Sunday 5 June 2016

A2 Research

New technology has caused a decline in things such as watching TV or reading a newspaper. This was seen at the start of this year with BBC 3 moving online because younger viewers were online more so they would be more inclined to watch it. This highlights the decline in things such as sitting down and watching the TV.

There hasn't been a decline recently in any major media industry although a few years ago MySpace started to decline as people now switched to Facebook which also now owns Instagram which is leading for the most users.

It has made a lot of people open up on their views and opinions, others are also able to see the views of their role models which is seen in the two step flow model where people listen to opinion leaders and this has an impact on their ideology. Politicians are also being able to share their views and with more people being online they can see this and challenge the opinions of others and get their view across.

Social media has changed the way people behave and react as they are more open about the things they want to say and what is happening in society today. People can become online celebrities when they started to get recognition for things they've done or said.

People can promote their own individual identity though Facebook, Instagram and twitter by having their own page where each piece of information is seen and taken into account. Also, people with YouTube channels can promote themselves through the use of videos and can report news themselves which we've seen in the past.


Sunday 8 May 2016

MEST 1 Mock Exam: Learner Response

1. WWW - well structured paragraphs. Fairly balanced coverage of platforms.

EBI - you need to answer the question. No reference to the keyword in the title. Write a into and conclusion that does this.

2. I met my target grade 

3. I could've used a few more points rather than talking just about shot types in question one such as framing and composition.

I could've talked about how Megan Fox was being promoted or the Frank Sinatra.

Talked about the tagline for question three.

Gun violence was seen as glamorous and without consequence.

4. My strongest question in section A was question 3 as it was easier to talk about how males in the trailer as it was dominated by men. It made the question easier to answer and there was lots of points to choose from. 

5. My weakest question was two as I didn't have as many developed and strong points as the other questions.

6. One link that the trailer has is with Megan Fox. Megan Fox is used as the genre of this trailer is action and Megan Fox herself has a reputation of being in action films one of the biggest franchise being Transformers. With the trailer being an action film it will help promote Megan Fox in the action genre so people will associate her with action films and the game call of duty as it is an action game.

Another link is with the group of 4 friends who go to Las Vegas to have a good time and enjoy themselves. This links to the film The Hangover where a group of male friends go to Las Vegas to have a good time. This is highlighted as we see the Las Vegas sign after the car passes then the group of males coming out of the car. This is a strong link with the game and film as they both say that Las Vegas is the place to go to have fun and enjoy yourself with your friends.

The trailer also associates Infinity wards and Activision as two businesses who help promote action films. When people see these businesses they will automatically associate IR with the call of duty franchises or those who know about the call of duty franchises but want to play games that are similar to this, will go and search the other games that thry sell. This will help promote Activision and infinity wards as call of duty being one of their successful games people will go and buy other games that they produce to live up to the standard of call of duty.

7. I talked about all three platforms for each of the films that I talked about. There were also examples given to show knowledge of what was being said.

8. In order to gain access to the top level for section b I needed to use the key words for the question and always link back to it. There wasn't enough information linking back to what the question was asking.

9. I needed to talk about how all of the platforms can be accessed on your phone which is how media devices contain everything from all platforms which is linking it back to what the question was asking.

10. Link back to the question 
       Use theory's 
       Make sure I have clear points which relate          to the question 

Sunday 24 April 2016

LR

Lr Feedback - select 2 paragraphs you wrote and add theories in them to improve them.

One theory that can be applied to this poster is Hooks theory. It is that women who are lighter skinned appeal more in the desirable and fit in the western society. This is seen in the poster as there are women who are seen to be revealing as they are on a beach and are of a lighter skin colour. This can also be linked to the male gaze which is Burgers theory that men look and women appear. This is seen as they are on a beach surrounded by women and they are the only men that can be seen this reinforces this stereotype that men are usually the ones who look and women always appear and dress up for men.

There is also Halls theory that the media make certain groups in the media appear in a certain way and this is done with the iLL Manors poster. With the gun being placed in the hands of the protagonist it makes those who are working class to appear to be troublesome and the ones who always cause trouble in society. It also stereotypes all young people as being wreckers and causing trouble in society, also the working class appear to be 'chavs' due to the clothes that are being worn by the protagonist.

Thursday 21 April 2016

Exam question

When promoting a film it is usually done through three main ways. These ways are print, e-media, broadcast. I'll compare the different ways that iLL Manors, A Field in England do it and The Inbetweeners Movie do this.

One example of print in iLL Manors is the main poster of the the film. It is similar to most posters as it has the stars to show the rating of the film. This is done so that the audience can decide if they want to watch the film or not. On the other hand, the poster is different as it promotes Ben Drew as a director but also himself as a rapper (Plan B). This isn't usual of film posters as they usually only promote the director and the main start but the director himself is the main selling point of the film. The poster itself would appeal to those who are going to the cinema and would being able to see it before the film is released. They are more likely to be working class and of a younger age. The main protagonist on the cover is portrayed as being a villain as he is holding a gun which is also Propps theory on characters. The fish-bowl effect that is used is done so that there seems to be no escape from the dull urban background that we can see.


A field in England was also very similar when creating their film poster as they had reviews from critics to help promote the film, the film mainly promotes an older audience who are into history or historic events. This is also identifiable from the text that is used on the poster. The poster of the film is different to most film posters as it is in black and white, this is how we can identify that the film is there to target a older audience. The black and white also represents the historic event that the film is about so the audience know the film is set in the past. The auteur is also promoting the film which is rare of films to have. This is a good way to promote the film as other films use the main character to promote the film but in this case we have the auteur. This is different to iLL Manors as Ben Drew as the director promotes himself as Plan B.


iLL Manors also promotes the film through social media, one of the main ways that they did this was through their Facebook page. The page was set up so that the fans of the film could keep up to date with what's going on with the latests on the film or to see when the DVD is going to released. This is common for most films now as most people are active on social media is would make sense to promote the film on social media so it would grab more attention and social awareness which is an effective method to promote the film. Besides the Facebook page iLL Manors also promoted their film through Twitter. This is so that people can share their thoughts and views as well as getting the latest information. The way they promoted the film on Twitter was an alternative way which other films haven't done in the past to promote their film. They started a campaign called tag London which was a way for people to share their views and comments all over Twitter and they would be projected on famous landmarks around London and posted back onto Twitter; this is done to gain social awareness of what is happening in Britain but also for people to understand what the film was originally set out to do. There was tweets used such as ''Broken Britain'' or simply just using #iLLManors. This was effective for people to engage with the film and the Twitter page which would help promote the film.


A field in England also had a similar way to promoting their film just like any other film; they had a Facebook and Twitter page to promote their film before the release of it and to keep up to date with the latest news. This is usually done so that the audience can engage with film and feel like they're contributing to the film. After doing this the audience will go and promote the film on their Facebook page or Twitter by liking it or re-tweeting it. Promoting a film through social media is usually a more effective way to target or attract a wider audience as most people are active on Twitter and Facebook, it allows everyone to engage and interact. The way the film was released was unusual as it was released on all platforms during the same time so it would generate more revenue than releasing the film in cinemas first then on DVD later. This is because of streaming so they made it easier for the film to be seen rather than losing money through private copies of the film. The simultaneous release is effective as people who want to watch it on TV could stay home and pay for it on box office could do that, they could stream it, buy their own DVD copy or even go to the cinema for a day out with their family. 


Although the film iLL Manors was set to target a working class they also targeted a middle class audience through a TED Ex lecture which isn't common as the film is about drugs and violence rather than the positive things that happen or are seen in London. These lectures are usually talking about more intellectual things rather than a film even though Plan B was talking about his lifestyle, helping out children in the community and the film but also the main reason why he produced the film. The lecture would be a good way to promote the film as it is also seen online which links back to social media as they have a home page and would've been seen on the iLL Manors home page. The other way it was promoted which is common of most films is on the radio. This would help promote the soundtrack of the film and the soundtrack would help promote the film which is synergy. This is effective as those who are listening can identify that there is a soundtrack to the film and those who are Plan B fans will be listening are more engaged therefore will watch the film. On the other hand if they are a fan of Ben Drew and his acting career such as him being in Adulthood they may be more inclined to listen to his album as well. This is a good way to interest the audience as they are able to hear the radio wherever they go but mainly in the car. 


One way The Inbetweeners promoted their film was through print, the main poster that they used for their film was similar to both iLL Manors and A Field in England. The poster has the name of the characters on their which are the main selling point of the film as the film was a series before. This is a good technique to promote the film as the main poster has all the key information but also if the audience want to see the cast they can see them through the central image but also know them from the series if they had watched that. The core target audience would be those who have watched the series before. A poster is always an effective way to produce the film so the audience know the release of the film and have an understanding of what the film is about. There isn't anything different that they did with the film poster itself to promote the film in an alternative way.


There was a Facebook page that was created for the film which is always a good way to promote the film as people are more active on social media than anywhere else, there would be a decline in the amount of news articles read so people who are active on social media can access information about the film quicker and also if there are any news articles they are most likely to be seen online. This is similar to iLL Manors Facebook page as it had the release of the DVD and competitions to win the film and information about it. This shows that this is the most effective way to promote a film as there is a wider audience to promote on social media rather than any other platform.


The final way that the film was promoted was through interviews, this can be seen on YouTube which is a cross promotion with social media and other websites. This is a good method as people can see the characters and grow more attached to them. This is effective as they will be more inclined to watch the film and after watching the series the film was promoted on E4 and so were the interviews on E4. This is synergy between the TV series and the film itself. The series would help promote the film as people who enjoyed the series would find the film more appealing and the interviews also account for the promotion of the film.


In conclusion the best platform to promote a film would be on e media which is the most effective way as you can target a wider audience through a short amount of time where as everyone else would be less likely to use any other platform such as print.








Sunday 10 April 2016

Exam LR

1. WWW: good focus on the questions
     EBI: improve on the timing of the questions, use key words in the questions and learn the media theorists and apply them.
33 marks - B

2. My strongest question was question two because I had set paragraphs which were started on different points. I used three points which had a clear structure and in-depth analysis.

3. My weakest question was question 4 because I found I didn't have enough time on that question and the question itself was difficult to answer, I lacked a clear structure and analysis.

4. I think my question one was one of the weaker ones as I lacked talking about the intuition as much as I could've. Next time I would talk about the brand image and logo itself and how the disability of the athletes was portrayed and how it makes the institution to look.

My question two was one of the stronger ones as I was specific with the points that were made when answering the question. Next time to improve the answer of this question I would develop on the point more and try and talk about how the audience would react because of this and the common ideology more.

Question three was also one of my stronger questions as talked about the different theorists and how their theory is applied, to improve this I could've used one more theory or expand more on the theory I stated and the impact it has on the trailer and the audience.

Question four was my weakest question because I didn't talk about the use of the mise-en-scene as much such as the Olympic stadium being used to show how the paraolympic games are represented. Next time I would talk about how the paraolympics specifically is represented and how the ideology has changed and now what it means for it to be aired on TV.

5. Q4. The paraolympic games is seen as a much anticipated sporting event as you can see and hear the crowd that has arrived to watch the games. The use of this is a social gathering in one place and with it being the Olympics it reinforces the stereotype of people gathering together to watch a sporting event. Those who are able to see themselves in the in this trailer with the use of dyers lines of appeal will also be more inclined to watch the paraolympics as they can see themselves either as an athlete or a member in the audience who is going to watch the games. The crowd makes sports and the paraolympics to be a very anticipated event and reinforces the ideology of people going out and being fit and healthy making the paraolympics more of a role model.

Another way is through the competitive nature of the paraolympics and showing everyone competing with each other makes the event more anticipated. This shows that people enjoy sports and with such a big event are more likely to be watching it and with 10 million viewers it shows the high levels of anticipation through Britain to watch the games. With the audience seeing the people competing it makes the olympics look more fun and appealing to people so they are more likely to out and compete in some of these events themselves. The gathering at the stadium shows that a lot of time and money has been spent preparing for this so more people will be inclined to watch or take part themselves.

This is also seen through the gathering of the British olympic team at the end of the trailer. They are a team working together like everyone does in sports events and when competing in sports games. The gathering of the team also shows the gathering of the whole British nation to take part and watch the olympics as those competing are a team and so is the rest of the nation that are watching. The team are placed all together at the end on purpose so that the viewers is left with the message of teamwork and being a part of a team and not just that but being a part of the British nation.

Thursday 17 March 2016

MEST1 Section B: Independent case study

The basics
1. The name of the film is 'The Inbetweeners Movie', the director of the film is Ben Palmer. The main stars of the film are Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison and Joe Thomas.

2. The film was released on the 17th of August in 2011.

3. The genre of the film comes under comedy and we can also identify this by the cast of the film; with there being 4 boys in schools as the main protagonists we know that the film is going to have humour and laddish behaviour throughout the film as they are going to up to mischievous behaviour. The audience will also be able to see this in the trailer when they Plan to go on a 'lads holidays' and when they arrive they can see others around similar ages to themselves behaving in a drunken manner. 

4. On IMBD the film is given a rating of 6.8 out of 10, most of the people who went to watch the film previously watched the TV series which was aired on E4 an example of this is on the IMBD page " If you are like me and you love the inbetweeners television show, then the movie will have been much anticipated".On Rotten Tomatoes the average rating of the film was 5.4 out of 10. The audience score was 3.7 out of 5 giving it a rating of 70%. In comparison the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes were a lot more negative "Basically just another bawdy spring break movie - with an accent".

Broadcast
1. The Inbetweeners Movie is about a group of teenage boys who go on holiday, they are set to finish school and from there go on a holiday. The film represents British teenage boys going on a holiday to Greece for them to have a lads holiday and get drunk. It also represents a group of female British girls who appear later through the film and the lifestyle and culture of Greece. The genre of the film because of these events is most likely to fall under the category of comedy. The audience is most likely to be aimed at a younger audience around the ages of 14-45 and more likely to be male than female (60:40 split male to female). The dominant ideology is that young people are always there to get drunk and have a good time and only thinking of themselves.

2. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PngeCiQJNyQ3. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s4ZHdq1AbjQ

These clips help promote the film as they are interviews with the cast who were in the TV series. Having an interview with them would help promote it as they recognise the cast and as a result they will be more inclined to watch it. 

3. The film used stars on the posters to promote the film with a rating out of 5.

Print

1. "If you are like me and you love the inbetweeners television show, then the movie will have been much anticipated." 9/10


"I can't believe the rating this thing has! I was totally disappointed from the first minute on."1/10

"I am a fan of the TV show and this movie was the swan song to the four main characters." 9/10
2.
 
Image result for the inbetweeners movie billboard

These help promote the film as we have an idea about what the film is about and who the cast of the film are. It also promotes the film by giving away the directors name which would interest people and also there is the release date of the film itself.

3.
 

This helps communicate to the audience that the film is about a group of boys who are going on holiday which we can see from the words surf sun and shagging. There is also the use of the beach and females which are surrounding the boys which the audience can connote that they are going on holiday and the film is going to be set there, this is also identifiable from the clothes that they are wearing which are normally worn during weathers where it is hot.
4. The films brand is constructed through being fun and entertaining, it is set out to promote a younger audience. It connotes being alternative and promoting another style of films.

E-media


1. The film has a Facebook page where people can share their thoughts on the film and upcoming events, it also shows the release of the film on DVD and picture for people to see. On Twitter people would be able to share their thoughts in 140 characters and would be able to ask questions and get updates on the film and the latest upcoming news and events.

2. There is synergy with other media platforms like Twitter and Facebook and there is also a soundtrack with the film which can be bought. 

3. The film didn't run any e-media campaigns.

4. Couldn't find any two step flow models that celebrities or followers had used.

Audience

1. The target audience of the film will be aimed at those who are in school or are currently in the process of leaving school having similar experiences to those who are in the film. The age of the film will be around 12-50 and will be split more in favour of males 60:40. The psychographics of the film will be aimed at explorers as they are the ones who are usually at a younger age exploring different things that may be of interest to them, with the film having such a high rating it will make it harder for those under 18 to watch the film.

2. The cross promotion with 'The Inbetweeners Movie' was with the TV series which was previously seen on E4; those who have watched the series would have seen the advertisement on E4 and as a result it would promote the film as well as the film promoting the series. The soundtrack of the film would also cross promote the film as those who can identify the songs which are in the film will be more inclined to watch it as their favourite artist or song could be in the film. This also works the opposite way with the film promoting the soundtrack; after people watch the film they may go out and buy the soundtrack of the film.  

3. One of the pleasures the audience receives from this is that they can see the lifestyle and culture of British teenage boys on holiday. It is also presenting another culture as the boys are on holiday but it also promotes the teenage lifestyle of British boys on holiday. This would interest the audience as they may want to see how people act when they're on holiday but not just a group of adult males but a group of teenage British boys and how their morals and values transfers to the new culture and surroundings when they are on holiday.

4. Similar films that the audience would be interested in would be 'Kevin and Perry go large', 'Hangover', 'Last Vegas' and more. These films base the storyline on a friendship between male protagonists and them having to go on a night out or holiday and are inebriated with alcohol. All films have the common theme of Summer, friends, alcohol, drugs and sex. It is similar to 'The Inbetweeners Movie' as they also base the storyline of friends bonding together after having a life changing moment such as being apart for an extended period of time, having to go away for a long period of time therefore going on holiday to embrace their wild personality.  

Institution

1. The film was produced by Film 4 and they've had similar films which target the same audience which have been films such as The 4 lions. The target audience is a young teenage young adult audience around the ages of 15-45 and mainly boys, 60:40 split male to female.

2. The film was distributed by Entertainment Film Distributors. They've also distributed Rush Hour 3, deception and over her dead body.


3. They do have a track record with producing these kind of films which target a young orientated audience through comedy films one of them which happen to be Rush Hour 3 which is very successful.

4. The budget for the film was £3.5 million


5. I think the film was successful as it achieved a rating of 6.8 on IMBD and made $88 million on box office.

6. The film was more successful in the USA as it was a way for them to see what British teenage culture was like and an insight of Britain and the culture which fascinates them. 

7. The film got rated 15 because of the excessive use of alcohol that was present in the film, there was also some sex scenes in the film and language that would be inappropriate for the ages below. It wasn't rated 18 as the film didn't have strong sex scenes or violence in there.

Representation

1. There are representations of young British teenagers in the film and how they would behave on holiday and in school. It is also a representation of British life and culture and how the schools are also run in the country. There is a representation of Britain in some aspects of the film but also the country that they go on holiday to (Greece). It also has a representation of how boys and girls would behave differently as there are two main groups that the film focuses on. 

2. The 'britishness' that the film has is not very much as the film does focus on a group of teenage boys from England the film is based in another country for most of it so you're exposed more to another culture.

3. The representation differs from iLL Manors as that is more to do with urban life in London and the film is also based in England for all of the film. On the other hand, we have the inbetweeners which represents young teenage boys who are white British and not from an ethnic minority background and how they are exposed to another culture rather than being in Britain.

4. The ideology that we can find in this film is that young people just care about sex and alcohol which is a dominant ideology in society and how they are always doing things which are wild and stupid. 

Case study comparison

1. One similarity between the films 'iLL Manors', 'A Field in England' and 'The Inbetweeners Movie' is that they are set in England although there is a change in location through the film 'The Inbetweeners Movie' as the film progresses. There is also the use of drugs in all 3 films regardless of the drug being legal or illegal. The difference between the films is that 'A Field in England' is more historical and in black and white whereas the other films are in colour. 'iLL Manors' is more of a musical with the songs in the film to enhance the story of the film for the audience and 'The Inbetweeners Movie' is more of a friendship film with a group of teenage boys going on holiday to Malia.