KEY ASSESSMENT 1

MOCK EXAM:

Section A) 

Short Answers

1- The three semiotic codes are Hermeneutic, Proairetic, Symbolic
2- 'mode of address' is how a media product is presented to an audience
3- 'lexis' is the choice of language used by the company or producer

4- two of Stuart Hall's theory are the 'Dominant reading' where the audience agrees entirely with the idea or product presented too them or the 'Oppositional reading' where the audience disagrees or rejects idea or product 



Media Language

Media language is used to create and communicate multiple meanings to an audience wether this be persuading them to buy something or agree with an idea or cause. The language and format used revels the producers own idea of what an audience wants. 

The context of a product and the year it was produced in are very important in the understanding of how effective and efficient it was. For example the 'Tide Soap' print advert was launched in America in 1946 therefore looks very different to soap adverts today. Its busy composition and cartoon like images illustrate its time of production. Where as in a more modern advert the rule of thirds or a Z-line may be used to catch the audiences attention, this ad is overpowering with images and text making the layout confusing. The ad is clearly aimed at women and includes the character of the 'housewife' this explicitly shows the sexist ideology of the 40s where women would stay at home, bear children and look after the family. The four images on the advert are all of women looking cheerful and healthy which creates a community for women and gives them a sense of comradeship. This inclusivity is what the producer was aiming to achieve as if you then if did not own the product you could not belong in the 'housewife' club. The main image of the women hugging the tide soap box with little hearts above her head is a simple symbolic code for the love and desire she feels towards the soap and her facial expression clarifies this belief.

There is a lot of text used in this advert, mainly commanding language with a san-serif font making it friendly and not intimidating. This whole idea of being in a group of women is reflected in the language and colloquial slang of the time used in cartoon. This combined with the range of font sizes, emphasised words and use of superlatives for example "cleanest, whitest, brightest" gives this product a very over the top, almost miracle like reputation. The narrative of the advert...

Another print advert from the 20th centre is the 'Kiss of the Vampire' film poster published in Britain in 1963. This advert also displays its time period through its stereotypical images of vampires, its use of the hermeneutic code to create a cliff hanger with the collection of archetype characters and use of dark colours to create connotations of conflict. The gothic horror genre is clearly presented through the images of bats, aggressive expressions of the vampires vs the looks of fear equaling binary of opposition and the symbolic code of vampire biting woman. We also see from this advert like in 'Tide Soap' the presentation of women compared to men as more sexualised by wearing by revealing dresses and being in submissive positions. The white of their cloths could also insinuate virginity and purity fitting with the stereotype of women being helpless and a man having to come to her rescue. The narrative of the advert...

  

Representation

The most obvious difference between the 'Save the children' advert and 'Water Aid' ad is the audience positioning in terms of the main character. In the Water Aid ad there are a lot of extreme close ups on the girls face, her clothing and surroundings. This shot type makes it more personal to the audience as they feel more physically closer to the child. The general mood of the advert is also very different as the mise-en-secen included sunshine, other children laughing, playing and general happiness. This combined with the upbeat and positive song sung with the Childs voice creates a calm and peaceful atmosphere. 

In comparison the 'Save the children' adverts makes its point through a much harsher and darker medium. Even though it is a print ad its positioning of the audience and use of the rule of thirds plunges the audience in from a childs perspective. By positioning the solider in one third with his gun very clearly in view and the child behind him, making him smaller and more vulnerable. This combination of the proairetic code and symbolic code for the childs situation and welfare means the audience is instantly feeling sympathy for him. The child appears to be standing in a box with a single line of text above him. This symbolic use of trapping the child...                 

• Codes and conventions
• Layout and design
• Composition
• Images/photographs - camera shot type, angle, focus
• Font size, type of font (e.g. serif/sans serif), colour 
• Mise-en-scène – colour, lighting, location, costume/dress, hair/make-up 
• Graphics, logos etc.
• Language – slogan/tagline and copy 
• Anchorage of images and text
• Elements of narrative