Media Studies Student Questionnaire

Name: Hamish Kidd

GCSE Results: Maths: A, Art: A, Food Technology: A*, Science B: A, Additional Science: A*, English Literature: A, English Language: A, I.T: B, Physical Education: C, Religious Studies: A*

Hobbies: I enjoy cycling not only as a means of transport but also as a sport, I like a few different types of cycling including road/race and mountain biking. I also enjoy playing football although I am currently not playing for a team, I hope to change this soon. I like art, especially modern and urban art.

Media Interests:
Print Media: Occasionaly I read the Guardian because of all of the different sections/different newspapers it has, for example the guide and also the Guardian magazine. It often covers some interesting stories and has weekly features that are appealing to me as it is quite a visual magazinge/newspaper. The Guardian magazine has a few features to do with photography (Spectrum, reader submitted etc.) which I enjoy as a fan of photography. I tend not to delve too deeply into the news as I feel most of the stories are horribly depressing and dull as well as occassionaly making people live in fear.
Somtimes I will read the film and music sections to see whats new and what is worth having a look at, if i'm thinking of going to watch a new film I will often have a look at a review first. The music reviews are often a good place to find out about new music or upcoming bands as they often have a feature.

Radio Media: I'm not a great fan of the radio, I mostly listen to Radio 1 whilst in the car but not really at home or anywhere else. The Chris Moyles show (recently finished) was probably the most regular sound in the morning. Occasionaly I will check out Radio 1 Extra as they have music that is more to my taste, not the drab 'pop' sound that you often hear on the radio these days, but genres like Hip Hop and Drum and Bass.

Music Industry: My favourite genres of music are probably Hip Hop and other such related genres, but I do have quite a wide tatse in music so if it sounds good then i'll listen to it. I tend to listen to music that is considered quite old, mostly from the 90's or early 00's just because I think the quality of music was a lot better back then, it takes a bit of searching to find anything worth listening to these days.



I don't belong to a band as I dont play an instrument and I can't sing (at all.)
I access quite a lot of my music on the internet because there is such a wide range, a vast selection, so I am not limited to what I can listen to. I use a few different sites to listen to music on, mostly Youtube and Spotify (uses an internet connection). I do have a healthy selection of CD's also which I think are good because you can play them in different places quite easily and can also make digital copies on iTunes.
I don't really think its fair to illegally download music because then a lot of the hard work that went into making the song (from everybody, not just the artist) goes unnoticed and the profit margin falls. In doing so it may mean that the next time the record company want to make a record they won't have as much money to spend and therefore the record will not be as good as it could be, meaning further loss in profit.
A lot of artists in the music industry are role models for many people, especially young and easily influenced people. The way that the artist dresses and the artists attitude may appear desriable to the target auidence meaning they will aspire to be like the artist and in doing so may copy their dress style or attitude. What the artist sings/talks about in their music will also possibly influence others because they think that it a cool song so therefore it would be cool to also do what it says in the song.

Video Games: When I was younger I was much more into video games, I still enjoy playing games occasionaly now but it isn't often. I don't really have one 'favourite' game but I do really like driving games, especially Gran Turismo (classic!) and other such similar games. I also like a game called Assassins Creed, which is set in the 1500's - 1700's era, through several games. It is basically about a brotherhood of assasins during a deeply religious war between the crusdaers and whoever else wanted a battle at the time. It has a very vast landscape and the graphics are pretty amazing considerng the space you have to run around in.

Video games commonly glorify things like violence, sex, prostitution and other such sensitive subjects which could easily lead negative attitudes towards the very same subjects. In games many conflicts are solved by the use of violence, which can often be depicted as gory, and this may lead to influencing others to see conflict in a similar way and that violence is the only way to solve these conflicts.

New Technology: New technology has increased my understanding of the world simply because there is so much to learn from things on the internet, it allows you get news instantly about anywhere in the world and it allows you to become a lot more culturally aware of other places. It also helps as a way of learning through all of the information sources available. Social networking sites such as Facebook do help to keep in contact with members of family or friends (whether they are close or far away), especially as it is a free service. Another example of this is Skype, which allows you to make free video calls, a great way to keep in touch with people as you can see and hear them, still all for free. New technology really does help to increase availability and access to films, T.V and music as there is such a vast range on the internet that can be downloaded, bought and streamed. There are literally thousands of sites that you can purchase film and music on or even watch for free sometimes. Portable devices such as iPhones also help to increase the portability and availability of media as it can be accessed from a huge ranges of places as long as you have an internet connection. The issues surrounding social networking sites mainly relate to that of cyber bullying. The problem being that it can take place at all times, it is harder to escape from as it will always be there. Another issue is that some people begin to use social networking sites to talk to people instead of actually going out to talk to them or talking to them in person, this can lead to social problems as they may not get out enough.

Television: E4 is one of my favourite channels as it has a good mixture of comedy and award winning drama and there is always something new on the horizon to keep the channel fresh. I wouldn't say I have one favourite genre in particular but comedy mixed with a bit of drama is probably the best way to go. This is because it is easier for t.v series to make shows in these genres because story lines are easier to maintain and remain credible (in most cases). T.V programmes that are memorable for me are probably Top Gear, Misfits, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Prison Break and Being Human.

Feature Film: My favourite film genre is probably thrillers because of the creative/expressive expanse it gives you, there is so much to play with. I also feel that the dark mood to it really creates a good story and builds tension throughout. The 3 films that I find outstanding are Pulp Fiction because of the way in which it is shot and the style of the time, Tarantino puts his skills to the max in creating a thriller that sets the standards for others. The actors also give really good performances as some of them were given a chance by Tarantino when their careers weren't going too well, lastly the way the story is tied up in the same way it begins really completes the plot. The second film that I find outstanding is The Matrix because of twisting story line, it has so many different little subplots. The idea behind is also interesting not just for a film but as an ethical/philosophical question too, how do we know we aren't just hooked up to a machine and imaging our whole lives? This question can't really be answered so thats why it works as such a good film plot. It is one of those films where you watch it and think, this, is cool! The soundtrack really fitted with what was going on action wise in the film too. Lastly the film Fight Club is one of my favourites again because of the original plot, because of the twist at the end it means you have to watch it again to understand it fully. It really makes you question the subject of the film, its successful in making you think about it even after the film has finished.
I like going to the cinema because of the whole experience of the quality of sound and picture but it is so expensive now that I rarely go. I mostly consume film on some form of t.v or streaming off of the internet because it costs a lot less, if any at all. There is also a lot more choice when streaming as it isn't limited to just new realeases. My favourite cinema is probably Cinema City because of the experience, it is much more like a traditional cinema and there are films that aren't huge hollywood blockbusters, more independant films instead. The problem with cinemas like odeon and vue is that everything is horribly overpriced and the experience isn't really worth all of the money you pay. Cinema City is in a nice area of norwich, a more interesting part around the lanes. I think watching films by yourself gives you more of a chance to concentrate on more of the different aspects of the film and to analyse bits of it. Seeing films in groups is good in a different way, its a good social thing as there is stuff to talk about afterwards.

The Pulp Fiction poster has a very grindhouse feel to it, one of Tarantino's favourite kind of films.

Conclusion: I can't think of anything specifically that has offended me in terms of media text, although the idea that has been going through newspapers recently that young people of today have things too easily and don't have to fight for anything seems very bias to me. I think that each generation is different, but that doesn't mean that things get any easier, they just change from generation to generation. Therefore each new generation have different problems and challenges to face, different things to fight for/against.
Again it is difficult to think of one inspiring or exciting text, I think probably the most inspiring things I have read are those about new discoveries in the world, or amazing deeds that people have done for others as this is a nice reminder that not everyone is out to get you!
The film 'In Time' was quite interesting in the way that it takes the time that we have on this earth and uses it in a way that makes it memorable as to just how important it is to spend your time wisely, as you will soon find out that time runs out quicker than you think. This changed the way I think about certain things because it helps to become motivated.
If i were to construct a media text I would probably use film because of they way that it can convey emotions and express certain ideas or theories in a way that it is hard to do in other mediums/formats. I would try to convey the idea that the state of the world is in decline in the way of society, that it is slowly destroying itself through it's own jealousy.
I chose media studies because I am a lover of film and wanted to learn more about it instead of just watching films. I wanted to find out the information behind film and the film industry so I would have a  greater understanding of what it is all about (whilst give me the opportunity to watch even more films!!) I also chose media studies because it links with one of my other subjects, photography, and I think its a good subject to creatively express myself and my ideas without having to be too academic or conform to a certain correct answer.