Breadalbane Academy

National 5 Media

Analysing Media Content

‘Skyfall’ (2012) Dir. Sam Mendes

Name:

Unit assessment aims:

Pupils will be able to carry out detailed analysis of media content by:

1.1Identifying and explaining media content in detail

1.2Identifying and explaining media contexts in detail

1.3Explaining the relationship between media content and context

1.4Identifying and explaining the role of media

1.5Applying knowledge and understanding of the relevant key aspects of media literacy

The Key Aspects

Content Based
  • Representation – how a version of a person, group of people or place is presented to the audience. Consider the use of stereotypes/non-stereotypes, selection and portrayal, cultural assumptions.
  • Narrative – the structures that support the story that a text constructs, e.g. Todorov’s 3-part structure, hermeneutic/proairetic codes etc.
  • Language – technical codes: how a media text uses technical aspects of its form to create meaning (e.g. in film – camera, mise-en-scene, sound, special effects, lighting, colour...); cultural codes: how a media text uses cultural signifiers to give the audience a kind of ‘shorthand’ based on our assumptions around that object (e.g. use of costume, accent, setting, props).
  • Categories – how a media text is categorised, and what expectations that gives an audience based on medium, form, purpose, genre, tone.
  • Technology – how technology supports the creation and distribution of a text

Context Based
  • Audience – identifying the characteristics of the consumers of a media text: target audience, preferred reading, differential decoding
  • Institution–the organisations which regulate aspects of the media, both external (British Board of Film Classification, Independent Press Standards Organisation etc and legal constraints such as copyright and libel laws) and internal (budget and other financial constraints, health and safety, production company policy, schedule etc).

Camera Angle KeyKey Aspect: Language

Opening SequenceKey aspect: Language

Example of a sign / What does it signify?
Example of camera angle / What effect does it have?
Example of mise-en-scene / What does it add to our understanding?
Example of sound / What effect does it have?
What tone is created? / Give examples of how it is created:

Note-taking Grids

Representation / Language / Categories / Audience
Representation / Language / Categories / Audience
Representation / Language / Categories / Audience

Binary OppositionsKey aspect: Narrative

The following binary oppositions appear in Skyfall – match them up.

YouthEast

GoodvsAge

WestFeminine

MasculineBad

Binary oppositions support CONFLICT in the narrative. Give examples of where the binary oppositions listed above appear in the film.

CategoriesKey aspect: Categories

Identify categories in ‘Skyfall’ / Give evidence to support (where appropriate) / How does this influence the audience’s expectations of a text?
Medium
Form
Purpose
Tone
Genre

Integrate one more key aspect. How do categories help the viewer to understand or make predictions based on: representation, narrative, institution, language?

NarrativeKey aspect: Narrative

Break down the plot of ‘Skyfall’ into the three parts of Todorov’s narrative theory

Sense of normality (Equilibrium)
Disruption of equilibrium
Restoration of/ establishment of a new equilibrium

Give specific examples of each

Hermeneutic (suspense) codes / Proairetic (action) codes

Stereotypes and Non-stereotypesKey aspect: Representation

Broadly speaking, a media text can either reinforce or reject certain stereotypes. Within a media text, it is likely that there will be a mixture of stereotypical and non-stereotypical character traits.

A film where everyone was a stereotype would be boring and predictable, but use of stereotypes can provide a useful shorthand for filmmakers to convey something to an audience.

In what way is James Bond a stereotype in ‘Skyfall’? Consider aspects of gender, class and characterisation.

In what way does he challenge the stereotype?

Consider the same questions for M, Moneypenny and Mallory

How does the representation of individuals fit in with the themes of the film as a whole?

Representation of groupsKey aspect: Representation

Look at the images/script extracts from ‘Skyfall’ and discuss how they represent nationality/gender/sexuality etc. Note your main ideas below.

Identifying Technical and Cultural CodesKey aspect: Language

Sequence:

Identify technical code / What does this show? / Identify cultural code / What does this show?

Sequence:

Identify technical code / What does this show? / Identify cultural code / What does this show?

Sequence:

Identify technical code / What does this show? / Identify cultural code / What does this show?

Sequence:

Identify technical code / What does this show? / Identify cultural code / What does this show?

Sequence:

Identify technical code / What does this show? / Identify cultural code / What does this show?

Internal/External ConstraintsKey aspect: Institution

Research findings:

Institutional aspect / Main findings / Impact on production
Production company and history, budget
British Board of Film Classifications, age rating

Institution Key Aspects: Institution (Social Context, Role of Media)

How does the article read feed in to our understanding of institution, audience, categories (purpose)?

So far, what is your conclusion as to the role of this media text? Give evidence for your answer.

How does the film work as a piece of social commentary in the year 2012? How does this influence your thinking on the role of this media text?

Checklist of Media Terms

In the Analysis of Media Content unit and in the final exam, you should be able to understand and use all of the following terms. These terms have been broken down into their general key aspect. We may add to this during the course of the unit, so make sure you keep this up to date.

Categories

Medium, purpose, form, genre

Language

Technical codes: camera, mise-en-scene, diegetic and non-diegetic sound, sound effects, special effects, colour, lighting, sets.

Cultural codes: costume, gesture, accents.

Narrative

Todorov’s theory – equilibrium-disequilibrium-restoration of equilibrium, binary oppositions, classic Hollywood structure, hermeneutic and proairetic codes.

Representation

Stereotypes, non-stereotypes, archetypes, class, race, gender, sexuality.

Audience

Target audience, differential decoding, preferred reading, gratification, demographic.

Institutions

Finance, production, internal constraints, external constraints, self-regulation, budget, production values, distribution

Technology

Distribution, broadcast