Media Analysis Questions

How to Analyze Commercials, Print Ads, Political Ads,

and Web Sites

Overview of Media Analysis

Who is the author? What is the purpose of the message? What techniques are used to attract

attention? How is conflict expressed? How are lifestyles, values, and points of view

expressed? What is omitted from the message, and what

is included?

1 - Who is the Author?

A company selling the product? A candidate for a political office? A provider of information as a public service?

2 - What is the Purpose of the Message? To inform you? To persuade you to buy something? To persuade you to take a certain action? To entertain you? To present a conflict? To express an emotion?

3 - What Techniques are Used to Attract Attention?

Visual Effects such as color, type font and size, video, photography, drawings, or visual special effects (conflict v. harmony)

Sound such as music, speaking, or special effects

4 – How is Conflict Expressed?

What types of conflict does the media represent? Person v. person Person v. Environment Person v. Technology Person v. Self

How is that conflict expressed using visual and sound techniques?

Conflict in Media

Conflict in Media (Continued)

Harmony in Media

Color in Media

Color in Media and Advertising

Red The color of fire and blood – conveys energy, love, war, power

It brings text and images to the foreground.

Yellow The color of the sun – conveys joy, cheerfulness, happiness.

Attention getter, also for promoting leisure.

Blue The color of the sky and ocean – conveys trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence.

Provides a calming effect.

Color (Continued)

Purple It is found rarely in nature. Symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition

Represents wealth and extravagance.

Green Green is the color of nature. Conveys growth, harmony, freshness.

Strong emotional correspondence to safety and healing.

Color (Continued)

Black Conveys power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery.

Can represent strength and authority. As a background it makes many other colors stand out.

White Conveys light, goodness, innocence, purity.

Suggests simplicity, cleanliness.

Bell-work- in notes section, write the definitionof each of these in your own

words.

Camera Angles

Extreme wide shot -shows a broad view of the surroundings around the character and coveys scale, distance, and geographic location.

Wide shot - shows an entire character from head to toe. Medium wide shot - shows a character usually cut off across

the legs above or below the knees. It is wide enough to show the physical setting in which the action is taking place, yet it is close enough to shot facial expression.

Medium shot - shows a character's upper-body, arms, and head.

Close-up shot -shows a character's face and shoulders. It is close enough to show subtle facial expressions clearly.

Extreme close-up shot (-shows only a part of a character's face. It fills the screen with the details of a subject.

Camera Angles Extreme wide shot (EWS) shows a broad view of the

surroundings around the character and coveys scale, distance, and geographic location.

Wide shot (WS) shows an entire character from head to toe. Medium wide shot (MWS) shows a character usually cut off

across the legs above or below the knees. It is wide enough to show the physical setting in which the action is taking place, yet it is close enough to shot facial expression.

Medium shot (MS) shows a character's upper-body, arms, and head.

Close-up shot (CU) shows a character's face and shoulders. It is close enough to show subtle facial expressions clearly.

Extreme close-up shot (ECU) shows only a part of a character's face. It fills the screen with the details of a subject.

What type of shots are these??