GCSE Media: Final CSP index - AQA Advance Information edition

Your Easter homework is to create a final index of the Close Study Products that will be appearing in the 2022 exams.

This will be useful for two reasons: firstly, if you have missing or unfinished blogposts then this will mean you can catch up and learn anything you may have missed over the two-year course due to lockdowns, covid or any other reason. Secondly, if you're aiming for the top grades then you can complete the grade 8/9 extension tasks for each CSP as part of your revision. This will also set you up perfectly for A Level Media in the future (remember these tasks do not usually require much by way of writing - it's usually just some A Level reading and a question to think about).

CSP case studies: Final index - AQA Advance Information list

Create a new blogpost called 'CSP case studies: Final index' and link to YOUR blogpost for each of the following. Note - this is in the order the products will appear in the exams and not in the order we studied them:

1) Magazines: Tatler
2) Advertising and Marketing: Galaxy Audrey Hepburn advert

3) OSP & Videogames: Lara Croft Go

4) Music Video: One Direction

5) Music Video: Arctic Monkeys
6) Television: Class - Language and Representation

7) Television: Class - Industry and Audience

8) Television: Doctor Who - Language and Representation

9) Television: Doctor Who - Industry and Audience
10) Newspapers: The Daily Mirror - Language and Audience

11) Newspapers: The Daily Mirror - Representation and Industry

12) Newspapers: The Times - Language and Audience

13) Newspapers: The Times - Representation and Industry

When you see your work in an index like this, it makes you realise what a brilliant job you have done over the last two years studying this extensive and varied course through covid, lockdowns and other distractions. Well done! This was NOT easy - and now you need to put the time in to revise and prepare for the upcoming exams to get the best grade you possibly can.

Walk-and-talk mock exam

After Easter, we'll be doing learner response tasks for the two mock exams we did earlier this term before a walk-and-talk Paper 1 exam in class. Revising the topics above will be perfect preparation for this! 

Revision tips

The most important revision tip is to make sure you have completed all the original blogposts and know the key information about each CSP. You also have paper copies of sample questions and mark schemes from the December mock exam period to help prepare too - let us know if you can't find your copy of these. 

Here's a good blog on how to write effective flashcards for revision - and you can always pop in to DF07 if you need some more flashcards.

It would be a good idea to re-watch the TV episode CSPs as that is a topic we know will definitely be in Paper 2. You can watch Doctor Who and Class here using your Greenford Google login. 

Due date for index on Google Classroom

Music video: Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor

Our second music video CSP is Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor.

Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band from Sheffield. The lead singer is called Alex Turner. Since forming in 2002, they have released six albums and won seven Brit Awards. They were one of the first bands to come to the public’s attention due to the internet, heralding a new way that bands are produced and marketed.

I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor is their first single from debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not released with niche, independent record label Domino. It was released in 2005 and went straight to number 1 on the singles chart.

Unlike One Direction, Arctic Monkeys weren’t put together by a record label, they were all friends from school. They formed in 2002 and wrote songs based on their lives and what they saw on nights out in Sheffield. They played pubs and small venues in and around Sheffield, and built up a huge following online using Myspace. You can read more about the Myspace phenomenon on Forbes here and specifically find out more about Arctic Monkeys and Myspace here.



Video analysis and audience appeal

The power of the internet

• Social Media was only starting to be introduced in the early 2000s.
• You could chat to people with similar interests on chatroom or forums.
• You used AOL or MSN Messenger to talk to your friends, send emojis and share pictures and music.
• Myspace was released in 2003 and was one of the first major social networking sites. Myspace was used by bands and artists to gain fans without the need for a record company.
• Arctic Monkeys' music was shared on P2P sites, though this wasn’t known by the band or promoted when they found out. It allowed their music to be heard by a much wider audience.
• The sharing of their music encouraged people to talk about and share their music, which created a buzz about the band.
• Their fan base moved online, creating online communities where they could share songs and information.

Convergence and technology

• ‘Convergence’ is the process of combining different, often old and new, technologies to create a new or better product.
• Technological convergence is the development of technology (such as phones and tablets) that allows us to access all types of media through one device. This has fundamentally changed the way music videos are produced, consumed and shared. 
• Technological convergence has created both challenges and opportunities for the music industry - both artists and record companies.

Arctic Monkeys: performance video

• This is a performance video designed to look like a 1980s TV performance on programmes such as Top of the Pops or The Old Grey Whistle Test. It was filmed using old 1980s Ikegami 3-tube colour TV cameras to give it an authentic, nostalgic effect.
• The simple performance video subverts music video conventions that became steadily more complicated and narrative-based in the 1980s and 1990s.
• It opens with the singer introducing the song and adding the words 'Don't believe the hype'. This could be a reference to the online following the band built up using Myspace.  

Audience 

• Arctic Monkeys' audience are likely to be predominantly white, middle class and reasonably young. Psychographic groups might include Reformers and Explorers. Recent global success pushed the band into bigger psychographic groups such as Mainstreamers.
• Audience pleasures would include diversion - the song is upbeat and fast-paced. Fans who followed the band from the early days might find a sense of personal relationship while many young people would get a sense of personal identity from the lyrics to the song (about going out to a club and drinking).
• Older fans would enjoy a sense of nostalgia from the 1980s-style performance video.

Music video regulation

Music video regulation is controlled by the BBFC who set certain standards and ratings for different age groups who they believe should be exposed to content specific to their age via age ratings and certification. YouTube and Vevo work in partnership with the BBFC to age rate all music videos for artists who are signed to Sony Music UK, Universal Music UK and Warner Music UK (the 'big three').  However, not all music producers sign up to this though and the BBFC does not have the power to regulate content on YouTube.

The BBFC regulate many different aspects of music videos. The sort of issues the BBFC considers in classifying music videos include:

• drug misuse
• dangerous behaviour presented as safe
• bad language
• sexual behaviour and nudity
• threatening behaviour and violence 

Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor: Blog tasks

Arctic Monkeys: Industry

1) How did the Arctic Monkeys first achieve success and build up their fanbase?

2) Why was P2P file sharing and MySpace an unexpected aspect to Arctic Monkeys' early success?

3) How does the rise of Arctic Monkeys differ from how One Direction were formed and became famous?

4) Who is Arctic Monkeys record label and how many copies did they sell of their debut album? Why did they choose an independent record label?

5) Looking at the wider music industry, has the internet been a positive or negative development for record companies and artists? Why?


Arctic Monkeys: Audience

1) What is the main Arctic Monkeys audience - demographics and psychographics?

2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor?

3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to Arctic Monkeys fans. Why did you choose those moments?

4) How did fans take a leading role in making Arctic Monkeys famous back in 2005?

5) How are fans positioned to respond to the band? What does Arctic Monkeys want fans to think about their video?


Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this excellent Guardian feature on the Arctic Monkeys on the 10th anniversary of I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor. What key statistics can you take from the article concerning developments in the industry and the Arctic Monkeys' role in these changes?

Read this BBC News report from the time - documenting the records Arctic Monkeys broke.

Read this short blog on how the social media website Myspace helped the Arctic Monkeys make it big. What did the website allow the band to do?

Finally, read this short Guardian feature asking if Arctic Monkeys changed the music industry. What does the article suggest?


You'll need to finish this case study for homework - due date on Google Classroom.

Music video: One Direction - History

Our first music video CSP is One Direction - History.

One Direction are an English-Irish pop band forming during Series 7 of hit show X Factor and going on to come third. They were propelled to success through social media and become one of the most successful groups ever, breaking many records. Their third album was the best selling album in the world in 2013.

After finishing the show, they signed a record deal with Syco Records (Simon Cowell’s record label) which is part of Sony, one of the ‘Big 3’.

History is their final single and is taken from album Made in the A.M. By the release of this album, Zayn had left to pursue solo projects. The single is their last before taking a career break. They reflect the lyrics (looking back on their huge success) through featuring footage of X Factor, behind the scenes at tours, anecdotes and videos of all the members.

This 2015 video self referentially covers the bands own history since their creation during 2010s X Factor. Their debt to Simon Cowell is acknowledged in this video.



Video analysis and audience appeal

Narrative

• The song is about the history of the band and about moving on towards the future. 
• The band said it marked a ‘period of closure’ for them after the departure of Zayn Malik, who has left the band to pursue a solo career. 
• It features a performance element with each of the band performing live and dancing in unison, cut with black and white footage of all 5 original members on tour and ‘behind the scenes.’ This is nostalgic and will appeal to loyal fans as it will remind them of the band’s success and younger appearances, right back to the start of their career on X Factor (featured in the opening of the video) in 2010. 
• Lyrics such as ‘now my heart’s breaking’ and ‘you and me got a whole lot of history’ and ‘all of the rumours, all of the fights’ can be applied to a relationship between a girl and a boy, but also to the other members of the band. 

Audience pleasures

• Diversion through a feeling of nostalgia
• Personal relationships: Fans were used to contribute to the single’s chorus. (Collaboration / example of Prosumerism)
• Personal identity with the band members (following through Twitter etc.) who were marketed as ‘the funny one’ and the ‘handsome one’ and also relating to other like-minded fans. 
• Surveillance – insight into behind the scenes.
• Intertextuality of previous tours and footage 

One Direction - History: Blog tasks

Industry

1) How were One Direction formed and how is this reflected in the music video for History?

2) What is vertical integration? You may need to check your book for this (or remind yourself from this Year 1 blogpost.)

3) What is horizontal integration? (See link above for help again!)

4) How has technological convergence changed the way audiences consume music videos?

5) As a manufactured band, what influence do Simon Cowell and the record company Syco (part of Sony) have over the content and release strategy of One Direction music videos? You may want to read this text from an article in The Inquisitr about the relationship between 1D and Simon Cowell.


Audience

1) What is the One Direction target audience - demographics and psychographics?

2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for History?

3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to One Direction fans. Why did you choose those moments? 

4) What is nostalgia and why is it a key audience pleasure for the History music video?

5) How are fans positioned to respond to the video? What do the producers want One Direction fans to take from the video?


Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this Huffington Post article about the video. What extra details are provided in the article regarding the construction of the video?

Read this short Teen Vogue feature on the video. What does it suggest regarding the ending of the video?

Try reading this excellent Medium blog on the future of the music video in the digital age. Summarise the main points of the blog in 100 words.

Read this Independent columnist writing about why she loves One Direction. What audience pleasures can you pick out from this article?

You'll need to finish this case study for homework - due date on Google Classroom.

Music video: Introduction

Our final media topic is Music Video.

We will be studying the industry and audience contexts for this topic and need to cover two CSPs:

One Direction: History



Arctic Monkeys: I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor



We need to study the industry and audience contexts for these products: 

Industry: how music video is produced and marketed and how this has changed over time.
Audience: Target audience and audience pleasures. How the internet has changed the position of the audience.
PLUS: Historical, cultural and social significance of the music videos and the impact of the internet on the music industry.

Music video will appear in Paper 1, Section B of Exam
Section B is only on INDUSTRIES and AUDIENCES and will consist of:
1 short answer question
2 medium answer questions – one on audience, one on industry
1 extended essay style question on one of the media forms we have studied - which is very likely to be Music Video due to the advance information we have from AQA about the Summer 2022 exams.  
This essay question will require you to make judgements and draw conclusions. 

Music video: introduction and history

Music video key conventions

Music videos typically feature movement – often fast paced either in terms of actors, camerawork or editing. Many contain a performance element or narrative. Music videos can also feature visual effects and intertextuality.

Music videos were originally designed as a promotional device to sell the band or artist’s music but have developed over time to become a recognised artform or product in their own right. Modern music videos no longer have the huge budgets of the 1980s and 1990s but digital media means they are now more accessible than ever. Videos such as Psy’s Gangnam Style have received over 3 billion views on YouTube.

Intertextuality

Intertextuality is when one media text references another media text – through genre, conventions, mise-en-scene or specific cultural references.

Music videos often use intertextual references – often to classic films but also to television, popular culture, news, videogames or even other music videos.

Music video history

Originally, music videos were made like mini ‘films’ of the bands performing (e.g. The Beatles, Elvis)

MTV was launched in 1981 as a platform for music videos and the first music channel on television. Programs such as BBC show Top of The Pops also showcased music videos from the charts alongside ‘live’ stage performances. 

In the 1980s and 1990s big budgets were spent on producing innovative and creative music videos such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller that had a film narrative, a well known director and featured intertextuality (horror films)

Music video in the digital age

In 2005 the launch of Youtube changed the way that consumers access and enjoy music video. Now self-promotion is more common.

The rise of new and digital media paved the way for bands such as One Direction ‘manufactured’ by the industry and increasingly promoted through convergence on social media to maximise profits for the record companies.

Other artists were able to make it big thanks to YouTube, digital media and fans' word of mouth:









Problems with piracy

Piracy became a huge problem for the music industry as they could not keep up with illegal downloading and streaming services where fans shared content for free therefore… The 2000s saw the rise of streaming services with subscriptions such as Spotify, Apple Music, Beats Music and (most recently) Youtube Music. 

New platforms and music apps on smart phones mean that listeners are now becoming one-device consumers and using their phones for all media access. 

Introduction to Music Video: Blog tasks

Answer the questions below to complete your introduction to the Music Video topic: 

1) What are the key conventions of music video?

2) What is intertextuality?

3) When did music videos first become a major part of the music industry?

4) What launched in 1981 and why were music videos an important part of the music industry in the 1980s and 1990s?

5) How are music videos distributed and watched in the digital age?

Extension tasks

Read this Guardian feature asking whether YouTube is good or bad for the music industry. What is your opinion on this crucial question?

Read this Guardian feature on how videogames are now more important than music videos for breaking new artists. Do you agree videogames are now more influential than music videos?

Complete for homework if you don't finish it in the lesson - due date on Google Classroom.