Media Job Roles

MANAGEMENT

Production Manager

• Managing the production budget.
• Making sure the production runs smoothly for the Producer and Line Producer.
• Scheduling shoots and negotiating hire of crews and equipment.

Location Manager

• Finding ideal locations for a film shoot.
• Negotiating fees, terms and permissions.
• Managing the location during the shoot.

Construction Manager

• Supervising the construction of sets and stages for film productions.
• Leading a team of craftsmen, including Carpenters, Painters, Riggers and Plasterers.
• Ordering tools and materials and staying within budget.

Producer

• Turning story ideas into profitable films.
• Putting together a creative and talented cast and crew.
• Being responsible for all aspects of a film's production.

Director

• Being the driving creative force in a film's production - visualising and defining the style and structure of the film, then bringing it to life.
• Carrying out duties such as casting, script editing, shot composition, shot selection and editing.
• Acting as the crucial link between the production, technical and creative teams.

CREATIVE

Actor

• Interpreting others' words in order to bring a script to life, and to put flesh and blood on characters.

Make-up and Hair Artist

• Creating make-ups and hairstyles to meet production requirements.
• Overseeing make-up and hair continuity during filming.
• Working to the Make-up and Hair Designer's brief.

Costume Designer

• Being in charge of designing, creating, acquiring and hiring all costumes for Actors and extras.
• Managing a team of skilled personnel.
• Supervising practical issues, such as departmental budgets and schedules, the organisation of running wardrobes, and costume continuity.

Sound Designer

• Creating sound effects for giant explosions or car crashes.
• Creating more subtle sounds to enhance mood and feeling.
• Managing the sound post production process.

Set Decorator

• Analysing the script and listing all items needed for the film set.
• Finding, hiring or commissioning props.
• Keeping detailed records before and during shooting and returning all props when they're no longer needed.

TECHNICAL

Lighting Technician

• Looking after lighting equipment on a film set, or on location.
• Helping with the power supply.
• Helping to set up lighting equipment.

Gaffer

• Running all the electrical work on a production.
• Leading a team of lighting technicians.
• Working closely with the Director of Photography.

Crane Operator

• Setting up and operating all cranes, which carry cameras and crew.
• Working closely with Grips and Camera Operators.
• Making sure safety procedures are closely followed.

Camera Operator

• Preparing and operating the camera and all its equipment.
• Working with the Director and Director of Photography to achieve the visual style of the film.
• Managing other camera department staff and communicating with Actors.

Console Operator

• Operating fixed lights on a film set.
• Mixing lighting effects during filming.
• Setting up and maintaining lighting consoles.

Audiences

A media audience may be as small as one person reading a magazine or as large as billions of people around the world watching events, like 9/11, unfold live on television.
Audiences have a complex relationship with the products they consume. Media producers intend audiences to read their product in a certain way, but in actual fact everyone 'reads' and enjoys a product differently due to the individual's background and lifestyle.

Technical Codes // Visual Codes // Audio Codes

Dialogue is an important code that has the purpose of imparting information to the audience and establishing characters and relationships. The mode of address of the speaker and their specific lexis (language) can anchor the text in a particular genre.

Sound effects add to the realism of the product and are also often a key indicator of genre (many genres enhance these for effect).

Narration is an example of non-diegetic sound that serves to give information to the audience. Often accompanies film-trailers to fill-in missing pieces of the plot for the audience.

The choice of this usually conveys narrative information and suggests genre. For example, there is an expectation that, at tense moment in a TV crime drama, appropriate non-diegetic music will be heard. Audiences will suspend disbelief as it adds to the atmosphere.

Close-ups are used to create emotion and tension. Often used to make the audience feel involved with a character.

Extreme close-up, for example a hand on a door handle, where information is withheld from the audience, create suspense or draw attention to something important that will be used later in the narrative.

Medium close-up also called 'newsreader shots'. The head and shoulders shot is how the audience would expect a news anchor to be within the frame.

Long shots. Used when more information is required. Here the audience may be shown the characters and part of their surroundings to enhance their understanding of the scene.

Establishing shots are rapid ways of advancing the narrative by showing the audience where the action is about to take place. Audiences may then have expectation about what will happen next.

Tracking shot is when the camera follows the character or action. The effect is to make the audience feel involved in the action.

Zoom is when (typically) the camera moves from long shot towards the subject. They should be smooth and unnoticeable (unless that is the desired effect), allowing the audience to move to a close-up and be involved in the emotion of the character.

Costume helps the audience identify/understand the role of a character and creates audience expectations of their behaviour.

Panning shot is when the camera moves across the scene, imparting knowledge to the audience. Often used to show location. In a whip technique the camera moves at high speed causing a blurring effect suggesting pace and action.

Tilt is when the camera moves vertically from top to bottom, or vice-versa. It can be used to imply mystery when introducing a character, slowly lifting the camera from feet to face.

Expression is a way in which messages between characters can be communicated non-verbally. Allows emotion to be clearly represented, used in combination with a close-up.

Gesture is another non-verbal communicator used to express emotion visually. For example a shrug, a wave or something more aggressive or offensive.

Iconography: objects, settings and backgrounds within media products that contain meaning.

Colour: the way in which a product is constructed and presented conveys meaning. For example, the use of black and white may suggest sophistication, soft focus may carry connotation of romance.

List of Pre-Production Paperwork

• Proposal
• Story Outline
• Script
• Budget
• Storyboards
• Locations
• Location Permission
• Crew List
• Talent List
• Risk Assessments
• Equipment List
• Shooting Script
• Props List
• Contact Sheet
• Location Plans
• Contingency Plans
• Booking List
• Call Sheet
• Release Forms
• Identifying Legal Implications

Unit 4

The Hypodermic Needle Theory

This model argues that audiences are 'passive consumers' of media messages. Media products 'inject' ideas into our heads and we have no control over our responses. It is based upon the idea that human brains are hardwired to respond to certain stimuli in the same way, which is why we have mass hysteria. Two well-used examples are Nazi Propaganda and the 1938 radio broadcast of War of the Worlds.

The Uses & Gratifications Model

On the other hand, the Uses & Gratifications Model assumes that media consumers are 'active', making choices and responding in individual ways to media. This model suggests that we have particular needs that media products are designed to satisfy. Obvious examples of this would be social media sites, but the idea applies just as music videos or newspapers.

Some examples of 'Uses'

Diversion - We seek out media as it offers a brief escape from our everyday problems (like homework) and an emotional release.

Social interaction - Not just using media to communicate to people, but also keeping up to date with shows in order to be part of a group (you don't just watch The Walking Dead, you talk about it with other people who have seen it).

Personal Identity - We define ourselves by our tastes, the kinds of films we watch, the sort of music
we listen to, the type of websites we visit, and so on are carefully chosen by us as they help us 'stand out from the crowd'.

Informed/Educated - Learning more about a subject, whether that is local news, a nature documentary, celebrity gossip, etc.

Ideas for production

Idea 1

Tone

Informal way in which they integrate with each other is casual and they can wear informal clothes because its new years and the layout can be quite informal too with individual arm chairs.

Upcoming Student Events
Events to do with their courses e.g. prom, bake sale etc. They talk about these events and it could be one of the more longer clips with students walking round college as they talk.

Colour Scheme

Very vibrant colours to show its less formal and the studio could look party like.

Intro

Opening title with fun, upbeat music  and it is short and sweet. There could also be a quick introduction to each section by its presenter that is less formal.

Student Union

It could be showing what the students do in their spare time e.g playing pool or going over to the canteen to get a drink and a bite to eat.

Film

A debate about what films everyone is looking forward to and why and its an informal discussion and its quite cheery.

Music

A debate about the biggest singles coming out and its an informal and very chatty discussion.

Student Discount

Debating about what they feel about the current things going on with it and they could be sitting in the canteen because food and drink plays a big part in this topic.

Interviews with Staff

They could be talking about what they do as their job role and doing what they do so it looks more visual to the audience e.g if they are a chef in the canteen, they show themselves cooking the food as well as talking at the same time.

Advertisements

There could be a voice over telling you about what is being advertised e.g hair salon could have someone telling you about hair treatment whilst showing you people getting their hair done. It could be slightly more formal than the other parts as it is creating a brand for itself.