Media Studies
Embedded Files
Year 12 & 13
Year 12 & 13
Read
1. Ways of Seeing - John Berger
"Ways of Seeing" is fundamental for anyone looking to deconstruct how images operate within our culture. Berger challenges us to move beyond passive consumption, revealing the ideological underpinnings and power structures embedded in visual representation, from classic art to modern advertising. This text will equip you with a sharper critical vocabulary to analyse media messages, understanding how visual culture shapes our perceptions of gender, class, and the world around us.
2. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
Engaging with "1984" offers a chillingly prescient lens through which to examine media's profound influence on truth and individual autonomy. This novel allows you to critically unpack concepts like propaganda, surveillance, and the manipulation of historical narratives, providing a vital framework for understanding the ethical dilemmas and power dynamics inherent in contemporary media landscapes. It’s a powerful exploration of how controlled information shapes societal understanding and individual thought.
Listen
1. Things Fell Apart - John Ronson Podcast
In "Things Fell Apart," Jon Ronson investigates the surprising and often bizarre origins of the culture wars that shape so much of our current media landscape. Through gripping true stories, you'll gain fascinating insights into how fringe ideas can explode into mainstream narratives, examining the role of media amplification, moral panics, and the power of individual stories in shaping public discourse. It's an essential listen for understanding how media both reflects and drives the social and political divisions we see today.
2. The Media Show
Provides insights into the real-world complexities of media production and consumption, covering industry, economics, and regulation.
3. How do You Like it So Far?
Podcast about media and culture hosted by Henry Jenkins and guests
Watch
1. Hypernormalisation
BBC Documentary
Adam Curtis's "HyperNormalisation" is a fascinating and often unsettling documentary that explores how politicians, financiers, and technological utopians have created a simplified, fake world over the past few decades that we are all complicit in. Through his signature montage of archival footage, Curtis argues that we've become accustomed to a world where nothing makes sense, and where powerful forces distract us from real problems with manufactured realities. This film is crucial for understanding how media shapes our perception of reality, the nature of political narratives, and the blurring lines between truth and fiction in our increasingly complex world
2. Lessons from the Screenplay: The Power of Symbols
(watch the film Parasite first as this video contains spoilers)
Parasite is a tense social satire about a poor family, the Kims, who con their way into becoming the servants of a rich family, the Parks. In February 2020, it made history by becoming the first non-English language film to ever win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. In this video, we examine the way Parasite cleverly utilises symbols and motifs to express its theme.
Research
1. Investigate a specific moral panic you’ve seen in the media - where did it originate? How was it spread? Who is spreading it?
2. Examine the concept of 'Globalisation' in media. Choose a global media franchise (e.g., Marvel, McDonald's, a K-Pop group) and research how it adapts its content and marketing for local audiences in different countries.
Creative
1. Create a Substack account and write a critical analysis of something you have watched
2. Create a vlog of a day out, such as on holiday or a school trip (with the permission of the teacher)
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