CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES

In today's lecture, we were given our task of our Essay writing for this term. We were given 2 different essay titles to choose from. One focusing on fiction and the other focusing on journalism.

1. Discuss and critically analyse the view that "with a successful adaptation, the original work is transformed into something new and different, although retaining many traces of what it was formerly" with reference to at least one text adapted for broadcast on television

2. Analyse the implications of online journalism and the extent to which "we are all journalists now" making reference to examples of both traditional broadcast journalism and citizen journalism

Out of these 2 options, I have chosen to go with question 1 as I much prefer fiction and thats also the industry I want to go into, not journalism. Once we had chosen our question, we broke it down on what each part means and what we need to cover from each part.

"Discuss and critically analyse" - This mean an argument needs to be made and I have to have research to back up the points I'm making. I need to analysis the text critically and get to the heart of it and explain what changes have been made to the adaptation.
"with a successful adaptation" - A successful adaption is something which has had good box office ratings and good audience ratings through BARB. Has it been commissioned for more (e.g. Game of Thrones has had over 6 series and just commissioned for spin off series). The original novel has been adapted before (E.g. Sherlock Holmes).
"the original work is transformed into something new and different" -how has it been changed? Think about plot, characters, tone, etc
"although retaining many traces of what it was formerly" - what of the original text is still there? How has it been adapted or has it changed completely?
"with reference to at least one text adapted for broadcast on television" - As well as the text chosen to write up on, I need to reference more than one text in order to back up my argument and reasons given in my essay.

Research:
- How is what I am doing helping me to: Critically engage with this subject?
- Have I discussed it in relation to other critical theory as well as social and cultural contexts?

Questions to ask when analysing case study:
- What has influenced the nature of the media product - its character: physical/visual
- Who's made it? Artist/designer/production team/director... What's their backgrounds and influence
- These could be creative; critical/conceptual/technological

Look around for:
- A critical reception of the piece of media you are analysing e.g. reviews, articles, etc.
- Find out what is/was the intention or motivation of the creator, a personal project or a small/mass scale piece of work?
- Research and ask. Who's interest does the media product serve?
- Who benefits from it being made and does its production support an ideological position?