what it like to be them. Also the theory Passive or active consumption as in this certain film the audience dose not really question the media that much about the film they just excepted the film theme and plot.

The film ‘Get Out’ has narrative structure such as linear sequences. For example in the beginning we see an equilibrium

which is the boyfriend and the girlfriend are going to meet the girls partner and in the middle it has des equilibrium which that the partner are controlling him and he is trying to get out however there is new equilibrium which he finally gets out and he is free. In the film there was more one character that the film was focusing on such as, the mother as she use the tea stirring and words to control the black people, the dad that knows what is going around in the small town and the daughter that brings them into this trap this is called mulit- strand when focus on more one character. However there was not that much climax as the only exciting part is when he tried to Get Out. In the film the plot is twist as there mind is not with them physically and they been hypnotise.

In the film there is lots of mystery on what is going as why the black people acting so strange, we found out the emgia at the in the middle as mother hypnotise the boyfriend and human trafficking. There is no resolution as the problem is fully solve as the people thinks it is acceptable.

In films we see that they will have a plot and equilibrium and have structure however, we see that music video does not have a plot due to the films are longer and they have more time to come up with a plot for example, ‘Get Out’ the plot is control and people want to be other race but the moral of it is to love yourself. Whereas, in a music video does not really have plot depending on the genre

such as, , LeToya Luckett - Back 2 Life has plot and a storyline of couple going through a complicated time which shows equilibrium structure.

Biography http://www.livestrong.com/article /1004470-lasting-effects-horror-movies-children-teens/

https://mediafort.wordpress.com/2013/07/01/passive-or-active-consumption/comment-page-1/

https://mediafort.wordpress.com/2013/07/01/passive-or-active-consumption/comment-page-1/

http://www.ausfamily.org/resources/media-influnce/115-impact-of-music-lyrics-and-music-video

http://carasmediaworld.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/negotiated-preferred-and-oppositional.html