Media Theory

Genre
A style or category of art, music, or literature

Media Language
•semiotics, including Barthes
•narratology, including Todorov
genre theory, including Neal

Semiotics definition:  Is the study of signs and their meaning in society.

Roman Barthes

Text can be interpreted in different ways by different people.

You dont know what is going to happen to the characters. e.g who is going to become president.

External knowledge about past presidents and political facts are also used throughout.

You can interpret why Frank is going to have revenge and the type of revenge he will have. You could think that he is going to have little revenge or big revenge. 

Open or closed narrative 
Open- hasn't got one meaning so you can view it differently. 
Closed- Has one set meaning

Longform dramas are open because you can interpret them differently and keep the audience involved because there isn't one set meaning behind it. It can get very boring quickly if there is one set meaning behind the episodes. Open narratives also also allow the series to still be filmed for longer times. 

Enigma code- when the story hasn't been fully explained or finished. To keep the audience guessing and intrigued.

Action code- a form of narrative used and this is where an action or event indicates that something else is going to happen.

Semantic code- signs and symbols and there meanings.
1- Location- Washington DC
2- Presidents in the White House, Frank Underwood going against what presidents should be doing 
3- American flag- different states

Enigma code within HOC and Frank Underwood 
- When Frank Underwood says he is going to get revenge but doesn't elaborate on it and when he says to Russo that he now owes him you don't know what Frank is going to make him do or when. 
- Brutal when he strangles the dog 

Brexit Mutineers
15 Tory MP's rebel against the leave date and threaten to join forces with Labour

The primary function of most films is to tell a story..  The mise en scene, cinematography, editing and sound are entirely subservient to the narrative, creating a seamless flow that centres the viewer within the story.

Protagonist- leading character

Trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wc1l1DW6IE

 Protagonist- Captain Phillips gets kidnapped
Based on how he gets out of the situation

Equilibrium- Boating

Disruption- pirates

Resoultion- gets rescued

New equilibrium- messed up mentally and physically 

Anti-Hero - A major character, usually the protagonist, who lacks conventional nobility of mind, and who struggles for values not deemed universally admirable

Todorov's theory

Equilibrium- getting secretary of state 

Disrumption- doesn't get it

Resolution- is going to try and get it using russo for revenge

New equilibrium- he gets the position  

HOC subverts this by 

Equilibrium- no poison

Disruption- Ex spy, his daughter and a polio officer get poisoned 

Acknowledgement- It was a Russian poison 

Resolution- Told that it was a double agent Russian spy and the daughter and police officer are ok

New equilibrium- The daughter won't go back to Russia and will have a new name 

•Genres are instances of repetition and difference

•Difference is absolutely essential to the economy of genre

A films genre is decided by-

1- how much it conforms with the genres stereotype and conventions

2- how much a film subverts the genres stereotypes and conventions

Sci-fi

Changed over the years, more special effects, male protagonists 

Thrillers have the genre convections of mystery, they have crime related atmosphere. They are seen as dark and dangerous. 

Political thrillers have the convention of there being a political power struggle. There may be an internal battle and House Of Cards lives up to this because there is an internal break of promise internally. it subverts the convnenctions because in thrillers the 'Knight in shining armour' is trying to stop the corruption. In House of Cards the protagonist is almost the enemy. 

Subvert- undermine authority 
Longform drama- multiple variety of a story within one programme 

Drama conventions

Emotional themes with characters portraying drug addiction, poverty, class division

Theres a protagonist, antagonist and a helper/best friend

Political drama- political fights or corruption and there needs to be some element of realism 

House of cards does conform to the political drama because it has a political fight because Frank doesn't get his position he wants 

House of Cards is a political drama/thriller. A political drama is genres of TV show where there is a political corruption but has some realism to it. It is a show that has different variations of the overall same event. The main protagonist is Francis Underwood; he is the House Majority Whip and was promised Secretary of State but was played and didn’t get it. Claire Underwood is the wife of Francis; she is the CEO of a charity. Zoe Barnes is a news reporter and editor for the Washington Herald. Peter Russo is a congressman.

HOC conforms to the genre expectations of a political drama. A political drama has the conventions of political fights (not getting his position so Frank Underwood gets revenge). Multiple narratives and cliff hangers. It has realism because this could be what some politicians think. 
It subverts these conventions because it also goes against the idea because the idea of there being a good guy, there isn't one only bad ones (Frank and Claire, they seem good but aren't). Frank is the antihero. 

Curran and Seaton 

To what extent do the elements of media language used in Sources A and B convey different values, attitudes and beliefs about the world?
In your answer you must:

·       analyse the ways in which media language has been used in combination in

sources A and B to convey values, attitudes and beliefs about the world

·       refer to relevant contexts and academic ideas and arguments in your analysis and

Draw judgments and conclusions in relation to the question.

Source A- The Mirror
Source B- The telegraph

Source B is pro brexit and is a left wing paper. 'No deal is better than a bad deal' and use of the use the word 'bold' is a strong word to help support the idea. The blue background stating the bold terms stands out compered to the rest of the paper that has a plain white background. This stands out and is eye catching. The red headline about the reasons why they support Brexit stands lout and is eyecatching. The direct image of Thersa May is quite big and makes you feel like you have to listen or read the article. Curran and Seaton state that the press have power and responsibility on their audience. The use of colour and wording they have used is influencing their audience. The views of the paper is that they support Brexit so they try and make Brexit look like it is a good thing to try and make their audience also support Brexit.

Source A is The Mirror and is a left wing newspaper so it is anti-brexit. The use of the black fades out on either side of Thersa May show that she is the main focus of the image. She is walking away from the problems that have been caused due to Brexit. The use of red shows all of the issues that there are. It targets the main issues that right wing papers support. For example they support equality and being fair but one of the issues is that by leaving the EU, there are millions of jobs at risk. Using the Curran and Seatn theory of responsibility and power of the press, it is having a negative influence on the views of the audience. They are trying to target all the main issues that the readers will have with Brexit, in short one liners on the front cover. 

Press's stereotypes on immigrants, young people and muslims.
Immigrants- 
Young people- dangerous, stupid, social media addicted, drugs/alchohol  
Muslims- dangerous,