Media Studies Review PDF

Types of Media Traditional Media - Print - Newspapers - Magazines - Books - Signs - Billboards - Broadcast - TV - Radio - Music - Movies New Media - Websites - Blogs - Apps - Wik...

Types of Media Traditional Media - Print - Newspapers - Magazines - Books - Signs - Billboards - Broadcast - TV - Radio - Music - Movies New Media - Websites - Blogs - Apps - Wikis - Emails - Ebooks - Podcasts - RSS Feeds - Smartphones - Social Networks - Streaming Music - Streaming Video When Did Media Develop - Most media has developed in recent history. Most new media in the late 20th and early 21st century. - It can be argued that the most influential media is the oldest media (writing, language, etc.) - Primary Oral Culture -> Literacy Culture -> Industrial Age -> Convergent (New Media) - ‘The media’ traditionally refers to communication forms founded in the 19th century, such as newspapers, magazines, photography, and film  - The scope of media studies has expanded to include 20th-century broadcast media like radio and television, as well as newer forms such as popular music, the internet, and video games What is Media - Media - the plural of ‘medium,’ which refers to something that CHANNELS MESSAGES BETWEEN TWO PARTIES - Mass media: Various media forms send messages from a single source to many recipients simultaneously - Different media (film, TV, radio, press, web) have varying ways of transmitting messages - The medium itself SHAPES THE MEANING OF THE MESSAGE, NOT JUST THE CONTENT. MEDIA FORMS INFLUENCE HOW WE LIVE, THINK, AND COMMUNICATE IN MODERN SOCIETY Media Classification Based on Technology - Traditional Media - Includes print media (newspapers, magazines), radio, and television - Digital Media - Includes websites, social media, blogs, podcasts, and streaming platforms Based on Audience - Mass Media - Aimed at a broad audience, such as broadcast television, radio, and large news portals - Niche Media - Targeted at a specific audience, such as scientific journals, sports media, or specialized channels Based on Transmission Channel - Print Media - Includes newspapers, magazines, and books  - Audiovisual Media - Includes television, cinema, and radio - Digital Media - Includes online platforms, social networks, and websites Based on the Purpose - Informative Media - Focused on delivering news and facts (e.g., newspapers, news broadcasts) - Entertainment Media - Focused on entertaining or distracting (e.g., movies, variety shows) - Educational Media - Primarily intended to teach (e.g., documentaries, learning platforms) Based on the Message - Unidirectional Media - Communication flows in one direction, from sender to receiver (e.g., television, radio) - Bidirectional Media - Allow interaction between sender and receiver (e.g., social media, online forums) Time Based Media - Durability: Tend to be more permanent, allowing the preservation of culture and knowledge over long periods - Localism: Focus on communication within specific communities and cultures, fostering social cohesion - Conservation: Encourage continuity and tradition by enabling the transmission of knowledge and values from one generation to the next Space Based Media - Immediacy: Designed to rapidly disseminate information, reaching wide and distant audiences - Massification: Tend to favor large-scale communication, potentially affecting the cohesion of local communities - Delocalization: Focus more on the transmission of information than on its preservation, which can lead to the rapid obsolescence of certain content Cool Media - High participation: require the audience to actively fill in information, like in conversations or using the telephone - Low definition: provide limited, incomplete data, leaving room for interpretation by the user - Multisensory experience: engage multiple senses simultaneously, such as with television Hot Media - Low participation: deliver a high amount of information, reducing the need for active audience involvement - High definition: rich in details and sensory stimuli, like photography or cinema - Unisensory focus: primarily engage one sense, such as sight in cinema or hearing in radio TV Characteristics of TV as a Medium - VISUAL AND AUDITORY - Combines moving images and sound, creating a rich sensory experience that captures viewers' attention. - ACCESSIBILITY - Can be consumed by a wide audience, with content available across various devices, from televisions to computers and smartphones. - IMMEDIACY - Allows for real-time transmission of events, news, and programs, providing viewers with instant access to current information. - DIVERSE PROGRAMMING - Offers a wide range of genres and formats, including dramas, comedies, documentaries, news programs, and live entertainment, appealing to different audiences. Inherited Elements From Other Media Radio - live broadcasting and advertising, but adds a visual component Cinema - Both share narrative techniques and aesthetics, influencing content production mutually Internet - Television has evolved to include ONLINE content and streaming platforms, allowing on-demand access to programs Advertising - Its combination of images and sound makes it particularly effective for ADVERTISING. Can generate immediate emotional impact compared to other media, such as print or radio Pop Culture - Television excels at creating mass cultural events Newspaper - TV complements PRINT MEDIA by providing visual updates on news and events, capturing emotions through imagery Evolution EARLY EXPERIMENTS (1920S-1930s) - Television technology was developed through various experiments by inventors like Philo Farnsworth and John Logie Baird FIRST PUBLIC BROADCASTS (1930s) - The first public broadcasts began in the late 1930s, but TV adoption remained limited due to high costs and low accessibility. POST-WAR BOOM (1940S-1950s) - After World War II, television gained popularity, leading to a surge in manufacturing and broadcasting, with the number of households owning TVs skyrocketing GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION (1950s) - This decade is marked by iconic shows and the development of diverse genres, establishing television as a primary source of entertainment and information TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS (1960s-1970s) - Color television became standard, enhancing viewing experiences; remote controls were introduced, making television more accessible. CABLE TELEVISION REVOLUTION (1980s) - The rise of cable networks expanded viewing options, introducing niche programming and 24-hour news channels, diversifying content beyond major networks GLOBALIZATION OF CONTENT (1990s) - Television shows and formats began to cross borders, leading to the international success of series and the rise of global franchises TRANSITION TO DIGITAL (2000s) - The move to digital broadcasting and the rise of streaming services reshaped how viewers consume content, signaling a new era in television history IMPACT OF THE INTERNET - The rise of the internet introduced new platforms for content delivery, with on-demand viewing transforming how audiences consumed television. Perceptions of TV Early Perceptions - Television originally considered a lower form of entertainment, without artistic legitimacy - Early TV heavily depended on other media like radio, cinema, and serialized novels Third Golden Age of Television - In 1996, HBO introduced the slogan "It's not TV, it's HBO," signaling a transformation in how TV series were perceived - Series started striving for artistic legitimacy, with a focus on higher quality production and complex storytelling - The late 1990s and early 2000s saw cable networks pushing the boundaries of TV as an art form HBO’s Reinvention Strategy - HBO pioneered a model of high-quality production through subscription-based cable TV - Increasing production budgets to elevate production values  - Exploring themes not permitted on traditional broadcast TV, like mature and controversial topics - Promoting veteran screenwriters to "authors," elevating their role in creative processes Cinematic Influence on TV Series - Episodes became longer, but with fewer per season - Thematic shifts toward complex, controversial, or socially relevant issues - The role of the "auteur" became central, with many film directors and writers transitioning to TV - TV series adopted a cinematic style, moving away from procedural formats where each episode was self-contained - TV series adopted cinematic techniques, including sophisticated visual storytelling TV Formats Non-Fiction - Reality Shows - Reality shows, such as "Big Brother" and "Temptation Island," offer immersive, participatory experiences by showcasing real people in diverse situations. - Talk Shows - Talk shows and interviews, such as "The Tonight Show" and Spain's "Late Motiv," provide platforms for discussing diverse topics from news to entertainment - Game Shows - Game shows like "Pasapalabra" and "Saber y Ganar" combine excitement and suspense while showcasing the talents of memorable contestants - Documentary Series - Documentary series, including "Making a Murderer" and "The Crown," offer in-depth looks at historical events, cultural phenomena, or famous personalities Fiction - Animated Series - Animated series, from classics like "Dragon Ball" to "Rick and Morty," explore imaginative worlds and complex stories suitable for all ages - Comedies - Television comedies, from classic sitcoms like "Friends" to animated shows like "The Simpsons," use humor to entertain and address social issues light-heartedly - Dramatic Series - Dramatic series like "Game of Thrones" and "The Good Doctor" captivate viewers with intricate plots, complex characters, and impactful narratives  - Miniseries - Miniseries and anthologies, such as "Chernobyl" and "Black Mirror," deliver complete stories in a limited number of episodes, maintaining audience engagement without long waits between seasons Types of TV Now OTT - OVER-THE-TOP - Allows users to access video content whenever they want, rather than following a set broadcast schedule VOD - VIDEO ON DEMAND - Allows users to access video content whenever they want, rather than following a set broadcast schedule SVOD - SUBSCRIPTION VIDEO ON DEMAND - A VOD model where users pay a recurring fee (monthly or yearly) to access a library of content without limits PVOD - PREMIUM VIDEO ON DEMAND - Allows users to access video content whenever they want, rather than following a set broadcast schedule TVOD - TRANSACTIONAL VIDEO ON DEMAND - A pay-per-use model where users pay for each movie or show they want to watch, instead of subscribing BVOD - Broadcast Video On Demand - VOD services provided by traditional TV networks, typically free but supported by ads. FOVD - FREE VIDEO ON DEMAND - Free on-demand video content, usually ad-supported FASTS - Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV - Offers free TV content supported by ads, in a linear format similar to traditional TV channels VMVPDS - Virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributor - Services that offer live TV channel bundles via the internet, similar to traditional cable or satellite packages Critical Approach to TV Invisible Censorship - Self-censorship arises from the precarious nature of the medium and high demand for content - Economic pressures from state subsidies and advertising influence media ownership by large corporations - TV often prioritizes trivial content, distracting viewers from important issues and limiting access to necessary information for democratic engagement. Hiding by showing - The selection principle focuses on sensationalism and spectacle, encouraging dramatization in TV coverage - Television visually stages events while exaggerating their significance and drama The circular circulation of information - There is significant homogeneity in the content across different TV channels, undermining the idea of competition leading to diversity. - This leads to a profound effect of mental enclosure and isolation among viewers - Journalists often share similar backgrounds and viewpoints, creating a circular information flow that reinforces censorship, similar to a centralized bureaucracy The urgency and fast thinking - Audience ratings and exclusivity create urgency for breaking news, negatively affecting thoughtful expression on television - This urgency fosters a link between speed and shallow thinking, reminiscent of Plato's distinction between philosophers with time to reflect and hurried public figures - Preconceived ideas facilitate instant communication, as they are universally relatable, while genuine thought challenges and disrupts these notions Truly false or falsely true debates - Truly False Debates - Situations where there are no real differences, and participants are friends in a staged confrontation - Falsely True Debates  - Partial Host: The host controls speaking times and sets the tone of interventions, which can be respectful or dismissive - Guest Panel Composition: The selection of guests (professionals vs. amateurs) influences the perceived political leanings, aiming for a facade of democratic balance - Invisible Preparations: Pre-debate conversations often lead to a rigid script, creating a mold for participants to fit into, similar to rehearsals in games - Language Game Logic: The debate mimics a wrestling match, requiring confrontations while adhering to formal language rules; presenters may ask irrelevant questions, avoiding crucial issues. Contradictions and tensions - Television, despite its seemingly limitless nature, is heavily controlled, with collusion among participating actors - There is a conflict between those resisting homogenization and those who conform Radio The Emergence of Radio as a Medium EARLY DEVELOPMENT (1890S-1920S) - Radio technology began to take shape with inventors like Guglielmo Marconi, who conducted the first successful wireless transmissions REGULATION AND STANDARDIZATION (1920s) - The establishment of regulatory bodies, like the Federal Radio Commission in the U.S., standardized frequencies and licenses, paving the way for organized broadcasting MASS COMMUNICATION (1920s-1930s) - Radio became a mass medium, reaching millions of households and providing news, entertainment, and music, significantly shaping public opinion Radio as the First Mass Media Cultural Impact - It democratized information access, allowing diverse voices to be heard and fostering a shared national culture World Events - Radio played a crucial role during major events, such as World War II, providing real-time updates and fostering morale Advertising Boom - The rise of commercial radio introduced advertising as a revenue model, transforming how products and services were marketed Technological Innovation - Advancements like FM broadcasting (1930s) improved sound quality and expanded the variety of programming available Community Connection - Local radio stations emerged, serving as important community hubs and platforms for local news and events Social Movements - Radio was instrumental in promoting social movements by providing a voice to marginalized groups and facilitating grassroots organizing. Cinema Key Debates in Film Theory SPECIFICITY OF THE MEDIUM - This can be approached technologically, linguistically, historically, institutionally (collaborative and industrial versus individual and artisanal), and in terms of reception - Cinema has struggled to be approached in terms of its own specificity, seeking independence from theatre, literature, and television AESTHETICS - Can cinema be considered art? - Are all films art, or just a few? - Is aesthetics objective and verifiable, or subjective and dependent on taste? GENRE - It is broad  - Can follow various criteria (geographic, budgetary, content, artistic status) - Does every movie create its own genre? REALISM - The ongoing debate in cinema centers on whether to pursue narrative realism or adopt an antinarrative and anti realistic approach. - Modern art in the 20th century tends to be anti realistic. - Realism is just one aesthetic among many Cinema Over Time Classical Cinema - Linear and causal narrative: Stories have a clear beginning, middle, and end - Defined protagonist: The main character has clear goals and faces obstacles. - Coherent time and space: Spatial and temporal continuity is maintained. - Invisible style: Editing and direction aim to avoid distracting the viewer, maintaining the illusion of reality - Closed ending: Stories usually resolve conflicts by the conclusion Modern Cinema - Fragmented narrative: more ambiguous, with breaks in time and space - Complex characters: Introspective or passive protagonists with unclear goals. - Formal experimentation: Techniques that break the "fourth wall" and challenge viewer expectations. - Thematic ambiguity: Open endings and exploration of existential or philosophical themes. - Influence of auteurism: Focus on the director's personal vision. Postmodern Cinema - Genre hybridization: Blending of styles and genres without clear hierarchies. - Intertextuality and self reference: Frequent references to other works or self referential elements - Fragmented aesthetics: Nonlinear structures and a mix of times and spaces. - Irony and pastiche: Use of humor, satire, and recreations of past styles. - Challenge to authenticity: Questioning truth and reality, often featuring unreliable narrators. How to Analyze Cinema What Makes a Good Film - Ordinary Criteria - Successfulness - Positive reception from both the public and critics - Solid box office performance, attracting a large audience - Enduring popularity, extending beyond its initial release - Recognition through awards or film festival accolade - Technical Achievement - Mastery of techniques (sound, editing, etc.) - Technical innovation, introducing new methods or effects - Seamless integration of special or complex effects - Expert use of visual language, creating a strong visual impact. - Common Criteria - Edifying - Conveys values or moral lessons - Inspires the audience, offering reflections on life or human behavior - Encourages personal or ethical growth - Has a positive impact on the viewer's worldview. - Emotional - Engages the audience emotionally - Creates tension, surprise, or empathy, connecting with the viewer’s emotions - Effectively manages narrative pacing, maintaining interest and emotion - Fosters identification with characters, leading to an intense emotional experience. - Distinguished Criteria - Originality - Innovative proposal, in terms of script, staging, or style - Breaks with conventions or clichés of mainstream cinema - Creativity in storytelling or visual elements - Offers a unique contribution to the cinematic landscape, standing out from other productions - Coherence - Narrative and stylistic unity, where all parts work together - Consistent tone, avoiding abrupt shifts that break immersion - Internal logic, adhering to the rules the TV establishes - Clear direction, with a well-defined vision sustained throughout the work. Types of Analysis - Narrative Analysis - Story structure: How the story is organized (beginning, development, resolution). - Characters: Types, character development, and relationships between them. - Themes: The concepts or issues the work addresses (love, power, identity, etc.). - Narrative perspective: From which viewpoint the story is told (omniscient, subjective, etc.). - Aesthetic Analysis - Visual style: Use of camera work, lighting, color, and composition - Editing: The rhythm, sequencing of scenes, and editing techniques - Soundtrack: The role of music and sound in the narrative - Visual and symbolic language: Visual elements and their meaning - Character Analysis - Acting: How actors portray and bring characters to life - Psychological depth: Complexity and development of characters throughout the plot - Character relationships and dynamics: How characters interact with each other. - Thematic Analysis - Ideology: The values, beliefs, and messages— implicit or explicit—in the work. - Social and political context: How the film or series reflects or critiques the social reality of its time - Cultural representation: How identities such as gender, race, class, or nationality are portrayed - Contextual Analysis - Production conditions: Who the producers, writers, and creative team are, and how they influence the work - Reception: How the public and critics have received and reacted to the work - Industry and market: How the film or series fits into the context of the audiovisual industry - Communicative Analysis - Relationship with the viewer: How the work engages and affects the audience emotionally or cognitively - Expectations and codes: What conventions or genres it uses, and how it plays with audience expectations Devices of Cinema - Technological Device - Relationship between technique, cinema and ideology  - Socioeconomic Device - Industrial nature, production processes, social factors in reception. - Spectatorial Device - Context of reception, understanding and interpretation, identification with characters. - Narrative Device - Narrative nature of audiovisuals and role of editing. - Audiovisual Device - Camera position and movement, composition and depth, choice of lenses - Aesthetic Device - Possibility of an aesthetic experience through cinematic aspects Transmedia - The current transmedia landscape is a dynamic, INTERCONNECTED ECOSYSTEM where stories are told across MULTIPLE PLATFORMS, each contributing unique content to create a RICHER NARRATIVE EXPERIENCE. CORE PRINCIPLES OF TRANSMEDIA STORYTELLING - PLATFORM-SPECIFIC NARRATIVES - Different platforms (TV, social media, video games, etc.) expand the story uniquely rather than just duplicating content. - AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION - Fans actively engage through user-generated content, discussions, or even shaping the story's direction - NONLINEAR AND FRAGMENTED STRUCTURE - Audiences can enter the narrative from various entry points, creating multiple ways to experience the story. KEY DRIVERS of Transmedia - Technological Advancement - Streaming services, social media, and interactive platforms like AR/VR have amplified transmedia potential. - Audience Behavior - Viewers now expect immersive, multiplatform experiences and are more likely to engage across diverse media  - Corporate Synergy - Companies like Disney and Warner Bros. leverage their Intellectual Property across films, TV, games, and merchandise - Social Media - Real-time engagement creates "live transmedia," where audiences react and contribute as events unfold. CHALLENGES AND CRITIQUES - Oversaturation - Too much content across platforms can overwhelm or alienate casual fans. - Continuity Issues - Managing narrative consistency across platforms is complex - Commercialization - Critics argue that transmedia can prioritize profit over storytelling depth FUTURE DIRECTIONS - AI and Immersive Technologies - AI-generated narratives and immersive experiences via AR/VR will likely become more central. - Personalized Narratives - Customizable story arcs based on user interaction and data-driven preferences may redefine engagement - Global and Cross-Cultural Transmedia - As global content consumption rises, transmedia narratives will likely incorporate diverse cultural elements. Competition and Innovation - PERSONALIZATION - Better tailored service to customers’ immediate and individual needs than the conventional service. The immediate needs require a recommendation system. - Audience retention is now the top priority - THE ‘COLLABORATION ECOSYSTEM’ - Innovators in media sector have moved from device to content, because everything about the future is content - PRICING - ‘usage-based’ means ‘using’ rather than buying the product or service.  - Consolidation of the advertising business as a revenue alternative. - Subscription-based pricing offers customers access to a product or a service based on ‘usage.’ - The Freemium model is the practice of offering a basic set of services for “free.” It results in majority of customers using the service offerings for free and a smaller proportion paying for additional services - ORGANIZATIONAL AGILITY - The ability to renew itself, adapt, change quickly, and succeed in a rapidly changing, ambiguous, turbulent environment. Different Platforms - Netflix - Intensive strategy: rapid turnover of numerous series - The more series, the better - This flexibility offered by online distribution was Netflix's key differentiating advantage when it began its international expansion - This business model has been successful, and the company understands that to keep growing its subscriber base, it must increase spending and production rates - Content for all audiences. - Netflix aims to occupy the time we used to spend channel surfing, whether at home or on the go - Why Only One or Two Seasons - By the third season, most shows lose their potential to attract new subscribers, so new series must take their place - Production agreements: each season becomes more expensive - Actors demand higher salaries with each new season - Long-running series discourage users from catching up - HBO - HBO has a more deliberate, creative brand focused on thoughtful viewing experiences - HBO prioritizes quality over quantity - HBO uses its platform to balance this prestige strategy with more accessible, popular shows. - It acquires external series that often become highly viewed or discussed - Amazon Prime Video - Amazon offers more libraries than Netflix, but many of them are B-grade oldies or straight-to-video fare people never want to watch - APV subscription comes with so many additional benefits like free shipping for e-commerce products, free Amazon Prime Music, unlimited photo storage, Kindle library, and discounts at Whole Foods supermarkets which Amazon owns - Instead, Amazon has live TV channel collaboration including sports content  - Disney+ - Expanded portfolio of animated content aimed at families and children - Leverages its extensive ecosystem for effective cross-selling across various products - Highly recognized brand with a strong presence in the entertainment industry - Can promote through its wide range of existing franchises and products Narrativity Analysis Film Decomposition Structure - EPISODES - Artifices indicating the end of one content unit (the episode) and the beginning of another. They often include visual and audio cues that connect them, such as changes in shot types or the use of voice-over - SEQUENCES - More common than episodic films, sequences are shorter and less clearly defined but still maintain autonomy. They may use various techniques, like fades or cuts, to mark their boundaries. A change in space, time, or characters signifies the transition from one sequence to another - FRAMES - Sequences can be further divided into frames, which are segments of film shot continuously. These are defined by camera starts and stops and are the easiest units to identify, though exceptions exist, such as in shot-reverse-shot or single-sequence films. - IMAGES - The smallest unit of analysis, images can encompass multiple actions or perspectives within a frame. Changes in action or composition within the same frame can lead to distinct images, highlighting the film's heterogeneous nature. Stratification - It involves breaking down the compactness of a film to examine its various strata - Unlike linearity, this approach analyzes isolated segment components. - It focuses on internal components like SPACE, TIME, ACTION, FIGURATIVE VALUES, AND MUSICAL COMMENTARY Narrative Analysis Characters - Types, character development, and relationships between them Themes - The concepts or issues the work addresses (love, power, identity, etc.). Story Structure - CLASSIC THREE-ACT STRUCTURE - Introduction, Conflict, Conclusion - NONLINEAR NARRATIVE - The film doesn’t follow a chronological order but intertwines several stories unfolding at different times. - EPISODIC STRUCTURE - The film presents a series of episodes, each telling their own story - CIRCULAR STRUCTURE - The story starts at the end and moves backward, creating a sense of circularity as the protagonist tries to uncover what happened. - MOSAIC STRUCTURE - The film presents interconnected vignettes that explore different stories in various parts of the world, all tied together by a central event. Narrative Perspective - OMNISCIENT NARRATOR - The omniscient narrator allows the audience to know the actions, thoughts, and feelings of various characters in different locations - LIMITED NARRATOR - We only know the thoughts and emotions of the main character, and we see the world from their perspective - FIRST-PERSON NARRATOR - The story is told in the first person by the protagonist - THIRD-PERSON NARRATOR - The film is told from an external perspective, but it focuses on the events surrounding the main conflict and characters - MULTIPLE OR POLYPHONIC NARRATIVES - The film presents multiple characters whose stories intertwine, showing different perspectives  - OBJECTIVE PERSPECTIVE - as if it were a real-time recording with no narrator intervention, enhancing the feeling of realism - SUBJECTIVE PERSPECTIVE - show the internal experience of characters as they go through the story, employing visual techniques that reflect their distorted perception of reality - UNRELIABLE NARRATOR - A character presents a version of events that turns out to be manipulated and deceptive, leading to an unexpected twist at the end. Audiovisual Analysis Audio & Visual Characteristics - Visual Themes - Examine recurring imagery, color palettes, and shot composition to understand their contribution to the series' tone, mood, and storytelling. - Camera Techniques - Consider angles, movement, and framing to assess how they shape viewers’ perception of characters and events - Use of Lighting - Explore how lighting enhances mood, emphasizes characters, or directs attention within a scene. - Sound Design - Pay attention to ambient sounds, sound effects, and their role in creating atmosphere or emphasizing dramatic moments - Music and Score - Examine how music complements the narrative, sets emotional tones, and reinforces themes - Types of Shots - By Framing - Extreme Long Shot (ELS) or Extreme Wide Shot (EWS) - Long Shot (LS) or Wide Shot (WS) - Full Shot (FS) - Full body shot - Medium Full Shot (MFS) - Cut off at knees - Medium Wide Shot (MWS) - Cowboy Shot (CS) - Cut off at thighs  - Medium Shot (MS) - Cut off at waist - Medium Close Up Shot (MCU) - Cut off at biceps - Close Up (CU) - Cut off at neck - Extreme Close Up (ECU) - Just part of the face - By Camera Angle - High Angle Shot - Low Angle Shot - Eye Angle Shot - Overhead Shot - Upward Shot - By Camera Movement - Fixed shot - The camera does not move; the frame remains static. - Pan shot - The camera rotates on its horizontal or vertical axis without moving its position - Tracking shot - The camera follows the movement of the subject - Zoom - The focal length changes to bring the subject closer or farther away without moving the camera - Crane shot - A crane is used for wide movements in height or distance Time - DIEGETIC TIME - the time within the story - PROJECTION TIME - the duration of the film in the theater or on screen - ORDER - Temporal sequence in film allows for the rearrangement of events through techniques like flashbacks, flashforwards, ellipsis... This order is not always linear, as manipulation of sequence enhances comprehension, suspense, or tension within the story - DURATION - The duration of time in cinema can vary significantly, from extending scenes to heighten emotional impact to compressing events for swift narrative progression.  Unlike real-time logic, cinematic duration adjusts to expressive and narrative demands. - FREQUENCY - The repetition of events or scenes reinforces particular narrative moments or provides different perspectives on the same event. Repetition emphasizes an event’s impact or highlights diverse viewpoints Space - IMAGE BORDERS - The elements that are not seen generate a sense of depth and mystery, giving the impression of a larger world beyond what is on screen - STATIC / DYNAMIC - Static fixed space - Static moving space - Dynamic descriptive space – following the character, adapting to movement - Dynamic explanatory space - ORGANIC / INORGANIC - Unified or fragmented space - Flat space, deep space: difference between flat space (which limits depth and emphasizes two-dimensionality) and deep space (which creates a sense of depth and volume within the image). Representation - Staging - the work of setting and refers to the contents of the image - Framing - stems from photographic filming and refers to the way the contents are assumed and presented - Seriality - roots in editing work and refers to the relationships and connections that each image establishes with the one that precedes it or follows it Signs and Symbolism - 5 Signifiers - Images - On-screen Text - Sound  - Spoken Words - Music - RELATIONSHIP OF IMAGES - In classical cinema, image relationships are commonly based on: identity, proximity, transitivity, or approach - In classical cinema, image relationships are commonly based on: identity, proximity, transitivity, or approach Media Theories Top Bottom Theories - Bullet Theory - The mass media have a direct, immediate and powerful effect on their audiences - Mass Society Theory - With industrialization and subsequent social changes, people have become isolated and alienated - Therefore they turn to the media who takes a strong control over society - The importance of the media is exaggerated, while other forms of communication and institutions, such as family and friends, are overlooked. - Two Step Flow of Communication - The flow of information and influence from the mass media to their audiences involves two steps: - from the media to certain individuals (i.e., the opinion leaders) - from them to the public THE LAW OF SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION - The idea that all people are six or fewer social connections away from each other Social Networks - A structure of interpersonal interaction in social life - They create systems of information and communication - They act as supra-consciousnesses that interfere with and intensely condition the individual mind Types of Social Networks Primary Networks - Face-to-face communication: close ties such as family, peer groups or friends, and intimate or closely collaborative professional relationships Mass Networks - A larger number of individuals where the relationships are more indirect and mediated by work, social, or political circumstances Digital Social Networks - Networks facilitated by the internet Homophilic Networks - HOMOPHILY is the tendency to remain in cliques or similar groups Heterophilic Networks - HETEROPHILY is the tendency to form varied groups, diverse in composition and open to different perspectives Cliques - A CLIQUE is a subsystem where elements interact relatively more frequently with each other than with other members of the communication system Diffusion of Innovations - Innovators - They grasp and understand innovations and changes - Very social - Interact with other innovators - Generally younger - Higher social class - More willing to take risks - Early Adopters - Early Majority - Late Majority - Laggards - Limited access to new information  - Homophilic networks: in contact only with family and close friends - Resistance to change agents - Older individuals - More traditional - Lower social status - Little or no opinion leadership Network Ties Strong Ties - Strong ties are those we establish with close individuals who have substantial interconnection - They are created to assist us and are more readily available, tend to be transitive, and generate networks of trust. Weak Ties - These are individuals with whom we don’t have significant interconnection but who are part of our network and enrich it - They facilitate a flow of circulation that promotes mobility. Absent Ties - This refers to the lack of any relationship How to Differentiate Between the Strength of Ties - Quantity of time - Emotional intensity - Intimacy (or mutual confidence) - Reciprocal services Theory of Weak Ties - WEAK TIES are an important resource for enabling mobility, accessing new information, and fostering innovations Roles in the Social Network Bridge/Link - Individual connecting multiple social groups Liaison/Hinge - Relays information between multiple individuals or groups Gatekeeper - The sole information source for some group of individuals Group Leader - The most well connected and influential individual within a social network New Paradigm of Social Networks Mass Self-Communication - It is mass communication because it can reach a global audience - It is self-communication because the individual generates the message, defines potential receivers, and selects specific messages or web content Circuit Flow - Individuals become empowered receivers - Each individual within a line of communication has a more active role - Network technologies - The information loop is circular and feedback-driven - New systems of mediation