Twitter Update

Audience Research

In my audience research I looked into social media and found the most followed music artists on Twitter. At the time of my research Justin Bieber, held the crown for most followed user on Twitter however, he has since been dethroned. Katy Perry has surpassed the Pop Prince and has officially become the most followed person on Twitter. Perry is a recording artist and this recent feat emphasizes the popularity music artists have regarding social media. Perry's most recent hit 'Roar' could be the determining factor behind her recent Twitter accomplishment for example, 'Roar' went to the Number One spot all over the world and will no doubt be one of the, if not the best selling single of the year. What a way to return to the spotlight after year out from the competition.

Health & Safety Assessments

Health & Safety Table

The table is incomplete however, once I start filming and actually work on the location I will be able to add to the table.

Social Grading System

Social Grade System

Social Grading System is a system of demographic classification. These classifications are based on the occupation and the income of the head of the household. For example, in an exemplary family, the Father may bring in the most income. Therefore, this will determine the family's classification in the social grading system regardless if the Mother works too. A criticism of the system is that it classifies an entire household on the occupation of a single individual. And also the system ignores groups such as wealthy people who do not work and some groups who are self-employed. 

Reception Theory Applied

Applying Theory To Real Media Texts

Lily Allen's latest music video has sparked controversy among the media for its mislead representation of females in the show business industry. Although, Allen clearly states in her song that she is only joking (her lyrics read "And if you can't detect the sarcasm, then you've misunderstood)  many people are not taking it as lightly as Allen. 

The concept of Allen's video was to show how women are degraded in show business and particularly in the music industry. The video begins with Allen in hospital receiving cosmetic surgery (looks like liposuction) her manager/agent is standing over head ordering the surgeons of what needs to be done to Allen's body. In the song Allen is talking about how women in music are seen as objects ("Don't you want to have someone who objectifies you")  and the video shows the ways in which women are being degraded. However, although her message is to empower women by pointing out the ways in which women are disadvantaged, Allen is also contradicting herself. Twerking which has become a recent phenomena, can be seen used heavily in this video therefore, portraying women as sexual objects.

Theories: Uses & Gratifications

Uses & Gratifications Model - Katz & Blumler

• This theory suggests that the audience are an active audience and they consume media texts for their own reasons.

• It explains what the audience do with media and the reasons behind why they consume media. For exmaple, the effects of the media form the point of view of the audience. 

Katz & Blumler

• Social & psychological origins which generate certain expectations about mass media.
• Different patterns of media exposure in both the gratification needs and in other consequences.

The Model:
Motivated by a desire to fulfill and/or gratify certain needs such as the following:

Surveillance
To have knowledge of and also be aware of current events. Gratifying a desire for knowledge and security. Dominant messages of conforming via dominant ideologies given in media texts such as music videos. For example, Lily Allen's music video "Hard Out Here" depicts the treatment of women in the music industry thus making the mass audience aware of these issues.

Personal Identity
By identifying with media individuals form a personal identity for example, many pop stars are role models for young people therefore inspiring them through their looks, beliefs and music. By becoming a subject of the media allows audiences to reaffirm their identity and position themselves within society. 

Personal Relationships
This explains the relationship audiences have with the media. Individuals form relationships with media texts and also use media to form relationships with others. For example, a shared interest in X factor can be the topic of a conversation. Many people use television as a form of companionship. Audiences  get attached to characters and grieve for characters when theY are killed off. 

Media Within Relationships
People use media to form and build relationships with real people.
Studies suggest that many families use sitting around watching the TV as a stimilus for conversion.

Theories: Reception Theory

Reception Theory- Stewart Hall

• Unlike the Hypodermic Needle Theory, this theory explains how the audience is an active audience rather than passive. 

• The audience are actively engaged in the interpretation of media texts rather than as passive consumers. 

• Individuals receive and interpret texts in different ways. 

• Demonstrates that although one message is sent out into the media,  not everyone will understand the message. 

• Allows media text to be consumed individually and takes in no consideration the meaning of a text and the relationship an individual may understand from this in relation to sociological factors.

• Semiotics- 'the science of signs'

• Encode and decode the semiotics. Media texts are encoded by the producer and these texts are full of ideologies. Text is then decoded by an audience. 

• However not all audiences will decode and respond to the text in the same way. This explains the active audience theory, that each member of the audience interprets the message in their own way. 

Decoding and Encoding

• Producer creates a text which is encoded with ideas and beliefs they want the mass audience to follow. 

• This is called preferred reading.

• Message will be correctly decoded sometimes and the audience will receive and understand the message. 

• However, because the audience are an active audience some confusion will occur as not everyone will interpret the message in the intended way therefore the message will be ineffective. 

Three Types of  Audience:

1.Dominant or Preferred = understand the message, on dominant scale.

2.Negotiated= agree but also disagree, a compromise between two meanings.

3.Oppositional= completely disagrees, rejects preferred meaning and creates their own. 

Sociological Factors:

•There are certain factors that effect whether we take the dominant, opposition or negotiated reading.

•Life experience: adults may understand texts better than teenagers because they have more life experience

•Mood at time: if you are feeling down, everything will seem down

•Age: Adults wont relate to younger media texts.

•Culture: where you are from changes your views and reading.

•Beliefs: Be religious or not religious.

•Gender: Buy FHM for a males. Girls read it differently. 

Summary

•Hall says we are an active audience and we are allowed our own readings and how their individual circumstances affect their reading.

•Decode and Encode Model is relationship between text and audience.


•The text is encoded by the producer and decoded by reader.


•Using recognized codes and conventions, by drawing up audience expectations relating to aspects such as genre and use of stars, the producers can position the audience thus create a certain amount of agreement on what the code means. Known as preferred reading.

Theories: Hypodermic Needle Theory

Further Audience Research:

As part of my audience research I have looked some audience theories. These theories explain how audiences consume and interpret media texts. It looks at passive (Hypodermic Needle) and active (Reception Theory). It also looks at factors in which why they consume and what they consume (Uses &Gratifications).


Hypodermic Needle Theory

• Passive audience
• 
  

The Hypodermic Needle Theory suggests that the audience is passive and that they are being injected with beliefs and ideas the producer of the text wants them to believe. The theory suggests that the media is a device used to brainwash the public.

Location

My Location Ideas

All my locations are inter-textually linked with each other for example, a photo studio, a theater and a recording studio are all entertainment/show-business locations. The concept of my video is to capture the day-to-day activities and jobs a music artist goes through on a daily basis. These include doing photo shoots for album covers, magazine articles, endorsements and also for advertising. 

The most important job of the day for an artist is recording. Pop stars are recording artists, they record singles and albums then distribute them to the public. I liked the idea of including the recording of the song in my video as it gives the audience a 'raw' experience. They are allowed to witness how the production of the song which i feel is important because we as an audience are used to seeing music videos with a narrative. I feel my video will give the audience a new outlook on music videos. 

Another location for my video is the theater. The theater is the most conventional location for my genre. Having researched other existing pop rock music videos i found they all contain a scene with a band performance. I will be filming the band performance in the theater as it will create the illusion of a performance. Although, the artist will be performing (lip syncing) throughout the video, the theater scene will create the feeling that the artist is on a stage performing to an audience.

And my final location is the green room however, i am undecided whether I would like to use the green room to film. In the original video of 'Heart Attack' special effects have been used which gives the video an updated look however, because the concept of my video is behind-the-scenes i feel it would defeat the purpose as special effects would make the video artificial and unnatural. Whereas I am trying to create a video which is 'real', 'natural' and 'raw'.

I am fortunate enough that my college has the facilities to provide for my ideas. The college has all the locations listed above however, some complications and set backs will occur. My first set back and hopefully the only one, is that the theater is booked until January. This means that i will have to begin filming and create a first draft with a huge part of the video missing. It also means that i have less time to edit the final product. 

Casting

Finding A Star!

I have created an advert which will be shown on the notice boards in the college foyer and also in the turtor notices. I am hoping people will show interest and I will be able to cast a female for my video. I have specified in the ad for the person to be confident as it will be an easier process if the person is confident and a natural in front of the camera.