📚 Year 7 SQA Media: Case Study Practical Workshop | Year 7 SQA 媒体：案例分析实战演练
Welcome to your practical case study workshop. This guide is designed to help you apply essential media concepts to a real-world product. We will examine a 30-second promotional video for the fictional mobile game ‘EcoQuest: Ocean Guardians’. By exploring this text step by step, you will build the skills needed to deconstruct any media artefact you encounter.
欢迎来到你的案例分析实战演练。本指南旨在帮助你运用关键媒体概念分析一个真实产品。我们将分析虚构手机游戏《生态探险：海洋守护者》的一段30秒宣传视频。通过一步步探索这个文本，你将培养解构任何媒体制品所需的技能。
1. Introduction to Media Case Studies | 媒体案例分析简介
A media case study is more than just describing what you see. It involves questioning the choices made by producers and examining how a text targets audiences, communicates values and fits within an industry. For SQA Media, you will use tools like media language, representation, audience and institution to build a critical response.
媒体案例分析不仅仅是描述你所见。它涉及质疑制作者的选择，并考察文本如何瞄准受众、传递价值观以及融入产业。在 SQA 媒体课程中，你将使用媒体语言、表征、受众和制度等工具来构建批判性回应。
In this workshop, our focus text is a vibrant vertical video designed for TikTok and Instagram Reels. It opens with a polluted ocean scene that quickly transforms into a colourful underwater world. Animated fish guide a teenage diver towards a glowing reef, while on-screen text urges viewers to ‘Join the Quest’. The video ends with a download link and the OceanYouth logo.
在本次演练中，我们的焦点文本是一个为 TikTok 和 Instagram Reels 设计的生动竖屏视频。视频以一片污染的海景开场，随后迅速转变为五彩斑斓的水下世界。动画鱼群引导一位少年潜水员游向发光的珊瑚礁，同时屏幕文字呼吁观众“加入探险”。视频结尾附有下载链接和 OceanYouth 标识。
2. Deconstructing the Text: What is It? | 解构文本：它是什么？
Before analysing deeper meanings, you must identify the basic building blocks. Ask yourself: what type of media text is this? It is a short-form promotional video, also called a trailer. It combines live action footage, 2D animation, voiceover narration and graphic overlays. The video lasts exactly 30 seconds and follows a rapid editing pace to hold attention.
在分析更深层意义之前，你必须识别基本构成要素。问自己：这是哪种类型的媒体文本？这是一段简短的宣传视频，也可称为预告片。它结合了实拍镜头、二维动画、旁白叙述和图形叠加。视频恰好时长30秒，剪辑节奏很快，以保持观众的注意力。
Media language elements include camera shots: the opening uses a high-angle wide shot of murky water to suggest hopelessness, then cuts to a low-angle close-up of the diver’s determined face. Colours shift from greys and browns to neon blues and pinks, signifying the magical transformation offered by the game.
媒体语言元素包括镜头景别：开场用俯拍远景展现浑浊海水，暗示绝望，然后切入仰拍特写镜头，捕捉潜水员坚毅的面庞。色彩从灰色和棕色转为霓虹蓝和粉色，象征着游戏提供的奇妙转变。
3. Target Audience and Reach | 目标受众与覆盖面
Every media product is created with an audience in mind. The vertical format, snappy transitions and trending audio track indicate a primary target audience of 11–14-year-olds who actively consume content on mobile devices. This is a classic ‘Generation Alpha’ approach: short attention spans, interactive hooks and shareable moments.
每个媒体产品都带着对受众的考量而创造。竖屏格式、快速转场和流行配乐表明，主要目标受众是11至14岁、在移动设备上活跃消费内容的群体。这是典型的“阿尔法世代”策略：短暂注意力、互动诱饵和可分享瞬间。
Secondary audiences include environmentally conscious parents and educators who might download the game for children. The video’s inclusion of a clear educational message about coral bleaching broadens its appeal. On social media, the hashtags #SaveOurReefs and #GamingForGood help the video reach niche communities interested in climate action.
次要受众包括有环保意识的家长和教育者，他们可能为孩子下载游戏。视频包含有关珊瑚白化的清晰教育信息，拓宽了吸引力。在社交媒体上，#SaveOurReefs 和 #GamingForGood 等话题标签帮助视频触达对气候行动感兴趣的利基社群。
4. Purpose, Message and Values | 目的、信息与价值观
Media texts are rarely neutral; they want you to think, feel or do something. The explicit purpose of this video is to promote the game and drive downloads. However, the underlying message is far more ambitious: ‘Small actions can heal the ocean.’ The video promotes the values of teamwork, environmental stewardship and hope.
媒体文本很少中立；它们希望你思考、感受或做些什么。本视频的显性目的是推广游戏并推动下载。然而，其潜在信息要宏大得多：“微小行动可以治愈海洋。”视频宣扬团队协作、环境责任和希望的价值观。
Notice how the voiceover says, ‘The reef is fading, but you are not alone.’ This directly addresses the viewer, making them feel personally responsible and empowered. The call to action ‘Join the Quest’ transforms passive watching into potential participation, a common technique in persuasive media.
注意旁白如何说道：“珊瑚礁正在消逝，但你并不孤单。”这直接对观众说话，让他们感到个人责任感和赋权感。行动号召“加入探险”将被动观看转化为潜在参与，这是说服性媒体中的常用技巧。
5. Representation and Stereotypes | 表征与刻板印象
Representation looks at how people, places and ideas are re-presented to us. The diver is a teenage girl with a prosthetic leg, shown as athletic and fearless. This challenges traditional stereotypes that often portray disabled characters as helpless. The game’s characters include a non-binary scientist and a team from diverse ethnic backgrounds, presenting a deliberately inclusive world.
表征关注人物、地点和观念如何被重新呈现给我们。潜水员是一位装有义肢的少女，被塑造成运动型且无所畏惧的形象。这挑战了通常将残障角色描绘成无助者的传统刻板印象。游戏角色包括一位非二元性别科学家和一个由多元族裔背景组成的团队，呈现了一个刻意包容的世界。
However, representations can still be simplified. The ocean is depicted as a binary: polluted darkness versus pristine wonder. While visually powerful, this oversimplification may ignore the complexity of real marine conservation. As a media student, you should always ask whose perspective is missing. Here, the voices of fishing communities or industrial stakeholders are absent.
然而，表征仍可能被简化。海洋被描绘为一个二元对立的世界：污染的黑暗与原始的奇观。虽然视觉上震撼，但这种过分简化可能忽视了真实海洋保护的复杂性。作为媒体学生，你应始终询问谁的声音缺席了。在这里，渔业社区或产业利益相关者的声音缺失了。
6. Narrative Structure and Storytelling | 叙事结构与故事讲述
Every story follows a structure, and most promotional videos use a condensed version of Todorov’s equilibrium theory. The narrative begins with disequilibrium: a polluted, dying reef. Then a disruption is introduced through the diver’s journey and the fish helpers. Finally, a new equilibrium is hinted at – a restored reef, but only if the viewer plays the game.
每个故事都遵循某种结构，大多数宣传视频使用浓缩版的托多罗夫平衡理论。叙事以失衡开始：一片污染、垂死的珊瑚礁。接着通过潜水员的旅程和鱼群帮助者引入转折。最后，暗示了一种新的平衡——一处恢复生机的珊瑚礁，但前提是观众游玩游戏。
The video uses a binary opposition of destruction versus restoration. The animated fish act as ‘helpers’ in Propp’s character theory, guiding the hero. These familiar story patterns make the message easy to follow. The cliffhanger ending – the screen fades to black with ‘Your ocean needs you’ – creates an enigma code that drives viewers to the app store.
视频运用了破坏与修复的二元对立。动画鱼群扮演了普罗普角色理论中的“帮助者”，指引英雄。这些熟悉的叙事模式使信息易于理解。悬念式结尾——画面渐黑并显示“你的海洋需要你”——制造了一个谜题码，驱使观众前往应用商店。
7. Genre and Conventions | 类型与惯例
This video blends genres: it is a game trailer, an environmental PSA (public service announcement) and a piece of social media content. Its conventions include fast cuts, intense music drops, on-screen call-to-action buttons and a logo sting at the end. The hybrid nature helps it stand out in crowded feeds.
这个视频融合了多种类型：它是游戏预告片、环保公益广告和社交媒体内容的结合。其惯例包括快速剪辑、重音音乐、屏幕上的行动号召按钮和结尾的标识定格。这种混合特性帮助它在信息泛滥的推送中脱颖而出。
Recognising genre allows audiences to set expectations. Gamers expect to see gameplay glimpses, but this trailer deliberately avoids showing actual game mechanics, focusing instead on emotional storytelling. This subverts the typical ‘let’s play’ convention to position the game as a meaningful experience rather than just entertainment.
识别类型能让观众设定期待。玩家期望看到玩法片段，但这部预告片刻意避免展示实际游戏机制，转而着重情感叙事。这颠覆了典型的“实况游玩”惯例，将游戏定位为有意义的体验而非仅仅是娱乐。
8. Visual Codes and Design Elements | 视觉编码与设计元素
Visual codes communicate meaning without words. Colour grading in ‘EcoQuest’ is highly symbolic: the cold, desaturated blues of the polluted water give way to warm, luminous coral hues. This progression visually reinforces the narrative of healing. The typography for ‘Join the Quest’ is bold, rounded and friendly, mirroring the game’s accessible tone.
视觉编码无需语言便可传递意义。《生态探险》中的色彩分级极具象征性：污染水域的冷调低饱和蓝色让位于温暖明亮的珊瑚色调。这种视觉递进强化了疗愈的叙事。“加入探险”的字体选用粗体、圆润且亲切的风格，呼应游戏亲切友好的基调。
Composition follows the rule of thirds: the diver is placed off-centre to imply forward movement. The use of leading lines – schools of fish forming arrows – guides the eye towards the glowing reef and the download button. A handy table breaks down these visual signs:
画幅构图遵循三分法：潜水员被置于偏离中心的位置，以暗示前进动感。引导线的运用——鱼群形成箭头形状——将视线导向发光的珊瑚礁和下载按钮。一张简明的表格分解了这些视觉符号：
| Visual Code | Signifier | Signified |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | Neon coral pink | Life, energy, hope |
| Lighting | Rays breaking through water | Enlightenment, rescue |
| Typography | Hand-drawn style captions | Authenticity, youth |
| Framing | Tilted angle on diver | Action, urgency |
9. Sound, Music and Audio Codes | 声音、音乐与听觉编码
Sound is often the element that triggers the strongest emotional reaction. The video uses a royalty-free lo-fi beat that shifts from minor to major key as the reef transforms, creating an audible ‘lift’. This is a classic sound bridge that connects contrasting scenes and supports the narrative arc.
声音往往是触发最强烈情绪反应的要素。视频使用了一段免版税的 lo-fi 节拍，在珊瑚礁转变时由小调转入大调，营造出听觉上的“提升感”。这是一段经典的声音桥梁，连接了对比鲜明的场景并支撑了叙事弧线。
Diegetic sounds, such as bubbles and water swishes, anchor the animation in a believable world. The voiceover is calm yet urgent, delivered by a young voice to increase peer relatability. SFX (sound effects) like the chime when the download link appears act as audio signposting, telling the viewer where to focus. Silence is also used strategically – a brief pause before the final message heightens impact.
剧情声音，比如气泡和水流声，使动画世界更加可信。旁白声音冷静而急促，由年轻嗓音呈现，以增加同伴间的亲切感。音效（SFX）如下载链接出现时的提示音起到听觉指向的作用，告诉观众该聚焦何处。静音也被策略性地运用——最终信息前片刻的停顿增强了冲击力。
10. Institutional Context and Industry | 机构背景与产业
The OceanYouth logo at the end reveals the institutional context. OceanYouth is a non-profit organisation that partners with indie game developers to create educational media. Understanding this helps explain why the video prioritises message over hard-sell tactics. The organisation’s remit is not just profit but public education.
结尾的 OceanYouth 标识揭示了机构背景。OceanYouth 是一个与非营利组织合作的独立游戏开发团队，致力于创作教育媒体。理解这一点有助于解释为何视频优先传递信息而非强行推销。该机构的使命不仅是盈利，更在于公众教育。
Industry factors also shape the final text. The video was produced on a modest budget, which explains the reliance on 2D animation over expensive CGI. It is distributed strictly through social media channels because the target audience does not watch traditional TV. The inclusion of the app store badge follows the conventions of mobile game marketing and is essential for a ‘call to action’ that can be measured through click-through rates.
产业因素也塑造了最终文本。视频的制作预算有限，这解释了为何依赖二维动画而非昂贵的三维电脑动画。它严格通过社交媒体渠道分发，因为目标受众不看传统电视。加入应用商店徽章遵循了手机游戏营销的惯例，对于可通过点击率衡量的“行动号召”至关重要。
11. Personal Response and Evaluation | 个人反应与评价
Your own interpretation is part of the analysis. Do you find the video effective? Maybe the bright colours and aspirational hero excited you about ocean conservation. Alternatively, you might feel the message is too simplistic or that the game download ask feels manipulative. Both responses are valid as long as you support them with evidence from the text.
你自己的解读是分析的一部分。你觉得视频有效吗？也许明亮的色彩和励志的英雄让你对海洋保护感到兴奋。或者你可能觉得信息过于简化，或游戏下载请求有些操纵性。两种回应都成立，只要你能用文本中的证据支撑。
Evaluate the video’s success against its purpose. If the goal is downloads, the engaging narrative and clear CTA (call to action) are strengths. However, a weakness is the lack of actual gameplay footage, which might frustrate gamers seeking transparency. The representation of disability is progressive, yet the absence of complex human stakeholders limits its real-world relevance. Structuring a balanced evaluation like this demonstrates high-level analytical skill.
对照目的评价视频的成功程度。如果目标是获取下载量，吸引人的叙事和清晰的行动号召是优势。然而弱点在于缺乏实际玩法画面，可能令追求透明度的玩家失望。对残障的表征具有进步性，但复杂人类利益相关者的缺席限制了其现实相关性。如此构建均衡的评价能展示高水平的分析技巧。
12. Summary and Practice Task | 总结与练习任务
You have now moved through all the key media concepts: text, audience, purpose, representation, narrative, genre, visual codes, audio codes and institution. By practising on ‘EcoQuest’, you have built a mental checklist that you can apply to any unseen media product.
现在你已遍历了所有关键媒体概念：文本、受众、目的、表征、叙事、类型、视觉编码、听觉编码和制度。通过分析《生态探险》，你已建立起一个可应用于任何陌生媒体产品的思维核对清单。
Your Task: Find a 20–30 second promotional video for a cause, app or event aimed at teens. Using the structure above, answer the following questions in paired English and Chinese paragraphs: Who is the target audience and how do you know? What is the core message? Identify two visual codes and their meanings. Discuss one strength and one weakness of the representation. This repeated practice will sharpen your critical eye for all SQA Media assessments.
你的任务：找一个针对青少年的公益、应用或活动宣传视频（20-30秒）。运用以上结构，用成对的中英文段落回答以下问题：目标受众是谁？你是如何判断的？核心信息是什么？找出两个视觉编码及其含义。讨论表征的一个优点和一个缺点。这种重复练习将磨砺你应对所有 SQA 媒体测评的批判眼光。
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