Genre and Conventions

The reason that so many people find the main practical production coursework for Media Studies so hard to begin is that it is so broad. There is such a wide selection of things to choose from, where are you supposed to start?

The answer to this is simple enough - you start by defining your genre.

Media Studies, when boiled down to its simplest form, is the study of genre and conventions.

If you show an ability to use the conventions that exist with a genre then you will get a good mark.

If you show the ability to use those conventions to make something original and exciting then you will get a great mark.

Simple as that.

Magazines, Music Videos, TV adverts, Films, Posters - they only work because their designers know what genre they are working in. They know what their audience wants. They know what their audience expects. They know what the competition is doing. They know what would and would not fit in with what they are trying to do.

So, whilst we are researching these pieces of coursework, I want to see a subheading for each of the following things:

Genre:

(is it a 'Men's Magazine', a 'Rock Video', a 'Trailer for a Teen Comedy', 'Poster for a Rap-Star's new album'? What group would you place your coursework in?)

Other Examples:

(What examples do you have of other things that exist within your genre? Other music videos perhaps? Or posters for similar artists?)

Common Factors:

(Look at these examples of other things in your genre. What do they have in common? Do they share a look? Do they have the same person in them? What about colour? Think of as many similarities as you can notice)

Audience?

(Who is your audience? Use as much detail as you can... is it 25-40 year-old men? is it 18 year-old girls? Is it OAP's? How about wealth? Are they middle-class? Are they aristocrats? Who are you trying to sell to?)

Audience Interests:

(What do you know about your audience? Do they like cars? What colours would appeal to them? What sort of music does your audience listen to? If you are advertising to men, then what sort of image would look most attractive to them? What about women?)

Note: You will be doing more extensive audience research later on... this is just to get you started.