Introduction

Welcome to my A2 Media Studies Advanced Portfolio Blog. Throughout this blog, I have researched and developed the necessary skills in order to create a documentary, accompanied by two ancillary texts; a newspaper advertisement and a double page listings spread for a TV guide. In addition, there is a link on the right hand side which will present my Foundation Portfolio, which displays my development over the two years of studying Media. In creating the documentary and the ancillary texts, from my research I have tried to conform to various codes and conventions cited in real media texts, however, I have also introduced my own skills and techniques.

Final Products

Excerpt of Documentary:

Ancillary Products:

Newspaper Advertisement

Double Page Spread of TV Listings Guide

Evaluation Question 4

How did you use media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?

Evaluation Question 3

Throughout the research & planning, production and evaluation stages of my Advanced Portfolio, I have regularly referred to audience feedback from my target demographic, in order to achieve the purposes of all three products and to ensure that they are all as aesthetically pleasing as possible.
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Annotations:

This shows that the audience can relate to the codes and conventions used as they realise the purpose of the documentary by recognising techniques such as, typography, editing and the type of argument. 

The audience can recognise where codes and conventions have been used and challenged, which helps form the genre of the documentary. 

This also demonstrates that the target demographic are able to understand that "The Hypodermic Needle Theory" was rejected during the production and editing stages of my documentary, as it objects to the presentation of simply the Marxist ideology, which would be the negative opinion on cannabis. The audience feedback reveals that the target demographic realise the purpose of the documentary, where it would be shown and for what audience. 

It is clear that my documentary appeals to a certain type of audience, which is clearly recognised. The target demographic is established by the particular codes and conventions used for certain aspects in order to appeal and to achieve the purpose of the documentary.

The members of the target audience can recognise the purpose of the different types of music used and they believe that the use of sound has been used effectively.

This demonstrates that by both supporting and challenging the codes and conventions, use of sound, editing and footage, my product appeals to the target audience consisting of teenagers and parents. In addition, this confirms that by viewing the 5 minute excerpt, my target audience would be willing to view the full-length documentary.

As one of the ancillary products, the target audience recognise the purpose of the newspaper advertisement to promote the documentary and to appear as aesthetically appealling as possible to a wide viewership. It is also evident where this type of media product would be found, for example, in a free newspaper, for example, 'The Metro' and a broadsheet newspaper such as, 'The Guardian', which would be viewed by an audience beyond the target demographic.    

The audience observe the codes and conventions such as, the Channel 4 logo, which automatically allows the target demographic to relate the documentary to others they have seen previously. This can either persuade or dissuade an audience into watching the documentary. However, the techniques used appeal to the target audience of teenagers.

The target audience recognise my product as "professional" and similarly, appearing as a real media text used in everyday life. It is also noted that the techniques used including, "pick of the day" and the star rating encourage a wider audience. These tools are a form of marketing and are the reasons why people may take an interest and consequently watch the documentary.

From my audience feedback, I have learnt that my target audience are able to understand and recognise that the ancillary texts support the main product in promoting the documentary. It is evident that if the ancillary texts did not accompany the product, there would not have been a wider audience as there would have been less chance of knowing about the documentary. The ancillary texts also contribute to what the audience describe as the "professional look".

By studying Stuart Hall's theory of audience, the "Preferred Reading" of my documentary is to inform and to educate the audience. By acknowledging this audience feedback, I believe that by both conforming to and rejecting the codes and conventions of a documentary have contributed to representing the "preferred reading" to the audience.