A level Media Exam Blog

  Taylor Swift: Language and Representations blog tasks Narrative Go to our Media Magazine archive (issue MM79) and read the feature All Too Well on Taylor Swift and how she controls her own narrative. Answer the following questions:  1) Why is Taylor Swift re-recording her earlier albums?  Swift quickly announced her intentions to re-record her Big Machine albums, which would give her complete ownership of the records and nullify Braun’s involvement. 2) Why did Taylor Swift choose to make the short film 'All Too Well'?  ‘All Too Well,’ a song that aches from heartbreak and longing. In choosing to make the song into a short film, rather than just a music video, Swift has consciously chosen to push her professional creative boundaries for the sake of her art and her storytelling – and that’s something we can only admire her for. 3) What other examples are provided in the article of Taylor Swift using media to construct her own image?  She’s become an author, and her debut novel

  1) Media Magazine reading Media Magazine 72 has a feature linking YouTube influencers to A Level media theories. Go to our Media Magazine archive , click on MM72 and scroll to page 60 to read the article ‘The theory of everything - using YouTubers to understand media theory’. Answer the following questions: 1) How has YouTube "democratised media creativity"? The YouTube platform has democratised media creativity, with ordinary users uploading their own content: they are ‘produsers’ (producer-users) and ‘prosumers’ (producer-consumers). Content is published first and then filtered or judged later by audiences. So, success is measured by the number of views and the reaction of the ‘fans’ rather than the judgement and financial power of an industry editor/producer. 2) How does YouTube and social media culture act as a form of cultural imperialism or 'Americanisation'?  We could argue that YouTube influencers encourage the spread of US cultural references, language and

  Media Magazine reading Media Magazine 55 has an overview of technology journalist Bill Thompson’s conference presentation on ‘What has the internet ever done for me?’ It’s an excellent summary of the internet’s brief history and its impact on society. Go to  our Media Magazine archive , click on MM55 and scroll to page 13 to read the article ‘What has the internet ever done for me?’ Answer the following questions: 1) Looking over the article as a whole, what are some of the positive developments due to the internet highlighted by Bill Thompson? The network connects us to other people,  it provides a great source of information, it  can be used for campaigning and political  action, to draw attention to abuses and fight  for human rights. It’s a great place for gaming  and education, which can also be used to make  a lot of money (for a few people) as well as  a place where you can meet your friends. 2) What are the negatives or dangers linked to the development of the internet? But t

 1) Magazines: Front cover practical task 2) Magazines: GQ - Language and Representation 3) Magazines: GQ - Audience & Industry 4) Magazines: Front cover practical task LR 5) Magazines: The Gentlewoman - Language and Representations 6) Magazines: The Gentlewoman - Audience and Industries 7) Magazines: Industries - the appeal of print and independent magazines

1) Type up your feedback in full (you do not need to write mark/grade if you do not wish to). WWW: Rubana, very good knowledge of score csp and understanding of historical + social contexts. some developed ideas about ideology in relations to old town road csp.  EBI: Develop unseen media product analysis and learn media terminology.  2) Read the mark scheme for this exam carefully, paying particular attention to the 'indicative content' for each question. This is some of the best analysis you can do as it gives you an idea of what the exam board is expecting. For your LR blogpost, identify ONE point you could have added for the first three questions in Section A: Q1 (unseen text) additional point/theory:  The visual signifiers also emphasise class, wealth and success. The mise-en-scene in the image connotes both professional success and a slightly youthful appearance (suit but no tie, open-necked shirt, sunglasses, facial hair). The model is positioned to show the product. Q2

Writer's Edit journal article Read this excellent Writer's Edit academic journal article on the independent magazine industry and answer the following questions: 1) What is the definition of an independent print magazine? The independent print magazine is characterised as “published without the financial support of a large corporation or institution in which the makers control publication and distribution…“independent” in spirit due to a maverick editor or publisher who leads the magazine in an exploratory, noncommercial direction”. 2) What does Hamilton (2013) suggest about independent magazines in the digital age? "A small but growing body of evidence suggests that small printed magazines are quietly thriving even as the global newspaper and book industries falter" 3) Why does the article suggest that independent magazines might be succeeding while global magazine publishers such as Bauer are struggling? Magazines produced by large companies like Bauer Media and Ne