Friday, 29 April 2016
Monday, 25 April 2016
Doc Martin- Discuss the ways the extract constructs representations of regional identity
Discuss the ways the extract constructs representations of regional identity.
Notes
- Camera/angles/movement
- Sound
- Editing
- Mise-en scene
- Cornish- Often shown as being 'backwards', living in rural areas or working on farms
- London- Rich, posh, snobby, upper class
- Establishing shot at beginning shows setting and characters in frame
- Outfits vary, deep focus allows us to see the costumes clearly
- Working class workers
- Middle class doctor
- Lighting encourages the look of working class (manual labour)
- Low angle shot proves that Doc Martin is a higher status
- Visually see the sink which emphasises what the workers are doing (action code)
- One of the workers (son), is an unconventional character who goes against the stereotype
- Music is sleepy sounding which shows the village is quiet and calm
- When the water bursts, it shows they can't handle stress as they can't deal with it but Doc Martin can which shows he is from a different background
- Close up of his face as he shouts which shows his commanding nature as he is from a different background
- Long shot of him walking with dog which shows his clothing compared to villagers with basic clothes (semic code)
- Over the shoulder shot
- Mid shot
- Shot reverse shot shows fast paced editing
- Tracking shot follows person
Wednesday, 20 April 2016
Example of tv dramas that represent regional identity
Doc Martin- Set in a rural Cornish village/ shown as being backwards and living in rural areas
Downton Abbey- A very wealthy family living in a large castle like house/very rich, posh, happy, living in castles and being very “royal.”
Shameless- Set in Manchester on a Chatsworth council estate/ Portrayed as being uneducated, chavs and criminals
Happy Valley- Shown as living in the Calder Valley in Yorkshire/ Portrayed as living in the rural countryside
Stella- A simple job that doesn't require much labour as she may be seen a less intelligent. As well as being set in a rural town in Wales/ Often shown as being less intelligent and living in the countryside
Downton Abbey- A very wealthy family living in a large castle like house/very rich, posh, happy, living in castles and being very “royal.”
Shameless- Set in Manchester on a Chatsworth council estate/ Portrayed as being uneducated, chavs and criminals
Happy Valley- Shown as living in the Calder Valley in Yorkshire/ Portrayed as living in the rural countryside
Stella- A simple job that doesn't require much labour as she may be seen a less intelligent. As well as being set in a rural town in Wales/ Often shown as being less intelligent and living in the countryside
Representation of regional identity
- Refers to here in the UK someone is from
- Refers to areas such as 'north' or 'south', and country 'England' or 'Scotland' and cities such as 'London' or 'Manchester'
•Scottish – often shown as being money obsessed, won’t pay for anything, drinks a lot of alcohol, loves the outdoors, wears kilts, eats haggis, quite aggressive and violent
•Welsh –Often shown as living in the middle of the countryside, less intelligent, good at singing (Male voice choirs),with people making jokes about them “shagging sheep”
• Irish – often shown as living in the countryside, working in rural areas such as farms, being very religious, being good at dancing and singing (love a good craic), very friendly but less intelligent
• English – often shown as being racist (think St George cross on houses or cars), obsessed with beer and football living in London. Sometimes the stereotype goes in the opposite direction of showing English people as very rich, posh, happy, living in castles and being very “royal.”
•London – There are two main stereotypes of Londoners. One is that they are often shown as being rich, posh, snobby, upper class, Hugh Grant types from central or west london. The other is that they often shown as being from north, east or south London, poor, common, lower class, criminalistic, violent “Kidulthood” style
•Manchester / Newcastle / Liverpool – Often shown as being “chavs”, wearing fake designer labels, or tracksuits, drinking a lot, being aggressive, uneducated, criminals
• Essex – often shown as being glamorous but cheap, footballer’s wives, lots of partying, being quite stupid
•Yorkshire – Often shown as living in rural countryside, with rolling hills and cobbled streets, being quite old fashioned (despite Yorkshire being the biggest county and containing large cities such as: Leeds, York and Sheffield)
•Cornwall / Somerset – Often shown as being “backwards”, living in rural areas, working on farms
•South England – often shown as being the centre of culture, modern, classy, clever, sunny, richer, doing middle class jobs where one dresses smartly
•North England – often shown as being poorer, bad weather, lower class, aggressive, less culture, less clever, doing working class jobs such as builders etc
Tuesday, 5 January 2016
To what extent does digital distributon affect the marketing and consumption of media products in the area of media you have studied
It is argued that digital distribution has a massive impact on marketing and consumption of media products. E.g. things like Netflix or iTunes.
Through the use of internet, VOD has become increasing popular. It allows people to watch and stream movies from home rather than go out and rent a DVD etc. VOD was launched in 2001 and many companies soon used it through the internet and allows people to access better streaming and downloading for films.
A film directed by Bill Wheatley called A Field in England (who also directed Kill List), released this film at the same time on VOD, DVD and cinema. He believed that this would boost the films income as it was available to more people on its release.
However, films like Mad Max Fury Road were illegally pirated thousands of times. The studios won't earn any money from this illegal method but it still gains recognition for the film and the studios.
Through the use of internet, VOD has become increasing popular. It allows people to watch and stream movies from home rather than go out and rent a DVD etc. VOD was launched in 2001 and many companies soon used it through the internet and allows people to access better streaming and downloading for films.
A film directed by Bill Wheatley called A Field in England (who also directed Kill List), released this film at the same time on VOD, DVD and cinema. He believed that this would boost the films income as it was available to more people on its release.
However, films like Mad Max Fury Road were illegally pirated thousands of times. The studios won't earn any money from this illegal method but it still gains recognition for the film and the studios.
Monday, 4 January 2016
Discuss ways in which the extract constructs the representation of ethnicity
In the extract of Hotel Babylon, representation of ethnicity is constructed with the help camera angles, mise en scene, editing and sound.
In the opening scene of the extract, mise en scene is used to show us a white male with a suit on being talked to by two men in uniform who appear to be police officers. A semic code is then used to portray to the audience that this man is the owner of the hotel because of the clothes he is wearing and his attitude towards the police officers as he appears to be controlling man which suits the owner of a hotel. We can tell that he is high up in the hierarchy of his workplace which fits the stereotype of white males being wealthy and having good jobs.
The following scene shows lots of illegal working racing around to try and get hidden. Dramatic, intense music is included to portray the workers panic and hurry to hide and not be found. Quick editing is used to cut between different people trying to find a hiding spot to increase the feeling of urgency. There appears to be conflict between the two races as the white officers are entering to find the non-white workers and take them away as they don't have the authority to be doing what they're doing. This is a stereotype as there is conflict between the races.
In the following scene an action code is used when a woman faints due to her diabetes. A black male immediately helps her out, this is a countertype as black males are usually portrayed as only caring about themselves and a bit thuggish but he is caring and helps her out.
In the next scene, a black male cleaner is captured by the white officers. This meets the stereotype of black people being criminals as during a mid shot we can see that the white man is in charge and the black male has clearly been captured. Also he meets the stereotype of black people being pitied or pitiful as we are made to feel sorry for him in this circumstance.
In conclusion, ethnicity stereotypes are massively used in this extract through the use of camera work, mise en scene, editing and sound to show the storyline that white males and coming into the hotel to capture the black workers.
In the opening scene of the extract, mise en scene is used to show us a white male with a suit on being talked to by two men in uniform who appear to be police officers. A semic code is then used to portray to the audience that this man is the owner of the hotel because of the clothes he is wearing and his attitude towards the police officers as he appears to be controlling man which suits the owner of a hotel. We can tell that he is high up in the hierarchy of his workplace which fits the stereotype of white males being wealthy and having good jobs.
The following scene shows lots of illegal working racing around to try and get hidden. Dramatic, intense music is included to portray the workers panic and hurry to hide and not be found. Quick editing is used to cut between different people trying to find a hiding spot to increase the feeling of urgency. There appears to be conflict between the two races as the white officers are entering to find the non-white workers and take them away as they don't have the authority to be doing what they're doing. This is a stereotype as there is conflict between the races.
In the following scene an action code is used when a woman faints due to her diabetes. A black male immediately helps her out, this is a countertype as black males are usually portrayed as only caring about themselves and a bit thuggish but he is caring and helps her out.
In the next scene, a black male cleaner is captured by the white officers. This meets the stereotype of black people being criminals as during a mid shot we can see that the white man is in charge and the black male has clearly been captured. Also he meets the stereotype of black people being pitied or pitiful as we are made to feel sorry for him in this circumstance.
In conclusion, ethnicity stereotypes are massively used in this extract through the use of camera work, mise en scene, editing and sound to show the storyline that white males and coming into the hotel to capture the black workers.
Discuss ways in which the extract constructs the representation of age
From this extract of Waterloo Road, we can see that the representation of age is constructed with the help of camera angles, mise en scene, sound and editing.
In the opening scene, we can see camera angles such as a establishing shot and a panning shot. The establishing shot portrays the characters that will be involved in this scene, being two pupils and a male teacher and the shot gives us an idea of the time of day, location etc. The panning shot reveals that the two pupils are wearing similar clothing and the male teacher is wearing smarter clothing. From this mise en scene we can put together that the male teacher is higher up in authority as he is wearing his own clothing and has the power to do that but the other two younger men in the scene can't do that as they are younger and don't have the authority so they must wear the correct uniform. By the teacher wearing these clothes it fits the stereotype of them being work orientated, whilst he tells the boys off for not wearing their uniform correctly, which meets the stereotype of teenagers being lazy and they meet the stereotype of arrogance when they talk back to the teacher. Over the shoulder shots are used so the audience can follow the conversation between the pupils and the teacher. When a second teacher arrives on the scene, the flow of the conversation abruptly stops when she finds out her camera is broken. The atmosphere becomes more hostile which fits the stereotype of there being conflict between different age groups and shows the generation gap.
The next scene shows an interior, two shot of a boy and a girl walking down the school corridor. The mise en scene implies that they are in a school environment as everyone is wearing similar uniform to each other, they are all carrying bags and it is very busy and crowded. This two shot combines with an establishing shot to show the location that it is set in. Loud, intense music is added when another girl enters the scene and starts to verbally attack them both, and then physically attacks a different boy. This loud music portrays the conflict between them. The girl that enters the scene meets the stereotype of teenagers being out of control due to her breaking school rules and attacking someone.
The following scene shows a male teacher sitting at the front of the classroom full of students. He fits the stereotype of adults being in control and having more power as the students seem to obey his commands. Loud music is introduced during a sound bridge over to a scene of the girl from a previous scene attacking a boy and cornering him in a room aggressively. A symbolic code is recognised as the room is darker than all the others which implies that something dark or bad is going to happen. When she is attacking the boy, it meets the stereotype of teenagers being selfish as she is only picking on him because she wants to and no other reason at all. Over the shoulder shots are rapidly used to keep up with the conversation. A countertype is also shown as they both seem to be expressing emotions but a stereotype for teenagers is that they don't show emotions but they clearly do as she is getting angry and he is scared and panicking.
In the next scene an adult is shown wearing teenagers clothes. When two girls appear and see him, they see him through a low angle shot and he sees them as a high angle shot, this implies that he has more power than them because of his status as a teacher. A countertype is also shown as a stereotype for adults is that they dress smartly but he is dressed in a jeans and a t-shirt so he doesn't meet the stereotype but counteracts it.
In conclusion, stereotypes and countertypes are portrayed through this extract in the use of camera angles, mise en scene, editing and sound.
In the opening scene, we can see camera angles such as a establishing shot and a panning shot. The establishing shot portrays the characters that will be involved in this scene, being two pupils and a male teacher and the shot gives us an idea of the time of day, location etc. The panning shot reveals that the two pupils are wearing similar clothing and the male teacher is wearing smarter clothing. From this mise en scene we can put together that the male teacher is higher up in authority as he is wearing his own clothing and has the power to do that but the other two younger men in the scene can't do that as they are younger and don't have the authority so they must wear the correct uniform. By the teacher wearing these clothes it fits the stereotype of them being work orientated, whilst he tells the boys off for not wearing their uniform correctly, which meets the stereotype of teenagers being lazy and they meet the stereotype of arrogance when they talk back to the teacher. Over the shoulder shots are used so the audience can follow the conversation between the pupils and the teacher. When a second teacher arrives on the scene, the flow of the conversation abruptly stops when she finds out her camera is broken. The atmosphere becomes more hostile which fits the stereotype of there being conflict between different age groups and shows the generation gap.
The next scene shows an interior, two shot of a boy and a girl walking down the school corridor. The mise en scene implies that they are in a school environment as everyone is wearing similar uniform to each other, they are all carrying bags and it is very busy and crowded. This two shot combines with an establishing shot to show the location that it is set in. Loud, intense music is added when another girl enters the scene and starts to verbally attack them both, and then physically attacks a different boy. This loud music portrays the conflict between them. The girl that enters the scene meets the stereotype of teenagers being out of control due to her breaking school rules and attacking someone.
The following scene shows a male teacher sitting at the front of the classroom full of students. He fits the stereotype of adults being in control and having more power as the students seem to obey his commands. Loud music is introduced during a sound bridge over to a scene of the girl from a previous scene attacking a boy and cornering him in a room aggressively. A symbolic code is recognised as the room is darker than all the others which implies that something dark or bad is going to happen. When she is attacking the boy, it meets the stereotype of teenagers being selfish as she is only picking on him because she wants to and no other reason at all. Over the shoulder shots are rapidly used to keep up with the conversation. A countertype is also shown as they both seem to be expressing emotions but a stereotype for teenagers is that they don't show emotions but they clearly do as she is getting angry and he is scared and panicking.
In the next scene an adult is shown wearing teenagers clothes. When two girls appear and see him, they see him through a low angle shot and he sees them as a high angle shot, this implies that he has more power than them because of his status as a teacher. A countertype is also shown as a stereotype for adults is that they dress smartly but he is dressed in a jeans and a t-shirt so he doesn't meet the stereotype but counteracts it.
In conclusion, stereotypes and countertypes are portrayed through this extract in the use of camera angles, mise en scene, editing and sound.
Monday, 14 December 2015
Distribution
Distribution - What is it?
-What part of the supply chain is distribution?
It is the third part of the supply chain
It is the third part of the supply chain
-What is distribution often referred to as?
It is referred to as invisible art
It is referred to as invisible art
-What does 'vertical integration' mean when discussing distribution?
This is when the production company has the ownership of the means of production, distribution and exhibition of the film by the same company, because of this they receive all of the profit.
-Why isn't 'vertical integration' so common in the independent sector?
In the independent film sector, vertical integration does not operate so commonly. Producers tend not to have long-term economic links with distributors, who likewise have no formal connections with exhibitors.
-What three stages are involved in the independent sector?
licensing, marketing and logistics.
This is when the production company has the ownership of the means of production, distribution and exhibition of the film by the same company, because of this they receive all of the profit.
-Why isn't 'vertical integration' so common in the independent sector?
In the independent film sector, vertical integration does not operate so commonly. Producers tend not to have long-term economic links with distributors, who likewise have no formal connections with exhibitors.
-What three stages are involved in the independent sector?
licensing, marketing and logistics.
-What is licencing?
Licensing is the process by which a distributor acquires the legal right to exploit a film. In distribution, licensing itself can take place on two levels.
-What are the two levels of licencing?
International distribution and local distribution
Licensing is the process by which a distributor acquires the legal right to exploit a film. In distribution, licensing itself can take place on two levels.
-What are the two levels of licencing?
International distribution and local distribution
-What is the advantage of being a major US studio?
-What three different types of rights can you acquire on a local level?
-What are royalties?
-What is the most effective way to increase interest in a film?
-How long does it take for a film to reach 'free to air' TV?
What are the two key questions surrounding the marketing of a film?
What day are films typically released on?
What will a distributor look at before releasing a film on a Friday?
What is a 'light' week in terms of distribution?
What does it mean to 'position' a film distinctively?
Why has this become increasingly difficult in the UK?
What are P&A?
How much can P&A cost?
Typically how many prints will a 'specialised' film have?
How many will mainstream films have?
What is a key factor in developing the profile of a film?
How else can awareness of a film be raised?
Why is distribution in the UK seen as risky?
Why are companies looking towards viral marketing?
What are the benefits of a 'talent visit'
In the pre digital film age what was a distributor responsible for?
How much does a 35mm print typically cost?
How many reals is a typical feature print?
Why do 35mm prints get damaged?
Where are prints stored?
How long did a theatrical release used to last?
When did digital distribution begin in the UK?
Name two advantages of digital distribution
Which countries adopted digital distribution early and why?
How many screens were digital in 2005 and how many are now (you'll need to google this)
Why has digital distribution radically altered the operating model of distributors?
What has happened to the typical release period for a film?
What is a loss leader (google it) and why are companies using the Cinema as a potential loss leader?
Monday, 7 December 2015
British film companies
Warp X- Warp Films produced Kill List with Bill Wheatley directing it. They're a British film production company, sister to Warp Films bases in Sheffield, UK with further offices in Nottingham and London. The company was founded in 2005 and produces feature films with budgets usually between £400k and £800k. Their intent was to add energy and vitality to the British film industry.
Studio Canal- They are a French based company, but were the most prominent Uk distributors in the early 21st century when they distributed Kill List. They are a French based distribution company. They own the third largest film library in the world.
Film Yorkshire- In 2000, nine different regional screen agencies, one in each English region, to deliver support to film making. Co production with other companies.
Film 4- They're a British, digital, television channel available in the UK. They are responsible for a large number of films made in the UK. Co produced Kill List with other companies.
UK Film Council- Set up in 2000 to promote the UK film industry. It is funded by many different sources including things like the national lottery. Their aim was to make a competitive, vibrant and successful British film industry.
Rook Films- A PLC founded in 2010
Optimum releasing- A film distributing company based in UK and Ireland. They release many films including foreign films.
IFC Midnight- An American distribution company based in New York. They distribute independent films and documentaries.
Village Roadshow- An Australian company with interests in cinema, theme parks, film production and distribution.
Ratpac-Dune entertainment- An American motion pictures financing company.
Warner Bros- An American entertainment company that produces television and music entertainment. It is one of the major production companies. It's base is in Burbank, California
DNA Films-
Studio Canal- They are a French based company, but were the most prominent Uk distributors in the early 21st century when they distributed Kill List. They are a French based distribution company. They own the third largest film library in the world.
Film Yorkshire- In 2000, nine different regional screen agencies, one in each English region, to deliver support to film making. Co production with other companies.
Film 4- They're a British, digital, television channel available in the UK. They are responsible for a large number of films made in the UK. Co produced Kill List with other companies.
UK Film Council- Set up in 2000 to promote the UK film industry. It is funded by many different sources including things like the national lottery. Their aim was to make a competitive, vibrant and successful British film industry.
Rook Films- A PLC founded in 2010
Optimum releasing- A film distributing company based in UK and Ireland. They release many films including foreign films.
IFC Midnight- An American distribution company based in New York. They distribute independent films and documentaries.
Village Roadshow- An Australian company with interests in cinema, theme parks, film production and distribution.
Ratpac-Dune entertainment- An American motion pictures financing company.
Warner Bros- An American entertainment company that produces television and music entertainment. It is one of the major production companies. It's base is in Burbank, California
DNA Films-
Wednesday, 2 December 2015
Representation of Class and Status
Upper Class:
Breaking Bad- Elliot and Gretchen are a multi millionaire couple that play the role of being Walters friends, however seem to be constantly looking down on Walter as they are much wealthier. They meet the stereotype of judgemental, well educated upper class people. They also offer Walter money for his cancer treatment which is a countertype as wealthy people are usually reluctant to give away money but these aren't.
Downton Abbey- The Crawley family are portrayed as a well educated, wealthy and influential people. This is also shown by their number of servants. They meet the stereotype of upper class people being well spoken as they enunciate their words clearly and use a wide range of vocabulary.
Middle Class:
Breaking Bad- The White family are a working class family who meet the stereotype of lower class people being hard working towards making money and this shows as the parents work very hard to make their money.
Waterloo Road- They're clearly middle class as they work hard for their money and are well committed to their job.
Lower Class:
Misfits- As the TV drama is about young offenders, and it is aimed at teenagers, it will interest this age group as they can relate to the use of language and behaviour.
Monday, 30 November 2015
Representation of ethnicity- Line of Duty extract
Office scene
-The woman in this scene asks the man a question during a shot-reverse shot which implies that he is higher up in status than her and in the job hierarchy which is a countertype of the fact that black people aren't intelligent and this scene clearly portrays that he is.
House scene
-Hand held camera when he enters the house in an angry fashion, meets the stereotype of him being dangerous as it represents how he may be erratic.
-Camera zooms towards his angry face which suggests that he meets the stereotype of danger.
-When he has calmed down, the mid shot of him appears to be steady and stable which meets the stereotype of black people being friendly
-However when he begins to get angry again and arrests the woman, a two-shot is presented and is then hand held and the camera shakes which meets the stereotype of black people being dangerous again.
Car scene
- Tilted/canted camera angle of the women meets the stereotype of how white people are unstable.
- Close up of the black man which shows his tears, this meets the stereotype of how we feel pity towards him.
Sunday, 29 November 2015
Representation of ethnicity
Four key themes in racial representation:
- Exotic or other
- Dangerous
- Humorous
- Pitied
- Drug related
- Gangsters
- Athletes
- Friendly
- Criminals
The Walking Dead- Gabriel could be presented as exotic as he is a priest and as he believes in no violence, it shows that he may be weaker than others
Stereotypes for white people:
- Arrogant
- Rational
- Well Educated
- Awkward
Sherlock- Sherlock Holmes is socially very awkward as well as being highly educated
The Walking Dead- Rick is presented as making rational decisions as he is leader. He contrasts certain stereotypes as he isn't well educated and he isn't socially awkward as he is leader of the group and needs to be controlling.
Prison Break- Michael Scofield is presented stereotypically as he is very well educated and very rational in his decisions. However he also very kind and humble which contrasts the stereotype of whites being arrogant.
Stereotypes for East Asians:
- Intelligent
- Emotionless
- Hard Working
- Determined
- Good with technology
- Martial arts
The Walking Dead- Glenn is represented stereotypically as he is hard working, intelligent and very determined as he is one of the main characters in this TV drama. However he also contrasts the stereotype of them being emotionless as he is in a relationship with his wife.
Prison Break- William Kim is shown as being intelligent and hard working as he is very committed towards his job. He is also represented stereotypically as he shows lack of emotion.
Stereotypes of South Asians:
- Educated
- Religious
- Villains
- Criminals
- Educated
Monday, 23 November 2015
The British Film Industry
Why have a British film industry?
Pathe
Film4
eone
Working Title
The Avengers Age Of Ultron- 18/35
Ex Machina- 21/35
Mad Max Fury Road- 11/35
Star Wars: The Force Awakens- 12/35
eOne, StudioCanal and Entertainment control half of box office income made on all independent UK films.
How to be British
A British film industry allows films to grow and become popular in Britain. Also it acts as a business opportunity which can boost Britain's economy.
Pathe
- Chicken Run
- Inbetweeners 2
- Kill List
- MacBeth
- Cuban Fury
Film4
- Ex Machina
- Suffragette
- Two Brothers
- Trance
- Thunderpants
eone
- The Hunger Games
- Insidious 3
- Pixels
- The Age of Adaline
- The Little Prince
Working Title
- Everest
- We Are Your Friends
- Legend
- The Theory of Everything
- Rush
bigtalk productions
- The Worlds End
- Hot Fuzz
- Scott Pilgrim vs the World
- Cuban Fury
- In Fear
Warpfilm
- Four Lions
- This is England
- 71
- Submarine
- The Stone Roses
The Avengers Age Of Ultron- 18/35
Ex Machina- 21/35
Mad Max Fury Road- 11/35
Star Wars: The Force Awakens- 12/35
eOne, StudioCanal and Entertainment control half of box office income made on all independent UK films.
How to be British
- British director
- British producer
- Mostly British cast
- British production company
- British identity by the BFI
- British subject matter
- Sticking to the criteria
- Popular actors
- Originality
- Making sequels or prequels
- Play with British stereotypes
- High budget
- Usually have a smaller budget
- Niche audiences
- Mainstream- Usually only watches big Hollywood blockbusters and nothing else
- Aficionados- Watches a mix of films, including major foreign films
- Mainstream: plus- Likes the big blockbuster films but will see slightly lower budget films e.g. Mad Max Fury Road
- Film buffs- In favour of more challenging and interesting films e.g. Ex Machina
A British film industry allows films to grow and become popular in Britain. Also it acts as a business opportunity which can boost Britain's economy.
Monday, 16 November 2015
Mad Max Fury Road Facts
- Mad Max Fury Road starred actors such as Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult
- Filming first concluded in 2012
- Reshoots for the film happened in 2013
- The first set of filming lasted 120 days
- Early attempts were made to shoot the film in 2001 and 2003, but were delayed because of the Iraq war
- The film had a world premier on 7 May 2015
- Mel Gibson was originally supposed to star as Max but didn't after his cancellation
- It began a worldwide theatrical release on 14th May 2015
- Mad Max Fury Road made $374.4 million at the box office
- A PG-13 and R rated versions were both shown on separate screens, the R rated one was decided upon and then distributed by Warner Bros
- 114 people died in the film
- It is the longest film of all the Mad Max's with a duration of 2 hours
- Initial DVD release in the US 1st December 2015
- George Miller directed the film
- Its release in the UK was 14th May 2015
- Tom Hardy suffered a broken nose during filming following an elbow from Charlize Theron
- George Miller wanted to make sure that it wasn't a CGI film
- On April 3rd, Tom Hardy announced that he would sign on for 3 more Mad Max films
- The American dollar collapsed against the Australian dollar which made their budget "balloon"
- It made $16.77million on it's release day
- The film was released on Blu Ray and DVD in the UK on 5th October 2015
- So far has won 27 awards
- Tom Hardy played Max
- Charlize Theron played Furiosa
- Nicholas Hoult played Nux
- It contains 2000 visual effect shots
- George Miller recruited his wife Margaret Sixel to edit the film
- Charlize Theron wore a green cover over her arm to aid effects artists in digitally removing her arm from her scenes
- The film grossed over $375million worldwide, making it the highest grossing film in the Mad Max franchise
- Hugh Keays-Byrne played Immortan Joe
- The film is set after a nuclear holocaust
- Mad Max gets captured by war boys
- Max is imprisoned and used as a "blood bag" by Nux
- Imperator Furiosa is sent to collect gasoline, but when she goes off route and Immortan Joe realises that his five wives are missing, he sends his whole army in pursuit of Furiosa
- He calls on aid of nearby gas town and bullet farm
- Nux joins the pursuit with Max as his blood bag
- Furiosa drives everyone into a massive sandstorm in an attempt to loose the army
- It is successful apart from Nux attempts to sacrifice himself in an attempt to stop Furiosa
- After the storm, Max occupies the rig but cannot drive it
- He allows Furiosa and the wives to drive with him
- They drive through a canyon filled with bikers in an attempt to barter a deal for safe passage but they turn on her when they see the army coming
- Bikers chase the rig and one of the wives, pregnant with Joe's child, falls off, killing her and the baby
Representation of disability in TV dramas
The stereotypes:
In his 1991 study, Paul Hunt found that there are 10 stereotypes of disabled people, used in the media:- The disabled person as pitiable or pathetic
- An object of curiosity or violence
- Sinister or evil
- The super cripple
- As atmosphere
- Laughable
- His/her own worst enemy
- As a burden
- As Non-sexual
- Being unable to participate in daily life
Pitiful or pathetic:
Comedy:
Monday, 9 November 2015
Mad Max: Fury Road
Producer- George Miller, Doug Mitchell, P J Voeten
Distributer- Warner Bros production
Script writer-
Budget- $150 million
Box office gross- $224.7 million
Director- George Miller
Actors- Tom Hardy (Max), Charlize Theron (Furiosa), Nicholas Hoult (Nux), Hugh Keays-Byrne (Immortan Joe), Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (The Splendid Angharad)
Marketing-
Critical receptions- Rotten Tomatoes (87% liked it and it was rated 4.2/5), IMDb (8.2/10)
Reasons for success- The original 3 Mad Max's were a massive success in the 80's and 90's so it already had a big reputation so people were willing to see it.
Awards- It was voted best film of the year by International film critics, it also won most original trailer by the Golden trailer awards. It's also nominated for awards like, Best film, Best direction and Charlize Theron has been put up for best actress award by the AACTA awards.
Technology-
Distributer- Warner Bros production
Script writer-
Budget- $150 million
Box office gross- $224.7 million
Director- George Miller
Actors- Tom Hardy (Max), Charlize Theron (Furiosa), Nicholas Hoult (Nux), Hugh Keays-Byrne (Immortan Joe), Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (The Splendid Angharad)
Marketing-
Critical receptions- Rotten Tomatoes (87% liked it and it was rated 4.2/5), IMDb (8.2/10)
Reasons for success- The original 3 Mad Max's were a massive success in the 80's and 90's so it already had a big reputation so people were willing to see it.
Awards- It was voted best film of the year by International film critics, it also won most original trailer by the Golden trailer awards. It's also nominated for awards like, Best film, Best direction and Charlize Theron has been put up for best actress award by the AACTA awards.
Technology-
Tuesday, 3 November 2015
Stereotypes and countertypes of gender
Stereotype: a widely held and oversimplified image or idea about a type of person or group of people. Usually created by selecting the negative characteristics of that person/group of people.
Countertype: a widely held and oversimplified positive image or idea about a type of person or group of people. e.g. all religious people are kind.
Sex refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define man or women.
Gender refers to socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.
Male
Examples of male stereotypes include:
Countertype: a widely held and oversimplified positive image or idea about a type of person or group of people. e.g. all religious people are kind.
Sex refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define man or women.
Gender refers to socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.
Male
Examples of male stereotypes include:
- Anger/violent
- Can't multitask
Examples of male countertypes:
- Provides for family
- Physically strong
- Gentlemen
- Sporty
- In control
Female
Example of female stereotype include:
- Sexually promiscuous
- Avoid confrontation/weak
- Likes to go shopping
- Cooking and cleaning
Example of female countertype include:
- Nurturer
- Organised
- Romantic
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
Sound
Sound
- Diegetic sound- Sound which has a source on-screen. E.g. dialogue
- Non-diegetic sound- Sound which does not have a source on-screen. E.g. music or voiceover
- Sound bridge- The sound from one scene continuing to the next or the sound from the next scene being used before the audience see the relevant images. It gives the sense that the film is linked together
- Synchronous sound- Sounds which are expected with what is viewed. For example in a birthday party you expect to hear laughter, singing and music
- Asynchronous sound- Sound which does not match or is unexpected with the images on the screen. Can be used to build tension, suspense or emotion
- Voiceover- Non-diegetic sound of a person speaking over a scene
- Sound effects- A sound other than speech and music made artificially for use in a play, film or other broadcast production
- Sound motif- Sound associated with a character or people
- Dialogue- A conversation between two or more people
- Direct address- Speaking directly to the camera/audience by looking at the camera
- Sound perspective- Sound recording that helps us place a sound as either near or distant from a particular source
Non diegetic sound:
Sound bridge:
Synchronous sound:
Asynchronous sound:
Voiceover:
Sound effects and sound perspective:
Sound motif:
Dialogue:
Direct address:
Sunday, 25 October 2015
The Hobbit Battle of the Five Armies
1. The
issues raised by media ownership and contemporary media practice
The company that makes a certain film will have a massive
influence on what the film is and what type of genre the film is also. The
larger companies like New Line Cinema are likely to make the bigger and more
successful films. To make a film successful like these large companies do, they
follow rules that Mark Kermode said wold make it impossible to lose money on. The
rules are, a news worthy budget, not a comedy, spectacular visuals and include
an ‘A’ list star. Obviously the big film companies are able to put these rules
into place and also have lots of money spare so they can add things that will
make the film even more successful and therefore make lots of money.
An example of a big movie company is Marvel. Marvel has
created memorable films such as Avengers Assemble and many super hero films
like ‘Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk etc.’ as well as old classics like
the original ‘Spiderman’ that everyone remembers. Marvel is associated with
always producing top class superhero films so that whenever they release a new
film, people want to pay to watch it as they hope it is as good as the previous
ones. As well as their budget being very high so they can constantly add to
their films with top quality effects and visuals.
The Avengers Assemble had a budget of $220 million and made $1.5
billion at the box office so it made over 6 times more than it cost to make. It
included ‘A’ list stars such as Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson and Samuel
L Jackson. It also contained fantastic visuals and special effects and it wasn’t
a comedy, it was an action movie which means it fit all 4 of Mark Kermode’s
criteria so it was guaranteed to not lose money and obviously it didn’t.
Another example is Warner Brothers. These are arguably one
of the biggest movie companies, creating many films such as Harry Potter, Star
Wars, and Superman etc. These films are massive films all over the world and
will always be remembered and continued to be watched for many years to come.
Warner Bros also has a good reputation so when they release a new film,
everyone knows that it’s going to be good and worth paying the money to go and
watch.
The Harry Potter series were all successful. The first of
the 8 films (Sorceres Stone) had a budget of $130 million and made $380 million
at the box office so made almost 3 times as much. The latest and last Harry
Potter to be released was Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows pt 2 which had a
budget of $250 million and made all together $380 million. In all 8 of the
films they had ‘A’ list stars such as Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma
Watson. It was also not a comedy and had fantastic visuals and special effects
so it also fit into the criteria of Mark Kermodes rules so it was guaranteed to
make money and lots of it.
An example of a smaller film company is DNA films. They have
produced films such as Ex Machina, Dredd, 28 days later etc. Sometimes smaller
films may do extremely well for example Ex Machina did well but many films that
they produce will not. Dredd had a budget of $45 million and only made $40
million at the box office. This film did not fit the criteria of Mark Kermode’s
rules which is the reason why that it overall lost money. The main stars in the
film were Karl Urban, Domhnall Gleeson and Olivia Thurlby. These are not
classed as ‘A’ list stars and also with a low budget, it did not catch
headlines and as people have not heard of DNA films as much, they did not know
what to expect and therefore didn’t bother seeing it.
The Hobbit Battle of the Five Armies was produced by New
Line Cinema and distributed by Warner Bros. It had a budget of $250 million
which classes it as a high budget film and it made a total of $955 million on
the worldwide box office so it made almost 4 times more than it cost to make.
Lots of people wanted to watch this film as it was the end to a sequel and was
advertised greatly before the film was released. This meant that lots of people
wanted to see the film as they may have been a fan of these films and are
familiar with New Line Cinema’s productions before.
2. The importance of cross media
convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing
The Hobbit Battle of the Five Armies is an American made
action film, made by New Line Cinema’s and distributed by Warner Bros. It is
the third instalment of the Hobbit trilogy and a spin off from the three part
Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The Hobbit was always going to be a film, ever since the
books were published and even when Lord of the Rings was released. The Hobbit
benefited from Lord of the Rings as it was a spin off and all fans of Lord of
the Rings were always going to want to see The Hobbit as it’s the same genre.
J. R R Tolkien always had the plan of releasing the Hobbit after the Lord of
the Rings. Martin Freeman was brought in to play the leading role in the films
and as he is a big name, many fans of his wanted to see how he performed in
this big name film. During the Lord of the Rings films, many references were
made to the Hobbit and to the time before it was set. This left mystery about
what happened and the plan was to always make a set of films to reveal all the
questions.
The audience of The Hobbit was mainly made for people who
were also interested in the Lord of the Rings so for people who like fantasy
movies and old action style. It is a 12+ in the UK so it attracts teenagers and
young adults. Martin Freeman appeals to many middle age people, Sir Ian
McKellan appeals to older people and Orlando Bloom who will appeal to younger
people and maybe teenagers.
3. The technologies that have been
released in recent years in the levels of production, distribution, marketing
and exchange
3D- At cinemas, there is an option watch films in 3D to enhance
the experience and make it feel like you’re in the film and makes it more
enjoyable. 3D glasses have to be worn
for it to work. 3D was introduced in 1915 but only in the 21st
century has become a massive hit and is now used all over the world.
Blu Ray- Blu Ray DVD’s have been introduced. It is able to
show movies at a much better quality than normal DVD’s. They have been
introduced over the past 10 years and are making a huge impact.
Internet streaming- Internet streaming is becoming more
commonly used and a person can chose to play a certain media file before it is
even downloaded.
Downloadable content- Various downloadable content is
available such as video games or soundtracks.
All these types of media distribution had large impact on
how well The Hobbit BotFA did overall. It meant that people were able to watch
the film in different ways, and still it generated money.
4. The importance of cross media
convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing
The Hobbit Battle of the Five Armies was one of the biggest
films of 2014. It was distributed by what is classed as one of the ‘big six’ in
Warner Bros. Because of this we could tell that it was going to be a big hit. Its
budget was $250 million and generated just short of $1 billion and its gross
profit was around $700 million.
New Line Cinemas and Warner Bros worked together to produce
and distribute the Hobbit. This also helps to gather in lots of ‘A’ list stars
as they can see that the film is a good project as big companies are involved
in the production and distribution. This shows how much power big companies
like this have as they can spend lots of money and almost get who they want for
their films.
Smaller companies may have been involved some way in the
production but they aren’t deemed big enough to be advertised with the bigger
companies. This shows how little power small companies have as they may have
played a large part in e.g. the marketing but don’t get any credit for it. It
also shows that smaller companies may be working with the larger ones to help
distribute a film or maybe even produce it.
Overall we can see that cross media convergence is a massive
factor as they can help big companies to generate a film but still get
no/little credit.
5. The significance of proliferation
in hardware and content for institutions and audiences.
Going to the cinema will be the most expensive out of all of
these methods so some families or people who don’t want to spend that much
money going to the cinema can always stream, rent or buy the DVD. The Hobbit
BotFA was released in cinemas in 2D and 3D and then 6 months later released on
DVD and Blu Ray. As it was a high budget film, it was not available on things
like Netflix. It may be released on these sites once the money being made on it
starts to slow down, as it is a good way to keep making money even long after
the film was made.
6. The issues raised in the
targeting of national and local audiences by international or global
institutions
In the making of a film, things like advertising campaigns,
press releases, merchandising, media and interviews with key people involved in
the film. Film studios will invest in massive marketing campaigns to make sure
the film generates the maximum revenue of its potential.
The Hobbit was actually advertised slightly during the Lord
of the Rings as references were made constantly throughout. A very short teaser
trailer was released on the 28th July 2014, getting many Hobbit fans
excited for the movie to be released on the last month of 2014.
To promote the film's release,
Wellington-based association
football club, Wellington Phoenix, wore a special
designed jersey to commemorate the opening of The
Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies. The custom, film-themed jersey was worn
only once, on 13 December 2014. In
the film's Japanese release on 13 December, Warner Bros. collaborated with
mobile gaming company A-Lim to bring Bilbo, Gandalf, and Legolas into the game Brave Frontier at the end of December as Vortex
Dungeon units. The campaign ran until February 2015.
Smaug
(The Dragon) made a guest appearance, animated by WETA and voiced again by
Cumberbatch, on the satire show The
Colbert Report on December
12, 2014 to promote the film
I think that the influence that big companies have on the
type of film made is huge. New Line Cinemas produced films similar to the
Hobbit so they had experience in making this type of film. The Hobbit Battle of
the Five Armies was released in December 2014 but advertising for it began when
the Lord of the Rings was released in December 2001. Everyone knew that the
Hobbit films were coming after the LOTR as many hints were left and the people
were even told about it. This created lots of excitement as people were
wondering who was going to play the main part and who was going to play what
part. All of this contributed to the fact that the Hobbit BotFA generated just
short of $1 billion at the box office. A big advantage that contributed to the
success is the fact that they have the ability to spend big. Smaller companies cannot
do this but big companies just have to follow Mark Kermodes 4 rules (A list
star, newsworthy budget, fantastic visuals and not a comedy) which they
supposedly do and they are always successful which is shown through the Hobbit
making around $700 million.
In my opinion going to the cinema is the best way to enjoy
movies. This is also because of the option for 3D. Many people don’t have 3D TV’s
in their house so it is better to enjoy it in cinematic conditions where you
can get the best experience. The Hobbit BotFA was also very quick to release
the film on DVD, only taking 4/5 months to be released compared to some films
that can take up to a year.
Wednesday, 14 October 2015
Analysing Luther Scene
Discuss ways in which the extract constructs the representation of gender using the following:
This extract is a clip from Luther between a protagonist Luther and a female called Alice. This extract demonstrates gender and how different camera shots and mise-en scene portray this.
Camera shots, angles and movements
The extract opens with a close up of the female in the centre of the frame. This suggests to us that she is the most important in the extract. There are multiple mid shots of the female (Alice) in the opening scene which emphasises this point. But also there is many over the shoulder shots from the male (Luther) which could suggest that he has all the power in the extract. This backs up the stereotype of men having power over women. Also to show that Luther has the power, we are shown a high angle shot looking down on Alice from Luther's point of view to show that he is more powerful and has more authority than her. From these components in this opening scene, we can put together than Luther seems to have more power, authority and control over the women in this scene and possibly overall in society. From the high angle shot looking down at Alice, it makes us look as her as a less authoritative figure and therefore shrinks the amount of power she obtains. This again fits the stereotype that women are 'weaker'.
Another way that Luther is seen as powerful is from low angle shots. From various low angle shots, it makes us think that Luther is in control as the camera and therefore the audience are looking up at him which makes him seem like the dominant one.But from the position of the camera, this is actually the view that Alice gets so we can see that she is the less powerful one and Luther has more authority. This further reinforces the stereotype of men having more 'power'.
The movement of zoom is used various times in this extract. The camera will zoom in on certain characters faces to grip the audience and make us listen to what they are saying. This will cause all the focus to be on that particular character. At one scene in this extract, there is a zoom on Alice's face so that we listen to her and are gripped by what she is saying. This enhances her power and we then see that she is not in fact powerless, but actually quite authoritative. This goes against the stereotype that all women are 'weak' as in this particular scene she seems to have the power over Luther and seems to be persuading him and seems quite seductive.
Another way that Luther is seen as powerful is from low angle shots. From various low angle shots, it makes us think that Luther is in control as the camera and therefore the audience are looking up at him which makes him seem like the dominant one.But from the position of the camera, this is actually the view that Alice gets so we can see that she is the less powerful one and Luther has more authority. This further reinforces the stereotype of men having more 'power'.
The movement of zoom is used various times in this extract. The camera will zoom in on certain characters faces to grip the audience and make us listen to what they are saying. This will cause all the focus to be on that particular character. At one scene in this extract, there is a zoom on Alice's face so that we listen to her and are gripped by what she is saying. This enhances her power and we then see that she is not in fact powerless, but actually quite authoritative. This goes against the stereotype that all women are 'weak' as in this particular scene she seems to have the power over Luther and seems to be persuading him and seems quite seductive.
Mise en scene
We can see that the female, Alice has a tidy apartment. We are able to see that she has things like a telescope, various books and a globe in her apartment. This goes against the typical stereotype that men are always the clever ones and women aren't so intelligent, but these props clearly show that she is smart and intelligent. We can also recognise that she may be fairly wealthy as from various camera angles, the Shard and St Paul's Cathedral are visible through the windows at the back of the apartment. This portrays that she may posses a lot of money as these buildings are attractions in London, so a flat overlooking them would certainly cost a high amount of money. This would definitely go against the stereotype of women being 'private' but this contrasts that as she would not be because we know she is wealthy so we can see she is not private and earns money.
There is also a red chair positioned in the middle of the room. The chair seems to be the only bit of colour in her apartment, surrounded by dull and lifeless furniture. The fact that her flat is relatively tidy, suggests that she maybe is harmless but the placement of the red chair in the centre of the room portrays the fact that she may have some danger in her. The colour red gives us the impression of danger and that she may fit into the 'mad, bad and dangerous' stereotype for women. But also it may go against the stereotype for women that they are 'weak' but this contrasts this as she seems dangerous.
The red chair represents a symbolic code as it symbolises the fact that the red chair shows the danger within her. A symbolic code is something that represents a more abstract concept, so the chair shows the danger.
Sound
Non-diegetic sound is used when the male and female close in on each other. This creates lots of tension as it seems the music/sound is building up for something to happen. From this we can tell that the relationship between them is uneasy. As the male moves closer, the sound seems to increase. This could suggest that the male has the power in the situation which fits the male stereotype of being the one with all the power and has more power over women.
Gender is shown through this extract between the two characters Luther and Alice. Gender is shown through various stereotypes that back up the idea of gender. But the stereotypes are challenged throughout the extract because of the representation of gender.
There is also a red chair positioned in the middle of the room. The chair seems to be the only bit of colour in her apartment, surrounded by dull and lifeless furniture. The fact that her flat is relatively tidy, suggests that she maybe is harmless but the placement of the red chair in the centre of the room portrays the fact that she may have some danger in her. The colour red gives us the impression of danger and that she may fit into the 'mad, bad and dangerous' stereotype for women. But also it may go against the stereotype for women that they are 'weak' but this contrasts this as she seems dangerous.
The red chair represents a symbolic code as it symbolises the fact that the red chair shows the danger within her. A symbolic code is something that represents a more abstract concept, so the chair shows the danger.
Sound
Non-diegetic sound is used when the male and female close in on each other. This creates lots of tension as it seems the music/sound is building up for something to happen. From this we can tell that the relationship between them is uneasy. As the male moves closer, the sound seems to increase. This could suggest that the male has the power in the situation which fits the male stereotype of being the one with all the power and has more power over women.
Gender is shown through this extract between the two characters Luther and Alice. Gender is shown through various stereotypes that back up the idea of gender. But the stereotypes are challenged throughout the extract because of the representation of gender.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)