Denotation and Connotation
We learnt about connotation and denotation. Denotation is what you see on the screen, article, magazine ect such as a box of chocolates on a red velvet cloth and connotation is the hidden meaning of what you see. For example the red velvet cloth represents love because of the red and the soft feel of the velvet. Chocolate also represents love as people give chocolate to show their affection for other people.
Camera Angles
We learnt about the camera angles and took photos to demonstrate all the different types of shots.
Two shot:
A two shot is where two people are in the scene and their interaction is important, for example in this picture Emma (right) looks like she's laughing at something Jacob (left) has said. This could be important to the storyline if it was in a film or a programme.
Aerial Shot:
An aerial shot is normally taken from a helicopter, balloon, kite or a building higher than a crane but we didn't have any of those so ours it taken from the top of the stairs onto a stair case below. Aerial shots show a situation from high up so you can see more of what is happening, it is often used for help scenes, linking in with the helicopters.
Over Should Shot:
An over the should shot is used so that you can see the other person from the person's eyes. This shot is often used in conversations between two people where the director wants to focus on the person speaking. These shot's are usually close ups of the speaker.
Point of View Shot:
A point of view shot is used to show what a character in a scene can see.
A two shot is where two people are in the scene and their interaction is important, for example in this picture Emma (right) looks like she's laughing at something Jacob (left) has said. This could be important to the storyline if it was in a film or a programme.
An aerial shot is normally taken from a helicopter, balloon, kite or a building higher than a crane but we didn't have any of those so ours it taken from the top of the stairs onto a stair case below. Aerial shots show a situation from high up so you can see more of what is happening, it is often used for help scenes, linking in with the helicopters.
An over the should shot is used so that you can see the other person from the person's eyes. This shot is often used in conversations between two people where the director wants to focus on the person speaking. These shot's are usually close ups of the speaker.
A point of view shot is used to show what a character in a scene can see.
An establishing shot is a long shot which is often used in the first sequence to show the positions of elements relative to each other and identifies the setting.
Extreme close ups are used to reveal very small details in the scene. It can be used to show emotion in someones face, like in this one Edd looks shocked about something. It can also be used in scenes to show the viewer some small details that possibly the character hasn't picked up on yet, or they have but haven't said anything. That is often used in detective programmes.
Close up shots are used to reveal detail about a subject or an object.
A medium long shot is where a largish object is show so you can see most of it. In this example the object is Edd and you can see most of him and can still see the expression on his face.
A shot in with a large object, for example Edd, fits easily within the frame.
An extra long shot is also called an Establish shot. It is used to tell the viewer where the subject is. This is really important if the subject keeps moving to new locations or times. It lets the viewer know where the video is taking place.
There are also different shot angles such as; low, high, eye-level, worm's eye, bird's eye and canted.
The camera movements that get used in moving images are;
Panning: where the camera is moved from side to side but stays at the same height to show the viewer elements of a scene that can't be included in a wide-angle shot. It can also follow a moving object, revealing information when needed.
Tilt: where the camera gets moved to that it faces up or down but stays at the same height to show height or depth. They can also generate emotional responses; tilting it upwards raises interest, hope and anticipation, titling it down lowers interest and creates feelings of disappointment of sadness.
Tracking shot: where the camera is pushed horizontally along the group on a dolly.
Dolly: is a type of shot achieved whelm a camera is mounted on a cart and pushed along a track.
Crane: where the camera is raised above the ground on a mobile support.
Steadicam: a mechanism for steadying a hand-held camera, consisting of a shock-absorbing arm to which the camera is attached and a harness worn by the camera operators.
Hand-held: where the person filming holds the camera in their hand when shooting.
Zoom: a single shot which moves towards a particular subject.
Reverse zoom: a single shot which moves away from a particular subject.
Ideology
Ideology refers to a system of belief that is constructed and presented by a media text.
The American Flag, for example, represents:
The American Flag, for example, represents:
- The States
- Landmarks
- Patriotic
- A Capitalist Nation
- Determination
- Liberation Freedom
- Stars and Stripes
- Pride
- Communism
- Culture
- Poor Under Class
- Ancient Civilisation
- Industry
- Big Production
- Intelligence
- One Child
- "Strange" beliefs
- Chinese Food
- Kung Fu
- Landmarks
Sound
Most audiences take sound for granted, but it is very important to establish context and atmosphere. There are two different types of sound, diegetic and non-diegetic. Non-diegetic sound if sound that is not in the shot of the video, for example footsteps that are out of sight of the frame, where as diegetic sound is sound that is shown in the frame, such as a slap.
Music adds massively to the emotion of a film or TV programme. When thinking about the type of music that is used in a sequence, you have to think about what type is used and the atmosphere it creates. Some music is used in an unusual way or is made to reassure or unsettle the audience. Music can either be parallel or contrapuntal. Contrapuntal sound is conflicting the image and parallel sound matches the image.
Language and silence is used to different effects. Different accents, tones, vocabulary, conversational style and register all have different connotations. If they wanted to show that someone was angry then they would have them shouting, for example. Silences are often used to add effect as well. They are often used in horror films to add a dramatic and creepy effect before something leaps out at the screen, making you jump.
Music adds massively to the emotion of a film or TV programme. When thinking about the type of music that is used in a sequence, you have to think about what type is used and the atmosphere it creates. Some music is used in an unusual way or is made to reassure or unsettle the audience. Music can either be parallel or contrapuntal. Contrapuntal sound is conflicting the image and parallel sound matches the image.
Language and silence is used to different effects. Different accents, tones, vocabulary, conversational style and register all have different connotations. If they wanted to show that someone was angry then they would have them shouting, for example. Silences are often used to add effect as well. They are often used in horror films to add a dramatic and creepy effect before something leaps out at the screen, making you jump.
Technical and Symbolic Codes
Technical codes are how the sequences are filmed. They start with an establishing shot, then you have transitions between shots and then the angle of the shot.
A transition is the process of moving from one screen image to the next. There are different types of transitions which are:
We analysed two pictures, one of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and one of Casino Royale. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer had light on her face but not much light on the mans face, showing that she is alive where as he is the living dead ( a vampire). He is dressed in black where as she is dressed in white which also shows that life and death of the two people. He is brushing the hair away from her neck which is an iconic vampire move and in the background is a cemetery which is a typical vampire setting. The Casino Royale one shows light on half of his face which makes him look serious. It could also represent the good and bad in him, the good that he risks his life for Queen and Country and the bad that he sleeps with lots of girls and gambles. The background is a casino which fits in with the title and spotlights are on him which shows that he is the main centre of attention and is the main character. The chips on the table and the tux that he's wearing all represent the casino that he is in. The gun also on the table is the iconography of the job that he does.
There are also written codes where the letting conveys meaning. In Buffy the Vampire slayer the font is serif to represent the that vampires are old and last forever, just like the font is. The font also have thick and thin lines which makes it look likes it's been written with a quill which also fits in with the old fashioned theme. The tail of the 'F' crosses with the line that underlines the word to create an upside down cross which is the sign of the devil, showing that vampires are from the devil. The writing is made to look a bit like blood as all the lettering is sort of dripping. This also fits in with the vampire theme.
In Casino Royale; the writing is in a sans serif font which is formal and smarter which fits in the what he is wearing and where he is. They use juxtaposition by positioning the gun next to the smart font, embedding the 007 logo into the words. This links the title with the logo and makes it clear that it is a James Bond film. The 'o's that are used in the words and the logo are made clearer than the other letters and are made to look like gun shots or bullet holes. The rest of the letters are faced horizontally to show the speed that the bullets travel and the speed that James Bond travels.
A transition is the process of moving from one screen image to the next. There are different types of transitions which are:
- Dissolve - where one screen image fades into another
- Fade - where the screen gradually disappears
- Wipe - where one screen image appears to wipe away another
We analysed two pictures, one of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and one of Casino Royale. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer had light on her face but not much light on the mans face, showing that she is alive where as he is the living dead ( a vampire). He is dressed in black where as she is dressed in white which also shows that life and death of the two people. He is brushing the hair away from her neck which is an iconic vampire move and in the background is a cemetery which is a typical vampire setting. The Casino Royale one shows light on half of his face which makes him look serious. It could also represent the good and bad in him, the good that he risks his life for Queen and Country and the bad that he sleeps with lots of girls and gambles. The background is a casino which fits in with the title and spotlights are on him which shows that he is the main centre of attention and is the main character. The chips on the table and the tux that he's wearing all represent the casino that he is in. The gun also on the table is the iconography of the job that he does.
There are also written codes where the letting conveys meaning. In Buffy the Vampire slayer the font is serif to represent the that vampires are old and last forever, just like the font is. The font also have thick and thin lines which makes it look likes it's been written with a quill which also fits in with the old fashioned theme. The tail of the 'F' crosses with the line that underlines the word to create an upside down cross which is the sign of the devil, showing that vampires are from the devil. The writing is made to look a bit like blood as all the lettering is sort of dripping. This also fits in with the vampire theme.
In Casino Royale; the writing is in a sans serif font which is formal and smarter which fits in the what he is wearing and where he is. They use juxtaposition by positioning the gun next to the smart font, embedding the 007 logo into the words. This links the title with the logo and makes it clear that it is a James Bond film. The 'o's that are used in the words and the logo are made clearer than the other letters and are made to look like gun shots or bullet holes. The rest of the letters are faced horizontally to show the speed that the bullets travel and the speed that James Bond travels.
Mise-en-scene
We learnt that mise-en-scene is what is in the shot behind the main forms. It always adds depth to the characters and tells you information about them. To demonstrate this we looked at the flora cooking oil advert starring Vernon Kay. We established that they had a big family and were organised because of the china plates in the scene. There were also lots of plants in the shot which shows that the product is natural, healthy and organic. The food used in the frying pan were all vegetables which also represents the idea that the product is healthy. Red is used in different places all around the room which represents love and that Vernon's Mum loves him and wants what's best from him which is why she's using the product.
We also looked at the clothes they wore and where everything is placed. Vernon's Mum is wearing a woollen or cotton, light pink jumper which shows she is a soft, caring woman where as Vernon is wearing a denim shirt which might show that he's quite a tough man. He is also very tall but when he's eating the product he is positioned so that he is sitting lower than his Mum so she's taller than him to show that she's still looking after him and is important.
We also looked at lighting and discussed how the lighting came in threw the window so that the setting looks natural. The light always shines on the product and makes it glow as if it's holy and the most important thing in the room. This draws your attention to the product. The light also shines on Vernon's Mum while she's using the product and Vernon is in the dark, showing that when you use the product your life becomes better and brighter. When Vernon is eating food cooked by the product he is sitting on the other side of her than he was standing so he's now in the light as if he's now one of the good people eating the product.
We also looked at the clothes they wore and where everything is placed. Vernon's Mum is wearing a woollen or cotton, light pink jumper which shows she is a soft, caring woman where as Vernon is wearing a denim shirt which might show that he's quite a tough man. He is also very tall but when he's eating the product he is positioned so that he is sitting lower than his Mum so she's taller than him to show that she's still looking after him and is important.
We also looked at lighting and discussed how the lighting came in threw the window so that the setting looks natural. The light always shines on the product and makes it glow as if it's holy and the most important thing in the room. This draws your attention to the product. The light also shines on Vernon's Mum while she's using the product and Vernon is in the dark, showing that when you use the product your life becomes better and brighter. When Vernon is eating food cooked by the product he is sitting on the other side of her than he was standing so he's now in the light as if he's now one of the good people eating the product.
Camera Angle Homework
I have taken some photos using different camera angles to develop my learning of camera angles further and to make sure I fully understand some of the shots.
I have taken a close up photo of my dog eating a biscuit on the sofa. The effect of what he is doing shows that he is relaxed because he's lying on the sofa eating. He also has his eyes closed which adds to the relaxed atmosphere the mise-en-scene creates, having blue in the background which is a cool and relaxed colour. The room is bright and the light is natural and coming in from the right hand side of the photo which means the main form is lit up and no shadows are created, adding to the relaxed and natural mood.
I took a photo of my dog from a point of view shot. I took this photo at night so the effect of it is that everything is dark and mysterious. The light is coming from a street light which means that the light is only focused on a small part of the path so towards the edges of the shot are dark. You're looking down at the dog so he seems small and vulnerable. There is nothing else in the shot apart from the dog and the lead which makes you feel as if you are completely alone on a deserted path. The red lead could represent danger as red is the colour of fire and blood and is bright so it stands out against the dark photo.
Hugo Boss Advert Analysis
For homework we were asked to analyse an advert and I chose the new Hugo Boss advert.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiRG7SjZeBw
The first shot is of 5 men in suits who all look successful and sophisticated. This represents those aspects of the product. They are standing on top of a high building in New York and seem as high up as the sky scrapers which shows that the fragrance is better than others because it's above everything else. The mise-en-scene is of the city on a clear day at sunrise to represent the clear freshness that it will bring to your morning. On the roof top are some chairs and a chimney pipe to show that it is a natural surrounding and the smoke from the chimney could represent the mugginess of the morning that they are all past after putting on the fragrance. Jared Leto is standing in the middle because he is the tallest and the most famous so the main focus is on him to help promote the product.
There is a head shot of Jared Leto with the men behind him to show that he is the leader. The sky is dark now as it's become night and the city is lit up with lights. There is also a close up of one of his eyes which represents the new way he can see now he has the fragrance and what life is like threw his eyes. The fact that it is night shows that the fragrance lasts all the way threw the day and threw the night. He turns the bottle upside down and the city landscape also turns to show that his life has been turned around since using the fragrance.
They walk down loads of stair which shows how high up they were and that the fragrance is better than others and they are going to mix it with other ones. There is a mid shot of the men walking down the stairs to modern music to show that it is for the modern man.
As they walk across the crossing, Jared Leto is at the front leading them as the voice over says "leading the way". They then change direction and the black and white lines on the road become vertical and surround them as they walk in between them. This makes the men seem like the gray in the black and white which shows that the fragrance is the perfect product. It could also show that things change to suit you when you wear the fragrance. All the changing of direction happens when the voice over says "changing direction".
They walk threw the door with a party in the background which shows that they have just been to the party and the fragrance is still fresh and "magnetic". Jared Leto is then walking and the city is revolving around him to the words "it's dynamic", showing that the dynamics of normal life change when you wear the product. This represents that the world evolves around him now he has the fragrance and that he is in charge of that change.
He climbs up a ladder and is on another roof with the other guys as the voice over says "another to take the town" to show that you can take over any part of the town with the fragrance. He turns the bottle back around the right way as the voice over says "turn it upside down". The city behind him turns back around the right way and he looks at the bottle like he's amazed at what the fragrance has done for him and his life.
There is then a head shot of Jared Leto staring at you which makes you feel under pressure to buy the product, as if he's waiting for you to buy it and join him. The city pans behind him to show you can be in control of the whole city with help from Hugo Boss.
The product is made larger than normal as has the Hugo Boss logo on it to make it easily recognisable. It is also one of the eye catching objects on the screen to get your attention. The logo is then left behind as the camera rushes threw the city on the road with flashing lights of the city going past. This shows that you need to rush out and buy the fragrance so that your life becomes better and brighter.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiRG7SjZeBw
The first shot is of 5 men in suits who all look successful and sophisticated. This represents those aspects of the product. They are standing on top of a high building in New York and seem as high up as the sky scrapers which shows that the fragrance is better than others because it's above everything else. The mise-en-scene is of the city on a clear day at sunrise to represent the clear freshness that it will bring to your morning. On the roof top are some chairs and a chimney pipe to show that it is a natural surrounding and the smoke from the chimney could represent the mugginess of the morning that they are all past after putting on the fragrance. Jared Leto is standing in the middle because he is the tallest and the most famous so the main focus is on him to help promote the product.
There is a head shot of Jared Leto with the men behind him to show that he is the leader. The sky is dark now as it's become night and the city is lit up with lights. There is also a close up of one of his eyes which represents the new way he can see now he has the fragrance and what life is like threw his eyes. The fact that it is night shows that the fragrance lasts all the way threw the day and threw the night. He turns the bottle upside down and the city landscape also turns to show that his life has been turned around since using the fragrance.
They walk down loads of stair which shows how high up they were and that the fragrance is better than others and they are going to mix it with other ones. There is a mid shot of the men walking down the stairs to modern music to show that it is for the modern man.
As they walk across the crossing, Jared Leto is at the front leading them as the voice over says "leading the way". They then change direction and the black and white lines on the road become vertical and surround them as they walk in between them. This makes the men seem like the gray in the black and white which shows that the fragrance is the perfect product. It could also show that things change to suit you when you wear the fragrance. All the changing of direction happens when the voice over says "changing direction".
They walk threw the door with a party in the background which shows that they have just been to the party and the fragrance is still fresh and "magnetic". Jared Leto is then walking and the city is revolving around him to the words "it's dynamic", showing that the dynamics of normal life change when you wear the product. This represents that the world evolves around him now he has the fragrance and that he is in charge of that change.
He climbs up a ladder and is on another roof with the other guys as the voice over says "another to take the town" to show that you can take over any part of the town with the fragrance. He turns the bottle back around the right way as the voice over says "turn it upside down". The city behind him turns back around the right way and he looks at the bottle like he's amazed at what the fragrance has done for him and his life.
There is then a head shot of Jared Leto staring at you which makes you feel under pressure to buy the product, as if he's waiting for you to buy it and join him. The city pans behind him to show you can be in control of the whole city with help from Hugo Boss.
The product is made larger than normal as has the Hugo Boss logo on it to make it easily recognisable. It is also one of the eye catching objects on the screen to get your attention. The logo is then left behind as the camera rushes threw the city on the road with flashing lights of the city going past. This shows that you need to rush out and buy the fragrance so that your life becomes better and brighter.
Semiotics
Semiotics is images portrayed to show emotion. It is also the use of colours and fonts.
In the Women and Home magazine they use different colours depending on the season. For example in the Christmas edition they use gold and red so that you know straight away it's the Christmas catalogue. This is using semiotics.
We then looked at why audiences like watching movies of a similar genre. These are because:
In the Women and Home magazine they use different colours depending on the season. For example in the Christmas edition they use gold and red so that you know straight away it's the Christmas catalogue. This is using semiotics.
We then looked at why audiences like watching movies of a similar genre. These are because:
- they have familiar filmic landscapes
- they repeat the conventions of that genre
- you know the kind of characters you will confront
- it evokes cultural heritage, myths and moral values and conflicts
- it appeals to universal psychic needs
Continuity and Discontinuity
We watched some videos and picked put on points that didn't follow in the films, for example a dog followed this person adn when they changed the camera angle, the dog disappeared. This was to make sure that we didn't make the same mistakes in our films. We also looked at match on action, the 180 degree rule and shot reverse shots.
Media Conference
On the media conference in London, we had representatives from different companies, such as WJEC, AQA and the BBC talk to s about different things to do with media.
The first speaker talked to us about the representation of youth and how the Tottenham riots portrayed youths. The representation of every person that rioted in Tottenham was that they were; violent, underclass, a youth and have racial/ethnic differences. However the media missed out the ethnic and racial differences when reporting on the typical Tottenham rioter. In the Daily Mail, they blamed rap music for the riots and games like Grand Theft Auto. Decades before when riots broke out, new media was blamed for the behaviour and violence of the people in it. Facebook, twitter and blackberrys have been blamed and put in a bad light as they were used to spread the news of the riots and where to meet. However, they were also used by the police and reporters to track where the riots were going to happen to go and report and prevent them. The media spreads news of the riots and makes it worse, thus causing riots and revolutions. There have been solution ideas as drastic as turning off the internet and suspending services like blackberry messenger when riots happen.
They also mentioned that in Women In Journalism 2008; 72% of the articles were negative and only 3.4% were positive. Of the negative articles, 75% of them were about drugs or crime. Youth are also represented that they all wear hoodies and are thugs and violent. However, witnesses to the riots say that they saw older people acting as people depict youths and that only a small percentage of the rioters were youths. They also made the point that people who are depicted as every mothers perfect son are normally the boys/men that meet an early death.
They said that experts try to take ownership of an issue and people like the MP's try to use their power to the rights of a situation. Acts like this causes issues because they ignore others view points. Ordinary people who may have actually experienced the issue have become more important and are asked for their views via things like facebook, twitter, forums, radio ect. However this can back fire as people with no experience at all can say things like Max Hastings did in the Daily Mail like they "are essential wild beasts". The historian David Starkey said that "rivers of blood" have appeared because of immigration. He also said that the "whites have become black". However the media have now decided to talk to young people involved in the riots and close to the action to get proper accounts which they didn't do before.
Christina Bell from WJEC then talked to us about the BBC's Doctor Who. It has been running since 1963 and is still running now. The narrative has; a complex story arc, an exciting and predictable plot, enigma codes and action codes. The characters have; strong gender representation, the appeal of the Doctor ("not a hero, just a man with a box") engagement and innovation. The technical and audio codes are; high production values, special effects audience involvement and the theme tune. However, The Guardian has said that it is too scary for the scheduling time.
The BBC is known for having high production values for a broad audience and Doctor Who confides to these values, having a little something in it to appeal to a range of people. Doctor Who is part of the BBC's aim to reintroduce early Saturday evening family viewing so when it was reintroduced it was scheduled for early Saturday evening and going along with Strictly Come Dancing and Merlin. the writer for Doctor Who is a respected writer by the BBC as he has also written Sherlock which is shown on the BBC. The programme is the most popular video on demand programme and spin offs include Torch Wood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and Doctor Who Confidential.
Doctor who has a wide audience including, whovians, the older Doctor Who generation, the young children new to the programme, families and loyal audiences. It is used as a form of escapism and has social interaction, games, toys, a website and is now a Brand.
Steph Hendry then spoke to us from AQA about the cross platform approach. She talked about the inter-relationship between print, broadcast and e-media platforms. To demonstrate this she talked about the TV programme Being Human. It has been running since 2009 and has a strong online presence. The home page on line provides on line episodes, interviews and updates. It also generates anticipation for the new series.
In 2011 in story of Adam being a vampire was concluded in an episode, however the story was continued in an on line blog. The trailer for it encouraged fans to go on line where they will find webisodes, voice diaries from the characters, newspaper articles, written diaries, on line profiles and more. This shows how difference media platforms can be used to create excitement and continue stories for the fans and produce publicity.
When then had a talk from Pete about creating movies and especially Horror ones that was really beneficial for us. He said that the key words are; research, planning, evidence, ideas, feedback, logistics, equipment, production and reflaction. He also said that we can't be afraid to improvise. Things often go wrong and we will have to carry on anyway. We watched some examples of films created by other people and said what worked well and what didn't and graded them on what we thought they got. I filmed that section of the conference for our teacher as his phone was about to run out of battery. We were told about Pete's blog which I have looked at, it is http://www.petesmediablog.blogspot.com/
We then had the director Garth Jennings talk to us about his life and what he has acheived. He directed The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galexy and the Son of Rambo. He has also directed and produced 35 music videos including; right here, right nowby Fatboy Slim and R.E.M c'mon c'mon. He also came up with the PG tips Monkey and now directs and create adverts. Disney greenlit (funded completely) the Hitckhikers Guide to the Galaxy but they didn't make enough money to make a sequal to it. He helps write other films like How to train your Dragon because writers like his ideas he used in The Son of Rambo and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. He managed to film some videos really cheaply, thus creatign maximum profit and a starting point for his career. He told us that part of the job is dealing with rejection and that we have to do somehting that we enjoy.
The first speaker talked to us about the representation of youth and how the Tottenham riots portrayed youths. The representation of every person that rioted in Tottenham was that they were; violent, underclass, a youth and have racial/ethnic differences. However the media missed out the ethnic and racial differences when reporting on the typical Tottenham rioter. In the Daily Mail, they blamed rap music for the riots and games like Grand Theft Auto. Decades before when riots broke out, new media was blamed for the behaviour and violence of the people in it. Facebook, twitter and blackberrys have been blamed and put in a bad light as they were used to spread the news of the riots and where to meet. However, they were also used by the police and reporters to track where the riots were going to happen to go and report and prevent them. The media spreads news of the riots and makes it worse, thus causing riots and revolutions. There have been solution ideas as drastic as turning off the internet and suspending services like blackberry messenger when riots happen.
They also mentioned that in Women In Journalism 2008; 72% of the articles were negative and only 3.4% were positive. Of the negative articles, 75% of them were about drugs or crime. Youth are also represented that they all wear hoodies and are thugs and violent. However, witnesses to the riots say that they saw older people acting as people depict youths and that only a small percentage of the rioters were youths. They also made the point that people who are depicted as every mothers perfect son are normally the boys/men that meet an early death.
They said that experts try to take ownership of an issue and people like the MP's try to use their power to the rights of a situation. Acts like this causes issues because they ignore others view points. Ordinary people who may have actually experienced the issue have become more important and are asked for their views via things like facebook, twitter, forums, radio ect. However this can back fire as people with no experience at all can say things like Max Hastings did in the Daily Mail like they "are essential wild beasts". The historian David Starkey said that "rivers of blood" have appeared because of immigration. He also said that the "whites have become black". However the media have now decided to talk to young people involved in the riots and close to the action to get proper accounts which they didn't do before.
Christina Bell from WJEC then talked to us about the BBC's Doctor Who. It has been running since 1963 and is still running now. The narrative has; a complex story arc, an exciting and predictable plot, enigma codes and action codes. The characters have; strong gender representation, the appeal of the Doctor ("not a hero, just a man with a box") engagement and innovation. The technical and audio codes are; high production values, special effects audience involvement and the theme tune. However, The Guardian has said that it is too scary for the scheduling time.
The BBC is known for having high production values for a broad audience and Doctor Who confides to these values, having a little something in it to appeal to a range of people. Doctor Who is part of the BBC's aim to reintroduce early Saturday evening family viewing so when it was reintroduced it was scheduled for early Saturday evening and going along with Strictly Come Dancing and Merlin. the writer for Doctor Who is a respected writer by the BBC as he has also written Sherlock which is shown on the BBC. The programme is the most popular video on demand programme and spin offs include Torch Wood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and Doctor Who Confidential.
Doctor who has a wide audience including, whovians, the older Doctor Who generation, the young children new to the programme, families and loyal audiences. It is used as a form of escapism and has social interaction, games, toys, a website and is now a Brand.
Steph Hendry then spoke to us from AQA about the cross platform approach. She talked about the inter-relationship between print, broadcast and e-media platforms. To demonstrate this she talked about the TV programme Being Human. It has been running since 2009 and has a strong online presence. The home page on line provides on line episodes, interviews and updates. It also generates anticipation for the new series.
In 2011 in story of Adam being a vampire was concluded in an episode, however the story was continued in an on line blog. The trailer for it encouraged fans to go on line where they will find webisodes, voice diaries from the characters, newspaper articles, written diaries, on line profiles and more. This shows how difference media platforms can be used to create excitement and continue stories for the fans and produce publicity.
When then had a talk from Pete about creating movies and especially Horror ones that was really beneficial for us. He said that the key words are; research, planning, evidence, ideas, feedback, logistics, equipment, production and reflaction. He also said that we can't be afraid to improvise. Things often go wrong and we will have to carry on anyway. We watched some examples of films created by other people and said what worked well and what didn't and graded them on what we thought they got. I filmed that section of the conference for our teacher as his phone was about to run out of battery. We were told about Pete's blog which I have looked at, it is http://www.petesmediablog.blogspot.com/
We then had the director Garth Jennings talk to us about his life and what he has acheived. He directed The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galexy and the Son of Rambo. He has also directed and produced 35 music videos including; right here, right nowby Fatboy Slim and R.E.M c'mon c'mon. He also came up with the PG tips Monkey and now directs and create adverts. Disney greenlit (funded completely) the Hitckhikers Guide to the Galaxy but they didn't make enough money to make a sequal to it. He helps write other films like How to train your Dragon because writers like his ideas he used in The Son of Rambo and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. He managed to film some videos really cheaply, thus creatign maximum profit and a starting point for his career. He told us that part of the job is dealing with rejection and that we have to do somehting that we enjoy.
