Nothing in the media is reality.
It is a RE-PRESENTATION of reality.
A Representation.

​Take this apple.

It is a picture of an apple. Not a real apple.
Because someone has thoughtfully and deliberately taken this picture and edited it in post-production, it has been constructed as a representation of an apple.

What kind of representation do you see?

This is also an apple

It is also red. It also has a leaf. It also has a section missing. 

However, this time, the construction of the image has represented it as a very different apple. Look at the background, the visual composition of the apple, the detail in the apple.

What kind of representation are we seeing now?

Representations exist across ALL media. Photography, radio, news, TV, film, advertising, print, branding, logos, even your own social media!

Your social media profiles (and ALL MEDIA) is a careful process of selection, omission and construction

• SELECTION: Choosing what to keep in the frame, or keep in the story, or in the narrative.
• OMISSION: Choosing what to keep out of the frame, keep out of the story.
• CONSTRUCTION: Choosing exactly HOW to represent your image, brand, logo, story, character, etc. via the use of CODES such as camera, lighting, sound, mise-en-scene, etc.

Look closely at the 2 different print articles above. How is each premier being represented via the media?
SELECTION: What parts of the story are being highlighted?
OMISSION: What crucial details are being left out?
CONSTRUCTION: How is each photo of each premier making them look? 

Same celebrity. 2 different magazines. 2 different representations.
Kylie the independent billionaire businesswoman
Kylie the sexy sidekick to another man - Travis Scott
think about each representation? who holds dominance in each photo?
SELECTION: What is Kylie wearing? Why is Kylie dressed differently in each photo
OMISSION: What has been left out of the Forbes photo shoot? Why?
CONSTRUCTION: How is Kylies hair in each photo? why is it different? How is her body language?

Case study #1 - The history of black representation in the Media

CONSTRUCTION of Representations

Representations are purpousfully built into a text. We call this a 'construction'. 

• Expressive and realistic lighting.
• Diagetic and non-diagetic sound.
• Expressive and continuity editing of vision and sound.
• Acting, including voice, facial expresion, body language and movement.
• Mise-en-scene - everything that appears within the frame and their visual composition (positioning) within the frame.
• Camera shot types, angles and movement.

These  technical and symbolic codes are purposefully manipulated by the film-makers to convey representations of people, places, organisations and locations. Lets look at an example below:

​Take a look at this still from Paul Haggis' 2004 film 'Crash' Matt Dillion's character (Officer John Ryan) has just saved a woman from a burning car. in this final shot of the scene he is being represented as heroic. We can easily tell. It is a 'hero shot' right? So how are the technical and symbolic codes constructing this heroic representation?

LIGHTING -  The lighting is warm. The sun beams on his face like a light from heaven. It lights him up in a god-like aura.
MISE-EN-SCENE - we see items associated with public service. The fire truck. His uniform, unzipped, suggestive of the physical exertion he has just been through. A blanket clutched in his hand. The colours of red white and blue that symbolise Americanism. Soft smoke hangs in the air
ACTING: his eyes gaze off camera, into the horizon. He is down on one knee, humbled in a sense. his chest heaves in and out as he struggles to catch his breath. He has worked hard and is exhausted. His face is relaxed and his mouth agape as he contemplates what he has just been through. he stays perfectly still. Transfixed by his actions
EDITING: the temporal duration of the shot is further extended by expressive editing as time plays out in slow motion. this allows the audience time to take in the enormity of Officer John Ryan's bravery.
CAMERA: Officer John Ryan is shot from a low angle, emphasizing his size and stature in the frame. he is composed in the centre of the shot as the main focal point. The shot slowly tracks backwards as the woman he helped walks away. It is as if we are seeing him from her point of view. As her hero.
SOUND: The non-diagetic soundtrack at this point consists of soft piano and light synthesised tones that create an  ethereal mood. This assists with the heavenly atmosphere created by the lighting and further accentuates Officer John Ryan's heroic representation.

you can watch the scene here: (the hero shot is the very last one)

Something to think about...

Media representations can be seen outside of entertainment. Have a look at these following logos for high fashion and street fashion. What can you see in their design that represents the brands for their target audience?

HIGH END FASHION

STREET FASHION

Class Activity

Take 2 photos of the school. 
1 photo that represents the school well and 1 photo that does not.
Think about your careful construction of each photo.
How will you frame your photo?
What will you select to keep in?
What will you keep omit?
What will you include in the mise-en-scene?
How will you light your photo?
What angle will you take your photo from?

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Assessment Task

Using Adobe InDesign you and a partner will work together to create 2 magazine covers for 2 different types of magazines. You can choose from the following list:

• Tabloid Celebrity magazine.
• Art magazine.
• High Fashion magazine.
• Business/Wealth/Money magazine.
• Health/Wellbeing/Lifestyle magazine.
• Teen Skate/Surf magazine.
• Action/Sports/Extreme magazine.
• Teen Girl magazine.
• Street Fashion magazine
  

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STEP 1 - Target Audience Questions
There must be a person on each cover. You need to use the same person on both magazine covers. This is designed to help you think about how can represent your talent in two contrasting ways dependant on the wants, needs and expectations of your target audience. To understand your demographic you will need to conduct some research and answer the following questions:

1. Typically what age range and gender (if any) is your target audience?
2. What kinds of expectations does your audience have from your magazine?  List 4-5.
3. What will your audience NOT want to see/read in your magazine?
4. Use some emotive language to describe how you want to make your audience feel when they look at your magazine cover.

STEP 2 - Cover Analysis
Before you shoot your talent you will need to analyse 2 magazine covers. 1 from each style of magazine you intend to create. take a screen shot of the cover and analyse the following:

1. Sum the feeling/vibe/aesthetic of the magazine up in 3 words.
2. How is the talent represented? What is being selected ?(kept in/highlighted) and omitted? (left out, not seen)
3. What kinds of fonts and typography do you see? Look at the masthead (title) and cover lines (the contents.) How does it represent the magazine?
4. What colours are being used on the talent, fonts, background etc? How id the colour being used to represent the content of the magazine?
5. Is there a selling line? (usually under the title). If so, what does it say about the magazine?
6. What do the cover lines say about the content of the magazine?

STEP 3 - Concept Plan
Now it's time to plan your covers!
Sketch the possible layout of both covers. Think about:

• How will you shoot your model? How much of them will you frame? What will they wear? How will they pose? 
• What fonts will you use? look on Dafont.com!
  
• What cover lines will you write? You want them to frame the representation you want for your target audience.
  
• What will the layout look like? cluttered and colourful? fun and cheeky? bold and exciting? sleek and minimalist?

Once you have answered your intended audience questions, completed your cover analysis and finished both concept plans... you can shoot your talent and edit your magazine!