LESSON 1 Stop-Motion Animation Workshop
Media Literacy
module and films on NFB.ca, that films made by the Na- Introduction tional Film Board of Canada or in collaboration with the This teachers’ guide provides insight into the proliferation National Film Board of Canada are often non-commercial of mass media in our society and culture. Mass media per- in nature. So how do the Key Concepts of Media Literacy meates all facets of our daily lives and influences us in nu- apply to non-commercial works? merous ways, some of which we may not be aware. It is important to note that media literacy is concerned not In this lesson you will view examples of advertising and only with the deconstruction of media texts, but also with discuss the types of messages conveyed. The term “me- enhancing one’s enjoyment and appreciation of media dia literacy” will be defined and considered from an edu- texts through an understanding of the language, codes and cational perspective to illustrate the increasing need for conventions adopted by various media. It is also important us to become better informed about mass media. You will to note that the deconstruction of a media text need not examine the “Key Concepts of Media Literacy” as always take into account the commercial or non-commer- described in the “What Is Media Literacy” section of the cial nature of the work. Non-commercial films such as the Association for Media Literacy website, aml.ca, and then use auteur animation films on NFB.ca present interesting op- these key concepts to critically analyze an animated film. portunities for analysis, specifically in relation to filmmaker intent, audience, technique, point of view, soundtrack and the overall effectiveness of all of these elements in com- municating a story.
The Key Concepts of Media Literacy Modifying the Key Concepts of Media Literacy to examine non-commercial works will prove to be an enriching experi- and NFB Films ence for you and your students. Understanding and appre- You will discover that the AML’s Key Concepts of Media ciating media rather than focusing on its negative aspects Literacy are designed for the critical analysis of the mass will also encourage your students to seek out alternatives media and, in many respects, commercial media. You to mainstream media for their personal enjoyment. will also discover, by examining the films in this learning
1 nfb.ca/stopmo nfb.ca/stopmo A mediatypemayalsoprovidemorethanonemessage. hidden, affectingusonasubliminalorsubconscious level. which welive.Mediamessagescanbeobvious,subtle or values andtraditions which helpto construct the reality in ciety byselectingandportrayingaparticularsetofbeliefs, and ourinterpretationofthem.Massmediashapes so- important issues,throughthemessagesthatarerelayed nificant roleindetermininghowwethinkaboutavariety of of themediaiseverywhere.Ourexposuretoitplaysasig- of massmediathananypreviousgeneration.Theinfluence Our technology-based society exposes us tomoreforms Mass Media Upon completionofthisteachers’guideyouwillbeableto: Objectives Learning Media Litracy • • • • • • in worksofart. Investigate andanalyzehowmeaningisembedded key concepts; Critically analyzeananimatedfilmusingthese of MediaLiteracy; media literacyeducation,aspertheKeyConcepts Identify anddiscusscriticalprinciplesbehind Define medialiteracy; advertising; Examine thetypesofmessagesfoundin popular culture; in ourdailylives,relationtomassmediaand Examine theroleandinfluenceofvisualimages Stop-Motion AnimationWorkshop
2 Best NikeCommercialof AllTime[HD]: Old Spice:TheManYouCouldSmellLike: html National Anti-DrugStrategy-“Mirror”: Audi 2010GreenCarSuperBowlcommercial: iPad commercial: identify thehiddenmessages? and subtlemessagescontainedinthesemedia.Canyou us onmanydifferentlevels.Considerthetypesofovert exposed onadailybasisandwhichattempttoinfluence which weare the typesofmessagesto are examplesof online andmagazineadvertisementstogetstarted.These As analternative,explorethespecificexamplesbelowof Key ConceptsofMediaLiteracy Then, askstudentstoanalyzetheseworksusingthe View ExamplesofAdvertising Class LearningActivity: consider whereyoudon’tfindit!) day. (Itmightbeaneasierandlesstime-consumingtaskto mass media.Considerwhereadvertisingcanbefoundto- Advertising isperhapsoneofthemostinsidiousforms 2 • • or influential. advertisement thattheyfindparticularlyappealing Challenge yourstudentstofindatelevisionorweb influential. tisement thattheyfindparticularlyappealingor Challenge yourstudentstofindaprintadver- youtube.com youtube.com nationalantidrugstrategy.gc.ca/prevention/youth-jeunes/tv/02. youtube.com youtube.com ] ] ] ] ]
literacy as: The AssociationforMediaLiteracydefines media value, andtocreatesharetheirownmediaworks. accepting someoneelse’sperspectiveoropinionat face types, to make their own judgments instead of passively courage individualstocriticallyanalyzeavarietyof media works. Thepurposeofmedialiteracyeducationis to en- increase students’ understanding and enjoyment of media standing andusingmassmedia.Mediaeducationaims to Media literacy is concerned with the process of under- LiteracyMedia influence themediainanyway? fects themessagesyoureceive?Dothinkthatcan you thinkthepromotionoffamouspeopleinmediaaf- you thinkyouragegroupistothesemessages?Howdo influences yourlifestyleasastudent?Howsusceptibledo why theyappealtoyou.Howdoyouthinkmassmedia magazines orothermediatypes.Consideranddiscuss Offer examplesofsomeyourfavouriteadvertisements, Class Discussion:AdvertisingandItsInfluence VIBE Magazine Seventeen Sports Illustrated Teen Vogue the typesofmessagestheyconvey. Now, haveaquicklookatthefollowingmagazinestosee vibe.com seventeen.com sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/home/index.htm teenvogue.com ] ] ] ]
3 lar notetheKeyConceptsofMediaLiteracy. the AssociationforMediaLiteracywebsite,andinparticu- Please reviewthesection“WhatIsMediaLiteracy?”on Key Concepts Literacy of Media perts whoseworkyoumaywishtoreview. definitions of media literacy byvarious media literacy ex- The Literacy. Question SheetderivedfromtheKeyConcepts ofMedia literacy perspective,using asaguidetheMediaLiteracy animated films.Criticallyanalyzethefilmfrom a media Select andexploreoneofthefollowingpopularrecent NFB Analyze anAnimatedFilm Individual StudyActivity: Now youwillcriticallyanalyzeananimatedfilm. CriticalAnalysis Media of can becritiquedinthisway? Key ConceptsofMediaLiteracy.Doyouthinkallmedia critical premisesbehindmediaeducationinrelationtothe What is the Association for Media Literacy? Discuss the The KeyConceptsofMediaLiteracy Class Discussion: products. vide studentswiththeabilitytocreatetheirownmedia of thesetechniques.Medialiteracyalsoaimstopro- techniques used by media industries, and the impact cal understandingofthenaturemassmedia, with helpingstudents develop aninformedandcriti- and how the media construct reality. AML is concerned how theyproducemeaning,areorganized, understanding and enjoyment of how the media work, An educationalinitiativethataimstoincreasestudents’ Media AwarenessNetworkwebsiteidentifiesalternate
LESSON1 nfb.ca/stopmo
Stop-Motion Animation Workshop
Media Literacy
Popular and Recent Animated Films 5. Runaway by Cordell Barker (2009, 9 min 10 s) 1. Ryan by Chris Landreth nfb.ca/film/runaway] (2004, 13 min 57 s) nfb.ca/film/Ryan] Synopsis: A possible introduction to discussions about energy consumption, Runaway takes viewers on an Synopsis: Based on the life of Ryan Larkin, a Canadian allegorical journey that is both funny and disastrous. animator who produced some of the most influential (Recommended for grades 6–10.) animated films of his time, this film depicts Larkin’s downward spiral and his life as an addict. (Recom- 6. Pimp ma botte by Alexandre Bilodeau mended for grades 11–12.) & Marc Daigle; (2005, 5 min 12 s) onf.ca/film/pimp_ma_botte] 2. Madame Tutli-Putli by Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski (2007, 17 min 15 s) Synopsis: In this hilarious parody of the popular tele- nfb.ca/film/madame_tutli_putli_en] vision show Pimp My Ride, host Bubs and his gang renovate and modify a boat that belongs to Albény, an Synopsis: This film takes viewers on an exhilarating old fisherman.Pimp ma botte depicts a true clash of trek into the fully imagined, tactile world of Madame cultures—the collision between Acadian tradition and Tutli-Putli. She confronts her demons while travelling global pop culture. (Recommended for grades 7–12.) alone on a night train, with all her possessions and the ghosts of her past. (Recommended for grades 11 –12.) 7. The Necktie by Jean-François Lévesque Note: While this film effectively shows the elaborate nature of puppet (2008, 12 min 17 s) armatures, certain scenes contain mature content. It is recommended nfb.ca/film/necktie] that educators view this film and select scenes of interest before screening it for their students. Synopsis: A mixture of puppet and hand-drawn ani- mation, this is the story of Valentin and his quest to 3. Black Soul by Martine Chartrand find meaning in his life. In a dead-end job, he has for- (2000, 9 min 47 s) gotten all the things that used to bring him joy, but on nfb.ca/film/black_soul] his 40th birthday he finds his accordion in the depths of his closet and regains a lust for life. (Recommended Synopsis: This film dives into the heart of black cul- for grades 7–12.) ture with an exhilarating trip through history. A young boy traces his roots through the stories that his grand- 8. Jeu by Georges Schwizgebel mother shares with him about the events that shaped (2006, 3 min 54 s)
their cultural history. (Recommended for grades 9 –12.) ] nfb.ca/film/jeu_en
4. Moon Man by Paul Morstad Synopsis: In the world of Jeu, the landscape is con- (2004, 3 min 33 s) stantly morphing—a helter-skelter universe that ] nfb.ca/film/Moon_Man evokes the chaos of modern life. (Recommended for grades 7–12.) Synopsis: Inspired by the song “Moon Man New- fie,” composed and sung by Canadian music legend 9. The Girl Who Hated Books by Jo Meuris Stompin’ Tom Connors, this film tells the story of folk (2006, 7 min 21 s) hero Codfish Dan, who made Newfoundland history nfb.ca/film/girl_who_hated_books] after a lucky fishing trip on the Milky Way. (Recom- mended for grades 7–12.) Synopsis: The story of Meenam, a young girl who hates books even though her parents love to read, may inspire students to approach literature with a more open mind. (Recommended for grades 1–4.) nfb.ca/stopmo 4 4 4 Stop-Motion Animation Workshop LESSON 1 Key Concepts of Media Literacy ANNEX 01
The following Key Concepts of Media Literacy have been developed by the Association for Media Literacy (AML), 2. Each person interprets one of the most influential media education groups in North messages differently. America. People who watch the same TV show or visit the same website often do not have the same experience or come This description of media literacy key concepts and their away with the same impression. Each person can interpret application has been excerpted from the following page of or negotiate a message differently based on age, culture, the AML’s website:
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4. The media contain ideological 6. The media have commercial and value messages. implications. Producers of media messages have their own beliefs, val- Media literacy includes an awareness of the economic ues, opinions and biases. These can influence what gets basis of mass media production. Networks look for audi- told and how it is told. Producers must choose what will ences to be delivered to sponsors. Knowledge of this al- and will not be included in media texts, so there are no neu- lows students to understand how program content makes tral or value-free media messages. As these messages are them targets for advertisers and organizes viewers into often viewed by great numbers of viewers, they can have marketable groups. The issue of ownership and control is great social and political influence. When analyzing a me- of vital importance at a time when there are more choices dia text, consider the following question: What lifestyles, but fewer voices. (Ninety percent of the world’s newspa- values, and points of view are represented in or omitted pers, magazines, television stations, films, and computer from this message? We need to decode media messages software companies are owned by seven corporate con- about such issues as the nature of the “good life,” the vir- glomerates.) tue of consumerism, the role of women, the acceptance of authority, and unquestioning patriotism.
7. The media have social and political 5. Each medium has its own language, implications. style, techniques, codes, conventions, An important dimension of media literacy is an awareness of the broad range of social and political effects stemming and aesthetics. from the media. The changing nature of family life, the use Each medium creates meaning differently using certain of leisure time and the results of televised political debates vocabulary, techniques and styles, or codes and conven- are three such examples. The mass media serve to legiti- tions. In a movie or TV show, when the picture dissolves, it mize societal values and attitudes. The media also have a indicates a passage of time. Hot links and navigation but- major role in mediating global events and issues from civil tons indicate you can find what is needed on a website. rights to terrorism. A novelist must use certain words to create setting and characters, while other media use images, text and sound. Over time, we understand what each technique means. We become fluent in the “languages” of different media and can appreciate their aesthetic qualities. When analyzing a 8. Form and content are closely related media text, consider: What techniques are used and why? in the media. Developing media literacy skills enables us not only to de- Making the form/content connection relates to the thesis of code and understand media texts, but also to enjoy the Marshall McLuhan that “the medium is the message.” That unique aesthetic form of each. Our enjoyment of media is is, each medium has its own special grammar and techno- enhanced by an awareness of how pleasing forms or ef- logical bias and codifies reality in unique ways. Thus, differ- fects are created. ent media might report the same event but create different impressions and different messages.
Source: The Association for Media Literacy, 2006, aml.ca/whatis/
6 nfb.ca/stopmo Stop-Motion Animation Workshop LESSON 1 Media Literacy Question Sheet ANNEX 02
Critically analyze the animated film you selected using as a guide the questions below, developed from the eight Key Concepts of Media Literacy found in the “What Is Media Literacy?” section of the Association for Media Literacy website aml.ca. You may choose the questions you feel are most relevant to the film you selected.
Consider the following questions: 1. What “message” or messages can be found in the film?
2. How is this message constructed? How well does it represent reality?
3. How might others understand this message differently?
4. Who created this message and why? Who profits if the message is accepted? Who may be disadvantaged?
5. What lifestyles, values and points of view are represented in or omitted from this message?
6. What aesthetic techniques are used in the film and why?
7. Does this film have commercial implications?
8. Does this film have social and political implications?
9. Overall, do you think the film you reviewed is a valuable contribution to society? If so, why? If not, explain.
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