Answering question 1

Answering  question  1:  Textual  Analysis  

Part  1:  What  to  make  notes  about.  

Before  starting  the  exam  you  will  be  shown  a  Moving  Image  clip.  You  will  be  shown  the  clip  a  few  times  and  given  an  opportunity  to  make  thorough  notes.  

MAKE  GOOD  USE  OF  THIS  TIME!  

To  help  you  decide  what  to  make  notes  on  look  at  the  question  in  the  exam  paper,  you  will  be  prompted  as  to  what  areas  you  should  make  notes  on.  

This  guide  is  to  help  you  know  what  to  write  notes  on  whilst  the  clips  are  shown  and  provide  tips  on  how  to  answer  the  question  fully  and  effectively.  

There  are  several  issues  to  address.  

Firstly,  what  will  you  be  shown  in  the  clip?  The  answer  could  be  anything  from  the  following:  

• An  extract  or  trailer  from  a  film  or  television  programme  • An  extract  or  trailer  from  a  video  game  • An  opening  sequence  of  a  film  or  TV  programme    • One  or  more  TV  advertisements  • A  music  video  

Secondly,  what  will  you  be  asked  to  do?  The  answer  is  very  simple:  Analyse  the  clip!  

Obviously  this  gives  you  an  almost  endless  amount  of  things  to  look  at  and  analyse  –  therefore  the  exam  paper  will  ask  you  to  write  about  specific  areas  and  analyse  particular  codes.  There  will  usually  be  two  or  three  from  this  list:  

• Generic  codes  • Narrative  codes  • Visual  codes  • Audio  codes  • Technical  codes  

Although  there  are  distinct  elements  that  fall  within  each  category  it  is  important  to  remember  that  your  analysis  within  each  category  is  likely  to  overlap  with  another.  However  whichever  codes  you  see  in  the  exam  paper  -­‐before  you  watch  the  clip-­‐  should  influence  what  you  make  your  notes  about.  

Let’s  look  at  each  set  of  codes  in  a  little  more  detail...  

Technical  Codes  

This  is  the  way  a  text  is  constructed  and  suggests  the  production  values  of  the  text-­‐  they  can  generally  be  divided  into  the  following  areas:  

1. Camera  Shots  &  Camera  Angles  –  make  notes  on  what  different  types  of  camera  shots  and  angles  have  been  used  and  start  to  think  about  why  they  have  been  used.    

2. Editing  –  look  at  the  order  in  which  shots  have  been  constructed,  make  notes  on  the  type  of  edits  used  and  think  about  the  length  of  each  shot  –  i.e.  the  pace  of  the  editing.  Again  make  notes  on  editing  that  stands  out  and  think  about  why  a  particular  technique  has  been  used.      

Audio  Codes  

The  sounds  in  a  text  can  be  just  as  important  or  evocative  as  the  sights  so  remember  to  listen  just  as  carefully  as  you  watch.  If  you  are  asked  to  analyse  the  audio  codes  then  you  can  divide  your  notes  into  three  different  areas.  

Diegetic  sound  –  sound  that  comes  from  within  the  narrative,  sounds  that  the  characters  can  hear  whether  it  be  dialogue,  music  or  explosions!  

1. Sound  effects  –  Think  about  the  sound  effects  you  expect  to  hear  in  certain  genres  of  texts.  Make  notes  on  how  sound  effects  serve  the  narrative  and  think  about  why  they  have  been  used.  

2. Dialogue  –  listen  to  what  is  said  and  its  importance  to  the  plot.  Also  think  about  the  style  of  the  dialogue  and  the  way  it  is  delivered.  Think  about  whether  this  serves  the  genre  or  develops  the  characters.  You  need  to  say  why  certain  choices  have  been  made  by  actors,  writers  and  directors.  

Non-­‐digetic  sound  –  sound  which  is  outside  the  narrative.  Sound  which  can’t  be  heard  by  characters  or  inside  the  world  of  the  text  can  include:  

3. Musical  scores,  sound  tracks,  voice-­‐overs,  canned  laughter.  Be  sure  to  make  notes  on  anything  you  hear  –  but  importantly  write  down  why  that  particular  style  of  music  or  non-­‐diegetic  device  has  been  used.    

Visual  Codes  

This  might  seem  like  the  easiest  set  of  codes  to  be  asked  to  analyse  –  however  there  are  lots  to  choose  from.  To  analyse  visual  codes  effectively  you  must  be  organised  in  the  way  you  make  notes  on  what  you  see,  and  never  forget  that  you  are  looking  for  meaning  in  any  visual  code  you  pick  out.  

1. Mise  en  scene  –  this  essentially  refers  to  everything  that  is  in  front  of  the  camera  and  therefore  covers  a  lot  of  different  elements  but  can  be  broken  down  into:  

a. Lighting  –  look  for  high  key/low  key,  use  of  shadows,  natural  etc  b. Props  –  are  they  important  to  the  plot,  are  they  symbolic  etc  c. Costume  (and  make  up)  –  What  does  it  say  about  the  character,  what  does  

it  tell  the  audience  about  the  narrative  ,  and  so  on.  d. Setting  –  what  does  the  environment  the  narrative  takes  place  in  tell  the  

audience?  Does  the  audience  learn  more  about  the  characters  by  the  world  they  inhabit  

In  all  these  instances  you  are  looking  for  elements  that  are  suitable  for  analysis  –  which  means  you  must  be  thinking  about  why  they  are  there.  

2. Technique  –  the  way  in  which  the  image  is  presented  carries  meaning,  for  example,  black  &  white,  soft  focus.  As  you  can  see  this  has  potential  to  overlap  with  your  analysis  of  technical  codes.  What  you  must  remember  is  that  any  techniques  you  recognise  must  also  be  accompanied  by  reasons  why  those  techniques  have  been  used.    

3. Gesture/Expression  –  Body  language  and  facial  expressions  communicate  messages  that  can  be  analysed  as  important  to  plot  or  to  develop  characters.    

Narrative  Codes  

The  narrative  of  any  text  can  be  read  and  analysed  using  various  different  theories  developed  over  the  years  which  highlight  certain  key  elements  of  any  text’s  narrative.  

1. Structure  –  how  is  the  narrative  organised?  Are  there  any  of  Todorov’s  Stages  of  Narrative  recognisable.    

2. Characters  –  Are  the  characters  recognisable  or  archetypical  of  the  genre?  Also  consider  Propp’s  theory  of  character  functions.  Do  any  of  the  characters  in  the  clip  fulfil  any  of  the  roles  Propp  identifies  in  his  theory,  and  how  do  you  know?    

3. Themes  –  What  themes  are  evident  from  the  text,  and  what  does  it  tell  us  about  the  Genre  and  the  Narrative?  To  help  you  do  this,  consider  Levi  Strauss’  theory  of  

Binary  Oppositions.  What  elements  of  the  text  show  the  audience  opposing  themes  and  how  are  they  typical  of  the  genre?  For  example;  identify  the  ways  in  which  the  opposing  themes  of  Technology  and  Nature  are  presented  in  the  trailer  of  a  science  fiction  movie.    

4. Narrative  Techniques  –  How  does  the  narrative  involve  an  audience  in  the  text?  Roland  Barthes  identified  Enigma  codes  which  encourage  the  audience  to  ask  questions  and  make  them  curious  to  continue  watching/listening,  and  Action  codes  which  advance  the  story  and  signify  to  an  audience  that  an  event  will  take  place.    

5. Audience  positioning  –  Through  a  variety  of  technical  codes  a  text  can  give  meaning  to  a  story  by  positioning  the  audience  in  different  ways.  Examples  include  POV  shots,  Flashbacks,  Parallel  Narratives,  putting  the  camera  in  apparently  impossible  positions  and  in  privileged  positions.      

Generic  Codes  

Generic  conventions  can  be  grouped  under  the  following  headings:  

1. Characters  2. Narrative  3. Setting  4. Technical  and  Audio  codes  

All  of  which  we  have  looked  at  in  one  way  or  another  in  this  guide.  If  you  are  asked  to  analyse  the  generic  codes  of  a  text  then  choose  a  variety  of  the  conventions  above  making  sure  that  you  can  justify  why  you  are  analysing  them.  They  should  be  codes  that  either  conform  to  or  break  an  audience’s  expectations  of  the  given  genre.    

The  final  element  you  should  look  at  when  analysing  genre  is:  

5. Iconography  –  these  are  the  elements  that  are  always  associated  with  the  genre.  These  could  be  a  character,  a  prop  a  setting  or  even  a  camera  shot  that  is  always  linked  with  that  specific  genre.  

So  if  you  didn’t  realise  already  –  there  are  loads  of  things  for  you  to  make  notes  on  whilst  the  clip  is  being  shown  and  during  the  time  you  are  given  specifically  for  note  making.  What  should  also  be  obvious  is  how  the  areas  outlined  above  can  actually  overlap.  Hopefully  now  you  should  have  a  better  idea  of  how  to  organise  your  notes,  and  to  make  sure  you  are  making  them  on  the  correct  areas.  

If  any  of  the  phrases,  media  terminology,  or  theories  used  above  are  unfamiliar  then  go  back  to  your  notes  and  revise  them!  If  you  can’t  find  them  anywhere  then  compile  a  list  of  all  the  things  you  are  unsure  about  and  ask  you  r  teacher  to  talk  through  them  with  you.  

Part  2:  How  to  organise  my  answer.  

There  is  no  definitive  right  or  wrong  answer  to  this  question.  However  there  are  ways  that  can  make  your  life  easier  and  your  response  seem  more  sophisticated.  

The  most  common  way  that  students  will  attempt  to  analyse  a  clip  is  not  the  most  organised.  The  temptation  to  analyse  a  clip  chronologically  is  too  much  for  many  students  and  they  will  often  find  themselves  talking  through  the  extract  or  trailer  from  start  to  finish.  This  has  several  drawbacks:  

• You  often  have  to  rely  on  your  memory  as  to  what  order  elements  occur  

• It  is  easy  to  repeat  analyses  of  certain  elements  (for  example,  shot  type)  whilst  ignoring  others  (for  example,  editing)  

• Jumping  from  an  analysis  of  one  set  of  codes  to  another  can  seem  a  little  disorganised.  

• Once  you  have  gone  from  the  start  of  a  text  to  the  end  you  may  feel  that  there  is  nothing  left  to  analyse  when  there  is  plenty  still  to  be  done...  

• ...The  flipside  of  this  is  that  you  could  quite  easily  run  out  of  time  and  accidentally  neglect  codes  that  you  were  supposed  to  analyse.    

How  to  organise  your  answer  

If  you  have  organised  your  notes  according  to  the  codes  the  question  has  asked  you  for  then  you  can  repeat  this  same  order  when  answering  the  question.  

This  shows  the  examiner  you  have  approached  the  text  logically.  It  also  makes  it  easier  for  you  to  accrue  maximum  marks.  

Spend  an  equal  amount  of  time  on  each  of  the  codes  you  have  been  asked  to  analyse.  You  have  approx.  45  minutes  after  the  clip  has  been  shown  several  times  and  you  have  made  your  notes.  If  the  exam  has  asked  you  to  focus  on  two  types  of  code  e.g.  Visual  &  Narrative  then  spend  just  over  twenty  minutes  on  each.  If  you  have  to  analyse  three  types  of  code  spend  roughly  quarter  of  an  hour  on  each.  

Simples!  

Part  3:  How  to  write  your  analysis.  

There’s  no  point  having  made  notes  on  all  of  the  different  elements  you  have  been  asked  to  analyse  if  you  do  nothing  but  describe  exactly  what  you  saw  in  the  clip.  Analysis  is  NOT  simply  retelling  the  examiner  what  happened  in  the  extract.  

The  emboldened:  Why.  

More  observant  readers  will  have  noticed  that  Part  1  of  this  guide  put  a  particular  emphasis  on  one  word  that  is  key  to  your  analysis:  Why.  

Once  you  have  recognised  a  technique,  described  where  it  appears  in  the  extract  and  explained  its  relevance  you  MUST  say  why  it  is  important.  

Remember  that  you  are  looking  for  secondary  levels  of  meaning  from  what  you  see,  reasons  why  techniques  have  been  selected.  A  good  (and  simple)  way  of  structuring  each  of  your  paragraphs  is  to:  

1. Write  down  what  is  denoted  –  what  you  actually  see/hear,  recognise  the  technique  or  device  used.  

2. Write  down  the  connotations  –  what  is  associated  with  or  signified  by  the  technique/device  used  

3. Explain  what  impact  this  will  have  on  the  audience  

If  followed,  these  steps  are  simple  and  will  help  you  avoid  falling  into  the  classic  trap  of  simply  describing  what  you  see.  

Key  phrases  to  use.  

You  want  to  impress  the  examiners  so  use  the  sort  of  words  they  love  to  hear!  

• connotes  • signifies  • implies  • suggests  • symbolises  

Part  4:  An  example  analysis.  

In  order  to  provide  an  analysis  of  a  Moving  Image  text  it  is  best  to  choose  a  text  that  everyone  knows.  Based  on  the  principle  that  everyone  has  seen  (even  if  they  don’t  like)  The  Simpsons,  the  sample  analysis  will  be  based  on  the  opening  sequence.  

If  you  really  haven’t  seen  it  before  then:  1)  I  don’t  believe  you  and:  2)  watch  any  week  day  on  Channel  4  at  six  in  the  evening.  

Based  on  my  3  part  structure  to  writing  an  analytical  paragraph  I  will  provide  a  thorough  example  of  analysis  for  a  selection  of  different  codes.  Pictures  have  been  provided  as  a  reminder  of  the  clips  being  analysed  but  remember  this  analysis  is  of  the  text  as  a  moving  image  sequence.  

Example  A  –  Analysis  of  the  Generic  codes  

Although  The  Simpsons  is  quite  clearly  an  animated  TV  series,  it  should  not  be  considered  just  a  cartoon.    The  opening  sequence  presents  to  the  audience  many  of  the  conventions  associated  with  the  sit-­‐com.  Sit-­‐coms  are  usually  set  in  surroundings  that  are  familiar  to  an  audience  and  revolve  around  situations  that  an  audience  may  be  able  to  identify  with.  Often  this  is  a  domestic  

setting  where  the  characters  are  a  family  and  The  Simpsons  is  no  exception  to  this.  The  mise-­‐en-­‐scene  of  the  last  shot  of  the  opening  sequence  is  in  a  traditionally  decorated  living  room,  with  all  the  members  of  a  traditional  family.    

There  is  much  to  tell  from  this  final  shot  of  the  sequence.  Firstly  the  prominence  of  the  television  in  the  foreground  of  the  shot  implies  that  the  TV  plays  an  important  role  in  this  family’s  life.  The  picture  on  the  wall  denotes  a  conventional  living  room,  but  the  fact  that  it  is  crooked  connotes  that  perhaps  this  family  leads  a  hectic  life.  

Finally  it  is  obvious  that  the  sofa  is  missing,  this  signifies  to  the  audience  that  this  TV  series  may  be  a  little  more  surreal  than  your  average  sit-­‐com.  However  it  is  also  an  intertextual  reference  for  those  who  watch  the  show  regularly  as  they  will  know  that  the  opening  sequence  always  ends  with  a  visual  joke  based  around  the  sofa.  This  recurring  joke  rewards  regular  audiences  as  it  is  one  of  the  expectations  of  the  show.  

Example  B  –  Analysis  of  the  Technical  &  Audio  codes  

Throughout  the  opening  sequence  there  is  a  hectic  fast  pace  to  the  action,  the  music  and  the  editing.  The  camera  zooms  and  pans  quickly  from  one  scene  to  the  next  and  the  edits  quickly  cut  in  time  with  the  music  as  it  jumps  between  characters  and  locations.  An  example  of  this  is  

when  Marge  puts  her  shopping  through  the  checkout  at  the  supermarket.  The  cashier  picks  up  baby  Maggie  by  mistake  and  swipes  her  through  the  scanner.  

The  fast  paced  editing,  music  and  camera  movements  symbolise  The  Simpson’s  hectic  life.  Marge  is  depicted  as  a  mother  who  is  always  on  the  go,  busy  and  responsible  for  the  

welfare  of  her  children.  Maggie’s  adventure  at  the  supermarket  connotes  that  Marge  cannot  take  her  eye  from  her  children  without  them  getting  into  trouble.  

At  the  moment  Maggie  is  scanned  a  sound  effect  of  the  cash  register  beeping  can  be  heard  over  the  opening  music.  This  introduction  of  a  recognisable  diegetic  sound  over  the  non-­‐diegetic  musical  score  signifies  the  absurd  crossover  between  reality  and  fantasy  and  reminds  the  audience  that  this  is  set  in  a  world  they  know  but  with  bizarre  possibilities.  

Example  C  –  Analysis  of  the  Narrative  codes  

In  any  sit-­‐com  or  cartoon  that  is  centred  on  family  life,  the  audience  will  expect  to  see  the  ‘naughty  boy’  character.  In  The  Simpsons  this  character  is  Bart.  The  opening  sequence  makes  his  role  in  the  series  clear  from  the  first  shot  he  is  seen  in;  as  the  camera  swoops  down  from  an  establishing  shot  of  the  school  and  through  a  classroom  window  where  the  audience  can  see  Bart  writing  out  lines  on  

the  blackboard  as  a  punishment.  

To  the  audience  Bart’s  actions  clearly  denote  that  he  is  a  naughty  school  boy,  his  angry  facial  expression  and  spiky  hair  also  imply  that  he  is  a  typically  wayward  student.  The  line  he  is  writing  over  and  over  also  suggests  that  he  has  been  rude  in  class  towards  his  country’s  Pledge  of  Allegiance,  all  factors  which  contribute  to  his  archetypical  character.  

Bart’s  subversive  attitude  towards  school  and  his  own  nation  reveal  that  the  narrative  of  The  Simpsons  itself  may  take  a  subversive  and  satirical  look  at  society.  The  sequence  provides  examples  of  Levi  Strauss’  binary  oppositions  as  we  see  the  conflict  between  authority  and  lawlessness.  The  way  that  the  shot  is  framed;  cropped  by  the  window  may  also  connote  Bart’s  feelings  of  being  trapped  and  again  may  represent  the  binary  oppositions  of  individualism  versus  conformity.  

Part  5:  What  to  do  next.  

OK  so  now  you  know  what’s  going  to  happen  and  how  to  do  it  right  you’re  probably  wondering  what  to  do  next  To  make  sure  that  you  are  revising  as  thoroughly  as  possible.  

I  could  set  an  endless  amount  of  Textual  Analysis  questions  for  you  to  complete  and  indeed,  we  will  be  completing  some  as  we  approach  the  exam,  however,  you  can  do  them  yourself.  

Here  is  a  step  by  step  guide  of  how  to  revise  for  Question  1  efficiently.  

1. Actually  write  answers  rather  than  reading  over  notes  or  just  making  plans  –  both  off  these  are  a  poor  substitute  for  doing  what  you  are  actually  going  to  be  asked  to  do  in  the  exam.  I  can’t  stress  this  enough!    

2. Pick  a  medium  that  you  would  like  to  practice  writing  an  analysis  for.    

3. Pick  two  or  three  codes  that  you  could  be  asked  to  analyse  (pick  appropriate  codes  rather  than  codes  at  random  –  i.e.  you  don’t  really  want  to  be  analysing  generic  codes  for  TV  advertising  etc)    

4. Find  a  suitable  clip  on  the  internet  that  is  approximately  2-­‐3  minutes  long.  Use  youtube  or  the  Apple  trailers  website  or  Google  videos.  Be  sensible  –  you  will  never  be  asked  to  analyse  a  viral  or  a  video  of  someone’s  cat  playing  the  violin  or  any  of  the  other  trivial  (but  funny)  rubbish  that  you  can  find  online.  

WARNING:  Don’t  spend  ages  doing  this  –  that  would  be  a  waste  of  time,  if  you  have  problems  then  see  me.  

5. Go  through  the  note  taking  process  –  just  watch  the  sequence  once,  then  watch  it  again  whilst  making  notes,  then  just  make  notes  for  ten  minutes,  remember  the  notes  should  be  based  on  the  set  of  codes  that  you  gave  yourself  in  step  3.    

6. Then  write!  You  should  write  about  a  variety  of  codes  in  your  answer  and  probably  spend  about  40-­‐45  minutes  writing  your  analysis.  Remember  that  the  more  points  you  make  –  the  more  marks  you  are  likely  to  get.    

7. If  you  want  you  can  bring  your  completed  answer  to  me  and  together  we  can  look  over  it,  give  it  a  grade  and  see  how  you  can  improve  for  next  time.  

Revision Plan for Question 1: Textual Analysis

This is the mantra: Revise by doing!

If note taking is a concern for you then practice this over and over again. You can use any clips available on YouTube or other video sites, choose two or three from Audio/Visual/Technical/Narrative/Genre codes. Then:

1. Watch the sequence once – just watch! 2. Watch it again – begin to make notes. 3. Make notes for ten minutes – keep making notes. If you find it difficult after a while then just

write sown anything you remember seeing in the sequence. 4. Watch it a final time catching any last bits you couldn’t quite remember 5. Look at the notes, make a quick essay plan – in the 45 minutes you have to answer, which

codes would you analyse?

If you are not confident with writing the analysis, then practice. That is the only way to guarantee improvement.

Look at the sample answers given for other questions to ensure that you are analysing enough and not just describing.

Remember to include lots of theories – and use the mark scheme provided to get the highest mark possible. Email them to me once you have done them. I will mark them to see how you have got on.

These are the different types of Audio Visual material that could be given to you in the exam:

• Film trailer or film extract • TV extract (any genre) • Music Video • TV News • TV adverts • Video Game extract • Radio Sequence

All of these things can be easily found on You Tube – but also keep an eye on the revision page on…

www.sssfcmediastudies.blogspot.co.uk

…there  will  be  examples  for  you  to  do.  

If  you  find  any  clipsor  videos  online  that  you  think  would  be  appropriate  then  email  me  a  link  or  post  them  on  the  blog  yourself!  

Once  you’ve  had  a  go  then  give  it  to  me  and  I  can  give  you  either  written  or  verbal  feedback!  

...and  finally...  

A  few  last  wise  words.  

Revise  by  DOING  

Always  use  MEDIA  LANGUAGE  

Don’t  just  describe-­‐  ANALYSE  

but  most  of  all...  

DON’T  PANIC!  

When  you’ve  done  your  exam  you  can  celebrate  in  any  way  you  feel  is  appropriate.