Media have embedded values and points of view

Questions to consider while watching Taylor Swift "Fifteen" music video

1. How is the main person characterized? What kinds of behavior/consequences are depicted?

2. What type of person is the watcher invited to identify with?

3. What questions come to mind as you watch?

4. What values are being “sold” in this message?

5. Are there perspectives left out?

• Different people experience the same media message differently

Questions to consider while watching "Forever Young" Pepsi Commercial

1. Have you ever experienced anything like you’ve seen in this commercial?

2. How close does it come to what you’ve experienced in real life?

3. What did you learn from this media text?

4. What did you learn about yourself from experiencing this media text?

5. How many other interpretations could there be?

6. What did you learn from other people’s responses?

• Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules

Questions to consider while watching Levi's "O Pioneers" commercial.

1. What do you notice about the way this message is constructed? –Colors? Shapes? Sound effects? Music? Silence? Dialogue? Narration? Clothing? Sets? Movement? Lighting?

2. Where is the camera? What is the viewpoint?

3. How is the story told? What are people doing?

4. Are there visual symbols? Metaphors?

5. What’s the emotional appeal? Persuasive devices?

6. What makes it seem “real”?