The Film Industry

The Film Industry

Introduction

purpose of any media product= to make money!

'Classical Hollywood Narrative' refers to several typical characteristics that typified film making ideology

-emphasis continuity (the audience always knows where they are)

-temporal continuity (audience always knows in what order the events happen eg. flashbacks are clearly signposted)  

-realistic (must not make reference to other filmic or popular texts) 

The Studio system - 

Production - how something is produced, the making of the product 

Distribution - handing it out 

Exhibition - showing or displeasing 

Conglomeration - group of businesses dealing in different products eg. Disney channel, Disney land, Disney merchandise 

Horizontal integration - where a company buys other companies in the same sector to reduce the competition for audiences eg. Disney buying Star wars 
Vertical integration - where a company buys up other companies involved in different stages of the production and circulation eg. producer buying up actors, cinemas ect 
Digital technology - anything that involves a computer to function 

Regulation - rule that has to be followed

Convergence - coming together of different media mediums 
Company Ident - the distributors or producers logo 

Digital technology: mobile phone, digital camera, computer, scanner, printer, 

Traditional way in which film is distributed is in the cinema (theatrical theatre)   

Theory 14, Theory 12

how have things changed????

how are things now distributed???

social media -connection between fans and stars

                      -advertising

                      -conversation abou film 

Pirating- mega share/pirate bay/put-locker

recording films -blue ray/DVD/ Videos tapes

Streaming sites- net flicks/youtube

Universal Pictures 

Universal Pictures (also referred to as Universal Studios or simply Universal) is an American film studio owned by Comcast through the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group division of its wholly owned subsidiary NBCUniversal.^[2] The company was founded in 1912 by Carl Laemmle, Mark Dintenfass, Charles O. Baumann, Adam Kessel, Pat Powers, William Swanson, David Horsley, Robert H. Cochrane, and Jules Brulatour, and is the oldest surviving film studio in the United States, the world's fourth oldest after Gaumont, Pathé and Nordisk Film, and the oldest in terms of the overall film market

    

KEY ASSESSMENT 1

MOCK EXAM:

Section A) 

Short Answers

1- The three semiotic codes are Hermeneutic, Proairetic, Symbolic
2- 'mode of address' is how a media product is presented to an audience
3- 'lexis' is the choice of language used by the company or producer

4- two of Stuart Hall's theory are the 'Dominant reading' where the audience agrees entirely with the idea or product presented too them or the 'Oppositional reading' where the audience disagrees or rejects idea or product 



Media Language

Media language is used to create and communicate multiple meanings to an audience wether this be persuading them to buy something or agree with an idea or cause. The language and format used revels the producers own idea of what an audience wants. 

The context of a product and the year it was produced in are very important in the understanding of how effective and efficient it was. For example the 'Tide Soap' print advert was launched in America in 1946 therefore looks very different to soap adverts today. Its busy composition and cartoon like images illustrate its time of production. Where as in a more modern advert the rule of thirds or a Z-line may be used to catch the audiences attention, this ad is overpowering with images and text making the layout confusing. The ad is clearly aimed at women and includes the character of the 'housewife' this explicitly shows the sexist ideology of the 40s where women would stay at home, bear children and look after the family. The four images on the advert are all of women looking cheerful and healthy which creates a community for women and gives them a sense of comradeship. This inclusivity is what the producer was aiming to achieve as if you then if did not own the product you could not belong in the 'housewife' club. The main image of the women hugging the tide soap box with little hearts above her head is a simple symbolic code for the love and desire she feels towards the soap and her facial expression clarifies this belief.

There is a lot of text used in this advert, mainly commanding language with a san-serif font making it friendly and not intimidating. This whole idea of being in a group of women is reflected in the language and colloquial slang of the time used in cartoon. This combined with the range of font sizes, emphasised words and use of superlatives for example "cleanest, whitest, brightest" gives this product a very over the top, almost miracle like reputation. The narrative of the advert...

Another print advert from the 20th centre is the 'Kiss of the Vampire' film poster published in Britain in 1963. This advert also displays its time period through its stereotypical images of vampires, its use of the hermeneutic code to create a cliff hanger with the collection of archetype characters and use of dark colours to create connotations of conflict. The gothic horror genre is clearly presented through the images of bats, aggressive expressions of the vampires vs the looks of fear equaling binary of opposition and the symbolic code of vampire biting woman. We also see from this advert like in 'Tide Soap' the presentation of women compared to men as more sexualised by wearing by revealing dresses and being in submissive positions. The white of their cloths could also insinuate virginity and purity fitting with the stereotype of women being helpless and a man having to come to her rescue. The narrative of the advert...

  

Representation

The most obvious difference between the 'Save the children' advert and 'Water Aid' ad is the audience positioning in terms of the main character. In the Water Aid ad there are a lot of extreme close ups on the girls face, her clothing and surroundings. This shot type makes it more personal to the audience as they feel more physically closer to the child. The general mood of the advert is also very different as the mise-en-secen included sunshine, other children laughing, playing and general happiness. This combined with the upbeat and positive song sung with the Childs voice creates a calm and peaceful atmosphere. 

In comparison the 'Save the children' adverts makes its point through a much harsher and darker medium. Even though it is a print ad its positioning of the audience and use of the rule of thirds plunges the audience in from a childs perspective. By positioning the solider in one third with his gun very clearly in view and the child behind him, making him smaller and more vulnerable. This combination of the proairetic code and symbolic code for the childs situation and welfare means the audience is instantly feeling sympathy for him. The child appears to be standing in a box with a single line of text above him. This symbolic use of trapping the child...                 

• Codes and conventions
• Layout and design
• Composition
• Images/photographs - camera shot type, angle, focus
• Font size, type of font (e.g. serif/sans serif), colour 
• Mise-en-scène – colour, lighting, location, costume/dress, hair/make-up 
• Graphics, logos etc.
• Language – slogan/tagline and copy 
• Anchorage of images and text
• Elements of narrative

Water Aid advert

Water Aid advert -Sun shine on a rainy day


Context- The charity water aid was established in 2008 asa response to a UN compassion for clean water, sanitation and water hygiene education.

dominate ideology/ preferred response: audience feels sympathy and believe that all kids in Africa need water (audience is British) give money and donate  

oppositional response: reading through that ad and not believing in the stereo type presented (entire country shown as poor)) romanticised poverty. presented Africa as a single country when its contains lots of country's, songs in English not in home language  

Hermeneutic codes - Also known as enigma codes, these refer to something within the media product that creates mystery suspense.

Proairetic codes - Also known as action codes, this refers to something within a media product that suggests something is about to happen.

Symbolic codes- something within a media product that creates a deeper meaning for the audience.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Key text - The charity water-aid was established in 2081 as a response to a UN campaign for clean water, sanitation and water hygiene education. 

Sunshine on a rainy day - Close ups, happiness, in colour. 

Advert in pieces.

Start - Presumably, due to rain and accent of the radio,  Britain, a first world country. We take things for granted where we can walk less than a few meters to the nearest flowing water. However, outside it is raining, it creates misery in a stereotypically happy country. It is literally pouring from the sky water which a lot of Africans go without. Binary opposition between Britain and Africa, first world vs third world, rain vs sun.

Cut to a low angle shot of fields, then a pair of feet, wearing ankle shoes walking across a dry, stony pathway, in the beating sun.  Camera pans up for a second to see a bucket, maybe implying she's on a job. Cut to an extreme close-up of who the audience can presume is Claudia due to the title of the advert. It puts you with Claudia. This closeup shows the sun on her face and a few scars from a hard life. The original POV is a hermeneutic code so the audience figures out what is going on. 

Following and panning shot of Claudia, perhaps from the perspective of one of the women seen in a follow up shot. This is more of an establishing shot to gain comfort with the close ups, and to create ease instead of tension. The low angle shots could be a symbolic code that Claudia is powerful and proud instead of the regular perceptions of people in charity adverts being weak and in desperate need of help and/or attention. I believe this is done to show what donating can do, and to give donating a more positive outlook. It doesn't necessarily guilt trip the audience, but can still make the audience feel as if they need to give the money to the charity. 

The presentation of women in the advert is that they are hardworking. It goes against the stereotype that they should stay at home as a housewife.


Dominant reading: Sympathy for Africa, the audience should donate
Positional reading: don't donate, image of entire country in poverty. Stereotype black people are happy go lucky people, just need a bit of help, condescending toward blacks/africans. Presents Africa as a country, not a continent.

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NARRATIVE

NARRATIVE what is it?

narration =process of telling the story 

narrator = story teller 

narrative =the way in which the story is told 

archetype =character that pops up agin and agin eg the jock, geek and hotty (similar to stereotype)  

There is no narrative without some sort of conflict
series do this on an episode basis and over a whole season basis 

eg. reality tv 'TOWIE' 'MIC' 
gossip, argument, resolution


single strand narrative = one narrative (quite rare) 
muti strand narrative = contains multiple narratives 

advantage of the theory of narrative is it can be applied very simply, can be used on a macro (huge) and micro level (small)
very simple way of looking at story telling 

Audience Manipulation

AUDIENCE MANIPULATION

McDonalds advert audience

- Families

- McDonalds is aimed at younger people - it's relatable 

- targets the working class

Ideology of gurkin advert - love & caring (associated with Maccies) Stereotypical romantic gesture - the man takes care of the woman

What if you watch too much tv? You become "mindless"

If you watch too much youtube or use social media then you could become negatively influenced.

If you play too much videogames you become violent

Mass media : Reaches mass audiences (tv, social media and youtube)

- Nazi party used propaganda to influence people - people became scared of the idea of mass media

Coca Cold Ad

Ideas being cultivated

-Classy drink, sunbathing on a roof above a cityscape

-Leisure drink, makes you more exciting

-Coke brings people together

-Rich people, attractive women, very luxurious life

Hegemony: Where on group wields power over another, not through domination, but through coercion and consent

Hegemonic power e.g. The School System

Non Hegemonic power e.g. Military conquest

Hegemonic Power - Table manners, Curtesy , Respect certain people in society based on their situation (e.g. pregnant women and elderly), wearing clothing (public indecency), public hygiene, wearing makeup & body makeup  

Patriarchal society - male dominated society, we are presented with men's ideology 

Matriarchal society - a society dominated by women

MESSAGE: coke is a relaxing and luxurious drink 

preferred reading: view coke in a positive light- make person sexually attractive and carfare 

oppositional reading: coke rots your teeth and causes you to put on weight, plus sex sells 
negotiated view: agree coke is nice drink but understanding that it is bad for you  






    

HOW TO ANSWER AN EXAM

30 mark Question, 45 minutes

1) Read the question- expected to talk about all given points 
2) series of paragraphs 
3) introduction (very important) and conclusion (not important)
4) Point, Evidence, Argument   

5) Definition (key terminology)
6) Argument (definite point of view) 
7) Context (back ground and history of ad)
8) Examples (the actual ads) 


15 mark Question, 22.5 minutes

AUDINCE

EXAM Component one:

Component one Section A) analysing media and language and representation
-kiss of the vamp
-Tide soap
-water aid  

Component one Section B) analysing media industries and audiences 
-Tide soap
-water aid 

AUDINCE

All media needs a certain audience in order to sell something 
Reaction of the audience to the media product 

Propaganda = brain wash of the people eg. WW2


AUDINCE CATEGRAISATION:   

Target audience= the specific group the producers tries to captivate with product
Primary audience= the first audience product is aimed at
Secondary audience= second group of people considered by the producer    

Media products are always aimed at very specific audiences 

T.A.P

Text Audience Producer 

(Producer encodes text - audience decodes text)

-Targeting when the producer aims to a specific type of audience 

-Attracting how the producer makes the media appeal to target audience 

-Reaching "grabbing" audience attention, where and how it reaches them 

-Addressing who/what/how the producer is speaking out too 

-Constructing create an audience to accompany product  

Video Game: "The last of Us"

primary audience- older male

dark, dull colour scheme 

dirty, dank and unhygienic looking costumes and background  mis-en-scene 

possesses depressing and serious tone

apocalypse style mis-en-scene (post apocalyptic genre)

more story based because of the two characters and maybe relationship

more personal 'the last of us' 

secondary audience- younger women 

by having girl on the front women can relate 

not being sexualised

How can we break down audiences? 

GENDER 

AGE 

UPBRINGING

SEXUALITY

ETHNISITY

EDUCATION

RACE

LOCATION

LIFESTYLE 

CLASS

Example of a demographic:  relating to the structure of populations.

"the demographic trend is towards an older population"

Psychographic: qualitative way of categorising people eg.

Aspires- people who want to appear rich and attractive

Reformers- people who want social change 

Explorers- people who like taking ricks and trying new things 

Mainstreamers- people who follow the crowd

Strugglers- people who find it hard to achieve (often connect with poverty)    

KISS OF THE VAMPIRE analysis

1963 film poster:

Use of connotative features- the colours used imply death, gore, fear (black, rad and white) 

The elements of time- the cartoon like nature illustrates the period the film was made in 

Social meaning- 

Character archetypes-

Generic conversations-

Audience appeal-   










Analysis of Narrative:
-dramatic, excessive actions, connotative of conflict
-beautiful women in white, connotative of virginity and purity
-aggressive expressions vs the looks of fear, binary of opposition 
-disruption of equilibrium, symbolic code of vampire biting woman
-symbolic protective gesture of women over kneeling man, challenging stereotypes
-hermeneutic code of whats going to happen next with the collection of archetypes 
-representation of women being sexualised by revealing dress and submissive position 
      

Learning Conversation 1

LEARNING CONVERSATION 1)


What has gone well?
finding the work interesting and challenging

What are your strengths?
Thinking about and analysing, questioning 

What is stopping you from getting top marks?
Time management and reading back over notes 

3 targets for the rest of this year?
keep going over notes on blog
consider media outside the lesson eg when watching Tv or on social media 
keep on top of work missed 

What grade do you want to achieve? 
hopefully a B/C maybe 

Any suggestions about the course?
I understand that is a heck of a lot to get through but maybe slowing down sometimes 

Any learning needs?
Dyslexic: short term memory, slow processing, bad spelling   

Genre and Intertexuality

Genre and Intertextuality

GENRE- 'a type of media governed by implicit rules that are shared by the makers of the product and audience for it' 

Music: Pop, Rock, Rap, R&B, Jazz, Metal, Heavy Metal, Death Metal, Grunge, Street, Grime, Indie, Indie-rock, Indie-pop, South American, K-pop, Classical, Country, Western, Folk, Instrumental, Alternative, Psychedelic-rock, House, Club, Screamo, Grind, Cyber  

genre is a lot more complicated than we imagine   
'Traditional" genres don't really exist 

Sub Genre: genre with in a genre eg death metal 
Generic Hybridity: two genres mashed together eg comedy horror  

Genre Paradigms: also known as genre conventions are aspects of media text eg mise-en-scene, demostates you know what you mean
Iconography - the familiar signs of genre 
Repertoire of elements - signs that we recognise
Conventions - a way something is usually done  

UTOPIA 

-genre exists to appropriate and separate forms of media
-benefits producers so they can profit out of the most popular genre 

-genres can exclude or include people (judge a book by its cover)

Intertextuality: is the shaping of texts through alluding to other texts  SPOOFS 
expands the target audience eg Simpsons includes loads of cameos from scenes of other films or starts.
allows the audience to feel special as they are a subgroup of people that can spot the reference   
gives a family show some explicit content in an implicit way
respect and tribute to classic or iconic films 
allows the producers to piggy back on famous and successful ideas