Media Review
By the time you post this blog you should be well on the way through your first media review. Use this blog to discuss the media review. What worked well for you? Did you have an approach that worked well or any advice that you can pass on to your fellow students? Or, did you have something that didn't work well that you can share so others can learn from it?
posted by cmartin @ 1:47 PM
27 Comments:
I believe you can approach the media review several ways; however the way I did it was to try and watch my television show in three ways. One- through the eyes of a child, two- through the eyes of a parent, and three- through the eyes of the reviewer. This method was helpful when writing the review because I was able to review the show knowing how every perspective audience member views the show. When viewing a children’s television program, movie, or video game I think you have to look at it through the child’s eyes. They are they consumer or active audience, this is what is made especially for them and if you cannot view or play the media without this mindset, I think it takes away from what we were told to do. Yes a reviewer is an older person but they still need input from younger people to find out if that person enjoyed what they were doing. I enjoyed this review and cannot wait to do another.
When in the theater watching Open Season, I didn't make my mindset anyone's but my own. This way I would remember what stuck out to me personally. I also tried to retain as much of the movie as possible and I was very aware of the people around me. Because of the time of day that I went to the movie, the people in the theater mainly consisted of children and taking note of their actions/responses to certain scenes of the movie was helpful later. I wouldn't try to take notes on paper in the theater because it is really dark. I would suggest just watching for enjoyment and remembering as much as you can. If you go into the movie with a mindset that it is a project and take it very seriously, the humor, lightheartedness, and the main purpose of the movie could potentially be missed.
in response to laurenb...
Knowing that you did the television review with three mindsets is helpful advice because I am planning on doing my next review on a television show as well. I agree with what you said about how the children are the consumer/active audience and what they think and feel about a certain piece of media is important. An adult or reviewer may think that a show is wonderful for kids, but when actually viewed by children, they could be totally wrong.
The media review provided a great opportunity for me to relive one of my favorite childhood activities – watching Full House. I’m pretty sure that I have seen every episode so I only had to watch the first two minutes of the show to recognize what the rest of the episode would entail. However, I sat through a few shows and it still had the ability to make me giggle or even feel sad. Watching the sitcom again was really helpful because it reminded me of how it captivated me as a young child. I first watched the show for overall content before taking a more in depth look. I considered the various audiences the show wished to reach and what made this show unique enough to have seven seasons. As an older viewer I was better able to interpret the intent of the show. As a child I never realized each episode had an underlying theme or lesson, but when taking an older perspective, each moral was easy to identify. My approach also including comparing this show to other traditional family sitcoms. When writing my review I took into account what a child (who is the intended audience) would appreciate, as well as what made it acceptable to parents. No show is perfect, so I made sure to include an alternative view in my review. While remaining objective I was able to explain both the positive and negative aspects of the series.
In response to leslie scott..
I plan on watching a movie for my next media review so I intend to apply your advice. I think it is a good idea to go into the movie for pure enjoyment. This laid back and realistic approach will probably lead to an honest perspective and review. Besides it being difficult to take notes in the dark, taking notes might become the main focus of the experience instead of actually watching the movie. Observing the audience is also a great idea because since it is a children’s movie, seeing how they react seems helpful. Going in with your own mindset is useful; however, considering a child’s mindset is also important because they are the intended audience. Thanks for the advice, I truly plan on using it while adding my own methods.
I decided to watch a children's television series for my first review. I thought it would be easiest to go to the library and just find a kids' series there so I would have to worry about catching four episodes during the week on TV, and that ended up being a very good decision. It also gave me the oppotunity to re-watch an episode or two if I needed to analyze something more closely, and I could watch them whenever I wanted instead of the specific time that they came on television.
When I was watching my series, I tried to look at the show from several different viewpoints. I tried to watch it like I did when I was a kid (I watched my series often when I was little), and then critique it a little more as an adult. Also, I searched online for information about my series through Wikipedia and Google, and that turned up a lot of resources that helped me focus on the content better. Such resources were particularly helpful when it came to deciding what mature elements of the show were present, and how I should approach those things.
As far as something that didn't work, I only had one incident: Don't choose a media before you know for sure that you are going to be able to get your hands on it. I could not find the series that I originally chose, and wasted a bit of time trying to find it before I just gave up and picked something else.
Response to leslie scott:
I think you approached the movie review with the right attitude; you can't go into the movie like it's a terrible school project that you are being forced to do. Instead, you have to just enjoy it, which in reality gives you more to work with since you focused on the movie rather than the task at hand. I also think that it is beneficial to take a close look at your audience, since they are probably going to be primarily children. Their reaction to the movie is a very clear picture of how the intended audience perceives the media, which is the heart of what this review is trying to accomplish.
Thanks for the comments, and I will be sure to keep them in mind if I choose a movie for my second media review.
I went into Open Season with an open mind and constantly reminded myself not to view it through my own eyes but rather a child’s eyes. This was really difficult to do because it was nearly impossible to limit my own bias towards such a juvenile movie. Also, I attended a 9:30 pm showing which meant there were only two kids in my theater. I think it would have been more helpful for me if I had seen it at more child-friendly time because I could have seen their reactions to certain scenes or events that may have totally eclipsed me. I took notes during the movie which really helped me because I forgot a few things by the time I wrote my review and the notes helped me to remember. I also brought a friend with me who helped me by pointing things out in the movie that I may have missed had I gone alone, it added a new perspective. These things definitely aided my review and I would recommend going to a showing during an earlier time on the weekend to anyone else doing a movie review.
In response to Leslie Scott…I definetly agree with what you said about going to the movie at the time you did because the audience can enhance your experience or in my case even limit it. Also, going into it with the understanding that it is a children’s movie is a must and I agree that if you take it too seriously or expect it to be at an adult level you’ll completely miss out on the points and the fun of the movie.
I found my television review to be quite challenging. Because I picked Pee-Wee's Playhouse, I had to avoid trying to focus on people think of the show and Pee-Wee Herman now. I tried to look at the show how I viewed it as a child, not how I view it as an adult. I believe that when doing the television review, it should be something that isn't too easy. Otherwise, you don't really learn how to work with difficult situations in writing. I enjoyed writing this assignment.
In response to laurenb:
I completely agree with viewing children's media through three eyes. It really gives the reviewer a full sense of the media, not just from stand-off position.
The thing that helped me most on my media review was really examining how the show made me feel after I watched it. I looked then at the authors purpose and compared how closely my feeling related to those of the authors purpose. Also, I think the fact that I watched many episodes really aided in my understanding. What didn't work well for me was just reading the plot of the show as posted on various websites. There is a major difference between reading a show and seeing it, a lot of the important visual stimuli is lost when you just read through a show. Thus, I noted that my feelings at the conclusion of reading were kind of a watered down version of what I experienced watching the show.
In response to kadler:
I used to watch full hosue every single day. When I found out in class on Wednesday that you were doing Full House I was almost jealous that I didn't think to do that show earlier. I think its important to pick shows to review that mean something more to us than a grade. Full House as you said, was captivating. I think you gave a great example of how you can turn an assignment into something that is actaully enjoyable. I think its really great that we get to incorporate childhood adorations with real life assignments.
I actually all four episodes of my t.v. series 3 or 4 times. The first time I watched it I was furiously jotting down notes because I acutally wanted to remember a lot of the imformation for myself. I liked them so much that I showed them to my boyfriend and that time I just watched them and tried to enjoy them. I then read what to look for when reviewing our media and watched them all over again with that in mind (I still enjoyed them!). This is what I found to be most helpful. The review was so much easier to write after taking notes and watching the shows so many times.
In response to LScott:
I think it was a great idea that you went at a movie time when you could gauge real children's reactions to Open Season. Even though you can go into a movie and enjoy it just as much as a kid it is hard to remember what you would actually think of it if you were their age. I think that, especially if you are watching a movie in the theater, that your advice not to take notes is good. I took a lot of notes but when I went back and looked at them I realized that it was just a bunch of facts I thought were cool but completely useless for my review! The next time I watched the episodes I caught so much more.
In response to kadler:
I like that you used the approach by comparing the show to other traditional family sitcoms. I also like that you looked at it from what you had seen as a child to what you saw when you watched it again. I think that if we watch shows we used to watch as kids we can really find deeper meaning in every aspect of the show. As kids we never realize bigger meanings and deeper messages but as young mature adults, we understand life with a better idea and that helps us grow as people.
For this particular media review I chose to review the movie Open Season. While in the theater watching Open Season I knew I had to pay attention closely because since it’s a movie in the theater I wouldn’t have the chance to view it again. I made mental notes of what struck me as interesting; such as artistic quality, characters’ traits, and overall plot. I also tried to view the movie in a child’s mindset. As soon as I got home I wrote down the topics I had thought about when I was watching the movie. After that came the difficult part, putting all these ideas and topics into one cohesive argument. The first thing I did was review my list of topics and combined similar thoughts. I then formed an outline out of the topics. By putting my thoughts into outline form I can organize my thoughts, add details to the topics, and make the paper flow.
For this particular media review I chose to review the movie Open Season. While in the theater watching Open Season I knew I had to pay attention closely because since it’s a movie in the theater I wouldn’t have the chance to view it again. I made mental notes of what struck me as interesting; such as artistic quality, characters’ traits, and overall plot. I also tried to view the movie in a child’s mindset. As soon as I got home I wrote down the topics I had thought about when I was watching the movie. After that came the difficult part, putting all these ideas and topics into one cohesive argument. The first thing I did was review my list of topics and combined similar thoughts. I then formed an outline out of the topics. By putting my thoughts into outline form I can organize my thoughts, add details to the topics, and make the paper flow.
In Response to leslie scott….
I really agree with your last sentence about missing the main purpose of the movie. I also watched Open Season and I found myself thinking way too much about what I was going to say in my paper. Having a clear head is an important part of watching a movie. If you think too much about the class and the paper when you get home from the movie you might forget key feelings and emotions from the movie.
My review style was unique because the particular videogame, while rated ‘E’ for everyone, is enjoyed by many. Considering that my article’s audience ranged from hardcore gamers to seven-year-olds shaped its dual style. I go from making childish jokes to analyzing technical aspects of gameplay. This gives information and entertainment to a similar diverse group of players. However, when I started I had trouble keeping the flow consistent. I diverged to sound academic while making a puberty joke. I ended up opting for the funnier and lighter approach. Moreover, with previous journalism experience, the writing was easier. It also read more naturally.
RESPONSE TO LAUREN:
I don't know if you should really ever look at things through a reviewer's lens, but instead consider the audience. Reviewers essentially work in the service of those who have not seen the movie and should consider their viewpoint. Often times people stop reading a particular reviewer because the writer becomes too infactuated with his/her own opinions. They often harbor an elitist love for independent films separate from the public.
I think that everyone's approach to the media review will vary slightly depending on the medium. I chose to do my review on Mario Kart. I approached the project by actually playing the game and then I tried to sit back and think about what makes it so entertaining for children, but also for adults. I looked at the images and I looked at the larger picture of the concept and I determined that its simplicity and very mild use of violence made it such an entertaining game for all ages. I would suggest everyone to approach the media review by actually watching or playing their medium. From there my suggestion would be to ask what makes it entertaining and why the person who created it might have approached in the way that he or she did. Mostly, I would suggest that the reviewer keeps an open mind while reviewing. Childrens media is not always entertaining to adults also. But remember that you are reviewing the medium as a CHILDREN'S work, not necessarily something YOU would enjoy today!
I think that everyone's approach to the media review will vary slightly depending on the medium. I chose to do my review on Mario Kart. I approached the project by actually playing the game and then I tried to sit back and think about what makes it so entertaining for children, but also for adults. I looked at the images and I looked at the larger picture of the concept and I determined that its simplicity and very mild use of violence made it such an entertaining game for all ages. I would suggest everyone to approach the media review by actually watching or playing their medium. From there my suggestion would be to ask what makes it entertaining and why the person who created it might have approached in the way that he or she did. Mostly, I would suggest that the reviewer keeps an open mind while reviewing. Childrens media is not always entertaining to adults also. But remember that you are reviewing the medium as a CHILDREN'S work, not necessarily something YOU would enjoy today!
I think that everyone's approach to the media review will vary slightly depending on the medium. I chose to do my review on Mario Kart. I approached the project by actually playing the game and then I tried to sit back and think about what makes it so entertaining for children, but also for adults. I looked at the images and I looked at the larger picture of the concept and I determined that its simplicity and very mild use of violence made it such an entertaining game for all ages. I would suggest everyone to approach the media review by actually watching or playing their medium. From there my suggestion would be to ask what makes it entertaining and why the person who created it might have approached in the way that he or she did. Mostly, I would suggest that the reviewer keeps an open mind while reviewing. Childrens media is not always entertaining to adults also. But remember that you are reviewing the medium as a CHILDREN'S work, not necessarily something YOU would enjoy today!
in response to laurenb...
I agree with Laurenb. I feel that in order to fairly review any children's media program, you must take on the mindset of a child. The review will not be done fairly if done in the mindset of only an adult because the program was not intended for that type of audience. Of course, it is important that adults find some sort of entertainment in these programs because they must allow their children to watch them, however adults should not be the main focus for a children's media program.
I think that the best way to do these is to approach from a different perspective. Rather than seeing the paper as a cumbersome school task, try and see it as a review that you're doing for a job. You must know who your audience is so that you can write the media review correctly. When writing the review, what are we trying to propose to the audience? Do we want them to but this video game, see this movie, not watch this TV show? It is important to get your central message across and word it in a way that makes it easy for your audience to absorb.
in response to jschneider's response to lauren b:
Unfortunately, many times parents are the main focus of children's media. Much of what children want to do is not okay with their parents or the rest of society. Rather than put something out that the maker knows children will enjoy, they put something out that they know parent's will approve of even though it might not find much success with their young audience.
The way I approached my media review was to watch all of the episodes in a row, so I was in the same mind-set for all of them. I also think it is important to look at the program from the perspective of a child and a responsible adult. This way, I could see why children would enjoy the program, while also seeing why adults may not think it appropriate. A lot of the times, these things coincided which i thought was very interesting.
IN RESPONSE TO JSCHNEIDER:
I totally agree that people are going to approach media reviews in different ways in response to different mediums. However, I still think that for the most part, everyone (regardless of the medium) is going to approach it from the perspective of both a child and an adult. This is the only way the difference between what's appropriate and what's not is able to be distinguished.
Since I was watching a show for very young children, I approached the media review with an open mind. I found the show a little annoying at first so I had to look at it critically instead of trying to be entertained by it. In the end, I was able to review it through the eyes of a child, and through the more critical eyes of perhaps a parent or a critic. Both of these combined provided me with enough information to be able to write my critique. I want to do a movie review next which I think I will find more interesting . It will be easier with just one plot to focus on, instead of a few like you would get from a show.
Since I was watching a show for very young children, I approached the media review with an open mind. I found the show a little annoying at first so I had to look at it critically instead of trying to be entertained by it. In the end, I was able to review it through the eyes of a child, and through the more critical eyes of perhaps a parent or a critic. Both of these combined provided me with enough information to be able to write my critique. I want to do a movie review next which I think I will find more interesting . It will be easier with just one plot to focus on, instead of a few like you would get from a show.
Since I was watching a show for very young children, I approached the media review with an open mind. I found the show a little annoying at first so I had to look at it critically instead of trying to be entertained by it. In the end, I was able to review it through the eyes of a child, and through the more critical eyes of perhaps a parent or a critic. Both of these combined provided me with enough information to be able to write my critique. I want to do a movie review next which I think I will find more interesting . It will be easier with just one plot to focus on, instead of a few like you would get from a show.
In response to Amanda Schafer...
I thought it was interesting that the main thing you focused on was the feeling you got after watching the television show. I didn't focus on how it made me feel, or at least not purposely, and I think that could help for my next review.
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