Media Studies Tier 3 Glossary

Closed narrative

• A story where the main threads of the narrative are neatly resolved.

• A narrative that leaves the ending open to interpretation.

• A story that focuses on character development over plot resolution.

• A narrative that includes multiple subplots without resolution.

Colour palette

• A collection of colors used to create a brand's identity and appeal to its audience.

• A set of colors that are randomly chosen for any design project.

• A list of colors that are prohibited in design due to cultural reasons.

• A selection of colors that are only used in digital media.

Anchorage

• The way media language choices combine to attempt to reinforce the producer’s intended meaning.

• A technique used to create suspense in storytelling.

• A method for analyzing audience reception of media.

• The process of editing video content for clarity.

Cliff hanger

• A narrative device that resolves all plot points at the end of an episode.

• A narrative device where suspension is created at the end of an episode or before an advert break in order to persuade the viewer to continue watching subsequent instalments of the programme to find out what happens next.

• A technique used to summarize the main points of a story at the end.

• A method of introducing new characters in the final moments of a show.

ABC figures

• The Audit Bureau of Circulations measures the reach of different media across a range of platforms.

• A statistical method for analyzing consumer behavior.

• A financial report detailing advertising expenditures.

• A marketing strategy for increasing brand awareness.

Active audience

• The concept that media audiences passively consume content without engagement.

• The idea that media audiences do not just consume a text passively, they actively engage with it because of personal and social contexts.

• The belief that all media content is interpreted in the same way by all audiences.

• The theory that media audiences are only influenced by the media they consume.

Archetype

• A specific character with a unique personality

• A universal type of character found in various media texts, eg anti-hero, hero.

• A character that only appears in one story

• A character that is always the villain

Close up (CU)

• A common camera shot that tightly focuses on a person or object.

• A wide-angle shot that captures a large area.

• A shot that shows the subject from a distance.

• A shot that focuses on the background rather than the subject.

Audience

• The people who read, see and/or listen to a media product.

• A group of individuals who create media content.

• The technical team behind a media production.

• The critics who review media products.

Brand identity

• The logo and colors used by a brand.

• The image that a brand projects and the associations the audience then make with the brand.

• The price point at which a brand sells its products.

• The target demographic of a brand's marketing efforts.