notes

1. DISNEY:LEGAL & ETHICAL, REGULATORYBODIES
FORM COMPLETED BY: BRADLEY VENN-GRIFFITHS
A) POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF FILM UPON AN AUDIENCE
THEORY/EFFECT EXPLAIN WHAT THIS IS CAN THIS BE AN EFFECT
THAT THE FORCE
AWAKENS HAS ON AN
AUDIENCE? HOW?
HYPODERMIC NEEDLE
THEORY
Developed in the 1920/30s, the
Frankfurt school were concerned
about the effects of mass media, they
envisaged the media as a hypodermic
syringe and is a linear communication
theory.
The Force Awakens has a
message which no matter their
gender, age etc. the same message
will be portrayed and all the
audience will understand the
message given, this therefore
means they are powerless to resist
the message given.
TWO STEP FLOW Developed by Larzarsfeld and Katz in
the 1940/50s. There are to opinion
leaders. First step-Opinion leaders get
information from a media source.
Second step- Opinion leaders then
pass the information, along with their
interpretation, to others (friends,
family, and acquaintances).
Platforms such as social media
have the ability to effect a
potentials audience mind as the
Opinion-leaders are well
respected and can have a big
influence on their thoughts. The
second step is when the audience
receive the information and
interpret what might happen with
it for example Han Solo return.
USES AND
GRATIFICATIONS
The theory of Blumler and Katz was
made in 1974, the theory initially said
their passive audience meaning you
just watch, listen and expect.
However, this changed due to nobody
having a TV before the 1960’s, then
once TV’s had begun to come into
fashion the audience went from a
passive to an active audience.
The Force Awakens uses
diversion so the audience are able
to escape and being diverted from
everyday problems. This is used
in The Force Awakens so the
audience is able to relax for
example when The Falcon being
chased by the Tie fighter due to
the Iconic scene causes nostalgia
audience.
DESENSITISATION The theory of a media audience’s
reactions growing weaker according
to the level/amount of exposure to
violence, death and sex. The theory
states that the longer we are exposed
to violence, horror or any other
shocking material, we become less
sensitive to it and any real life
equivalents.
During the film the tension is
built between the empire and the
resistance leading to Han Solo, an
iconic character, dying in the one
of the last scene.

2. WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF THE FORCE AWAKENS ON AN AUDIENCE?
According to the Uses and Gratifications theory it provides diversion for the audience meaning they
are able to escape from everyday problems and are able to relax providing a mental benefit for the
audience. Another way The Force Awakens is a positive effect on the audience is through personal
relationship with Han Solo and Chewbacca due the relationship between these two meaning the
audience are able to build a bond with them.
WHAT ARE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE FORCE AWAKENS ON AN AUDIENCE?
According to the desensitisation then we as viewers are becoming more used to violence through films
therefor they are becoming more prone to using violence in everyday life. This happened during the
film when Han Solo was killed by Kylo Ren representing the violence factor.
B)ISSUES OF REPRESENTATION
WHO/WHAT IS BEING
REPRESENTED
WHY HAS THE
INSTITUTION
REPRESENTED THEM IN
THAT WAY
WOULD THIS BE
CONSIDERED A POSITIVE
OR NEGATIVE
REPRESENTATION-
EXPLAIN
Race Through the introduction of the
character Finn as this is the first
black character who is a main
character which Star Wars has
based its advertisement around.
Furthermore, this allows Star
Wars to advertise to a wider
range of audience and the brand
is more appealing.
This would be considered as a
positive representation due to
Star Wars being more inclusive
to a wider audience meaning
they are able to relate to the
actor of Finn. Furthermore, this
is creating a positive brand
image for Star Wars as it is not
creating any friction between
audiences.
Gender Following on from the Race
above The Force awaken has
introduced another unusual
main character Rey as a female.
This is unusual because most of
the main characters within the
force awakens are male. They
have represented her as one of
the hero’s in the film, so they
are able to use this as a
marketing benefit.
This again would be considered
as a positive representation for
the brand of Star Wars as this
would provide them with a more
inclusive brand image, but also
interesting older female viewers
as they aren’t used to seeing this
during a Star Wars movie.
Age Star Wars two new main
characters are both younger than
the average age of the Star Wars
This is provided with a positive
representation as the brand Star
Wars are showing they are able

3. cast. This therefore would mean
they are able to relate and be
inclusive with this Star Wars as
they are able to potentially feel
like Finn or Rey.
to adapt their cast dependent on
what the public and audience
would like to see creating a
positive branding image for
them.
Sexuality The sexuality of both the heroes
and villains has been favoured
due to there being more female
heroes than villains. They may
have represented them in this
way to provide for popular
viewing with the female
audience as it is predominantly
male through the previous Star
Wars.
This could provide Star Wars
with a negative representation.
This is due to the fact it portrays
that males are predominantly the
villain’s meaning they are
singling out a part of their
audience. It could further
provide the representation that
females don’t have as much
power as the men again singling
out a audience.
Does the film provide typical mainstream representations, or does it offer something that challenges
society?
I believe that the film doesn’t provide mainstream representations for society as they have paired both
a male and female hero’s together without them being involved in some sort of relationship together.
This challenges the idea of popular movies like James Bond as they always contain James Bond with a
female. This further offers a challenge to society as in a popular movie around the world it contains an
Black hero. When referring to global movies like Batman and Superman the heroes are all white
English males. Furthermore, with those movies all heroes are portrayed as physically strong males
whereas this Star Wars uses a mentally strong female completely going against the stereotypical hero.
What are the current debates in society regarding representation that could be related to the film?
One representation in society that could be related to the film is sexism and equality of opportunity.
This current debate is challenged within the film since the Hero’s within the film are female and a
black male, this goes against the ‘idea’ or stereotype of what a hero should be like. Furthermore, the
fact that this idea is challenged in society it is has also challenged the idea in many of the previous Star
Wars films, potentially we are able to see a break through from the producers of Star Wars providing a
more widely spread available film for any type of audience.
C) LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES
LEGAL Explain the issue: Example in relation to THE
FORCE AWAKENS
Discrimination: Discrimination is the unjust
or prejudicial treatment of
different categories of
people, especially on the
grounds of race, age, or sex.
This further means singling
An example of this would be
Rey, this is due to the
stereotype that females are not
usually the hero’s in films
further meaning that some
viewers began to discriminate

4. out a particular person due to
a certain characteristic.
against her for being female
and a hero.
Copyright: Copyright is the exclusive
and assignable legal right,
given to the originator for a
fixed number of years, to
print, publish, perform, film,
or record literary, artistic, or
musical material.
This happens in The Force
Awakens due to the musical
material of things like the
theme tune being used without
otherization from the owners of
the music and Disney.
ETHICAL –Offensive material Explain the issue: Example in relation to THE
FORCE AWAKENS
Violence/sex/language: Some offensive material can
be seen as it has been used to
often. The fact it has been
used often according to the
Uses and Gratifications
provided by Blumler and
Katz means we as viewers
are becoming less affected by
this and are more likely to
use violence in everyday life.
An example of this would be
when Kylo Ren and Han Solo
fight in which it ends with the
death of Han Solo. This
violence is quite strong
allowing the audience to see
the moment in which Han Solo
is killed and how his death has
happened.
Children: When producing the film, the
producer will have to take in
mind its secondary target
audience, the younger
audience. This includes
violence of any kind, and any
offensive language which
could provide a negative
representation of the film and
Star Wars.
For example, the scene in
which there is violence
between Han Solo and Kylo
Ren, the producer will have to
reduce the level of violence for
any children watching,
although making it entertain for
the primary audience, the older
audience to keep up the
reputation of a Star Wars
movie.
HOW DO THE LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS HAVE AN EFFECT UPON THE MAKING OF THE
FORCE AWAKENS?
The producers of the film must be considerate to all viewers when making the film and must take
precautions to ensure that the film will not be unable to be aired. The fact that the film includes all
kinds of characters it is unlikely that there will be angered fans due to singling out of a particular
person. However, when a writer is speaking about some controversial topics in the film an
unfavourable answer could cause outrage among viewers and a reduction in views. Furthermore, with
copyrighting if the film is found to be using copyright material then it can have severe consequence
potentially meaning that the film will be stripped from viewing platforms and the company will be
fined high amounts of money.
D) REGULATORY BODIES
BBFC

5. Who are the BBFC?
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is an independent, non-governmental body, which has
exercised responsibilities over cinema for a hundred years, and over video and subsequently DVD since
1985.
What role does the BBFC perform?
The British Board of Film Censors was established in 1912 by the film industry when local authorities
started to impose their own, widely varying, censorship standards on films.
Why does the BBFC exist?
The BBFC was set up to bring a degree of uniformity to those standards. The object was to create a body
which could make judgements that were acceptable nationally. To this end the BBFC has needed to earn
the trust of the local authorities, Parliament, the press and the public.
What rules does the BBFC set that have to be followed by film institutions?
There are two key principles, laid out in the Guidelines, under which they operate:
 to protect children and vulnerable adults from potentially harmful or otherwise unsuitable
content.
 to empower consumers, particularly parents and those with responsibility for children, to make
informed viewing decisions.
HOW DO THESE RULES HAVE A DIRECT EFFECT UPON HOW A FILM IS MADE?
EXAMPLE 1: (LEGAL)
This will affect the way in which everyone within the cast is portrayed, this is so the discrimination effect
behind each actor’s behaviour in a film is scrutinised by the public due to the way they have been
represented. Furthermore, the producers of a film will have to ensure any musical material or script
material has not got a copyright issue with it entailing long affects for the film.
EXAMPLE 2: (ETHICAL)
Another way in which the rule will have a direct effect is due to the content and it will have to be directed
in a way in which it is fit for the audience given by the rating. So, this will affect the potential offensive
material that will entail within the film and it will have to ensure that it will still provide the audience
with an enthralling movie dependent on their target audience.