Tuesday 6 December 2016

Waterloo Road: Age Representation.

In the clip from Waterloo Road age plays a big part in the order of the school. The adults are at the top of the hierarchy and are in charge of the students but are also there for advice. The clip focuses on multiple narratives in order to show the different situations the students and teachers face. The director positions the audience to relate the their relevant age group, offering a variety of narrative plots and characterisation. 

In the opening scene the teacher slowly walks up to the students. They used a close up and tracking shot to follow his footsteps, this suggests the boys should be cautious. It presents how the teacher has the authority. Shallow focus is used to emphasis the setting by blurring out the legs of the school chairs.  An insert shot is then used to focus on the broken camera. This shows the audience the reason why the boys are in trouble. Further on a two shot is used when presenting the conversation between the student and teacher this is to show the audience that a conversation is taking place and at this point the teacher and student are seen as equals. To show the location and the environment the pupils are in, a long shot is used. This shows the audience how everyday life is for the students. A close up of the girls face is used in the classroom when she talks about her news, this demonstrates her emotion and how what she is saying isn't what she actually means. An over the shoulder shot is being used towards the end of the clip when the girl aggressively grabs the boy. This is to convey her anger and show what she is doing but without making the viewer see from his perspective, this helps the audience understand the situation. 

A cut is used to switch between the scenes as there a multiple narratives in one story. A cut is also used to change location. This helps the audience follow the story line. Ellipsis was used when the girl drags off the boy into the classroom, this is because it was obvious to the audience what was happening. This also created more tension as even though the audience knew what was going on they didn't know exactly what happened. Fast pace editing is used to show panic and rush through a dramatic scene. 

Diegetic sound such as talking in corridors and the chatter amongst students just sets the scene and makes the clip seem more realistic. Another diegetic sound used is the footsteps at the beginning of the clip, when the teacher walks towards the boys. This creates tension and makes the audience feel the suspense of what is about to happen. The boy who is being insulted and hurt by the girl begins to have an asthma attack. This is presented through his heavy breathing and anxiety. This may show how he is much weaker and doesn't have as much power as he has to be helped by an adult. Another way age is presented through sound is the teacher uses a click of his fingers to enforce rules and this shows he is higher in the hierarchy and has the control. The use of the non-diegetic technique, background music, is used when drama suddenly occurs in the clip. It makes the audience understand that something important is about to take place and shows the everyday stressful situations the students at the school face. 

The clothing worn is one way of representing age. The older teacher at the beginning of the clip wears quite old fashioned clothing and a sweater vest, showing the audience how his clothing displays his age and formality. All the students wear school uniform showing they are all equal due to their age and not having their own choice. Clothes seem to be a key element in fitting in and presenting age. Towards the end of the clip a teacher tries on the younger generations clothes in order to fit in and to try impress a woman. This links to the stereotype that older people are old fashioned and outdated.  

Sunday 4 December 2016

Class and Status in Downton Abbey


Clip starts at 3:26. Ends at 8:10
Class and status is presented through a variety of ways in the clip. There is a clear hierarchy in the Downton Abbey house. The Lordship has the most power whereas the servants are much lower having to accept every demand given to them. No one is seen as an equal, even some servants have more control over others. 

An establishing shot is used at the start of the clip to show the place that the programme was set. It lets the viewer see the manor conveying how wealthy the family are. A wide shot is then used in the girls room when they are woken up. This lets the audience see their living conditions. There is two in a room and its very small considering the size of the house, this suggests they are workers/maids in the manor house.  A tracking shot is used in the kitchen to follow the cook, it shows the chaos and rushing around that occurs in the morning in order to serve the owners of the house. A tracking shot is also used after to follow the servants around the house, this presents them to the audience as hard working and shows everything they have to do. At this point the editing technique of match cuts is also used to follow the action but with another character. at 5:54 a insert shot is used to focus in the keys meaning they may have some relevance to the story line or that because she holds the keys she holds the power. A close up on her face is then used to show the emotion and convey how she may not be pleased with the cleaner's work. At 6:53 the audience can see how the woman has woken up naturally, juxtaposing with how the maids woke up by someone banging on their door, suggesting how even though they live in the same house they live completely different lives. The woman then walks to the window and an ariel shot is used to look down at the man riding the bicycle. This may foreshadow that he is going to bring news. An over the shoulder shot is used at 7:42 to show the response between the boy ironing the papers and the man giving him a command. Even though he is still a servant he is higher in the hierarchy than some of the others, this is displayed when he gives instructions and demands. 

Editing is very important in the making of a TV programme. A cut is used, one example is at 3:57 when switching from the girls getting up to the maids in the kitchen. This is done to separate scenes and also show a new location. Continuity editing is used when showing the roles of the people in the house, this makes the scene flow and focuses on what's happening. 

Thursday 1 December 2016

The Lobster: Research

In a dystopian society, single people must find a mate within 45 days or be transformed into an animal of their choice.
The Lobster is a 2015 internationally co-produced absurdist dystopian drama
Release date: October 16, 2015 (United Kingdom)
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Production company: Film4 Productions
The film is co-produced by IrelandUnited KingdomGreeceFrance and the Netherlands.
Awards: British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress,more
Age Rating: 15
Filming Location: Dublin, Ireland
Budget: $4.5 million
Box Office: $15.7 million.


Monday 21 November 2016

Evaluate the role of digital technologies in the marketing and consumption of products in the media area you have studied.

The media areas I will be looking at is 'Ex Machina' and 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'. Ex Machina was released April 10th 2015. The Force Awakens was released December 17th 2015.

Digital technologies play a very important role in marketing and consumption of products in the media. This is due to the fact this gets the film out to the public and makes it heard of in a variety of ways, therefore resulting in a much higher popularity. There are many forms of digital technologies. By marketing and distributing media in this way creates ease and gets the film out quickly and a lot more efficiently. Over time digital technology has improved and become a lot more beneficial to not only film companies but also to the public. This is because information about media can so widely be found and there is so much more advertisement. The ways in which Ex Machina and The Force Awakens were marketed and distributed were very different.This is because of the factors such as: budget, and the distribution companies. Also a much higher age range of people now use digital technology so distribution companies can use this to their advantage to get their film out to their particular target market. 


I think that digital technologies is very important as it's very beneficial in order for the media to be successful. Without such a wide option of digital technology the film wouldn't earn anywhere as near much profit and wouldn't have as many fans as less people would have seen it. Its a straight-forward instant way to get the film heard of. 


The way the films were marketed was very important in order for the film to be a success. Star Wars The Force Awakens had a much higher budget at $306 million.This is due to being such a popular famous film previously. This meant that they could use a beneficial assortment of marketing techniques to get the film heard of. They used posters in streets and billboards on busy roads in order to make sure it is seen. They released toys which targeted younger members of the public, this intrigued them to want to watch the film. There were trailers online and on TV advertising the film, teasers could also be found online such as on YouTube. This builds up suspense and anticipation to the viewer before the film is actually released,it enticed the public into wanting to go see the film. Newspaper and magazine articles were advertised in papers such as The Sun and Daily Mail. Also in magazines for example in Entertainment magazine. The main stars of the hit film were invited on to many talk shows this got exclusive information on the film and therefore even more people were persuaded to go see the film. Ex Machina on the other hand was a much lower budget at $15 million. This meant after the production of the film not much money was left to get the word out about the film. The marketing team however thought of an ingenious idea to use a popular online dating app 'Tinder' to create a profile for the character Ava the robot. They set it up so she said quirky and smart phrases that a robot would say. This got them heard about in the news and online; still not as big as Star Wars but for their budget they were successful. 


Digital technologies also play a very important part in consumption of the media. This is because many people would use this to view the film. The distribution companies would need to distribute the film out in different formats in order for the film to be available in a variety of ways on digital technology. Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released on DVD and blu-ray April the 18th 2016. It was also available for download on Itunes. Apps were also created for download. The film was shown in Cinemas. In America it was shown on 4,314 screens and in cinemas for 4 months. It was shown in the UK on 670 screens. 

Star Wars:The Force Awakens was created by the company LucasFilm which is owned by Disney. Disney is a conglomerate company so therefore the film was able to be distributed much more extensively. Ex Machina was also shown in Cinemas. As this film was produced by DNA Films and Film4 Films it was a British film.However the film was shown on 2004 screens in the US but 1255 in the UK.  It was released on DVD 1st June 2015. 

Both films were available online. This created the problem of illegal piracy. This meant that the companies lost money as the public would be watching for free instead of paying. For example after 12 hours Star Wars The Force Awakens already had 250,000 downloads. On the other hand more people may have brought merchandise after watching the film as they enjoyed it. 

In conclusion without digital technology films wouldn't be anywhere near as successful due to the fact marketing wouldn't be as beneficial, and the public wouldn't have as many options in which they consume their media. 

Sunday 20 November 2016

Hotel Babylon Textual Analysis- Edited


This Clip uses an establishing shot to begin with to set the scene and show the surroundings. A hand-held camera is being used as it has a shaky effect giving the audience the feeling as though they are apart of the action. In the scene tracking shots are used for example the camera follows the action when the man is being chased and follows the woman falling down at 2:05. This draws in the audience as they feel more attached to characters and can see exactly what is happening and how.This may be one of Avarados racial stereotype theories that they are pitied and made to feel sorry of.  Point of view shots are used so the audience can see the characters perspective and therefore are drawn in. Near the end of the clip when the locker is being cleared out, the pictures are zoomed in on this is because it makes the audience feel sympathetic for the immigrant who had been caught. At 3:22 the camera zooms in on the woman face to express her emotions and her agitation. This could represent the immigration officer as an antagonist. Long and Short takes are used to show the importance and represent power of the officers for example the long close up of the officers face. 

Background music which is non diegetic sets the scene and tells the audience whats happening and pin points important parts in the programme. Throughout the clip a instrumental music piece is played its quite tension building. At the beginning the tone in the receptionists voice and the way she speaks shows she's trying to stay calm but is actually very panicked. Diegetic sound is used for example the heavy breathing when the immigrants are hidden in a storage cupboard, the panic and fear can be heard in their voices and breath (this is also synchronous sound) .Showing their emotions this way helps the viewers get more involved in the show and understand the circumstances which the characters are facing. Another way diegetic sound is used is when the man is running you can hear his speeding footsteps which makes everything seem much more dramatic and rushed. Also when the woman tells them supposedly that immigration are here you can hear the mumbles and yells of the people. Ethnicity is shown through the multiple languages used showing the hotel is multi-cultural. The fear the immigrants have towards the immigration officers shows that they are lower down in the hierarchy, disproving one of Tessa Perkins theories that stereotypes are not always about minority groups or the less powerful. However the culturally diverse group do come together to gain power. The fact that all of the immigrant workers seem knowledgeable of each others cultures shows one of the racial stereotypes Avarado discovered in 1978 which is being exotic. 

cut is used when the immigration officers find the man and chase him in the hotel corridor at around 2:50. It switches between the people in the cupboard and the man being caught to show the contrast between their situations and how some are safe yet one is going to be caught. This is gripping to the viewer. Everyone has their own personal view and beliefs on certain types of people and different minority groups and this can't usually be changed as this is what people and believe and stick by it. However the views of the immigration officer coming to remove the immigrants can change as his role in law may usually be seen as protagonist but in this case people may feel sympathy for the immigrants and then see the workers as antagonistic this links to Festingers theory 'cognitive theory' that we resist adjusting our attitudes unless faced with overwhelming evidence against it. He believed that we seek out confirmation of our thoughts/beliefs. shot-reverse-shot is also used at the beginning of the clip when the receptionist talks to the man sitting own and tells him a reminder but is actually trying to be discrete and tell him to hide the immigrants.

The women in the hotel are dressed formally for their job. The immigration officers are dressed quite casually. The main immigration officer is followed by 2 other men who always
 walk slightly behind him, this shows that he has a lot more power and is in a higher position of authority. Another representation of ethnicity is when put in the storage 
cupboard to protect the immigrants being taken some of them pray showing their religion and culture. This could convey how they are a very tight group and hope the best for each other. This may link to the theorist Tessa Perkins theory that stereotypes aren't always negative. This is proven wrong as the view is that foreign people are immigrants. However as the clip progresses at 2:29 it's show that they are actually quite knowledgeable for example knowing about putting the jam on her gums. They also pray towards the end of the clip after one immigrant was unfortunately caught. Artificial light is used upstairs however downstairs is natural light 
which represents status. The reception who is English wears white which represents  
innocence, however the Asian woman is on black this could show the contrast between cultures. Another possible representation of this is that the clothing is showing hierarchy. 

Friday 18 November 2016

Stereotypes Theorists.

Tessa Perkins

  • Stereotypes are not always negative.
  • They are not always about minority groups or the less powerful
  • They can be held about one's own group
  • They are not rigid or unchanging
  • Not always false
These assumptions are shown or argued against in the clip from Hotel Babylon. The first point that stereotypes are not always negative is argued against at the start of Hotel Babylon as the view that all the foreign people are immigrants is represented, however as the scene progressed it was clear to see that the stereotype wasn't negative. The immigrants were actually very knowledgeable people. In Hotel Babylon the clip is about less powerful group and how they are much further down the hierarchy, below authority. Although the immigrant workers join together and help each other to try and gain power. It isn't entirely about one's own group as there were many different ethnicity groups in this scene. The view of immigrant workers can change as it has over the years and peoples views have become differed. 


Leon Festinger

Festinger's theory was called the 'cognitive theory' He argues that we resist adjusting our attitudes unless faced with overwhelming evidence against it. He believed that we seek out confirmation of our thoughts/beliefs.

Hotel Babylon and similar TV dramas are popular due to the way the programme interprets the situation. Everyone has their own personal view and beliefs on certain types of people and different minority groups and this can't be changed as this is what people and believe and stick by it. However the views of the immigration officer coming to remove the immigrants can change as his role in law may usually be seen as protagonist but in this case people may feel sympathy for the immigrants and then see the workers as antagonistic.


Avarado's racial stereotypes (1978) 

  • Exotic- positive representation, showing them that they may speak multiple languages or more knowledgeable of other cultures. Conveying that they are highly educated. 
  • Dangerous- Stereotyping them as violent and that that they have the control of a bad situation. 
  • Humorous- this is a positive representation to an extent, it's potraying them as sociably friendly however may come across that they are also incapable of being serious.
  • Pitied- Coming across weak, makes you feel sorry for them. This portrays minorities as sub-ordinate due to the fact they are in need of help from a dominant figure0