I have decided to create a slideshow using Microsoft PowerPoint as part of the main framework for my presentation. This means I can use interactive media in an attempt to ‘liven up’ my presentation, as well as providing a visual stimulus for the audience. My slideshow will consist of brief bullet points, containing ideas of what I wish to talk about. In effect, these will serve as cue cards so I know exactly what I am talking about and in the correct order. Additionally, my slideshow will contain several images and animations, as well as a video clip, in an attempt to maintain the attention of the audience.
I will design a seating plan, taking into consideration the physical restraints of the room, the number of people that I will be presenting to, the possible motion paths that I might take and the position of the slideshow presentation, as well as many other important factors. I will consider proxemics in order to calculate the distance needed between myself and members of the audience, and the amount of ‘territory’ which accompanies this.
There will be a clock positioned at the back of the classroom, enabling me to keep track of time throughout the duration of my presentation, so as not to overrun. This will also ensure that a lengthy question-and-answer session will take place, in which I hope full participation from all audience members will occur.
After considering these different aspects of the effectiveness of communication, I feel confident that I will be able to give an informative and enthusiastic presentation. I hope to engage all audience members through various channels of communication, stimulating both their visual and auditory senses. If I remember to act appropriately, and limit the amount of non-verbal leakages that might occur, I feel that I will be able to give an effective, successful presentation.
¹Gauntlett D. (2002) Gender, Media and Identity An introduction, Oxfordshire: Routledge.
²Moore S. Aiken D. Chapman S. (2005) Sociology AS for AQA, London: Collins.
Room Layout
My original seating plan design was to have the audience arranged in a U (horse shoe) shape. In this fashion, everybody would be able to see the presentation at the same time, and there would be no mechanical barriers to communication. Although, this original design did not take into consideration the tables present in the room, nor where the laptop and projector would be situated.
Therefore, I produced a second seating plan, taking into consideration some of the physical limitations of the room, as well as items that will be necessary for the performance of my presentation.
Key:
Audience members
Tables
Me
Board (presentation)
Path line of where I will walk
Laptop (connected to a projector)
Video recorder
In this second design of my room layout and seating plan, I have taken many more factors into consideration. For example, the desks which audience members will be sitting behind, the position of the laptop and projector (as I am producing my presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint), possible motion paths that I might take, and where a video recorder is likely to be set up in order to get the best view of the whole classroom.
Referring to Shannon and Weaver’s mathematical theory of communication, I have designed my seating plan so as to reduce the amount of any possible interference, and maximise the levels of effective communication. I will be the main focal point for audience members’ attention, accompanied by the PowerPoint presentation.
As the auditory and visual channels will be stimulated, it is important to consider where I will be standing, in relation to the audience. I need to be careful so as not to block anybody’s view of the presentation or stand with my back to them, consequently making no eye contact at all. An unfortunate drawback is that I will have to change the slides of the PowerPoint presentation manually, but hopefully this will not disturb the overall performance too much.
Both candidates could have made
further use of course material from CMS2 to explore concepts raised
by process and semiotic models in their discussion of channels of
communication, production of texts and generation of meanings.
This can lead to complex debate which is not accessible to all
students but which can enable some to work successfully within the
assessment criteria for level 4 and indeed level 5.
Running Order:
As part of the preparation for my presentation, I found it useful to create a running order of events, using the slides from my Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. In this fashion, I had a clear idea of what I was going to say and when I was going to say it. I created approximate timings, so I had a rough idea of how long each slide was going to last, and could ensure that there was enough time left at the end of my presentation, in order for a five minute question-and-answer session to take place.
Introduction
I will welcome the audience, introduce the title of my presentation and give a brief introduction into what it is about, i.e. Abolishing Gender Stereotypes with the example of Lara Croft
(10-20 seconds)
Background Information
I will briefly outline existing sociological debates into how women have been, (and still are to some extent), portrayed in the media
(30-40 seconds)
First Impressions
I will ask the audience what their first impressions are of the promotional poster, promoting the film ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’
(30-40 seconds)
Analysing Non-Verbal Communication
I will outline some of the non-verbal elements of communication, which are evident in this piece of text, i.e. clothing, body language, typography
(20-30 seconds)
Video Clip
There will be a short video clip in which I will ask audience members what their impressions are of the character Lara Croft in this scene.
(60-80 seconds)
Analysing Non-Verbal Communication
Subsequently, I will describe some of the aspects of non-verbal communication which I discovered, i.e. her blank ‘poker face’ expression
(20-30 seconds)
Analysing Verbal Communication
After receiving responses from audience members, about their impressions of the main character, I will outline some of the elements of verbal communication, such as the language and paralanguage which is used
(30-40 seconds)
Back to the Real World…
I will inform audience members of some of the effects that this film has had throughout the world. (Quotes taken from )
(20-30 seconds)
Furthermore...
I will analyse aspects of non-verbal communication which are evident in the following film, ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider The Cradle of Life’. This follows on from some of the effects created by the previous film, i.e. Angelina Jolie is now instantly recognised Lara Croft, a larger than life character.
(30-40 seconds)
Summary
I will summarise some of the main effects of the film and link them back to the main title, posing the question whether ‘females are now superior to males?’ (within the film industry)
(10-20 seconds)
Questions and Answers
Finally, there will be a question and answer session, in which members of the audience can ask any questions which they feel are appropriate to the topic at hand, and I will do my best to answer both clearly and concise.
(5 minutes +)
Analysing my Microsoft PowerPoint presentation in greater depth
As I created my presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint, I was able to include several graphics and animations, which would otherwise be unavailable. Consequently, I feel it is necessary to analyse these in greater depth, stating the sources used and possible effects they might have on the audience.
Slide 1:
This title features first, with the ‘compress’ custom animation, causing the words to squeeze in from the sides.
This subtitle is set to ‘descend’ after the previous one, creating the effect of it being subordinate, yet still eye catching.
(Background image from: )
This image effectively represents what my presentation is about. It features Angelina Jolie/Lara Croft’s seductive gaze which connotes the stereotypical view associated with women in the media.
Slide 2:
This image features first as it demonstrates how women need to be perfect and look ‘ideal’, in order to feature in the media
(Source: : )
The writing ‘whips’ along, i.e. flies in from the left as if it’s being written. This gives the audience time to consider what is being presented to them, before I continue speaking. It gives them time to read the words and reflect upon whether they believe them to be true.
But, more recently… is set to ‘colour typewriter’ and is set on mouse click, instead of following immediately like all of the other animations. This is because it is an introduction to the next slide, and I only wish it to appear once I have finished explaining the points above.
Slide 3:
Continuing with the ‘introduction’ theme, as if the audience are learning something new (entropic)
Non-Verbal Communication set to ‘flashbulb’ animation, to emphasise the difference between verbal/non-verbal analysis and comments
Promotional poster used to advertise the film. Appears in a ‘wedge’ animation, before the writing, giving the audience time to appreciate the intended meanings and messages, which are generated by the text
(Source: )
Writing appears in ‘strips’; that is materialising from left to right across the screen. Again, briefly giving the audience time to read the words/statements before hearing the accompanying speech.
Slide 4:
The only difference to this slide is the bullet points which ‘expand’ one after another, prompting me to talk about the different elements of non-verbal communication which I observed.
Slide 5:
This slide spirals in, like a ‘newsflash’, giving it a cinematic feel as the audience will soon be watching a video clip.
The writing ‘spirals in’ as it is a question which directly involves the audience; it is asking for their participation. Consequently, it appears in bold and consumes nearly the whole slide in order to ‘grab’ their full attention.
Video Clip: DETAILS! (timing)
Slide 6:
The title ‘Non-Verbal Communication’ has a ‘flashbulb’ animation, in order to distinguish it from the title on the following slide
The bullet points appear in ‘strips’, causing the writing to flow from the left of the screen to the right, as this is how most people read.
The concluding paragraph summarises my findings, (from the video clip) into the representation of women in the film ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)’
Slide 7:
The title has a ‘flashbulb’ animation, distinguishing it from the previous slide. This should be noted and recognised by members of the audience, so they know what information they are about to receive.
The writing has a ‘diamond’ custom animation, and is set to appear subsequently to each heading. In this fashion, audience members will know what the comments are relating to.
Slide 8:
The image (source: ) ‘curves up’ from the right, glamorising and hailing her apparent success, as the slide temporarily pays homage to the actress Angelina Jolie.
All of the bullet points ‘bounce’ in from the light, giving a lively feel to the presentation and hopefully still retaining the attention of all members of the audience.
Slide 9:
A brief glace at the subsequent film.
Non-Verbal Communication has a ‘flashbulb’ animation, to stress that this is an analysis of elements of non-verbal communication (found in the films promotional poster)
The image ‘grows and turns’, causing it to twist and grow larger, appearing from the right. This causes audience members’ to focus their attention on the image, consequently realising it is a poster promoting the release of the second film.
Slide 10:
Slide 11:
Speech
Here is a brief outline of what I plan to say for the duration of my presentation. I will not learn this script off by heart or read it aloud during my presentation, but it is more a basis for me to form my ideas about what I wish to say:
Hello, and welcome to my presentation. As you can see, it is about analysing different elements of communication in the media; focusing on how gender stereotypes have been abolished. I will use the explicit example of Lara Croft, as she is widely known and recognised as a strong, independent, female heroine.
Previously, women have been portrayed in the media with limited roles, often playing the victim; (think of how many time you have seen the classic ‘damsel in distress’ scenario). They are often depicted as sex objects for the gratification of men, playing subordinate/inferior roles, supporting the majority of male leads. The idea of patriarchy is seemingly evident, in that men control every aspect of the media and decide what is deemed ‘worthy’.
However, more recently…
Introducing ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’. Ok, we will attempt to analyse the various aspects of non-verbal communication which are present in this piece of manufactured, media text.
There are three basic steps in doing this:
Firstly, what are your initial impressions of this text?
(pause, respond to answers, agree with what they are saying if it is relevant, expand upon their ideas with my own)
Next, we can try to read into the text further by detailing what it consists of – what is actually there and furthermore we can start to explore and expand upon our ideas in terms of what the
preferred reading might be, and in this case what body language and facial expressions are used.
So, these are some of the ideas that I have come up with: I have noticed that she is lightly clothed, and they are very tight fitting, outlining her breasts and making them quite prominent – presumably this is to attract male viewers. She has an open yet challenging body posture, suggesting she can handle anything that is thrown at her – giving her a sense of authority and control.
Her head is slightly lowered and her gaze is directed elsewhere, suggesting that she has a mischievous persona and the writing is clearly large and bold, highlighting the title of the film.
I now invite you to watch a short video clip, from the film ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Whilst you are watching this clip, I would like you to consider the question ‘What impressions do you get of her character in this scene?’
Ok then, so let’s go back to the question that I asked you to consider: ‘What impressions do you get of her character is this scene?’ Anybody got any ideas?
(pause, respond to answers accordingly)
Excellent, some really good ideas there. Ok, so looking at non-verbal communication, I discovered that Angelina Jolie wore a blank, sort of ‘poker face’ expression, where no emotions were
revealed. This gave her a tough exterior and made her appear completely in control, as it was impossible to identify any elements of non-verbal leakage in this scene.
Also, I noticed that she tended to raise her left eyebrow in response to what the other man had to say. This makes her appear questioning and critical, and able to evaluate the truthfulness of what she is hearing. All these ideas are summarised perfectly in the following scene when she declares that he is, in fact, a liar.
If we now switch to verbal communication, we can see that Angelina Jolie was required to master a British accent, giving her a sense of authority and control. We can also examine the paralanguage which was used, that is, the subtle, revealing characteristics of what someone says. It is evident that the tone of her voice lowers at the end of her sentences, giving her a sense of power and control, as well as doubting what her opponent is saying, e.g. ‘a lawyer?’ Also, she says ‘hmm’ as she is completely unconvinced, and challenged what he is saying.
Ok, so some of the effects that this film has had include making Angelina Jolie an international superstar. We might have heard of her before in Britain, but this is when she achieved worldwide fame and success. She was praised for her physical performance, and some people even believe that she was born to play Lara Croft.
So now if we examine the poster accompanying the second Tomb Raider film, you can see that she has become so famous and successful that you don’t even need to know the full title of the film – you just need to know that it is about her! Again, her breasts are clearly defined and she is in quite a tight outfit, which
is appealing to many male fans. This time she has her hand on her hip, causing her to be more noticeable, as she takes up more space. She is staring off into the distance, with her head raised, making her appear all powerful and in control.
In summary, Angelina Jolie has clearly brought the video games to life, activating the legend that is Tomb Raider. It has caused her to become recognised all over the world, and boosted her career significantly. Finally, it has abolished many of the stereotypes associated with women, in the film industry, and begs the question whether ‘females are now superior to men’?
Are there any questions?
Review
Overall, I believe that my presentation was very successful. I managed to engage and identify with all members of the audience and speak clearly and confidently throughout. I could tell from peoples’ body language that they were enjoying my presentation, and I was glad to have one hundred percent of their attention.
To begin with, I felt nervous and self-conscious, as I had to present in front of a fairly large audience. This would have acted as a psychological barrier to communication, but was quickly overcome with the reassurance of my PowerPoint presentation. I quickly settled into my role as a calm, confident speaker and relaxed once I started to explain my ideas to the group. I do feel that some of my explanations were slightly long-winded, and could have been condensed, in order to maximise the effectiveness of my communication. However, I was proud of my good use of body language and was successful in making lots of eye contact with members of the audience. I adopted an appropriate register, suitable for my fellow peers, who are also studying Communication Studies.
I believe there was a logical order to my presentation. I started with some background debates, followed by the ‘introduction’ of Tomb Raider to the audience, allowed them to form their own opinions about the character, and finally gave a brief summary of what I had discussed. I feel that I managed to communicate with the audience considerably well, and felt superiorly confident when elaborating upon my findings, which were from a textual and content analysis of Lara Croft ‘material’.
I found my PowerPoint presentation to be extremely useful, as it contained my organised thoughts and ideas of what to discuss. Additionally, it provided an extra visual stimulation for the audience, so they didn’t just have to rely on their auditory senses. I found the audience to be highly responsive when it came to answering questions, which was an enormous relief, and I was extremely glad of their generous participation. This sparked new comments and ideas that I had previously not considered, and found myself feeling confident when giving my opinions on the subsequent topic.
Whilst reviewing my personal performance, I was quite pleased to learn how coherent and professional I behaved. I found myself adopting a similar style to what a teacher might take and actively embracing the different social norms and expectations which apply to such a role. I have learnt that it is important to be concise in the message that you are trying to encode, in order to ensure that it is decoded correctly, that is in the desired way. In order to improve my presentation, I would have shortened the length of the video clip. This is because it seemed to consume quite a large part of my presentation, although it did prove quite thought provoking and accurately summarised all of the ideas that I had presented to the group. In conclusion, I believe my presentation was a complete success as I managed to effectively communicate with the audience, removing any barriers to communication that might exist, and remained in a total sense of self-control throughout.
Bibliography (of Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation)
Slide 1 (Home page):
Main image -
Slide 2 (Women in the Media):
Image:
‘male dominated media’: Sociology AS for AQA, Stephen Moore, Dave Aiken, Steve Chapman, 2005, Unit 4 Topic 6 – Mass Media, Gender and the media, Explanations of gender representations (radical feminists perspective)
Slide 3 (Non-Verbal Communication, Introducing Lara Croft Tomb Raider):
Poster:
Slide 4 (Verbal communication (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001))
Poster:
Slide 5 (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) Video Clip)
Clip from the film ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’ Chapter 3…
Slide 8 (Effects):
All quotes from
Image -
Slide 9 (Non-Verbal Communication):
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider The Cradle of life (2003), poster
‘makes you look bigger and more noticeable because you take up more space’ – Pease, Barbara and Alan (2004) The Definitive Book of Body Language (pg. 238), London:Orion.
Summary
Background - ???
Any questions, images:
From this content analysis, I decided to focus on one particular scene where the action heroine is depicted as being smart, sophisticated, in control and superior to the male who is also present in the scene.
to study the verbal communication techniques that are used. I found that…
For example, the body language used, facial expressions, postures and gestures, as well as overall appearance of the main character; Lara Croft. I will consider the layout and use of text, in the articles, and what their preferred reading might be.
I will also be looking at various aspects of verbal communication, such as the language and words which are used, including paralanguage, i.e. tone of voice. I will consider what relevance this has to the character’s portrayal in both Tomb Raider films: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.