Website Conventions

Website Conventions

Your task is to conduct research on the conventions of web pages to support Martin’s Design lessons. You will be asked to identify the codes and conventions of website interactivity.

1.       Go to a news website such as BBC News (www.bbc.co.uk) or The Guardian (www.theguardian.com/uk)

Describe the layout of your chosen website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/

The website layout of the BBC is plain and simple with a white background, quite boring, with lots of information crammed in and not many pictures. It has simple colours red white and black. It has the lastest news scrolling along the top.

2.       Why do you think this format was chosen?

I think the format was chosen as most of the news webpages are laid out in the same way.

3.       What would the user expect a hyperlink to look like? Screen print an example:

Hyperlinks are usually in blue text and is anything you can click on that will direct you to a different page within the website. They are usually headlines from the news with a small picture next to it, to connote the headline.

These are hyperlinks.

4.       What feedback does a user expect when they mouse-over a link (text or image)? Why do they look this way? Screen print an example:

When you hover over any text or an image the feedback you are expected to see is for the images to appear darker and the text to be the main focus. The cursor will change to a little hand to interact with the website. More text appears to give the user a little insight to what the article could be about. The URL address to the website that the page is from appears in the bottom left hand side of the page.

This is the website before there is any user interaction.

This is the website after user interaction.

5.       List four websites that would fulfil each Uses and Gratifications category:   

Personal identity- Facebook allows users to post online about their personal lives.

Entertainment- YouTube allows viewers to look up entertaining videos and vblogs.

Escapism- Avatar websites allows users to create their own avatar that could represent themselves but also allows them to escape from the pressures of life into a fantasy world game.

Information- BBC news website allows users to look at all the recent news headlines.

Social-Twitter allows users to post ‘Tweets’ to their friends and followers

6.       How do each of these websites differ visually?

All of the websites differ visually as they are all intended for different purposes and genres. The avatar websites feature lots of pictures and bright colours and lots of interactive features, it appears friendly to the users.

Facebook and twitter are both visually similar with pictures that suggest the sites to be social and for networking purposes, although facebook features other hyperlinks on its page that directs you to other pages and forums.

my music video narrative

my music video is a non-linear narrative so it doesn't follow a theory. the video is more of a montage /dream.the video is a story of friendship and the joy and happiness that the friendship brings. with lots of clips.like the 3 of us on a beach throwing stones.

our music video consists of four scenes showing the jouney of three friends, starting from being out and about and then the realisation at the end when we realise that everything that has happened will be in the future and it is just a daydream.

in the first scene of our music video, ben,micheal, and myself are at hampden park recreation ground, messing around and playing games.this symbolises the start of our friendship.the music we have chosen to do a video for is called i can tell were going to be friends by the white stripes.

in the second scene we are on a beach in eastbourne playing skipping stones on the sea, eating ice-cream and chips. for the transitions from the different scenes we will speed up us walking to the different locations and film out of the car window.

in the third scene we are at a field in Robertsbridge playing football and other social team games, at the end of the day when the sun  is setting, we all sit in a line drinking beers and as the sun sets we will clink our beers. this symbolises the end of the day and era and the dawning of a new one and solidifies our friendship.

in the forth and last scene it is a flashback to us being the the media classroom where we all first met and became friends and where the story all started.

Audience theory: media effects

Audience Theory: Media Effects

1.       In class you have been learning about the Uses and Gratifications Model. According to this theory, audience engage with media texts for the following for reasons:

o   Social                                                                                                                                    

o   Personal identity

o   Information

o   Entertainment

2.       What are the limitations of this theory?

This theory limits the fact that everyone is different and nobody is the same.

There is other reasons to watch television other than the 4 key areas of the theory, it could be considered to be too simplistic.

It stops the need of actually interacting with people.

People have different views on genres of media, some people may not find something as entertaining as somebody else with a different background would.

There is new technology for other devices such as, mobile phones and consoles.

It ignores the demographics of some social and cultural groups.

3.       Does it encompass all of your viewing needs? What other needs might audiences have that are not identified?

Some audiences may get obsessed or addicted to some genres and types of shows, there could also be a pressure to watch some shows because it seems to be what everyone else is doing.

design and video projects analysis

The communication methods that I have been looking at are different types of typography for an opening title sequence for a television programme of my chosen genre. I have chosen to look at a horror genre. the typography I have researched is, blood font, this is because it suits the genre by stereotypically horror programmes contain a lot of blood. I have also been looking at some audio recording to put into my opening sequence, this will be something that I will further research.
I have been producing a leaflet for the 6 scariest rides. In this leaflet I have included pictures of scary rides and some text about the rides. the pictures that I have used are of people on the rides with scared faces and screaming this is to promote the fear factor. The text in the leaflet uses descriptive language to entice people to go on the rides.
In audio I have been making a radio drama, to do this I have been looking at previous radio dramas to get inspired and develop my ideas further. I started by writing a script, then recorded the script then did the necessary editing to make the production flow better. In my production I am inside my own head, going psychotic,  only the audience will hear what is going on, it has identifying voices one being evil and one being good.

I have sourced information and have been influenced by different styles of media from pictures online of scary rides and also television, radio and film title sequences from the horror genre. I looked at these because they are appropriate for the media productions. 

In my radio sessions I have been looking at radio idents which is a short identity tag on a radio station that reminds the listener what station they are listening to. this research benefits me as it will give me abetter knowledge for future productions.

Radio Task

Your task is to listen to 15 minutes of 2 radio stations and analyse the sound techniques used. You may choose from:

·         The Rock Show with Daniel P Carter on BBC Radio 1        ·         Semtex (Hip-hop show) on BBC 1Xtra ·         The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show on BBC 6Music ·         5 Live Breakfast on BBC 5Live

·         Your chosen stations:    

·         Semtex (Hip-hop show) on BBC 1Xtra

·         The Rock Show with Daniel P Carter on BBC Radio 1

                                                                                                                                               

1.       What time is each show broadcast?

Bbc radio 1xtra: friday 22:00

The Rock Show with Daniel P Carter on BBC Radio 1: Sunday 19:00

2.       Describe and compare each ident for the programmes. What instruments are used? How are vocals used? What feeling is conveyed to the audience?

Bbc radio 1xtra: energetic music suits the style of the show very well, the ident is recognisable. There is no instruments used, only electronic sounds.

The Rock Show with Daniel P Carter on BBC Radio 1:  Lots of screaming and shouting, it is quite intimidating the instruments used are traditional rock instruments such as electric guitar, drums and bass guitars.

3.       Who are the hosts of the radio show? How do they address the listeners (chatty, friendly, serious)?

Radio 1xtra: Semtex , he addresses the listeners by being quite aggressive, he doesn’t talk to the listeners very much just to artists on the show.

The Rock Show with Daniel P Carter on BBC Radio 1: Daniel P Carter is the host

4.       How do the hosts try to engage the audience (encouraging Twitter use, requests)?

Radio 1xtra: There is not much engagement with the audience there is only really interviews with rappers and music being played.

5.       Do you feel that there is an aim of each radio show (e.g. Getting people in the mood for a club)?

Radio 1xtra: the time of the broadcast is at 10pm so this means that the aim of the radio show is to get people in the mood for going out to party.

6.       How is this achieved?

Radio 1xtra: this is achieved by being aired late at night, playing fast party music, and by the way that he speaks is getting people up and off their feet.

7.       Assess how the music is broadcast. Are songs introduced? Do the hosts speak over the music? Are tracks mixed together? How does the music compare to the genre of the show?

Radio 1xtra: the tracks are mixed together by the DJ they are not really introduced before they are played .