Reception theory

The dominant theory for this advert could be that the producer wanted this to be a message saying that anyone can really play football and they can be the one that 'stands out'. The negotiated theory could be that this is only for boys as the hooded figure is most likely a boy and that this could be aimed at more lower income families as the background definitely suggests that the character is playing in what looks like a council estate. The op positional theory might be that the character could be endorsing anti social behaviour. Another opposite theory may be that this could signify exclusion as there is nobody near him and the buildings around him look desolate and derelict.

The dominant reading of this could suggest that no matter where you come from or what you WERE, you can still be very successful. It can also be that your past can define your future but if you  buy this product, you are set for a life of success. The negotiated meaning of this ad could be that this product is for the 'coolest' of people and that if you wear the trainers then you will be like 50 cent. RBK to the audience seems like a brand that is up to trends that could maybe be associated with a criminal. This leads to the oppositional meaning which could be that RBK is trying to promote criminal activity or that RBK is exclusively for felons or convicts, spreading a message of negativity.

 Do these adverts provide evidence for the idea that audiences are free to interpret messages in a variety of ways - including rejecting them? Answer this question as a mini-essay, exploring both sides of the argument.

The Nike advert has some positive connotations as it is seen as a message for standing out from the crowd and bringing colour into a dark and depressing world. The advert could be interpreted negatively because an ad for anti social behaviour/isolation. This makes the product have images of crime and danger. The ad is free to interpret as it could also suggest that this product is aimed at people who are from a financially challenged background. This could also be interpreted as an ad specifically excluding women of all backgrounds which could heavily impact the reputation of the company. The RBK ad could also suggest that this is to do with anti social behaviour and could potentially endorse criminal activity. Some people could see it as a message that says you can be whatever you want to be. The advert may suggest that no matter your background (suggested by the black background) you can achieve your dreams. RBK have done this using Star Power which utilises a celebrity to be sell a certain product. This is slightly controversial because RBK have chosen to employ an ex 'criminal' which leads to the interpretation that this product is very bad. The connotations of this ad might be that your identity will be shaped by this product and it will help you become a really successful person.

Reading an image

RBK analysis:

The denotation of this ad is to promote identity and the trainer brand. The connotations behind this could be that the trainers help you find who you really are. More connotations include that this is a criminal endorsement.
The colours of this ad could suggest that the background/ethnicity does not matter when wearing Reebok trainers. The same could also be said for the lighting as the light is focusing on him which may connote that others are excluded from buying this item.
The framing of the text could separate the fact that he was a criminal but now he is rich and successful. The type of font also shows that these trainers are meant for people who want to buy into a luxury/sophisticated product.
The slogan is slightly bigger than the quote from 50 Cent which implies that identity means everything and that maybe your identity will come out whilst wearing the product.
The setting is in a dark room which blocks out the background. This shows again that background and other racial/cultural factors are irrelevant when wearing the products.

This advert clearly demonstrates that the person who wears this watch will become as crisp looking as Chris Hemsworth. The denotation of this advert is that a watch will not make you nervous, instead it'll make you confident. The possible connotations of this ad could be that when wearing this watch you could be less susceptible to pressure, as supported by the font #Dontcrackunderpressure which shows that this watch makes you concentrate really well. The colour to the advert shows that this is a very professional brand and the insinuations of the colour blue are crispness and cleanliness. The image of Hemsworth pointing at the consumer suggests that the watch is meant exclusively for us which makes us feel very special. Tag Heuer also use 'Star Power' to push a positive image so that more watches sell due to a particular celebrity endorsing it. In the blurry background, there is a spotlight which is shining directly on Hemsworth which shows that if you wear this product, it will make you stand out from the crowd, which uses the lighting to portray the unique feeling of wearing this product. This setting shows that Hemsworth just came off from a movie set as there are movie cameras which tell us even A Listers wear the watch, pushing the significance of the 'Star Image'. The target audience, who are young men, would buy this due to the image of the celebrity wearing the watch as Hemsworth is seen as an ideal man in today's society. The theme of blue and white shows that this is a very professional scene. The light is also shining onto the watch which shows also that this IS the watch for you and every other watch is meaningless.

Semiotics blog task

English analysis

What meanings are the audience encouraged to take about the two main characters from the opening of the film?

 The audience's first impression of the two main characters are that they intend to create trouble. This hunch comes from their rather tattered and rough clothing choice as well as wearing something that may obscure their faces. In return, the audience would expect these two to create some trouble due to their appearance, fed by myths and connotations. The fact takes first character takes a harmonica from a lady who dropped it shows that he is bored and is quite sad. The second character is wearing a baseball cap and has threatening body language. This tells us about the dynamic of the group and how well they would work together. 

 How does the end of the film emphasise de Saussure’s belief that signs are polysemic – open to interpretation or more than one meaning?

The ending shows that both characters are deaf.They then go on to talk about how people misunderstand words and that sometimes, we forget how valuable and meaningful words have the potential to be. This clearly supports de Saussure’s idea as the audience can take what they want from it because the ending states that words are about hearing what isn't being said. His theory about different meanings suggest that some people may pick up on things others could have missed. 


Semiotics questions

What did Ferdinand de Saussure suggest are the two parts that make up a sign?

A signifier and the signified.

What does ‘polysemy’ mean?

The same signifier can have multiple interpretations. 

 What does Barthes mean when he suggests signs can become ‘naturalised’?

They have become the norm. Something that has a specific association due to popular culture and social media . It is the public who influences it and it is also the public who uses it.

What are Barthes’ 5 narrative codes?

Enigma code, action code, semantic code, symbolic code and cultural code. 

 How does the writer suggest Russian Doll (Netflix) uses narrative codes?

The title acts as a symbolic code as the dolls keep on getting smaller and smaller as you open them and in the film everyone dies and then it resumes to a specific time of day which shows that it is symbolic as the title is symbolic of the storyline. The camera also focuses on a bowl of fruit which stays there and remains unchanged throughout the show he watches which could be an enigma code. 

Find two examples for each: icon, index and symbol.

Icon:

Index: 

Symbol:    LEWIS 

Icon: 

Index: 

Symbol: MILLIONAIRE

Why are icons and indexes so important in media texts?

They usually are associated with a brand. Through using various forms of icons and index, a reputation/image of the brand is created as well as selling the product. 

Find an example of a media text (e.g. advert) where the producer has accidentally communicated the wrong meaning using icons, indexes or symbols. Why did the media product fail? 

The icon: pepsi can 

The index: Funny attempt to advertise a popular brand which tackled various social issues in society. 

The symbol: PEPSI ADVERT FLOP

 Find an example of a media text (e.g. advert) that successfully uses icons or indexes to create a message that can be easily understood across the world.

GOOD ADVERT. 

My media consumption

• Which daily newspapers (if any) do you read?

I don't read any newspapers but I read some news on social media

• What sections of newspapers do you turn to first, and why?

I would turn to the news section where all the political/sports news is

• What sections do you never read, and why?

I don't read the reality/fun stuff pages as they don't really belong in newspapers.

• What kinds of stories do you usually read and why?

I read stories that will educate me on a certain topic and that have some intellectual content.

• Do you, or someone else, buy the newspaper you read?

Nobody that I know personally reads the newspaper

• Do you look at the online versions of any newspapers? Which newspapers? Why do you visit their website and not others?

I red a lot of online articles on many things. I go on the twitter homepage and through their News section, I get a brief glimpse at what is going on in the world. 

• What magazines (if any) do you buy regularly?  Why?

I occasionally buy automotive related magazines such as AutoExpress or TopGear but I don't usually buy them. 

• What sections of the magazines do you read and not read, and why?

I read the reviews so I get an idea of what style I can write my next article but I also avoid the commercial pages as they are full of things that are too expensive for me.

• Approximately how many hours a week do you spend watching television?

About 7 hours

• What times of day do you usually watch television?

Most likely at night

• What programmes do you like best and why?

I mainly like series such as Deutschland 86 but I also like the occasional cooking show, especially Rick Stein. I also enjoy a lot of Bollywood movies. 

• Do you watch alone or with others? If you watch with others, who decides what you will watch?

I prefer to watch my series mentioned above alone. When I am with my sister, we usually watch GBBO, Teletubbies, In the night garden, and other comedic films. 

• Do you watch 'live' TV or on-demand/catch-up? Do you use any other devices to watch TV (such as laptop or tablet?)

I watch most of my TV on catchup as I am not always free. I use services like iPlayer and Prime Video and Sky Go to watch most of my films and series. I use all these apps on my laptop or phone. 

Do you listen to the radio? - No i do not but i would love to get into it. 

• If yes, what stations do you like best and why?

I like stations such as KISS FM and Classic FM

• Do you listen to podcasts?

Yep.

• If yes, what podcasts have you listened to recently?

I regularly listen to a podcast called 'Pitlane Podcast' which is devised by a group of YouTubers who are well known for playing F1 games and that discuss anything about the last race  or they make a shorter one in the build up to a race weekend.

• Approximately how many hours a week do you spend listening to podcasts or radio?

About 4 hours

• What times of the day do you usually listen to podcasts or radio?

Usually at night but sometimes in the morning as well.

• Where do you listen to podcast or radio?

In my bedroom.

• What other activities (if any) do you do whilst listening?

I sometimes write articles whilst listening to certain podcasts which is helpful to break through the silence. 

• Does anyone else in your house listen to the radio or podcasts? If so, when do they listen?

My mum and dad listen to the radio whilst in the car. 

• What films have you seen in the cinema in the last month?

I recently went to watch Toy Story 4 which was rather nice.

• What films have you seen in other places – for example, through Netflix, Amazon Prime, satellite/cable film channels (free or otherwise) or streaming?

Tower Heist, Get Smart, The Johnny English trilogy, The three flavours trilogy with Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, Der Hauptmeister (The Captain), Inglorious Basterds, Overlord, White House Down, Live and let die, Tallegada Nights, The dictator, Harold and Kumar escape from Guantanamo bay, Skyfall, Iron Man 3 and finally Casino Royale.

• Who else watched the films with you?

I watched them all alone :( 

• Who decided what films to watch?

Myself

• What devices do you typically use to watch films: TV, laptop, tablet, phone etc.?

I normally watch them on my Laptop or phone and sometimes i use the TV.

• How often do you access the internet?

Almost every hour. 

• Where do you access the internet?  At home, at college or school, or at work?

Anywhere where there is a connection but usually at home. 

• What are the main sites that you access?

Instagram, YouTube, Drive/FoodTribe, Prime Video, Slack, Trello and Twitter. 

• What are the main reasons for accessing these sites – for example, for information, to make purchases, communicate with friends or for entertainment?

Usually it is for entertainment but I also use it for financial gain such as writing articles. 

• What other activities (if any) do you do whilst accessing the internet?

I write stuff and I also do the occasional 'window' shopping

• What different devices do you use to access the internet? What is your primary device for accessing the internet?

My phone and laptop are the only two devices on which I access the internet most regularly. 

• What social networks do you use regularly (e.g. Twitter, Instagram)? Why do you belong to these networks in particular?

Twitter for very quick access and good news feed, Instagram because of personal touch the app has and that I like to see what everyone is up to. I use DriveTribe to participate in quizzes as well as read articles from other contributors.

• How can you develop the amount and variety of media you consume?

I will try to adapt my consumption to bring in all types of media within balance such as try to read at least a newspaper every week. 

• What will you change in your media consumption habits this year as a result of studying A Level Media?

I will probably analyse films with a bit more detail now as well as using that knowledge to further myself in terms of guessing themes for future films through posters. 

• List three sources of media (websites/newspapers/apps/TV programmes etc.) that you will start to access this year that you haven't engaged with previously.

Newspapers, Magazines and Radio.

First blog task

1) Why did you choose A Level Media Studies?

I chose Media as I would like to pursue a career somewhat related to Journalism and PR. I also wanted to improve my editing skills due to my hobby (writing articles) sometimes requires it. 

2) Did you take GCSE Media Studies (either here at Greenford or a different school)?

I didn't take Media at GCSE.

4) What grade do you hope to achieve in A Level Media?

I hope to achieve something like an A or even an A*

5) What are your current thoughts about your next steps after A Levels - university, apprenticeship, work?

To study Journalism at Birkbeck University then to go on to do my masters degree in Hamburg university. I hope to do PR somewhere in Germany.

6) What do you think the biggest media story of 2019 has been and why?

I think the death of Stan Lee was particularly big as he was a vital part of comics and the Marvel franchise. I also think that the documentary about Michael Jackson's abuse claims was rather gripping as it shocked everyone and gave a new and detailed insight to the reputation tainting rumours that have surfaced for over a decade.

7) What media sources do you use to find out about news and current affairs?

I mainly use social media such as Twitter to keep myself updated with news but I also occasionally watch BBC news. I also check on DriveTribe for car related news. 

8) What was the last film you watched?

I recently watched one of my favourite films ever recently. Casino Royale which is Daniel Craig's first outing as 007 is one of the very first action movies I watched as a child and I have been obsessed with the Bond franchise ever since. 

9) What is your favourite ever TV series?

Either Top Gear or Deutschland 83/86/89

10) How many hours do you spend online in an average day? Is this too little, too much or about right? Why? 

I have been on my phone for an average of 3h 45 mins per day which I think is a very much the most I can do. I don't really use my phone a lot during the day other than texting or searching something up on Google. I occasionally watch a movie which normally lasts 2 hours but that happens about once a week.