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The Media Studies
Unit 2 Exam
Unit 2 Textual Analysis General Information The examination will be 2 hours long (including 30 minutes for viewing and making notes on the moving image extract) and candidates will be required to answer two compulsory questions. The unit will be marked out of a total of 90, with each question marked out of 45. There will be two sections to this paper: Section A (45 marks) An unseen moving image extract which will be betweeen three to five minutes long from the Action/Adventure Genre with one compulsory question dealing with textual analysis of
technical aspects of the languages and conventions of the moving image
medium. You will be expected to give examples from the unseen extract of the following technical aspects, as appropriate to the extract and question. · Camera Angle, Shot, Movement and Position. · Editing · Sound · Special Effects · Mise-en-Scène ESSENTIAL READING: Daniel Chandler's The Grammar of Television and Film Section B (45 marks) One compulsory question on a comparative study of two texts
:Depending on which teacher you have, you will be studying two modules out of the following:
1) Celebrity and the Tabloid Press
The representation of celebrities and their relationship with readers and the press.
Here's an OCR graded 'full marks essay' for this paper: Compare the ways in which the visual and written elements of your two chosen tabloid newspapers define and represent celebrity.
You should also print out and read the following excellent:CELEBRITY AND TABLOID PRESS ESSAY, borrowed with thanks, from the people at: http://mediaatgordano.pbwiki.com/
2) Gender and Television Situation Comedy
The representation of gender in television situation comedy.
NB: Either British or US Television Situation Comedies may be used.
The focus will be on representation of the construction of gender in characters; construction of characters by appearance and dialogue; the characters’ function in the themes and narratives of the
programmes; stereotypes and archetypes; casting issues; characters’ values and beliefs and
how they are positioned by the narrative and preferred reading of the programme;
audience/critical interpretations.
Note: The two texts may be contemporary or older, or one of each; Centres are free to choose
contrasting texts if they facilitate comparison.
Graded Exam Papers Unit 2731: Sitcom Section January 2003
3) Conflict/Competition and Video/Computer Games
The representation of the constituent elements that create conflict and/or a sense of
competition in video and computer games in sporting and/or fictional games, including those
based on television programmes, books and films etc.
Representation of conflict as expressed by narratives, action and characters. Representation
of opposing elements, by gender, race, nationality, character function (hero/villain) etc.
Representation of competition via winners, losers, rewards and penalties. Player catharsis
and identification, as invited by representation of the above. Player experiences, as preferred
by game producers and actual experiences in response to game design and issues of
representation. Audience/critical interpretations.
Here's an OCR graded 'full marks essay' for this paper: Compare how conflict/competition is represented by the narratives and/or characters in your two chosen video/computer games.
Sample
Question from the SitCom paper: How far do you think SitComs either Reinforce or Subvert Gender Stereotypes? [45 marks] The
following areas may be examined: ·
Contrasting Representations and Constructions of Gender ·
How Gender Representation Reflects or Challenges Dominant Ideology ·
Constructions of Character by Appearance and Dialogue ·
The Way Character Values and Beliefs are Demonstrated ·
Use of Stereotype and Archetype
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