Where can I find Digipaks to analyse?

Answer: discogs.com.

Search an artist or album:

In the list presented, search for ‘gat' or ‘dig'.

Hopefully, you will find that the entire packaging has been scanned and added.

A2 Coursework: B324 Deadlines (2017-18)

28th August: x30 research tasks:

• 10 short films
• 10 posters
• 10 film reviews

Or the equivalent texts, dependent on your chosen brief. 

25th September: All research tasks completed:

• 30 set
• 10 independent
• Target audience research

16th October: All Planning documents:

• Script
• Storyboard
• Animatic

11th December: First complete draft:

• Main video
• Ancillary 1
• Ancillary 2

5th February: Final drafts:

• Main video
• Ancillary 1
• Ancillary 2

5th March: Evaluation & Blog complete

Steven Spielberg: Opening Shots 1971-1991

Interesting video collection of Steven Spielberg's opening shots from 1971-1991.

Useful for A2 Short Film and Trailer students and AS Opening students.

What should I be doing?

Music Video:

1. Research in to Music Video styles: Concept, Performance, Narrative, Hybrid.
2. Research into existing media: 10 x Music Videos; 10 x Digi Packs (4 and 6 panel); 10 x Adverts

Short Film:

1. Research into existing media: 10 x Short Films; 10 x Reviews; 10 Websites or Posters
2. Detailed research into Genre.

Trailer:

1. Research into existing media: 10 x Trailers; 10 x Film Posters; 10 x Film Magazine covers
2. Detailed research into Genre.

There should never be an idle moment.

Mr. M.

Art of the Title: Stranger Things

Another fantastic breakdown and analysis from 'Art of the Title'; this time for 'Stranger Things' (my fave show of 2016).

As you continue your coursework research, you must make use of the site 'Art of the Title'. They have covered some of the most iconic title sequences in significant detail, including:

• Dial M for Murder
• Alien
• Twin Peaks
• Blade Runner
• Fargo
• Se7en
• Trainspotting
• This is England
• Moon
• Oblivion

Everything is a Remix - Remastered (2015)

Kirby Ferguson has remastered his seminal series 'Everything is a Remix' as one single video. This continues to be the starting point for our study into Postmodern Media.

Please watch and make detailed notes. We will begin our study of Postmodern Media on Thursday 1st October.

Martin Scorsese - The Art of Silence

The 30 Best Movie Posters of 2013

Flavorwire has published their list of thirty great movie posters from 2013. The selection demonstrates a diverse range of styles and genres. Definitely worth checking out, especially if you are working on the 'Short Film' brief.

A Talk With Hitchcock

Whether you're an AS or A2 Media student, this interview with Alfred Hitchcock, in which he discusses his creative process, is really useful. It gives a detailed insight into how to tell stories on film. The section on 'cutting' is particularly insightful.

Part 1 and Part 2.

[A2] Evolution of Advertising

This might be useful...

Where to look for articles about the Magazine Industry...

To help you get to grips with reading around the topic of the magazine industry, I thought it would be helpful to share a few websites that you can trust (to an extent).

MediaMagazine - Remember to ask me for the username and password.

Guardian Newspaper (Media Section)

Independent Newspaper (Media Section)

The Association of Magazine Media

The Economist

Wired

TechCrunch

Please remember that even sites like these are open to bias and should be handled critically.

Magazine Industry Research

While we work through presentations, I want you to develop your understanding of the key issues through 'secondary' research.

Investigate and make notes on...

Magazine Industry

• How is it changing/evolving?
• What does the future hold?

Audience and Institutions

• How do audiences benefit from changes in the magazine industry?
• What challenges are magazines (and publishers) facing?

New Media Technologies

• How are NMTs impacting on the Magazine Industry?

Further to this, you need to find and analyse an article that comments on the current or potential future state of the Magazine Industry.

Investigate and analyse the article:

• Source?
• Who write it?
• What is the line of argument?
• Key quote? - This needs to be carefully critiqued.
• How does it link to the wider concepts in the unit and your case study?

Next, in groups of 4/5, share your articles making notes. This will give you a range of opinion on the topic.

AS/A2 Snow Day Work!

School is closed on Monday 21st January.

Please work on the following tasks...

Year 12

1. Continue working on your research/prep for your Magazine Industry presentations.

2. Take the opportunity to update your coursework blog.

Year 13

1. Read this article about the Coen Brothers: Coughlin, P., 2003, Joel and Ethan Coen, Senses of Cinema, Issue 26: http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/coens/

2. Take the opportunity to update your coursework blog.

SoundWorks!

SoundWorks Collection offers a great insight into the use of music in film (via Andy Wallis).

Blogging and Research

Melissa emailed me and asked if she was on the right track with her blog. I was happy to oblige and found that she was making good progress. I felt that it was also an opportunity to impart some advice and guidance about what she should do next, particularly in relation to the research she is doing into the Thriller Genre.  As I was finishing up the comment I realised that this was useful advice for everybody, so here it is...

"Some advice... 

The post above looks like the result of 'Secondary Research', e.g. you looked things up on the web? Am I right? If so, then you should reference the websites that you drew the information from. 

This research is a great start. Now, I would recommend that you watch some openings and analyse them technically: camera, editing, sound, mise-en-scene. This is another area where the two sides of the course cross-over. :-) 

Also, aim to be 'completist'. I liked that you posted about camera techniques, including examples. You could tie this into the task above. Watch 4 clips. For each one, analyse one area. E.g. watch the opening sequence of 'Lost Highway' by David Lynch and analyse the use of camera work. Then watch the opening of 'Se7en' and analyse the mise-en-scene. And so on. It will help you develop both an understanding of the technical codes and conventions of thrillers while also helping you to develop your skills of analysing specific features."

To summarise:

• Reference sources
• Complete textual analysis of thriller openings
• Break that analysis up into specific areas to focus your learning/understanding

Sandwich Video

Adam Lisagor fell in to video-based viral marketing... his company 'Sandwich Video' produces some of the most engaging ads for apps and services. Go check 'em out!

Link: http://sandwichvideo.com/

Music Video: 2 Presentations and 1 Essay

For those of you considering the Music Promo Brief, the following two presentations and one essay provide a wealth of material to get your research started.

This first presentation provides a detailed guide to music video, applying key concepts including genre, narrative, representation and audience to a wealth of music videos. I recommend for this and the following presentation to have YouTube at the ready, as I would watch the videos that are discussed as you work through the presentation. I would also recommend that you begin to create a glossary of key terms, there are a lot of new concepts that will have to come to terms with.

The second presentation delves deeper into the technical construction of music videos, considering camera work, editing, representation and construction of 'star image'.

Finally, follow this link to read an essay titled: What is Music Video? Audiovisual Poetry or Commercial Salad of Images. It is a highly critical response to the purpose and nature of music videos.

Link: http://www.filmsound.org/what_is_music_video/

What is a Meme?

Read this: internetmeme.net

Then read and play with this: whatismeme.com

Watch this:

And then have a look at these: Lolcats

Investigating reading habits...

Follow the link and add your questions to be included in a survey of people's magazine reading habits.

Consider, what would we want to know and why?

Link: http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/magsurvey

How Research Should Be Done

Follow the link to view an excellent example of A2 Media Studies: Advanced Portfolio research and planning in progress.

http://mediastudiesringwoodgriffinadvanced.blogspot.com/

This is the standard I expect from you all! :-)