MEST3 PPE - Learner Response

You've now completed a full MEST3 PPE - vital preparation for the real thing in June.

The most important aspect of any mock exam is making mistakes and learning from them. You need to closely analyse your performance across each question and identify specific ways you will improve for the MEST3 exam in the summer. Complete the following learner response tasks in a new blogpost on your MEST3 Exam Blog called 'MEST3 PPE learner response':

1) Type up your feedback in full (you do not need to write mark/grade if you do not wish to).

WWW: Detailed, with a wide range of examples. 

EBI: You really need to improve your handwriting and Q1 lacked coverage of the full range of media language. 

2) Did you succeed in meeting or exceeding your target grade for A2 Media? If not, how many additional marks do you need across Section A and Section B to achieve your target grade?

Yes 
Grade boundaries for complete paper (out of 80): 

A* = 75; A = 65; B = 55; C = 45; D = 36; E = 25.

3) Read through the mark scheme. Pay particular attention to pages 6-8 that have suggested content for each of the questions in Section A. How many of these potential points did you make? Did you successfully answer the questions? The original question paper is here if that is helpful.

Question 1: 

• Use of narrative voiceover - Yes

• Use of soundtrack to establish tone- No

• Use of self-contained narrative that resembles a Hollywood film- No

• Use of differing production values- Yes (ish)

• Use of direct address- No

• Use of hand-held camera to suggest immediacy- Yes (ish)

• Use of interviews involving residents in New Era estate- Yes(ish)


• Role of Russell Brand as celebrity figure- No

Question 2: 

• Development of coherent set of values and beliefs that can be seen in all products created by individual institutions- Yes (ish)

• Use of language to establish authority- No

• High production values to establish tone, mood and atmosphere- No

• Repetition of values, meaning that dissenting voices don’t often get heard- Yes

• Limited opportunity for audiences to provide instant feedback- No 

• Moderation of feedback by media producers- No


• Presentations of fact rather than opinion- No

Question 3: 

• Role of the media in our everyday lives- Yes(ish)

• Responsibilities of the media in catering to a wide variety of opinions- Yes

• Differences between public service broadcasters and privately owned media institutions- No

• Opportunities for audiences to express their own values and beliefs- Yes

• Changes in media technology / impact upon audiences and producers- Yes

• Role of audiences in providing feedback to media products- Yes

• Role of government in democratic societies- Yes

4) Which was your strongest question in Section A? Why did you do better in that particular question? Note the number of marks each question is worth.

I think my strongest question in section A was Question 3 (Should the media provide accessible platforms for alternative or oppositional voices? You should refer to other media products to support your answer.)

I think I did better in that particular question because of the fact that I knew a lot of examples that I was able to use consistently throughout the answer I gave. I also sounded confident in my opinion and managed to give a conclusion with a strong and perceive opinion. I also managed to talk a lot about the suggested comments by the examiners.  

5) Which was your weakest question in Section A? Again, try and identify why this happened. Did you misinterpret the question? Did you run out of time? 

I think my weakest question in Section A was Question 1 (What media language techniques are used to make each product appear authoritative and trustworthy?)

Question 1 is the one my feedback was aimed towards in regards to a lack of the full range of media language coverage. Moreover, it is obvious through the potential points that I could have made that I had missed out a lot of points that I could have mentioned. I think the main reason for this was the time constrain as i realised i need to move onto the next question as i had spent too long on it already (probably due to the planning/ slow start) 

6) Now look at pages 11-12 of the mark scheme for Section B - New/Digital Media paying particular attention to the suggested essay content on page 12. How many of the broad areas suggested by AQA did you cover in your Section B essay? Did you successfully answer the question?

I did Question 6 (“As a result of developments in new and digital media, traditional media institutions face a struggle to survive.” Use your case study to discuss this statement.)

• Historical role of media producers - Not really 

• Recent developments in new and digital media - Yes

• Impact upon, and responses of, traditional media producers - Yes

• Changing demands of audiences - Yes(limited)


• Different situations in different mediums and on different platforms- Yes

7) Read the Examiner's Report in full. For each question your answered, would you classify your response as one of the stronger answers or one of the weaker answers the Chief Examiner discusses? Why? What could you do differently next time? Write a reflection for EACH question in the paper: Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q6 OR Q7.

• They really like a lot of (current) examples - a variety 
• Handwriting is an issue they DON'T LIKE at all 

Question 1: What media language techniques are used to make each product appear authoritative and trustworthy? (8 marks)

• Media concepts focus
• Development from AS
• Less focus on 'language' needed as to 'media' - not like an English analysis
• No need to describe what happens in each text 
• No need for irrelevant information - i.e. keep it clear and concise 
• Better responses contrasted 'authoritative' and 'trustworthy' 
• "editing, camerawork and sound in each extract being of most value and quality. Weaker answers tended to focus on just one or two media language techniques, such as the use of close-up shots or non-diegetic voiceover in the Redrow advert."
• Too much variation in the amount of detail for the two products - balance wanted
• "use features such as camera, editing, sound, lighting etc in order to create an impact upon an audience." 

Based on the feedback i think i gave a fairly weak response. Like in the report i managed to only talk about around 2 media techniques and there was a larger focus on the use of language - like in English, There was a development from AS media and i did manage to contrast the two words however i think that due to the limited response i lost a lot of marks,

Question 2:How do media products encourage audiences to agree with a certain set of values and beliefs? You may refer to other media products to support your answer. (12 marks)

• Media issues and debates focus
• Lots of own examples 
• Detailed theoretical standpoints 
• "These responses examined how audiences are encouraged to agree with a set of values, perhaps through a Marxist or pluralist perspective."
• "While a number of students argued that Russell Brand was an opinion leader and that Two-Step Flow as a theory could thus be applied, not all of these points were developed" 
• Read question carefully 

Based on the report it shows that my response was a fairly strong one. I managed to incorporate a lot of wider examples i could have however tried arguing from various media debate perspectives (including marxism and pluralism)  Moreover, i could have incorporated and elaborated on more points from what the examiners anticipated from the response. A lot of my answer seemed to talk about stereotypes (i was trying to link the question to identities) 

Question 3:Should the media provide accessible platforms for alternative or oppositional voices? You should refer to other media products to support your answer. (12 marks)

• Wider contexts focus
• "encouraged students to consider the role of the media in contemporary society, and gave them the opportunity to explore issues of control, dissent and individuality."
• engaging, thoughtful and critically autonomous response wanted
• "The better responses were ones where there was a sense of evaluation embedded in the analysis. Such answers would take a standpoint, primarily arguing that the media 'should' provide platforms for alternative or oppositional voices, before then giving detailed and thoughtfully considered reasons as to why this should be the case." 
• Even better when a balanced argument was presented
• "Such responses tended to make reference to the platforms that do exist, such as Tumblr, Twitter or Facebook, but did not then explore the ways in which such platforms are used by audiences, the impact that such platforms have upon society at large or the ways in which the voicing of alternative or oppositional views might be problematic." 

From the report it seems to be the case that my response was one of the higher ones. This is due to the fact that i managed to use a lot of examples that i could explore and provide an argument. The variety of examples also allowed for a balanced argument to take place especially as i rooted 2 paragraphs from the pluralist perspective and Marxist perspective that oppose one another. I also managed to explain the effect on audiences whilst providing a conclusion that expressed my opinion and judgement that the question was asking for. 

Question 6:“As a result of developments in new and digital media, traditional media institutions face a struggle to survive.” Use your case study to discuss this statement. (48 marks)

• Many of them referred to very contemporary products, with case studies exploring the move of BBC3 to an online platform ( especially with an appeal to a younger audience) the birth and demise of “The New Day”, the disappearance of The Independent as a physical artefact newspaper, and the on-going debate concerning the use of pay-walls on newspaper websites.
• "a cohort with genuine concerns about how their future might be affected by a changing media landscape."
• "This was a question which perhaps did not rely on students’ knowledge of media theory, and indeed many students made very little reference to any theory at all." 
• "excellent reference to the ways in which a range of industries are being affected by changing audience habits, with some superb work seen on the music industry, the emergence of platforms such as Spotify, Tidal and Deezer, and the views of people such as Radiohead’s Thom Yorke. Case studies were often complex and broad, but students who answered this question effectively were able to draw on material from a range of industries and perspectives." 
• Weaker responses tended to focus on just the one industry 
• no real debate about what the media might look like in the future, and what impact this might have on audiences.

Based on the report i managed to a lot of what the examiner was asking. I managed to use a variety of case studies and some very recent ones that i used as examples whilst supporting them and my opinions with media theorists. I could have however incorporated more into a change in audience habits which i didn't do to as much potential detail as i could have. Even though i did reference a verity of platforms of media i think it was only around 2 and i should probably aim for around 3 to ensure full marks. 

8) Choose your weakest question in Section A and re-write an answer in full based on the suggested content from the Examiner's Report. This answer needs to be comprehensive and meet the criteria for Level 4 of the mark scheme. This will be somewhere between 3-6 well-developed paragraphs (depending on the question/number of marks available).

Question One:  What media language techniques are used to make each product appear authoritative and trustworthy? (8 marks)

Points to remember: 

• Media concepts focus
• Development from AS
• Better responses contrasted 'authoritative' and 'trustworthy' 
• "editing, camerawork and sound in each extract being of most value and quality
• "use features such as camera, editing, sound, lighting etc in order to create an impact upon an audience." 
• Balanced argument for both texts 
• Potential points: Narrative voice over, self contained narrative like a hollywood film, soundtrack establishing tone 
• differing production values 
• direct address, role of Russell brand
• interviews with resisdent of new era estate, hand held camera - immediacy

Both products create carefully composed messages of authority and trustworthiness to the audience. However this varies between the two texts as they both seem to have differing production values resulting on a greater emphasis on a particular value over another.

In product one authority is created through the carefully constructed mise-en-scene. Firstly, the protagonist is a young man - which can be connoted as demanding more authority than a women may have received -  that is wearing a suit and tie. This smart costume gives the male lead more authority as he seems of a higher status. This status is further reinforced through presenting the apartment he lives in being based in central London with long shots of the glossy and smart apartment edited carefully to create a smooth and commanding transition. Ending in a establishing shot of the London lights. This metropolitan base highlighted through the cinematography revealing a smart, expensive and polish apartment gives the piece more authority. However, these same techniques don't however create much trustworthiness, yes a higher status gives more command which can encourage trustworthiness. However, the trust factor seems to come through encouraging the audience to identify (blumer and katz) with the work and form a close personal relationship with him as we are presented with his 'story.' By presenting the audience with the disequilibrium and new equilibrium (todorv) the audience feel they have witnessed the rise of someone close to them, someone they aspire to be like - how Gilligan dyers lines of appeals suggest we all want success and wealth. Therefore, creating a trustworthiness feel by presenting us with a genuine character with dialogue of struggle that many people would have been able to identify with. Therefore the product one manages to create a sense of authority through its mise-en-scene and carefully composed cinematography to highlight the aspects of wealth and status. And creates a sense of trustworthiness, at a lesser emphasis, by presenting audience with a personal narrative of a mans uprising.

In product two there seems to be more of an emphasis on the trustworthiness of the product. In product two the personal interview reflects a first hand perspective of the real time issue of the housing crisis that is being faced by many people. By this the audience is encouraged to identify with and create a personal relationship with the residents causing them  to trust them more. There is also an increased sense of authenticity in the product as the hand held camera shots and peice to camera in a webcam style in the beginning creates a sense of realness, whilst the handheld camera creates a shaking feel adding to the immediacy of the issue. Therefore the camera work and style manages to give the piece a 'real' feel that encourages the audience to trust the product more. This emotional trust is also encourages alongside a more factual trust. By presenting the audience with screengrabs of real time statistics and reliable sources of news such as the newspapers, encourages the audience the see the truth in the argument. Therefore creating a trustworthy aspect to the product. The authority of the product seems to some primarily and solely from the celebrity , Rusell Brand, that would act as an opinion leader (two step flow model) as he would have a fan following and almost a 'brand image' of being immersed in these problems and standing up for the vulnerable. Therefore using an opinion leader to add authority to the piece.

Overall i think the overall 'professional' finish to product one with high-key lighting highlighting the glamour aspect of the piece, expensive mise-en-scene regarding location and the apartment, adds a greater sense of authority to product one as opposed to the more 'realistic' amateur feel to product two. However, because of its everyday presentation and everyday camerawork creates a more trust worthy feel to the product as people and personalities that are realistic and ones we may encounter on a daily basis are presented to the audience. Product one gives the audience something to aspire to - making it more authoritative and commanding, whereas product two gives the audience something they know- making it more real and therefore more trust worthy.

Work on this during the lesson you are given your paper back but you may need to complete for homework.