:: Reception theory

Reception Theory: Blog task

1) What is the preferred reading of a media text?

The interpretation that the producer wants you to think.

              

- The meaning the producers intend to communicate. This builds on the idea that                        producers can position the audience in a certain way and influence their reading so                  they accept the intended message by using recognised codes and conventions (such                as stereotypes).

2) What is the oppositional reading of a media text?

The opposite of what the producer wants you to think. Normally negative connotations.

-The oppositional reading goes against the meaning the producers are trying to create. The       audience reject the intended message and construct an opposite reading instead. This can     be  due to their own social, political or moral beliefs and values. 

3) How does the Adolescence clip position the audience to respond to the teenage character in the scene?

When the teenage character lashes out at the lady, it could leave the audience believing all teenagers are violent and aggressive. They could end up thinking teenagers have no respect for adults and don't know how to behave when talking to a kind, caring person or someone in authority.

4) Why might young people reject this reading and construct an oppositional reading of the trailer?

Other teenagers may think that this is a normal response and behaviour, due to the fact he's under so much pressure and has gone through a lot the past few days. They may think that he's overreacting but they would understand how he feels and feel empathy towards him. They would probably justify his behaviour.

5) Exam-Style Q: Explain how representations of young people are constructed in this clip. Answer with reference to Stuart Hall's reception theory. (Preferred/Oppositional Readings)

:: Blog feedback & Learner response!

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 

MISE-EN-SCENE:

Lighting - 

Normally in shows two characters that have links to the colours red and blue never get along, a character that is linked to the colour red is normally more powerful and dangerous. A character that is more blue is usually a more intelligent but has a more sad backstory or has been through alot :( . The fact they both hold lightsabers in these colours in the dark symbolises a blind fight between good and evil. What I mean by blind fight is, the darkness could signify the unknown and the fear of it or maybe even evil. This may be the case as the dark side is fully on the left which may be hinting that he's pure evil. On the other side is orange which could connote fear and nervousness, but also enthusiasm and hope, showing us which side is good and which side is bad.

Costumes -   

MINORITY REPORT

At 1:05 to 1:09, the camera tracks from a high angle, making the man at the bottom feel small, trapped and vulnerable in the dark alley. It makes him appear like he has a lack of control and suggests the situation is dangerous and chaotic. 

This scene, which takes place at 1:28, is a low angle shot. This has the exact opposite effect of the high angle shot, making the people seem more powerful and intimidating. This could maybe foreshadow how the man is going to take back control of the situation and escape and/or fight the ones who were chasing him.

During the fight scene, starting from 2:10, they tend to use fast pace editing to create tension and suspense for the audience. The quick changes between shots makes the scene feel way more intense which could keep the audience more invested and interested in the movie.

At 0:47, I'm not exactly sure what this is called, but the fact that they continously switched between the characters proves that they really wanted to create tension here. The audience would feel as if they shouldn't be trusting on or the other which could be confusing and keep them watching for longer to find out what'll happen between the two.

At exactly 1 minute in, the camera tracks and pans, following the man who was running away, avoiding what's going on behind him. This could be nerve-wracking because the audience wouldn't know whether he's still being chased, or has gotten away. By his facial expressions, we can tell he's still very nervous which could suggest they could still be very close and about to capture him, but the audience has no way of knowing which makes the situation even more tense.

At 2:51, the camera zooms into the mans face while he's hanging from a ladder really high up off the ground. This zoom can create suspense and pressure as he could fall and hit the ground any moment and get detained. 

At 2:59, the camera falls straight down, showing what a high drop it is for them. This could made the audience feel extremely uneasy as the motion blur shows has fast and high up the fall is. As the camera tilts, it creates a sense of urgency for the audience.