Your film trailer needs a professional script that comprehensively plans every aspect of your two-minute running time.
Read this blog on how to write a trailer script and watch the following videos too.
Darius Britt is a film blogger with loads of great tips on making short films. Here is his guide to writing drama:
And this is his actual guide to putting together a film trailer:
BBC Writers' Room
There are more great resources out there for scriptwriting. You'll find fantastic guidance for writing a script in the BBC Writers' Room. Click on the Script Library to read real examples of professional BBC scripts.
Post your finished trailer script as a separate blogpost.
Alternatively, you can lay it out professionally using Microsoft Word and then attach a link using Google Drive in your script blogpost.
Monday, September 24, 2018
Coursework: Film trailer pre-production
The Ignite presentations have been both entertaining and inspiring - now it's time to take the next steps in our planning.
Pitching a film to a group is a daunting prospect and from our presentation and feedback we should now have a good idea of what will work and what needs re-drafting.
You should already have the following posted to your Media 2 coursework blog:
1) Summer project research: six film trailers each with a specific media language focus
2) Film pitch for your film idea
3) Statement of Intent
4) Ignite presentation, feedback and learner response
Statement of Intent: tutorial
Over the next week of lessons, you will have an in-depth tutorial with your coursework teacher on your Statement of Intent. This is worth 10 marks but more importantly MUST set out a detailed plan for your actual coursework (including specific references to aspects of film language such as shots, edit points and use of sound). You must also address how you will use representations and how you will meet the brief. The Statement of Intent should use sophisticated media terminology throughout.
You may wish to re-draft your Statement of Intent having reflected on your feedback from the Ignite presentation. Feel free to do this but make sure your teacher has the latest copy so your tutorial feedback is on the correct version.
Film trailer: pre-production
When you're not receiving your Statement of Intent tutorial, you need to complete a series of pre-production planning tasks prior to shooting and editing your film trailer. Work through the following aspects in lesson time and for homework while tutorials take place in class:
1) Script
2) Mise-en-scene planning
3) Shot list
There will be specific blogposts with top tips for each of these aspects of pre-production - the first being how to write a great script.
Pre-production deadline: Monday 15 October
*NOTE: Extended deadline due to quantity of pre-production work required*
This means EVERYTHING complete and posted to your blog.
Pitching a film to a group is a daunting prospect and from our presentation and feedback we should now have a good idea of what will work and what needs re-drafting.
You should already have the following posted to your Media 2 coursework blog:
1) Summer project research: six film trailers each with a specific media language focus
2) Film pitch for your film idea
3) Statement of Intent
4) Ignite presentation, feedback and learner response
Statement of Intent: tutorial
Over the next week of lessons, you will have an in-depth tutorial with your coursework teacher on your Statement of Intent. This is worth 10 marks but more importantly MUST set out a detailed plan for your actual coursework (including specific references to aspects of film language such as shots, edit points and use of sound). You must also address how you will use representations and how you will meet the brief. The Statement of Intent should use sophisticated media terminology throughout.
You may wish to re-draft your Statement of Intent having reflected on your feedback from the Ignite presentation. Feel free to do this but make sure your teacher has the latest copy so your tutorial feedback is on the correct version.
Film trailer: pre-production
When you're not receiving your Statement of Intent tutorial, you need to complete a series of pre-production planning tasks prior to shooting and editing your film trailer. Work through the following aspects in lesson time and for homework while tutorials take place in class:
1) Script
2) Mise-en-scene planning
3) Shot list
There will be specific blogposts with top tips for each of these aspects of pre-production - the first being how to write a great script.
Pre-production deadline: Monday 15 October
*NOTE: Extended deadline due to quantity of pre-production work required*
This means EVERYTHING complete and posted to your blog.
Newspapers: Regulation
The debate regarding the regulation of the newspaper industry has been one of the most controversial and important media issues of the last 10 years.
You need to understand how the newspaper industry is regulated, how some people think it should be regulated and what might happen in the future. Most importantly, you need to form your own opinion on newspaper regulation and how the industry should operate following the 2012 Leveson Inquiry.
Newspaper regulation: notes
A brief history of newspaper regulation
The newspaper industry was regulated by the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) between 1990 and 2014. It was a voluntary regulator with no legal powers and was heavily criticised for saying it found no evidence of phone hacking at the News of the World in 2007.
The PCC had a code of practice that provided guidelines for newspapers in how to report inaccuracies, crime, news stories involving children and more. However, the PCC was effectively run by the newspaper editors themselves and papers merely had to print a small apology when the regulator ruled against them.
The Leveson Inquiry 2011-12
The Leveson Inquiry in 2011-12 was a judicial public enquiry ordered by the government into the culture and ethics of the British press. This followed the revelations of the phone hacking scandal and the closure of the News of the World.
Post-Leveson: IPSO and IMPRESS
Following the Leveson report, a new press regulator was introduced: the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). IPSO is more powerful than the PCC and can order newspapers to print apologies or corrections on the front page or fine papers. However, it crucially doesn’t act on Leveson’s key recommendation that the regulator is backed by government legislation.
Alongside IPSO, IMPRESS was also set up as an alternative regulator. This was fully compliant with Leveson – but no major newspapers have signed up with IMPRESS.
Task One: Media Magazine article and questions
Read the Media Magazine article: From Local Press to National Regulator in MM56 (p55). You'll find the article in our Media Magazine archive here. Once you've read the article, answer the following questions:
1) Keith Perch used to edit the Leicester Mercury. How many staff did it have at its peak and where does Perch see the paper in 10 years' time?
2) How does Perch view the phone hacking scandal?
3) What does IPSO stand for and how does it work?
4) What is Perch's view of newspaper ownership?
5) Do you agree with his view that broadcast news should have less regulation so that TV channels can support particular political parties or people?
Task Two: Newspaper regulation essay
Write an essay on your blog answering the following question:
What are the arguments for and against statutory regulation of the newspaper industry?
Your answer should be at least 750 words and feature a minimum of five paragraphs.
Complete all of this work for homework: due next week.
ALSO: Don't forget your weekly homework of finding one story from Mail Online and one story from the i newspaper website.
You need to understand how the newspaper industry is regulated, how some people think it should be regulated and what might happen in the future. Most importantly, you need to form your own opinion on newspaper regulation and how the industry should operate following the 2012 Leveson Inquiry.
Newspaper regulation: notes
A brief history of newspaper regulation
The newspaper industry was regulated by the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) between 1990 and 2014. It was a voluntary regulator with no legal powers and was heavily criticised for saying it found no evidence of phone hacking at the News of the World in 2007.
The PCC had a code of practice that provided guidelines for newspapers in how to report inaccuracies, crime, news stories involving children and more. However, the PCC was effectively run by the newspaper editors themselves and papers merely had to print a small apology when the regulator ruled against them.
The Leveson Inquiry in 2011-12 was a judicial public enquiry ordered by the government into the culture and ethics of the British press. This followed the revelations of the phone hacking scandal and the closure of the News of the World.
Following the Leveson report, a new press regulator was introduced: the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). IPSO is more powerful than the PCC and can order newspapers to print apologies or corrections on the front page or fine papers. However, it crucially doesn’t act on Leveson’s key recommendation that the regulator is backed by government legislation.
Alongside IPSO, IMPRESS was also set up as an alternative regulator. This was fully compliant with Leveson – but no major newspapers have signed up with IMPRESS.
Watch the following videos on Leveson and the press regulation debate:
BBC News overview:
BBC News overview:
Newsnight debate:
Channel 4 News debate:
Read the following articles and features on the press regulation debate:
Viewpoints – Should the press be regulated? BBC website
THEOS think tank website – press regulation debate
Guardian letters – How should the press be regulated?
Roy Greenslade – Why I oppose regulation
Newspaper regulation: blog tasks
Read the following articles and features on the press regulation debate:
Viewpoints – Should the press be regulated? BBC website
THEOS think tank website – press regulation debate
Guardian letters – How should the press be regulated?
Roy Greenslade – Why I oppose regulation
Newspaper regulation: blog tasks
Task One: Media Magazine article and questions
Read the Media Magazine article: From Local Press to National Regulator in MM56 (p55). You'll find the article in our Media Magazine archive here. Once you've read the article, answer the following questions:
1) Keith Perch used to edit the Leicester Mercury. How many staff did it have at its peak and where does Perch see the paper in 10 years' time?
2) How does Perch view the phone hacking scandal?
3) What does IPSO stand for and how does it work?
4) What is Perch's view of newspaper ownership?
5) Do you agree with his view that broadcast news should have less regulation so that TV channels can support particular political parties or people?
Task Two: Newspaper regulation essay
Write an essay on your blog answering the following question:
What are the arguments for and against statutory regulation of the newspaper industry?
Your answer should be at least 750 words and feature a minimum of five paragraphs.
Complete all of this work for homework: due next week.
ALSO: Don't forget your weekly homework of finding one story from Mail Online and one story from the i newspaper website.
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Newspapers: News Values
Galtung and Ruge defined a set of news values to explain how journalists and editors decide that certain stories and photographs were accepted as newsworthy, while others were not.
The following list is adapted from their work:
Immediacy: has it happened recently?
Familiarity: is it culturally close to us in Britain?
Amplitude: is it a big event or one which involves large numbers of people?
Frequency: does the event happen fairly regularly?
Unambiguity: is it clear and definite?
Predictability: did we expect it to happen?
Surprise: is it a rare or unexpected event?
Continuity: has this story already been defined as news?
Elite nations and people: which country has the event happened in? Does the story concern well-known people?
Personalisation: Is it a personal or human interest story?
Negativity: is it bad news?
Exclusivity: do any other newspapers have this story?
Visual impact: are there amazing pictures accompanying the story?
Balance: the story may be selected to balance other news, such as a human survival story to balance a number of stories concerning death.
Classwork/Homework
Read Media Factsheet 76: News Values and complete the following questions/tasks.
Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets
3) What is gatekeeping?
4) What are the six ways bias can be created in news?
5) How have online sources such as Twitter, bloggers or Wikileaks changed the way news is selected and published?
6) Complete the task on the last page of the Factsheet regarding Sky News and Twitter:
8) How would you update them for 2018? Choose TWO of Galtung and Ruge's news values and say how they have been affected by the growth of digital technology.
Complete for homework: due next week (exact day confirmed by your exam teacher).
The following list is adapted from their work:
Immediacy: has it happened recently?
Familiarity: is it culturally close to us in Britain?
Amplitude: is it a big event or one which involves large numbers of people?
Frequency: does the event happen fairly regularly?
Unambiguity: is it clear and definite?
Predictability: did we expect it to happen?
Surprise: is it a rare or unexpected event?
Continuity: has this story already been defined as news?
Elite nations and people: which country has the event happened in? Does the story concern well-known people?
Personalisation: Is it a personal or human interest story?
Negativity: is it bad news?
Exclusivity: do any other newspapers have this story?
Visual impact: are there amazing pictures accompanying the story?
Balance: the story may be selected to balance other news, such as a human survival story to balance a number of stories concerning death.
Classwork/Homework
Read Media Factsheet 76: News Values and complete the following questions/tasks.
Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets
1) Come up with a news story from the last 12 months for each of the categories suggested by Harriss, Leiter and Johnson:
- Conflict
- Progress
- Disaster
- Consequence
- Prominence
- Novelty
3) What is gatekeeping?
4) What are the six ways bias can be created in news?
5) How have online sources such as Twitter, bloggers or Wikileaks changed the way news is selected and published?
6) Complete the task on the last page of the Factsheet regarding Sky News and Twitter:
- What does this reveal about how Sky views Twitter as a news source?
- What does it say about how news is being produced?
- What role does the audience have in this process?
- Why might this be a problem for journalistic standards?
8) How would you update them for 2018? Choose TWO of Galtung and Ruge's news values and say how they have been affected by the growth of digital technology.
E.g. Immediacy is more important than ever due to news breaking on Twitter or elsewhere online. However, this in turn changes the approach of other news sources such as newspapers as the news will probably already be broken so different angles might be required. Newspapers now contain more comment or opinion rather than the breaking story.
Complete for homework: due next week (exact day confirmed by your exam teacher).
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Coursework: Ignite presentation learner response
There have been some excellent Ignite presentations with some brilliantly creative responses to the coursework brief.
Hopefully, the presentations and Q&A sessions that followed have highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of your coursework proposal and may indeed have prompted re-drafts of your statement of intent.
Your learner response is as follows and will take some time to do properly:
Create a new blogpost called 'Ignite presentation learner response'
1) Type up your feedback in full including the ratings out of five for each category.
2) Use this feedback, comments from peers and your own reflection on your presentation to self-assess and write a detailed WWW and EBI for your own coursework concept and presentation as a whole.
3) Write a paragraph discussing how your presentation will lead into your actual coursework production. Do you need to update your statement of intent? Does your narrative offer enough clarity? Is it appropriate for the audience specified in the brief? Does it fit the genre you are aiming for? Can you add media terminology or theory to your statement of intent now you have reflected on your presentation and seen others?
You also need to ensure that ALL your research and planning from over the summer - including your current statement of intent - is posted to your Media 2 coursework blog.
If you continue this process at home, ensure it is completed by your next coursework lesson.
Hopefully, the presentations and Q&A sessions that followed have highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of your coursework proposal and may indeed have prompted re-drafts of your statement of intent.
Your learner response is as follows and will take some time to do properly:
Create a new blogpost called 'Ignite presentation learner response'
1) Type up your feedback in full including the ratings out of five for each category.
2) Use this feedback, comments from peers and your own reflection on your presentation to self-assess and write a detailed WWW and EBI for your own coursework concept and presentation as a whole.
3) Write a paragraph discussing how your presentation will lead into your actual coursework production. Do you need to update your statement of intent? Does your narrative offer enough clarity? Is it appropriate for the audience specified in the brief? Does it fit the genre you are aiming for? Can you add media terminology or theory to your statement of intent now you have reflected on your presentation and seen others?
You also need to ensure that ALL your research and planning from over the summer - including your current statement of intent - is posted to your Media 2 coursework blog.
If you continue this process at home, ensure it is completed by your next coursework lesson.
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Newspapers: The future of journalism
One of the factors we must consider when studying the decline of the newspaper industry is the importance of news and journalism to society.
Technology moves on and industries evolve - but newspapers have traditionally played an important role in holding governments to account, exposing corruption and keeping the public informed about the world they live in. As media students, we need to consider the impact to society of news coverage being driven by 'clicks' and ending up with funny cat videos rather than hard-hitting investigative journalism.
We've got some excellent video resources to work with on this topic. Both of our videos refer to the 2016 Best Picture winner at the Oscars - Spotlight. This is director Tom McCarthy's film based on the true story of Boston Globe reporters investigating widespread child abuse in the Catholic Church. We highly recommend you watch this film as part of your work on newspapers.
John Oliver on journalism
British comedian John Oliver presents a show called Last Week Tonight on HBO in America. In a previous episode, he put together a report on the decline of journalism in America and its replacement by 'clickbait' stories rather than real news. Watch it here:
Clay Shirky on news: don’t build a paywall around a public good
Clay Shirky is a professor at NYU (New York University) and a worldwide expert on digital and social media. He's a named media theorist for A Level Media and he makes a compelling argument for the role news plays in society. Interestingly, he argues against paywalls - the subscription model that some newspapers use to make money in the digital age - and says that news is a 'public good' that is vital in a healthy democracy.
Blog tasks
Go to the Nieman Lab webpage (part of Harvard university) and watch the video of Clay Shirky presenting to Harvard students. The video is also available on YouTube below but the Nieman Lab website has a written transcript of everything Shiky says.
Play the clip AND read along with the transcript below to ensure you are following the argument. You need to watch from the beginning to 29.35 (the end of Shirky's presentation). Once you've watched and read the presentation and made notes (you may want to copy and paste key quotes from the transcript), answer the questions below:
1) Why does Clay Shirky argue that 'accountability journalism' is so important and what example does he give of this?
2) What does Shirky say about the relationship between newspapers and advertisers? Which websites does he mention as having replaced major revenue-generators for newspapers (e.g. jobs, personal ads etc.)?
3) Shirky talks about the 'unbundling of content'. This means people are reading newspapers in a different way. How does he suggest audiences are consuming news stories in the digital age?
4) Shirky also talks about the power of shareable media. How does he suggest the child abuse scandal with the Catholic Church may have been different if the internet had been widespread in 1992?
5) Why does Shirky argue against paywalls?
6) What is a 'social good'? In what way is journalism a 'social good'?
7) Shirky says newspapers are in terminal decline. How does he suggest we can replace the important role in society newspapers play? What is the short-term danger to this solution that he describes?
8) Look at the first question and answer regarding institutional power. Give us your own opinion: how important is it that major media brands such as the New York Times or the Guardian continue to stay in business and provide news?
Complete for homework: due next week.
Technology moves on and industries evolve - but newspapers have traditionally played an important role in holding governments to account, exposing corruption and keeping the public informed about the world they live in. As media students, we need to consider the impact to society of news coverage being driven by 'clicks' and ending up with funny cat videos rather than hard-hitting investigative journalism.
We've got some excellent video resources to work with on this topic. Both of our videos refer to the 2016 Best Picture winner at the Oscars - Spotlight. This is director Tom McCarthy's film based on the true story of Boston Globe reporters investigating widespread child abuse in the Catholic Church. We highly recommend you watch this film as part of your work on newspapers.
John Oliver on journalism
British comedian John Oliver presents a show called Last Week Tonight on HBO in America. In a previous episode, he put together a report on the decline of journalism in America and its replacement by 'clickbait' stories rather than real news. Watch it here:
Clay Shirky on news: don’t build a paywall around a public good
Clay Shirky is a professor at NYU (New York University) and a worldwide expert on digital and social media. He's a named media theorist for A Level Media and he makes a compelling argument for the role news plays in society. Interestingly, he argues against paywalls - the subscription model that some newspapers use to make money in the digital age - and says that news is a 'public good' that is vital in a healthy democracy.
Blog tasks
Go to the Nieman Lab webpage (part of Harvard university) and watch the video of Clay Shirky presenting to Harvard students. The video is also available on YouTube below but the Nieman Lab website has a written transcript of everything Shiky says.
Play the clip AND read along with the transcript below to ensure you are following the argument. You need to watch from the beginning to 29.35 (the end of Shirky's presentation). Once you've watched and read the presentation and made notes (you may want to copy and paste key quotes from the transcript), answer the questions below:
1) Why does Clay Shirky argue that 'accountability journalism' is so important and what example does he give of this?
2) What does Shirky say about the relationship between newspapers and advertisers? Which websites does he mention as having replaced major revenue-generators for newspapers (e.g. jobs, personal ads etc.)?
3) Shirky talks about the 'unbundling of content'. This means people are reading newspapers in a different way. How does he suggest audiences are consuming news stories in the digital age?
4) Shirky also talks about the power of shareable media. How does he suggest the child abuse scandal with the Catholic Church may have been different if the internet had been widespread in 1992?
5) Why does Shirky argue against paywalls?
6) What is a 'social good'? In what way is journalism a 'social good'?
7) Shirky says newspapers are in terminal decline. How does he suggest we can replace the important role in society newspapers play? What is the short-term danger to this solution that he describes?
8) Look at the first question and answer regarding institutional power. Give us your own opinion: how important is it that major media brands such as the New York Times or the Guardian continue to stay in business and provide news?
Complete for homework: due next week.
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Year 13: Weekly Media homework - news story archive
In Year 13, you have an ongoing homework EVERY week of the year without fail: to find, read and post TWO news stories on your blog.
We recommend putting this homework into your timetable so you have a regular slot you complete it every week.
The details: every week you must find, read, summarise and comment upon two news stories from across the media (A*-B candidates will do more). The focus of these news stories will change depending on the topic we are working on. The first focus for our news stories links to the Newspaper CSPs we have started studying:
Mail Online
The i newspaper website
You'll also find stories related to the media linked from our Twitter account, @blogmacguffin (access it online here if you don't have the Twitter app) so make sure you're following that too.
Most importantly, you need to do the following on your blog for each story...
What will this look like? Although this was for a slightly different task for the old specification Year 13 exam, this blog post from one of our previous Media students gives you an idea of what a valuable resource these stories quickly become.
Due: EVERY week - no excuses. Exact day set by your exam class teacher.
We recommend putting this homework into your timetable so you have a regular slot you complete it every week.
The details: every week you must find, read, summarise and comment upon two news stories from across the media (A*-B candidates will do more). The focus of these news stories will change depending on the topic we are working on. The first focus for our news stories links to the Newspaper CSPs we have started studying:
Mail Online
The i newspaper website
You'll also find stories related to the media linked from our Twitter account, @blogmacguffin (access it online here if you don't have the Twitter app) so make sure you're following that too.
Most importantly, you need to do the following on your blog for each story...
- Provide the title and weblink;
- Include a relevant image, graphic or screenshot;
- Summarise the story in your own words: is this is an example of hard news or soft news?
- Explain how or why this story appeals to an audience (use media terminology and theory here).
- Comment on the story: to what extent does it reflect the values and ideologies of the newspaper? Is this an example of quality journalism or simply clickbait?
What will this look like? Although this was for a slightly different task for the old specification Year 13 exam, this blog post from one of our previous Media students gives you an idea of what a valuable resource these stories quickly become.
Due: EVERY week - no excuses. Exact day set by your exam class teacher.
Newspapers: The death of print media blog tasks
The death of print media is a critical contemporary media debate.
It is highly relevant to our work both on magazines (Men's Health and Oh Comely) as well as the current topic of newspapers.
Complete the blog tasks below linked to the useful Media Factsheet 165: The death of print media.
The death of print media: Factsheet blog tasks
Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet 165: The death of print media. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets
Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks:
1) What has happened to print media in the last 30 years?
2) Why is the Independent newspaper such a good case study for the decline in print media?
3) What was the Independent newspaper famous for?
4) What did the then-owner of the Independent, Evgeny Lebedev, say about the newspaper's digital-only future?
5) How do online newspapers make money?
6) What did the Independent's longest-serving editor Simon Kelner warn regarding the switch to digital?
7) What is the concern with fake news? What does 'post-truth' refer to?
8) What is your view on the decline in print media? Should news be free? Is it a concern that established media brands such as the Independent can no longer afford to exist as a printed newspaper?
Complete for homework: due next week.
It is highly relevant to our work both on magazines (Men's Health and Oh Comely) as well as the current topic of newspapers.
Complete the blog tasks below linked to the useful Media Factsheet 165: The death of print media.
The death of print media: Factsheet blog tasks
Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet 165: The death of print media. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets
Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks:
1) What has happened to print media in the last 30 years?
2) Why is the Independent newspaper such a good case study for the decline in print media?
3) What was the Independent newspaper famous for?
4) What did the then-owner of the Independent, Evgeny Lebedev, say about the newspaper's digital-only future?
5) How do online newspapers make money?
6) What did the Independent's longest-serving editor Simon Kelner warn regarding the switch to digital?
7) What is the concern with fake news? What does 'post-truth' refer to?
8) What is your view on the decline in print media? Should news be free? Is it a concern that established media brands such as the Independent can no longer afford to exist as a printed newspaper?
Complete for homework: due next week.
Monday, September 10, 2018
Newspapers: The decline in print media
Our next topic is newspapers: an industry that has changed hugely in the last 20 years due to the impact of the internet.
Blog tasks: The decline in print media
The impact of Google
Read this article looking at the impact Google has had on the traditional newspaper business.
Answer the following questions:
1) Why has Google led to the decline of the newspaper industry?
2) Find a statistic from the article that illustrates the decline of traditional news media.
3) Looking at the graph featured in the article, what period has seen the steepest decline in newspaper advertising revenue?
4) Do you personally think Google is to blame for newspapers closing and journalists losing their jobs? Why?
5) Read the comments below the article. Pick one comment you agree with and one you disagree with and explain your response to the comments in detail.
Ofcom report into news consumption 2018
Now read this Ofcom 2018 report on the consumption of news in the UK. Note down the key statistics and changes that Ofcom highlight and answer the following questions:
1) Look at the key findings from the report on page 2. How do UK adults generally get their news?
2) Read the overall summary on page 8. How popular are newspapers as a news source? How does this compare to other news sources?
3) Look at the summary of platforms used on page 13. What audience demographic groups are most and least likely to read newspapers?
4) Read Section 3 on cross-platform news consumption (page 19). What newspaper brands can you find in the list of most popular news sources across platforms?
5) Now turn to Section 6 focusing on newspapers (page 38). How has the circulation of national newspapers decreased since 2003?
6) What are the most-used newspaper titles?
7) What newspaper are 65+ people more likely to read?
8) What are the most popular titles when print and online figures are combined (look at page 41)?
9) How does the i compare to the Daily Mail?
10) Look at page 42. What percentage of newspaper users used free newspapers such as Metro in the UK in 2018 ('freesheets')?
11) Now study the demographic details for our two CSP newspapers on page 44. What is the breakdown of the Daily Mail audience?
12) What is the breakdown for the i audience?
13) Look at the summary on page 46: news consumption via social media. What audience groups are using social media for their news and what sites do they use?
14) What does this report tell us about the decline of the traditional newspaper industry in the UK?
15) How can media institutions such as the Daily Mail and the i remain relevant and profitable in the digital media landscape?
In the lesson, we looked at the history of the newspaper and some key terminology we need to learn:
Newspapers: hard and soft news
Newspapers: hard and soft news
Newspapers cover a range of stories that are generally divided into two categories:
Hard news: stories related to current affairs, politics, economics, wars and other serious news.
Soft news: stories related to entertainment, sport, celebrities, gossip, scandal and human interest/lifestyle topics.
Newspapers: tabloid and broadsheet
Newspapers were traditionally available in two sizes: tabloid and broadsheet. Today, most newspapers are in the smaller broadsheet size but the terms are still used to describe the style of paper:
Tabloid: focusing largely on soft news, famous examples include the Sun and the Mirror. Generally read by more working class audience. Mid-market tabloids are a middle ground between tabloid and broadsheet and include the Daily Mail.
Broadsheet: serious newspapers that focus more on hard news. The Times, Guardian and Telegraph are all examples.
Newspapers: sources of news
Newspapers tend to get their news content from two sources:
Journalists: newspapers employ reporters and photographers to attend events, interview people and write stories.
News agencies: Reuters and Associated Press are examples of global news agencies that are independent institutions that employ journalists to write stories that newspapers and other media organisations can pay to use.
Increasingly in the digital age, newspapers are sourcing news from their audiences using citizen journalism. This is sometimes criticised as creating clickbait – an example of soft news aimed simply to attract online readers.
The decline of newspapers
In the last 20 years, the newspaper industry has faced a sharp decline due to the rise of the internet.
In 2003, almost 30 million newspapers were sold in the UK every day. By 2017 that was down to 12.4 million (source: Ofcom).
Newspapers have traditionally made their money in two ways: through the cover price and by selling advertising. With so much news available for free online, audiences are not buying newspapers so both these sources of income have been decimated.
The Wall Street Journal produced a short video demonstrating how the industry has changed in the last 100 years:
Once you've learned the key terminology, watched the video and considered the decline in the industry, work through the blog tasks below.
The impact of Google
Read this article looking at the impact Google has had on the traditional newspaper business.
Answer the following questions:
1) Why has Google led to the decline of the newspaper industry?
2) Find a statistic from the article that illustrates the decline of traditional news media.
3) Looking at the graph featured in the article, what period has seen the steepest decline in newspaper advertising revenue?
4) Do you personally think Google is to blame for newspapers closing and journalists losing their jobs? Why?
5) Read the comments below the article. Pick one comment you agree with and one you disagree with and explain your response to the comments in detail.
Ofcom report into news consumption 2018
Now read this Ofcom 2018 report on the consumption of news in the UK. Note down the key statistics and changes that Ofcom highlight and answer the following questions:
1) Look at the key findings from the report on page 2. How do UK adults generally get their news?
2) Read the overall summary on page 8. How popular are newspapers as a news source? How does this compare to other news sources?
3) Look at the summary of platforms used on page 13. What audience demographic groups are most and least likely to read newspapers?
4) Read Section 3 on cross-platform news consumption (page 19). What newspaper brands can you find in the list of most popular news sources across platforms?
5) Now turn to Section 6 focusing on newspapers (page 38). How has the circulation of national newspapers decreased since 2003?
6) What are the most-used newspaper titles?
7) What newspaper are 65+ people more likely to read?
8) What are the most popular titles when print and online figures are combined (look at page 41)?
9) How does the i compare to the Daily Mail?
10) Look at page 42. What percentage of newspaper users used free newspapers such as Metro in the UK in 2018 ('freesheets')?
11) Now study the demographic details for our two CSP newspapers on page 44. What is the breakdown of the Daily Mail audience?
12) What is the breakdown for the i audience?
13) Look at the summary on page 46: news consumption via social media. What audience groups are using social media for their news and what sites do they use?
14) What does this report tell us about the decline of the traditional newspaper industry in the UK?
15) How can media institutions such as the Daily Mail and the i remain relevant and profitable in the digital media landscape?
Complete for homework if you don't get it finished in the lessons: due next week.
Friday, September 07, 2018
Reminder: Summer Project tasks and links
The summer project is a vital element of your coursework - an opportunity to plan an outstanding film trailer and professional-level poster campaign and then present it to class in September.
Your summer project contains compulsory and optional elements; everybody will be researching their chosen genre, creating a film pitch, writing a detailed Statement of Intent and presenting this to class as an Ignite presentation. However, if you wish to plan and film your production over the summer while you have time and actors available we would fully support you in this approach.
Summer project links
Ignite presentations: advice, guidance and example Ignite presentations
Research suggestions for Horror and Coming of Age Drama genres
Summer project tasks
Complete the following tasks on a blogpost on your coursework blog called 'Summer Project: coursework planning':
1) Research: Film trailer analysis
You need to write detailed 250-word close-textual analyses of six film trailers in your chosen genre. For each film trailer, focus on a different aspect of media language, and embed each one on your blog:
Film trailer 1: Narrative and genre
How is narrative and genre communicated quickly and clearly to the audience?
Film trailer 2: Mise-en-scene
What do you notice about the use of mise-en-scene to create meanings for the audience? Think CLAMPS.
Film trailer 3: Camerawork
Here you are looking for particular camera shots and movement. E.g. Are close-ups used to introduce key characters to the audience? How are establishing shots used?
Film trailer 4: Editing
Analyse pace, transitions, number of shots and juxtaposition e.g. eyeline matches. Does the pace speed up towards the end of the trailer?
Film trailer 5: Sound
Analyse both diegetic and non-diegetic sound - music, dialogue, voiceover, SFX, background or foley sound etc.
Film trailer 6: Trailer conventions, intertextuality, graphics, text-on-screen etc.
Here you need to explore trailer conventions and intertextuality - what does this trailer have that you've spotted in all the trailers you have analysed so far? Are there any intertextual references? Look at conventions, text on screen, graphics, title, release date, social media links and more.
2) Planning: Film pitch
Here you need to plan your own film idea that will form the basis of your trailer and posters. This means developing a complete film pitch that outlines the narrative, characters and more.
Complete this film pitch template (you can copy the questions into your blog or complete on Word and link from your blog) to demonstrate you have planned a complete feature film in your chosen genre.
3) Statement of Intent
Write your genuine 500-word Statement of Intent. This will be submitted to the exam board alongside your media products and is worth 10 marks of the overall 60 marks available.
Guidance is provided by AQA in their NEA Student Booklet but we strongly recommend you also look at our Statement of Intent suggested questions document too.
4) Ignite presentation
Prepare a 5-minute, 20-slide presentation using the Ignite format in which you present your coursework project. In effect, this is your statement of intent in presentation format. You must cover:
You can find more information about Ignite presentations - including examples - in this Ignite presentation blogpost here.
Summer project deadline: all tasks above due in first lesson back in September
Summer project: optional extensions
Pre-production tasks
Some students have already expressed an interest in filming their trailers over the summer break. This makes a huge amount of sense - far more availability of actors, much more time to schedule filming etc. However, if you want to do this, you need to read this Guardian feature on how to create a film trailer and then complete the following aspects of pre-production:
Script
Write a script for your film trailer. There is some debate with regards to whether trailers have scripts (the script would obviously be for the full movie) but you absolutely need to plan out every aspect of your production and a script seems the more logical way to do it. It may well be that your trailer script contains a lot of stage directions/description but there will be dialogue (and possibly voiceover) in there too. You'll find guidance for writing a script in the BBC Writers' Room (click on the Script Library to read real examples of professional scripts).
Storyboard
Sketch out a range of critical shots from your trailer, take a photo of the storyboard and upload it to your blogpost. What visual style are you trying to create? Storyboard sheets are available in DF07 or you can download and print out an AQA storyboard template from here.
Shot list
Write a shot list containing EVERY shot you plan to film for the trailer AND additional shots to create flexibility when editing. These additional shots are often close-ups, cutaways, alternative angles or similar. I advise using a simple table on Microsoft Word to set out your shot list - you can find an example here. It makes sense to write your shot list by scene or location rather than a huge list of every shot in the trailer in chronological order.
Mise-en-scene
What iconography are you including to ensure your audience understands the genre? Plan your cast, costume, make-up, props, lighting and setting. This can be simply completed using your blog or Microsoft Word - the key aspect is to have planned all the critical details.
Shooting schedule
Plan a shooting schedule for your filming over the summer. Include when, where, who is required and what shots you will complete at each time/location. Again, this can be on Word or Excel or you could simply use your blog. The most important thing is that you've planned it!
Non-assessed participants
You will need to provide a written record of all non-assessed participants in your production work (both trailer and posters). Keep a record of everyone involved - actors, camerawork, sound etc. You will also need a keep a record of any non-original sound you used and note it on the Candidate Record Form. Keep these on your blog for easy reference when submitting your work in Year 13.
Production: Filming and photography
Once you have completed your pre-production tasks, you can film or carry out photoshoots as you wish.
Good luck!
Your summer project contains compulsory and optional elements; everybody will be researching their chosen genre, creating a film pitch, writing a detailed Statement of Intent and presenting this to class as an Ignite presentation. However, if you wish to plan and film your production over the summer while you have time and actors available we would fully support you in this approach.
Summer project links
Ignite presentations: advice, guidance and example Ignite presentations
Research suggestions for Horror and Coming of Age Drama genres
Summer project tasks
Complete the following tasks on a blogpost on your coursework blog called 'Summer Project: coursework planning':
1) Research: Film trailer analysis
You need to write detailed 250-word close-textual analyses of six film trailers in your chosen genre. For each film trailer, focus on a different aspect of media language, and embed each one on your blog:
Film trailer 1: Narrative and genre
How is narrative and genre communicated quickly and clearly to the audience?
Film trailer 2: Mise-en-scene
What do you notice about the use of mise-en-scene to create meanings for the audience? Think CLAMPS.
Film trailer 3: Camerawork
Here you are looking for particular camera shots and movement. E.g. Are close-ups used to introduce key characters to the audience? How are establishing shots used?
Film trailer 4: Editing
Analyse pace, transitions, number of shots and juxtaposition e.g. eyeline matches. Does the pace speed up towards the end of the trailer?
Film trailer 5: Sound
Analyse both diegetic and non-diegetic sound - music, dialogue, voiceover, SFX, background or foley sound etc.
Film trailer 6: Trailer conventions, intertextuality, graphics, text-on-screen etc.
Here you need to explore trailer conventions and intertextuality - what does this trailer have that you've spotted in all the trailers you have analysed so far? Are there any intertextual references? Look at conventions, text on screen, graphics, title, release date, social media links and more.
2) Planning: Film pitch
Here you need to plan your own film idea that will form the basis of your trailer and posters. This means developing a complete film pitch that outlines the narrative, characters and more.
Complete this film pitch template (you can copy the questions into your blog or complete on Word and link from your blog) to demonstrate you have planned a complete feature film in your chosen genre.
3) Statement of Intent
Write your genuine 500-word Statement of Intent. This will be submitted to the exam board alongside your media products and is worth 10 marks of the overall 60 marks available.
Guidance is provided by AQA in their NEA Student Booklet but we strongly recommend you also look at our Statement of Intent suggested questions document too.
4) Ignite presentation
Prepare a 5-minute, 20-slide presentation using the Ignite format in which you present your coursework project. In effect, this is your statement of intent in presentation format. You must cover:
- Your film idea: title, tagline, genre, narrative etc.
- Media language: how you will use conventions, camerawork, editing, mise-en-scene and sound to create an effective trailer and film posters.
- Media representations: how you will use or subvert stereotypes; representation theory.
- Media audiences: your target audience demographics and psychographics; audience pleasures; audience theory.
- Media industries and digital convergence: the potential companies or organisations that could fund or distribute your film; how your trailer and posters will use new and digital media and digital convergence to create an effective campaign.
You can find more information about Ignite presentations - including examples - in this Ignite presentation blogpost here.
Summer project deadline: all tasks above due in first lesson back in September
Summer project: optional extensions
Pre-production tasks
Some students have already expressed an interest in filming their trailers over the summer break. This makes a huge amount of sense - far more availability of actors, much more time to schedule filming etc. However, if you want to do this, you need to read this Guardian feature on how to create a film trailer and then complete the following aspects of pre-production:
Script
Write a script for your film trailer. There is some debate with regards to whether trailers have scripts (the script would obviously be for the full movie) but you absolutely need to plan out every aspect of your production and a script seems the more logical way to do it. It may well be that your trailer script contains a lot of stage directions/description but there will be dialogue (and possibly voiceover) in there too. You'll find guidance for writing a script in the BBC Writers' Room (click on the Script Library to read real examples of professional scripts).
Storyboard
Sketch out a range of critical shots from your trailer, take a photo of the storyboard and upload it to your blogpost. What visual style are you trying to create? Storyboard sheets are available in DF07 or you can download and print out an AQA storyboard template from here.
Shot list
Write a shot list containing EVERY shot you plan to film for the trailer AND additional shots to create flexibility when editing. These additional shots are often close-ups, cutaways, alternative angles or similar. I advise using a simple table on Microsoft Word to set out your shot list - you can find an example here. It makes sense to write your shot list by scene or location rather than a huge list of every shot in the trailer in chronological order.
Mise-en-scene
What iconography are you including to ensure your audience understands the genre? Plan your cast, costume, make-up, props, lighting and setting. This can be simply completed using your blog or Microsoft Word - the key aspect is to have planned all the critical details.
Shooting schedule
Plan a shooting schedule for your filming over the summer. Include when, where, who is required and what shots you will complete at each time/location. Again, this can be on Word or Excel or you could simply use your blog. The most important thing is that you've planned it!
Non-assessed participants
You will need to provide a written record of all non-assessed participants in your production work (both trailer and posters). Keep a record of everyone involved - actors, camerawork, sound etc. You will also need a keep a record of any non-original sound you used and note it on the Candidate Record Form. Keep these on your blog for easy reference when submitting your work in Year 13.
Production: Filming and photography
Once you have completed your pre-production tasks, you can film or carry out photoshoots as you wish.
Good luck!
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