Indirect address

Communication within the world of a media product that the audience observes or overhears without being addressed directly.

Indirect address allows the audience to observe or overhear communication within the product's world without being addressed directly. In Doctor Who, ‘An Unearthly Child’, Ian and Barbara's conversation in the car is an example: they communicate with each other while viewers are invisible onlookers. This maintains the sense of a self-contained fictional world.

Communication in which characters behave as though the audience is not present, making viewers invisible onlookers.

If asked to define a term, explain its meaning rather than giving only an example. For indirect address, make clear that the audience is not addressed directly.

Indirect address does not mean that characters avoid looking at each other. The distinction concerns their relationship with the audience.

Distinguish a definition from an example. Indirect address means characters communicate with one another without addressing the audience; Ian and Barbara’s conversation in the car is an example.

Communication within the story world which the audience observes or overhears, rather than being addressed directly.

Definition

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AQA GCSE Media Studies · 8572

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Definition

How each exam board covers it

AQA GCSE Media Studies · 8572

Exam tips

Related key terms

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