Producers/ Directors Research

 INTRODUCTION: In this post I will be studying the work of a wide range of media practitioners linked to my chosen brief, going into detail on the style and their use of conventions in the type of media products they produce. Alongside this, I will be focusing and making reference to some of their key and most successful existing products, enabling me to gain inspiration on how I can utilize similar techniques for my own products for both the main task and the website. By understanding the practitioners linked to my chosen brief I will have the baility to create a media text that more accurately follows the conventions and style of Current Affairs.

MAIN TASK: Research 3 different Media Producers/Directors/Photographers (depending on your chosen media brief) and look at some of the products they have made. 

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

·       What similarities and differences can you see? 

·       What elements of media language are you noticing? 

·       Do they have a particular style? 

·       Do they only work on particular genres of media?

1. Fraser Nelson is the editor of The Spectator and columnist for The Daily Telegraph 

From this brief introduction to one of Fraser Nelson's columns, I can identify that he, as a writer, 'speaks out' colectively on the public's opinion regarding everyday political matters. In addition, he raises awareness on common societal moral panics and shows understanding of this, by giving people a 'voice' when discussing these day to day issues - Nelson projects a sence of agreement and correspondence with the views of those affected while still maintaining a non-biased political stance. From this short opening, one could suggest that Nelson is 'straight to the point' and relatively factual; he also ensures that qualities seen above are also accomplised while being the editor of The Spectator.

2. Michael Heath is a British cartoon artist and illustrator and has been The Spectator's cartoon editor since 1991, who often designs 'one of a kind' drawings for all magazine issues. Some of his outstanding outcomes are available to purchase on The Spectator website.

Evident from one of Michael Heath's cartoon strips seen above, I consider Heath's work to be much more artisticly visual in comparison to Nelson's literal direction. An advantage of this being, that Heath has a greater ability to engage his audience not only vissually but verbally too, as he aims to 'spike' and cultivate public opinion. Eventhough his artwork is a colaboration of both his and the public's interpretations on the subject matter at hand , one could argue that Heath's work is biased and appeals only to a limited audience - consequently, cartoons which have been previously published, have not always adhered to the magazine's conservative politics. 

3. Morten Morland is a political cartoon artist and The Spectator's Cover Artist

From The Spectator 'The Proposal' magazine cover seen above, I extremely enjoy Morten Morland's ability to communicate ideas and characteristics, while using humour to tackle often complicated political subjects. Alike Michael Heath, by obtaining this 'editorial-like'/ animated approach, Morland is able to attract an active audience from a 'pool' of diverse clients. He is widely known for his caricature style covers and uses these political cartoons to create a narrative about any given matter. A common theme throughout Morland's work, is highlighting features that make individual distinctive, accentuating people's particularities those being the eyes, their experession or even their mood. 

SUMMARY: Similarly to Morten Morland, I aim to eccentuate the  hands of the sexual preditor present in my Sexual Harrassment magazine; by creating emphasis on the hands and therefore placing them in the epicenter of the frame, I will intisify this symbolic code which resembles the physical abuse and exploitation of the victim. In addition, alike Michael Heath, I aim to capture a dynamic photograph, that displays a strong foreground, middleground and background in order to create depth and establish a narrative.  Overall, from my Producers/ Directors Research, I has found Morten Morland to be the most influencial due to his effective techniques, those with I will make familiar when producing my own media text.