Your analysis of existing media texts will be the most important part of your research and planning.

It is important that they are detailed and critical. You should focus on three media texts, none older
than 2009, and analyse them using the below key concepts.
Documentary brief: Remember that your brief requires you to look at TV documentaries. At least one
of your documentaries should be from the same sub-genre as your intended production.
Music Promotion brief: Try to focus on artists or genres that are similar to your intended production.
Film Promotion brief: Try to focus on films or genres that are similar to your intended production.

Key Concept

Questions to ask when applying this term

How is _______ represented? Positively or negatively? Why?

REPRESENTATION: How has mediation been used to achieve this representation?

the construction of
Does the representation challenge or reinforce traditional stereotypes?
reality in a media text.
How has masculinity or femininity been represented?
Who is the primary target audience?

AUDIENCE:
How is this audience targeted?
those who consume a
Why would the audience consume this text? (Uses & Gratifications
media text.
surveillance, identity, relationships, diversion).

INSTITUTIONS:
the organisations
involved in the
production and
promotion of a media
text.

Who produces, distributes or broadcasts the text?

Is it a conglomerate or an independent institution?

How does this ownership affect content?

Is it big budget / low budget?

Are there any regulations that need to be considered?

MEDIA LANGUAGE:
the way in which a
media text
communicates to its
audience.

What messages is the text communicating?

How are these messages communicated?

How have different technical features been used: camera shots, editing,
lighting, sound (diegetic/non-diegetic) colours, typography (fonts),
editing.

How do the theories of Todorov or Levi-Strauss apply to the text?

NARRATIVE:
the structure of the plot How is the narrative structured? Linear? Non-linear?

What is the genre? Is there a sub-genre? Does it belong to a hybrid genre?

GENRE:
the categorisation of a What are the generic conventions?
media text.
Why is genre important to both audiences and institutions?