Media Theory

Hypodermic Needle Effect

This Theory suggests that the information from a text decodes into the audiences minds unmediated. This means that it goes in uncritically and you take it in with out questioning. This theory is still used by parents, politicians and pressure groups, and is explained why certain groups in society should not be exposed to certain media texts, e.g rap/hip hop videos or olden comics. this is as there could be a cause that they could act out what they see e.g. sexual or violent behaviour.

Uses & Gradificactions

Texts that reflect Personal indentity. This suggests that the recepetion of media is often dependant on the context. E.g. Director Encodes a text and then the text is decoded on the audiences. Preferred readers agree with the directors intentions and abberrant readers disagree with the directors intentions.

In 1948, Lasswell suggested that media texts had the following functions for individuals and society : surveillance, correlation, entertainment and cultural transmission.

Researchers Bulmer and Katz expanded this theory and published their own in 1974, stating that individuals might choose a text for the following purposes:
Diversion - Escape from everyday problems and routines.
Personal Relationships - using the media for emotional and other interaction.
Personal Identity - Finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behaviour and values from texts.
Surveillance - Information which could be useful for living.

Since then it has been extended further, particually as new media forms have come along, eg Internet and Video games

How Does your Production target a specific audience demographic? and What Aspect of your Music Video will your target audience identify with?

The demographic of our audience would probably be for teens around the ages of 16 to 20 but also probably C2 and C1 catorgory for demographics. The genre of the music video and song is mostly represented as ‘Indie’. This is teens who usually shop in stores like top shop or h and m, who wear skinny jeans, vans trainers and buttoned up shirts or polos. In our video most of the people are wearing something that teens would wear so they can relate to them, as well as other elements of the video.



Our audience is likely to consume culture and bands like 'the foals' and less heard of bands. They prefer more alternative to mainstream music, more of a niche audience. i dont think you can put such specific things like video games as everyone is different and some people play and some people don't. Our audience is probably more likely to buy items of the internet on ebay or amazon. these include DVD's and cd's. items which are more media orientated. they would also use sites like youtube to access music and music videos and maybe social networking (facebook, myspace or twitter) or blog sharing websites.

I think that many aspects of our music video can relate to our target audience in different ways. Firstly the fast cuts used in the music video keep the viewer interested by helping to create a sense of action.

In the music video we have the location of a beach. This itself con notates fun and enjoyment. We have a lot of actors in the video just having fun and having a laugh on the beach in simplest terms, therefore making the target audience or people watching the video share the feeling and character of it.

At the end of the music video we have shots the actors with flares running around. This could be considered which dangerous yet adventurous which many of the youth culture today will enjoy.

Answers from questionaire

I asked about 10 people to tell me about how they found music and how the use it etc. these are the results that came back.

Question 1 - The most Common answer was youtube. This is a free browsing and video uploading website that is available to anyone. The next following answers were itunes and illegal downloading.

Question 2 - People surveyed and came out with the answer ipod. this is probably the most common piece of technology used today. Some other people came out with Computer and Radio.

Question 3 - There were many variations of answers for this question including the usual youtube and itunes but also fiding unsigned artisit through friends, social networking and gigs or festivals.

The next questions are more personal answers so i have shown the personal favourites.

Question 4 - 'music videos are good for marketing brands as the videos empathise the messages trying to be sent out by the lyrics/artist'

Question 5 - 'You need to experience some sort of emotion, joy/sadness/mystery etc'

Question 8 - 'I think people who support this band all recognise what this band did for music both at that stage and where it is now, so it does make me feel part of that community'

Question 10 - 'alternative until they lose their identity in the mainstream'

How do you access music? Ie YouTube, iTunes, illegal downloading, retail etc
How do you listen to music? iPod, computer radio etc

How do you find out about unsigned bands? Social network, YouTube, gigs/festivals etc
Do you think music videos are a good way to Market a band?why?

What do you expect from music videos?fast moving images,performance shots etc

Identify an artist/band which has influenced your values/ideology, dress code, lifestyle choices, aspirations

Can you identify an artist you strongly identify with?

If you belong to a strong fan base does this make you feel you belong to a community? Why?

How often do you go to live performances?

Do you prefer alternative to mainstream?