LO5: Be able to evaluate research data used by media institutions

Product Reach 

Media companies often expect mas media products have a large audience reach. This means that the product is more likely to be successful and will make profit through sale numbers. However, the main reason that these companies conduct research to find out how many people consume within a given reach. 

Organizations sch as BARB and RAJAR carry this out for companies in the TV and radio industry. Whereas the NRS collects CIRCULATION and READERSHIP data for publishing and print companies. 

CIRCULATION: The number of people who purchase a print product.

READERSHIP: The number of people who read a print product as part of second-hand consumption. 

Audience Research 

This allows media companies to identify a gap in the market and create a product from this information. Audience feedback is also used to develop an understanding of needs of mainstream and niche audiences.

Social media is often used to gain this feedback as it is cost effective and usually has a high response rate as it is easy to complete.

Competitors

Research is conducted by media producers to find out what audiences think about the products and brands owned by competitors. BBC and ITV are constantly using online technologies to conduct focus groups about what viewers think about major storylines they have produced.

Primary: Primary research is methods that are conducted by yourself. For example, making and releasing a questionnaire. The methods used depends on what the media producers want to find out. Examples are:

-Questionnaires, series of opened and closed questions on paper.

Advantage= Easier to use for older generations and for anyone without online technology.

Disadvantage= Could be lost and cost money to print a lot of questionnaires.

-Focus group, A group of people assembled take part in discussion about a product before its launch

Advantage= Open discussion where you can build ideas.

Disadvantage= People's opinions may affect others and could be nerve wracking for some.

- Interviews, Used in journalism and media reporting. They are a vital part of market research.

Advantage= Ask exactly what you need to know. A more direct opinion.

Disadvantage= Can be time consuming and needs to be scheduled.

-Online survey, Questionnaires via internet. 

Advantage= Quick and easy to share and can be done at home for no extra cost.

Disadvantage= Logging in and sending can be difficult for older demographic. Can be unreliable. 

Secondary: Secondary research is methods using information that has already been released. For example, using the internet to find out information. Use theorists' ideas can help us make informed ideas. 

-Internet Research: search engines are used to gather data, personal opinions, news articles, and academic research on a particular topic.

Advantage= Easy to access/find, everyone can access it for free.

Disadvantage= High chance of finding false information. Anyone can write on the internet.

-Books and Journals: Textbooks and digital editions of these provide a way of gaining information.

Advantage= Validated and reliable (multiple checks are done on the information).

Disadvantage= Books can be expensive and time consuming. They can be biased.

-Magazines and Newspapers: Articles have been written by professional journalists who have used primary research methods to create data for a topic. 

Advantage= Easily accessible and have been around for a long time.

Disadvantage= Biased by the writer.

-Television: Documentaries, news and factual advice programmes can provide large amounts of information needed for research.

Advantage= Not difficult to gain information. Live information. 

Disadvantage= Not everyone can access TV. Information isn't always reliable (dramatizations)

SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS: What are advantages?

WEAKNESSES: What are the weaknesses?

OPPORTUNITIES: How can they be improved?

THREATS: What could happen because of this?

Secondary: Magazines

S: Easy to find fashion magazines with the same age demographic and get an idea of the ideal layout. 

W: Some magazines don't effectively target that audience.

O: Check sales of magazines that specifically target that audience. 

T: Accused of copying/idea stealing. 

Primary: Survey

S: Wide range of opinions for a short survey. Don't cost anything.

W: Might not get them back.

O: Opened ended questions.

T: Competing with other surveys to get people to partake in them.

PEST ANALYSIS

POLITICAL -Environ, legislation home/abroad, regulatory bodies, Trading policies, War & conflict.

ECONOMIC - Home/abroad economy, eco trends, interest/exchange rates, 

SOCIAL- Lifestyle trend, demographic, events & influencers, fashion & role models, brand image, media views, Consumer attitudes.

TECHNOLOGICAL - Technology development, research funding, intellectual property issues, innovation potential, 

Why do we need audience research? Marketing possibilities, Trends for product development. 

Marketing Possibilities: 

In the industry the most successful products will often have spin offs and sequels. However, this is based on audience feedback. 

An example of a product that has a series of spinoffs and sequels is: Resident Evil 

Assassins' creed involves the video games fans in the production process using the community tab to see what the audience think about features of the game and allows the developers to see the publics opinion. It also created a community that are involved in the game and wants to see more from the franchise, creating a climate for sequels and spinoffs. 

Trends for product development:

It is important for media companies to interpret data that is presented to them about the ways the audiences consume products in order to make decisions about a product. 

Technological convergence: The coming together of information and communication technologies in order to create new ways of producing and distributing products and services for media audiences. 

The Daily Mail has the highest number of UK readers using mobile phones as most of their readership is based on mobile compared to print. This is because the daily mail has a younger audience that grew up with technological convergence and TDM does gossip news stories.

The Metro has the lowest number of UK readers as most of their readership is based in print. This suggests that the metro has an older target audience due to older ages not growing up with technological convergence and not being digital natives. 

Quantitative and Qualitive 

Qualitative Data: Typically, descriptive data, useful for studies at the individual level and to find out in depth the ways in which people think about a product.

EXAMPLE (BARB): The Prime Minster’s announcement of a new national lockdown on January 4th is watched by 14.3 million people on BBC1, followed by 11.1 million tuning in for the subsequent BBC News Special. This is an example of qualitative data as it is in written form.

Quantitative Data: Data that can be measured numerically. Things that can be measured precisely, such as number of people who listen to a radio station or purchased a product online.

EXAMPLE (BARB): This is quantitative data as it displays all its information in numerical values  that are measured exactly and can be compared.

EXAMPLE (PAMCO): This is quantitative as all the data is in numerical form. 

KTA 6- Analysis of mise en scene (PMD)

 Analyse how mise en scene can be used to create meaning in a media product you have studied. 

Mise en scene

1. All features of mise en scene.

2. At least 2 examples of each feature of miss en scene.

Features of miss en scene: costumes, props, location/ setting, gestures, lighting (high-key and low-key). 

Use PEE

P- point: 'the lighting in the scene creates meaning...' No more than one sentence. 

E- evidence: when/where it happens and what it looks like 

E- explain/effect on the audience: 

    -empathy 

    -tension/enigma 

    -stereotype/challenge 

    -verisimilitude 

KEY WORD: 'Verisimilitude' (realistic). - "The protagonist wears jeans and a t-shirt which creates verisimilitude"

KEY WORD: 'denotes/denoted/denotation' () - "The denoted costumes were jeans and a t-shirt" "The denotation of the costumes were" 

KEY WORD: 'connotation/connotes' (inferred meaning) - "This connotes..." "This has connotations with" 

E- Female- Laura Muluey (1975)- women are sexualised- 'male gaze' or talk about how a female character challenges this and why its progressive and positive. 

2- Carl Rogers (1980)- ideal self/ideal partner. Ideal self: A role model, shown through high key lighting, costumes, gestures. Ideal partner: attractive and someone you want to be with. 

Mise en scene- Daniel Isn't Real. 

 

In ‘Daniel Isn't Real’ the mise en scene of the costumes is used effectively to create sympathy. The protagonist Luke Nightingale is always seen wearing regular/normal clothing. When the central conflict begins and Daniel (the demon) starts to manipulate Lukes's mind, the denoted costume is jeans and a grey t-shirt, which creates verisimilitude and makes the audience engaged in the plot of the movie. This is because the audience feels sympathy for Luke when he faces the central conflict of the movie as his clothes present him as a relatable, normal person and reminds the audience of themselves. This then makes the audience believe that he doesn’t deserve the pain he is forced to go through and makes them root for his character to succeed. 

Alternatively, the mise en scene of the antagonist's costume helps to make us feel threatened by him and create the impression of power. The antagonist Daniels appearance heavily juxtaposes Lukes, as his clothes and appearance (leather jackets, slicked back hair and suits) has connotations of power and danger, making the audience feel threatened by their presence and scared of them as an opposing antagonist to Luke.  

The mise en scene of ‘Daniel Isn't Real’s setting is used very effectively. The movie was filmed and set in the busy New York City, this denotes the cramped city environment to the audience effectively and allows the audience to understand and sympathise with the protagonist's increasing stress level so that the audience is more likely to be invested in the characters story. The location of the movie also has connotations of hopelessness and fear (which is a feeling presented throughout the movie to the characters and audience) as the protagonist is in an extremely busy environment but not a single person can help him. This creates that feeling of hopelessness whilst also building tension amongst the audience, investing them in the story as they wonder how the protagonist can escape. 

Throughout Daniel Isn't Real, orange and red colours are used to convey emotions to the audience in pivotal scenes. One key scene where the colour red is used is when the protagonist is heading down a tunnel to go party with his friends, which is lit with red lights. The colour red has connotations with danger and violence so the use of red immediately warns the audience of incoming danger. This helps to build tension and dread amongst the audience as they fear the possible dangers of going through the tunnel and don’t want the protagonist to face them. Heading through this one-way tunnel resulted in a pivotal scene where the antagonists' scary intentions are revealed. The lighting successfully helped to build toward this moment, making it more intense and engaging for the audience.  

 

Because of the nature of ‘Daniel Isn't Real’ being a horror movie, the mise en scene of light manipulation is a key aspect of the movie in creating a feeling of uneasiness and dread. Lighting is often used to help frame the characters and help the audience create impressions of them. An example of this is how the antagonist (believed to be a protagonist at the time) ‘Daniel’ is lit in scenes. Daniel was always presented in shadows, low lighting and dimly lit areas which helped to give the audience an uneasy feeling about his character and that he’s hiding who he really is. Once he is revealed as the antagonist he is framed in a well-lit room, revealing to the audience and protagonist that this is the entirety of the character and that he isn’t trying to hide his true intentions anymore. 

Daniel isn't Real uses the mise en scene of key items/props well to mislead the audience and create a false sense of security. This is shown through one of the key items which is a ritual knife owned by a character called Dr Braun. The significance of the knife being owned by this character is important as Dr Braun is a key character that the protagonist looks for guidance from. He is always seen as a knowledgeable character and is presented as someone that can help save the protagonist Luke, which helps to build up the repertoire of the knife. The visual denotations of the knife also help to present it as the weapon that can save him, as it looks ancient and ritualistic which makes the knife seem significant, using the audience's knowledge of horror/demons to create a false sense of security. This is so that when the knife is shown as useless and ineffective the audience feels an overwhelming sense of dread that is present throughout the movie.   

LO3: Media Language and meaning

 

What do you expect to hear/see in a trailer? - These are the Codes and Conventions.

- Shot types of Characters (CLOSE UPS) 

- Mention of conflict/plot 

- Key scenes and action. 

- Sound Effects

- Title of film 

- Music/Soundtrack from film (non-diegetic music)

- Non-linear narrative structure.

- Title Graphics for release date

-Cuts and transitions. 

-Creating spectacle and enigma (e.g. SFX). 

Q6, 7, 8

You will be asked to analyse theoretically how a product of your choice creates meaning:

Macro Meaning: (wider context - social/cultural issues)

1- Genre

2- Narrative

3- Representation

Micro Meaning: 

1- Mise en scene 

2- Camerawork

3- Editing

4- Sound                                                                                                     (12-16 marks)

How we understand the genre, narrative and representation are through the use of the Micro meanings. 

Mise-en-scene and the Fantastic Four

Mise-en-scene is French for 'everything within the frame' (everything you see on screen.

- Costume and make up

- Props

- Location and iconography

- Acting gesture 

- Colour

- Lighting 

LO3: Understand how meaning is created in media product.

Trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_k1gMHr93M

'Daniel Isn't Real' is a psychological horror set in our world where a young, troubled boy Luke resurrects his imaginary friend to help him cope with the world around him. The imaginary friend helps him to become a more bold, charismatic person before pushing him into a desperate fight for Lukes soul. 

The genre is Psychological horror/thriller.

 

The two protagonists of the movie are Luke and Cassie. Unlike most white male protagonists, Luke is a shy introverted man who struggles in social situations and who would rather avoid people than be the centre of attention. This is until Luke meets Cassie, a strong independent female artist who is trying to find her place in the world. Despite Daniel trying to make Luke a different person, Cassie sees Luke for who he really is and helps him when no one else can. 

The antagonist 'Daniel' is a demonic entity who pretends to be Lukes imaginary friend that helps him cope with the world around him. Daniel appears as a slick white man in a leather jacket who is bold and forthright. Daniel is the antithesis of Luke, an almost 'ideal self' for him. Daniel helps Luke to become that person but as a result slowly starts to take over and posses Luke with sinister intentions in mind. 

Both Luke and Cassie could be seen 'damsel is distress' characters. Luke is desperate for solutions as he slowly starts to surrender control to Daniel and turns to Cassie for help. Cassie helps Luke find his true self and gives him the strength and motivation to keep fighting against Daniel when Daniel inevitably takes control. Daniel, seeking to kill anyone who Luke loves, targets Cassie first as she had previously tried to help Luke to get rid of Daniel. Cassie is able to recognise the danger she is in and fight off the possessed Luke, as he fights for control of his body to save Cassie. Instead of one character just being the 'damsel' that needed to be saved, both rely on each other for help and defend each other through the conflict.

Protagonist Cassie is played by Sasha Lane, who was born and grew up in Dallas, Texas. Her father is African-American, and her mother, who is from New Zealand, is of Māori descent. 

Protagonist Luke is played by Miles Robbins, who was born in New York, United States. 

Antagonist Daniel is played by Patrick Schwarzenegger was born in California, United States.

Daniel Isn't Real- 'I imagined you' scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW8qTDKrgp0

The primary action scenes follow one after the other in the final act when Daniel finally takes control of Lukes body. The final fight between Daniel and Luke takes place on the roof of Cassie