AIDA:

All media texts are constructed carefully. Nothing is there by accident. The media present things in the way they choose.

All media texts attempt to ATTRACT US by grabbing our attention in some way. For example, in a trailer this could be the title sequence, including loud sounds and fast moving action. Media texts then need to keep our INTEREST by using persuasive techniques and language. They might also use enigmas to keep us puzzled so that we carry on watching/reading/listening.

The trailers must create a DESIRE in us to want to go and watch the film. How is this done?


Finally, media texts try to get us to take some ACTION. By telling us when the film is out and how we can find out more. (Websites)

When you want to talk about the visuals (pictures), cover as many of the following as you can :

People
Location
Objects
Dress
Camera shots, angles, movements
Editing
Lighting
Effects
Graphics

When you want to talk about the voices, consider the following :

Volume
Accent
Tone
Speed
Pitch

When talking about the music, think about :

Is it a music bed
What is the tempo like?
Is it diegetic or non-diegetic sound (diegetic sound is sound that is part of the plot – can actually be heard by the actors). Non-diegetic sound is ‘outside’ the story, for example music beds/incidental music)

The other sounds include :

Silence
Ambience – background sounds
Actuality – sounds from the event, played on their own to set the scene.
Sound effects – can be either diegetic or non-diegetic.


You can cover everything about the visuals by using the above list (plodcamedleg)

The ‘copy’ means the writing. Consider :

The fonts – serif or sans serif?
The words – why are certain words used?


So… now you can identify the actual signifiers but how can you talk about them? It is no good just listing them. You must say how they are used together (create the mise-en-scene) to create certain representations for the target audience. What are the connotations of these signifiers? The following words can help you to cover important media areas, but you don’t need to use them in any specific order. Tick them off as you use them in your analysis.

Preferred reading – the actual meaning intended by the producer of the media text.
Primary/secondary target audience.

Juxtaposed/juxtaposition – how and why are opposites placed together (eg. light & dark)
Anchor – how is the meaning fixed, or is it?

Mode of address – the style of the text (comic, serious, formal, informal, direct, indirect)
Polysemic – not anchored or fixed, but open to many different interpretations)

Enigma – a puzzle to keep us involved