Sunday 8 May 2011
How is gender represented in this extract of Primeval?
Gender is represented in this extract of Primeval through the use of mise-en-scene, camera angles, editing and sound. Primeval is a sci-fi TV drama and typically in Sci-fi males are seen as the dominate more active, involved in solving the problem whereas the female characters are often providing information or being saved.
True to this, the extract begins with Abbi sat in the tractor with Nick doing the manual work, he is wearing ordinary everyday clothes, t-shirt and combats which are muddy which suggests he is more involved in the work than Abbi is who is wearing more fashionable clothes which are clean. However, she challenges the typical stereotype of a weaker character when she gets more involved and saves Nick by distracting the creature when it attacks. Nick takes on Vladimir Propp's role of the typical male hero when he draws the creature away from Abbi. He is more active when dealing with the situation by running and climbing whereas Abbi is more stationary. This suggests that the female character is more prepared to tackle the situation head on whereas the male character wants to more physical in his approach. Abbi challenges the stereotype of the damsel-in-distress role when she comes to Nick's rescue by shooting at the creature. The group is mainly and is dominated by male characters, who decide what action is going to be taken. The group decide to save Jenny who seems to have take action into her own hands, this suggests she is challenging the stereotype by taking the heroic role however this is reversed by the fact she has to be rescued. Jenny's character looks out of place on the farm as she is smartly dressed, obvious make-up and hair done up. This contrasts from the male farmer who is in working gear which is more practical to the setting which suggests the female character cares more about her appearance. She seems aware of her looks and she tries to use it to control the farmer who ultimately ignores her argument so she ends up having to be saved by the others.
The close-up of the severed hand uses Barthes' code of enigma to make the audience wonder what it's doing there, it also builds up the plot and adds intrege. This extract uses a lot of low and high angle shots to show the control and power of the male and female characters. When Nick is in the trench and is being attacked by the tiger, low angle shots are used to make Nick look vulnerable and high angle to make the creature intimidating to Nick and the audience. Fast pace panning is used for the shots of Abbi in the digger and the tiger to add to the excitement and movement in the scene. It also gives the audience a sense of confusion as they can't see clear what is happening. These shots are cut between shots of Nick in the trench which makes him seem out of the action and shows that he is concerned for Abbi's safety. When Nick climbs the ladder there is a jump cut to him taking his belt off and tying the belt to the zip wire to speed up the action and give the audience a feeling of urgency. A tilt shot is used to show Nick on the zip wire and the tiger on the ground to suggest to the audience the danger he is in and how close he is to the creature. There is quick cutting between shots of Abbi running with the gun and Nick with the tiger which builds up the tension for the audience who want her to get to his rescue on time.
A slow motion edit is used when Abbi shoots the tiger which is quite effective after the fast pace cutting as it shows the action is over and gives the audience time to recover from the excitement, it also gives them the opportunity to see Nick's emotion. It then cuts to the panning shots of the group which cut several times to show the different characters talking, this makes the audience feel more involved in the conversation than if the camera where stationary.
The diegetic and non-diegetic sound also helps builds up the tension and sense of action which is key to the sci-fi conventions. It is also used to get the audience to build up emotion towards the characters. At the beginning of the clip the non-diegetic music is ominious and imposing which builds suspence and suggests to the audience that something dangerous is about to happen to the characters. The music then gets quieter and the diegetic sound of the JCB is heard this makes the action seem more real and the audience more involved. There is a dramatic beat when Nick spots the hand in the mud which suggest to the audience that this is significant. When Abbi turns off the digger the growl and crunching of twigs implies that the creature is close and the characters are in danger. The camera then uses quick panning shots off the trees to add to the tension and fear of the characters and audience. When the tiger appears the sound increases with the noise of the JCB, the growling and the non-diegetic music all adding to the tension and action of the scene. When Nick runs away the music becomes more louder and quicker to show the urgency of his situation. When the tiger is shot the music slows and becomes almost a fuzzy ringing sound which coinsides with the slow motion edit. During the conversation the music is still in the background loud and slightly ominous but increases when they decide to take action and save Jenny.
The music is used as a sound bridge from the scene of the group and the scene with Jenny in the barn, the music becomes softer and less intimidating which suggests the situation isn't dangerous yet as they are just having a conversation. It also suggest that Jenny is unaware of the danger she is in which represents the idea that the female character is a bit reckless and haven't thought it through. At the beginning she seems to be in control of the situation however when the farmer picks up the shotgun and she falls over she becomes very vulnerable. Low angle shots are used to make the audience feel sympathetic towards Jenny and make her seem small and helpless. The diegetic sound of the gun shot and the dogs barking add to the feeling of helplessness of Jenny's situation. The dogs barking make the farmer seem more imposing and threatening and suggest to the audience that even if Jenny tried to run he would only set the dogs on her. Slow motion edit of Jenny on the floor is used to suspend the time between her lying there alone seeming helpless to the shot where Steven, Abbi and Connor arrive. When she falls the audiene can see she is wearing a black dress and tights which seems like an inapproprate thing to wear in a farm whereas all the other characters seem more approprately dressed. This represents that this female character is not used to this country setting, she seems more like a business woman than the type who would get involved in the action. The female character is shown as being more caring and sensitive to other's feelings as Abbi is the one to ask if Jenny is ok. Whereas Steven and Connor are more interesting in dealing with the farmer, again the male character is shown being more active and the one to deal with the situation.
In this extract, male and female stereotypes are used and challenged. The male characters are generally represented as the ones who get activly involved in the action and are the dominant figures as they outnumber the female characters. However, in some cases the typical stereotype of the damsel-in-distress is challenged with Abbi being the main one who gets rid of the tiger. Also Jenny tries to take action by going to deal with the farmer herself however this backfires and leaves her having to be rescued which backs up the idea that the female character is weaker and has less control. Also the male stereotype is challenged when Nick has to be saved by Abbi however the typical stereotype is used as he is represented as the active if reckless hero of the story.
Ownership.
Convergence/cross media - Two or more types of media coming together e.g. Kick Ass - comic & film, TRON - Daft Punk soundtrack
Synergy - Different elements of a company working together to promote related products e.g. The Boat That Rocked soundtrack & film, Paramount Pictures, Film 4
Concentration of media ownership - The process by which an increasingly smaller number of companies own most media outlets e.g Big 6 Studios
Cross-media ownership - When a company which produces two or more types of media
Conglomerate - A large parent company which owns a range of smaller companies
Subsidiary - Smaller companies owned by a parent company
Oligopoly - When the market is dominated by a smaller number of companies
The Big Six film studios dominates the US film industry: (largest to 6th largest)
Implications of this ownership structure
18 out of the top 20 most successful films at the UK Box Office were made by the Big 6 Studios.
75% of the total UK Box Office is accounted for by US films.
Institutions used in British Film Industry:
Synergy - Different elements of a company working together to promote related products e.g. The Boat That Rocked soundtrack & film, Paramount Pictures, Film 4
Concentration of media ownership - The process by which an increasingly smaller number of companies own most media outlets e.g Big 6 Studios
Cross-media ownership - When a company which produces two or more types of media
Conglomerate - A large parent company which owns a range of smaller companies
Subsidiary - Smaller companies owned by a parent company
Oligopoly - When the market is dominated by a smaller number of companies
The Big Six film studios dominates the US film industry: (largest to 6th largest)
- Walt Disney Pictures
- Universal Pictures
- 20th Century Fox
- Paramount
- Columbia Pictures
- Warner Brothers
Implications of this ownership structure
- US domination is crushing British film industry
- Everyone else potentially can only make indie/niche films as they don't have the money to make films with wide appeal/ 4 quadrant pictures
18 out of the top 20 most successful films at the UK Box Office were made by the Big 6 Studios.
75% of the total UK Box Office is accounted for by US films.
Institutions used in British Film Industry:
- Independent companies
- TV
- Government bodies - UK Film Council
- Co-productions with Hollywood Studios
Friday 6 May 2011
Case Study - The King's Speech.
The King's Speech is a British film about King George VI who reluctantly becomes King after his brother abdicated the throne. King George has a stammer and is consider unfit to be King, with the help of an unorthodox speech therapist, Lionel Logue, George is able to find his voice and lead Britain through the war.
Britishness
What makes a film British?
According to government in 2003 -
"Most people would define a ‘British’ film with reference to obvious cultural elements such as: a setting in the UK or a focus on British people abroad; a predominantly British cast; a
storyline about some aspect of British life (past, present or future) or notably by/based on a work by, a British author. The nationalities of scriptwriter, producer, director and, perhaps
especially, the ‘investment’ seem less obviously significant. However, both artistic and financial considerations serve to complicate this issue."
Things have changed since then, as now a British film does not have to be based on British culture or focus on British people e.g Slumdog Millionaire. What classes as a British film would have a predominantly British class but may have actors of other nationalities starring. The main body of the crew - producers, director would be British. Some of the production companies would be British however they might get the bulk of the budget from international production companies.
Surprising Box Office hit
It exceeded Momentum Picture's expectations when it gained £3.52 million on the opening weekend which is almost double the opening gross of Slumdog Millionaire at £1.83m, Atonement at £1.63m and Pride and Prejudice at £2.53m.
It's appeal to a wider audience
The King's Speech is a very British film - it is about the royal family near the beginning of the Second World War - a time where the class system, that Britain is so well known for, was starting to break down and there was a bigger sense of national unity. The film represents this through the friendship George VI makes with a "commoner", Lionel Logue. The film has an appeal, not only to a British audience because it shows a story where the royal family are seen in private and are humanised by their troubles, but also to an international audience - members of the old British colonies in particular - because it shows a story where a "commoner" from the colonies develops a friendship with the King. This draws in a large audience from American who like their connection to the British monarchy and the idea that someone like them from a colony country could develop a friendship with a member of the royal family.
Reviews and the film's reception
Philip French of the Guardian gave it high praise and said that The King's Speech was "the work of highly talented artists who might be regarded as British realists" - the crew was made up of talented, experienced professionals that have worked in many other successful productions. He praises the film of not being triumphalist or sentimental and says that the film follows themes of courage, responsibility and duty over personal contentment - like popular films Casablanca and High Noon. He also says that it is more significant and ambitious than The Queen.
However, The Times says although it is great work there is still flaws to the film. "Hooper's framing and shot composition leave something to be desired" and that "Guy Pearce (who plays Edward VIII) is too young for the part and doesn't sound English at all. Timothy Spall as Churchill resembles a distended bulldog who's been chewing wasps, and that the characters of Helena Bonham Carter and Jennifer Ehle are under-used." However he does comment that although it is not as deep as it could be, it was enjoyable in seeing royalty humanised as in The Queen and The Young Victoria.
Other more critical reviews have criticised The King's Speech for making errors about the historical accuracy of some aspects of the film. For example the font used for the text in the BBC broadcasting room not being a font that was available til the 50's. The fact some women were shown wearing seamless stockings when they did not appear until later. Other continuity and editing errors were also pointed out where the King was shown throwing his speech then shown holding it in his hand the next shot.
Other than small criticisms of accuracy errors the film has mostly received praise and good reviews.
Award nominations and Oscars
It received nominations for 12 Oscars including best picture, best director, best supporting actor and actress, best screenplay, best editing, best art direction and costume. It won 4 Oscars for best picture, best director, best Actor (Colin Firth) and best original screenplay. It was also nominated for 14 BAFTAs of which it won 7. Mark Kemode comments that Oscar and BAFTA nominations and awards are often expected when playing a monarch for example with Judy Dench - Shakespeare in Love Helen Mirren - The Queen etc. and especially when the story is about humanising the monarchy.
Production Issues
The King's Speech is an excellent example of an indie film that can receive major global success without the help of a major Hollywood studio. See-Saw, a British/Australian company, financed and produced the film by getting deals with key distribution partners - The Weinstein Company (USA) Momentum Pictures (UK) Transmission (Australia) and Alliance Film (Canada).
See-Saw faced a big decision when Fox Searchlight showed an interest in The King's Speech but they wanted worldwide rights to the film. This meant they would have to cut other partners See-Saw chose to turn down Fox Searchlight and keep the original partners to keep the control in their hands.
The Finance
Prescience saw the film's potential early on and became the key financier of the film. The Weinstein Company and Momentum Pictures were also large investors for the film. The UK Film Council gave See-Saw £1 million for the production. Together they created the budget of $12 million.
Distribution and Marketing Issues
These posters use large bold text with simple messages to draw in the viewer. The poster with Geoffrey Rush uses words from reviews from various different sources. They used words have British connotations and link to the monarchy. "Majestic" and "Exquisite" suggests a royal, grand film. The poster directly addresses the audience when it says "fills you with joy" which encourages the viewer to go and see it. The Colin Firth poster is simpler - it uses God Save The King. The font and style is similar to the famous "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster which was first used around the time the film is set - which shows the context and attitude of period. The main information about the film's cast, release date and companies involved are placed at the bottom. The large image and text would draw the viewer in. The images of the characters are close up to make the viewer feel connected to the characters.
From the trailer the audience can understand more about the film genre and it's appeal.
The international trailer for The King's Speech:
The UK trailer:
The trailers differ slightly. The UK version shows Colin Firth's character more and shows the journey and struggle over coming his stammer but also his family troubles and concerns about the war with Germany. Whereas the US trailer focuses more on Geoffrey Rush's character and how he helps him overcome his speech problems. In both they use famous London landmarks e.g. St Paul's and Tower Bridge, also landmarks that are linked to royalty e.g. the Queen Victoria memorial statue. The UK trailer uses a well known quote from Shakespeare "some men are born great, others have greatness thrust upon them" this adds to the sense of Britishness in the trailer. In the Us trailer Helen Bonham Carter's character calls her husband the King rather than the Duke of York which is what she says in the UK trailer. The word King might mean more and give an international audience more understanding of his importance if they did not understand the monarchy/nobility system.
The various posters, trailer and film's synopsis all play an important part in the marketing of the film. The posters were placed everywhere; the sides of buses, billboards, bus stops etc. The idea of the posters is to grab people's attention, having them everywhere means people can't avoid them, which makes them want to watch the trailer and find out more about the film. The trailer then aims draw the audience in completely and to get them to see it. The film synopsis tells the audience enough about the film for them to understand what it is about but not too much to leave the audience wanting to find out more about the story and experience it themselves.
Major issues facing British Film Makers
According to King's Speech director, Tom Hooper, there has been a revolution in British film making due to the rise in digital technology. When he was younger digital technology was not available so he had to use film and could not afford to add sound so his films were silent. Today gadgets like iPhones etc have the ability to film in HD with sound so everyone has the opportunity to make a film. Digital is a lot cheaper way of film making however there hasn't been a reduced cost of marketing a film to the public. E.g. from The King's Speech budget of $15 million dollars it takes $25/30 million has to be spent marketing it to the US. Tom Hooper says that there is still a restriction to who can make a film that will reach everyone because even if you manage to make a film for nothing you still have to have millions of dollars to market it.
So despite the revolution the digital technology makes to the actual production of the film it has had little impact to the cost. He also mentions that the use of big name stars is a large part of the appeal to films and that also is very expensive. So although the digital revolution has change and given the British film industry opportunities film makers are still restricted by costs of marketing and distribution, and also the ability to make a film with wide appeal with blockbuster stars.
Britishness
What makes a film British?
According to government in 2003 -
"Most people would define a ‘British’ film with reference to obvious cultural elements such as: a setting in the UK or a focus on British people abroad; a predominantly British cast; a
storyline about some aspect of British life (past, present or future) or notably by/based on a work by, a British author. The nationalities of scriptwriter, producer, director and, perhaps
especially, the ‘investment’ seem less obviously significant. However, both artistic and financial considerations serve to complicate this issue."
Things have changed since then, as now a British film does not have to be based on British culture or focus on British people e.g Slumdog Millionaire. What classes as a British film would have a predominantly British class but may have actors of other nationalities starring. The main body of the crew - producers, director would be British. Some of the production companies would be British however they might get the bulk of the budget from international production companies.
Surprising Box Office hit
It exceeded Momentum Picture's expectations when it gained £3.52 million on the opening weekend which is almost double the opening gross of Slumdog Millionaire at £1.83m, Atonement at £1.63m and Pride and Prejudice at £2.53m.
It's appeal to a wider audience
The King's Speech is a very British film - it is about the royal family near the beginning of the Second World War - a time where the class system, that Britain is so well known for, was starting to break down and there was a bigger sense of national unity. The film represents this through the friendship George VI makes with a "commoner", Lionel Logue. The film has an appeal, not only to a British audience because it shows a story where the royal family are seen in private and are humanised by their troubles, but also to an international audience - members of the old British colonies in particular - because it shows a story where a "commoner" from the colonies develops a friendship with the King. This draws in a large audience from American who like their connection to the British monarchy and the idea that someone like them from a colony country could develop a friendship with a member of the royal family.
Reviews and the film's reception
Philip French of the Guardian gave it high praise and said that The King's Speech was "the work of highly talented artists who might be regarded as British realists" - the crew was made up of talented, experienced professionals that have worked in many other successful productions. He praises the film of not being triumphalist or sentimental and says that the film follows themes of courage, responsibility and duty over personal contentment - like popular films Casablanca and High Noon. He also says that it is more significant and ambitious than The Queen.
However, The Times says although it is great work there is still flaws to the film. "Hooper's framing and shot composition leave something to be desired" and that "Guy Pearce (who plays Edward VIII) is too young for the part and doesn't sound English at all. Timothy Spall as Churchill resembles a distended bulldog who's been chewing wasps, and that the characters of Helena Bonham Carter and Jennifer Ehle are under-used." However he does comment that although it is not as deep as it could be, it was enjoyable in seeing royalty humanised as in The Queen and The Young Victoria.
Other more critical reviews have criticised The King's Speech for making errors about the historical accuracy of some aspects of the film. For example the font used for the text in the BBC broadcasting room not being a font that was available til the 50's. The fact some women were shown wearing seamless stockings when they did not appear until later. Other continuity and editing errors were also pointed out where the King was shown throwing his speech then shown holding it in his hand the next shot.
Other than small criticisms of accuracy errors the film has mostly received praise and good reviews.
Award nominations and Oscars
It received nominations for 12 Oscars including best picture, best director, best supporting actor and actress, best screenplay, best editing, best art direction and costume. It won 4 Oscars for best picture, best director, best Actor (Colin Firth) and best original screenplay. It was also nominated for 14 BAFTAs of which it won 7. Mark Kemode comments that Oscar and BAFTA nominations and awards are often expected when playing a monarch for example with Judy Dench - Shakespeare in Love Helen Mirren - The Queen etc. and especially when the story is about humanising the monarchy.
Production Issues
The King's Speech is an excellent example of an indie film that can receive major global success without the help of a major Hollywood studio. See-Saw, a British/Australian company, financed and produced the film by getting deals with key distribution partners - The Weinstein Company (USA) Momentum Pictures (UK) Transmission (Australia) and Alliance Film (Canada).
See-Saw faced a big decision when Fox Searchlight showed an interest in The King's Speech but they wanted worldwide rights to the film. This meant they would have to cut other partners See-Saw chose to turn down Fox Searchlight and keep the original partners to keep the control in their hands.
The Finance
Prescience saw the film's potential early on and became the key financier of the film. The Weinstein Company and Momentum Pictures were also large investors for the film. The UK Film Council gave See-Saw £1 million for the production. Together they created the budget of $12 million.
Distribution and Marketing Issues
These posters use large bold text with simple messages to draw in the viewer. The poster with Geoffrey Rush uses words from reviews from various different sources. They used words have British connotations and link to the monarchy. "Majestic" and "Exquisite" suggests a royal, grand film. The poster directly addresses the audience when it says "fills you with joy" which encourages the viewer to go and see it. The Colin Firth poster is simpler - it uses God Save The King. The font and style is similar to the famous "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster which was first used around the time the film is set - which shows the context and attitude of period. The main information about the film's cast, release date and companies involved are placed at the bottom. The large image and text would draw the viewer in. The images of the characters are close up to make the viewer feel connected to the characters.
From the trailer the audience can understand more about the film genre and it's appeal.
The international trailer for The King's Speech:
The UK trailer:
The trailers differ slightly. The UK version shows Colin Firth's character more and shows the journey and struggle over coming his stammer but also his family troubles and concerns about the war with Germany. Whereas the US trailer focuses more on Geoffrey Rush's character and how he helps him overcome his speech problems. In both they use famous London landmarks e.g. St Paul's and Tower Bridge, also landmarks that are linked to royalty e.g. the Queen Victoria memorial statue. The UK trailer uses a well known quote from Shakespeare "some men are born great, others have greatness thrust upon them" this adds to the sense of Britishness in the trailer. In the Us trailer Helen Bonham Carter's character calls her husband the King rather than the Duke of York which is what she says in the UK trailer. The word King might mean more and give an international audience more understanding of his importance if they did not understand the monarchy/nobility system.
The various posters, trailer and film's synopsis all play an important part in the marketing of the film. The posters were placed everywhere; the sides of buses, billboards, bus stops etc. The idea of the posters is to grab people's attention, having them everywhere means people can't avoid them, which makes them want to watch the trailer and find out more about the film. The trailer then aims draw the audience in completely and to get them to see it. The film synopsis tells the audience enough about the film for them to understand what it is about but not too much to leave the audience wanting to find out more about the story and experience it themselves.
Major issues facing British Film Makers
According to King's Speech director, Tom Hooper, there has been a revolution in British film making due to the rise in digital technology. When he was younger digital technology was not available so he had to use film and could not afford to add sound so his films were silent. Today gadgets like iPhones etc have the ability to film in HD with sound so everyone has the opportunity to make a film. Digital is a lot cheaper way of film making however there hasn't been a reduced cost of marketing a film to the public. E.g. from The King's Speech budget of $15 million dollars it takes $25/30 million has to be spent marketing it to the US. Tom Hooper says that there is still a restriction to who can make a film that will reach everyone because even if you manage to make a film for nothing you still have to have millions of dollars to market it.
So despite the revolution the digital technology makes to the actual production of the film it has had little impact to the cost. He also mentions that the use of big name stars is a large part of the appeal to films and that also is very expensive. So although the digital revolution has change and given the British film industry opportunities film makers are still restricted by costs of marketing and distribution, and also the ability to make a film with wide appeal with blockbuster stars.
Monday 11 April 2011
How is gender represented in this extract of Dr Who?
In this extract of Dr Who, a sci-fi TV drama genders have different roles.
Tuesday 5 April 2011
Controversity in Representing Ethnic Diversity.
The producer of Midsummer Murders has said that the part of the show's appeal is the absence of ethnic minorities and that the series wouldn't work if there was any racial diversity in the village life. He has been suspended for the comments he made however it rises the question whether ethnic diversity should be represented or whether the creators should be allowed the choice to exclude ethnically diverse characters.
Since 9/11 political issues are frequently involved when we see certain ethnic groups represented. Religion is a key signifier here. Religious figures being negatively represented and secular (non-religious) figures are treated more positively. The most negative stereotype of Muslim, Asian/Middle Eastern characters is similar to the old stereotype of the Northern Irish. (violent/backwards/deeply religious/fanatical)
More sympathetic representations may focus on issues of social class and status however working class black youths are commonly stereotyped as criminal, a stereotype that is spreading to Asian youths too.
With black youths in particular there is often a representation of heavily Americanised characters through language, dress and musical tastes for example. There may also be white racist characters to deal with.
Are different ethnic groups represented as having more in common than they do differences?
Sometimes ethnic groups are grouped together to make it easier to identify as a larger group e.g. black/Asian/white groups may be grouped together when representing teenagers
However sometimes TV dramas will use the stereotypical differences between ethnic groups to help the audience identify the group/character and their part in the story in a short amount of time.
Since 9/11 political issues are frequently involved when we see certain ethnic groups represented. Religion is a key signifier here. Religious figures being negatively represented and secular (non-religious) figures are treated more positively. The most negative stereotype of Muslim, Asian/Middle Eastern characters is similar to the old stereotype of the Northern Irish. (violent/backwards/deeply religious/fanatical)
More sympathetic representations may focus on issues of social class and status however working class black youths are commonly stereotyped as criminal, a stereotype that is spreading to Asian youths too.
With black youths in particular there is often a representation of heavily Americanised characters through language, dress and musical tastes for example. There may also be white racist characters to deal with.
Are different ethnic groups represented as having more in common than they do differences?
Sometimes ethnic groups are grouped together to make it easier to identify as a larger group e.g. black/Asian/white groups may be grouped together when representing teenagers
However sometimes TV dramas will use the stereotypical differences between ethnic groups to help the audience identify the group/character and their part in the story in a short amount of time.
Monday 4 April 2011
Extract from Secret Diary of a Call Girl - Disability Representation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auSAGvpM7W8
At the beginning the camera started at Belle's height but when she opened the door the camera automatically pans down to Blake's level which suggests he has less control in this situation. This is backed up by the fact his Dad has to accompany him and help him get out of his wheelchair and onto the bed. Blake's lack of control and ability in this situation is emphasised in the height difference between Blake and his Dad. The typical stereotype of disability is used here because his is represented as being unable to do basic things and there is a sense of awkwardness from his Dad and Belle about the situation. Belle is being particularly sensitive about the situation and more so that she would with other clients so this represents that in society there is a noticeable difference in they way able and disabled people are treated. The soundtrack is very slow and long which gives the audience a feeling of the unease in the room and also builds up sympathy for Blake. The room is quite light and luxurious with the fancy bed and the champagne glasses which make Blake look even more out of place because he is wearing quite dark clothing compared with Belle's light blue silk-style dress.
At the beginning the camera started at Belle's height but when she opened the door the camera automatically pans down to Blake's level which suggests he has less control in this situation. This is backed up by the fact his Dad has to accompany him and help him get out of his wheelchair and onto the bed. Blake's lack of control and ability in this situation is emphasised in the height difference between Blake and his Dad. The typical stereotype of disability is used here because his is represented as being unable to do basic things and there is a sense of awkwardness from his Dad and Belle about the situation. Belle is being particularly sensitive about the situation and more so that she would with other clients so this represents that in society there is a noticeable difference in they way able and disabled people are treated. The soundtrack is very slow and long which gives the audience a feeling of the unease in the room and also builds up sympathy for Blake. The room is quite light and luxurious with the fancy bed and the champagne glasses which make Blake look even more out of place because he is wearing quite dark clothing compared with Belle's light blue silk-style dress.
Sunday 3 April 2011
Todorov's Theory in Due Date
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf2AfVESbx0
Todorov's theory was that at the beginning of a narrative something would happen to disrupt the state of equilibrium of the main character. The story would then show the struggle of the main character to get back to normal. This is true in the case of Due Date because the main character, Peter, is about to return home where his wife is about to have their child which would normally be simple. However, he meets Ethan who gets him kicked off the plane and they ultimately have to journey together to get to LA which Ethan doesn't make easy for Peter. In the end they reach LA in time for Peter to be there for the delivery of his child, Peter and Ethan become friends and in the last scene Ethan is shown having achieved his dream of becoming an actor and Peter is with his family.
Todorov's theory was that at the beginning of a narrative something would happen to disrupt the state of equilibrium of the main character. The story would then show the struggle of the main character to get back to normal. This is true in the case of Due Date because the main character, Peter, is about to return home where his wife is about to have their child which would normally be simple. However, he meets Ethan who gets him kicked off the plane and they ultimately have to journey together to get to LA which Ethan doesn't make easy for Peter. In the end they reach LA in time for Peter to be there for the delivery of his child, Peter and Ethan become friends and in the last scene Ethan is shown having achieved his dream of becoming an actor and Peter is with his family.
Wednesday 30 March 2011
Film Marketing.
The marketing campaign is the most expensive part.
Distributors will consider the use of advance public screenings to create word-of-mouth and an advance buzz about a film.
- Posters/adverts in newspapers/TV/trailers
- New technologies - internet/websites
- Viral - quirky/odd
- Synergies - gets other companies/products involved
- Above the line/ Below the line
Distributors will consider the use of advance public screenings to create word-of-mouth and an advance buzz about a film.
Film Distribution.
The film distributor is responsible for releasing a film for public viewing either theatrically or for home viewing (TV/DVD/download etc)
A distributor might do this by directly distributing the film to their own theatres or they can send it to sub-distributors. If the distributors is working with a theatrical exhibitor the distributor will write a contract to say how much the exhibitor will pay them from the gross ticket sales. After the distributor gets their shares in the gross ticket sales they transmit the remainder of the profit to the production company.
Vertical Integration Distribution:
The stages of production and distribution are done by the same company e.g. large Hollywood production companies can afford and have the resources to do this
Horizontal Distribution:
One company produces the film then has another distribute the film. This allows the companies to share the risk of failure and if the film is a failure then it is less of a loss for the companies. This is done by the distributor acquiring the legal rights to show the film from the producers. British productions use this method. Independent producers have to sell their films to different distributors in each territory.
Local distributors only work in their country and will share the profits made in that country with the film maker. There are 90+ territories worldwide.
How are films usually launched?
Scheduling - Often come out on a Friday as it is the end of the week so children and adults will have the time to visit the cinema.
Film Distribution Association - work out how and when the film should be launched Seasonality, light weekends and other releases are considered before they agree on a time for the film to be launched to ensure optimum success.
There is usually about 10 releases in a week.
Prints - (old way of distributing film)
Independent/ specialised films made about 10 prints or less of a film and toured it over 6 month period to all areas around the UK. Mainstream films had about 200+ prints made which would be simultaneously shown in all major UK cities. Transportation around the world was expensive and difficult. The prints had to be hired by the exhibitor, they were easily damaged and expensive to store as they had to kept at a certain temperature and condition.
The success or failure of a cinema release determines when and how the DVD/ TV releases will happen.
5 major distributors will account for 90% of box office.
Wide Release - used for US major distributors/ films need £2 million+ to make a wide release. This type of release requires heavy investment in prints and national advertising. The producers and distributors can recuperate their investment quicker. Also the revenues from the DVD sales can be gained faster from a quickly-executed theatrical release. The shorter the time period between the theatrical release and the DVD release, the greater the potential for DVD income.
Modified Wide Release - The film will open in a few major markets and expand week by week to build up awareness and allow positive word-of-mouth reputation to develop. This type of release would initially be supported spot advertising in a certain area e.g. one city. It may then move to national advertising once it expands to other markets.
Exclusive and Limited Runs - Exclusive and limited runs begin with engagements at a limited number of screens, traditionally in large urban areas e.g. Toronto. Based on favourable reviews and positive word-of-mouth depends on whether or not the film will move to additional theatres. This release is usually used for upscale "art-house" or foreign films and may be part of a platforming strategy where critical acclaim in an important market will assist in providing momentum for a wide release.
Territorial Saturation - Territorial saturation involves saturating a territory with bookings, heavy advertising and promotion before moving on to another territory. This method would be used for films tailored to specific markets. In Canada this would be seen with French-language films, which primarily would be well-received only in Quebec. It is also used by independent distributors for exploitation or family movies.
Universal Release - The film is released in several countries on the same day. For instance a major blockbuster is sometimes released in the USA and the UK on the same date.
Digital Distribution - quicker/cheaper/gets straight to the audience who want to see it. Independent productions use this method. The main attraction to this type of distribution is the way it can get directly to the audience with minimum business overheads involved which makes it cheaper for the consumer. It has been blamed for media stores having to close down. DSN (Digital Screen Network) sites supports new facilities in 211 screens across the country (out of 33,000). This is a small but important step of change towards full digital cinema.
49% of all DVD rentals are now generated online.
Only Showcase remains in American hands but all the other chains are deeply committed to distributing American films.
How film makes its money back:
Promotional screens -> Cinema -> Hospitality (planes/hotels) -> DVD rental -> Pay TV/VOD -> DVD retail -> Free TV -> Library
Digital distribution is changing this order because it allows it to go straight from cinema to DVD retail, Pay TV and download at the same time.
A film recuperates most of its budget through DVD sales. From 40% of DVD sales 75% is from Retail and 25% is from Rental. 28% is made from TV, 25% from Cinema profits and 7% from other sources.
The more times and places a film is exhibited the move money it generates. There are around 45 international areas in which the rights to exhibit films are regularly traded. 20 major international marketplaces: Sundance - Utah, Cannes - France, Toronto Festival - Canada
Sales agents for film rights tend to use the same set of generic internal percentage to make estimates as to how a film will sell internationally.
Europe - 39%
North America - 33%
Far East - 16%
Latin America - 4%
Other - 9%
A film exhibition sale is generally a 75-25 split between a vendor (cinema/retailer/TV channel) and a distributor - who deducts 35% commission and costs "off the top".
Royalty Model - Distributor pay the producer a 35% royalty of the profits made
"Off the top" Model - Distributor takes 35% commissions + 25% of costs.
Cinema hasn't been seriously affected by the recession. As people still want to see films and go out for the cinema experience. The high months are May, July, August and Jan/Feb
40% of independent British films never gross more than 100k at the box office as opening in over 100 screens significantly increases the cost.
DVD Sales
Audio-video specialists - 35%
Supermarkets - 23%
Generalists - 18%
Mail order - 15%
Wholesalers - 9%
Supermarkets have come to dominate DVD sales pushing the average retail price of DVD to £7.42.
Pay-per-View & VOD tend to be more profitable as the costs of sale are born by the TV platform.
Subscription & free TV fired-fee licensing deals depend on the performance history of the film.
Producer - 60%
Distributor - 40%
Recoupment is organised into a corridor and made from a central collection account.
A distributor might do this by directly distributing the film to their own theatres or they can send it to sub-distributors. If the distributors is working with a theatrical exhibitor the distributor will write a contract to say how much the exhibitor will pay them from the gross ticket sales. After the distributor gets their shares in the gross ticket sales they transmit the remainder of the profit to the production company.
Vertical Integration Distribution:
The stages of production and distribution are done by the same company e.g. large Hollywood production companies can afford and have the resources to do this
Horizontal Distribution:
One company produces the film then has another distribute the film. This allows the companies to share the risk of failure and if the film is a failure then it is less of a loss for the companies. This is done by the distributor acquiring the legal rights to show the film from the producers. British productions use this method. Independent producers have to sell their films to different distributors in each territory.
Local distributors only work in their country and will share the profits made in that country with the film maker. There are 90+ territories worldwide.
How are films usually launched?
Scheduling - Often come out on a Friday as it is the end of the week so children and adults will have the time to visit the cinema.
Film Distribution Association - work out how and when the film should be launched Seasonality, light weekends and other releases are considered before they agree on a time for the film to be launched to ensure optimum success.
There is usually about 10 releases in a week.
Prints - (old way of distributing film)
Independent/ specialised films made about 10 prints or less of a film and toured it over 6 month period to all areas around the UK. Mainstream films had about 200+ prints made which would be simultaneously shown in all major UK cities. Transportation around the world was expensive and difficult. The prints had to be hired by the exhibitor, they were easily damaged and expensive to store as they had to kept at a certain temperature and condition.
The success or failure of a cinema release determines when and how the DVD/ TV releases will happen.
5 major distributors will account for 90% of box office.
Wide Release - used for US major distributors/ films need £2 million+ to make a wide release. This type of release requires heavy investment in prints and national advertising. The producers and distributors can recuperate their investment quicker. Also the revenues from the DVD sales can be gained faster from a quickly-executed theatrical release. The shorter the time period between the theatrical release and the DVD release, the greater the potential for DVD income.
Modified Wide Release - The film will open in a few major markets and expand week by week to build up awareness and allow positive word-of-mouth reputation to develop. This type of release would initially be supported spot advertising in a certain area e.g. one city. It may then move to national advertising once it expands to other markets.
Exclusive and Limited Runs - Exclusive and limited runs begin with engagements at a limited number of screens, traditionally in large urban areas e.g. Toronto. Based on favourable reviews and positive word-of-mouth depends on whether or not the film will move to additional theatres. This release is usually used for upscale "art-house" or foreign films and may be part of a platforming strategy where critical acclaim in an important market will assist in providing momentum for a wide release.
Territorial Saturation - Territorial saturation involves saturating a territory with bookings, heavy advertising and promotion before moving on to another territory. This method would be used for films tailored to specific markets. In Canada this would be seen with French-language films, which primarily would be well-received only in Quebec. It is also used by independent distributors for exploitation or family movies.
Universal Release - The film is released in several countries on the same day. For instance a major blockbuster is sometimes released in the USA and the UK on the same date.
Digital Distribution - quicker/cheaper/gets straight to the audience who want to see it. Independent productions use this method. The main attraction to this type of distribution is the way it can get directly to the audience with minimum business overheads involved which makes it cheaper for the consumer. It has been blamed for media stores having to close down. DSN (Digital Screen Network) sites supports new facilities in 211 screens across the country (out of 33,000). This is a small but important step of change towards full digital cinema.
49% of all DVD rentals are now generated online.
Only Showcase remains in American hands but all the other chains are deeply committed to distributing American films.
How film makes its money back:
Promotional screens -> Cinema -> Hospitality (planes/hotels) -> DVD rental -> Pay TV/VOD -> DVD retail -> Free TV -> Library
Digital distribution is changing this order because it allows it to go straight from cinema to DVD retail, Pay TV and download at the same time.
A film recuperates most of its budget through DVD sales. From 40% of DVD sales 75% is from Retail and 25% is from Rental. 28% is made from TV, 25% from Cinema profits and 7% from other sources.
The more times and places a film is exhibited the move money it generates. There are around 45 international areas in which the rights to exhibit films are regularly traded. 20 major international marketplaces: Sundance - Utah, Cannes - France, Toronto Festival - Canada
Sales agents for film rights tend to use the same set of generic internal percentage to make estimates as to how a film will sell internationally.
Europe - 39%
North America - 33%
Far East - 16%
Latin America - 4%
Other - 9%
A film exhibition sale is generally a 75-25 split between a vendor (cinema/retailer/TV channel) and a distributor - who deducts 35% commission and costs "off the top".
Royalty Model - Distributor pay the producer a 35% royalty of the profits made
"Off the top" Model - Distributor takes 35% commissions + 25% of costs.
Cinema hasn't been seriously affected by the recession. As people still want to see films and go out for the cinema experience. The high months are May, July, August and Jan/Feb
40% of independent British films never gross more than 100k at the box office as opening in over 100 screens significantly increases the cost.
DVD Sales
Audio-video specialists - 35%
Supermarkets - 23%
Generalists - 18%
Mail order - 15%
Wholesalers - 9%
Supermarkets have come to dominate DVD sales pushing the average retail price of DVD to £7.42.
Pay-per-View & VOD tend to be more profitable as the costs of sale are born by the TV platform.
Subscription & free TV fired-fee licensing deals depend on the performance history of the film.
Producer - 60%
Distributor - 40%
Recoupment is organised into a corridor and made from a central collection account.
Wednesday 23 March 2011
Red One Filmography.
Red One is a type of film camera. Some directors think it is amazing. Steven Soderbergh used when filming Che "this is the camera I've been waiting for my whole career jaw-dropping imagery recorded on board a camera light enough to hold with one hand" However director Werner Herzog who used it to film My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? was disappointed with the amount of time it took the camera to reboot.
The films and TV series it has been used on are:
The films and TV series it has been used on are:
- Leverage
- Degrassi: The Next Generation
- Red Dwarf: Back to Earth
- The Social Network
- Red State
- Red Riding
- ER
- Southland
- Sanctuary
- Payanam
3D Cinema at the Slide?
After "Avatar" people assumed that 3D would take over as 80% of the people who when to see it saw it in 3D. The intake for 3D has gone down since Avatar which suggests that moviegoers are unwillling to pay more for uneven quality. For example, only 45% of the opening box-office revenue for "Despicable Me" came from 3D distribution.
Studio executives are sure that the public are not losing interest in 3D despite data showing a dropping percentage of thev amount of the box-office sales on 3D tickets. They think the reason for this is that childrens' 3D films are less popular because it's had to get the kids to keep the glasses on, so parents don't take them to see 3D films however films that pull in more adults like Alice in Wonderland and Avatar do better.
Disney's "Mars Needs Mums" a flop?
Disney's $175 million flop could be the end of the current flurry of 3D film making and the spending in CGI and other expensive digital technology. The impace of this and the recession could be serious for 3D film especially when films like The King's Speech can be produced for a lot less and win more Oscars and Baftas.
Wednesday 16 March 2011
Audience and Institution - Film4.
What is Film4's remit?
To produce British films and encourage up and coming directors and established directors to get better recognision.
What types of films are greeen-lighted by Film4? (Examples of film/genre)
Film4 has produced a number of dramas, comedies and romantic films. E.g.
She is regarded as "the mother of British film-making" because she has turned the Film4 production company around since becoming executive 6 years ago and created a future for Film4 and British film production. She has also gone to great lenghts during producing films. For example when the idea for producing Slumdog Millionaire came up she knew that Film$ would have to get permission from the game show "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" so she travelled to Celador to gain the rights and partner with them so that they were allowed to portray the game show in the film.
How much is Film4's yearly budget and how much of it did "Slumdog Millionaire take up?
The budget for Slumdog Millionaire was originally £8 million but was increaed to £10 million. The overall cost of the film was about £10 million.
Why does Film4 form partnerships with other companies/individuals?
Film4 forms partnerships with other companies to gain the rights to use the companies or individual ideas/ resources in their films. They must gain the rights so that they are not going against Copyright Laws. E.g. Tessa Ross gain the rights to use Who wants to be a Millionaire? game show in Slumdog Millionaire.
What is the future for Film4 - budget and film-wise?
Film4 wants to raise its budget to £50 million. They hope to raise the budget over the next 5 years by adding £15 million a year. They plan to start this with the newest film they have finacnced - Never Let Me Go starring Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan.
What problems did Film4 face in the noughties?
Film4 faced a major problem in 2001 with the huge loss of about £5.7 million after the flop of the production Charlotte Gray which was one of the most expensive films they had made. In 2006 Film4 faced other problems because the amount of TV subscribers were low however it has improved since it has launched on freeview and better advertising.
To produce British films and encourage up and coming directors and established directors to get better recognision.
What types of films are greeen-lighted by Film4? (Examples of film/genre)
Film4 has produced a number of dramas, comedies and romantic films. E.g.
- Slumdog Millionaire -> drama/romance
- This is England -> drama
- Last King of Scotland -> drama
- Four Lion -> comedy/drama
- Happy - Go - Lucky -> comedy/drama
- Trainspotting -> drama
- Four Weddings and a Funeral -> romantic comedy
- Touching the Void -> drama/adventure
- Elizabeth -> drama
- Room with a View -> drama/romance
She is regarded as "the mother of British film-making" because she has turned the Film4 production company around since becoming executive 6 years ago and created a future for Film4 and British film production. She has also gone to great lenghts during producing films. For example when the idea for producing Slumdog Millionaire came up she knew that Film$ would have to get permission from the game show "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" so she travelled to Celador to gain the rights and partner with them so that they were allowed to portray the game show in the film.
How much is Film4's yearly budget and how much of it did "Slumdog Millionaire take up?
The budget for Slumdog Millionaire was originally £8 million but was increaed to £10 million. The overall cost of the film was about £10 million.
Why does Film4 form partnerships with other companies/individuals?
Film4 forms partnerships with other companies to gain the rights to use the companies or individual ideas/ resources in their films. They must gain the rights so that they are not going against Copyright Laws. E.g. Tessa Ross gain the rights to use Who wants to be a Millionaire? game show in Slumdog Millionaire.
What is the future for Film4 - budget and film-wise?
Film4 wants to raise its budget to £50 million. They hope to raise the budget over the next 5 years by adding £15 million a year. They plan to start this with the newest film they have finacnced - Never Let Me Go starring Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan.
What problems did Film4 face in the noughties?
Film4 faced a major problem in 2001 with the huge loss of about £5.7 million after the flop of the production Charlotte Gray which was one of the most expensive films they had made. In 2006 Film4 faced other problems because the amount of TV subscribers were low however it has improved since it has launched on freeview and better advertising.
Monday 7 March 2011
Representation of Age in Monarch of the Glen.
Mise-en-scene:
Older
- Brandy
- Tweed suits
- Flat caps
- Higher status than others
- Jeeps/vans
- Working clothes
- Outdoor comfortable wear
- Taking parental roles
- Out-numbered by adults
- Girl - wearing more fashionable clothes, jewellery
- Flower in hair - naive/youthful
- Girl's room - teddy shows naive/childlike character
- Magazines and pink lanterns - shows cross between an adult and child
- Swirly feminine hand writing on letter
- Establishing panning shot shows more of the setting
- Close-up shot of Amy
Saturday 5 March 2011
Tuesday 1 March 2011
Representation of Regional Identity.
The representation of Regional Identity usually involves representations of other stereotypes e.g. class and status and ethnicity. A character's regional identity is usually represented through their accent, job, clothing, where they live and their opinions/ ideals.
Male northerners are usually stereotyped as being hard and tough working class. The character's accent usually helps represent this however the Geordie accent is softer and more friendly than say the Manchester or Liverpudlian accent therefore the typical stereotype is that Geordie's are friendlier.
There is more contrast in the South which usually depends on a character's class or status. For example representing a stereotypical Londoner depends on which area they live in. The East End is usually represented as a lower class area with crime and violence whereas areas such as Kensington and Chelsea are usually represent as higher class full of business men and large houses.
People living in the countryside are stereotyped as farmers, backward thinking, a bit odd but more relaxed. Whereas "Townies" are represented as more modern, have office jobs and have busier more stressful lives.
Male northerners are usually stereotyped as being hard and tough working class. The character's accent usually helps represent this however the Geordie accent is softer and more friendly than say the Manchester or Liverpudlian accent therefore the typical stereotype is that Geordie's are friendlier.
There is more contrast in the South which usually depends on a character's class or status. For example representing a stereotypical Londoner depends on which area they live in. The East End is usually represented as a lower class area with crime and violence whereas areas such as Kensington and Chelsea are usually represent as higher class full of business men and large houses.
People living in the countryside are stereotyped as farmers, backward thinking, a bit odd but more relaxed. Whereas "Townies" are represented as more modern, have office jobs and have busier more stressful lives.
Sound.
Diegetic sound - Any sound that is included in the action that the characters can hear
Non-diegetic sound - Any sound that has no source in the scene e.g. the soundtrack
Mood music - Music used to enhance the atmosphere or setting of a moving-image text
Selective sound - The getting rid of some sounds and keeping others to make significant sounds easier for the audience to hear/ for dramatic effect e.g. exaggerated footsteps
Sound perspective/aural perspective - The impression of distance in sound e.g. muffled talking
Sound bridge - Adding to continuity through sound by running sound from one shot to another to make action seem uniterrupted
Asynchronous sound - Where the sound is seperate from action and added later
Synchronous sound - Where the sound matches the action
Silence - is used to let audience reflect on action/story, draw attention to visual action, make the audience apprehensive
The soundtrack of TV drama is very important. The opening sequence and the music is thought to be more important than the content because the music is recognisable and identified with the TV drama this will draw the audiences' attention.
Recognisable soundtracks for TV programmes:
Non-diegetic sound - Any sound that has no source in the scene e.g. the soundtrack
Mood music - Music used to enhance the atmosphere or setting of a moving-image text
Selective sound - The getting rid of some sounds and keeping others to make significant sounds easier for the audience to hear/ for dramatic effect e.g. exaggerated footsteps
Sound perspective/aural perspective - The impression of distance in sound e.g. muffled talking
Sound bridge - Adding to continuity through sound by running sound from one shot to another to make action seem uniterrupted
Asynchronous sound - Where the sound is seperate from action and added later
Synchronous sound - Where the sound matches the action
Silence - is used to let audience reflect on action/story, draw attention to visual action, make the audience apprehensive
The soundtrack of TV drama is very important. The opening sequence and the music is thought to be more important than the content because the music is recognisable and identified with the TV drama this will draw the audiences' attention.
Recognisable soundtracks for TV programmes:
- Dr Who
- Eastenders (all soaps)
- Friends
- The Simpsons
- Mock The Week
- X Factor
- Top Gear
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