Questionnaire

Media:

Chloe Wakefield

GCSE Grades:

·         English (Language and Literature) A                  

·         Maths A

·         Science A

·         Philosophy and Ethics A

·         History A

·         French A

·         Textiles B      

·         Art B

Hobbies: I enjoy sewing and crafts, listening to music via my IPod, reading books and watching films.

Media Interests:

Print Media:

I read ‘The Mirror’ because it provides current affairs in the world so I am aware about what is going on, but also because it includes a section on celebrities which I enjoy reading about because I find it interesting and current.

I also read magazines such as ‘New’ and ‘OK’. This I feel is my idea of escapism as I am interested about knowing what is happening in celebrities lives, especially those that I actually like.

Radio Media:

I listen to Radio Norwich because it is relevant to me, being that I live in Norwich. They play current and older music so it can accompany my life at the moment and accompany nostalgic memories.

Music Industry:

I don’t have a favourite genre of music as I have a diverse range of things I listen to. My favourite band is the Red Hot Chili Peppers because I find their use of lyrics so original and inventive yet I know it is a personal reflection of their highs and lows in their life as their songs are always so meaningful and metaphorical. However I then like bands such as System of a Down which is alternative metal and sounds nothing like my other choice of music but I love it because my Dad especially listened to it when I grew up so I learnt to love it and it reminds me of when I was younger and the memories associated with the music which is the same with the Red Hot Chili Peppers - particularly the song 'Under the Bridge' (clip shown below), as it is one of my earliest memories of the band. However I then like individual artists such as Beyonce and Bruno Mars but they are more current and are of the Pop genre. No one bit of music is the same which means I am able to listen to a lot of artists.

'Under the Bridge'

I own an iPod and therefore use iTunes to store and listen to music.

I don’t agree with illegal downloading of whole albums off Internet sites because albums aren't expensive and the reason we enjoy the music industry is because the people who are providing that entertainment for us are able to make enough money to keep producing music. However I find that a few songs do not hurt as singles aren't available to buy anymore and therefore it wouldn't be fair buying a whole album for the sake of one song.

Music Industry might influence my dress, attitudes and aspirations because music, I feel, reflects in your dress sense. People who see people dressed a certain way, such as a rock look, assume they like rock music as it shows through your clothing and colour associations. It may also influence your aspirations as it may inspire you. For example, playing guitar, if you love the sound of it, you may choose to learn how to play it.

Video Games:

One of my favourite video games is Grand Theft Auto – San Andreas. You can cruise around to different places on the map; however you have to unlock different sections by completing missions. Most missions involve some sort of weaponry and include gangs. which I do not enjoy because I feel it promotes the wrong message and gamers can idolise the characters. Also they use a lot of derogatory terms and swear words which don't offend me personally but I understand that it may be disrespectful to some so I tend to drown it out and enjoy the game as there are aspects that are good. My favourite part is the driving about in different vehicles such as cars, helicopters, motorbikes and planes.

I find that this game has a very negative effect on attitudes to the solution of conflicts because it involves a lot of fighting with weapons – which is not my favourite part of the game – and I find children playing the game would think it really cool and would therefore encourage the idea of fighting and causing conflict.

It also has a negative effect on attitudes to gender as women are never represented as respectable and independent. There are a lot of examples of prostitution and it appears that the men  own the women, as if they were commodities. This is not a true interpretation and therefore shows them in a negative, vulnerable and disrespectful light.

New Technology:

New technologies have:

v  Increased understanding of the world because there is more access to information. Such as social networking sites, they contain a lot of information. But also mobile phones, there are things such as 3G and 4G which means people can access Internet when they out and get information that is happening around the world.

v  Ability to communicate with others as with access to Internet when out, you can go on social networking sites meaning you can talk to others. Also with improved technology of phones, you can see previous conversations instead of going to the sent or inbox folders.

v  Access to finding out about films, television programmes and music industry. You can get apps on phones that give direct access to film critic websites such as International Movie Data Base and Rotten Tomatoes. This means younger people who like to download apps, have access to it and can get reviews about upcoming films in the cinema, or older films already on DVD. You can also go on social networking sites and find out via advertisements or pages that will update their posts and inform you on films of any genre, or of a particular genre.

v  Ability to create your own media texts. There is development in the film industry as you can have digital cameras, which make it easier to produce films or music videos. Also computers are more accessible so more people own one in their house and therefore have editing tools. They can edit pictures or videos and are able to print them off so they look professional.

 Television:

My favourite television channels are Comedy Central and E4 because they show American shows that I enjoy most. Comedy Central is the only channel that has ‘Friends’ which is my favourite comedy show and they have other programmes that I enjoy.

My favourite genre is reality and comedy because I am interested in real life, but for comedy, I find it very entertaining as it makes me laugh and I enjoy that most.

The television shows that I consider memorable are:

v  The Simpsons, because it reminds me of when I was younger and still makes me laugh and entertains me. When I watch episodes now I understand parts that I maybe didn't get before and I remind myself of when I was younger because my family would have their dinner and watch it at the same time, it was a great family television show that appealed to all of us.

v  Friends, as I can watch it over and over again but it still makes me laugh and surprises me as I forget some episodes. My Dad used to watch this when it was first shown and I grew up watching it too and although technology has advanced since then and Friends appears outdated, it does not bother me because I enjoy the show for what it is and not what it could be now. In fact I rather enjoy the old fashioned props used and the clothes they wear because it takes me back to when I was younger!

v  Malcolm in the middle, as I grew up watching this when I was younger. This was another show that the whole family would sit down for and now it is no longer on and shows like this aren't about, we don't have traditions like that and I miss it, so everytime I watch it, i think of when I was younger because I enjoy it and it is funny.

Feature Film:

My favourite genre of film is animation/comedy because there is nothing violent or anything with mass amounts of blood involved so it is really gory.

The  films that I find memorable are:

v  Déjà Vu – because I find that the storyline is very clever and unsuspecting. It is unimaginable yet so believable and you are hooked from the beginning. The action is also great and they include a sympathetic tone to the female character, yet there are scenes with explosions which are more of an action genre. Also the actors performances appear almost real as although we don’t know the woman in it, we feel very sympathetic to her situation and we want the main character to help her.

v  The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons (sequel to the Da Vinci Code) - I find the storyline really clever as they use riddles and codes to solve a mystery which I enjoy as I like having a challenge in which I have to work out for myself. Also I am fan of Tom Hanks and find that all his films are enjoyable as I think he is a great actor. The film also has a religious theme and I find religion so interesting and the hidden meaning of things that date way back fascinating. It's intriguing as the codes in which need to be solved presents a challenge and truly makes you think and therefore its religious aspect is what makes it so gripping!

 I prefer to consume films at the cinema because they offer surround sound which makes the cinematic experience more dramatic. Also they have a big screen so you can’t miss a detail in the film and also I can’t watch films over and over again so the cinema provides a first time film experience, and you know the first time you see that film, it will be a great experience as it would be more dramatic and exciting.

My favourite cinema is Vue as I find that the ticket price is very reasonable in proportion to the comfort of the chairs and the view of the screen. Also it is a reputable and respectable cinema therefore making it trustworthy and reliable.

I like to watch films with my friends or in a group as you can compare your opinions on the film and it would be less boring and more enjoyable if you could laugh or cry with the person, whatever the genre.

Conclusion:

The text that I found most offensive was in the newspaper, printed after Frankie Boyle had said on his show some extremely disgusting things. I found out in the newspaper and read that for his idea of comedy, he talked about disabled people in a negative and unnecessary way. He targeted vulnerable and innocent children particularly thinking that it was something to laugh about, as oppose to a serious condition and situation. I understand that comedy may be offensive at some times but there is a line that shouldn’t be crossed and that is those who have to live with their condition every day and try to live a normal life and therefore don’t need to be humiliated and ridiculed on live television, especially if they are fans of this comedian and feel that he does not care and is insensitive towards their situation. Although it did not affect me personally, I still found it offensive as it was disgusting and nasty in which nobody should be to somebody who has done nothing wrong and is innocent.

In contrast, the text that I found most interesting was a magazine that was given free at Vue cinema. Because it was free, I took it and I know I enjoy reading about films so I thought I might as well. I came across a page that informed you about upcoming films and I enjoyed this because it was relevant to me because I am a frequent cinema goer! I read about some sequels to films and it made me excited knowing that these films are going to be released as I know I would want to see them because I already know the genre from the first film and therefore would be excited to see the second instalment because I know what to expect!

If I were to create a media text I would create a magazine because I would be able to incorporate photography into it as I enjoy it. This means that I can then use photography to document things going on in the world so people can get a greater understanding and learn to care about others and be considerate to their situation before disregarding it because it doesn't apply to them such as war and poverty.

I decided to take Media Studies for A-level because I felt it was more relevant to my career choice as I am interested in magazines and photography and am considering this for the future so I know Media Studies would greatly contribute to that. Also I enjoy watching and learning about films to analyse because I take a keen interest in this so I felt Media would be a great opportunity.