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The purpose of this unit is to enable students to develop an understanding of production and story elements and to recognise the role and significance of narrative organisation in fictional film, radio or television programs. In this context students also consider how production and story elements structure narratives to engage an audience. Students also develop practical skills through undertaking exercises related to aspects of the design and production process. They design a media production for a specific media form with the relevant specifications presented as a written planning document with visual representations.

AREA OF STUDY 1

Narrative

This area of study focuses on an analysis of the narrative organisation of fictional film, radio or television programs. The narrative organisation in two or more media texts is analysed.

Narrative is a key element in the construction of meaning in media products. Narrative orders the events, images, words and sounds and attaches a specific importance to them within an overall framework. Narratives may be categorised into genres, generic hybrids or types of stories such as horror, soap opera and teen movies. Production and story elements contribute to an audience’s response. Audiences are engaged by and respond to the narratives they experience in different ways; for example, enjoying the action and suspense, identifying with characters and situations, taking pleasure in particular scenes or aspects of narrative. Narrative elements may also contribute to the ideas communicated by the text; for example, themes, issues and motifs. In this area of study, the terms ‘media texts’ and ‘fictional media narrative’ refer to film, radio and television programs.

Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse the nature and function of production and story elements in fictional media texts and discuss how combinations of these elements structure the narrative to engage an audience.

To achieve this outcome the student will draw on knowledge and related skills outlined in area of study 1.

Key knowledge

This knowledge includes

• the nature and function of production elements in fictional media narrative, including
– camera/film/video techniques and qualities including shot selection, movement and focus
– lighting, including naturalistic and expressive
– visual composition and mise en scene
– acting
– sound, including dialogue, music and sound effects
– editing/vision and sound design and mixing, including style, techniques, placement, pace and rhythm of editing;

• the nature and function of story elements in fictional media narrative, including
– the narrative possibilities, issues and/or ideas established in the opening sequence(s)
– establishment and development of the character(s) and relationships between characters
– the setting and its function in the narrative
– the ways in which multiple storylines may comment upon, contrast, interrelate or interconnect with other storylines in the plot
– the structuring of time, including order, duration and frequency of events, contraction and expansion of time, linear and non-linear time frames
– cause and effect, including character motivations
– point(s) of view from which the narrative is presented, including character or other viewpoint(s)
– narrative progression, including the relationship between the opening sequence(s), developments within the narrative and the closure of the narrative;

• the contribution of production elements to the narrative organisation of fictional media texts;

• the contribution of story elements to the narrative organisation of fictional media texts;

• the relationship between individual texts and the genre(s) or type of program(s) that the texts are related to;

• the relationship between production and story elements in the narrative organisation of fictional media texts in order to communicate ideas, for example, themes, issues and motifs;

• the relationship between text, reception context and audience experience, expectations and response; for example, pleasure in the action and suspense, circumstances under which the text is received, audience expectations of the text and how these can affect audience interpretation, emotional identification with characters and situations, appreciation of specific scenes, story elements and production values.

Key skills

These skills include the ability to

• identify and discuss the nature of production and story elements;

• analyse how story and production elements contribute to the development of issues, ideas and narrative possibilities within fictional narrative media texts;

• compare and contrast the function of production and story elements across different fictional
media texts;

• analyse how audiences make sense of, and are engaged by, media texts.

AREA OF STUDY 2

Media production skills

This area of study focuses on the development of specific media production skills and technical competencies using media technologies and processes in one or more media forms. Students undertake self-contained production exercises in design plan specification areas appropriate to media form(s) to develop skills appropriate to the technical equipment, applications and media processes available to them. Documentation outlining the focus of the practical or production exercises as well as evaluating the effectiveness of the exercises is also prepared. In the completion of such exercises students develop an understanding of the possibilities and limitations of the production equipment and applications, acquire skills to enable the competent use of specific media technologies and explore aesthetic and structural qualities and characteristics of media products in media forms.

The knowledge and skills acquired is both an end in itself and is used in the preparation of the media production design plan in Unit 3 Outcome 3 and in the realisation of media products based on the design plan in Unit 4 Outcome 1. In this area of study, the terms ‘media product’ and ‘media form’ can be understood as one or more media products or media forms.

Outcome 2

On completion of this unit the student should be able to use a range of technical equipment, applications and media processes to present ideas, achieve effects and explore aesthetic qualities in production design plan specification areas appropriate to a media form.

To achieve this outcome the student will draw on knowledge and related skills outlined in area of study 2.

Key knowledge

This knowledge includes

• production design plan specifications appropriate to a media product and/or form;
• the possibilities and limitations of a range of technical equipment, applications and media processes;
• aesthetic and/or structural qualities and characteristics of media products; for example, conventions and styles of specific media texts, layout and composition of print and electronic pages, framing of photographs, structure or organisation of information and sequences, and the relationship between production elements appropriate to media forms.

Key skills

These skills include the ability to

• document the intention(s) of production exercises, the production design plan specifications to be explored and/or investigated and how the completed exercises realise the stated intention(s);
• explore how production design plan specifications appropriate to a media product present ideas and achieve particular effects;
• investigate capacities of technical equipment, applications and media processes appropriate to a media product to present ideas and achieve particular effects;
• operate technical equipment, use applications and apply media processes to develop skills in areas identified in the production design plan specifications;
• explore aesthetic and/or structural qualities and characteristics of a media product.

AREA OF STUDY 3

Media production design

This area of study focuses on the preparation of a media production design plan in a media form as outlined in the table below.

The design of a media production is an essential and creative stage of the production process. Developing design ideas that express imagination and creativity is a cyclical process which includes research, experimentation, testing and feedback. These concepts and ideas are further developed for production in documents such as a storyboard, navigation plan or flow chart. Such documents focus the design process, incorporating and describing all the necessary specifications (for example, lighting, sound effects and buttons) and are used as a means of communicating the idea and concept of the
production. Familiarity with the range of technical applications used in the production process allows for the systematic development of the concept and refinement of the planning and preparatory documentation. Such planning is important for the implementation of an effective production process and the completion of a media product. The media production design plan should be related to one of the following media products and include audio, visual and/or text components as appropriate:

While students may incorporate pre-existing material in media productions, the use of such material may detract from the student’s capacity to develop an individual and/or distinctive product. The production of the media product should be undertaken individually. However, the implementation of the production design plan may, in some audio and audiovisual productions, require the collaboration of others to realise the student’s intentions as developed in the media production design plan. Group production work and group media production design plans are not appropriate.

Outcome 3

On completion of this unit the student should be able to prepare a media production design plan incorporating the specifications appropriate for the chosen media product.

To achieve this outcome the student will draw on knowledge and related skills outlined in area of study 3.

Key knowledge

This knowledge includes

• techniques used in preparing for the design of a production including
– investigation, for example, research, exploration of ideas and options
– concept, for example, brainstorming, mapping, feedback, experimentation, reflection, evaluation
– intention, for example, purpose, impact, outcome
– audience, for example, attitudes, expectations, knowledge
– media choice, for example, print, radio, video, multimedia
– investigation of ways in which an audience can be engaged by a media product;

• a production design plan for a specific media product, including
– written planning document, for example, script, treatment, shooting script
– visual representations, for example, rough, storyboard, navigation plan, flow chart, mock-up;

• specifications in the production design plan for a selected media product

Film/video/animation

• intention, for example, purpose, impact, outcome
• audience, for example, attitudes, expectations, knowledge
• style and/or genre
• storyline and/or outline of content
• techniques of engagement
• location and/or setting
• dialogue, narration and/or interview questions
• camera: framing, position and movement
• edit details and transitions
• lighting
• music and/or sound effects

Radio/audio

• intention, for example, purpose, impact, outcome
• audience, for example, attitudes, expectations, knowledge
• style and/or genre
• storyline and/or outline of content
• techniques of engagement
• location and/or setting
• dialogue, narration and/or interview questions
• edit and/or sequencing details
• music and/or sound effects

Photography and/or images

• intention, for example, purpose, impact, outcome
• audience, for example, attitudes, expectations, knowledge
• method of presentation and exhibition
• style and/or genre
• techniques of engagement
• subject(s) and/or topic
• location
• lighting
• composition
• techniques, for example, selective focus, filtration, manipulating contrast, use of specialty
papers, toning, colouring, typography

Print

• intention, for example, purpose, impact, outcome
• audience, for example, attitudes, expectations, knowledge
• style and/or genre
• techniques of engagement
• content
• typography
• layout
• presentation, including paper stock, method of printing
• visual material such as photographs, illustrations, graphics
• advertising

Multimedia

• intention, for example, purpose, impact, outcome
• audience, for example, attitudes, expectations, knowledge
• format
• style and/or genre
• techniques of engagement
• method of presentation or exhibition
• content
• sequencing
• screen design and/or page design
• functionality and/or interactivity
• typography
• images and graphical elements, for example, photographs, tables, buttons, hotspots, links.

Key skills

These skills include the ability to

• investigate possibilities for a media production;
• construct a coherent media production design plan;
• apply media production plan specifications appropriate to the media product to be produced;
• demonstrate considered and appropriate use of media production plan specifications.