WJEC/Eduqas Media Studies for A Level Yr 2 & A2:SB

In the opening scenes of Broadchurch the camera tracks Mark Latimer as he walks down the main street. Technical Codes in Audio-Visual Products Camera Shots A range of camera shots are selected by the creators of products to communicate meanings and elicit responses from an audience. These may include: • Close-ups : create emotion and tension and involve the audience. The way they may be edited with other shots helps to establish the narrative. Close-ups help to establish a connection between the character or the action on the screen and the audience. They also position us emotionally within the world of the product. • Extreme close-ups : used to focus specifically on one element of the mise- en-scène. • Long shots : give the audience more information about characters and setting. • Point-of-view shots : place the audience in a particular position, for example as a character in the action, and therefore enhance involvement. • Establishing shots : show the audience where a scene is taking place, allowing them to anticipate the subsequent plot developments. Technical codes help to construct meaning. Establishing shot setting the scene. The theoretical framework ‘Toolkit’ will enable you to effectively analyse the set products and prepare you for the unseen stimulus in the exam. Tip Exploring the technical codes used by the creators of products will also equip you for creating your own media products in Component 3. Tip How are camera shots related to genre? Quickfire 1.1 What is the purpose and effect of a bird’s-eye view camera angle? Quickfire 1.2 The different shots, angles and movement are explored in greater detail in Chapter 1 of the Year 1 book, page 15. Link What is the purpose and effect of this close-up of Claudia in the WaterAid advert? Rapid Recall 1.3 Camera Angles • High angle : makes the subject seem vulnerable. • Low angle : creates power and dominance in the mise-en-scène. Camera Movement This technique is used primarily to engage and involve the audience in the audio- visual product and to develop the narrative. Camera movement manipulates time and space for the audience and takes them through the story arc. Camera movements can position the audience, restrict the narrative and introduce surprises; they are linked to character movement within the mise-en-scène and encourage the audience to be more active participants in the action. The main techniques are: • Tracking : this can sometimes involve a single take which serves to establish realism. For example, in the opening scene of the first series of the crime drama Broadchurch , one of the central protagonists walks through the main street of the town tracked by the camera in a single take during which he meets the characters who will be key to the narrative to follow. This serves to involve the audience as a part of the story world. 7 1 Applying the Media Studies Framework

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Nzc1OTg=