Zeoella Media Language

Question 1

What type of camera technique did Zoe use at the start of her vlogging journey?

Answer 1

single camera set up, medium close ups, direct address - helps create audience interaction & illusion of familiarity and intimacy “Post your comments below” “Remember to like, comment and share”

Question 2

What has become cheaper and available online?

Answer 2

Lights have become easily available and cheap online, many vloggers use them to focus the audience on them and to make there shots look professional.

Question 3

What do handheld shots add?

Answer 3

Add a feeling of realism to her posts. Creates an ‘amateur’ feeling but also appeals to an audience who feel they are seeing the real Zoella.

Question 4

How do vloggers give audiences oppotunities to interact?

Answer 4

By liking, commenting and subscribing. Vloggers often ask their audience questions or instruct them to hit subscribe and leave comments making them feel engaged.

Question 5

Who else does Zoe also refer to?

Answer 5

She refers to other media prodcuts in her posts eg singers, films, celebs. This adds to her representation as someone who is current, popular and fashionable etc

Question 6

Who does she collaborate with?

Answer 6

She collaborates regularly with other influencers which creates more intertextual references while also creating an impression of popularity and success.

Question 7

Where is lots of her content shared?

Answer 7

Lots of her content is shared across multiple channels eg hers, alfie’s, joes etc. They borrow from each other in terms of ideas and content and often have a variety of identical posts.

Question 8

What do each of her videos have?

Answer 8

Each of her videos have a rough narrative eg ‘’Christmas eve preparations’ the editing is often quite fragmented showing us a montage of shots from different days or activities. There is not a clear todorovian narrative structure to most videos instead they are often just glimpses in random events than one major quest.

Question 9

What has happened as her editing has progressed?

Answer 9

As her videos and editing has progressed she now has smooth scenes where the editing becomes invisible to the audience. Looks like one long scene.

Question 10

Editing: What helps her look more relatable?

Answer 10

‘Jump cuts’ are obvious cuts reminding the audience these video are edited making her look more relatable due to the limitations of filming on a single camera.

Question 11

Editing: What does she choose to leave in?

Answer 11

She chooses to leave in pauses or long silences to make her seem relatable meaning some audiences will trust her more.

Question 12

How do her videos feel?

Answer 12

Her videos feel spontaneous and unscripted to fans who want to feel like they are seeing the real Zoe.

Question 13

What type of language/behaviour does she use?

Answer 13

She uses informal words, colloquialisms, slang that appeals to younger audiences. Her informal mode of address combined with her immature sense for humour and behaviour is a good way of appealing to younger audeinces who may relate.

Question 14

What type of relationship does Zoe create with her fans?

Answer 14

A parasocial relationship

Question 15

What else does Zoe use to appeal to a younger audience?

Answer 15

She uses a range of emojis and graphics on her videos/photos which appeals to a younger audience whilst making her seem young and fun.

Question 16

What gives Zoe the girl next door feel?

Answer 16

She used to film on her old bedroom giving her the girl next door feel and creates a sense of intimacy as we are her real life.

Question 17

What is her mis-en-scene like?

Answer 17

Typically feminine eg pinks, golds, glitter etc. Her website echoes this branding by using youthful pastels, fair lights, serif font, glittery backgrounds.

Question 18

What type of body language does Zoe use?

Answer 18

She uses reasonably overtly feminine body language and actions such as applying makeup, touching her lips/hair. Also uses lots of shots of makeup and hair products.

Question 19

What helps her audience relate to her?

Answer 19

Lots of her videos show her doing relatable activities such as cooking, cleaning, going out. this helps her audience relate to her/identity with her and see her as normal.

Question 20

What does Zoe make look like reality but is still constructed?

Answer 20

Seeing ‘imperfections’ eg no make-up, spots, crying adds to the reality even though it’s still heavily constructed. Her posts are also still heavily constructed as images are chosen, edited. We may be seeing hyperreal ‘simulacrum’ of Zoella.

Question 21

What type of topics does she tackle?

Answer 21

She tackles ‘taboo’ topics eg mental health, sexual health. this adds to her feeling of reality and are shown aspects traditionally left out of the media.

Question 22

How is Zoe shown in a family friendly way?

Answer 22

Zoella is not often sexualised in her content. She’s shown in ‘Family friendly’ ways. She may represent herself like this due to her young target audience and to avoid loosing sponsors / brand deals.

Question 23

What has Zoe gotten in trouble before for doing?

Answer 23

Posting homophobic comments as well as general slurs etc.

Question 24

What may controversial content result in?

Answer 24

May result in her account being filtered of demonetised which would restrict her income.

Question 25

What helps reinforce notions of femininity in Zoella’s videos?

Answer 25

Zoella performs a lot of tasks repeatedly in her videos often associated with femininity. Which many construct her identity as female and reinforce notions of femininity to her audience - Linking to Judith Butlers theory

Question 26

How do her videos present traditional ideas of masculinity?

Answer 26

Showing Alfie going to the gym, playing football and drinking beer, doing the ‘heavy’ lifting.

Question 27

Describe the editing of Zoes vlogs

Answer 27

Conventional jump cutting, dip to black/fade/dissolve. Visible edits create a sense of realism.

Question 28

How does she represent strong powerful women?

Answer 28

She represents strong, powerful women that breaks & challenges the stereotype - she has a vlog called “Who run the world” with intertextual references to Beyonce.

Question 29

What alternate view of men does Zoe represent?

Answer 29

She represents the metrosexual man. Alfie is happy to participate in sleepovers and face masks etc.

Question 30

Through codes of colour how does this create Zoe’s representation?

Answer 30

Gold, glitter and pastel colours contribute to her representation. The colours have evolved to become more mature as she has grown up. This reflects her target audience, they’ve aged with her.

Question 31

What do the settings in which she films represent her as?

Answer 31

Settings in which she films denotes herself as a generic lifestyle Vlogger. She vlogs on normal relatable topics from tidying, hoovering and cooking to makeup and fashion. Representing her as a normal person going about ‘normal things’

Question 32

What helps highlight her contrasting relationship between being ‘real’ and a ‘construct’?

Answer 32

Sometimes she vlogs with no makeup, other times she has a full face complete with bold lipstick. Sometimes her house is untidy, sometimes it is immaculate and ‘dressed’ this highlights her contrasting relationship on one hand she us trying to appear real and on the other she is self-consciously a ‘construct’

Question 33

What did Zoe do during the pandemic that makes her seem caring and ‘in touch’?

Answer 33

During the pandemic she was vlogging on mental health issues. Depression and anxiety she even provided links in the comments of places for people to go for help. This ‘real’ connection to the world represents her as caring and ‘in touch’

Question 34

What is Zoe’s references to other brands an example of?

Answer 34

Refers to other brands (which she gets paid by them to do). This is an example of intertextuality which creates relevance for her audience as does her references to other influencers and artists.

Question 35

What is Zoe also aware that she is?

Answer 35

She is also aware that she is a media product - self conscious, self aware, she is a reconstructed version of herself, nothing is real - hyperreality (Baudrillard)