Editing - The Street (complete groups task)

By: Nathan on 02:48

Cuts

• Jump Cuts: There is a jump cut used at 6 seconds to allow the audience to focus on the two characters and to let them know that this is where the action is going to take place. The change not being smooth indicates to the audience that this is not going to end well and there will be a bad outcome to the scene. There are a lot of jump cuts used throughout the conversation between the three men. This is used so that we are able to see the facial expressions of all the men when they are talking. One of the men looks comfortable with the scarring of Nick whilst the other does not. This may be used to show how people react differently to disability. The audience are made to want to be like the man who is comfortable with it so may be influenced to change their attitude if they act like the man who is not comfortable with the scarring. There is a jump cut which shows the back of Nick. This shows how people with a disability often turn their back on society as a result of the stereotypes which they have to deal with on a daily basis. 

• Cut: The scene cuts to Nick walking up the road. This suggests that disability is a long, uphill battle that people have to deal with. It shows how people with a disability do not find it easy because of how people act towards and around them.

• Matched Cuts: There is a matched cut which shows the man standing behind the shop door. This shot is used to link to two scenes together and to let the audience understand that these characters know each other. By the man standing behind the door, this may be used to show that he is scared to go and talk to the disabled character as he does not know what to say so it looks as though he is hiding away. There is a matched cut used to show the relationship between the two men and how they should be seen to be similar. However, the bar in the window of the van acts a physical fraction between the pair and shows how their relationship has changed between the two man as result of the scarring. There are matched cuts used in the scene when Nick is helping the women to pick up her shopping. The matched cuts are used to show the relationship between the shots. This changed from the view from a distance to his view of him helping pick up the woman's shopping.

• Motivated Cut: There is a motivated cut which allows the audience to see the disabled characters face. This allows the audience to see his scarring for the first time and understand what the situation is about. This shot is used to shock the audience as they did not see this side of the characters face before. This negatively highlights the scarring as the shots makes it feel as though it is secretive and should not be talked about.

• Cutting Rhythm: Whilst nick is with the women, the cutting slows down and stays on Nick's face for a little while. This may be used to show how people can sometimes just stare at people who have a disability as they may find it unusual or interesting. It shows how society does not find disability normal and people are not used to scarring. There is then fast pace cutting which is used between the conversation between the two characters. The fast pace is used to show the anger building in Nick and his frustration to the fact that he is scarred. It can also show how quickly the woman has to think in order to defend herself and defend the reason she screamed at the view of Nick. This shows how people are normally not comfortable in the presence of disabled people as they do not understand the disability or because of the fact that people with a disability are not treated as though they are the same as people who do not have a disability. 

Shots

• Reaction Shots:There is a reaction shot which includes Nick telling the other character to 'fuck off'. This is used to show the anger of Nick at the fact that he would not be on the same pay if he were to return to the job that he had before he became scarred. This is used to show how disabled people are not seen to be as important as people without a disability and are not valued as much as. There is a reaction shot which is used to show the horrified look on the woman's face as she looks up at Nick. This is used to show that she is scared by the scarring on Nicks face and how she does not find it normal. This represents the parts of society which  are scared by disability and do not see disabled people to be normal.

• Super Imposition Shot: There is a super imposition shot which shows the metal fence with Nick in the background. As Nick is the person who is behind the fence, this may be used to show that people with a disability feel trapped as a result and feel as though they are a prisoner in their own body. As he is also blurry this may also be used to show how disabled people are often forgotten about and not seen to be important.

Other

• Change in POV: Whilst Nick is in the office, there are a lot of shots used which all show the audience the scene from different points of view. This may be used to show how different people see disabled people differently, some people see the disability as that is all the person is whilst others do not see the disability and see the actual person. These cuts also happen quite quickly which may be used to show the anger within the disabled person. 

• Change in Location: There is a rapid change in location from Nick being outside to in a office. This may be used to show how people with a disability do not like to hang around in one place as they do not want to be seen by society. This scene changes from outside, in a crowded place, to inside where there are not a lot of people. This may be used to show how people with a disability hide away from society and do not like to be seen. 

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The Grand Budapest Hotel Research

By: Nathan on 01:01

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American Beauty - Mise en Scene Written Analysis

By: Nathan on 01:12

In this image taken from American Beauty there are many mise en scene aspects to look at:

• First of all is colour, there are multiple examples of colour in this single image and each example informs us of something about either one of the characters or their surroundings. One of the above mentioned colour representations mise en scene relations is how the women on the left links with the situation through colour. She is wearing a plain blue formal shirt whilst the table cloth and mats are also blue. This may suggest that she is responsible for setting the table and making the meal that they are currently eating. This also gives us ideas about her role with in the family and that she is the member who does all of the domestic work around the house. On top of the fact that the links with the table, both the parents blend into the background due to the colour of their clothes. They are both wearing dark coloured clothing which is of a similar colour scheme to the background behind them. This could suggest that they are of less importance in this specific scene and we are not meant to be focused upon them. The clothing of the young girl (presumably daughter) in the middle of the table is very brightly coloured compared to the rest of the people and items surrounding her. Bright colours could suggest she is of higher importance in this specific scene and that we are meant to give our attention to her. Finally, in terms of colour, the red flours in the middle of the table may suggest that the young girl has poor mental state. This is because red is a colour that is often associated with evil or pain.

• Alongside colour, we are also able to identify features of facial expression and their meanings. Obviously since there is only three people in his particular image, there are three facial expressions but each one tells us a lot about each specific character. Firstly, the women on the left appears to be uncomfortable. She is staring at her husband  with a very blank but aggravated expression which may show unhappiness within their relationship. Next, the daughter in the middle. She, similar to her mother, has an annoyed/agitated look upon her face. She is starring directly at her father with this same expression which shows that she may be unhappy with what he has said. In contrast to the two females, the man has a much more joyful look about him. It appears that he is laughing which suggests that he is the only one that is having fun at the table.

• In terms of framing, they are all in frame sat around the table. They are all sat separately with the parent at each end and the young girl sat directly in the middle. This gives us the idea that their is discomfort between the family and that the girl is caught in the middle of arguing between the parents. A second idea is that because the daughter appears to be quite sinister, the parents are aware of this and that is why they are sat as far away as possible from her.

• Lighting is a key factor with in this image. It tells us a lot abut the characters and the scene. First off, the fact hat the girl is in the middle of the table and is being lit up by the candles may suggest that she is the light and soul of the family. As well as this, the two parents are sat within the darkness which suggests that their relationship is not a positive one. It also presents the idea that the girl is more important in this scene and the parents are not as important. Because the only light in the scene is created by candle light, it suggests that the only light and happiness with in the family will eventually die out.

• Each character in this image posses their own body features/posture. The young girl in the middle has her elbows on the table may suggest that she has bad manors, especially since she is currently at the dinner table eating. In contrast to this, both of her parent's arms are positioned lower down with their elbows avoiding contact with the top of the table. This suggests that they have much better manors that their daughter. Both the daughter and her father are avoiding eye contact with the mother which suggests that she is emotionally rejected by the rest of the family. Finally, in terms of body posture, he father's fists are clenched. This is suggestive of the idea that the father is not presenting his true emotion upon his face. He appears to smiling ad enjoying himself yet his hands would suggest anger or rage.

• There are only a few essential props within this scene. The first is the win bottle. It is located very close to the women which may suggest that she is a heavy drinker. This may be due to a failing relationship with her husband or the fact that it appears her daughter is rejecting her. The positioning of the flowers in front of the young girl give us the idea that she is the only life on the table but requires looking after. A lot of the items on the table appear to be crystal or glass, this suggests that the family is likely wealthy. 

• The hair and makeup of the mother suggests that she may spend a considerable amount of time on making her self appealing. This can be identified by he short haircut and contrasting makeup. In contrast to this is the daughter in the middle. She has a very simple hairstyle (pony tail) and very simple makeup. This may suggest innocence however the bright red lip stick is quite sinister. The fact that she is wearing makeup at all may suggest that she is to act or at least appear as an adult. The man has a short and formal haircut which h may suggest that he is a business man. It is clear that his hair is receding which makes it clear that he may be under a lot of stress either due to his job or his family.

• The final factor is clothing. Both of the parents are wearing very formal, plain and colourless clothing. Even though this may suggest that they are boring people or that they live a dull life, it may also hint at the idea that they possess a high quality of wealth. The clothing of the young girl is typical of a child. It is brightly coloured and very casual, especially compared to her parents. 

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Regional Identity - Stereotypes

By: Nathan on 12:07

Scottish Sterotypes
One of the most used Scottish stereotype areas is that they all wear kilts and tartan clothes, this is not true and there are many people that certainly don’t. In the TV drama Outlander the male characters generally wear kilts, this would fit in with the original stereotype. An example of a counter type to this are most if not all the characters from Taggart, a Scottish TV Drama. They don’t adhere to this stereotype due to their lack of kilts. Another common stereotype for Scottish people is that they are very heavy drinkers; this can be highly offensive to some people in Scotland and is largely a false belief. Although not strictly a TV drama “Grounds Keeper Willie” from The Simpsons is a heavy drinker, thus representing this stereotype. He is also a cartoon, which means that his persona is completely manufactured, this means that the producers purposely decided to use this stereotype. The counter type to this popular stereotype is, again from Taggart. They don’t all drink heavily and a great proportion of the characters are Scottish. One further stereotype is that Scottish people are traditionally ginger haired, this stereotype originates from way back. A lot of producers choose to include this stereotype in a Scottish characters portrayal. This stereotype was used by Dr Who in the character Amy Pond, she has ginger hair, and she is Scottish. This is clearly an effect that the producers wanted to include. A counter type to this stereotype area is The Hound from The Game of Thrones, he does not have ginger hair which means that the producers did not choose to use that stereotype.

Liverpool Stereotypes
It is largely stereotyped by people of other regional identities (primarily people from London and other "higher" areas) that people from Liverpool are unintelligent, uneducated, thieves, violent and hopeless. This is down to the fact that traditionally people in Liverpool did low paid jobs and left school early, now however this is largely untrue. Most current media representations of Liverpoolians are the old fashioned, outdated view.

Newcastle Stereotypes
This is one of the most stereotyped region in the UK, one stereotype of how a Geordie should be is that they are loud, usually drunk, always joking and many more things. These stereotypes are largely unfounded and not true. There are many successful people from Newcastle, thus contradicting the stereotype that people from newcastle are uneducated. Examples of Geordie stereotypes in media are Tosker and some other characters from our friends in the north. They largely fit the common stereotype. 

Yorkshire Stereotypes
The dialect in Yorkshire is easily distinguishable. The most common stereotype of a Yorkshire person is as tight with money, there is a saying that "a Yorkshireman is a Scotsman with all the generosity squeezed out of him", which referrers how Scotsmen are also stereotyped as being tight but not as tight as people from Yorkshire . Yorkshire people are often stereotyped as friendly but they are also stereotyped to be "bloody-minded" argumentative and stubborn. Generally it is stereotyped that men from Yorkshire wear flat caps and tweed style clothes. There are certain foods that are commonly associated with Yorkshire, these include: Yorkshire puddings, potatoes and other similar foods.

Birmingham Stereotypes
Brummies as they are referred to commonly, are largely stereotyped to be relatively unintelligent, this stereotype was largely brought about by the fact that a lot of Brummies had low level manufacturing jobs, for companies such as the now collapsed MG Rover Group. They had these jobs as there where many, and a lot of them where following in at least one ansestors footsteps. This is largely untrue today as many of the big employers have either seised trading or moved most of the production abroad, this is the case with MG Motor UK. The intelligence stereotype is also related to their instantly recognisable accent. Which to some may sound unintelligent.

Welsh Stereotypes
Wales is sometimes known as the land of song, and is used for its singers. A very widely used stereotype of Welsh people is that they all like rugby, although many people in wales do, in fact like rugby it is not everyone. The welsh also have their own accent when speaking English but they do also have their own language.
One example of a TV Drama that uses Welsh stereotypes is Gavin and Stacy, which all of Welsh characters, speak in the stereotypical accent. Another example of a TV drama that focuses on Welsh stereotype areas is Sky 1 series Stella.

Irish Stereotypes
There are many Irish stereotypes, one of the most widely used ones is that Irish people only eat potatoes, and cant be without them. This of course as with most stereotypes is not true and is a dated and passed view to take. Also a big stereotype area for the Irish is that they drink a lot, this I'm not going to go into to much detail about as it is not completely incorrect, however it's not 100% correct either. Ireland is often associated with lepricorns and people having ginger hair which again ins't true. The TV comedy Mrs Brown's Boys includes a lot of the above stereotypes and many more.

London Stereotypes
London can be seen in various ways because, as with other big cities there are good parts and bad parts. The residents from the better parts are stereotyped to be rich, which is largely true, well spoken, which is again, largely true and snobbish which can depend on the person in question. These stereotypes can be seen in some of the episodes of Sherlock Holmes. The other side to London stereotypes is the poorer not so good side of London, which its residents are largely stereotyped to be gang members, ethnic minorities, uneducated and other similar things. These are mostly untrue for the most part. These characters can be seen often on TV.

Essex Stereotypes 
Essex is an area where many stereotypes are aimed at, most of these are appearance related. For example it is widely stereotyped that people from Essex have fake body features, are orange and have had their teeth whitened. It is further stereotyped that they can only care about their appearance and that that is their number one priority, which is true in some cases. The Show The Only Way Is Essex uses these stereotypes and to an extent has caused them to be more widely used.

Cornwall Stereotypes
One of the most used and well known stereotypes for Cornwall is the fact that they are "inbred" this stereotype is obviously incorrect and can cause significant offence to local people. a further stereotype is that the people there are "backward" again this causes great offence to residents of Cornwall. Unfortunately these stereotypes are used in TV and it needs top be stopped.

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Class and Status

By: Nathan on 14:29

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Ethnicity Clip Analysis

By: Nathan on 12:04

At the very start of the clip we are presented with an establishing shot featuring a white male on a lounger and a black male in a suit serving him. This is the stereotypical role of a black male, this not only links to the stereotype but also links in with some historical values as well. This shot is accompanied by the sound of water and gentle music giving the impression that the setting is in a spa or pool area, this helps to set the scene for the viewer.

Then in a long shot panning across the pool area wit the black male we as viewers get to see the pool area for the first time, there are columns and the water is high-up in the pool giving the place a luxurious atmosphere. 
The pool's natural blue lighting is then enhanced by the editing this represents a hygienic and clean feel to the atmosphere. 
The next part of the scene is crucial as it backs up the black males stereotypical role. He is seen to be walking quite fast, this represents that the guests, who largely see him as inferior to them, expect him to do the tasks really quickly.

Subsequently an over the shoulder shot follows the now full length conversation of the black assistant and a young guest that is also seen to be of black origin. The younger man is wearing swimming shorts which largely represent the colours of the Jamaican flag, also making ethnicity clear. This guest then proceeds to use stereotypical (for his ethnic group) language including words such as "Bro" and "Ganja". The older male character appears to be hugely uncomfortable in the scenario as his body language is tense and he is giving short if any answers. 
This is a perfect case of the male wanting to satisfy both the friend and his employers needs.

We then proceed to see to cleaner type ladies, they appear to be of eastern European origin. This is an example of the drama using a very common stereotype that eastern Europeans will do little jobs that pay little money purely because they cant afford no to.

Once the women have entered the oriental looking male customers room they decide to accept his bribe to perform a strip show, agin this backs up the image that they will do anything for money. 
Once the man starts the sexual upbeat music and the two women start to strip we are shown close-ips of his face where we can clearly see his mouth slightly open as to suggest that he is attracted to the women. Furthermore this links to the idea of the male gaze as he is using the women for there sexual (object) appeal alone. 
Another aspect to this scene and the representation of ethnicity in this clip is that he is from Japan/China this is using the stereotype that Chinese/Japanese people are intelligent and have a lot of money. This is further backed up by the fact she says he is a regular meaning that he has either a lot of money or a brilliant job, both of which go together. This all goes to represent his superiority over the two women.
The music then picks up pace,one of the two women is very uncomfortable by now in the situation. The music could represent the pace of her thoughts, body and heart.

Subsequently a mid shot featuring two white males along with people of mixed ethnicities in the background is shown, the people in the background are blurred out, which could have been done to represent the fact that the white people are more :important" than them and have control over the situation.

In one of the last shots we see that an Italian and British chef are arguing, the British chef is seen to be quite chubby, calm and relatively passive. On the other hand the Italian chef is seen to be passionate, thin and agressive, both of these chefs are the stereotypical people from both of their nationalities.

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Class and Status Clip Analysis

By: Nathan on 11:26

The first shot we see is a mid shot of the main character, this allows the audience to make a first impression of him. It allows the audience to see his clothes (scruffy, pyjama type clothes) which is stereotypically middle to lower class, the audience then see the character more closely. Here we can see he has oily hair, which suggests that he doesn't wash very often. This is a trait of some lower class people.

The next shot is an over the shoulder shot which enables the audience to see the other characters in the clip, this allows them to build an idea of them (in this case lower class individuals). It also allows the audience to see them through his (the main character) point of view. In this scenario their body language and facial expressions in response to what he is saying, gives the effect that they are disgusted. Another observation for mise-en-scene is that there are lots of empty alcoholic drink bottles and cans and other such items scattered around the windows and part of the house as a whole, this gives us the idea that the character is an alcoholic type person. This is backed up later on when his voice is typical of a stereotypical alcoholic.

On further analysis of this scene the audience can gather that their home is low quality, this view is gathered by the fact that the walls are un-painted and thus you are able to directly see the breeze blocks. This could represent the fact that they have not been able to decorate, this could be due to lack of funds, if so then this would back up the idea that these are lower class people. If you put this together we can see that the producers have used the stereotype that lower class people are heavy drinkers, careless and can't afford comforts in their homes that their more wealthy counterparts may have.

A close up shot is used on the main character as his mood changes; it zooms in and slightly back out various times sharply as if to represent a sudden change in the atmosphere as he becomes aggravated by the other character. This gives off the idea that lower class people are easily wound up, and that they can snap quickly when aggravated.

The sound in the background at this point is very different to the overall atmosphere of the scene; it sounds oriental which could be seen as relaxing and this can be seen by the audience as a contrast to previous parts of the scenes. It could also represent that the main character is intoxicated and thus why there is some calming and relaxing music. 

There is a lot of profanities used throughout this first scene by most characters which is stereotypical of lower class people as it is widely regarded that they have a lack of good education and haven't learnt formal and proper ways of speaking.

The editing for the clip is mainly down to the use of a bright filter that gives the scene a wintery cold feel, when they go outside this is carried on. Only we can see that the location is a council house, a place where lower class individuals stereotypically live

At the end of the video we see that the atmosphere between the family has picked up and is now quite a happy effect, there is some more upbeat music which helps to portray this effect. The main character is then embarrassed by the fact that the caravan only sold for very little. This is soon overcome by the family as they laugh it off, this is stereotypical of lower class families as they need to be able to overcome problems more easily as they face them more often.

Near to the end of the clip we see a young girl with a baby, this could be to represent that lower class people can sometimes make bad choices and end up paying the consequences.

Finally we see an establishing shot of the area, this reenforces what I said earlier about the council estate. 

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Ethnicity in TV Drama

By: Nathan on 05:52

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Secret Diary of a Call Girl - representation of disability

By: Nathan on 11:51

• The characters featured in this clip are represented in a wide variety of ways. the first of these involves the female character who is known in the video as the "call girl". She is not represented to match a stereotypical image of what people perceive a call girl to look and act like. Instead she is wearing formal clothing and thus doesn't look over glamourized ( a common stereotype for a call girl). She doesn't have much makeup and her hair is fairly normal, both of which contribute to the fact that she just looks like a fairly normal woman of her age bracket. she is represented in the video as caring and tries her best to make the disabled male feel at home. As a viewer we get the impression that she isn't very used to doing this and therefore struggles at times, often stuttering. This could be because she doesn't want to and is in fact scared that she may offend the disabled male. This represents the common stereotype that more able people feel awkward when making conversation with a disabled person due to the fact they might offend them. It is represented in the video that she perceives the disabled male as being non-sexual, this links to one of Paul Hunts 10 stereotype areas (non-sexual).

• In contrast to the female character the disabled boy is represented in a way that the audience are supposed to feel sorry for him, this makes the audience pity him which is also one of Paul Hunts 10 areas of disability stereotypes (pitiable or pathetic), as an audience we are forced y the situation to do this as he is portrayed to be weak as he cant carry out simple everyday tasks. He is also represented as reliant on his dad to take him and help him about his life, it is portrayed that this is not very appealing to him as it denies him a certain level of freedom. Another fact is that in most of the camera shots he is shown as shorter than the other characters which represents his vulnerability and less able state. as far as mise-en-scene goes he is simply wearing a T-shirt, this is typical for boys of his age and is arguabley a way in which he tries to fit in and be the same.

• The dad is represented in the clip as having the best intention for his son and being caring to wards him. Visually he is portrayed as being strong we can see this due to the relative ease with which he lifts his son. as with the other two characters, he is represented as feeling awkward in the situation and to a certain extent he is nervous as well. Overall he is represented as masculine and strong, this is essentially a stereotypical male. To back this up we see the clothes he is wearing link to a decorator or some other type of labour intensive job that stereotypically women cant or don't do.

The sound for this video Is mainly a combination of the noises in the car and the music and talking in the room. The first of which is the talking which is diagenic sound, the second is in the car when the dad keeps playing with the electric window, this sound represents that he is nervous and fidgety due to the fact that he has had to leave his son.

For the mise-en-scene part of the analysis, there are various aspects to look at. These include, the colour of the flat is mainly pink, this represents that the disabled male is less masculine due to his disability. Furthermore the flat includes some luxurious features for example the bed has some elegant and posh looking bed clothes, this could represent the fact that that the woman is an item that can be used and that is desirable to men, this is an aspect of the male gaze. Also an element to mise-en-scene is the fact that the lighting has a warm tone which represents warmth and comfort which is a desirable aspect to the "users" of a "call girl".

The editing aspect to the video includes long scenes when the "call girl" and the disabled boy are in shot, thus representing that they are comfortable together and that some of the awkwardness has gone away. The scenes with the dad in the car however, a jump cuts primarily, emphasizing the fact that he is probably anxious as he doesn't like leaving his son.
In the video there are a variety of different camera shots, the first of which is a long shot which allows the viewer to see the disabled male and the back of the female, this gives an accurate view of what the female is wearing, the camera then pans up and reveals the farther, this portrays the de-similarity between the farther and the son. There is then an establishing shot which gives viewers a sense of space and allows them to accurately guess the future of the situation as the representations via aspects in the room sink in. One of the next shots is of the male in his wheelchair, this is a mid shot and only includes the male and the other character's legs this represents the fact that he can only see one thing and that also he is lower that the other characters, this links well with the class and status is clearly portrayed to have a lower status in society than the other characters due to his disability. When filming the farther (the same is true with the female) the camera generally moves around and pans more, whereas when the disabled male is the centre of the shot they generally only use a few different angles and they are all mid shots, this could represent the fact that due to his disability he can't just get up and walk as the other characters can. This is one way in which the element of pity is instilled into the audience as he cant doe the everyday tasks the other characters take for granted i.e. walk.

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Why Did Dredd Flop At The Box Office?

By: Nathan on 11:26

 

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Beyonce - 1+1 male gaze analysis

By: Nathan on 13:48

 

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Gender in TV drama

By: Nathan on 13:10

Word Document

 

Video Analysis

 

I decided to do a quick video analysis because I thought that this video clip was interesting as the stereotypical gender roles appear to be reversed.  

 



 

Camera Shots

• Close Up: The first shot that we are presented with is a close up of some people these are extras as such. We are then moved on to the second shot which is a close up of two of the main characters. This is when we get to see the characters, they appear to be hiding in a sort of air vent cover. We automatically get the feeling that these characters are not very powerful in this situation. This turns out to be due to the fact that one of the men's dad (the previous king) is being striped of his crown.

 

• Establishing Shot: There then is an establishing shot, this shows the audience the characters, and show a women leading what was (in that time) a primarily male dominated society, this gives the viewer a sense of what is to become and restores a sense of space.

• Low angle: The next shot we are presented with is a low angle shot where the king (previously) is on the floor looking up (as is the camera) to a woman in front of the throne, this particular shot emphasizes the fact that the male on the floor has now been striped of all status and any power he had, we it also establishes the fact that the woman is clearly dominating and at this moment in time has more status and power than anyone else.

• Mid Shot: We are then presented with a mid shot of the male that we now find out is named Uther, this further establishers his lack of power and influence over the situation as he is being held by two guards, this further emphasizes the woman's power over him.

Editing

• Cross cutting: As the conversation takes place between Uther and the woman the editor flicks between views depending on who's talking, this allows the audience to full appreciate the power the woman has over him, as she is ignoring what he says and caring on with her proceedings

Sound

• Crowd: The crowd in the shot are making no noise this increases the tension of the situation and makes the audience experience Uther's lack of power thus further representing the female as superior.  

Mise-en-Scene

• Lighting: The room is primarily lit by candles and fire, these fires and candles are all at the front of the room this means that the fire is representing power and thus emphasizes the woman's status.

 

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Paul Lazarsfeld - Limited Effects Theory

By: Nathan on 05:02

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Marjorie Ferguson - Male Gaze Facial Expressions

By: Nathan on 05:00

Marjorie Ferguson (1980) identified four types of facial expression in the cover photos of British women’s magazines: 

1. Chocolate Box: half or full-smile, lips together or slightly parted, teeth barely visible, full or three-quarter face to camera. Projected mood: blandly pleasing, warm bath warmth, where uniformity of features in their smooth perfection is devoid of uniqueness or of individuality.
2. Invitational: emphasis on the eyes, mouth shut or with only a hint of a smile, head to one side or looking back to camera. Projected mood: suggestive of mischief or mystery, the hint of contact potential rather than sexual promise, the cover equivalent of advertising’s soft sell.
3. Super-smiler: full face, wide open toothy smile, head thrust forward or chin thrown back, hair often wind-blown. Projected mood: aggressive, ‘look-at-me’ demanding, the hard sell, ‘big come-on’ approach.
4. Romantic or Sexual: a fourth and more general classification devised to include  male and female ‘two-somes’; or the dreamy, heavy-lidded, unsmiling big-heads, or the overtly sensual or sexual. Projected moods: possible ‘available’ and definitely ‘available’. 

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Representation of Status - Coronation Street

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Video (Coronation Street - Tina's murder)

Written Analysis (Power Point Document)

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Class and status

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Presentation

 

 

 

Hand Out

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Common stereotypes

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REPRESENTATIONS – COMMON STEREOTYPES

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Moving Image glossary

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Also worthwhile to look at is the Grammar of Film website
 

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Institutions and Audiences - The 7 Key Concept Areas Listed and Explained

By: Nathan on 10:56

 

Section B: Institutions and Audiences

Candidates should be prepared to understand and discuss the processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary media institutions, as well as the nature of audience consumption and the relationships between audiences and institutions. In addition, candidates should be familiar with:

• The issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice.
• The importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing.
• The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange.
• The significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences.
• The importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences.
• The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions.
• The ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

This unit should be approached through contemporary examples in the form of case studies based upon one of the specified media areas.  See explanations below.

 

Section B: Institutions and Audiences.

The Exam Board will select one concept to devise a question for the exam. The concepts are explained below:

 

• The issues raised by media ownership in contemporary (current) media practice: The depth and range of ownership across a range of media and the consequences of this ownership for audiences in terms of the genres and budgets for films. How for instance, can Channel4's Film4 survive in the British market place against the high concept, big-budget films made by Newcorp's FOX, Warner Bros, Disney, Universal, etc.? What kinds of niche audiences are left for Film4 to attract? Are mass audiences out of reach given the genres of films Film4 have the budgets to make? How successful have they been in reaching mass audiences with their films? How healthy is it that just a few mega media groups can own such a range of media and can decide what the public may see, and, perhaps, shape audience's tastes?
• The importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing: Digital technology is enabling various media to converge in hubs, platforms and devices. For instance, mobiles phones do a lot more than act as hand held telephones: you can download and watch films and TV programmes, use them as alarm clocks, watches, play music on them, take photos and short films, text, go online, use GPS functions, a range of apps, and a whole lot more. TVs, Playstations, X-Boxes, iPads, Notebooks, MacBooks, etc. are also examples of hubs which in which a variety of media technologies can converge for convenience for users. Media convergence is having an enormous impact on the film industry because of the ways in which institutions can produce and market for audiences/users on a widening range of platforms, capable of receiving their films.
  

  

   

  Synergies can come out of an organisation's size; smaller media organisations such as Channel4 can-cross promote their films, etc. but the scale of cross-media promotion is nowhere near as great as that which can be gained by massive media organisations. Film4 is therefore unable to promote their lower budget films on a level playing field.
  

 

• The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange: The audience's ability to interact with films by, for instance, using digital technology to put extracts on You Tube and overlay new sound tracks on them, etc. and make answering videos has been greatly enhanced by Web 2.0; Film studios can make films using CGI, greenscreen and other special effects that were impossible to make only a few years ago. The ways of filming and editing films have changed, too, with the introduction of digital film and film cameras, editing software, laptops, digital projectors, etc. Distributors market films using the latest software for designing high-concept film posters and trailers. They can use phone apps., online marketing, Face Book, etc. File-sharing and piracy are growing issues because the software exists to take the protective encryption of DVDs, etc and WEB 2.0 enables people to make and share copies of films easily. One way in which film companies are trying to get around this is by releasing films soon after theatrical release by selling them on video-on-demand, premium TV channels and downloads. US and UK cinemas chains are not happy about this, especially after all the investment some have made on digital equipment, projectors, etc. which unfortunately quickly goes very quickly out of date!

• The significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences: This means the increase of something: i.e. digital cameras, software, CGI, 3D films, film genres, etc. which are part of current trends; how significant is this for See Saw Films or Film4? Or are they still able to be successful without it by making films with genres that do not need the latest breakthroughs in digital technology? Research the film company's use of cameras, special effects, software, posters, digital distribution of films, etc.
• The importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences: This is a WEB 2.0 issue and how technology is coming together in hubs like laptops is one of the features of our age; the mobile phone in your pocket is a great example of technological convergence: it can do so much more than a simple phone call; think how this is affecting film making at the production, marketing and exhibition stages? The Internet is acting as a hub for many aspects of film: you will find film posters, You Tube videos on films, interviews, trailers, official film and blog websites, etc. on it.  Audiences can also remake their own films by creating extracts and running new scores over them and then posting them on You Tube. This often leads to answering videos, never mind the comments, etc. that people make  on such sites. The internet, film and videos games seems to be converging in so many ways. People can watch films in a range of ways, using an astonishing range of hardware and software. They can also find audiences of their own. This amounts to free publicity for film institutions for their films and "A Long Tail" sales into the future through endless exchange.
• The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions: "Slumdog Millionaire" was originally aimed at Asian audiences living in various parts of the UK and also at Danny Boyle fans. The film's unexpected success at film festivals and being nominated for the Oscars led to another theatrical release and a crossover from the "indy" art-house into the mainstream. British film makers often make social realism films and aim them at local and regional audiences whereas this would never be enough for the major media players who tend to make high budget, high concept films. They have boutique offshoots who make and often distribute lower budget films, aimed at more high brow audiences. Disney's Mirimax and Fox's Fox Searchlight are examples of such boutique, art-house film distribution.
• The ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour: How you consume films whether it is as a social activity after visiting a shopping centre or on an MP4 player or Playstation, is what is at issue here. Visit Pearl and Dean to see how multiplex cinemas are adapting the experience of cinema-going to gain audiences. In an age of falling DVD sales, home cinema and an increase in downloading for both music and film audiences are changing in how they want to consume film. Identify trends and consider where the audience trends are going in the near future.

This unit should be approached through contemporary (up-to-date) examples in the form of case studies based upon one of the specified media areas. Our students are studying the British Film industry with See-Saw Films and Bedlam Productions' The King's Speech or Film4's Slumdog Millionaire; for comparative purposes they are also preparing a case study of US film production/distributor with an example film.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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Representation Of Argument - Corronation Street

By: Nathan on 11:46

 

 

Video (Coronation Street - Tina's murder)

 

 

 

Written Analysis (Power Point Document)

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