I am producing 2 media products for set brief 4. This is because I am very interested in the music video industry, and how they can include advertisements and how these appeal to their target audience. I wanted to take up this brief because I am very interested in the narrative theory especially Todorov, his theory that a character will go through five stages, being equilibrium, disruption, recognition, repair and then a new equilibrium. I am especially interested in this theory when it comes to music videos due to lil Nas x and old town road, you can see within that music video that this theory can be applied, and I want to use his music video as inspiration to create my own that can be enrolled with Todorov’s theory.

Within music videos, it is very important to have a target audience in mind, so the audience I am targeting will be teenagers who are just emerging into their own narrative of becoming a young adult. Essentially, they will be 16-20, struggling to find themselves, and looking for ways of expression. In terms of Psychographic profiling (Rubicam & Young), I am targeting ‘The Struggler; and ‘The Explorer’. Within terms of the uses and gratifications theory (Blumer & Katz), I am targeting people who want to escape their real lives and imagine themselves in the situations shown on screen (Escapism), but also on the contradictory people who want to recognize a personality that mimics one of their own characteristics (Personal Identity). Therefore, my main aim is to recreate media with a new form aimed at younger people searching for themselves rather than plain media that is informative. As I often watch music videos produced by Vevo, I will ensure to incorporate that style, tone and register, and my music videos narrative and imagery will reflect this professional product. For example, Vevo’s music videos use a lot of narrative based videos, which often tailgate old genres such as spaghetti westerns, I will base my music video on a specific genre and use my narrative to follow that. In terms of the magazine production, I always read kmag, so again my media product will reflect the informal tone of this publishing industry.

I want to make both productions connected in terms of content and representation, so my imagery within the magazine will actually be from one of the scenes within my music video and will include the actual actors I have used within the video. I will also use consistent branding and iconography, such as the magazines heading and internal context pages to ensure iconic and indexical signs (C S Pierce) are consistent. As with the written articles on the blog, I will yet again use an informal register of language, in order to reel in my target audience who are outside of the box, and wanting to see something less formal than mainstream media and rather an informal product they can relate too but also use to create a new identity for themselves as an escape.

Coming-of-age films focus on the psychological and moral growth or transition of a protagonist from youth to adulthood. . My intention is to explore how these narratives often reflect the complexities of female relationships, particularly through themes of conflict, rivalry, and ultimately, Coming-of-age films serve as a mirror for adolescents navigating the tumultuous journey of growing up. They show self-discovery. I want to document girlhood, emphasizing how conflicts and arguments among female characters can act as catalysts for personal growth. My aim for this brief cross media-production (NEA), I am going to produce three 45-60 seconds TIKTOK video clip, to show behind the scenes of the film and a trailer with an interview related to the flim with girl drama and cheating. As well as a film poster to also promote and highlight the coming-of-age film, specifically target at teens, I want to relate/reference my ideas for project based on film posters targeted at teens and TikTok’s also targeted coming up as adds on their TikTok with songs playing that would attract the female teens, as movies this like peak my interest and would draw me in as I am also a teenager with idea like this – my peers also agree with this.

The film is going to be based a low-budget independent film, including specific clips from the film with a range of camera shots, angles, and movement, to establish the locations and representations. I will apply media language and knowledge by conveying meaning through signs and symbols suggested a scene is set up and filmed. Signs and symbols in media texts are polysemic which means they are open to many interpretations, Visual (things we can see), things we can hear Verbal (spoken language) Non-verbal (gestures, facial expressions, body language). Cspesis uses different sighs and semiotics – indelutcive signs that we create for media to see how we can alter media and how we can change the perspective of it which is why I have chosen to base my theme around him. Roland Barthes’ theory, particularly his concept of “The Death of the Author,” emphasizes that a text’s meaning is created by the audience rather than determined solely by the creator’s intentions. This idea is highly relevant to my TikTok movie about a romcom featuring girl drama and cheating because its encouraging viewers to interpret the characters’ conflicts and growth independently for example, the arguments and rivalries among female characters can symbolize themes of identity and empowerment, allowing audiences to connect personally with the narrative.

My products will have a target audience of teens and older females, this is because of coming-of-age films show us the growing pains of entering adulthood and womanhood (girlhood) because of how hard it can be. Teens (age 16-20) should be interested or drawn to films such as mean girls or clueless as it can relate to them within the gossip, how they dress and talk and act, therefore it will target them as coming of age films are usually centred around the themes of youth, growing up, and maturation and how they live in their day-to-day life. The NEA project will be based on coming-of-age movies, such as mean girls. A gossip movie with teenage girls, lots of drama and ‘lip-gloss’ and drama with boys. It will relate to our society today and how teens may act and be influenced by people. Coming of age movies hold a significant impact on both individual viewers and the broader culture, especially on teens and younger females as they could feel as if they relate , whatever that means good or bad, teens may feel the same way which is why I am choosing a coming of age film as I am really interested in making everyone aware of the problems women go through and how different perspectives even such as films could change that.

In my analysis, I will focus on key films that exemplify this theme, examining how the portrayal of girl fights and arguments contributes to the protagonists’ journeys. I will analyze the motivations behind these conflicts, Furthermore, I will explore the resolutions of these conflicts and how they signify a transition from naivety to a more nuanced understanding of relationships and self-identity.

Ultimately, my goal is to highlight the importance of these narratives in validating the experiences of young women and illustrating the complexities of their emotional landscapes. Through this exploration, I hope to contribute to a greater understanding of the coming-of-age genre and its powerful representation of female growth and resilience.

Active audiences engage and respond to forms of media and are capable of challenging their ideas, while passive audiences just accept media products without challenging them.

1. Investors like the video game industry so much because the expansion of the industry could lead to big returns for investors and that investors now have a more predictable and valuable earning stream.

2. E-Sports is the competitive playing of video games similar the the competitive playing of physical sports.

4. FPS stands for first person shooter and MMORP stands for Massively multiplayer online game

Statement of Intent

From the set brief I chose, I’m looking to create two media products, one being a double page magazine and the other being a three full-page advert linked to the gaming community, I want the media products I produce to have aspects of an information guide. For example, on local sales, new/best games, new/best consoles, long lasting products or new events. I chose ‘set brief 2′ because personally I’m interested in the gaming industry and the creativity the community has made/put out for their favourite games, like art, costumes, etc. In recent years I feel that there aren’t many gaming magazines available likely due to the internet becoming more advanced. In doing this NEA task, I hope to better my knowledge, I found Albert Banduras Theory of ‘Media Effects’, media language linked to magazines and other theories linked to magazines or video games interesting but quite confusing. As I get Bandura’s theory explores the idea that audience members are passive consumers of content and that these consumers imitate behaviours they see without any thought, I do feel that this doesn’t always apply to media like video games. I think this way because a lot of video games companies produce games with the simple goal of giving consumers something to have fun with, even if they play a game by themselves, with friends or family. So, hopefully in doing brief 2, I will better my own knowledge and understanding of the theories and media language that have been applied to both industries. The target audience I want my NEA products to be aimed toward is teenagers and young adults close to my age, this being 16-19. I feel this’ll be the best age to aim for because most people I know that are similar ages to myself play video games. Both products I create should also be aimed to all genders because video games are usually stereotyped as being an activity that males only do, but its untrue so that’s why I want the products to be aimed for everybody. Personally, I follow different gaming groups on Instagram like IGN, that act like the news for gamers and inform them of upcoming games or products. They also sell their own products on their online website so I could use their page as a reference for my 3 adverts. Personally, I find these accounts very interesting and would like to emulate their way of promoting products but in the style of magazines like GQ or Marketing Week. 

Summer Term 2 plan