Simulations

A simulation is a technique that provides students with opportunities to explore how the media industries work. It teaches students that television programmes, like most other moving image texts, are produced within editorial and institutional constraints, ie time, budget, context, purpose etc, and that the content and form of a programme can very according to audience and purpose, and that there are a number of different ways of presenting an issue. They will also learn that there are ethical or legal factors affecting how they address audiences of different age groups.

Put pairs or groups of students in role as producers of an existing television programme and ask them to produce plans of:

• How they would modify it for a different target audience;
• Sell the text to a specific target audience;
• Challenge it critically from a specific point of view;
• Produce an alternative text.

Give each pair or group of students a production brief, eg a new Saturday morning programme for teenagers, or a British version of The O.C.

• Each pair develops a proposal for a pilot programme by researching the audience, outlining the format, identifying presenters or cast members, and suggesting a brand identity with music and graphics.
• Have each group pitch their ideas for the above to the class, acting as a production company/executive producer. The class could vote on the best one.

Role play activities can enable students to explore in some depth the motives and feelings of a character, or the reasons why different decisions are made in different circumstances. In pairs or groups, ask students to role play

• Characters from a television programme, such as a soap, discussing an issue such as abortion.
• A director or producer of a recent controversial TV programme, exploring ethical, political and financial issues in its production;
• A journalist covering a news story about a recent disaster.

For advice on using speaking and listening activities within media work see the discussion work section of the World in the Movies resource.

For information on practical production in the classroom see the World in the Movies resource.