Film Industry - The Theory of Everything - Audience Positioning

Past exam question:

B1. Discuss the different ways audiences are positioned by your three main texts. [30]

Starter: Define these Key Media Studies terms (white boards):

Active Audience

Passive Audience

encoded signs and messages

In order to understand the relationship between the audience and the media text, it is important to know that all media text have a series of encoded signs and messages.

The audience decode these messages and different audiences will decode them in different ways.

Media texts and the industries are acutely aware of their audiences.

To understand the position that the audience will take dependent on certain factors.

The relationship between media and audience is fluent and changing

Audiences are not a mass and their responses are complex and sophisticated

Audiences are made up of individuals - Either PASSIVE OR ACTIVE
Active Audience - This audience responds to and interprets the media text in different ways and actively engages with the messages.
Passive Audience - This is an audience that does not engage actively with the text. They do not question the text and therefore accept the preferred reading without challenge. They therefore might be more affected by the messages contained within the text.

Genre theory of everything from aealey

1. Opening Scene – Bikes in Cambridge: 00:00- 02:12

2. Jane Meets Stephen: 02:12-05:25

3. Family Dinner: 12:35-14:00

4. Montage of Home Movies: 01:07:00-01:09:00

5. Ending: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RdvRJGl_w

Task 1: Watch the key scenes from The Theory of Everything and makle notes related to audience positioning.

Consider the following:

Sound. 

Diegetic/non diegetic.

Lack of sound (Pure cinema)

Dialogue 

and tone of voice

Edit.

Is it clear who's point of view?

Does the editing (through shot-reverse shot) put anyone in a dominant positionm?

Shorter shots (fast paced editing) to add drama?

Slow paced to show reactions?

Does it cut between hand held and tripod shots.

Lighting.

Is there any top lighting to make characters look intimidating?

Spotlight to isolate a character.

Warm or cool coloration to show human side or intensity.

High key, natural lighting to make audience feel comfortable?

Low key lighting to provide enigma and keep the audience hooked.

Framing.

Close ups to show emotion of characters and position the audience.

Wide shots to establish setting.

Up shots put a character in position of strength.

Down shots making character look vulnerable.

Eye level make audience feel comfortable.

Tracking shots positions the audience in the scene, with the characters/action.

How are the audience positioned through the use of technical codes?

Task 2: Attempt the exam question but relate only to The Theory of Everything.

B1. Discuss the different ways audiences are positioned by your three main texts. [30]