Accountability Check: Coursework Checklist

Item	Progress
Statement of Intent (Max. 300 Words)
Front Cover
Title for the Magazine w/ Original Masthead Design
Selling Line
Cover Price
Dateline
Main Original Cover Image
Min. Four Cover Lines
Double Page Spread
Headline
Standfirst
Subheadings
Original Article (350-400 Words) that Links to Headline
Main Original Image (Different to Cover Image)
Min. Three Smaller Original Images

Real Statement of Intent

The title for my magazine will be "Focus," and it will be a left-leaning gossip magazine that discusses social issues and current events. The cover lines will mention popular celebrities and their predicaments to target a working class demographic. For the masthead, I will use a serif font to make the magazine appear more informed, and for the cover lines, I will use a sans serif font to make the magazine more approachable for a working class audience.

The celebrity in the cover image will be a British Filipino man (BAME), and the image will use direct address to highlight the Southeast Asian demographic as having power in British society. This will attract a Southeast Asian audience through a sense of personal identity (Blumler and Katz) from the celebrity influencer, and also "the reformer" (Young and Rubicam) as they are socially aware and tolerant. By featuring a Filipino celebrity, the magazine will bring light to the lack of Southeast Asian representation in Britain when it comes to being in public, influential positions.

This celebrity will also be featured in the double page spread, alongside their book, which discusses how people can challenge racism against Asian people, changing the lifestyles of those around them for the better. The article will be an interview, where the celebrity will discuss their experiences of racism during COVID-19, shedding light on how minorities are treated badly in society by racist people, who will be illustrated as "the villain" (Propp). This will also create a personal relationship between them and the audience as they share a difficult, personal aspect of their life. The main image and other original images in the double page feature will also be of the influencer, and will be taken from a low angle to empower and attract the Southeast Asian demographic.

Coursework: Preliminary Exercise 2025 - Print

 Planning:

1) Write a 100 word statement of intent explaining what you are going to make for your preliminary exercise.

I plan to produce a two-page spread for a magazine discussing an author's recent book, about power and rediscovering yourself in order to improve lifestyle. To accompany the main image, I will use a series of photos of the author in order to allow readers to connect with them. I will use a clean, sans serif font for the text to give the company a modern, fresh feel.

The body of the second page will discuss how readers can improve their self-confidence and be proud of themselves, to improve the way they live and carry themselves. The tone of the text will be encouraging and heavily informative.

2) Write an outline for your preliminary exercise on your blog. This needs to include talking points and photo lists. To see how a magazine is presented, and to look at professional examples, check out the following link which gives lot of tips and tricks on how to layout and plan your magazine.

Talking points for the text:

• Experiences the author had that made them doubt, and how they overcame them
• Lessons the author has learned over the course of their life
• How these lessons can be applied to the life of other people

3) Casting: Who will be in your magazine?

I will feature two or three of my friends in my magazine depending on availability.

4) Plan your locations: Where you will shoot your preliminary exercise? (You can take photos off-site if you wish to do this for homework - this is what we would strongly recommend). Important note: You CANNOT take any students out of any other lessons OR disturb any other lessons in the school. If you wish to take shots in-school then you will need to shoot with Mr Ray supervising or after school with a Media teacher present.

I will shoot the photos for the preliminary exercise in and around Greenford/Northolt.

5) Write your shot list: every shot you plan to film. This needs to be far MORE shots than you will actually use in the final edited version - plan extra angles, close-ups, long shots and more. You can find an example shot list here. This is for a narrative film but the layout will be the same. 

> Medium close-up shot for the main image on the front cover

> Multiple images at different angles and distances for the single-page spread

Summer Project: Coursework Planning

1) Research: Music videos

Watch the following music videos and analyse an aspect of media language for each one:

-> Music video 1: Marshmello x YUNGBLUD x blackbear - Tongue Tied

> How is narrative used in this music video to engage the audience?

The music video begins by creating a narrative through dialogue, introducing a "militarised police force" known as "Silencers", utilising Propp's character theory to frame this group as the Villain of the story. Todorov's theory of equilibrium is also used to establish a disruption to peace, which is the fact that the Silencers are "muting all those who cross their path." After the introduction, we see multiple scenes of regular people battling against the oppression of the Silencers: people pushing against the door, the woman, likely the Helper/Sidekick in Propp's character theory, running with a machine, the main character (YUNGBLUD), the Hero, wrestling two officers, people hiding in fear, etc. Then, we see that the main character and the woman have an important relationship, as she cries over him being arrested. This allows the audience to empathise with her, being drawn into the narrative (engaged in the music video) by seeing her as the hero and the Silencers as the villain. She is then arrested similarly, followed by a large-scale battle sequence of a group of people fighting against a group of officers. This woman is then saved by another character, likely the Donor, who then gives her back the machine she was seen running with earlier. This is revealed to be a holographic message from the Hero, which, in turn, inspires an uprising, signalling an attempt to resolve the disequilibrium. The battle sequence ends with the Silencers losing, signalling the return to a new equilibrium, bringing the narrative to a close and satisfying the audience.

-> Music video 2: Years & Years - I Wish I Knew

> How is camerawork and mise-en-scene used in this video? Use CLAMPS to remember the different aspects of mise-en-scene.

The video begins with an eye-level, close-up shot, creating a sense of realism and allowing the audience to see his emotions. From this, the audience can see that he's feeling sad, as it looks like he has been crying. The shot lasts quite a long time before the first cut, emphasising the feeling of realism and giving the audience more time to connect with the singer. The mise-en-scene of the bunting/flag decorations in the setting imply that a celebration is taking place, creating an enigma by making the audience wonder why the singer is crying during a party. The extremely bright sunlight in the background also adds to the idea that the singer should be happy, but isn't, for some reason. The movement of the camera speeds up momentarily to align with the beat of the song, then the camera begins to zoom out to a medium/long shot as more members of the band are introduced, and the singer's mood seems to flip entirely. The setting becomes more cluttered as more party decorations come into view: balloons, streamers, a disco ball, etc., alongside the instruments used by the band. At the height of the song, the camerawork comes from multiple different angles, alongside bursts of confetti, aiding the audience in 'feeling' the energy of the music. At the end of the song, a slow-motion shot is used, paralleling the slow-down of the music. 

-> Music video 3: Foals - Hummer

> How is editing used in this music video to engage the audience?

The editing of the music video begins at an immediate fast pace, cutting to each note or beat an instrument plays. Then, the camera quickly zooms in to the singer, switching between still and handheld shots at different angles. This is then interrupted by a particularly long, still scene of the singer dancing, followed by a scene of the band members walking in front of a spotlight. This constant switching from extremely fast-paced cuts to long, almost 20 second shots engages the audience by keeping the music video different at all times. There is then another long scene of the band members standing still, which then cuts to a more hectic scene of the band playing, back and forth, creating opposition that engages audiences. This then continues for the remainder of the music video, with the pace of editing swapping to keep audiences engaged in the video.

-> Music video 4: Your choice (Manchild - Sabrina Carpenter) (Explicit)

Select a music video of your choice and analyse an element of it: e.g. narrative, camerawork, editing, visual effects etc.

> How is narrative used in this music video to engage the audience?

In 'Manchild', the music video continually uses cars as symbolism for men to communicate the message of the song. While there are many cars present in the video, many of them are quite odd: the car in the beginning is seemingly cut in half; one car is a chair with wheels; one car has a trolley; etc., and these 'odd' cars are the ones that the singer, Sabrina Carpenter, is seen with. This allows the audience to discern that she, as she picks the 'odd' cars, willingly picks the "stupid" and "incompetent" men (as said in the song), engaging audiences by allowing them to empathise with her previous experiences. Furthermore, there are many short, almost ridiculous scenes that draw in audiences by subverting expectations: the opening scene with a bird on a turtle (this is a metaphor for her past experiences with men, where she, as the bird, could fly far and wide, yet chooses to stay with the turtle, who only moves slowly along the ground); the scene with a vending machine full of rotting food; the short scene of her throwing toilet paper that shatters like ceramic unexpectedly; etc. This similarly acts as a metaphor, supporting the message of the song and drawing in audiences.

2) Music Video Planning (Part of Summer Project - doing the other option for coursework)

Plan out the basic details for your music video. What song do you plan to use? Will your video be performance or narrative based (or both)? Complete the following on your blog:

Artist and song you have chosen: 

KATSEYE - Mean Girls 

Plan for music video (narrative/performance etc.): 

Performance-based style of video during verses (lip-syncing, direct address, etc), narrative-based video during chorus - simple narrative of a friend group of girls having a falling out, being petty and arguing over small things, then maturing and resolving the issue through forgiveness and communication. 

Link to brief (one small step to improving your community): 

Narrative will link to improving community through a message about forgiving those around you who have wronged you in the past, allowing your community to be closer together by attempting to erase tension over petty/trivial matters.

Actors/performers you plan to use: 

Friends: Natalia, Zainab, Sanichya, Prachi, Rohanna

Locations: 

Rectory Park, Northala Fields, in and around Greenford 

Costume/make-up/props required: 

Regular, day-to-day costumes with limited or no makeup. Phones will be used as props.

3) Statement of Intent

On the same Summer Project blogpost, write the rough first draft of your 300-word Statement of Intent for the two-minute music video you plan to create. The final draft of this document will be submitted to the exam board alongside your music video production and is worth 10 marks of the overall 60 marks available.

-> Doing Statement of Intent for the celebrity gossip magazine instead (practice for coursework)

I plan to produce a celebrity gossip magazine targeted towards a working-class audience with a wide age range of 20 - 30 years old, using a conversational writing style alongside dramatic cover lines to engage audiences. The front cover will feature a paparazzi-like, impromptu picture of a celebrity in a simple outfit, to emphasise them being caught doing something wrong behind-the-scenes. For the front cover, I'll use a sans font to give the magazine an approachable feel for a working-class audience. The double-page spread will feature a celebrity author and their book on improving lifestyle, specifically through the Danish and Norwegian concept of 'hygge'. The text will be an interview of the author that focuses mainly on their ideas on how to improve life, appealing to a working-class target audience, who are likely to be part of the Struggler psychographic. The tone will be hopeful in order to connect with this audience. I will use a large, high-quality photo of the author for the main image, using direct address to engage readers. This will be accompanied by a series of smaller images of the author, to further this engagement.

Radio: Final Index

1) Radio: Launch of BBC Radio 1 CSP

2) Radio: KISS FM Breakfast show CSP

Radio: KISS FM Breakfast Show CSP

Audience

1) Read page 2. What is KISS FM's mission?

KISS FM's mission is to target a young audience, reaching them wherever, whenever, however they want. They want to create a constant stream of content to allow their audiences to hear, see, share and discover.

2) Look at page 3. What is the target audience for KISS FM? As well as writing the key statistics from the media pack, try and suggest what psychographic groups would fit the KISS audience too.

The target audience for KISS FM is aged 15 - 34. They have a 60 / 40 female to male split, and are united by their love for music. Tech especially is what excites them. Their audience is predominantly urban, but increasingly national with 65% now living outside London. They heavily enjoy social media.

The target audience would fit the psychographic groups of: The Explorer, as they have a need for discovery that KISS FM satisfies; The Mainstream, as KISS has a large audience, and perhaps The Struggler, as they can use the content produced by KISS to escape from their situation.

3) Now look at page 5 - The KISS network. How does KISS use digital media and technology to reach its audience?

KISS reaches its audience through a multi-platform strategy, such as timelines on YouTube, on-demand streaming, etc. They produce content around the music young people are currently into, and they also have a large social media presence.

4) Now look at the other side of page 5. What content do KISS Fresh and KISSTORY offer and how can audiences access those stations?

KISS FRESH offers first plays of the tracks from popular artists and producers in the industry. It plays urban and rhythmic tunes in Hip Hop, Dance, House and Afro beats. It is available on DAB (in London), Freeview, Sky, plus at KISSFMUK.COM, via the KISS Kube app, on social and at events.

KISSSTORY plays 'Old Skool' music and songs from R&B, Dance, Garage and Hip Hop. It is also available on DAB (in London), Freeview, Sky, plus at KISSFMUK.COM, via the KISS Kube app, on social and at events.

5) Read page 6. What are the different ways audiences can actively engage with the KISS radio brand?

Audiences can actively engage with the KISS Radio brand through: the KISS Kube app to stream shows from KISS; listening online through kissfmuk.com for news and reviews; through live events, and through radio.

6) Are listeners to the KISS Breakfast show active or passive? You can argue this point either way - explain your opinion in your answer.

The target audience that KISS describes is quite passive: "they want or already own the latest cool stuff and have the devices at their fingertips to facilitate this sense of immediacy. It’s more than just dual screening – it’s about using multiple devices simultaneously from a mobile, tablet, TV, and laptop." The idea that their target audience uses multiple devices at once and needs to be consuming media constantly suggests that their audience isn't actively engaged in watching or listening to the KISS Breakfast show, and are therefore passive and take in the intended message subconsciously.

However, I disagree with this. KISS runs real-life events that listeners attend, suggesting that they are active, alongside the fact that they use the KISS Kube app to access the specific content they want to watch or listen to. They are also involved with KISS through social media - KISS has a large social media following and audience interaction is integral to the Breakfast show itself. Listeners can also send in requests or shoutouts to friends through these platforms, as KISS is active across social media and regularly interacts with their audience, implying that the audience is active. 

7) Now think about the clips you've watched or listened to of the KISS FM Breakfast show with Jordan and Perri. What audience pleasures are offered by the KISS FM Breakfast show? Use Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory here.

Diversion:

• Light-hearted humour offers escapism and is entertaining
• Focus on gossip, entertainment and reality TV offers escapism
• Competitions on the show engage listeners

Personal Identity:

• Young, Black presenters may be relatable to younger Black audiences
• Jordan and Perri have been political campaigners and have been connected to political movements like Black Lives Matter, appealing to Black audiences who may have faced discrimination or are also advocates of the BLM movement
• They discuss many issues a young audience can identify with and relate to, such as relationships, being bored in lockdown, etc.
• Ethnically diverse guests may help engage their primarily Black audience
• Informal way of speaking targets a young audience

Personal Relationships:

• They may have some fans from being part of a dance troupe, Diversity, who appeared on Britain's Got Talent
• Jordan and Perri are friends and so have a natural chemistry that appeals to audiences
• Jordan and Perri have been connected to political movements like Black Lives Matter, perhaps creating a relationship with Black audience members
• The show will appeal to fans of celebrities who become guests on the Breakfast show
• Audiences can send in requests or shout outs to friends that are read out, creating a parasocial relationship

Surveillance:

• Parts of the Breakfast show offer education and information to listeners 
• Educational content is simple and easy to understand

8) How have audiences changed in terms of how they listen to music and radio since the 1960s?

Previously, radio was much more common as television was still in the process of becoming popular - it was people's main form of entertainment, and how most people listened to music. Radio was also used for more sophisticated discussions around art, literature, etc. on the older BBC stations. Teenagers mainly used pirate stations, as they were catered towards them, until the launch of BBC Radio 1, which was hugely popular at the time as there were no competitors.

Now, young people listen to radio significantly less as there are other forms of media that perhaps seem more exciting (shows, apps, games, etc.). People have also begun to prefer on-demand media consumption, specifically music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music over listening to scheduled music through the radio, which has led to KISS FM's decline in recent years.

9) How does the KISS FM Breakfast show contrast with Tony Blackburn's 1967 Radio 1 Breakfast show and the launch of BBC Radio 1?

There a variety of differences between the KISS FM Breakfast show and Tony Blackburn's Radio 1 Breakfast show: KISS FM has multiple competitors as there are more radio stations broadcasting, while BBC Radio 1 had virtually no competitors at all; KISS FM is much higher-quality (AM to FM to DAB); KISS FM is available on-demand, while BBC Radio 1 was not; KISS FM has two Black presenters and regularly features ethnically diverse guests, while BBC Radio 1 had a White presenter on a show which most likely did not feature non-White guests often.

10) Use Stuart Hall's Reception theory to offer a preferred and oppositional reading of the KISS FM Breakfast show. For the preferred reading, why do fans love the show? On the oppositional side, why might someone criticise the show or not want to listen?

For the preferred reading, it would likely be held by a younger audience who enjoy the music being played or can relate to the topics discussed on the show. They would support the political messages on the Breakfast show (Black Lives Matter campaign) and enjoy Jordan and Perri's humour, chemistry and 'banter.' They would also be fans of the celebrities featured on the show.

For the oppositional reading, it would most likely be held by older people who don't enjoy the humour in the same way a young person would, or would prefer older music over the modern music played on the show. Potentially, people who hold racist views would dislike the fact that two Black presenters host the show, or would be unsupportive of the political views held by them. They would not be fans of the celebrities featured on the show. Furthermore, another oppositional reading would be that the show is not fully enjoyable as it is live instead of on-demand.

The negotiated reading would be a combination of both, except people who take the racist oppositional reading would not enjoy the show in any way. 

Industry

1) When did KISS FM first launch and what type of station was it then?

KISS FM first launched on the 7th October, 1985 first as a pirate station, becoming a weekend operation as they were regularly taken off-air by authorities. It, over time, became legitimate as it grew in popularity enough to become a real competitor. It is now more mainstream and has been operating legally since 1990. It was then bought by the conglomerate Bauer Media.

2) Look at the Bauer Media Group's list of brands. How many different types of media can you find on there? What brands do you recognise?

There are multiple different types of media brands: radio stations, magazines, films, news, etc.

 

I recognise: KISS, Magic Radio, Grazia and Heat. 

3) How does KISS FM make money?

KISS FM makes money through advertising, sponsorships and events, such as summer festivals and the Wembley Arena Halloween Party. Brands can pay to have their product featured on the show either in ad breaks or as part of the show itself, and companies can also pay to sponsor shows, competitions or events during the broadcast. KISS also earn money from brands paying to be promoted through the KISS social media posts.

 

4) How many listeners does the KISS Breakfast show have and how has this changed in recent years?

The KISS Breakfast show currently has 980,000 listeners. During the time Rickie, Melvin and Charlie hosted, the Breakfast show had over 2 million listeners, but by the time Jordan and Perri took over this figure was already down to 1.4 million listeners. The figure has been steadily decreasing. 

5) How is KISS FM regulated and what can happen if they break the rules?

KISS FM, and all radio is regulated by Ofcom. Ofcom has a broadcasting code that all shows must follow, including leaving out anything inappropriate for younger listeners.

In 2006, KISS was fined a record fee (for any UK commercial radio station) of £175,000 by media regulator Ofcom. Ofcom punished KISS for "numerous and serious breaches" of broadcasting codes after receiving 10 complaints from April to November 2005. They involved prank calls on the Bam Bam breakfast show where consent was not sought from the victims and controversial material (swearing and discussions of pornography) aired when children were likely to be listening. KISS said it accepted the findings and apologised for any offence.

End of Year 1 Exam: Learner Response

1) Type up any feedback from your teacher in full (you do not need to write the mark/grade if you do not wish to).

Total: 39 / 42      Grade: 9 

WWW: Stunning: almost impossible to fault! 

EBI: Perhaps research some of the British post-colonialist contexts for 1960s to push even higher.

2) Look at the mark scheme document linked above. Question 1.1 asks about mise-en-scene. What do we use to remember mise-en-scene? Give one example answer from the clip too - you'll find example answers in the mark scheme.

CLAMPS -> Costume / Lighting / Actor PME / Make-up & Hair / Props / Setting

e.g. - setting - empty city

3) Question 1.2 asks about narrative features in the extract. Look at the mark scheme to pick out three possible answers for this question.

• Narrative theory: Propp – character types. Lyra and Will as heroes who the audience can identify with and accompany on their exploration of this empty city. The audience are clearly positioned to sympathise with Lyra and Will when they initially face the two other children.
• The two children they are chasing initially are presumed to be villains but the dialogue in the second half of the extract complicates this. Instead, perhaps they become donors – giving Lyra and Will a drink and something to eat as well as important information about the Spectres (including the danger Will may soon be in).

• Todorov (equilibrium): The empty city creates a sense of disequilibrium – that something has gone wrong and needs to be repaired or at least understood by the characters.

• Costume: Lyra and Will are placed in costumes that reflect the world they are from. This helps to communicate the wider narrative arc of the show and emphasises the fact they are ‘out of place’ in this city currently. This creates a sense of narrative enigma (why are they there? What will they discover? Are they in danger?) and also a sense of binary opposition – of two opposing worlds. The costumes of the two other children help emphasise this contrast and reflect the narrative development of the ‘Spectres’ that have left these children homeless and the city empty of grown-ups.

4) Now focus on Question 2 - the 20 mark essay. Use the mark scheme to pick out one way Doctor Who reflects 1963 and one way His Dark Materials reflects 2020.

Doctor Who: 

 

The storylines reflect events in society at the time of production, e.g. in Doctor Who the

Daleks were initially seen as representing the Nazis, especially in the 1960s when WW2 was

still a recent memory for many of the audience. Since then the Daleks have continued to

represent totalitarianism, although in some recent episodes they have been more

humanised.

His Dark Materials:

His Dark Materials reflects the increasing independence young people expect and deliberately places the children in environments where there are no adults. Many grown ups are presented as villains and Lyra’s parents have effectively abandoned her. This subverts traditional stereotypes but does reflect modern contexts where young people are increasingly asserting themselves in society (e.g. political protest, climate change etc.)

5) Reflect on your overall work and exam performance this year. What three things do you need to work on or revise in Media for Year 11?

• Researching extra social, cultural and historical contexts in the relevant time periods to use in any question.
• Aiming to use more high-level examples of representation - e.g. representations of the patriarchy and religion through the Magistrate in His Dark Materials
• Working on timing - aiming to write more in the given time / writing faster