Answering question 1
- 2. 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.
- 3. 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.
- 4. 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
- 5. 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.
- 6. 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.
- 7. 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:
- 8. 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.
- 9. 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
- 10. 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.
- 11. 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.
- 12. 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!
- 13. ...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.