The 5 questions on media

Question #1: Authorship: Who created this message? Additional questions to consider
about the video:

 Is this media similar or different from other similar brands in the same genre?
 How many people did it take to create this message?
 What are their various jobs?
 Why is it important to know who wrote or created a message?
 What choices were made that might have been made differently?

Question #2: Format: What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?
Additional questions to consider about the video:

 What fonts, colors, sounds, words, props, clothing, lighting are used?
 How is the media constructed? Does it seem real?
 Where is the camera? What is the viewpoint?
 How is the story told visually? What are people doing?
 What is the emotional appeal? Are persuasive devices used?

Question #3: Audience: How do different individuals understand the message?

Additional questions to consider about the video:

 How might different people understand this message differently from me?
 Who is the target audience for this message?
 What other viewpoints should be considered?
 How close is the portrayal to your personal experience? How different?
 Is the audience a specific gender, class, or race?

Question #4: Content: What lifestyles, values and points of view are represented in, or
omitted from, this message? Additional questions to consider about the video:

 What kinds of behaviors / consequences are depicted?

 What ideas or values are being ‘sold’ in the message?
 What political or economic ideas are communicated in the message?
 What is the overall worldview? How will other cultures view this ad?
 What ideals and/or perspectives are omitted from this ad? How would one find what is
missing?

Question #5: Purpose: Why is this message being sent? Additional questions to consider
about the video:

 Who is in control of the creation and transmission of the message?

 Who profits from what is being sold in the message?
 Who is being served by or benefiting from the message? The public? Private interests?
Individuals? Institutions?
 What economic decisions may have influenced the construction or transmission of the
message?