Theorists!

Audience:

Ien Ang - 'audience must be constantly attracted and lured'

Maz - 'no one if forced to go to the cinema and pay for a ticket' but if no one did then films would not be made, therefore desire for consumer to purchase ticket must be created

Blumler and Katz - 'audience is free to use or play with text meaning' uses and gratifications model

Genre:

Steve Neale - 'genre instances of repetition and difference'

Gledhill - 'There are no rigid rules of inclusion or exclusion'

Altman - 'Genre can be looked at by a Symantec approach whereby certain signifiers suggest genre such as props, characters, locations'

Representation:

Barthes - Enigma Code theory as part of narrative codes theory - 'building up tension and leaving audience with unanswered questions works to entertain audience'

Chandler - Argues that 'representation is always constructed on aspects of reality'

Baker -Argues that 'stereotyping is inaccurate and misinterprets the real world'

Media Language:

Barthes - certain signs encode particular messages and ideologies' an audience understanding of signs comes from frequently told stories and beliefs in society

Fiske - denotation is what is filmed and connotation is how it is filmed

Stuart Hall - media language - meaning is not fixed by the producer, audiences can take their own reading, preferred reading is the one which the producer hoped audience would take

Narrative:

Todorov - Five stages narrative theory - Equilibrium, Disruption, recognition, attempt to fix, new equilibrium

Barthe - enigma code theory as part of narrative codes theory - tension built up, unanswered questions, entertains audience

Propp - Narrative includes stock characters, protagonist and antagonist narrative

Collective identity theorists:

Cohen - moral panic theory, representation of youth can create moral panic

Hebdige - Youth join subcultures in order to show opposition to society

Giroux - representations of youth are an empty category in the media as are constructed by adults, reflecting anxiety's of adults

Acland 1995 - representations of delinquent youths reinforces hegemony in society

Historical = quadrophenia 1979, harry brown 2009, grange hill 1978, this is England 2006

contempory sket 2011, ill manors 2012, young apprentice 2012 eries 3, sky news London riots 2011, attack the block 2011

Question 1B: Audience

Firstly how did you take into account audience in planning and researching for your video?

Intro:

For my main project in my AS foundation portfolio I created a film opening named Only Business based in the crime genre. The basic plot follows a youth who attempts to sell some drugs at the request of his friend, however things do not quite go to plan and the plot see's a twist as the youth flees the location after he is attacked at the scene where the drug deal is supposed to take place. I will be talking about this film opening which I created in regards to audience, how I took them into account and how taking audience into account allowed me to produce an effective crime film opening.

Para 1:

Firstly it was important to establish my target audience before audience as a whole could be taken into account. I was able to identify my target audience by carrying out a short face to face questionnaire in my research stage of the task, where by I asked peoples age and gender, and whether they enjoyed watching crime genre based films. My results proved that on average the age range of people whom enjoy crime genre based films is between 16 and 40, amongst both male and female sexes. Taking audience into account meant that it would be easier to create desire as I would know exactly who to aim my film production towards, Metz's theory would suggest that this is important as he says 'no one is forced to go the the cinema' yet without ticket sales films would not be made, thus desire for consumer to visit cinema and see film must be created.

Para 2:

When looking at my film opening, I took audience into account further during research and additionally planning stage's prior to production. This is firstly evidenced by a photograph of a written tally chart which I posted on blogger showing a list of possible film titles and results of which titles my audience best liked. This resulted in the name Only Business being chosen as my film title. Such a strategy of taking audience into account should hopefully mean that the chosen film title was the one on the list that will best appeal to an audience, making them want to see the film. Additionally in the research and planning stage of my film opening, I came up with a list of possible names for my protagonist and antagonist, I then asked my audience (people aged 16-40) which names they thought would best suite these characters within my particular genre and presented the findings in a Word document. This meant that the audience also had a say over the names of the characters meaning that these names chosen should be the ones which best help audience identify the characters to the genre, whilst making the audience feel more engaged with the film opening. However Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratification's model would suggest that not all audience will associate the chosen character names or film title to the genre, as 'audience is free to use or play with the texts meaning'.

Para 3:

Additionally I have shown that I took audience into account in the production of my film opening as I have conformed to some basic conventions of my chosen genre, in order to appeal to my target audience, as they will be able to connect the action to generic conventions of crime genre making them want to keep watching and perhaps see the entire Only Business film. I was able to show the genre and thus appeal to the audience mostly through mise-en-scene, by including props such as a knife and illegal recreational drugs, not to mention deprived run down setting. I felt it was important to allow audience to identify the genre in order to make capturing their attention easier. Ien Ang's theory reinforces this idea as he said that 'audiences must be constantly attracted and lured'.

Question 1B: Media Language

Media Language

Media has its own language, for those who are involved with media it helps them talk about what they produce/consume. Media language defines the way meaning has been constructed and presented in a media text.

- The question is meant to be answered by the way meaning has been constructed

Illustrated and communicated meaning to the audience using symbols and signs, such as clothing, colour, camera angle + shots, mise-en-scene. (the media language I used in my film opening aims to connote a deprived run down area, in which the surrounding youth are involved with crime).

Barthes (1967) - Organisation of signs encodes particular messages and ideologies, an audiences understanding of a sign comes from their understanding of frequently told stories and beliefs in society - repeat showings of youth from deprived areas being violent and criminal in the media means that a signal of deprived area within a text may lead audience to believe that youth in the surrounding area are criminal and violent - shown by the blocks of flats (setting) protagonists selection of clothing (costume) camera angle shows cramped housing (shots) graffiti in underpass (setting)

Fiske (1982) - 'denotation is what is filmed and connotation is how it is filmed'

Saussure (1983) - said 'an audience can look at a media text from a syntactic point of view' or a 'symbolic point of view' where by they put meaning to that they are seeing

Stuart Hall - Argued that 'meaning is not fixed by the producer, as audiences can take different readings, the preferred reading is when the audience reads it the way the producer wanted them too.

Things to use: colour, lighting, mise-en-scene (costume, props, language) camera angle and shots, editing, mise-en-scene

When there is an object which gives a sign this is called a signifier. (denotation)

What the audience gathers from the signifier is called the signified. (connotation)

I used media language in my film opening to present:

• Deprived area through setting, location, lighting
• Deviant youth, costume, language, breaking laws
• Presented more simply - Action suggesting that this youth is fleeing from something, presents him again as delinquent as audience gathers he is anxious about something he's done

Barthes 1967 - says that 'organisation of signs encodes particular messages and ideologies' which the audience will decode, an audiences understanding of certain signs comes from frequently told stories and beliefs within society. For example a sign or signifier of a youth wearing joggers, a hoodie and trainers may lead an audience to decode that this youth is in fact a delinquent and perhaps a criminal. The media language of the mise-en-scene shows the protagonist as a dangerous character as his costume is grey with a black hat. Dark colours typically represent 'darkness', perhaps moral darkness of his personality representing him as a delinquent or criminal, and dangerous (which he proves to be as he stabs his attack and flees the scene). Furthermore I choose locations as part of the film openings mise-en-scene which were typically dark grey colours, this is a signifier which perhaps creates gloomy atmosphere and also anxiety. The signified audience interpretation may be that this is an area which is not nice to live in and perhaps is therefore deprived and underprivileged.


Within my film opening I included a scene which shows the protagonist waiting in an underpass to make a drug deal, whilst an attacker sneaks up behind him. One of the shots shows a low camera angle from the front of the protagonist at about waist level, this allows the audience to clearly see the drugs which are in his hand, whilst the attacker can be seen in the background creeping up on the protagonist from behind with a knife in his hand. These two objects between the two characters act as signifiers to being illegal, the signified meaning that the audience therefore gains from the camera angle and prop mise-en-scene in this shot is that both these youths are criminals.

Genre conventions and narrative conventions are also aspects of media language which show signs and signals in certain ways. I conformed to genre conventions by showing criminal youth in stereotypical 'yob' style clothing and making them speak with urban language these signals signified to the audience that these characters are in fact the stereotypical youth 'yob' types. I did this intentionally so that the audience could identify that these characters are delinquents as they seem to show opposition to society. Barthes theory (1967) suggests that an audiences understanding of signs comes from frequently told stories and beliefs in society, this theory reinforces the idea that my audience will view my characters in my film opening as delinquents and 'yobs', as I have conformed to accepted stereotypes using costume and urban language. Therefore the signifiers which I have used will lead audience to the connotation that these characters are delinquent yob type youths.

Shot reverse shot within editing conforms to conventions of editing used to create tension, thereby creating a denotation that these youth are holding illegal objects, the connotation is that these youths are both equally as bad as each other as both criminals, the audience gets the signified interpretation that with crime comes trouble.

Barthes 1967 - organisation of signs encodes different messages and ideologies, an audiences understanding of certain signs comes from frequently told stories and beliefs in society

Fiske 1982 - denotation is what is filmed, connotation is how it is filmed

Saussure 1983 - An audience can 'look at a media text from syntactic point of view' or a 'symbolic point of view', where by they place meaning to what they are seeing

Hall - 'meaning is not always fixed by the producer' as audiences can 'take different readings', the preferred reading is the reading what the producer hoped the audience would take.

Question 1A: Post Production (add)

Post Production

Post-production - Refers to the processes which took place to finalise the projects within editing.

Refers too:

• What decision's where made in editing
• What specific editing tools were used and what effect did this give
• How did post-production process enhance overall production
• What skills did you develop at this stage in post-production for this project e.g. When editing my product photos in Photoshop I was able to show to opposing images next to each other to give audience view of from and back of a product within the same photo, using ...... tool.

When talking about foundation portfolio post-production:

• Post-production in foundation portfolio consisted of putting together shots and simple title screens, using IMoive, Photoshop, Premiere Pro
• Post-production in advanced portfolio consisted of slightly more advanced editing techniques again in Premiere Pro, Photoshop, audio editing such as fade out technique - Creativity shown in post production as I was able to recognise the length at which shots should run and when to cut between shots, improvement on film opening in comparison to foundation portfolio. (improvements in post-production)

Question 1B: Film Opening in Relation to Narrative

Narrative + Film opening

- Narrative is the way the story is told

Different types of narrative:

• Linear - start, middle, end 
• Open - audience left to wonder what happens next 
• Closed - definite conclusion 
• Non-Linear - Jumps back and forth between events

Narrative techniques showing manipulation of time:

• Flashbacks
• Ellipsis - leaving out a portion of the narrative, but audience still gathers what has happened by surrounding scene

My film opening follows a non-linear narrative style as the storyline jumps back and forth between events. I was able to do this by showing events towards the end of the narrative at the start of the footage, and then including a flashback to show events which had happened a short time beforehand. I used a ellipsis to manipulate time in the narrative, as the protagonist is in a different setting in comparison to where he was before the flashback scene was shown - this suggests that he has carried on fleeing from the scene of the stabbing through the deprived area, as he is still sounded by cramped housing and blocks of flats, and is walking at a fast pace with his hood up and hands in his pockets.

Theorists to include:

• Todorov - five stages theory - Equilibrium, disruption, recognition of disruption, an attempt to repair damage, new equilibrium - The narrative within my opening does not conform to Todorov's five stages theory, as the first scene of my footage shows the protagonist running away from something, showing disruption rather than equilibrium. Challenging the five stages theory by starting with disruption is risky, as the audience has had no time to empathise with the protagonist or make a connection towards his character, this could make it hard to capture their attention. However such a choice of narrative structure could work too excite the audience and make them want to keep watching, Skyfall (2012) is a film which clearly shows this technique can work well as it starts with an opening scene of disruption, and went on to be a hugely successful film.
• Barthes - Enigma code theory as part of the narrative codes theory - As a follow on to point of trying to excite the audience using a disruption from the outset, Bathers enigma code theory as part of the narrative codes, can be applied to reinforce this view as it suggests that the audience is "entertained" through being left with "unanswered questions", which entices them to keep watching. Therefore I felt that disruption from the outset was a necessary risk that would pay off.
• Propp - Wrote that narrative structure includes stock characters - My narrative supports what Propp wrote as I have included a hero and a villain. Although there is a blurred line of distinction between whether my protagonist is good or evil as he is a drug dealer, criminal actions do not always present characters as villains, the protagonist in the film Harry Brown for example murders various other characters but is still presented as the righteous hero. Showing a blurred line of distinction between whether the protagonist is good or evil in the narrative, was a good way for me to capture the audiences attention, as it raises questions in their minds, in turn making them want to keep watching in order for these questions to be answered. The audience of my film opening would therefore want to watch the whole film.
• Levi-Strauss - Binary opposites, Rich/Poor - The costume mise-en-scene of my characters shows binary opposites in a way suggesting working class vs middle class within the narrative. The protagonist is dressed in a tracksuit and trainers (working class stereotype), whilst the antagonist is wearing smart shoes and a suit (middle class stereotype). Typically audiences may expect these appearances to be the other way round as stereotypes would usually present the middle class hero to be a victim of the working class villain. I choose to subvert these binary opposite appearances in order to perhaps do something which is uncommon in film which engages the audience more as it is unusual to them.

Essay Plan

Intro:

Narrative refers to the way a story is told and presented to an audience. For my main task in my Foundation Portfolio I created a film opening based in the crime genre named Only Business. The basic  plot follows a young drug dealer who is simply trying to make some money in an area with little wealth and opportunity, however the narrative takes a twist as it is revealed that things did not go quite to plan for him as he comes face to face with danger. I will be analysing this film opening in regards to narrative.

Para 1:

My film opening follows a non-linear narrative structure, as the storyline jumps back and forth between events, at times leaving the audience with unanswered questions. I was able to structure my narrative in this way through manipulation of time, by using a flashback scene which I created on Premiere Pro which reveals to the audience why the protagonist was running in the opening scene. However I used an ellipsis from the action within the flashback when the antagonist is stabbed, too what happened to him afterwards. This leaves the audience with unanswered questions such as is he alive?. I chose to follow a form of narrative structure which jumps around the storyline slightly as I thought this was a good way of keeping the audience engaged with the action, in turn making them want to keep watching. Barthes theory would reinforce the idea that my film opening is successful in entertaining and capturing an audience as "tension" is built up and viewers are left with "answered questions" making them want too keep watching.

Para 2:

Within my film opening I have shown binary opposites between the characters, suggesting middle class vs working class within the narrative. Levi-Strauss's theory would reinforce an idea that my film opening works to entertain the audience by showing such oppositions as stated above. I was able to present these oppositions through characters appearance and dialogue. Stereotypes may suggest that these appearances are backwards as the antagonist may perhaps be expected to be the more passive type character whilst the protagonist to be the victim dressed in smart clothing. These subverted stereotypes within character appearance are uncommon and I feel are therefore a good way to capture the audiences attention engaging them with the action as it is not something which they would expect to see.

Para 3:

I challenged Todorov's five stages of narrative theory, started with a diselibrum, this is risky as the audience has had no time to engage or connect with the character, however can prove successful as sky fall does this and is hugely successful film, challenging todorovs theory is a good way to make my narrative different from other crime genre films, meanig i can capture audiences attention.

Section A: Question 1A Digital technology

Explain how your skills in creative use of digital technology has developed over time

Digital technology includes:

• Hardware - Cameras (Sony CMOS), Mac computer, Handheld Microphone, Boom Microphone
• Software - Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Powerpoint, Word, IMovie
• Internet based technologies - Google, Prezi, Examtime, Youtube, Slideshare, Gmail

Intro:

Over the two years studying media A level media we first had to create a foundation portfolio in AS - this included a filming of a conversation and a film opening - and a advanced portfolio in A2, including a sponsorship sequence, a web pop-up and two adverts. My skills in creative use of digital technology developed significantly over the course of these two portfolios.

Para 1:

My preliminary task in my foundation portfolio was a short video of a conversation named troubles in college. The hardware and computer software which we used to create this video footage was completely new too me at this stage as I was unfamiliar with the Sony Handycam video camera and Mac computers, as well as IMovie which we used to edit the footage. This made it hard for me to be creative as I could only carry out basic computer functions both on the Mac itself and IMovie, and had basic camera skills such as shooting still shots. However I was able to show a level of creativity as a new comer to the world of video editing as I included title screens on IMovie which used the wipe-in, wipe-out transition. However some of the shots when physically using the camera hardware were not completely steady and looked unprofessional.

G325 Question 2: Collective identity and mediation plan

Historical film and TV examples:

• Quadrophenia - 1979
• This is England - 2006
• Grange Hill - 1978
• Harry Brown - 2009

Contemporary film and TV examples:

• Attack the Block - 2011
• Ill manors - 2012
• Sky News on London riots - 2011
• Young Apprentice series 3 - 2012
• Sket - 2011

Representation Theorists:

• Giroux 1997 - Representation of youth is an empty category in the media, as is constructed by adults and not by youth themselves
• Dyer 1979 - Stereotypes are always about power, those with power stereotype 
• Acland 1995 - representations of delinquent youths reinforces hegemony, by showing what will and won't be accepted by society 
• Cohen 1972 - representations of youth can create moral panic and folk devils
• Hebdige 1986 - Youth join subcultures to show opposition to society

Intro:

• Define either collective identity or mediation 

Collective Identity - is the individuals sense of belonging to a group, the idea is that through participating in social activities, in this case watching film and television, individuals can gain a sense of belonging in essence and identity which transcends them.

Mediation - The process of taking an image from reality, interpreting it and representing it back to an audience.

• Mention that you are going to talk about youth representation and self-youth representation across historical and contemporary examples of film and television

Para 1:

Collective Identity - In quadrophenia (1979), a historical film example, youth are represented as being dependent on subcultures to gain a sense of 'belonging' in society. This is evidenced by the divide between mods and rockers, as the members within the two individual groups dress and act in the same way too their piers. For example the rockers wear leather jackets and ride motorbikes, whilst the mods wear parka jackets and ride scooters. Hebdige's theory (1979) suggests that 'youth join subcultures in order to show opposition to society'. Quadrophenia could be seen as a film which reinforces this theory when the deviant youths collectively oppose society together as they meet to have fights in their groups, however as individuals the youths generally seem to conform to societies norms and laws.

Mediation - In quadrophenia (1979), a historical film example, youth are mediated in a way which focuses on them being violent and aggressive towards each other. The plot and storyline of the film is largely based on the real life events of the fights between the mods and rockers. In relation to Cohen's (1979) theory, focusing on such events could create 'moral panic in society' as the film mediates true events and therefore intensifies and creates anxieties in society. In a particular scene, a group of mod youths are mediated in dark lighting down an alley - commonly a setting which creates anxiety and perhaps fear of danger - ganging up on a single rocker. The setting and what would be classed as an immoral action which is taking place, could therefore lead audience's to see youths in society as overly aggressive, and unnecessarily violent towards each other through the way the scene is focused and been mediated. On the other hand although this mediation of youth could create moral panic in society, the youths are not represented as being dangers to the adult community, but rather only towards one another.

Para 2:

Collective identity - Ill Manors (2012) which is a contemporary film example, represents youth as being criminals as they break many laws in society from taking and selling drugs, to possession of fire arms, kidnapping and even murder. In a particular scene a youth is shown walking into a house and then shooting two people, this represents youth showing ultimate opposition to societies laws as one of the most punishable crimes has been committed, therefore presenting youth as criminal and perhaps impulsive. However Giroux's (1997) theory would suggest that such representations of youth are inaccurate to real life and 'an empty category' as these representations have been constructed by adults and not youth themselves.

Mediation - Ill Manors (2012), which is a contemporary film example, mediates youth in a way which puts focus on them breaking laws, showing them to perhaps be dangers to society and remorseless as they show little care in committing crimes. For example a group of youths in the film laugh about kidnapping an adult and tying him up against his will, the shots in this scene allow the audience to focus on the distress of the victim whilst the youths look down on him and laugh. The way this scene is mediated therefore leads audiences to feel sympathetic towards the victim, making the youths seem like dangerous, remorseless criminals. Gerbner's (1986) Cultivation theory suggests that such mediations of youth can lead to society perceiving them as delinquents over time. Alternatively Giroux's (1997) theory that 'youth are an empty category in the media', would suggest that mediations of youth as being dangerous and remorseless criminals are inaccurate and do not reflect youths within society, as these representations are created by adults.