Saturday 6 April 2013

Case Study: Broken

On Wednesday 27th March 2013, Dixie Linder came into our media lesson to discuss and answer our questions on her recent film 'Broken'. She began by explaining the background of the film:

The film was originally a book by Daniel Clay (real name Nigel Spriggs - changed because the publisher didn't think it sounded interesting enough). The film began by Marco adapting it and BBC films funding it. Originally, they had Colin Firth playing one of the main characters - however, he pulled out at the last minute and they lost £2 million of funding due to this. Eventually they managed to get Tim Roth on board and they could begin casting all the other actors - like Skunk (850 girls were auditioned for this role). They had a small window to get the rest of the money - they recieved the final funding on the Friday and they began work on the film on the Monday.

Media Ownership

  • In the actor's contract was how much they'll get paid, expenses, where they'll be staying - there are rigorous rules about how long they can film, must do certain amount of publicity, must approve all stills (50-75% if there's more than one photo). 
  • The overall cost was £2.2 million but it actually cost around £1.7 to make.
  • They had to defer the money using a recruitment schedule in order to distribute the finance equally and sensibly. 
  • All the directors came from theatre. Originally they wanted £3.8 million for the film. They got BBC Films and BFI turned them down 3 times until the last week where Dixie wrote to the head of the British Institute. 
  • BFI, BBC, Lipsync and Tax Credit - get 18% of the budget back which actually goes back into the film. 
  • They did have an American financier. 
  • They sold 'Broken' to 20 countries.
  • The opening weekend is everything - about 8 films come out every week.
Cross Media Convergence and Synergy
  • Blur did the music for this film.
  • Music was released on iTunes and was sold for £150,000.
  • The film didn't make the money from the iTunes sales though.
  • Got Eloise Laurence to sing at premier.

Technology

  • The main dialogue scenes were structured but the others were just the camera rolling facing the actors.
  • Were going to shoot it in 16mm but used 35mm film for an extra £50,000.
  • Film stock was close to sell by date (short dated film) to save a bit of money.
  • Wanted a grainier picture quality so didn't use digital.
Proliferation of Hardware and Content
  • They competed with other films but it was a short run.
Technological Convergence
  • Charles Gant - editor of Heat - writes article on winners and losers of British Film and tweeted about 'Broken's' "strong comeback". 
  • Shortcuts (newspaper on tube) is read by 700,000 people per day and they got a good review from it. 
  • Gaurdian didn't like the film - gave it a bad review. Dixie thought this was unfair because newspapers should support the film.
  • They used new media - Stephen Fry tweeted about the film to his £5.5 million followers. However, Dixie wasn't sure if this helped. 
Targeting of Local and Global Audiences
  • Originally they didn't like the poster - had to find images from the film and couldn't get it right. 
  • Market for women in their 30s after a Market Screening (survey after the film) told them these people liked it best.
  • Had Tim Roth on the poster for the older generation. 
  • They had a hard time finding the market audience after the film was released as they couldn't get people to go and see the film. 
  • They believe word of mouth is the best way to get your film heard about. 
  • Publicity is key - actors have a publicist and the bigger the actor the bigger your film will be. 
  • They got Tim Roth on Jonathan Ross.
  • Got Eloise to sing at the Cannes Film Festival to attract audience and media attention. 

Saturday 23 March 2013

Technology

1) Why have attendances increased?
One reason attendances have increased is due to the recent film developments such as HD, IMAX, 3D and high frame rate. These developments enhance the audience's experience and allow for more technologically advanced films to be released - thus increasing the amount of people attending the cinema.

2) What is DFP and the VPF?
Digital Funding Partnership - many UK cinema operators aren't able to get the funding to convert their cinema to digital technology. The DFP creates an opportunity for many small and medium sized cinema oporators to be able to do this - it was established with the UK Film Council's support and has continued to work with the BFI.
Virtual Print Fee - where a film distributor subsidises the purchase of digital cinema projection equipment for the film exhibitor to use at film premiers. A fee is paid per movie booking - this is so studios can redistribute the savings when using digital distribution as opposed to film print.

3) What may happen to those who don't use the DFP?
Those who don't use the DFP and can't afford to convert to digital technology won't be able to screen the new films that are made specifically for this type of technology. Smaller cinema chains could end up going bust because of this and the larger chain cinemas will grow.

4) What problems face 'alternative content'?
Delivery on content via satellite has allowed cinemas to show 'alternative content' like the opera, ballet, theatre, music and sporting events. Cinema's would face the issue of gaining the rights (BBFC Classification Fees) to show the events which is very costly.

1) What are the benefits of 3D films for audiences and the producer?
Cinemas can charge more for a ticket to see a 3D film - increasing their profit and the overall amount of 3D screen instalment in cinemas. In 2005, there were 98 screens worldwide and in 2012 there were 43,000 screens. More 3D films are being released each year and they're earning money. This benefits the audience because more 3D films will be produced which will then provide entertainment for them.

2) What are the negatives of 3D films for audiences and the producer?
Disney re-releases have seen a decline in opening weekend grosses and overall box office. Evidence of this can be seen left where all 5 Disney films (Toy Story, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc) have low opening weekend and domestic gross figures. Obviously this is a negative for the producer as they're loosing money but it's also a negative for audiences who aren't able to see new films - just old ones that have been re-released in a different format.



3) What makes a successful 3D film according to Working Title Films?
Working Title believe that if a film is intended to be shot in 3D then it works well - especially for animation as it's "perfect". However, they're not currently working on anything 3D as they sometimes still shoot using film (like in Anna Karenina).

1) What is a prosumer? 
The 'prosumer' is a combination of a producer and consumer - they represent a new category of customers. They are identified as:

  • needing to be connected to family and work anytime, anywhere
  • wanting to use simple solutions
  • being interested in entertainment
  • wanting to access files easily at home and work
  • being mobile and owning several portable devices
  • being frequent internet users at work and home.
2) What are the benefits and negatives of a proliferation of hardware and content?
Downloading from unofficial sources requires new technology - much like piracy. Limewire, Youtube and multiple other online websites allow anyone access to numerous illegal film copies and pirate copies. This is down to the convergence of technology and the affordability to do it - therefore, control is moved from the institution to the audience. As a result, the smaller companies are effected because they aren't able to profit if copies are illegally being made of their films. 

3) How are producers using converged devices to promote and distribute content?
It's easier for films to be produced and distributed due to digital technology being introduced and developed. Convergence refers to the linking of information technologies, media content and communication networks. Direct-to-theatre satellite and internet to distribute have been developing and occur more frequently now when distributing content. Prints are liable to get damaged in transit and transporting them is fairly costly - so having a satellite that transmits the film is fast and easy. Also, another example would be smart phones with apps such as Netflix that can be downloaded. Over the last 10 years smart phones have declined in price - allowing a wider range of people to access the promotional and distributed content. 

Saturday 16 March 2013

Homework: TV Drama

Doctors
Series 14, Episode 212, Nessun Dorma
26 minutes 38 seconds
BBC (iPlayer)
Friday 15th March 2013, 1:45pm
Medical Drama
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01r8677/Doctors_Series_14_Nessun_Dorma/

There are two main plot lines running throughout this episode. The first is to do with a female doctor's (Emma) husband dying. Both her and her son (Chris) are sad about the fact that he died and from what I was able to gather he was paralysed and needed heavy assistance. They suspect that it was either suicide or euthanasia (assisted by his wife). A male work colleague brings her flowers and a card from the hospital and it seemed as though they had a bit of a relationship going on. After he leaves she breaks the flowers in distress. One doctor visits the people who are doing the post-mortem and he finds out that the male died due to an overdose of a drug that he prescribed under the orders of Emma. They class the death as "suspicious" and matters are passed to the police.  
The second is about a University student who is being kept awake by the person in the room next to her playing loud music in the early hours of the morning. She informs the security man who is slightly unwilling to do anything. So, she visits the hospital to get some sleeping tablets. However, with the doctor's advice that loosing weight can help insomnia not going down well with her she writes a story for the local online newspaper. The receptionist and doctor write a nasty comment on the post and accidentally send it instead of deleting it. The girl starts a campaign against the hospital and the doctor that she consulted with so the doctor went to see her. The doctor helps her by knocking on the door of  the girl's neighbour but they get no response - he was laying on the floor. It turns out that the boy was diabetic and turned the music on so someone would help him - he moved to the bottom floor so he could be helped when needed and the girl was old that a rugby team would be moving into the rooms next door.

An open narrative is found usually in continuous TV series like soaps and some dramas. The story has no clear beginning, middle or end - however, a cliffhanger ending can be used so the story can follow on next episode and the series can continue running.
A closed narrative structure is more common in films as they are one unique story. They have a definite beginning, middle and end and they are brought to a conclusion.
Doctors has an open narrative structure because it's a TV drama that runs every weekday. The narrative continued from a previous episode and was left on a cliffhanger for the next episode to be shown.

Representations of groups/individuals:

  • Representation of age was shown - both Emma and Chris are both younger and perhaps have more to learn than the older characters who featured and helped them. Chris' mum helped him and the female doctor helped Emma. This conveys the older character's wisdom and dominance over the younger characters. Additionally, the receptionist was knowledgeable about the different  social networking sites and internet terminology - this would have surprised most younger people who tend to stereotype older people as incapable of understanding technology. 
  • Representation of power/authority/status - the male security guard had power over Emma as he had the authority to deal with the noise complaint. 
  • Representation of gender - interestingly, the job positions that the characters at the hospital held were very stereotypical of each gender. The receptionist and the nurses were female, the two main doctors were male, the post-mortem doctor was male and the security guard was male. Stereotypically, these jobs are what people would assume each gender fits into (e.g. a male doctor and a female nurse). The only person who contrasts this is the female doctor in the second plot line. 
  • Representation of disability/ability - the boy with diabetes was unable to get the help of Emma despite the fact that she was capable of going and knocking on his door. Also, she has weight issues so there could be representation of the overweight/obese too. 
  • Representation of ethnicity could be suggested because the female doctor was of a different ethnic background to the other characters.

Friday 15 March 2013

Homework: Media Synergy Task

In the film industry, how has one media conglomerate used synergy successfully? 

Film:
Harry Potter started off as a series of 7 novels written by J.K.Rowling. The main narrative follows Harry's ultimate journey of wizardry to defeat Lord Voldemort with his friends Ron and Hermione. Obviously, Harry Potter is a franchise and the narative continues throughout all of the films. Each film grossed different overall amounts:
  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone = $317,557,891
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets = $261,970,615
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban = $249,358,727
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire = $289,994,397
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix = $292,000,866
  • Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince = $301,956,980
  • Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows (part 1) = $294,980,434
  • Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows (part 2) = $380,955,619
Games:
There are 11 Harry Potter video games, 8 correspond with the films and books and 3 are spin-offs. The games are released to coincide with the films and contain imagery and details from the films. It is said that Ea "worked closely" with Warner Brothers to include scenes from the films.
Numberous non-interactive games have been released also such as:
- Cluedo Harry Potter Edition
- Scene It?
- Harry Potter and Lego Harry Potter models
To the right I have taken a screenshot from Google's Shopping tab where I searched 'Harry Potter Games'. Games from varying formats appeared: Xbox, Wii, PSP and PC games appeared with the generic puzzle games appearing too. Many of these games are renditions of games already available with the branding of Harry Potter attached to make more sales to Harry Potter fans. But some are made solely for the purpose of Harry Potter. I don't think the games would be anywhere near as successful without Harry Potter's brand because the creators are engaging the fanbase which will make them more profit as it's a well known brand.
Attractions:
The 'Wizarding World of Harry Potter' in Orlando, Florida is the 7th expansion to be built outside the original Universal Orlando Resort. A recreation of Hogsmead is what the visitors are greeted by, following this multiple shops that are from the books and films can be visited to make them feel as if they're part of the book. As well as this, there are themed rides and restaurants that are "heavily inspired" by their appearences in the books and films. In total, $265 million was spent developing the attraction site, however capacity crowds should see a profit made over time. 
The Warner Bros Studio Tour opened to the public on 31st March 2012. Each visit lasts around 3 hours and they get around 5000 visiotrs a day. Major sets, props and costumes can be seen on the tour. A hotel is expected to open next to the studios but it's unclear whether this will be run by Warner Brothers.

Soundtrack:
Each Harry Potter film has its own soundtrack. The composers for them include: John Williams, Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper and Andre Desplat. The record labels for them include: Atlantic, Warner/Sunset, New Line Records and WaterTower Music. The soundtrack can be purchased on: Amazon, iTunes and other sites such as Play.com and Overstock. Warner Brothers Music Company is the parent company of all of the record labels that are listed above - Warner Brothers are one of the 'big six' media conglomerates. 

Toys:
In terms of physical products, there are many offcial and non-official products that have been released with the Harry Potter brand. Some examples are:
- Harry Potter Uno cards
- Lego Harry Potter
- Harry Potter Top Trumps
- Harry Potter Cluedo
- Harry Potter Scene It
- Harry Potter Action Figures
- Harry Potter dress up clothes

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warner_Bros._Studios,_Leavesden
http://www.warnerbros.com/

Wednesday 13 March 2013

Skins Extract Write-Up




Ben's sound paragraph:
Sounds seems to be an important element in the trailer because music is playing the whole way through. The music is loud, quite intense and fast paced which could represent the character's lives or activities. Also, the pace of the music changes to fit the events in the trailer when it slows down or speeds up. As well as this, the lyrics in the song such as "standing in the way of control" could represent how other people see this age group and how the way they act stands in the way of people being able to control this group. The lyrics also describe the party quite accurately.
The voice over at the end of the clip is quite deep and emotionless which carries on the theme of the party coming to an end with all the characters in a heap. There is also a hint of disapproval in the voice at the end which could be a representation of how other people feel or view this particular group.

Chris's editing paragraph:
Through the use of editing in the promotional trailer to Skins, the youth demographic's activities are represented as chaotic and excited by a mix of slow motion and brief fast forwards. The use of this editing feature could convey a sense of distortion and suggest that the character depicted in the footage may be under the influence of drugs as the inconsistency of the speed may link to the erratic behaviour of drug uses that is commonly depicted in the trailer.
In addition the shots that cut into each other show lack of continuity and may further emphasise the erratic and chaotic atmosphere that has been established by the inconsistency of the speed of the shots.

Abi's mis-en-scene paragraph:
The setting featured in the trailer is one house, with various events taking place in each of the rooms. The rooms are overcrowded and evidently busy, suggesting a sense of chaos. Due to there being so many people and so much activity going on in each room, the characters are all within a very close proximity of one another, possibly a visual metaphor for the relationships that link many of the characters together. The props featured most predominantly in the trailer - such as water pistols and balloons - all suggest a sense of childishness, lack of responsibility and carelessness. This is contrasted by the use of drugs which feature several times in the trailer, and the indication that a number of the individuals featured are in sexual relationships. These elements combined reflect the age of the characters are at - drifting towards adulthood but still caught slightly between this and childhood.
The quick edits and use of handheld camera, combined with the music, reaffirm the sense of chaos created by the party. The sex, drug use and fighting/arguing all conform to the "social deviant" representation of youth.

My camera shots, angle, movement and composition paragraph:
Crucially, the younger generation have been represented as carefree and wild through a range of different camera shots, angles, movements and composition. One suggests that the hand-held, unsteady camera movements convey the mahem and craziness of the party. It also indicates that they are carefree due to a lack of steady shots filmed with a tripod. The point of view shot that runs throughout suggests that the audience are young because they feel like they're at the party; again, this is mirrored by the handheld camera movements. Essentially, this could imply that the older generation aren't fun and carefree due to there being no adults around when the camera pans and tilts unevenly. What's more, the pans and tilts are fast-paced; indicating that the younger generation are fast-paced. Alternatively, this could further suggest that older people aren't fast-paced and therefore represent them as not fun.

Crowd Funding: The Future of the Industry?

Online crowdfunding was founded in 2008 and 2009 and has lead to sites such as Indiegogo and Kickstarter that have changed the way grassroots filmmakers approach the public for funding. It has become an increasing necessity for independent filmmakers. This is an important change or the future of film due to the possibility of infinite resources for independent filmmaking.

How might crowd funding affect the 'big six'?
Hollywood studio resources are were "too constricting" for indie filmmaking, meaning that the crowdfunded projects generally engage the public online. This essentially means that closing the gap between Hollywood's resources and independent film is difficult because the two are contradictory. Some big Hollywood names like Bill Johnson (left), Charlie Kaufman and David Fincher have used crowdfunding to raise money for their films - they recognise that it's not only about gaining financially, it's about the small-time investors being people who are going to watch the films. It's their interest that will aid early marketing and possible theatre release. Therefore, smaller independent films have the chance to become possibly as big as the Hollywood films that are released by the 'big six'.

Do you think this method of film financing will allow creativity to flourish or will it reduce the overall quality of film making as an art form?
I believe that crowdfunding will allow creativity to flourish massively because smaller independent companies who might not get the opportunity to release their films to a wider audience can begin to be recognised for their talents. Additionally, I think the film restrictions that the 'big six' cause (i.e. releasing similar films which create specific ideologies and emotions that they can control) will be liberated because they won't have the control that they are used to having. Sometimes a documentary style film can be just as profitable or popular as a mainstream film that is released or re-released. Anna Karenina cost between $750,000-$1,000,000 to shoot per week - a lot more than the $400,000 total cost of Anomalisa, Charlie Kaufman's record breaking crowdfunded film. This goes to show that the audience are willing to donate money towards a project that interests them an that it is a viable was of film financing.

How can a crowdfunded film appeal to global and local audiences?
It provides a blog of the production process in a journal form so that the audience can track how their donation is being spent and how the filming is going. Every Sunday night they do a weekly meetup via Ustream where the local and global audience has a chance to ask questions or say what's on their mind regarding the film. Various "unique perks" are used to keep the audience engaged throughout the making of the film up to it's delivery to the audience. In Bill Johnson's film they included the audience's faces in the opening sequence - the people who donated more money had a bigger picture and vice versa.

Example of crowdfunded film:

'I'm Vlogging Here' will be a 90-minute feature length documentary featuring ShayCarl and the Shaytards and other Youtube vloggers. It's going to explore what Vlogging is, the rise of Youtube creators and how vlogging has changed the lives of vloggers , the viewers and the industry itself.
In their Indiegogo campaign they asked for a minimum of $180,000 to create the film. The cost covers the 6 months of full-time production and an internal cast of Youtubers.
Below a break down of the budget can be seen -  month by month guide. They plan to use the funding for:

  • taxes
  • additional/emergency expenses
  • indegogo's cut
  • scoring/soundtrack
  • sound/colour/editing house
  • food
  • flights/hotels
  • ensurance
  • petrol
  • vehicle rental
  • crew
  • gear rental
They keep the audience engage by offering different gifts to people who donate - the more people donate the better their gift. The perks include:
  • $5 donation - weekly newsletter
  • $10 donation - demand the Shaytards to come to your location
  • $25 donation - onscreen credit
  • $30 donation - online digital download
  • $40 donation - full documentary download
  • $100 donation - signed Shaytards calendar
  • $150 donation - signed blu-ray DVD
  • $300 donation - personalised video from their family to you
  • $350 donation - get to join Shay's running club at Playlist Live
  • $350 donation - get to join Shay's running club at Vidcon
  • $500 donation - Skype date with KassemG
  • $750 donation - talk with Shay and Colette on the phone.
In total they raised $201,989 which is 112% of the original amount that they asked for. This is clear evidence that crowd-funded films work and have the opportunity to become large films with the help of the public. 


Sources:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/sep/19/charlie-kaufman-anomalisa-crowdfunding-record
Crowd Funding: The Future of the Industry? booklet
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/i-m-vlogging-here-youtube-documentary

Saturday 9 March 2013

Homework: Case Study 5.1


Ian Pike says that Hollyoaks usually cuts from "something very heavy and thought-provoking to something utterly silly and light-hearted in a way that no one else does". The scene from Christmas eve 2006 that I have found does this; the opening scene of part two is a conversation between 2 new mums who have been kept in hospital for doing 'something' which then cuts to a scene where friends are having a meal and talking about Christmas. The transition occurs at 46 seconds. 

Here is the storyboard that I created for the scene change:


Many micro-elements have been used in the transition between these two scenes to bridge between the heavy and light storylines. One notices that in the lead up to the transition many fast jump cuts and over the shoulder shots are used to mirror the pace of the females' conversation. These shots are very similar to one another and the mood of the scene relies heavily on the actors expressions to set the serious mood of the scene. The dialogue fits with the transitions and each time a jump cut occurs a new person is talking - so their turn taking is mimicked in the editing, dialogue and shot type. 

In the transition at 46 seconds there is a further jump cut to an out of focus restaurant wall with twinkling lights and piano music. At this point the dialogue also starts and the female in pink is heard talking despite not being able to see who she is. The camera pans to the left in an establishing shot and the camera gradually focuses on the table. The camera continues to track round in a 180 degree ark to reveal everyone's faces at the table. This stops at 1 minute and 4 seconds when there is a mid/two shot of two of the females. Essentially, the mood bridge from a bare, dull and depressing looking hospital room to a bustling restaurant is made very clear by the use of lighting, colours and editing. Essentially, the emotion of the actress in the hospital is conveyed in the editing; cold and sharp, quick and fast. The lighting change in the restaurant makes the room look warmer and more inviting, which is in stark contrast to the bare hospital. Even the colours of the character's clothes make the restaurant seem more friendly because their clothes are colourful - reflecting their happy mood. Again, this juxtaposes the worry/anxiety that the new mums might be facing - especially if they've done something "wrong". 

It's a typical soap convention to go from an out of focus shot to gradually focused whilst panning/tracking because it draws the audience in to the action in the setting. The fact that the dialogue and non-diegetic sound also began before the camera had got to their table is also typical of a soap and makes it seem as if the audience are entering a conversation as opposed to interrupting one. So the atmospheric establishing sound makes the place seem busier than the hospital; the hospital had no other sound within the soundscape other than the talking which conveys the seriousness of the storyline. 

Friday 8 March 2013

Hollywood Media Synergy as IMC

A great deal can be learnt from the media synergy strategies that have been developed by Hollywood studio executives in the past few decades. Media products are positioned to promote each other. One form of media synergy is Hollywood's tendancy to make sequals. Theme parks, soundtracks, novel tie-ins and videogames also prove significant and profitable covergent forms.

Hollywood has focused increasingly on developing, greenlighting and marketing mega franchise films. Mark Crispin Miller (1990) is one of the first academics to analyze Hollywood's move from vertical integration (where 2 company's of the same industry but different stages of production come together) to horizontal integration (where a company develops by buying up competitors in the market) and films that are positioned across multiple media platforms for their core value along with "sequelizability" and ability to be cross-promoted with other media texts. Constant media synergy is where everything within a franchise promotes everything else.

In Hollywood terms, a franchise film is any film title that is itself a sequel or a title that has 1 or more sequels that follow from it. Therefore, sequels are the main thing that constitute a film franchise. David Bordwell, noted film scholar, has noticed that sequels began to account for over 25% of the domestic box office in 2003. He refers to the sequel generated revenue only and therefore couldn't factor in the revenue generated by would would become the first title in a franchise later. Examples of this would be Bruce Almighty (Evan Almighty) and Cheaper by the Dozen (Cheaper by the Dozen 2).

Regarding their preceding titles, sequels are thought of as brand-extensions. However, sequels also drive revenues beyond raw box office; the raw box office revenue is regarded as the single best predictor of all follow-on ancillary revenue by media industry scholars. The 6 media conglomerates have become reliant on the increasing extent on sequelized fare. With the increasing diversity on media conglomerates, sequelized block-busters compromise the nucleus that are surrounded by the large media conglomerates and ex-brands (Coke and Nike).
To the right is the 4-S Hollywood Megafranchise Model. Megafranchises include Shrek, LOTR, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park; all of these have theme park rides, video games, books and soundtracks linked to them (media synergy). Video games directly generate large revenues for the studios and they are a very important form of media cross-promotion with movies. Sequelization itself is a form of cross promotional media synergy.

Not only do the big sets, action, CGI and high production value attract and provide enjoyment to audiences, it increases the megafranchise's brand value. However, the 4 S's won't ensure success - in most megafranchises there is a "glue" holding all the elements together. The economic logic that dominates Hollywood is a specific type which isn't found in other industries except music and fashion.

Wednesday 6 March 2013

Media Ownership - Does it Matter?

1. What is horizontal and vertical integration in the media industry and can you provide an example? 
Vertical integration: Where an institution has shares or owns each part of the production and distribution process. It allows media organisations to make profit at every stage in the production chain. For example a TV studio might buy up a production company which produces some of its TV programmes.  

Horizontal integration: Where an organisation develops by buying up competitors in the same section of the market. It allows media corporation to reach a wider audience. For instance, one music publisher could buy out another smaller music publisher. 

Source: http://media.edusites.co.uk/article/vertical-horizontal-integration/ 

2. What does Melody (1978) believe happen to the 'media market'?
Melody believes that the 'media market' will be monopolised of ideas by the private entrepreneurs for private profit and economic efficiency. As a result, access to the marketplace of ideas is restricted to only a few people.
25 years ago when this statement was made, 37/1519 cities in the USA had 2 or more daily newspapers. By 2000, the number had decreased and the one newspaper became the national norm. In 1996, the amount of cities with 2 or more dailies declined to 1.3% of all American cities. Less owners have control over more newspapers and their circulation - most of the media have been absorbed by large conglomerates or chains.

3. What does Neuman (1991) believe happens to the media content? Why is this a problem for the audience?
Neuman believes that the media content is "remarkably uniform in content and world-view". So, the messages within the media is constrained due to the direction trying to meet its economic imperatives. This is a problem for the audience because they aren't able to access the full media articles due to there being a constraint on what is available to them.

4. What does Sterling think about the level of research?
Sterling thinks "surprisingly little research has been done - only marginally more than we could draw on two decades ago". He suggests that the research is "assumed", "anecdotal" and suggests results from "ownership changes".

5. What does the media produce according to Gomery (2000)?
According to Gomery the media reproduces a message or ideology that allows the audience to believe people in power and not challenge them. Essentially, this keeps people in their place by making out that it's their advantage and keeping them content as opposed by making them try to 'take their jobs'.

6. The media industry and corporate power form a powerful cartel. What does it do to local cultures (Meier)?
The powerful cartel encourages the spread of certain values (like individualism, egoism and shareholder value). The public sphere is displaced with commercial infotainment, reality shows and trivialised news programmes due to the strong incentives. Local cultures and communities are eroding and a conservative 'common sense' view of the world is strengthening.

7. How have media corporations influenced the law? What impact does this have on new businesses entering the market?
Media conglomerates have gained economic strength, which increased their position in society in order for them to become powerful institutions with a great political power. Large media giants have achieved success in writing media laws and regulations to favour the interests of their corporations rather than the interests of the general public (Bagdikian 2000).

8. What issue does convergence pose for media ownership?
Numerous cross-media ownership rules have been relaxed or disposed with a rise of laissez-faire ideology in European and US parliaments, governments and regulatory bodies.

9. What does FCC believe about programme diversity?
FCC (Federal Communications Commission) believes the programme diversity was neccessary to maximise public service. This means that the greater the number of independent broadcasters, the greater the chances for achieving the desired diversity. Rules were adopted that restrict common ownership of broadcast stations and broadcast stations in combination with other media forms.

Saturday 2 March 2013

WORKING TITLE TRIP



Media Ownership

What are the problems with 'big media' according to Free Press?
Free Press claims that government officials and corporations have made "corrupt media policy behind closed doors". They state that this has led to "corporate control" over our media, which can only be changed if the public are allowed a say when media policies are made. They have 4 goals to achieve internet freedom:
- to work for "true net Neutrality"
- strong protection for phone users
- public use of public airwaves
- universal access to high-speed internet
Therefore, they have identified these things as problems and are aiming to combat them to ensure freedom for all. In addition to this, they claim that it's easy for broadcast companies to use more free airspace while doing less to serve the public with the aid of lobbyists. So they're not fulfilling the programming needs of the community even though the broadcasters make billions in profit and use the broadcasting airwaves for free.

Summary of 'Is the British Film Dead':
The UK Film Council boasted about the amazing success of British films - however none of these allegedly successful films were British; instead they were made by foreign studios.
Hollywood Accountancy:
This is where Roosevelt launched a propaganda campaign to encourage the American people to call for a war, after he couldn't get the Congress to support him in helping Britain in WW2. Studio moguls agreed to produce anti-German films in return for financial control exemptions. Thus, Hollywood Accountancy.
Some say work is provided for UK film-makers because foreign film distributors assign productions to the UK. Conversely, it has been stated by John Peters that American films are produced here because the British are more obedient and it's 30% cheaper.
Today the Hollywood Six (see left) control 84% of our domestic market; with this and the fact that the French company Pathé controls around 12%, the UK industry is left with about 4% market share. A national film industry doesn't exist until it has at least 20% of its home market - therefore meaning that it's not a national industry in the UK. When JK Rowling was approached to sell the rights to her Harry Potter books she wanted them to go to a British studio but there wasn't one so she sold them to Warner Bros. So they weren't even made by a British studio despite what the UK Film Council says about it's success.
People say that Britain cannot afford to produce such movies like Harry Potter - however, this is not the case because banks are investing billions everyday into different things.
There is a law that if a foreign production company wants an American star they must pay a tariff - this is the star's price multiplied by 3 (a.k.a Working Title rate). It's known as the Working Title rate because Working Title was the first to pay this tariff.

Tuesday 19 February 2013

Homework: Comment on the technical features in the opening of Anna Karenina.


Essentially, there are an abundance of technical features in the opening of Anna Karenina. The scene opens with the diegetic sound of people talking and a fade in from black to a golden stage. Gold has connotations of wealth and expense - a theme that is continued throughout the opening. The talking is then faded out and a loud non-diegetic orchestral soundtrack begins. Immediately, the audience is made to feel as if they are a member of the audience watching a play because there is an establishing shot of the stage. In the following scene, the camera tracks around a seated and standing character who is holding a red cape. The audience could perceive the colour red to mean danger or violence due to it's connotations; this is emphasised when the standing member places it over the seated member to shave him. At this point the audience still believe that a play is commencing but with time it becomes apparent that it is not a play.

Panning out and tracking movement shots are frequently used in the opening to convey a sense of confusion about the location and what's happening. Significantly, this could be to interest the audience member with some action or, alternatively, to build suspense as to what's happening. In contrast to this however, one thought the editing was relatively slow to begin with and the speed of the jump cuts increased over time. Perhaps this is because more characters were being introduced after time so there were more angles and composition types to shoot. Action match and point of view shots allowed the audience to track a central male character at the outset which aided the smooth flow and continuity of the film opening.

In terms of mise-en-scene, there is a lot to be commented on about the costume, props, set design and colour. It is obvious that the characters are very wealthy due to their costumes - the male character wears a blue suit with a red band (showing he is of great importance) and the female character wears an extravagant purple dress (purple has connotations of Royalty and wealth). Their wealth is also shown in a number of other ways like the props. There are many golden, luxurious-looking items which all signify that the central characters are very wealthy. In addition to this, it is clear that they are from a different origin to the English audience because foreign phrases can be heard in the diegetic speech and the background of the stage setting appears to be a period Russian city. Furthermore, the lighting behind the sheet in the scene with Anna and her son mirrors the effect that young children get when they're telling secrets. Crucially, this could be interpreted as foreshadowing to the secrets that Anna keeps about her adultery in the latter scenes.

Homework: Audiences and Institutions

1) Do you agree with Stewart's point regarding self-determination of audiences? Consider your own media consumption habits and the research you conducted regarding UK cinema audiences using the BFI Statistical Yearbook.
Stewart's point is that 'it has grown increasingly clear that audiences are in fact capable of high degree self-determination in the nature of the responses that they make to the products offered to them'. When considering my own media consumption habits, I would say that I agree with his point regarding self-determination of audiences. It's clear that the audience sometimes go and see films based on their socio-economic background (as found when I researched the BFI Statistical Yearbook); therefore conveying that the audience are able to self-determine in the nature of their response to the film because they are categorising themselves unknowingly as either a wealthy person or not. What's more, their response can be posted on social networking sites (such as Facebook, Twitter or Youtube) or film review sites (Rotten Tomatoes etc). This indicates that they are capable of self-determination because they have interpreted the film with their own views and beliefs and even possibly put themselves into the scenarios that the characters are facing.

2) Hall's idea about audience positioning identifies three ways that audiences can respond to texts. Using your three case studies, identify a preferred, negotiated and oppositional reading and explain your reasons for each case study.
Preferred:
A preferred or dominant reading is where the audience interprets the text "as closely to the way in which the producer of the text intended". In my Wreck-It Ralph case study this can be seen in the "games" section. Essentially, by the young audience member playing the games on the film's website, they are viewing the media in a way that the producer would have wanted.
Negotiated:
A negotiated reading is where "the audience goes through some sort of negotiation with themselves to allow them to accept the way in which the text is presented". This would be evident in my Skyfall case study because the audience may not agree with the violent themes but they can adjust their viewpoint to get the most out of their viewing.
Oppositional:
An oppositional or resistant reading is where "the user of the text finds themselves in conflict with the text itself due to their beliefs or experiences. Although none of my case studies fit this reading, an example in a soap opera would be where a woman is having an affair with a man. This is adultery and would encourage a resistant reading in a person whose beliefs and culture don't accept adultery.

3) Audiences can respond to texts in a variety of ways. Gender, situated culture and cultural experiences can all affect how we consume a text. Think about your case studies and your own personal media consumption habits.
a) How can your gender affect how you respond to a text?

Essentially, the fact that I am a female can alter how I respond to a text rapidly. Tradition and stereotypes mean that women are often perceived as being more emotive towards certain themes and topics such as death and narratives involving children. In light of this, they may find a sad text to be more sad because they are a female than a male - who is experiencing the film at the same time and place. Conversely, it can also mean that a film that is gender biased towards males (where females are irrelevantly sexualised), would evoke a more annoyed, jealous and angry response from women because they feel that women should fit into the stereotypical mould that society has built for them.
b) Why would  you choose to go to a cinema (situated culture) as opposed to watching a film at home?
A cinema can offer an experience to a viewer - like an event or a trip out. This is appealing to many audience members because it means they are able to get out of their house and do something. It has been said that the atmosphere in an auditorium full of people who are experiencing the same emotions during a film (laughing, crying, being scared), is enough to make people choose to go to a cinema. Despite an advance in technology meaning that people are able to get the 'cinema feel' at home with surround sound and wide screen TVs, the event-feeling isn't felt because they know that they're in their own home. What's more, it can often be cheaper for an individual or group of people to view a film in the cinema than pay for all the DVD equipment and DVDs at home.
c) Can you think of a text where you gained 'cultural knowledge' which shaped your expectations? Was that part of the reason why you chose and enjoyed that text?
 One text that I gained 'cultural knowledge' from is Slumdog Millionaire. It shaped how I perceived the slums in Mumbai through the main character's life events. I believe this was part of the reason why I chose and enjoyed the text because I was able to learn something while I was being entertained.

4) How do converged websites apply to Gauntlett's idea of a 'pick and mix' audience?
A 'pick and mix' audience is where the audiences use the text by ignoring some aspects and choosing the aspects that suit them at the time. Each time the audience play or search on the internet they might 'pick and mix' a different menu which is aided by the flexibility of the various formats to do this.

5) To what extent do you believe in the effects model and the uses and gratifications model?
The uses and gratifications model assumes an active audience and emphasises what the audience does with media texts as opposed to what the media does to the audience. Blumler and Katz disagreed with the earlier theories which placed the audience as a passive, easily influenced mass - this is why this theory suggests individuals and social groups use the texts in different ways (no longer making them a passive receiver).
Personally, I believe this model is correct in some ways but has faults. Clearly, different groups and individuals will respond to media texts in different ways because of their certain beliefs and ideals. However, I do believe that the majority of the audience are easily influenced because advancing distribution and promotion techniques allow the film to be instantly publicised to the world. Similarly, in the film itself it is easier to influence the audience due to the cultural, gender, age (etc.) that exist today.

6) McQuail believes audiences use texts for 4 different reasons. Can you identify these features in the marketing materials from your case studies?
- Entertainment and diversion - as a form of escape from the pressures of everyday life. An example of
  this from the marketing materials in my case study of Wreck-It Ralph would be the games section on
  the website. It would enable the audience to play the game (either before or after watching the film)
  and relieve tension and escape from the pressures of everyday life.
- Personal Relationships - identification with characters and being able to discuss media texts with
  others. My case study of The Perks of Being a Wallflower would be an example of this; the
  characters part of the website allows the audience to identify with the characters and are able to
  discuss the film with other people.
- Personal Identity - the ability to compare your life with that of characters and situations presented in
  media texts. Again, I believe this would link to the case study on The Perks of Being a Wallflower   because the audience members are able to compare their life to the characters and the situations that
  they are in.
- Information/Education - to find out and learn what is going on in the world. I don't think any of my
  case studies' marketing materials particularly demonstrates this feature very well because I didn't
  research materials with a very 'cultural' background. However, it could be said that Sherlock Holmes
  fits into this category because his character has a very British, iconic background.

7) What is audience fragmentation? How has it changed the composition of audiences and the texts that are available to them? Has the internet influenced this in any way?
Audience fragmentation is the term used to describe the ways in which people engage with media and it shows how the idea of audience in the digital era is changing. The ways that convergence, user-created content and social networking have transformed the audience. The composition of the audience is the demographic (age, gender, education level, ect) characteristics and geographic location of the audience members. So audience fragmentation has changed the composition of audiences by allowing all sorts of people to engage with media through convergence, user-created content and social networking. This is all due to the development of technology and the advance in social networking usage. It has changed the texts that are available to the audience because they are able to view a lot more films digitally (through satellite TV, online streaming and downloads) - hence texts are more readily available nowadays than they used to be. The internet has influenced this by producing rolling entertainment and gossip sites that 'break up' the potential audience group.

8) What is 'push' and 'pull' media? How has the internet shaped audience behaviour in relation to 'pull' media?
'Push' media is where producers push films at the audience, who then receive and consume them passively. Oppositely, 'pull' media is where the audience decide what they want to do with the media and access it in ways that suit them. In relation to 'pull' media, the internet has shaped the audience behaviour massively. When big companies like Google and News Corporation purchased DIY media institutions, the sites became more 'corporate' and illegally posted material was removed from sites like Youtube and MySpace. So, illegally downloaded and pirated films have been largely removed from the internet which has shaped the audience to a better behaviour in terms of not breaking the copyright laws.

Monday 18 February 2013

Case Study: Sherlock Holmes


  • Sherlock's musty image provided a challenge.
    • An iconic British institution but one with baggage. 
      • Wet Sunday afternoons
      • Black and white TV drama
      • Stuffy
      • Old fashioned
    • How could they make it exciting and relevant to 21st century audience?
  • Bringing Sherlock Holmes to a new generation
    • Directed by British director Guy Ritchie
    • Script inspired by original books
    • Starring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law
    • High octane blockbuster
    • Marketing strategy had to restore Sherlock Holmes' image to its original glory
  • Positioning 
    • Before Bond there was Sherlock
      • British
      • Iconic
      • Unconventional
      • Witty
      • Suave
      • Intelligent
      • Talked About
      • Event Movie
      • Familiar but exciting
      • Action Adventure
      • Blockbuster
      • Franchise
  • Comms (Communtication) strategy has 3 key parts
    • Modernity
    • Confidence
    • Heritage
  • TV advert for online game kick-started campaign 6 weeks from release
    • Brings players together to work as Holmes + Watson - ensured many people's 1st exposure to the movie was in contemporary context.
  • Closer to release, TV ads ran in finals of most talked about programming in the UK.
  • High impact premium outdoor campaign included spectacular digital sites.
  • Iconic London imagery featured in un-missable print placements.
  • Brought modern Sherlock to Baker St Tube station 
    • Bespoke wall tile vinyls juxtaposed new action hero with outdated deer-hunter wearing Sherlock.
  • A Madame Tussauds wax work of Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock, generated fantastic publicity.
  • Released Sherlock audio walk in conjunction with The Guardian, used modern technology to guide people around. 
  • An event level publicity tour and premier. 
  • Awareness and interest tracked well above the norm.
  • Sherlock had surpassed original box office target of £15 million by 73% by 3rd week of release. Result = £26 million. 
  • 744k DVD units bought. 

Saturday 9 February 2013

Representation

Representation refers to the construction in any media (especially the mass media) of aspects of 'reality' such as people, places, objects, events, cultural identities and other abstract concepts. Such representations may be in speech or writing as well as still or moving pictures.
In short, it is the way that aspects of reality have been constructed.

'The Male Gaze'
The concept of the gaze deals with how the audience view the people being presented. This can be:

  • how men look at women
  • how women look at themselves
  • how women look at other women
It was Laura Mulvey who coined the phrase 'Male Gaze' in 1975. She believed that audiences had to view characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male. It is said that if focus is placed on a woman's body or what happens to the woman, she is being presented largely in the context of a male's reaction. In turn, males refer to women as objects and the female viewer must 'experience the narrative secondarily, by identification of the male'. Theorists have found that irrelevant sexualisation is so predominant, that her appearance doesn't even have anything to do with the advertised product.

However, some people have criticised Mulvey's theory; they argue that some women enjoy being looked at. Additionally, they state that sometimes members of the same gender can direct 'the gaze' towards each other to compare body image or clothing - not for any sexual reasons at all. 

Jonathan Schroeder - a key theorist in 1998 - said "to gaze implies more than to look at - it signifies a psychological relationship of power, in which the gazer is superior to the object of the gaze". He was also quoted saying: "Film has been called an instrument of the male gaze, producing representations of women, the good life, and sexual fantasy from a male point of view". 

Webliography:
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/gaze/gaze09.html
- http://www.slideshare.net/fleckneymike/the-male-gaze-laura-mulvey

'Cutting It' Swede


This is a swede of 'Cutting It' that I made with a group of people from my class. We intended to highlight the continuity errors that were in the original clip and add an element of comedy. It took us around 45 minutes to film and 15 minutes to edit. 

Wednesday 6 February 2013

Audience




The Statistical Yearbook states that in 2011, the total size of the UK film audience was estimated to be 5.1 billion people. There were 87 film viewing occasions per person in 2011 (excluding those who are very
young) - this is an average of just over 7 films per month. However, interestingly the majority of these films were viewed on television (77%) and the least amount were viewed in the cinema (3.4%). This could possibly be evidence of the types of people that are watching films or it could be evidence of convergence. In terms of age, the Statistical Yearbook clearly indicates that the age of people attending the cinema is beginning to level out (see chart above). In 1997, the 15-24 age category had the majority of cinema-goers and although that stayed the same in 2011, the 45+ age category has began to catch up with it. 31% of 15-24 year olds and 28% of 45+ year olds attended the cinema in 2011 - therefore clearly conveying the 'leveling-out' of the audience. Additionally, the 25-34 and 35-44 age category have also become quite similar as they had 21% and 20% of cinema-goers in 2011.
Their recent report 'Opening Our Eyes' revealed that there was 'a strong support for British film and filmmaking amongst the British public with comparatively minor variations across age, gender and ethnicity.'
From the table to the left, I can conclude that male cinema-goers are more likely to watch action films like 'Senna', '127 Hours' and 'Captain America'. Conversely, females are more likely to watch films like 'Jane Eyre', 'One Day' and 'Bridesmaids' - perhaps suited for a more female audience. On the other hand, films like the final 'Harry Potter' and 'Pirates of the Caribbean' had a more mixed audience base. This is a clear demonstration of how films are perhaps created and marketed towards a certain gender so that the target audience is very specific. 

Evidently, the table to the right conveys which audiences are suited to which film due to the socio-economic background. AB audiences are at the top end - films such as 'The King's Speech' and 'Jane Eyre' - perhaps this is an indication that films with a more educational/historical background are for an audience with a higher status. Conversely, films such as 'Johnny English Reborn' and 'Fast and Furious 5' are made for a DE audience - on the lower end of the spectrum. 

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How have the audience been constructed for two films?

Disney's Wreck-It Ralph is an animation film made by the Walt Disney Animation Studios in America. The age of the audience would be children under 14 (below the Statistical Yearbook's age figures) and possibly the 25-44 age category. This is because younger children who go to see this film would go with their parent/guardian. One can tell that this film is aimed primarily at a younger audience for many reasons. Firstly, Walt Disney Animation Studios have made other films for children such as Tangled, Winnie the Pooh and Bolt - this suggests that this film would follow their recent animation trends and be for children. Additionally, Disney is conventionally associated with children and children's films - further suggesting that this film is for children. In terms of the actual film, it is about video game characters; this ultimately suggests that is is for the under 14 age category because they are more likely to spend time playing video games as opposed to adults (who lead busier lives and generally don't play as many video games). Similarly, a character in the film 'Fix-It Felix Jr' was one of the most popular 2D platform games ever . It was launched in 1982 - meaning that parents who go to see the film might recognise this character from their childhood. This indicates that Disney wanted to include characters that a younger audience will understand and characters that the parents/guardians will understand. 
The website features simple sections that indicate that the audience must be of a younger age. Characters, Games, Videos and Gallery are 4  simple sections that parents will be able to easily guide their children to so they will be able to play on the website. The simple fonts, colours and layout all suggest that this film is for a younger audience because younger children could still be learning how to read or use the computer (so this simple design is easier for them to navigate).

Significantly, in terms of gender this film could lean more towards a male based audience but there are a lot of areas that would appeal to a female audience. It could be said that the male audience will stereotypically enjoy the video game concept of this film because it is young boys that conventionally play video games. On the other hand, the 'Sugar Rush' game characters - Taffyta Muttonfudge and The Glitch - could appeal to a female audience because of their 'candy' filled, pink and light green setting. The poster (seen below) is a good demonstration of how Disney attempts to
appeal to both audiences - one section has saturated, light, 'girly' colours and the other is similar to a typical male action game. From this poster, one might suggest that Ralph is seen as a character that both male and female cinema-goers will enjoy because he is 'breaking through' the divide between them and he is the focal point of the poster as he's in the middle. When referring back to the Statistical Yearbook, one notices that the only animation film mentioned is The Smurfs. This film was most popular among females (62%)  and 7-14 year olds (42%). Overall, this suggests that this film could appeal to a male audience in this age range. 

The film Gnomeo and Juliet appeared in the AB socio-economic statistics for 2011 with 34% of the film's audience being more top end. So, one could propose that as Wreck-It Ralph is also an animation film, it could match Gnomeo and Juliet and fall under the AB category. Moreover, on the website there
is a 'Shop' section; this could possibly mean that they are targeting their film at a wealthier audience so that they can buy their products. Conversely, the advert below this tab juxtaposes this in a way because the audience can win a 'Samsung Galaxy Note II' - this would appeal to an audience with a lower socio-economic status because they might not be able to afford the phone normally.

I believe that people who watch Wreck-It Ralph will largely be children who are still in school due to the Game theme of the film being aimed at their age. In light of this, the audience may not yet have fully formed values/ideas that they believe in. This film could teach them about the concept of right vs wrong and good vs bad.

Columbia Picture's Skyfall is the 23rd James Bond film to be released. I predict that the age range for this film would largely the 15-44 age category. It wouldn't be lower than this as much because the film is rated a 12A - therefore parents might not allow their children/teenagers to go and see the film if they are 12-14 and if they're younger they won't be allowed in the screening. One can tell that this film is aimed at this age category for many reasons; the first being the monochromatic colour scheme on the website.
The black, white and grey colours are more sophisticated which aid the more adult themes in the film. Similarly, the language used on this site - "consideration", "theatres" and "corporation" - are all fairly complex in their denotations. "Theatres" isn't a common word used nowadays for the cinema but older generations of adults might tend to use this word as opposed to "cinema". Therefore, the film is clearly made for an older audience. What's more the logo of the film (007) has the image of a gun on it. This symbol is repeated in the film poster where James Bond is holding a gun. One could suggest that the use of violence and action in this film would deter many younger cinema-goers (and their parents/guardians) from allowing them to go and see it.

Immediately one assumes that this film is predominantly for a male audience due to the action genre and James Bond's "cool" character appealing to males. Traditionally, the females that appear in his films are overly sexualised to appeal to men; this wouldn't appeal to women due to the possible negative emotions that they might feel towards the model-like actresses. From an early age boys are taught that action scenes and action characters are "cool" and that they should look up to them - hence this film would appeal more to a male audience. When referring back to the Statistical Yearbook, one notices that action films such as Mission Impossible and Fast and Furious were popular amongst males - 77% and 67% of these film's audiences were males. Crucially, these films are of a very similar genre to Skyfall so it could be fair to say that it can be compared to them in terms of audience.

Two action films - Fast and Furious and Johnny English Reborn - were both classed as having a DE socio-economic status with 28% of both film's audience being of this status. This suggests to one that the film could appeal to this audience type. However, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy had 47% of it's audience being an AB socio-economic status. One believes that this film leans more towards the AB category (the top end) because the website's first tab is the Awards. Essentially, a cinema-goer with a higher regarded socio-economic status would be more interested in the Awards the film has won due to it being a prestigious film. Therefore, the web designers have placed the Awards tab first on the navigation bar in order for the AB audience member to be able to navigate more easily to that page.

It is hard to determine what the audience's characteristics and values might be for this film due to the wide age range of people who it is made for. One might suggest that they have an interest in plots, schemes and violence because James Bond is based on these concepts. However, some might interpret this interest in a negative light, when in reality most audience members will find this interesting because it is in contrast to their personality and lifestyle.


Summit Entertainment's The Perks of being a Wallflower is aimed at teenagers over the age of 13. One decided this due to the age rating of the film; it's PG13 because of the "mature thematic material drug and alcohol use, sexual content including references, and a fight - all involving teens". The film itself involves a cast of somewhat stereotypical teenagers - therefore appealing to a teenage audience because they can relate to the characters.  What's more, on their "Fan Testimonials" section of the website they have multiple testimonials from teenagers writing about how it "really translated to [their] everyday life in High School". Thus, the teenage audience is further shown. Much like the Hobbit website, this site is highly interactive and allows the audience to create their own poster - another sign that this is for a younger audience and not for adults because adults don't tend to have as much time to create posters and play online games as children/teenagers. 

One doesn't think that this film is directed at a particular gender for many reasons. The first is that the main character is a boy (Charlie) whose best friend has died and he's experiencing his first love of a girl (Sam). This narrative could appeal to either audience because males can sometimes relate to how Charlie is feeling and females can relate to how Sam is feeling. Both of these cross over also because the male and female audience can get an insight to what the other person would be feeling in this situation. Additionally, this still taken from the "Gallery" on 
the website clearly conveys a party scene whereby males and females could relate. In a modern day society, it is males and females that host and attend parties so this would be easily relatable for the audience.  In addition to this, the film poster is fairly basic and doesn't appeal to a specific gender. The lime green wall is a neutral colour so both males and females could find the film appealing. When this is paired with the black,
slightly distorted serif font, one could suggest that the overall theme of the poster is fairly neutral which helps when trying to appeal to both a male and female audience. Alternatively, it could be suggested that because there are two males and one female on the poster, they are trying to appeal more to females because they are 'looking' for another female to go on the poster. Although this view is very abstract, one might suggest that some audience members might feel this way and possibly be attracted to the film because of it. The BFI 2012 Statistical Yearbook states that The Inbetweeners film had and audience that 67% of people were 15-24 year olds. Clearly, the genre of the films is very different - The Inbetweeners was a comedy - but both films are based on the lives of teenagers. So, one's previous suggestions could be reinforced with this statistic because it could be said that the films have similar audience members.

When looking through the Statistical Yearbook one notices that it is difficult to estimate where this film would be placed in terms of NRS Social Grade. This is mainly because there are no films similar to this one currently in the results table. So, perhaps one could base my estimate on the actress Emma Watson because Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows: part 2 also starred Emma. If this is the case, the film would class as having a higher AB audience share as Harry Potter had 35% of its audience as AB socio-economic members. I do believe that this film could additionally appeal to DE members because of the "mature thematic material" possibly relating to them more due to their different lifestyle. Obviously, this can only be assumed however because this film differs from that of the ones in the Statistical Yearbook.

The audience members for this film would have partially or fully developed views and values due to them being a teenage audience. One might suggest that they have the stereotypical characteristics of a teenager or young adult. They probably have opinions on love, drugs, alcohol and arguments as all of these themes feature in the film.