Preparation for the Media exam

Write in role
Use subheadings bullet points mind maps and charts
Use key terminology
Prepare everything before so you know what you will be doing

1. We think that TV game shows appeal to audiences because they use:

Charismatic hosts
Interesting sets
Engaging formats

From your research, select two examples of TV game shows and explain how
successfully they have both used these ingredients.

2. Now give us your pitch/ideas for your own TV game show you need to include:

The name of the show

An outline of the format and genre including how you will make it interactive
Who will you have for the host and why
Some ideas for the studio set

You need to say how your ideas will appeal to family audiences

3. The opening of your game show will be very important in terms of engaging and
keeping the audience. Use the storyboard provided to sketch out your ideas for
the opening title sequence of your TV game show.

4. Marketing the game is going to be really

Give us your ideas for how you will market the show using traditional channels and
digital media as you need to target a wide demographic

How to approach the questions and prepare for your exam.

Question 1
Make sure that you can talk about two game shows in detail

Channel and time broadcast

Audience ratings popularity
Target audience what gratifications do the audience get from
watching the show?
Genre of game show
Types of prizes
Format what happens how music, cutaways, host interactions
/explanations are used to structure the narrative of the show.
Name and audience appeal of the host
o how do they treat contestants,
o what kind of personality do they have?
o What do they wear?
o Why do you think that they were chosen for the host?
The studio set and how it is set up to provide a physical space for
the game/contest to take place

Make sure that in your answer you use the word - research

Make sure that you have explicit evidence from the game shows
that you use

Try to use media terminology e.g. connotes, signifies, narrative

structure, uses and gratifications, binary opposition, equilibrium,
disequilibrium, the types of shot types etc.

Question 2

Prepare for your pitch

Come up with an idea that will appeal to a family audience.

Who will you have as the contestants?
Demographic/individuals/groups/families?
What will they do? answer questions/do tasks/
How will the show progress through the rounds how will you show
separation of rounds
How will use the music/set/lighting/idents to separate the rounds in
the game and keep the audience excited and rooting for the
contestants?
What kind of host would you want how will they relate to the
audience at home/audience in the studio/contestants?
Think about the set how will your set reflect the purpose of the
game?
Now create a name for your show
How could you potentially use interactive media e.g. an app?

Practise writing this up make sure that for each idea you
talk about the appeal to your target audience.
Idea for the game show How it will appeal to my
target audience

Question 3

Preparing to draw your storyboard

Watch some game show openings write down the types of

shots/movements/mise en scene/sound/pace of editing (how many
seconds the shots last for)
o The types of shots and camera movement
o The order of shots
o The type of music
o The type of sound
o Shots of the audience
o Shots of the contestants
o Shots of the host
o Shots of the set
o How the titles come in
o Any other motion graphics that tell the audience about the
game
o How the host introduces the game show at the beginning
and end of the title sequence

Now look at your own game show idea and prepare your
storyboard:

Draw at least 8 frames for your storyboard

Use a range of shots - CU/ELS/LS/MLS
Use a range of camera movements e.g.
static/dolly/tilt/pan
Choose colours that reflect the genre/format of your
game show
Show the audience/host/contestants?
Include music and sound
Include dialogue
When the host speaks make sure that they use a
catch phrase for the game
Bring in your titles in different frames
Show your set/or graphics that suggest what
happens in the game.
Finish the title sequence with a return to the host
Question 4

Think about all the ways that you can market your game show to a
family audience

Traditional channels of marketing

Television adverts - when will they be shown between which

programmes at what time and for how long before the show
Poster campaign think about where these posters will be and what
they will feature
TV interviews with the host
PR news items in newspapers/mags about the game
TV Listings
Print reviews
Newspaper and magazine adverts
Live reminder in the programme before the game show starts

Digital channels ideas for marketing

An app could this also be used to make the game show interactive?
The app needs to react to sounds in the show so that it can track
where they are in the game this is actually being used for a
planned TV game show version of candy crush
A website for the game show
YouTube channel with teaser content
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Augmented reality e.g. posters or parts of the game show that
trigger additional content for the user e.g. contestant background
or interviews
Content marketing e.g. creating more video content that adds
additional
Could you use gamification this means the applying the principles
of computer game design and game design principles to other
things e.g.
o Sign in
o Community
o Leader board
o Competition
o Check in
o Rewards and badges

Grade A/A* - Look up gamification and what it means in terms of

marketing
Key terms
Connotation
Denotation
Synergy
Marketing
Marketing channels
Digital
Host
contestant
set
Studio audience
Long shot/establishing shot/extreme long
shot
Extreme close up/close up/medium close
up
Medium shot/medium long shot
Tracking back/dolly shot/tilting up or down
Cut in /cut away
montage
Voiceover
Direct address
Graphics
Music/sound effects/diegetic sound/non
diegetic sound
Colour palette /colour tone
Transitions
Narrative structure
Binary opposition
Equilibrium/disequilibrium
Representation
Stereotype/countertype
Institution
Target audience
Demographic
Convergence
Hand held convergent device
Viral marketing
Social media presence
Gamification
Augmented reality
Interactive
Virtual/virtuality

I researched two popular game shows

The Chase

Host -Bradly Walsh is an engaging and humorous host of the show. As a TV star
who has been popular with TV audiences due to his fame in Coronation Street
he manages to draw a broad demographic. When playing the game his manner
to contestants is kind and supportive, he always roots for them to win against
the chasers. He asks the contestants questions about their life and what they
want to do with the money. This engages the interest of the audience as they are
more likely to involve themselves emotionally with a contestant that they care
about. He also manages the questions and divides the rounds up and explains
them. He does this in a humorous and entertaining way that also holds the
interest of the audience. He appeals to a family audience as he is like the good
bloke next door. Young people will feel he has the manner of father or uncle,
older women may find him handsome and men will see his manner as matey and
non-threatening.