Media Studies
Intermediate 2
Pupil Notes on “Unseen Analysis”
The “unseen” text you will write about:
The Unseen Analysis exam is called “unseen” because you will be asked to
analyse a media text that you have never seen before. The text will be
the same kind as you studied in class – for example, if you studied crimedrama DVD covers, then the exam text will be a DVD cover.
The marks:
The final SQA exam in May is worth 80 marks. The Unseen Analysis
exam is done in class time and is worth 20 marks. Together, these two
exams make up a total value of 100 marks – or 100%.
The Key Aspects:
The Unseen Analysis exam tests your knowledge and understanding of Key
Aspects 1 and 2 – “Categories” and “Language”. You will refer to other
key aspects in your answer but mainly you will write about aspects 1 and 2.
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Key Aspect 1: Categories
Medium
If the text is a DVD cover or a film poster, the medium is PRINT.
It is not television or film – you are analysing the cover or poster (not the
programme or film.)
Genre
The genre will be the same as we studied in class. When you are writing
about the genre, you should write sub-genre elements e.g. psychological
drama, horror, forensic drama and romance. You must give evidence from
the text that explains the genre and how it will appeal to audiences.
Form
The form of a DVD cover is a package advert because (a) it is a package
to store and protect the discs inside and (b) it is an advert on the shelves
of the shop, to tempt possible audiences to buy it.
Purpose
The main purpose of a DVD cover is to persuade people to buy the DVD.
The main purpose of a film poster is to persuade people to go to see the
film in the cinema. It does this by promising to entertain the audience by
making the product seem frightening, violent, exciting, funny or whatever.
Tone
The tone of a text can be hundreds of things – light, fun, violent, horrific,
sexy, romantic, intelligent or whatever. Provide evidence from the text
to justify your conclusions. For example, a gun anchored by a skull and a
blood-red background will clearly connote danger, violence or a warning.
Style
The style may be realistic (e.g. a documentary or a tough crime-drama) or
a glossy fantasy (“CSI: Miami” uses CGI, MTV music and coloured lights.)
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Key Aspect 2: Language
CODES
Codes are signs that point you in particular directions. If you see one of
the following signs on a door, you know instantly what it means.
Signs like these do not need words. They are used throughout the world
and are understood by everyone, even if they speak a different language.
Before you are allowed to drive a car, you must pass a driving test. Part
of the test is to make sure you know the meaning of the many different
road signs. Look at the road signs below.
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Signs in the media (known as codes) are not so obvious but they are there.
We understand media codes because we have seen them many times and
they are used in the same ways, so they develop particular meanings. For
example, when we see a fade-out in a film or a television programme, we
know its meaning instantly – that the programme is about to end.
We do not think about codes and their meanings consciously. They affect
us in subtle ways. They affect our mood and how we understand things.
A good example is a change in music, say from major key to minor key, to
make us feel sad, tense or frightened – it may warn of danger.
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Technical Codes
Technical codes are codes that are created by the technology of the
medium. In film, there are technical codes in the use of camera, lighting,
editing and sound. In print media, there are technical codes in the use of
photography, fonts and lettering styles, lighting, layout and cropping.
Cultural Codes
Cultural codes are codes that are used by, and understood by, members
of a particular culture e.g. Scottish people, Punk Rockers, Christians, the
Police, criminals. Cultural codes can be found in what people wear, how
they speak, their mannerisms, vehicles, buildings, colours, background
sounds, music, flags, symbols and many other things.
The Media of Television and Film
In the Media of Television and Film, codes can be created by:
Camerawork e.g. an ECU (extreme close-up) of the villain’s face may
emphasise how evil or threatening he is; a jerky, hand-held camera may
add tension or give the whole programme a documentary “look.”
Lighting e.g. a soft focus on a woman’s face may emphasise her femininity
or the romance of the scene. Strong tones of dark and light may make a
person look harder, tougher or more serious.
Editing e.g. a fast-edit adds pace, tension or excitement to a scene.
Music e.g. loud, dramatic music played by a full orchestra will increase
the drama, excitement and/or violence of the scene; a solo saxophone can
be sad, sexy or depressing – a piano can be romantic, sad or even jolly.
For your Unseen Analysis exam, we will study codes in the
medium of Print.
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Examples of Technical Codes
Photography/ Camera
Code
High angle shot
Description
Connotations
Looking down on subject
Medium angle shot
Subject and audience are
on the same level
Looking up at subject
Makes subject look small, vulnerable.
Weak and possibly a victim
Makes subject equal with audience so
makes subject friendly, likeable
Makes subject look tall, strong and
possibly commanding or threatening
Shows expressions and detail – can be
friendly/ intimate or tense/ dramatic
Too close for comfort – creates strong
emotions e.g. fear, tragedy, hatred
Common shot – comfortable, shows
some detail of subject and background
Used when the background or action is
the most important thing
Used mainly to establish a scene – show
the setting and create a tone
Low angle shot
Close-up (CU)
Big Close-up (BCU)
Mid-shot (MS)
Long-shot (LS)
Extreme long shot
Close into subject e.g. head
and shoulders
Very close into subject e.g.
eyes, mouth or weapon
Showing half of subject e.g.
head to waist
Shows full length of person
and large part of the scene
Panoramic shot taking in
the whole scene
Lighting Effects
Code
Low-key lighting
High-key lighting
Back-lighting
Description
Connotations
Dim or dull setting
Sinister, frightening, unwelcoming
Brightly lit setting
Friendly, happy, fun, comfortable
Silhouette with rim of light
Mysterious, menacing, frightening
Layout and Cropping
Code
Cropping
Symmetrical layout
Asymmetrical
Description
Connotations
e.g. CU of person’s face
Intimacy, intense emotions
Symmetry to design
Order, strength, structure
Asymmetry to design
Exciting, fun, wild, lack of order
Lettering Styles and Fonts
Code
Description
Connotations
Block
Roman
Straight, even, not fancy
Simple, easy, honest, reliable, strong
Straight, serifs, regular
Traditional, classy, quality, intelligent
Handwritten
Looks written by hand
Friendly, informal, romantic, warm
Stylised
Many different styles
Modern, hi-tech, jazzy, traditional, etc.
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Examples of Cultural Codes
Colours (depends on other codes for meaning)
Code
Red
Purple
Blue
Black
White
Green
Connotations
Violence, death, danger – romance – sex – fun, laughter, confidence
Violence (bruising) – sadness, depression
Masculine, tough, hard – baby boy – sad, lonely, depressed
Evil, the dark side, hatred – strength, power
Goodness, honesty – innocence, purity, cleanliness
Natural, earthy, healthy – sickly, fainting
Dress Codes
Code
Suit, collar and tie
Man’s tie loose
Shirt left open
Evening dress
Jeans
Pearl necklace
Little girl’s dress
Fur coat
Connotations
Official, business-like, formal – to some people “the man”
Casual, relaxed, informal, friendly – sloppy, lazy, untidy
Casual, relaxed – sloppy, lazy, untidy – sexy or sexual predator
Sophisticated, elegant, sexy, glamorous, classy
Casual, relaxed, informal – scruffy, sloppy – dangerous
Wealthy, sophisticated, elegant, sexy, glamorous, classy
Innocence, nostalgia – if faded or torn, poverty and draws sympathy
Wealthy, sophisticated, chic – cheap, nasty, animals killed for fur
Miscellaneous Cultural Codes
Code
Badge
Gun
Sports car
4x4 vehicle
An old Mini car
Suspension bridge
Tinted windows
Slum tenement
Church spire
Connotations
Official, authority, power – help, rescue – the enemy
Danger, death, violence, power, strength, a threat
Speed, power, wealth, glamour, sexy, dangerous
Status, power, strength, wealth – boring, family car – showy
Cool, traditional, fun, cute
Power, strength, masculine, technology, modernity, city life
Mystery, something to hide, danger – cool and chic
Poverty, poor health, danger, drugs
Religion, goodness, hope, safety, honesty, decency
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Examples of Exam Questions and Answers
1. Identify the genre for this text (and sub-genres if relevant) and describe three
elements that help you to identify the genre.
4 marks
The main genre of this text is crime-drama. There are several genre
markers which make it clear that it is crime-drama. The most obvious one
is the police badges which both men on the cover are wearing. They
identify the men as police officers and, because they are not in uniform,
they are probably detectives. The badge appears also in the middle of
the title of the series, so again suggesting that the genre is crime-drama.
Another genre marker is the gun in the holster which is peeking out from
under the jacket of the man on the left. A gun is a symbol of violence
though, on its own, it does not tell whether the men are good guys or bad
guys. The police badge anchors the code of the gun, showing they are
good guys.
2. Describe the tone of this text, justifying your answer with evidence from the
text.
3 marks
The tone of the text is very dark, serious and possibly violent. There are
many things in the text that suggest these tones, for example the gun,
holster and police badges. These things are evidence of criminal activity
and the likelihood of violence. The men are standing straight and tall, in
strong poses, looking out at the audience, suggesting they are confident,
not afraid and ready for action.
The bridge and the buildings are made of brick and metal, both very
strong materials, suggesting that the men and the stories are strong and
tough. The shapes are very strong too, with lots of straight lines and the
sweeping curves of the bridge. The colours are desaturated, giving the
scene a grim look, and the dominant are colours are blue and grey –
masculine colours that are dark, heavy and serious.
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3. Explain at least two purposes of this text, justifying your answer with evidence
from the text.
3 marks
The main purpose of the text is to make a financial profit for everyone
involved in the funding and production of the TV series and the spin-off
DVD sets. The series will have been very expensive to make, so every
possible way of making money from it will be tried.
The text here is the DVD cover and its job is to persuade audiences to
buy the DVD box-set, so bringing in more money. If the cover persuades
some people to watch the series on television, perhaps people who have
not watched it before, it will have fulfilled a secondary purpose.
The cover tries to persuade audiences by promising that the contents of
the box-set (the TV series on the DVDs) will entertain them. The cover
shows a group of people, a team of law officers, who have determined
faces and strong poses. They look as if they are ready to do battle with
the bad guys – which suggests heavy, dark, exciting stories.
4. Give one example of anchorage in this text, explaining how it has been used to
create preferred readings for the audience.
2 marks
This DVD cover uses a classic serif font for the title/logo. It is a Roman
font that is hundreds of years old and it connotes values such as honour,
duty, quality, class and intelligence.
The police badge connotes similar values, with its shiny gold and the
American Eagle looking like an ancient, stylised figure in a Medieval
shield. It is a symbol of truth and justice, as is known to all Americans.
So, when these codes are placed together, they anchor the message that
the NYPD and the Criminal Justice System (and more importantly this TV
series) are about honour, duty, quality, class and intelligence. Also they
suggest similar qualities about the American way of life – something
American audiences will respect and admire.
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5. Consider the ways in which codes have been used in this text. Identify four
examples (at least one should be a technical code and at least one should be a
cultural code) and explain their connotations.
8 marks
The two main characters on the cover are wearing suits with collars and
ties. These dress codes connote the idea that they are professional and
smart in their attitudes to their work. However both men have their ties
undone and hanging loose. This connotes that they are casual and relaxed
about what they do, probably confident too, and also it suggests that
they do not always stick to the rules – maybe they bend the rules to
catch the bad guys.
The colour scheme is predominantly blue, with areas of grey and black.
These are masculine colours and, in this context, serious, strong and hard.
The colours connote the idea that that characters in the TV series, and
probably the storylines too, are serious, strong and hard.
The title and the body text on the back are in a serif font, a Roman font,
which is an ancient font that has connotations of quality, class, tradition
and intelligence. The use of this font implies that the series has the
same qualities. However the edges of each letter are rounded (unusual in
Roman fonts) which gives the letters (and by implication the series) a
softer, more feminine touch – perhaps to appeal to female audiences.
The two main characters are repeated on the spine of the cover however
this time they have been photographed from a low angle. This makes
them look taller, stronger and more menacing. This is a good idea because
the spine will often be seen on the shelves in shops – so, even though this
picture is small, the camera angle makes it more eye-catching.
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