How to Conduct a 'Close Analysis' of a Media 'Text
By Elizabeth Thoman
Any media message can be used for a close analysis but
commercials are often good choices because they are short and tightly packed
with powerful words and images, music and sounds. Find a commercial to analyze
by recording, not the programs but just the commercials, during an hour or two
of TV watching. Play the tape and look for a commercial that seems to have a
lot of layers-- interesting visuals and sound track, memorable words or
taglines, multiple messages that call out for exploration. Replay your
selection several times as you go through the following steps:
1. Visuals
After the first viewing, write down everything you can
remember about the visuals-- lighting, camera angles, how the pictures are
edited together. Describe any people-- what do they look like? what are they
doing? wearing? What scenes or images do you remember clearly? Focus only on
what is actually on the screen, not your interpretation of what you saw on the
screen. (See the following sample exercise, What Do You Notice? ) If necessary,
play it again but with the sound off. Keep adding to your list of visuals.
2. Sounds
Replay again with the picture off. Listen to the sound
track. Write down all the words that are spoken. Who says them? What kind of
music is used? Does it change in the course of the commercial? How? Are there
other sounds? What is their purpose? Who is being spoken to-- directly or
indirectly? (That is, who is the audience addressed by the commercial?)
3. Apply Key Questions
With the third viewing, begin to apply the Five Key
Questions and the Guiding Questions that lead to them. Identify the author(s)
and how the specific "construction" techniques you identified in
steps 1 and 2 influence what the commercial is "saying"-- values
expressed and unexpressed; lifestyles endorsed or rejected; points of view
proposed or assumed. Explore what's left out of the message and how different
people might react differently to it. What is the message "selling"?
Is it the same as the product being advertised? Continue to show the text over
and over; it's like peeling back the layers of an onion.
4. Review Your Insights
Summarize how the text is constructed and how various
elements of the construction trigger our own unique response-- which may be
very different than how others interpret the text. Try this exercise with other
kinds of messages-- a story from a newscast, a key scene from a movie, a print
advertisement, a website. Are different questions important for different kinds
of messages?
Let’s try to analyze this commercial advertisement of McDonald
Fast Food Chain.
1.
Media Text
- · What kind of media
text is this?
Answer: The kind of
media text will be presented as Image and a Video for television commercial of
the McDonald fast food chain.
- ·
In what ways does this
text tell a story?
Answer: The Text is
all about a good relationship of parents and children, just to give in returned
of all sacrifices that we do of our parents for a simple appreciation, hugs and
by saying a simple I love you… It’s all worth. Traditional Filipino
family values such as family unity, mutual respect, trust, helpfulness, and
affection are related to the text story.
- ·
What has the producer
done to grab the viewer attention?
Answer: The way of
producer that grabs the attention of a viewer is simple to emphasize the moral
and a good attitude towards of the cycle of life. The parents give the
unconditional love to their children and whatever she done it always a
feedback for the response of their children.
- ·
Are your value
represented?
Answer: The value
represented is the unconditional love of the parents and a good relationship
with parents and children a simple bonding of a fast food chain in
McDonald.
- ·
Whose point of view is
shown?
Answer: The point is
shown of a Filipino tradition that they no place like home to be with your
love ones are happy and enjoyable feelings to spend the quality time in the
McDonald fast food chain.
- ·
Are there any
stereotypes?
Answer: There is no stereotype of the McDonald commercial, that produce the quality of life and it develop a
mental respect and to love one another. a categorize of good relationship
between the eldest and the young ones and love to eat of McDonald products.
2.
Audience
- ·
Who is the target
audience? How do you know?
Answer: The targets of
audience are range of age 10 yrs. old and above, the types of people who will be
able to avail the price of the McDonald products. Then, how will I know because
the MacDonald food chains are respected customers and client of teenage year
and above.
- ·
Why does it appeal to
its target audience?
Answer: The appeal to
the audience is simply a positive view towards of the McDonald fast food chain.
- ·
Does this appeal to
you?
Answer: Yes, it will
appeal and attach for me because I will always value my parents and specially
the elder and the way I watch the TV commercial it give me a challenge to give
them back of all sacrifices, love and caring to my wonderful parents.
- ·
How might you change
this media text to make it more enjoyable?
Answer: I might it
change the concept to make it more enjoyable to generalize the relationship
with parents, neighbor, and friends especially to our grand parents, as a
valuable through a traditional approach.
3.
Production
- ·
Who produce this media
text?
Answer: There are
producers, director and scriptwriter behind the overall concept in this media
text and the main character are parents and children to see the closeness and
love to one another.
- ·
How was this text
made?
Answer: The media text
was produce in contextualize of the Filipino value and approach this will be
the whole idea in producing this media adds for McDonald fast food chain.
- ·
What has the producer
done to grab the viewer's attention?
Answer: The main
concept by the producer to grab the viewer and audience’s attention are the
simplest way of sympathy to look and to bring to mind that we always thankful
for those times that we spend together with our family.
- ·
How is this media text
sold to the public? Who profits?
Answer: In this media
text are sold to the public represent to TV commercial, Billboard Adds,
Magazine and Internet. Just to communicating to for a viewer’s to catch the
attention and patronize the McDonald’s products, and the profits to all lover of McDonald.
- ·
What rules or laws did
the producer have to follow (e.g. copyright, running time, trademarks)?
Answer: The rule or
laws those producers have to follows the protection of: the CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS AND
WELFARE, PUBLIC COMPLAINTS AND GRIEVANCES, POLITICAL PROPAGANDA,
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, RELIGION and CULTURE AND TRADITION.
- ·
How could I create a
similar media text?
Answer: I could create a media text but not a similar
to the original ones, because we respect the privacy of the author on the
original context. We could do a new creation in simply to follow the rules and
laws of a media text.
