What techniques does 'KONY 2012' use to engage the audience?

The text KONY 2012 uses a wide range of techniques to engage the audience. One technique that is used throughout this text is the use of pronouns such as ‘us’ and we’ to create a direct mode of address which makes the audience feel as if the narrator is speaking to them. An example of this can be seen during the first 30 seconds where he says, ‘our time’. This engages the audience because it creates a sense of responsibility and social solidarity which this text manipulates to get a donation. This direct mode of address also makes this text very personal and this is further accomplished when he shows his wife giving birth to his son on the operating table from a point of view shot. This is a very personal moment that this narrator has chosen to share because this shows that the narrator is a family man creating a sense of trust between the audience and narrator, which also engages them. This also enables the audience to identify with the narrator, fulfilling the audiences uses and gratifications, a theory suggested by Katz and Blumler.

The use of dramatic slow non diegetic sounds also engages the audience by creating what the theorist Barthes described and ‘engima codes’. These enigma codes engage the audience by making them ask themselves questions regarding the text. This non diegetic music is being played parallel to images and a voice over that are also creating enigma codes for the audience. The voice over is of an American male and therefore perhaps a voice that the audience can trust.

This text also uses narrative theory suggested by Todorov. It begins in equilbirum with shots of the narrator playing with his son and being generally happy. The text then goes into disequilibrium showing distressing scenes with slow sad non diegetic music. The text does not really go back into disequilibrium, but instead appeals to the Global village to help make their be a positive outcome. This is a clever techniques because it makes the audience part of the solution and creates a sense of unity which in turn, engages the audience.

KONY 2012

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

1. Which styles and techniques does this ad use to want to give money to this organisation?

The main colours that this advertisement has uses is the colour red which connotes danger and blood, but also connotes love. This colour has been specifically used to create a cocktail of different emotions and feelings for the audience. An example can be seen at 09:00 when there is a poster of the words ‘Kony 2012’ in black with a clear contrast to the blood red background. Firstly, this advertisement campaign wants the audience to associate red with Kony, creating brand recognition. They also want the audience to feel scared and threatened by Kony. This is because he clearly displays anti hegemonic values such as rape and child soldiers, which threaten the ideology of the western culture which then leads on to moral panic, a theory suggested my Cohen. This moral panic creates Social Solidarity, a theory suggested by the sociologist Durkheim. The social solidarity created makes everybody feel as if they can make a change and donate.


Another technique that has been used is the ad is the use of various non-diegetic sounds and music which not only create anchorage for the audience, but also create feeling and bond between some of the characters in the ad, such as Joseph. This will make the audience want to donate.


2. Which techniques does this text use to suggest this is a post modern media institution?

The wide medium shot of map spreadsheet of Uganda highlights all of the places the network reaches which also connotes how technology can be seen as such a powerful tool once everyone gets together and takes action, whilst also connoting that the Americans and Ugandan people are depending on technology as a way to communicate with eachother and to be informed and educated about Kony’s whereabouts.Towards the end of the three minutes the male voiceover informs us how they built an Early warning Radio Network to protect villages of Kony’s attacks connotes how strong Kony is getting but also how the Americans have upheld a lot more power in Uganda and have even been able to make their own network.


Overall most of the three minutes are used through close up shots of a computer screen which connotes that the audiences are getting most of their information online. A few seconds later YouTube videos are shown to be posted up a social networking site to show people that people worldwide were getting involved ( “We got creative and we got loud”) in the Viral campaign to bring down Kony. An example of this is the video conveying the protesting in America which connotes how this topic is being virally campaigned globally. The use of the media institution using YouTube in order to make their campaign travel could connote that not only are the institutions trying to preach to the people about Kony but they want the audience to be able to visualize and see what Kony is also doing to the people. YouTube is a very popular video website and a video is uploaded worldwide every few seconds so the media institution knows that using this site will help target a wider range of audience.


3. How are characters represented within this text?

Finally, the program represents binary opposition (Levi-Strauss). This is because Kony is bad (villain) and the society is right (hero) (character types Vladimir prop). An example of this can consist 17.08 minutes in to the ad, the wide establishing shot connotes that there are thousands of people who want to help other. This represents people as being helpful and supportive. In contrast, Kony is being represented as the villain; an example of this can consist through people shouting: “we will not fear….we will fight war!” This represents Kony as being a person with no human feelings and is killing innocent people.






However, another way people are represented in this ad is being carless. People who are materialistic, have high status in society and are the highest in the socio-economic are portrayed as being helpless. An example of this can consist through voice over at 14.08 seconds into the ad: “No administration, republic and democrat, bush, Obama, Bush… would not do enough because it’s simply not enough important issue on the rate R screen on American screen policy. This connotes that people who have heard from millions of people about what Kony is doing is till represented as an unserious issue. This makes the audiences feel that sympathetic as it may encourage them to help.


4. Which audience does this text appeal to the most?


Kony 2012 can appeal to both people from the high end of the socio economic demographic and lower. as they talk about how each individual can make a change, and not really focusing on a capitalist ideologies or middle class ruling ideologies. It shows a sense of "unity". Furthermore a Globalised audience will be attracted to the the concept. As the video is posted on you tube the internet is a Globalised platform which first of all attracts the audience. Also then talking about social networking which again is a globalised and strong platform at the moment. And the fact we see how the are trying to give the message of how people from any culture and race can come together to make peace, will appeal to a range of ethnic groups encouraging them to work together. As Kony 2012 might appeal to a young audience. As first of all being highly based on E-media. As the video is first of all on the internet and also it being "Viral" it clearly shows it has been shared and the use of convergence. Also they talk about how we can contact the celebrities through twitter and social networking. reflecting interested within young audiences. However as now older audiences are more "Tech Literate" (silver surfers) they might be able to identify with Jason as his worries as a parent.

4 Interim Targets

1. When writing exams, pick out and use examples from the text to support my answer which will hopefully secure the level 4 answers that I am aiming to achieve.

2. Ensure that all my work is done on time and done to the best of my ability.

3. Finish my MEST: 2 coursework to the best of my ability and focus on achieving top grades for both pieces of work.

4. Practice writing answers under timed conditions so that in the real exam, I can ensure that I can write a much stronger case study response to secure a top grade.

The Amazing Spiderman: What techniques does this trailer use to persuade an audience to see the film?

THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN TRAILER

This trailer uses a range of techniques to persuade an audience to see the film. Firstly, this is done by the use of a slow piano non diegetic music that is played at the beginning of the trailer when Peter’s Parents are saying ‘goodbye’. This non diegetic music creates anchorage for the use of low key lighting the narrative and also connotes mystery and suspense, creating what the theorist Roland Barthes called enigma codes. This technique creates questions in the minds of the audience, which will inevitably persuade them to go and see the film.

Another technique that has been used is the use of the point of view camera shot. This camera shot has been used so that the audience can see the world through the eyes of the protagonist. An example of this shot is when he is running on top of building and freefalling towards the end of the trailer. This fulfils what Katz and Blulmer described as the uses and gratifications theory. This shot fulfils the audiences gratifications because is allow them to ‘escape’ from their everyday lives and fantasize about the experience of being a ‘superhero’.  An oppositional reading of the text could argue that this shot is in fact a manipulation of what the theorist Kath Davies called ‘fandom’. For those members of the audience who are livid superhero enthusiasts who crave the fantasised world that the creators of the text have created.