British Independent- MARV

I have chosen to do MARV because I enjoy a lot of the films that they have come out with and I think they would be interesting to look at.   I have chosen to do Kingsman: The Secret Service which came out on the 29th January 2015.

American Conglomerate- Marvel Studios

I am choosing to do Marvel Studios because they make a lot of money from their films and have a large amount of history, as well as creating a lot of merchandise.   The film I am choosing to look at is Guardians of the Galaxy which was released on the 21st July 2014.

Film Vocabulary- Audiences and Institutions

Production Process:

• Pre Production: In filmmaking, pre-production formally begins once a project has been greenlit (will be going ahead). At this stage, finalizing preparations for production go into effect. Financing will generally be confirmed and many of the key elements such as principal cast members, director and cinematographer (chief over the camera crews) are set. By the end of pre-production, the screenplay (script) is usually finalized and satisfactory to all the financiers and other stakeholders.

During pre-production, the script is broken down into individual scenes and storyboards and all the locations, props, cast members, costumes, special effects and visual effects are identified. An extremely detailed schedule is produced and arrangements are made for the necessary elements to be available to the film-makers at the appropriate times. Sets are constructed, the crew is hired, financial arrangements are put in place and a start date for the beginning of principal photography is set. At some point in pre-production there will be a read-through of the script which is usually attended by all cast members with speaking parts, the director, all heads of departments, financiers, producers, and publicists.

Even though the writer may still be working on it, the screenplay is generally page-locked and scene-numbered at the beginning of pre-production to avoid confusion. This means that even though additions and deletions may still be made, any particular scene will always fall on the same page and have the same scene number.

• Production: In production, the film is created and shot. More crew will be recruited at this stage, such as the property master, script supervisor, assistant directors, stills photographer, picture editor, and sound editors. These are just the most common roles in filmmaking; the production office will be free to create any unique blend of roles to suit the various responsibilities possible during the production of a film.
• Distribution: This is the final stage, where the film is released to cinemas or, occasionally, directly to consumer media (DVD and Blu-ray) or direct download from a digital media provider. The film is duplicated as required and distributed to cinemas for exhibition (screening). Press kits, posters, and other advertising materials are published, and the film is advertised and promoted. A B-roll clip may be released to the press based on raw footage shot for a "making of" documentary, which may include making-of clips as well as on-set interviews.
  Film distributors usually release a film with a launch party, a red-carpet premiere, press releases, interviews with the press, press preview screenings, and film festival screenings depending on the film. Most films are also promoted with their own special website separate from those of the production company or distributor. For major films, key personnel are often contractually required to participate in promotional tours in which they appear at premieres and festivals, and sit for interviews with many TV, print, and online journalists. The largest productions may require more than one promotional tour, in order to rejuvenate audience demand at each release window.
  Since the advent of home video in the early 1980s, most major films have followed a pattern of having several distinct release windows. A film may first be released to a few select cinemas, or if it tests well enough, may go directly into wide release. Next, it is released, normally at different times several weeks (or months) apart, into different market segments like rental, retail, pay-per-view, in-flight entertainment, cable, satellite, and/or free-to-air broadcast television. The distribution rights for the film are also usually sold for worldwide distribution. The distributor and the production company share profits.
• Exhibition: Exhibition is the retail branch of the film industry. It involves the public screening, usually for paying customers at the cinema. What the exhibitor sells is the experience of a film (and, frequently, concessions like soft drinks and popcorn). Because exhibitors to some extent control how films are programmed, promoted, and presented to the public, they have considerable influence over the box-office success and, more importantly, the reception of films.
  
• Exchange: ?

Synergy: Used to describe a situation where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome.  Simply, when things work together well to make something

Technological convergence: Different technological systems evolve towards performing similar tasks.   For example, to listen to new and popular music people would listen to a radio.   However now, most people will use their phones

"Monarch of the Glen" Media Mock Question- Analyse the clip through the representation of Age

Mark: P (Pass)

General Comments:

• Answer the question
• Paragraphing needs to improve
• Transition sentences
• Need to have an argument
• No brackets
• No subheadings
• No jokes, etc., drawings, elipsis
• "A lot" not "Alot"
• Notes are handed in to the examiner
• Use the words of the micro-features
• Don't write "the camera", write "the director" or "the next shot"
• Look for binary opposite- us vs. them, age vs. youth- who's values are we rooting for
• MMM (Meaning Making Moments)- significant parts should be picked out instead of the whole thing
• Revised terminology was obvious

Re-write:

Notes:

• Shot of river and sunlight on it
• Men talking, trucks and putting tools in them, pan across to see all the details, oldest man in charge
• Shot of boy sweeping (Ewan), girl comes out and the camera moves round as she speaks- centre of shot
• Girls given keys to car- told man she passed first time
• Boy watches her go, worried, hear a crash, everyone runs out of shot
• Cut between shot of headmaster and man
• Cam moves up from Amy and pans across so they can talk
• OTSS from Amy's perspective, low angle, see how small she is
• Shot of rainbow
• Quick cuts to men working with tools and stuff
• Camera moves down to bed
• Shot of Amy in the mirror, cut to outside shot of women walking in
• Man complains about land
• Men talking
• Woman says Amy is gone
• Younger and older woman

In the "Monarch of the Glen" clip, we see characters of many ages who are split up into two world- the older generation and the younger generation.   The younger generation is mainly represented by Amy and the older generation by her head teacher, as well as older men in the community.   Paul, although fitting into the older generation, is still a part of the younger generation as he is middle aged, and through his actions acts as a bridge between the age divide.

We begin with a wide, establishing shot of a river- the scene is very picturesque.   The sun is shining on the river, and the shot is very bright.  Due to the use of nature, the scene seems idyllic and peaceful.   As this beautiful scene is the one we begin with, we can imagine that the characters will probably be very happy living in such a place, and that the scene will be a happy one.   We can also see age being represented in the scenery, as the connotation of rivers and trees is often related to the landscape being ancient, as it is not man-made.   There is also the idea of mainly older people living here, as youth is often associated with cities.

When we are first introduced to Amy she appears in a doorway.   The bight yellow of her top catches the eye, as does the fact that she is placed perfectly in the centre of the door.   Although she is in the background, she still seems to be the main focus.   She is also in jeans- this is not stereotypically feminine clothes, but this makes sense as she seems to be on some kind of farm.   She is also dressed differently to the others, further highlighting her age as these are typical "teenager clothes".   The cameraman pans the camera as she walks, making the shot an over the shoulder shot, so that Amy can be seen in front of the man she is speaking to.   The man (Ewan as we are later told) seems to also be quite young, however he still looks older than Amy.   Although he could be seen to be with the younger generation he is still older than her, which is later shown by his subtle protectiveness of her as he stands in front of her when the headteacher is shouting at her.   Through the use of the camera, they are at eye level with each other, which demonstrates that although he is older they are still on par with each other.   They seem to be friends, but she is not comfortable when she talks to him and explains that there is something she needs to tell him.   However, the audience is not able to find out what she is going to say to Ewan as someone speaks out of shot.   Both of their heads turn to face this man who is older than both of them, which demonstrates he is in charge.   He is older than the girl and the boy, which shows that age has precedence here.   

The man (who we later discover is called Paul) gives Amy the keys to his car.   We hear her say that she has passed first time as the keys are tossed to her.   However, when we cut to the image of her in the car, she has to remind herself where everything is.   She is once again noticeably nervous, which highlights her youth and perhaps the fact that she is lying about her age to the others.   The fact that she cannot drive the car perhaps demonstrates that she does not belong here, as Paul needed someone who could drive.

As she starts the car, we have a long, aerial shot of her driving off.   This cuts to a mid-shot of Ewan, so that we can see his face.   Once again, the fact that he is older than her is showing, as he seems worried about her driving the car.   He is protective of her because of his age, which highlights that she is the youngest person there and that youth means that older people must protect you.   When the crash occurs, we can see worry on all their faces which highlights this, and they all quickly run off shot.

We cut to a mid-aerial shot, as we can see a car smoking and the truck Amy was driving.   We quickly cut to an old man shouting at Amy.   He is dressed very neatly, and not at all like he is welcome in this environment- he also speaks with an extremely posh English accent, which further demonstrates that he is not from the area.   He is also a lot older than Amy, and his dominance is highlighted by the fact he is higher up than she is within the scene.   Ewan, Paul and an older woman run in to the shot to see if Amy is okay.   The older woman holds Amy in her arms, which highlights the stereotype of a motherly or grandmotherly relationship due to her age in relation to Amy.   It is then revealed that Amy is sixteen and still at school.   This shocks Ewan as he yells, repeating the age.   This has obviously come as a shock to him, which implies that he thought she was older and is why they were demonstrated to be on par with each other.   It also highlights that Ewan obviously thought Amy was older, and that something went on between the character's which would not have happened if he had known the truth.   We see a close-up reaction shot of Amy and the woman who is holding her.   The woman is not surprised which demonstrates that she already knew Amy's age, but is also worried for Amy, which further enforces the stereotype.   Amy looks distinctly worried and upset, which demonstrates her youth and is reminiscent of a child when they have been discovered doing something wrong.   This further shows her young age.

We cut to Paul and the head teacher in a very different setting than anything we've seen before.   It is panelled with dark wood and is obviously untouched by youth.   It is an adult's room and is extremely traditional.   The headteacher seems to fit in more here than in the countryside due to his costume, whereas Paul is the opposite.   This demonstrates that Paul is young at heart and is not serious like an adult supposedly should be.   Paul still comes across as higher up in the room, despite his age and the way the headteacher talks to him.   This demonstrates that age means nothing when you are in somebody else's house.   A brandy is given to the headteacher which is once again used to highlight age.   Brandy is first of all alcohol and is also typically an older man's drink.   It is also very traditional, as the headteacher is demonstrated to be.   Although Paul is demonstrated to be more important than the headteacher, the headteacher still talks down to Paul and tries to order him about.   This highlights that the headteacher still believes that his age and therefore seniority is still relevant here, and also that he is more sophisticated than Paul.

We cut to a shot of Paul walking out of the office.   The fact that we can only see his legs at the start demonstrates that Amy is important here, highlighting the idea that youth is what we are focusing on in this scene.   We pan as Paul and Amy move and cut to over the shoulder shots as the two speak.   Any shots from Amy's shoulder are high angle, showing that she is looking up at Paul.  This is in a literal sense as he is taller, but also a metaphorical sense as he is older and therefore someone that Amy has to respect and look up to.   He looks down on her in the same way, as she is younger and he is also disappointed since she lied to him.   We end this scene with Amy shouting "I hate you" and the camera follows her as she storms out.   This is very stereotypical of a teenager and highlights her youth and immaturity, but also how comfortable she is within the family as she has the nerve to answer back.

We later go onto a scene where we watch Amy putting down children's items onto a bed as well as cards.   This demonstrates that there were younger people who were also living there, and the idea that youth does not necessarily demonstrate anger and upset as is often portrayed.   This juxtaposes with the stereotypical outburst that we had seen before.   She also seems comfortable in this room, which demonstrates how young she truly is at heart as the room is still somewhat childish.   From what she is wearing, and the fact that she has a rucksack on her back, we can assume that she has plans to run away.   This brings the viewers ideas back to where Amy is a stereotypical teenager once again, as this is a typical reaction when things don't go the way teenager's want them to.   We end the scene on a close up shot of a photograph of her, Paul, Ewan and the younger woman who we can assume is Paul's wife.   This demonstrates the happy times that came before, and that at this time age was not relevant.

Through the use of mise-en-scène, camera, editing and sound we are presented with a clip that demonstrates both the stereotypes of age as well as things that are not commonly shown, such as the compassion of teenagers.   The audience is encouraged to see Amy through both the eyes of a parent but also the eyes of an equal through the use of direction as well as through technical aspects.

Film Vocabulary- Camera Shots

Camera Shots

Establishing Shot- A shot that establishes a scene, often giving the viewer information about where the scene is set.   Can be a close up shot (of a sign etc.) but is often a wide/ long shot and usually appears at the beginning of a scene

Master Shot- Film recording of an entire dramatised scene, from start to finish, from an angle that keeps all the players in view.   Often a long shot and can sometimes double as an establishing shot

Aerial Shot- A camera shot taken from an overhead position.   Often used as an establishing shot

Extreme Close Up- A shot where a part of a face or body of a character fills the whole frame/ dominates the whole frame.   Also can be a shot of and object where only a small part of it dominates the frame

Big Close Up- Usually a face shot, so we can see expressions.   Most likely used as a reaction shot

Close Up- A head and shoulders shot often used to show expressions/ emotions of a character.   Also can be a shot of an object, filmed from close to the object or zoomed in to it, that reveals detail

Medium Shot/ Mid-shot- The framing of a subject from waist up

Medium Long Shot- Halfway between a Medium Shot and a Long Shot

Long Shot AKA Wide Shot- The subject takes up the full frame, as much as is comfortably possible

Very Long Shot AKA Very Wide Shot- The subject is visible but the emphasis is still putting him in the environment

Extreme Long Shot AKA Extreme Wide Shot- The subject is barely visible and it is the setting that is important

Two Shot- A shot of two characters, possibly engaging in conversation.   Usually to signify/establish some sort of relationship

Point-Of-View Shot (POV)- Shows a view from the subject's perspective.   This shot is usually edited so that the viewer is aware who's point of view it is

Over The Shoulder Shot- Looking from behind a character's shoulder, at a subject.   The character facing the subject usually occupies 1/3 of the frame but it depends on what meaning the director wants to create (for example, if the subject is an inferior character the character facing them may take up more of the the frame to emphasise this)

Overhead Shot- A type of camera shot in which the camera is positioned above the character, action or object being filmed

Reaction Shot- A shot that shows the reaction of a character either to another character or an event within the sequence

Noddy Shot- Usually refers to the interviewer listening and reacting to the subject (nodding along)

Moving subject walks into space- A subject walks into a space

General Vocabulary #1- Semiotics

Semiotics
Semiotics- the study of signs and sign systems; the social production of meaning by sign systems, how things come to have significance and meaning

Symbol- an arbitrary sign in which the signifier has neither a direct nor an indexical relationship to the signified, but rather represents it through conventions

Signifier- any symbol, image or word that can be read (basically anything)
There are three types of signifier

1. Iconic- these signifiers always resemble what they signify- they're always used to signify something
2. Indexical- these signifiers act as evidence- smoke means fire, sweat is proof of effort, ambulance means someones been hurt
3. Symbolic- these are visual signs that are arbitrarily linked to referents- crowns are now used to refer to monarchs, they are a symbol of the monarchy

Examples of Signifiers:

Signifiers- Media from meghanmooreg321

Signified- the particular meaning or meanings of the signifier in a particular context or situation

Denotation- signs signify or ‘denote’ different aspects of our experience of the world. They are the work of that part of the sign  (the signifier) which is immediately recognisable to the reader and which has a direct relationship to a real world entity or referent.   It refers to something literal, as opposed to metaphorical.  The colour red for example we know as a colour in the light spectrum, different from blue or pink
Connotation- these are the meanings interpreted from a sign which link other values to it.   For example, the colour red brings up notions of love, blood, anger, danger, stop signs, heat etc.
Polysemic- literally ‘many signed’- an image in which there are several possible meanings depending on the ways in which its constituent signs are read
Index- measures a quality not because it is identical to it but has an inherent relationship to it
Icon- A sign in which the signifier represents the signified mainly by its similarity to it, its likeness

Binary oppositions- sets of opposite values said to reveal the structure of media texts. These define through their opposite and chose a lesser and greater position.  For example, man/woman; weak/strong; black/white; civilised/savage; good/evil etc 
Conventions - ‘un-written rules’ in the production of mainstream texts.  Conventions are the dominant codings in any media
Anchoring- written text used to control or select a specific reading of an image
Mode of address- How a text ‘speaks’ to its audience. How the audience is positioned in relation to the text
Metonymy-  literally ‘substitue naming’  a figure of speech in which an associated detail or notion is used to invoke an idea or represent on object.   For example, the phrase "the pen is mightier than the sword" uses metonymy as it is using the pen as a representation of the power of written word and the sword as a representation of war
Synecdoche- The idea that ‘part’ of a person, an object, a machine, etc, can be used to represent the ‘whole’, and work as an emotive or suggestive shorthand for the viewer, who invests the ‘part’ with symbolic associations.   For example, in Othello, he is referred to as "thick lips" as a racist term.   Thick lips is used to describe the whole of him

Mise en scene- literally ‘putting together the scene’; how we read the actions of the creative personnel in a film crew who visualise. Everything on screen

Course Outline for G322

Overview
G322= 50% AS
G322 involves a 2 hour examination, in two sections.  You are required to answer 1 question in each section, with each carrying 50 marks out of a total of 100 for the unit.

The Exam
Section A: Textual Analysis and Representation- This section involves 1 compulsory question dealing with the textual analysis of a 4-5 minute TV drama clip.  You will be asked to link this analysis with a discussion of some aspect of representation within the sequence.

The clip could be taken from any one of a number of contemporary TV dramas.  It is not necessary to have studied the history of the genre.   You will have 30 minutes for viewing/ not taking, plus 45 minutes for essay writing.

In your essay you must analyse how micro elements of film language are used to create representational meaning. These micro elements include:

Camera Shots, Angle, Movement and Composition

Editing

Sound

Mise–en-scene

Particular areas of representation that may be chosen are:

·      Gender

·      Age

·      Ethnicity

·      Sexuality

·      Class and status

·      Physical ability/disability

·      Regional identity

Section B: Institutions and Audiences- This section will be 1 compulsory question on a case study of a specific media industry (film).

You must understand and discuss the processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary media institutions, as well a the nature of audience consumption, and the relationship between audiences and institutions. You should become familiar with the following:

the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;

the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;

the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange;

the significance of proliferation in hardware (digital technologies, internet, mobiles etc) and content for institutions and audiences;

the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences;

the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically British) by international and global institutions;

the ways in which the students own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

You will need to produce two case studies, one on a major film studio (eg 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros ) and one on an UK independent  producer.

 Institutions

the issues raised by ownership patterns / trends in contemporary media practice

the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and

Marketing.

Audiences

the issues raised in the targeting of national / local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions

the ways in which the Students’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider

  patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

New technology

the impact of new technologies introduced in recent years (at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange) on institutions and audiences

the significance of the proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences

the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences

9th September 2015- Creation of Blog

Today, I created my own blog!   Though this was pretty easy as I have already created a blog, but that was what I did today.   This is also a test to see if this will go under the right tab.