Researching case studies and looking at films from Working Title, Warp Films and Hollywood.

Researching Case Studies

Case Study Questions.

Case Study Questions on Prezi

Kick-Ass Essay.

Kickass Essay

Coursework Schedule.

G321 AS Course Work Schedule 2010-2011

Working Title - Synthesis.

Working Title Timeline Overview

How is the representation of ethnicity constructed in this extract? - Spooks.

The representation of ethnicity is very significant and clear in this clip. Mise en scene emphasises the stereotypes each character has and how their personality and appearance is represented. The scene is set in a plain, dark room which has a very tense atmosphere. Beams of light pour in from the outside which creates shadows and makes it heavenly. There is also a part where it looks Danny is behind bars which shows dominance for the white people as they are in control of him. The shadow effect also looks like a split between black and white people. Close ups are used to highlight emotion and helps intensify the scene. The music is very haunting and forboding which could lead up to his death. The wale song is played as he speaks, which could be to calm him down as black people are known to be more relaxed then white. The call to prayer (Mvezzin) relates to his ethnicity which could show he is religious. This is where the intertextuality becomes clear.
Danny is clearly against terrorists and is very definite about what he says which shows power. he talks to himself which could mean that he is praying which is also a religious factor. He is on moral high ground but he has no power. Danny also talks about how him and the woman are from different areas and it would be difficult if they swapped places. This could show racism but he goes on to say he still has humanity and that she will never win. The over shoulder shots show the difference between the two ethnicities.
The terrorist in the long shot is very stereotypical. He is all dressed in black and looks Arabic. The white male is more dominant and indecisive. The woman who gets saved is clearly very emotional and has blood around her mouth which could represent violence. Danny is dressed in a suit and has a strong English accent which is not so stereotypical for a black person.  The black, white and blue lights could emphasise death and darkness. Adam is very upset as he had to make the decision and the woman with the headset was very shocked at what she saw. Adam goes on to apologise for his decision and the old man who we see also looks very somber.
The differences between ethnicities are made very clear by the use of mise en scene.

Working Title Timeline.

Timeline

The cast of Kickass.

Kickass Overview.

Kick-Ass is a 2010 superhero/action-comedy film based on the comic book of the same name by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr. The film was directed by Matthew Vaughn, who co-produced the film with actor Brad Pitt, and co-wrote the screenplay with Jane Goldman. The film's general release was on 26 March 2010 in the United Kingdom and on 16 April 2010 in the United States.

The film tells the story of an ordinary teenager, Dave, who sets out to become a real-life superhero, calling himself "Kick-Ass". Dave gets caught up in a bigger fight when he meets Big Daddy, a former cop who, in his quest to bring down the drug lord Frank D'Amico, has trained his 11-year-old daughter to be the ruthless vigilante Hit-Girl.

Kickass Trailer.

Kickass notes.

age:

The teenager Dave, is very hormonal but geeky at the start of the film. We can see him changing as he turns into Kickass and he becomes a lot more confident, vain, violent and grown up. The older men come across as gangsters and they are very rough and threatening. They are also very dominant and other characters are wary of them.The young girl 'hit girl' thinks she's a lot older than she is. She swears, she's extremely violent, in one scene she drives red mist's car and she kills people. Her father 'big daddy' is a bad influence on her. He lets her do these things and encouraged her to be a superhero after her mother died. He also bought her a knife. His friend told him 'brainwashed' her as she had no childhood. She was too busy learning how to be a superhero. She has a very cute and innocent side although she turns into a killer which shocks everyone. The scene where she kills the whole gang of people is horrifying as she is so young. Dave likes girls as well which shows he is a stereotypical teenager. The teenagers gangsters show a bad example for other teenagers and make an image of representing them. They are 'asking for trouble' at any opportunity they can get. 

gender:

There are a lot of characters in this film, some more significant than others. The males are very stereotypical, especially the gangsters. They are very intimidating, violent and always looking for trouble. Dave is only a teenager although we see him grow throughout the film. 'Big daddy' is not a real father figure as he encourages his daughter to do horrific things. He is not the average middle aged dad. She is also not the stereotypical little girl. You could say she is like a tom-boy and definitely not girly. She is more interested in killing people, like her dad.  Most of the gangsters are males other than one woman. She is very flirty and attractive which appeals to the males.

ethnicity:

There are a lot of races in this film. The black gangsters are criminals and are very threatening. The white gangsters are also stereotypical but older than the black men. Dave is represented as the 'hero'. The teenage gangsters are both black and white so are both violent which shows no difference between the two. The black man stabs Kickass which shows violence and dominance but also the stereotypical 'criminal' image. The gang of white men are also very violent as they punch and kick the victim who Kickass tries to save. The black gangsters laugh at Kickass which shows they are quite manipulative. The tattoos that they have also represents crime and gangsters.

social class:

There are many groups of people in Kickass. The story looks at these at different times throughout the film. They all have their similarities and differences and this is because of their social class. The students are middle class and not really noticed a lot of the time. Although when Dave turns into Kickass, he becomes more and more popular because he is a 'mystery'. He becomes more of a hero figure and people want to be like him because he can't get hurt. The gangsters seem to be lot more dominant because they are older and experienced at what they are doing. Although the superheros Big Daddy, Hit Girl, Red Mist and Kickass are on the highest level all due to the fact that they are superheros. This could mean that the gangsters are jealous of them because they are always one step ahead of them. This forms a hierarchy of importance and popularity as some characters are more noticed than others.

regional identity:

The film is set in America, New York and it creates a very bad image. The characters make it look like a very rough area because of the violence and murders that occur. The graffiti shows how rough the area is as well as the lingering gangsters around every corner. Most of these have a very bad attitude and reputation. There is also a clear distinction between rich and poor. Some could say that they are stereotypical but the audience mainly focus on the superheros because of what they do and the story is based around them.

sexuality:

Most of the characters in the film are straight although a rumour is created that Dave is gay. He is straight as he likes girls and is a typical teenager because he wants to be with her. In one scene Hit Girl says he has a 'gay looking tazor' which shows she thinks she's better than him and knows a lot more. The scene where Dave helps with the girl's self tan is very awkward, as the audience knows that he likes her although she thinks he's gay. His 'geeky' image at the start of the film shows his feminine side as he talks to his friends and does anything to try and be with her. He is upset that she thinks he's gay and always wants to impress her. She also says that she's sad he's gay and this encourages him to tell her he's not. As Dave turns into Kickass, he becomes a lot more confident and wants to impress her even more. He works on his skill and his costume in the mirror, showing off, although we know that he is doing all of that for her. This shows his vain side. For example she said she likes Red Mist's cape so he went and bought a cape for his costume.

physical ability/disability:

Dave is indestructible and can't get hurt. He is very brave and grows in confidence throughout the film. The fact that he can't get hurt makes others, especially the gangsters, very jealous which shows his skillful ability. Each one of the superheros have their own power, mainly killing others but they are strong, skilled and their physical ability expresses this. Hit Girl would just look like an ordinary little girl normally, although, when she turns into a violent superhero she is the opposite of the stereotypical cute and innocent girl. The gangsters also have a strong physical ability although the superheros win them over because of their powers and experience. 

camera:

There are a wide range of camera shots in this film. Mainly close-ups. There is one scene where night vision is used and this includes editing, but it expresses the whole superhero theme as it is one of their gadgets to see the gangsters in the dark so that they can kill them. Another example of editing but also cameras is where they reconstruct the cartoon and split the screen into different parts by cartoon images like an actual cartoon magazine. Another camera shot that they use is the long shot and the scene where Kickass and Red Mist jump through the door while escaping the factory expresses this clearly. This escape is very stereotypical for superheros as it makes them look powerful and strong so the camera captures this in an effective way. The closeups are normally used in the violent scenes as it focuses on the injuries and murders. The weapons are also significant as it shows something bad is about to happen. The closeup on Kickass's face in hospital shows the pain he is suffering with which is also significant as he took the pain for someone else because he can't get hurt. The mid shots are mainly used for the gangsters as it shows power and represents something that they are about to do. The quick shots of crime from the gangsters represents violence and reflects on what is currently happening in a different area. The scene where the videos of Kickass on Youtube shows how he is becoming more and more popular and the camera uses a close-up of the number of views he has which expresses this. 

mise en scene:

Mise en scene is the area of representation which is most important in this film. Most scenes are shot at night time which creates tension as the scenes can be violent and makes it unexpected. The scene of the black gangster's apartment is very dark and smoky which creates a bad image for them as it represents violence and drugs. The violence in the alley also highlights the bad area that they are located in. Overall the colours and lighting are very bright and colourful. This carries on the idea of cartoons and superheroes. The costumes that the superheroes have are very important for their character. Big Daddy looks like Batman which could be an influence and Hit Girl looks like she knows what she's doing even though she is only a little girl. The scenes in the classroom and bowling alley represents what a normal teenager would do but this creates a contrast as Kickass is going out fighting 'villains'. Red Mist's dad has a scar on his face which once again shows violence and his bad reputation. This also signifies that he likes getting into trouble and has a bad background. The weapons int he film also play a big role in the cartoon theme. Normally in cartoons, violence isn't expressed in a realistic way, although as they have converted this cartoon into a film, it shows just how bad the violence is. Hit girl and Big Daddy own lots of weapons which is strange to see a little girl handle. Dave tries to live to his name by training and fighting the bad guys at night in the alley. This is how he is first recognised. This tense atmosphere represents his braveness. Hit Girl's purple wig and mask also signifies the superhero image. When Red Mist is introduced, Kickass sees him as a competition and is jealous of his gadgets because of his dad's wealth. Red Mist has a cape which shows a 'real superhero' so Kickass feels the need to get one. He also has the 'Mistmobile' which impresses Kickass and makes him even more jealous. When Red Mist enters the blazing factory, Kickass is shocked by his braveness and didn't expect him to storm in like that. The superheroes are vigilante's, including Kickass.   

editing:

Special effects and editing software obviously plays a huge role in this film. It is mainly used to show violence, explosions, injuries, cartoons and other disasters. The first scene where the man jumps of the building and crashes into the car shows suicide. Stabbings and murders are also edited to make them look realistic. Some of the injuries and murders are very disturbing and editing helps play a role in this. For example when the man's body explodes in the machine and blood is smeared all down the window to show his awful death by the gangsters. Another example is when Hit Girl kills the whole gang of black men and the man's legs are sliced off by her double ended spear. It is very graphical although very realistic. The fire in the factory also looks very realistic although editing makes this happen. The cartoon strip is also effective as it relates to a real life situation. It is telling the story but switching between cartoon and real life which carries on the theme. The explosions and murders are most effective in editing.

sound:

The sound in most scenes always suits the mood. There are many cartoon-like sounds to represent action. This includes blasts, action, gun shots and violence. It is clear when tension is building up as the music becomes very fast and classical, but low tone. The tone of the music depends on the mood of the character. For example when Red Mist's dad is angry, the music will go very low but loud and fast. There are also songs that the audience would recognise in some scenes to represent the realness of the situation. For example when Red Mist meets Kickass in the alley, 'This town ain't big enough for the both of us' is played to demonstrate the competition between the two and that there is usually only one superhero.  This makes it strange as they both work together. Another song that is played is 'Crazy' by Gnarls Barkley in Red Mist's car. The two superheroes start dancing to it which creates the association with 'normal' teenagers but the title represents the situation that they are in.

What is the impact of new technologies on the film industry?

What is the Impact of New Technologies on the Film Industry

Targets for essay.

1. Remember the focus on this section is the British film industry, you must use British examples.
I will use more examples from Working Title instead of Hollywood.
2. Examples must be used from your case study Working Title, Warp and Hollywood should be used as comparisons.
I will focus more on Working Title and give examples and compare them to Hollywood and Warp.
3. Always refer back to the question, in this case the impact on the film industry.
Use PEE chains to give a point about the technology then give evidence from the case studt and explain how it impacts the film industry. Refer back to the question on each point I make.
4. Institutions and audience is your main focus within any given question. You must discuss these two areas in which you have studied.
Explain the impact with examples of each technology. Focusins more on Working Title than Hollywood and Warp.
5. Use the term audience as a substitute of 'people' and 'you/us', unless you are giving your opinion.
Use more detailed terminology to gain more marks.
6. Terminology is key, so make use of the terms you know and can include e.g processes, audience, conglomerate etc.
I will focus on the audience theories and compare the differences between Working Title and other institutions.
7.Give detailed points and explain, not describe, PEE CHAINS.
I will explain the impact in more detail rather than the description and advantages or disadvantages.

Audience booklet.

Audience Booklet

Representation of Race (Ethnicity).

Stereotypes of white people in the media:

• richer/snobby
• chavs
• law abiding
• blonde/big boobs
• drink alcohol-wine/beer
• upper, middle and lower class
• stressed/worry a lot
• always talk about the weather
• trailer trash/hillbillies/white trash
• educated
• academic
• eloquent
• nerdy
• uptight
• stiff upper lip
• often play the stupid characters e.g. Neil from The Inbetweeners
• usually the bad guys
• bitchy
• size zero
• white men can't jump
• white men can't run fast
• posh/formal RP
• protestant/christian
• dry/sarcastic sense of humour

Stereotypes of black people in the media:

• big booty
• gangsters
• rappers
• crime
• can't swim
• well hung
• men always die in films
• relaxed
• cooler
• muscular
• more musical
• big lips/nose
• newsreaders make it clear that they are black
• attitude
• bubbly
• slang/lingo/patois
• swagger
• terrible fathers
• pimps
• mischievous
• single parents
• religious
• focused on money
• gospel choirs
• power hungry
• like a laugh
• unusual names
• big families
• small houses
• colour paired with disability

Representations of age.

Young:
This age group includes teenagers and young adults. In our discussion we came up with the idea that you stop being young after the age of 25. Teenagers, toddlers, children and young adults are all classed in this group.

Some stereotypes:

• argumentative
• moody/hormonal
• arrogant
• gangs/crime
• lazy
• rude
• ASBO's
• noisy
• modern
• druggies
• outgoing
• trouble makers
• sex
• immature
• criminals
• rely on others
• teenage pregnancies
• different sub groups e.g. chav, emo and goth
• easy targets
• get blamed for the corrupted society

Old:
We came to the conclusion that people around the age of 60-65 are classed as 'old'. Basically around the age of retirement. It also depends on what job someone has. For example a person at the age of 40 who is a footballer, they are classed as 'old' and will have already retired or are considering retirement. But someone at the age of 40 who is a politician is 'young' and may been seen to lack seriousness or experience.

Some Stereotypes:

• grumpy
• awkward
• stubborn
• lazy
• smelly
• moany
• narrow minded
• 'incontinent'
• deaf
• hunch backed
• racist
• anti-youth
• prefer things how they used to be
• illness
• set in their ways
• smart
• knitters
• bowls
• lonely
• flat caps
• communities
• wrinkly
• dependant on others

Representations of age.

Representations of age

View more presentations from stephjarram94.

Overview of audience theories.

Reception Theory:
The reception theory originated from Hans-Robert Jauss in the late 60's. It was most influential in the 1970's and early 1980's. It focuses on 'text' from books, movies and music. The idea is to see how this text is read by the audience. The media text has no inherent meaning and the theory also looks at the contextual factors such as influencing the spectator's reaction. The reception theory looks at a wide range of audiences such as the four quadrant audience, the niche audience and world wide audiences. The main aim of this theory is to place the viewer in context. Readers share culture so they interpret text in the same ways.

Hypodermic Needle Model:
This model involves the mass communication model. This looked at the mass media involving isolated individuals which created this large group. The mass media changed society and was most apparent in the 1940's and 1950's. It was most visible in television and radio. This model was used by the Nazi Propaganda and had a powerful effect on the audience. It was also known as the magic bullet as it injected ideas into the audience's heads.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:
This theory was made in 1943 by Abraham Maslow. It is split into five different areas; self actualization, esteem, belongingness, safety and physiological. The self actualization part focused on morality, creativity, problem solving and acceptance of facts. Esteem looked at confidence, achievement and respect for others. Belongingness was the idea of friendships and families. Safety involved health, employment, morality and security of the body. Physiological was breathing, sleep, food and water.

Categories of Audience:
There are six different categories of audience. Category A is top management. For example doctors. Category B is middle management. This includes teachers. Category C1 are people like office supervisors and nurses. Category C2 are skilled workers and tradesmen. Category D are people who are semi-skilled or unskilled. Finally, category D are people who are completely unemployed. For example students.

Uses and Gratification:
This theory explains why people use particular media. It mainly focuses on the functionalist theory which involves social and psychological needs. The idea of gratification comes from the mass media. This relates back to the hypodermic needle model. A mediums content means that they watch a specific program. This idea relates to different genres and becoming familiar with them. For example watching soap operas. The general exposure to a medium is watching television.

Two Step Flow:
This theory involved the two step flow model by Katz & Lazarsfeld in 1955. This also included the mass media but also opinion leaders and social interaction. It was introduced by Lazarsfeld, Berelson and Gaudet. People choice was a study in 1944, this focused on the process of decision making. The information moves in two distinct stages. The first stage is when the individuals receive the information, then the interpretations are passed on. This way, word spreads and people become more aware of whats happening. An example of this is when critical opinions influence us. The Sun influences political opinion.

Advantages and disadvantages of new technologies.

3D
Advantages:

• Enhanced viewing experience
• Real life audience interpretation
• Easy to adapt to any film

Disadvantages:

• Expensive experience
• Glasses are irritating
• Experience is limited

Cameras
Advantages:

• High quality picture
• Easier to distribute
• Speed

Disadvantages:

• Dynamic range
• Captures the real visual aspects
• Resolution

Editing Software
Advantages:

• Unlimited editing of film sequences
• Add any other sound/music
• Transitions between shots are varied

Disadvantages:

• Time consuming
• Software can crash
• Expensive

CGI
Advantages:

• Backdrops can be created
• Interaction of real life and animation
• Director can explore a range of camera techniques

Disadvantages:

• Specific hardware is required
• Costly
• Unrealistic

HD/Blu-ray
Advantages:

• Higher resolution - better picture
• Greater sound quality
• Extra characteristics

Disadvantages:

• Hardware is expensive
• Limited film titles
• 'Power hungry'

Audience theory questions - task two.

Audience Theory Questions 2

Audience theory questions - task one.

Audience Theory Questions

Let the right one in.

Let the Right One In

This is England '86 notes.

This is England '86 is a remake of the original film. It was a drama series aired on Channel 4 in 2010...

Key Points:

• Directors: Shane Meadows and Tom Harper
• Producer: Derrin Schlesinger
• Production Company: Warp Films
• Executive Producers: Mark Herbert and Shane Meadows
• Funding: Screen Yorkshire Filming, EM Media

This is England '86 shows how much the original characters from the film have changed. The aim of the series was to express how life was in the 80's and how cultures were developing. The skin head culture had phased out into this series and the mod revival was introduced. The recession was also clear in this series because they struggled to pay for some things. This appeals to the audience as they can relate to this situation because it is still going on to this day. This series appeals to older teenagers as they are a similar age and can relate to their personality. Directors would have also taken into consideration that teenagers that originally watched the film in 2006 will have gotten older and would want to see the remake of when the cast grew up in 2008. Meadows also used the same cast which encourages viewers to watch it even more because they know what to expect and can understand the story more. The film was also shot in Sheffield which was the same location as the film. By having the same links, it attracts the same viewers as they can understand the story a lot quicker and don't have to worry about learning new characters or settings. The budget for the television series was a lot higher than the film. This is because it would be more popular because the teenage audience know what to expect.  The difference between budgets were extreme. For the film it was £1.5 million whereas the television series it was £20million. By having this large budget, they could focus more on artificial, additional lighting and include more settings and locations. A wider variety of cameras were also used and editing software was a better quality which was a bonus as the quality of film overall was improved. The final change that Meadows made was that the series doesn't just focus on the main character Sean, other characters were introduced and were seen a lot more than in the film. This appealed to the audience as they could learn a lot more about each individual character.

Advantages and disadvantages of new technologies.

New technologies ppt adv and disadv answers

View more presentations from kelger.

What makes a film British?

What makes a film British? on Prezi

Other things that appeal to audiences and what they look for:

• Iconography
• Cinematography
• Humour
• Stereotypes
• Cast
• Locations
• Editing

New Technologies In Film Production.

New Technologies in Film. on Prezi

Audience Theory - The Six Different Areas.

The Reception Theory:


Hypodermic Needle Model:


Maslow's Hierachy of Needs:


Categories of Audience:


Uses and Gratification:


Two Step Flow:

Representation - Disability.

Some Views people may have of disabled people:
It always depends on what disability a person may have to judge them or have sympathy for them. People generally feel that they are very brave and believe that people with disabilities should have equal opportunities to able people. Some people also feel awkward around them which could make the victims feel awkward. They have a large amount of sympathy for them but they don't want to patronise them or make them feel any different. Disabled people also rely on others an awful lot as they can struggle with everyday activities. Some people may even try to avoid these people as it is better to stay out of the way. Disabled people are also easier to poke fun at rather than have sympathy for them but this refers back to the idea that it depends what the disability is. In other situations, these people with a disability make others well aware of it by making it clear that they need help. They may also be quite bitter about it but they can't help being that way because they may be frustrated or angry that they can't do some things like others. Another point is that people in wheelchairs are hard to look at or it is difficult to know where to look as you don't want to make them feel awkward. Most people also tend to be more comfortable around physically disabled people rather than someone that is mentally disabled because you don't know how to react or treat them.

Some Celebrities with Disabilities:

• Stephen Hawking- Wheelchair, motor neurone.
• Heather Mills- one leg
• Gordon Brown- One eye
• Stevie Wonder- Blind
• Verne Troyer- Dwarf.
• Mohammed Ali - Parkinson's Disease.
• Michael J Fox- Parkinson's Disease.
• Gary Coleman- Dwarf.
• Albert Einstein- Autism.
• Leonardo Davinci-Autism.
• Ian Dury- Polio.
• Mozart- Deaf.

Characters in Film:

• Rainman- Dustin Hoffman.
• Forest Gump - Tom Hanks.
• My Left Foot- Daniel Day Lewis.
• I Am Sam- Sean Penn.
• Born on the 4th July- Tom Cruise.
• Waterboy- Adam Sandler.
• The Ringer- Johnny Knoxville.
• The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button- Brad Pitt.
• Unbreakable- Samuel L.Jackson.
• I Robot- Will Smith.
• Million Dollar Baby- Hillary Swank.
• Avatar- Sam Worthington.

Example of disability - Dr. House.

Dr. House

This is England - Notes.

• This Is England had a £1.5 million budget for production
• It was funded by the National Lottery
• It received £90,000 from the UK Film Council after production
• It was made in 2006
• It is directed by Shane Meadows and produced by Warp Films
• It was based on Meadow's personal experiences
• The main star had never acted before and was from a deprived area
• It is based on the theme of social realism
• It was filmed in a pre-fabricated set
• It uses natural lighting
• They used improvisation when building key scenes so that the actors had their own creative input and could relate to the character
• The producer is Mark Herbert
• The film is set in 1983
• It changes the perception of the 'skin head' culture
• The film also looks at other topics like working class people, racism and bullying
• It shows that he had a bad family background and childhood
• The film focuses on violence in gangs and their appearance
• It highlights that gangs were like hierarchy's as they had leaders and different social status's
• It sends out a strong educational message to teenagers
• It is rated 18

Appeal to the British Audience?
It appeals to the British audience as it focuses on Margaret Thatcher and the current time and events. The opening scenes look at the different cultures as well as fighting and war. This is relevant as the audience can relate to these occurrences and understand what it was like. The introduction of the characters also sets a first impression of what they were like in the 80's because of the swearing, humour, bullying and racism. The style that they had is also clear and is highlighted through each individuals similar clothing. For example the 'skin head' culture.

Who the audience is and how we know?
The target audience of this film is clearly for adults and teenagers. Teenagers find it humorous as they relate to a different idea to the teenagers in the 80's but it appeals to adults because they can remember what it was like personally. The idea of reggae also started the foundation of the skin head culture. The film also appeals to men and women as Shaun is very likable and funny and the girls are very similar.

How it differs from Hot Fuzz?
This is England is a lot more realistic than Hot Fuzz. Hot Fuzz is more action based whereas This is England focuses on a specific period of time and what was currently happening.

How Social Realism is Constructed?
The crimes, fighting, bullying and swearing shows the typical 80's culture. The cane punishment is also shown in the film and this shows how things have changed since then. The audience can also relate to this. Gangs were also a big part of this time period and the 'skin heads' emphasise what a typical gang was like. His mother is clearly a bad influence on him as she smokes and acts like she doesn't care, although she is weary of him being in the group and looks out for him. It is like a comedy because he is quite funny, as well as the rest of the group but we also feel a sense of sympathy when Gadget picks on him and bullies him. Each character is unique and we see how they change throughout. Its as if they are individually ranked in the gang.
The film is also quite authentic and the British icons that are used are effective as the audience can relate to them. The montage also works well as it is a good introduction the the film and the overall 80's theme.

Cinematography?
Most scenes are filmed using hand held cameras and this makes it more realistic and informal. You don't notice the cuts as they are all simple transitions. There are also no special effects and lighting gets darker when the mood changes. This is effective as the audience can understand either the change in character or personality. The music also complements the mood and the scenes are also quite simple and basic. The setting emphasises the culture and time period. They also use a dated radio which also shows the theme and culture of the 80's.

Audience theory.

In this lesson we focussed on the different areas of audience theory. We came up with 6 different groups:

Reception Theory:

• how text is read by the audience
• contextual factors
• 4 quadrant audience
• niche audience
• worldwide audience
• originated in the late 60's
• it was most influencial in the early 70's to 80's (Jauss)
• media context has no inherent meaning
• it places the viewer in context

Hyodermic Needle Model:

• powerful effect on audience
• also known as the magic bullet

Maslow's Hierachy:

• it was produced in 1943
• it was produced by Abraham Maslow
• it had 5 different parts to the hierachy
• self actuals
• esteem
• belongingness
• safety needs
• basic life needs

Categories of Audience:

• there are 6 different categories
• top management
• middle management
• office supervisors
• skilled workers
• semi-skilled/unskilled
• unemployed

Uses & Gratification:

• functionalist theory
• mediums content
• familiarity
• general exposure

Two Step Flow:

• produced by Lazarsfield
• peoples choice in 1944
• it has 2 distinct stages
• the individuals get information
• then works like chinese whispers
• the Sun helps influence opinions

Seven areas of representation - (common stereotypes).

REPRESENTATIONS – COMMON STEREOTYPES

The production process.

1. The pitch is made.
2. The pitch is accepted.
3. The script is written.
4. The script is accepted.
5. The budget is made.
6. The storyboard is produced.
7. Casting is made.
8. Casting is approved.
9. Pre-production happens.
10. Shooting happens.
11. Post-production happens.
12. The final cut is made.
13. Marketing is made.
14. It is released.

New Technologies In Film Production.

The type of technology that filmmakers use is essential for the quality of the film that is being produced. They are updating and adapting as time goes on. It depends on how much money the institutions have to use as these technologies can be very expensive. Some of these technologies are 3D, Blu-ray, Imax, HD, special effects, SFX, Green Screen, CGI, camera and editing software. I am going to research each technology and see how they are used, but also the impact that they have on the films and the audience.

3D:
The use of 3D is becoming more and more popular. It basically means that it is 3 dimensional images. The film is shot with 3 different lenses so 3D glasses are required to put these dimensions into one. This is effective as it makes the audience feel more involved. Real D is the current company of 3D. it is mainly used for special effects in huge films like Hollywood blockbusters although it can be used for animation and real life actors. It has a huge impact on the audience as it makes them feel more involved in the film and it also encourages them to go see it as its a lot different than a normal 2 dimensional film. The disadvantage is that it has been known to cause headaches so health risks are possible. Also 3D glasses have to be worn throughout which can be uncomfortable. Some viewers say that some 3D films do not need to be 3D and this may be due to the storyline or it is just not needed. Examples of 3D films from Warp, Working Title and Hollywood are Senna, Saw 3D, Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, Toy Story 3, Jackass 3D and many more.

CGI:
CGI is the use of computer generated images. This technology is used for films, TV programmes and even TV adverts. It has been going since the 1970's and is used for special effects. It is used by generating images on a computer to make animated characters and settings. Avatar is an example of this and it is effective because it gives it a more futuristic feel to the film. This works well with 3D and attracts more viewers because it is so different to ordinary 2D films. It has a huge impact on big Hollywood blockbusters because they can afford to use them largely, although some viewers prefer either 3D or just special effects. Some examples of films with CGI are The incredibles, UP, Monsters Inc., Toy Story, Finding Nemo and many more.

Editing Software:
Editing software is used to make special effects. The helps the transitions of the film run smoother which manipulates the film. There are many different types of editing software and some are better than others. Some include Final Cut, Avid, Movie Maker and Premiere Pro. By using editing software, it attracts more viewers because of the quality of special effects. These are most effective in big Hollywood action films as it involves the audience more. Editing software is used in all films to add, edit or delete scenes.

Camera:
Camera's have changed drastically through the years. It has gone from using a 35mm to digital cameras. They are a technology that takes photographs and moving images. A 35mm camera takes 24 frames per second which is a still image whereas a maxi vision 48 takes 48 frames per second and this is HD. HD is also becoming more popular  and this depends on the camera that is being used. The quality of the film is crucial for filmmakers so they have to be sure the camera is reliable and up to date. It has a huge impact on the film making process as the shooting is a large part of production.

Blu-ray:

Blu-ray discs are becoming more and more popular. Blu-ray 3D is also being introduced which makes it even more effective. Blu-ray discs are just DVD's with better quality picture and sound. They are known to have six times the resolution of a normal DVD and the sound has up to 7.1 channels of lossless audio. These discs can also store more information which also increases the quality of sound and picture. It is very interactive and durable. They are good because blu-ray players also play DVD's and there are many products to choose from as many films bring them out on blu-ray. It has a huge impact on the audience as they are becoming more and more popular and make the films look better.



HD:

High definition films are similar to blu-ray although blu-ray are just like ordinary DVD's. HD is being introduced to TV's so even channels are in high definition. HD films are much clearer and look more realistic. They have a much better affect and sometimes it doesn't look like a film. It works similar to 3D as the picture is so clear, it involves the audience more. Examples of films that came out in HD are 2012, Law Abiding Citizen, Avatar, Transformers, Friday the 13th and many more.

Special Effects:

Special effects are used in films to make it stand out and attract viewers. These special effects work well with 3D and HD as it involves the audience. They work extremely well with action films as stunts jump out of the screen and explosions look more realistic. Editing software is used to create these special effects and depending on the budget they have, they can be pretty extreme. Hollywood uses them a lot because they can afford the technology and spend more time on making the special effects. There are optical and mechanical effects and there are different ways of using them. A blue screen can be used or physical equipment can be strapped to a person to make a character electronically.

Universal Pictures Fact Sheet.

Hollywood Fact Sheet

Working Title Fact Sheet.

Working Title Fact Sheet

The 5 C's.

• Camera Angles
• Close ups (to show important elements)
• Continuity
• Cutting (editing)
• Composition (mise en scene)

Facial Expressions.

Marjorie Ferguson

• chocolate box - half or full-smile, lips together or slightly parted, teeth barely visible, full or three-quarter face to camera.
• invitational - emphasis on the eyes, mouth shut or with only a hint of a smile, head to one side or looking back to camera
• super smiler - full face, wide open toothy smile, head thrust forward or chin thrown back, hair often wind-blown
• romantic or sexual - a fourth and more general classification devised to include male and female ‘two-somes, or the dreamy, heavy-lidded, unsmiling big-heads, or the overtly sensual or sexual

Trevor Millum

• seductive - similar to the cool/level look in many respects - the eyes are less wide, perhaps shaded, the expression is less reserved but still self-sufficient and confident; milder versions may include a slight smile
• carefree - nymphlike, active, healthy, gay, vibrant, outdoor girl; long unrestrained outward-flowing hair, more outward-going than the above, often smiling or grinning
• practical - concentrating, engaged on the business in hand, mouth closed, eyes object-directed, sometimes a slight frown; hair often short or tied back
• comic - deliberately ridiculous, exaggerated, acting the fool, pulling faces for the benefit of a real or imaginary audience, sometimes close to a sort of archness
• catalogue - a neutral look as of a dummy, artificial, waxlike; features may be in any position, but most likely to be with eyes open wide and a smile, but the look remains vacant and empty; personality has been removed

We picked the video 'Forget You' by Cee Lo Green because we thought about the variety of facial expressions it may have in it. Some of these included:

• chocolate box - the young boy looks at the girl for the first time and slighty smiles as she smiles back
• inviting - the young girl who looks back at the boy and smiles invitingly at him while talking to her mum
• inviting - the three backing singers introduce the video by inviting the viewers into the restaurant by smiling
• super smiler - the three backing singers smile widely while singing along in the restaurant
• carefree - the young girl sits looking around like she is not bothered still smiling and grinning

Key Concepts and Terminology.

Institutions and audiences overview

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