Top GearCross Media Study

The ExamFormatsPrintTelevisionWebAudienceComparisons

The Exam

There will be a choice of two questions:These will always be about three topics.

• How media products on different platforms are used by media producers.

• How audiences use the products on the different platforms.

• How & why the codes and conventions of the three platforms are different.

Platform Questions

• What are the strengths of each platform for this kind of text?

• How do the platforms work together?• Why does the audience benefit from

the availability of the text on all the platforms?

• How does the producer benefit from the way the platforms work together?

Producer Questions• What Institution(s) produced your texts?• What is the remit/promise of the(se)

Institution(s)?• What else do they make? • What are the rival / competitor texts? • Who paid for the texts to be made? • How do the texts make money? • Do they entertain, educate, inform or

persuade?

Audience Questions

• In each text what do you are the demographics of the audience?

(Age, Sex, Class) • In each text, what do you think are the

‘Psychographics’ of the audience? (Tribes, Lifestyle, VALS etc)

• What 'Uses & Gratifications' do the texts provide?

Platforms Research

Choose a media ‘text’.

• TV Programme • A Radio programme • A recent Movie • A Computer Game • A Musical ‘Album’ or a ‘Single’

Find your text on thePrint Platform (First)

• TV or Radio programme Review or Feature in a ‘Listings’ Magazine

• MovieReview or Feature in a ‘Listings’ or Movie Magazine

• A Computer GameReview or Feature in a ‘Listings’ or Games Magazine

• A Musical ‘Album’ or a ‘Single’ Review or Feature in a ‘Listings’ or Music Magazine

Find your text on theVideo Platform

• TV or Radio programme TV/Radio Programme, Trailer or Advert

• MovieMovie, DVD or Trailer

• A Computer GameAdvert or review on TV

• A Musical ‘Album’ or a ‘Single’ ‘Pro’ Music Video or TV Appearance

Find your text on theeMedia Platform

• TV or Radio programme Broadcaster website, Fan site, iPlayer.Youtube, Blog

• MovieOfficial site, Fan site, Review site, Blog, Zine

• A Computer GameOfficial site, Fan site, Review site, Blog, Zine

• A Musical ‘Album’ or a ‘Single’ Official site, Fan site, Zine, MySpace/Facebook

Television Formats

Moran and Malbon (2006) define a TV format as:

• ‘that set of invariable elements in a programme out of which the variable elements of an individual episode are produced’

Television Formats

• Formats cost less time and money to produce than to create original shows

• Formats also have a high potential for merchandising and brand extensions.

• Formats (like genres) constitute …systematization of difference within repetition

• Formats originate in a particular country’s TV market and then are sold the world over…keeping the core of the programme the same but … localize according to local tastes and sensibilities.

Television Formats

Format trade worldwide has been increasing by more than 10% per year … As early as 1999, BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, created a ‘Format Factory’ which year on year has achieved high revenues, with format sales for 2006 closing at over £35 million

… .The value of the global TV format business is in the excess of €2.4 billion, with the UK alone being the creator of more than 49% of all format hours broadcast worldwide …

The UK has emerged as a world leader with formats constituting 45 per cent of all TV programmes exports ..

Analyse Print ‘text’

Lead Article written in ‘reversed-out’ style with white lettering and black background

Masthead

Pull Quote a direct quote from the artist on the lead; the quote will anchor the image

Main Image the image chosen will have been chosen for a reason; it will also link to the lead article and pull quote; it will also link to the artists’ star persona and what they have been doing lately

The Left Third – essential to include the important information on the left third of the magazine; this is the area we see when the magazine is on the newsagents’ shelf

Cover Lines – words on the front cover that say what’s inside of the magazine

Skyline runs across the top of the page and calls out to the readers about some special attraction(s)

Main features of a front cover

Lead Article written in ‘reversed-out’ style with white lettering and black background

Masthead

Main Image the image chosen will have been chosen for a reason; it will also link to the lead article and pull quote; it will also link to the artists’ star persona and what they have been doing lately

Cover Lines – words on the front cover that say what’s inside of the magazine

Skyline runs across the top of the page and calls out to the readers about some special attraction(s)

White Space

Margins

Indented Paragraphs

Initial Letter (Drop Cap)

Body Text

Three ColumnLayout

Justified

Caption

Page Number

Headline (Bold San Serif)

Standfirst(Italic, Serif)

Byline(San Serif, Red)

Photo

Section Headings

Horizontal Rules

Subheading

Vertical Rules

4 ColumnsRanged Left

Basic typography

Font Type Examples Usage

Serif TimesCentury

Serifs are the small strokes at the ends of the letters. Serifs make small body text readable as the strokes lead the eye along the line; serif fonts can connote tradition, the past, authority

Sans Serif Arial Helvetica

Sans serif is French for ‘without serif’. Sans serif connotes modernity in mastheads; often used as subheads within serif body text

Script Comic Sans

Connotes personalisation – use sparingly

Display STENCIL Use sparingly for particular connotations

Analyse Video ‘text’

Analyse Video ‘text’

What are the key ingredients of the ‘Top Gear Format’?

• Presenters & Presentation Style• Items/features and Narrative (Intro, Middle, End)• Cinematography (Camera work)• Mise-en-scène(Sets, Setting, Lighting, Costume)• Editing• Sound & Music

Analyse Video ‘text’

Mise-en-scène

“The cool, muted colours in the mise-en-scène

of the Veyron sequence suggest typically male

virtues of strength and dominance. Blues

and blacks are used extensively (May is himself

dressed in dark blue overalls for the challenge)

and the lighting in the sequence is high key.”

Analyse Web ‘text’

Analyse Web ‘text’

•What is the purpose of the page?

•What is ‘above the fold’?•What is ‘below the fold’?•What on the page ‘pushes’•What ‘pulls’?

Analyse Web ‘text’

Editor Choice(Push)

Channel Catch Up

Own Choice

People’sChoice

iPlayer combines different selections

Analyse Web ‘text’

‘Fold’

Top downNavigation

Analyse Web ‘text’ How does your page use:

• A Header• Tables/Columns/A grid• Navigation bars/tools• Buttons (including rollovers) & Icons• Colour• Graphics & Photos • Animation• Video &Sound• ‘White Space’• UGC/Web 2.0 material

Analyse Web ‘text’

• A Header• Tables/Columns/A grid• Navigation bars/tools• Buttons (including rollovers) & Icons• Colour• Graphics & Photos • Animation• Video &Sound• ‘White Space’• Web 2.0 functionality

Audience Research

Monthly Magazine Readership

2009 (NRS)

BBC Television Ratings

July 2009 (BARB)

UK Tribes

Boy Racers

Boy Racers Youtube

Britain’s fastest Tribe - by a long way. But look beyond the stereotypes of criminality and bad behaviour and you’ll find a proud, resourceful bunch.

These are the young men and women whose first goal, aged 16, is to get a driving license and hit the roads – fast. From here, it’s a short step to getting under the bonnet, adding a stereo (first and foremost) and then adding everything else they can get their hands on. Mark 1 Ford Escorts were the original Boy Racers’ wheels of choice. These days, the Renault Clio, Citroen Saxo and Peugeot 306 are the entry level choices, with Japanese makes like Subaru marking the next step up.

Though a large percentage of this Tribe are unsurprisingly male, there’s also a sizeable female following….

While this tribe is often demonised by mainstream media, it’s a view contested by people involved with it (they can be a defensive bunch at times but little surprise given perceptions of them). Many cite getting into car modification as something that’s kept them on the straight-and-narrow. There’s a strong work ethic at play and a real sense of dedication to the cause.

Choose a second media ‘text’.

The Second text needs to be comparable

(not ‘chalk and cheese’)

Choosing a Second media ‘text’.

TV Programme

A programme with the same:

• Genre/Format (Quiz, Makeover, Talent,)• Theme/Content (Fashion, Health,

Politics)

Choosing a Second media ‘text’.

TV Programme

But with different:

• Producers/Distributors (ITV v BBC )• Audience (Age, Sex, Social Class)

Text One: Top Gear

• The TV Programme• The BBC Website/YouTube Site• The Magazine

Platforms Research

Text Two: The Gadget ShowA programme with the same:

• Genre/Format (Magazine/Feature/Review)

• Theme/Content (Technology, Consumerism, ‘Boy’s Toys’)

Platforms Research

Platforms Research

TV Programme: The Gadget Show

But with different:

• Producers/Distributors (Five v BBC )• Audience (Age, Social Class)

Platforms ResearchTV Programme: ‘Top Gear’Comparison text: ‘The Gadget Show’Texts might include

• The Gadget Show TV Programme• The C5 Website/YouTube Site• ‘Stuff’ or ‘Autocar’ Magazine