Reading an image

• The connotation of the fingerprints is crime and identity; 
• The page layout being split down the middle reflects the two sides of 50 cents life and the life he chose to pursue. The text being cut off on each side can further emphasise his current identity and who he is today because of what he experienced. The page layout is similar to a book, implying the new page he turned on his life.
• The grimy green colour and dramatic lighting frames 50 cent's serious expression as determined, especially the focus on his eyes. The medium-close shot connects the viewer to 50 cent and creates understanding.
• The subject matter is clearly on 50 cent's identity, with the text reading "i am what i am" and the quote which focuses on his past.
• The army hat he wears can connote fighting, perhaps liking him to a soldier.

The open door can connote new opportunities for the man, and the bright, pastel colours that contrast with the mustier colours of the garage frame the woman to be a shining light or saviour to the man's usual life. The colours also indicate the woman's personality as being bright, fun and excitable, further accentuated by her bright clothing and the fireworks in her bag. This contrasts with the man, wearing darker and duller colours. However, the fire in the middle of the two of them implies a spark that has been caused between them. The long shot makes the viewer seem like an outsider looking in, which may have purposely been done to demonstrate the opportunities that the body spray brings. The fireworks and the fire obviously make the viewer piece them together in their brain as to what the two people are going to do - set off fireworks together. The target audience is specifically for both men and women, as showcased with the slogan on the top right corner and the two people in the ad being a man and a woman.

My media consumption

Newspapers

• Which daily newspapers (if any) do you read?

I don't read newspapers, but very rarely I see them in shops and read the covers or flip through the front pages.

• What sections of newspapers do you turn to first, and why?

Probably the sections that the front cover advertise.

• What sections do you never read, and why?

A lot of them.

• What kinds of stories do you usually read and why?

Probably stories relating to politics.

• Do you, or someone else, buy the newspaper you read?

Neither.

• Do you look at the online versions of any newspapers? Which newspapers? Why do you visit their website and not others?

I do occasionally, but they're mostly one-off news articles detailing something that happened recently that I was interested in, so I don't really have favourites.


Magazines

• What magazines (if any) do you buy regularly?  Why?

None.

• What sections of the magazines do you read and not read, and why?

None.


Television

• Approximately how many hours a week do you spend watching television?

A couple hours?

• What times of day do you usually watch television?

Night time / evening 

• What programmes do you like best and why?

It's usually whatever's on. The tv shows I watch on my laptop are usually cartoons.

• Do you watch alone or with others? If you watch with others, who decides what you will watch?

With whoever's watching tv.

• Do you watch 'live' TV or on-demand/catch-up? Do you use any other devices to watch TV (such as laptop or tablet?)

I use my laptop to watch tv series I can't watch on TV.

Radio

• Do you listen to the radio?

Not anymore.

• If yes, what stations do you like best and why?

I used to listen to music stations

• Do you listen to podcasts?

Yes

• If yes, what podcasts have you listened to recently?

Podcasts relating to video games, mostly

• Approximately how many hours a week do you spend listening to podcasts or radio?

It depends on what's going on in the community mostly.

• What times of the day do you usually listen to podcasts or radio?

Usually in the evening.

• Where do you listen to podcast or radio?

Youtube

• What other activities (if any) do you do whilst listening?

Drawing

• Does anyone else in your house listen to the radio or podcasts? If so, when do they listen?

No.

Film

• What films have you seen in the cinema in the last month? 

None.

• What films have you seen in other places – for example, through Netflix, Amazon Prime, satellite/cable film channels (free or otherwise) or streaming?

I watched venom and into the spider-verse when I was visiting my dad, using some streaming service I think, and I watched the steven universe movie recently on my computer.

• Who else watched the films with you?

My dad and brother, but I usually watch films alone.

• Who decided what films to watch?

I've wanted to watch into the spider-verse for ages, because the animation and general aesthetic of the movie is phenomenal from what I saw of it - so I chose that one. My brother wanted to watch venom and I honestly don't remember much of it.

• What devices do you typically use to watch films: TV, laptop, tablet, phone etc.?

Typically my computer using a totally not illegal website.


Online

• How often do you access the internet?

Most of the time.

• Where do you access the internet?  At home, at college or school, or at work?

Home and school.

• What are the main sites that you access?

Youtube, Discord, Twitter, Various art-sharing websites.

• What are the main reasons for accessing these sites – for example, for information, to make purchases, communicate with friends or for entertainment?

Mainly for communicating with friends and entertainment. I also like to share and sometimes post art.

• What other activities (if any) do you do whilst accessing the internet?

Games, watching tv shows.

• What different devices do you use to access the internet? What is your primary device for accessing the internet?

Laptop and phone

• What social networks do you use regularly (e.g. Twitter, Instagram)? Why do you belong to these networks in particular?

Twitter and discord. They're both used to communicate with friends and for entertainment.

Reflection

• How can you develop the amount and variety of media you consume?

By finding new interests.

• What will you change in your media consumption habits this year as a result of studying A Level Media?

Watch a more varied array of tv series and movies.

• List three sources of media (websites/newspapers/apps/TV programmes etc.) that you will start to access this year that you haven't engaged with previously.

Newspapers, film and television 

First blog task

1) Why did you choose A Level Media Studies?
It seemed like a fun and digestible subject that matches my other subjects well and is something I thought I would enjoy. My future career is undecided but media may help open up opportunities and career paths I wouldn't have had the chance to explore without picking A level. I also consume a lot of media such as TV shows, cartoons, anime, podcasts and various content creators on Youtube for fun and I'm interested in working on a cartoon or TV show in the future.

2) Did you take GCSE Media Studies (either here at Greenford or a different school)?
No

4) What grade do you hope to achieve in A Level Media?
An A - A*

5) What are your current thoughts about your next steps after A Levels - university, apprenticeship, work?
I don't want to go to university so I assume work or an apprenticeship is what's next to me. I might change my mind though because I'm still not certain on what I want to do in the future.

6) What do you think the biggest media story of 2019 has been and why?
Brexit is definitely the one I've been exposed to the most. It's probably the biggest political event that's going to happen to Britain in a very long time and also an issue that's divided the country. It's impossible not to know about it, and as another extension is almost guaranteed, it's a possibility the issue is going to carry over into it's 4th year.

7) What media sources do you use to find out about news and current affairs?
Websites like twitter and youtube make news and current affairs known. The TV is also on in the background a lot so I can pick up on news from there. Also social media like discord lets my friends tell me about things I may have missed, plus my mum talks to me a lot about current events relating to politics.

8) What was the last film you watched?
The steven universe movie, essentially a really long episode of the show steven universe. I had lost interest in the show after the first few seasons, but after seeing a clip of one of the ridiculously catchy songs from the movie on twitter I was really intrigued and ended up watching it. The villain was definitely one of the best in the series.

9) What is your favourite ever TV series?
Jojo's bizarre adventure, an anime I only started watching not too long ago (around April?) It's the still-airing anime adaption of one of the best selling manga of all time in Japan, started in 1987 and still ongoing on it's 8th part. Each story arc follows the adventures of a different main character - each related to each other through blood and the star-shaped birth mark on their back - who's name can be abbreviated to 'Jojo'. The anime started in 2012 with a 24 episode adaption of the first two parts of the series and just recently finished airing the adaption of the 5th part (and my current favourite part): Vento Aureo. I'm currently waiting in anticipation for the 6th part of the series to be announced (which will probably take up to 2 years) and possibly suffering from withdrawal symptoms.It's absolutely worth watching!!!

10) How many hours do you spend online in an average day? Is this too little, too much or about right? Why? (If you have an iPhone you can use Screen Time to get an accurate figure of how much you use your phone).
I spend most of my life online. Essentially, if not busy with something I'll be on my phone or on the computer. I assume my hours will decrease once the workload from A levels starts setting in.