A2 MEDIA EXAM

Lesson Objectives: To develop your exam technique.

Section A Theorists

Sort the theorists into either Representation, Audience, Narrative, Genre.

Baudrillard Mulvey Hall

Propp

Neale

Morley

Dyer

Perkins

Barthes

Ryall

Saussure

Todorov

Blumler and Katz

OSullivan

Levi-Strauss

Williamson

The Exam

The exam is 2 hours long, and has 2 sections. Spend 1 hour on each section. You may want to do the Section B question first as it is worth most marks. Remember to number your answers.

Section A

Section A is based on your coursework. You answer both questions 1(a) and 1(b).
Question 1(a) you must talk about both AS and A2 coursework products. Question 1(b) you choose one coursework product, either AS or A2 to discuss.

1(a)

In this question you will be asked to discuss the progress of your skills from AS to A2 in relation to one or two of the following:
Research

and Planning Digital Technology Post-Production Creativity Use of Conventions

YOU MUST TALK ABOUT BOTH YOUR AS AND A2 COURSEWORK FOR THIS QUESTION.

1(a) Past Questions

Describe how you developed research and planning skills for media production and evaluate how these skills contributed to creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time. Describe the ways in which your production work was informed by research into real media texts and how your ability to use such research for production developed over time. Digital Technology

1(a) Examiner Advice

Strong answers have a range of specific examples. Weaker answers are descriptive. Technical and conceptual terminology needed Evaluation and critical reflection on your work is needed. There needs to be a sense of progression over your A Level Journey.

Examiners Checklist for 1(a)

Creative decision making Process Progress over time Specific examples Reflection on own development

Its about the Candidate

1(a) Production Terminology

Production Terminology:
Moving
Print

image

What key terms will you be able to use in your answer?

Conceptual Terminology:
Encoding,

preferred reading, signifier, signified, connotation/denotation, narrative codes. Link to key terms from theoretical areas (representation, audience, narrative, genre, media language)

1(a)

Discuss AS and A2 coursework Reflection Progress Range of specific, relevant and clear examples from your coursework Terminology technical and conceptual

This question is worth 25 marks. You should spend 30 minutes answering it.

1(b)

In this question you will be asked to apply one of the following theoretical concepts to either your AS or A2 coursework:
Representation

Audience
Narrative Genre

Media

Language

For this question you choose either your AS or A2 coursework to discuss.

1(b) Past Questions

Analyse media representation in one of your coursework productions. Analyse one of your coursework productions in relation to genre. Analyse one of your coursework productions in relation to narrative.

1(b) Examiners Advice

Stronger answers do 3 things well:

Outline

the concept for discussion with reference to relevant theorists Apply these ideas to a range of specific elements from your coursework Discuss how well the concept/theories relate to your product

Poor answers will lack reference to theory and specific answers. Choice of text is important.

1(b) Examiners Checklist

Showing understanding of the concept (ideally with references/quotations) Applying the concept Textual analysis of the work (ONE PRODUCTION) using the concept Its about the work.

1(b) Terminology

What key terms can you think of in relation to each of the conceptual areas:
Representation Audience

Narrative
Genre Media

Language

1(b) Terminology

Representation visual pleasure, object/subject of the gaze, objectification, signs, signifier, signified, connotation/denotation, hyperreality, simulation, simulacra.

1(b) Terminology

Audience encoding, decoding, dominant, negotiated, oppositional, socio-cultural context, reception, uses and gratifications, surveillance, escapism, personal identity/ relationships, cultivation theory, hypodermic model, passive audience/active audience

1(b) Terminology

Narrative character types, hero, villain, princess, etc., equilibrium, disequilibrium, resolution, binary oppositions, narrative codes, action, enigma, semic, symbolic, cultural.

1(b) Terminology

Genre convention, iconography, codes, product differentiation, capitalist, systems of expectation and intelligibility, socio-cultural, myths, genre supervises the relationship between producer and audience

1(b) Media Language

Production Terminology - effect of technical choices

Print

Media Moving Image

Use of genre conventions Use of narrative structures/codes Encoding of meaning

1(b) Terminology

You may be able to link terminology from other concepts into your discussion, e.g.:
Encoding

of representations Use of iconography to encode meaning, and communicate narrative information Use of character types in representation Etc.

1(b)

Understanding of concept Relate concept to examples from your coursework Range of specific, clear relevant examples Use conceptual language throughout Reference to theorists Evaluation of usefulness of concept/theory to your production This question is worth 25 marks. You should spend 30 minutes answering it.

Section B: Media and Collective Identity

You answer one question from Section B. You are doing the Media and Collective Identity topic. You choose one of the two questions to answer. Do not answer more than one question for Section B. Only do the Media and Collective Identity topic. You need to spend 1 hour on this question.

Section B Theorists
In media representations youth becomes an empty category. Hegemony allows one social class to dominate society by making their way of life seem normal and natural. Media representations of delinquent youth reinforce hegemony by showing what is unacceptable. They also justify more state control of young people the ideology of protection. Youth subculture resist hegemony through style. Folk devils emerge from time to time creating a moral panic which allows a society to reinforce its moral boundaries (i.e. Hegemonic values).

Over time the media can influence how people perceive the world. This is known as cultivation theory.

Section B Theorists
In media representations youth becomes an empty category. Hegemony allows one social class to dominate society by making their way of life seem normal and natural. Media representations of delinquent youth reinforce hegemony by showing what is unacceptable. They also justify more state control of young people the ideology of protection. Youth subculture resist hegemony through style. Folk devils emerge from time to time creating a moral panic which allows a society to reinforce its moral boundaries (i.e. Hegemonic values). Giroux Gramsci Acland

Hebdige Cohen

Over time the media can influence how people perceive the world. This is known as cultivation theory.

Gerbner

Section B Media and Collective Identity

In this section you will be asked to discuss the representation of a social group (young people) in relation to one of these areas:
How do the contemporary media represent groups of people in different ways? How does contemporary representation compare to previous time periods? What are the social implications of different media representations of groups of people? To what extent is human identity increasingly mediated?

Collective Identity Examiners Advice

Stronger answers were able to explain 2 or 3 theoretical ideas about the relationship between identity and media and apply these to a range of examples. Top level answers engaged critically with the theories either arguing for or against their validity with reference to examples. Link theory to specific examples from texts Relate your answer to the specifics of the question.

Collective Identity Examiners Advice

You must refer to at least two types of media (e.g. Film and television). If you only refer to one type of media you wont be able to achieve above a Level 1 (U). You must refer to both the past and give a prediction future. If you dont you will not be able to achieve above a Level 3 (C/B). The majority of your essay must be about the contemporary texts. Limit your discussion of historical texts to one paragraph.

Theory Examiners Advice

When applying theory remember that the theorists are usually not discussing the texts you are talking about. You are applying their ideas to your chosen texts.

Learning adapted to the focus of the question Clear argument Balance of theory, texts, personal engagement Terminology

Terminology?

What key terms can you think of for this section?

Section B Terminology

Hegemony, hegemonic values, dominant ideology, subculture, style, ideology of protection, folk devils, moral panic, ideological state apparatus, cultivation theory, symbolic violence.

Historical, contemporary, future Most of the essay focused on contemporary At least 2 types of media Terminology Links between theories and texts supported by examples Clear Argument

Time Management

You need to spend 1 hour on this question. Most of your time should be spent writing about the contemporary texts. Introduction 5-10 minutes Historical text 5-10 minutes Contemporary Texts 30-40 minutes Conclusion 10 minutes

Conclusion

In your conclusion you need to sum up what you have demonstrated in relation to media representations of young people. You need to consider the issue of the relationship between media representations and identity how does the media effect out understanding of social groups (Gerbner, Gauntlett). You also need to consider how this will develop in the future (e.g. Social networking sites, more power though still limited, e.g. Tuition fees protests).

Review

How long is your exam? How many sections? How many questions do you answer in Section A? What topic are you doing in Section B? How many questions do you answer in Section B? Whats 1(a) about? Whats 1(b) about? Whats Section B about?