This document provides information about the Year 11 Media Studies exam on science fiction film. The exam is 1.5 hours long and consists of 4 questions worth equal marks. It makes up 40% of the student's final grade. The questions will be based on a brief given 4 weeks in advance and will assess knowledge of key concepts like media language, audience, representation, and institutions. The document then provides information and exercises on various aspects of media language as it relates to science fiction film, including conventions, mise-en-scene, narrative theory, genres, and reflection theory. It also covers audience profiles, appeal using uses and gratifications theory, subcultures, and imagined communities.
The document outlines conventions for the film noir and sci-fi genres, including character roles, narrative themes, iconography/mise-en-scene, and technical conventions. For sci-fi, it notes conventions like an anti-establishment ideology presented through a polysemic narrative, exploration of new technologies and their consequences, transformation themes, and use of futuristic elements and technologies to examine social issues. It also lists common sci-fi iconography like weapons, machinery, and spaceships, as well as technical conventions like quick cuts, exaggerated sound, and reliance on special effects.
The document provides guidance for students completing an A2 coursework assignment on film noir. Students are instructed to create a short film noir style film of approximately 5 minutes along with two additional elements of a poster, radio trailer, or film review. They are to research and document the genre conventions of film noir and apply them to their project. Students will work individually or in small groups, with roles assigned, to write a script, plan production elements, film, edit, and evaluate their work. The assignment aims to have students explore and apply their understanding of film forms and genres.
Film noir is a genre of film that originated in the 1940s defined by a mood of pessimism and cynicism. These films featured dark themes of moral ambiguity and corruption with characters that were often flawed or desperate. Visually, film noir is marked by low-key lighting and shadowy urban settings. Some of the earliest and most influential examples include Stranger on the Third Floor (1940) and The Maltese Falcon (1941).
The document discusses the theory of auteurism in film. It began in 1950s France where critics argued that directors had a personal creative vision that shaped their films, and that certain directors like Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, and Jean Renoir should be considered "auteurs". The theory was popularized by François Truffaut and other critics writing for Cahiers du Cinéma. It was later adopted by American critic Andrew Sarris and influenced how directors were analyzed. However, the theory was later criticized for overlooking collaboration and privileging the director's role too much.
O documento descreve os Nove Velhos Homens da Disney, um grupo de animadores que trabalharam para a Walt Disney Company e criaram alguns dos desenhos animados mais famosos. O documento fornece detalhes biográficos sobre cada um dos nove animadores e descreve brevemente seus principais trabalhos e contribuições.
Horror films commonly use certain conventions and tropes to establish mood and narrative. These include masks to hide the killer's identity, low key lighting and shadows to build suspense, mansions and forests as isolated settings, and narratives involving revenge killings or dumb blond victims. Common characters are the main murder victim, the killer who is often male, and a killer's friend who assists. Themes revolve around ghosts, vampires, zombies, and the last victim confronting death.
Adv4 m the invention and early years of cinema part iccharters27
The document discusses the key technological developments that enabled the invention of cinema in the late 19th century, including persistence of vision, photography, film projection, and the work of inventors like Edison, the Lumiere Brothers, and Melies who developed early cameras and projectors. Early films were typically actualities showing everyday events, though some filmmakers like Melies began experimenting with narrative films and special effects. The foundations laid in cinema's early decades paved the way for its growth into a major industry.
The document analyzes the codes and conventions used in Western film trailers. It examines trailers for the films Tombstone and A Fistful of Dollars, identifying the symbolic, written, audio, technical, and narrative codes and conventions employed. These include costumes, props, settings, characters, storylines, and the use of music, dialogue, camerawork, lighting and editing to construct the trailers in a way familiar to audiences of Western films.
The document outlines conventions for the film noir and sci-fi genres, including character roles, narrative themes, iconography/mise-en-scene, and technical conventions. For sci-fi, it notes conventions like an anti-establishment ideology presented through a polysemic narrative, exploration of new technologies and their consequences, transformation themes, and use of futuristic elements and technologies to examine social issues. It also lists common sci-fi iconography like weapons, machinery, and spaceships, as well as technical conventions like quick cuts, exaggerated sound, and reliance on special effects.
The document provides guidance for students completing an A2 coursework assignment on film noir. Students are instructed to create a short film noir style film of approximately 5 minutes along with two additional elements of a poster, radio trailer, or film review. They are to research and document the genre conventions of film noir and apply them to their project. Students will work individually or in small groups, with roles assigned, to write a script, plan production elements, film, edit, and evaluate their work. The assignment aims to have students explore and apply their understanding of film forms and genres.
Film noir is a genre of film that originated in the 1940s defined by a mood of pessimism and cynicism. These films featured dark themes of moral ambiguity and corruption with characters that were often flawed or desperate. Visually, film noir is marked by low-key lighting and shadowy urban settings. Some of the earliest and most influential examples include Stranger on the Third Floor (1940) and The Maltese Falcon (1941).
The document discusses the theory of auteurism in film. It began in 1950s France where critics argued that directors had a personal creative vision that shaped their films, and that certain directors like Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, and Jean Renoir should be considered "auteurs". The theory was popularized by François Truffaut and other critics writing for Cahiers du Cinéma. It was later adopted by American critic Andrew Sarris and influenced how directors were analyzed. However, the theory was later criticized for overlooking collaboration and privileging the director's role too much.
O documento descreve os Nove Velhos Homens da Disney, um grupo de animadores que trabalharam para a Walt Disney Company e criaram alguns dos desenhos animados mais famosos. O documento fornece detalhes biográficos sobre cada um dos nove animadores e descreve brevemente seus principais trabalhos e contribuições.
Horror films commonly use certain conventions and tropes to establish mood and narrative. These include masks to hide the killer's identity, low key lighting and shadows to build suspense, mansions and forests as isolated settings, and narratives involving revenge killings or dumb blond victims. Common characters are the main murder victim, the killer who is often male, and a killer's friend who assists. Themes revolve around ghosts, vampires, zombies, and the last victim confronting death.
Adv4 m the invention and early years of cinema part iccharters27
The document discusses the key technological developments that enabled the invention of cinema in the late 19th century, including persistence of vision, photography, film projection, and the work of inventors like Edison, the Lumiere Brothers, and Melies who developed early cameras and projectors. Early films were typically actualities showing everyday events, though some filmmakers like Melies began experimenting with narrative films and special effects. The foundations laid in cinema's early decades paved the way for its growth into a major industry.
The document analyzes the codes and conventions used in Western film trailers. It examines trailers for the films Tombstone and A Fistful of Dollars, identifying the symbolic, written, audio, technical, and narrative codes and conventions employed. These include costumes, props, settings, characters, storylines, and the use of music, dialogue, camerawork, lighting and editing to construct the trailers in a way familiar to audiences of Western films.
This document provides an overview of approaches to teaching film language. It introduces various macro and micro elements of film language like genre, cinematography, editing, mise-en-scene, sound, and special effects. For each element, it describes techniques like camera shots, camera movements, editing techniques, uses of sound, and types of special effects. It emphasizes having students practice identifying and analyzing these techniques by watching and discussing film clips in order to develop their understanding of how film language is used and its impact on narrative.
This document defines and discusses genres in media such as literature, music, film, and television. It begins by defining genre as a category of art or entertainment based on stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that evolve over time. There are four main genres - literary, film/TV, video games, and music - which are further divided into subgenres like action, adventure, comedy, etc. All genres have codes and conventions that audiences recognize. The document then focuses on drama as a genre, explaining that dramas are character-driven and move audiences emotionally through conflicts and climaxes. It lists several subgenres of drama and describes conventions like lighting, shots, settings, and sound typically seen in drama films.
Timeline for the history of the horror genreAlessiaAva97
The document discusses the history and evolution of the horror genre from the 18th century to present day. It describes some of the earliest works in the genre, like Horace Walpole's 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto. It then outlines major developments and influential films in each subsequent decade, such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in the 1800s, the rise of sound films in the 1930s like Dracula, and trends like slasher films in the 1980s. The document argues that the genre changed over time due to factors like new technologies, evolving societal attitudes, and audiences seeking more realistic and varied portrayals of horror.
The document discusses the history and development of film editing. It begins with definitions of editing and its uses. Early films had single static shots without editing. The Lumiere brothers developed the Cinematographe which combined a camera, printer and projector. Edwin Porter directed early films that used continuity editing techniques. D.W. Griffith developed innovative techniques like close-ups and cross-cutting at Biograph Studios. Soviet filmmakers like Eisenstein developed montage editing theories based on Kuleshov's experiments. Sound editing developed with films like The Jazz Singer containing synchronized dialogue and singing. Technologies like Moviolas and flatbed editors enabled nonlinear editing.
This document discusses the concept of authorship in film studies. It explores what defines a film "author" and examines whether the director can be considered the author. The document traces the origins of auteur theory from Francois Truffaut's 1954 essay promoting analyzing films based on the director's vision. It discusses debates around whether Hollywood directors qualify as authors and challenges the theory faces in analyzing large-scale commercial films.
German Expressionism was a movement in silent horror films that emerged during World War 1. These films used stylistic techniques like twisted sets and landscapes to express political opinions and critique society. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, released in 1920, is considered one of the earliest and most influential examples, telling a story of madness, murder and betrayal through its expressionist visuals and nonlinear plot. Other notable German Expressionist films include Nosferatu, The Hands of Orlac, and The Phantom Carriage.
The document outlines conventions commonly found in action films based on a mind map created after watching trailers for Inception, The Dark Knight, and iRobot. These conventions include a mission to be completed, weapons like knives and guns, fights set in a modern big city, motives for characters' actions, futuristic vehicles, good guys and bad guys, explosions and crashes, high-tech machinery, cat-and-mouse chases, outbreaks of destruction, killings and death of loved ones, and suspenseful music.
This document discusses film genres and how they are classified. It notes that films are classified by their makers, marketers, reviewers and rating boards, and that these classifications shape how audiences encounter and understand films. Genres group films to create expectations and familiarity for audiences. The document discusses how genres are fluid systems of learned conventions and expectations, not fixed sets of elements, and how filmmakers and audiences both actively engage in meaning making within genres.
The document discusses various concepts related to analyzing the form and structure of films and how they create meaning, including:
1) It examines different types of conflicts that can be presented in films such as man vs man, man vs society, etc. and how they focus audience attention.
2) It outlines several themes commonly explored in films such as morality, human nature, social problems, human dignity, and complexity of relationships.
3) It describes different types of meaning that can be conveyed in films such as emotional, referential, explicit, and implicit meanings.
The document outlines several common conventions of science fiction films including setting them in the future, outer space, or alternative versions of earth. It also discusses including narratives focused on new technologies, scientific principles, or political systems, as well as conflicts between good and evil. Symbolism through futuristic props and costumes is used to represent scientific advancements. Film techniques like close-ups of technologies and special effects are employed to emphasize science elements and make fictional worlds more realistic.
It talks about the historical perspective of Japanese Cinema. It highlights the popular genres, stalwarts in film making, golden era of Japanese Cinema... etc.
Drama as a genre is characterized by representing realistic stories and situations without unrealistic plots. Dramas show intense emotions and social interactions, portraying characters' journeys at their emotional highs and lows. Common sub-genres include crime/legal drama, historical drama, horror drama, docudrama, and melodrama. Symbolic and technical codes include realism, heightened emotions, a relatable protagonist, and natural lighting with still camera movements. Conventions present parts of dramas through struggles, crying, sadness, arguing, and swearing as protagonists embark on an emotional journey where audiences can relate to and sympathize with their vulnerability.
The document discusses techniques used in the documentary film Amy by Asif Kapadia about singer Amy Winehouse. It begins by asking how the viewer is positioned to feel about Amy based on what they know. It then provides context on Amy Winehouse and has students discuss if their opinion changes after learning more. It analyzes Kapadia's techniques of using only archival footage without narration to position the viewer. Specifically, it has students analyze the opening sequence to understand how the director wants them to feel. Finally, it discusses the narrative structure and how contextual factors may impact how scenes are interpreted.
A2 Film A-Level Film Studies FM4 Spectatorship RevisionIan Moreno-Melgar
A PowerPoint that collates a range of key ideas for the FM4 Spectatorhship area of A2 Film Studies. There may be some formatting issues with the presentation as it was created using Keynote and there are often compatibility issues. The contents of this presentation is a mix of original work and ideas and words taken from a multitude of various sources. I haven't credited anyone directly and if you have any objection to your content appearing in this presentation, please get in touch and I'll be more than happy to accomodate your needs.
Japan has a long history in film dating back to the 1890s and remains one of the largest film industries in the world. Some of Japan's most notable silent films were produced in the 1920s and included works by directors like Teinosuke Kinugasa. The 1930s saw more talkies produced including works by legendary director Kenji Mizoguchi. World War II impacted the industry but post-war films saw a resurgence led by Akira Kurosawa's works in the 1940s and 1950s, which marked a golden age of Japanese cinema. Horror films also rose to prominence starting in the late 1990s with the success of works like Ringu and Ju-on: The Grudge, which
Italian Neorealism developed as a major film movement in Italy after World War II when the country aimed to restart with a liberal ideology. Neorealist filmmakers sought to tell stories of everyday peoples' lives using non-professional actors, filming on location with minimal resources. Vittorio De Sica's 1948 film Bicycle Thieves is considered exemplary of the movement in its portrayal of the working class and themes of poverty and desperation in postwar Italy. The movement gained international attention when Roberto Rossellini's Rome, Open City won awards at Cannes in 1946, establishing Italy's cinematic "golden era".
The document discusses several influential narrative theorists and their contributions:
1) Vladimir Propp analyzed Russian fairytales and identified character archetypes like the hero, villain, donor.
2) Tzvetan Todorov proposed most narratives have an initial state of equilibrium, a disruption, then resolution to a new equilibrium.
3) Roland Barthes identified five codes that structure narratives: action, enigma, symbolic, semic, cultural.
4) Claude Levi-Strauss studied how myths unconsciously reflect a culture's beliefs through binary oppositions like civilized/savage.
This document outlines some typical codes and conventions of teen drama films, including:
- Dull lighting and close-ups are commonly used in mise-en-scene.
- Props like alcohol, drugs, guns and knives are frequently featured.
- Main characters usually focus on a central troubled teen, their love interest, and an antagonist.
- Gritty settings like council estates, flats, and schools are portrayed.
- Costumes show worn, torn clothing.
- Examples of influential teen dramas are listed, along with typical actors in the genre.
- Trailers often narrate a disrupted equilibrium that the main character must resolve.
The Avengers was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios. It brought together superhero characters from previous Marvel films into one team to fight a common enemy. The film was based on the popular Avengers comics and aimed to unite these well-known superheroes on the big screen. Joss Whedon wrote and directed the film, drawing from his experience writing for the Marvel universe as well as genres like science fiction.
Science fiction films are defined by having a basis in real or potential scientific developments. Common conventions include futuristic technology, space travel, aliens, and dystopian futures. Science fiction frequently hybridizes with action-adventure genres, using exciting plots and special effects to tell stories about humanity's relationship with science and technology.
This document provides an overview of approaches to teaching film language. It introduces various macro and micro elements of film language like genre, cinematography, editing, mise-en-scene, sound, and special effects. For each element, it describes techniques like camera shots, camera movements, editing techniques, uses of sound, and types of special effects. It emphasizes having students practice identifying and analyzing these techniques by watching and discussing film clips in order to develop their understanding of how film language is used and its impact on narrative.
This document defines and discusses genres in media such as literature, music, film, and television. It begins by defining genre as a category of art or entertainment based on stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that evolve over time. There are four main genres - literary, film/TV, video games, and music - which are further divided into subgenres like action, adventure, comedy, etc. All genres have codes and conventions that audiences recognize. The document then focuses on drama as a genre, explaining that dramas are character-driven and move audiences emotionally through conflicts and climaxes. It lists several subgenres of drama and describes conventions like lighting, shots, settings, and sound typically seen in drama films.
Timeline for the history of the horror genreAlessiaAva97
The document discusses the history and evolution of the horror genre from the 18th century to present day. It describes some of the earliest works in the genre, like Horace Walpole's 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto. It then outlines major developments and influential films in each subsequent decade, such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in the 1800s, the rise of sound films in the 1930s like Dracula, and trends like slasher films in the 1980s. The document argues that the genre changed over time due to factors like new technologies, evolving societal attitudes, and audiences seeking more realistic and varied portrayals of horror.
The document discusses the history and development of film editing. It begins with definitions of editing and its uses. Early films had single static shots without editing. The Lumiere brothers developed the Cinematographe which combined a camera, printer and projector. Edwin Porter directed early films that used continuity editing techniques. D.W. Griffith developed innovative techniques like close-ups and cross-cutting at Biograph Studios. Soviet filmmakers like Eisenstein developed montage editing theories based on Kuleshov's experiments. Sound editing developed with films like The Jazz Singer containing synchronized dialogue and singing. Technologies like Moviolas and flatbed editors enabled nonlinear editing.
This document discusses the concept of authorship in film studies. It explores what defines a film "author" and examines whether the director can be considered the author. The document traces the origins of auteur theory from Francois Truffaut's 1954 essay promoting analyzing films based on the director's vision. It discusses debates around whether Hollywood directors qualify as authors and challenges the theory faces in analyzing large-scale commercial films.
German Expressionism was a movement in silent horror films that emerged during World War 1. These films used stylistic techniques like twisted sets and landscapes to express political opinions and critique society. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, released in 1920, is considered one of the earliest and most influential examples, telling a story of madness, murder and betrayal through its expressionist visuals and nonlinear plot. Other notable German Expressionist films include Nosferatu, The Hands of Orlac, and The Phantom Carriage.
The document outlines conventions commonly found in action films based on a mind map created after watching trailers for Inception, The Dark Knight, and iRobot. These conventions include a mission to be completed, weapons like knives and guns, fights set in a modern big city, motives for characters' actions, futuristic vehicles, good guys and bad guys, explosions and crashes, high-tech machinery, cat-and-mouse chases, outbreaks of destruction, killings and death of loved ones, and suspenseful music.
This document discusses film genres and how they are classified. It notes that films are classified by their makers, marketers, reviewers and rating boards, and that these classifications shape how audiences encounter and understand films. Genres group films to create expectations and familiarity for audiences. The document discusses how genres are fluid systems of learned conventions and expectations, not fixed sets of elements, and how filmmakers and audiences both actively engage in meaning making within genres.
The document discusses various concepts related to analyzing the form and structure of films and how they create meaning, including:
1) It examines different types of conflicts that can be presented in films such as man vs man, man vs society, etc. and how they focus audience attention.
2) It outlines several themes commonly explored in films such as morality, human nature, social problems, human dignity, and complexity of relationships.
3) It describes different types of meaning that can be conveyed in films such as emotional, referential, explicit, and implicit meanings.
The document outlines several common conventions of science fiction films including setting them in the future, outer space, or alternative versions of earth. It also discusses including narratives focused on new technologies, scientific principles, or political systems, as well as conflicts between good and evil. Symbolism through futuristic props and costumes is used to represent scientific advancements. Film techniques like close-ups of technologies and special effects are employed to emphasize science elements and make fictional worlds more realistic.
It talks about the historical perspective of Japanese Cinema. It highlights the popular genres, stalwarts in film making, golden era of Japanese Cinema... etc.
Drama as a genre is characterized by representing realistic stories and situations without unrealistic plots. Dramas show intense emotions and social interactions, portraying characters' journeys at their emotional highs and lows. Common sub-genres include crime/legal drama, historical drama, horror drama, docudrama, and melodrama. Symbolic and technical codes include realism, heightened emotions, a relatable protagonist, and natural lighting with still camera movements. Conventions present parts of dramas through struggles, crying, sadness, arguing, and swearing as protagonists embark on an emotional journey where audiences can relate to and sympathize with their vulnerability.
The document discusses techniques used in the documentary film Amy by Asif Kapadia about singer Amy Winehouse. It begins by asking how the viewer is positioned to feel about Amy based on what they know. It then provides context on Amy Winehouse and has students discuss if their opinion changes after learning more. It analyzes Kapadia's techniques of using only archival footage without narration to position the viewer. Specifically, it has students analyze the opening sequence to understand how the director wants them to feel. Finally, it discusses the narrative structure and how contextual factors may impact how scenes are interpreted.
A2 Film A-Level Film Studies FM4 Spectatorship RevisionIan Moreno-Melgar
A PowerPoint that collates a range of key ideas for the FM4 Spectatorhship area of A2 Film Studies. There may be some formatting issues with the presentation as it was created using Keynote and there are often compatibility issues. The contents of this presentation is a mix of original work and ideas and words taken from a multitude of various sources. I haven't credited anyone directly and if you have any objection to your content appearing in this presentation, please get in touch and I'll be more than happy to accomodate your needs.
Japan has a long history in film dating back to the 1890s and remains one of the largest film industries in the world. Some of Japan's most notable silent films were produced in the 1920s and included works by directors like Teinosuke Kinugasa. The 1930s saw more talkies produced including works by legendary director Kenji Mizoguchi. World War II impacted the industry but post-war films saw a resurgence led by Akira Kurosawa's works in the 1940s and 1950s, which marked a golden age of Japanese cinema. Horror films also rose to prominence starting in the late 1990s with the success of works like Ringu and Ju-on: The Grudge, which
Italian Neorealism developed as a major film movement in Italy after World War II when the country aimed to restart with a liberal ideology. Neorealist filmmakers sought to tell stories of everyday peoples' lives using non-professional actors, filming on location with minimal resources. Vittorio De Sica's 1948 film Bicycle Thieves is considered exemplary of the movement in its portrayal of the working class and themes of poverty and desperation in postwar Italy. The movement gained international attention when Roberto Rossellini's Rome, Open City won awards at Cannes in 1946, establishing Italy's cinematic "golden era".
The document discusses several influential narrative theorists and their contributions:
1) Vladimir Propp analyzed Russian fairytales and identified character archetypes like the hero, villain, donor.
2) Tzvetan Todorov proposed most narratives have an initial state of equilibrium, a disruption, then resolution to a new equilibrium.
3) Roland Barthes identified five codes that structure narratives: action, enigma, symbolic, semic, cultural.
4) Claude Levi-Strauss studied how myths unconsciously reflect a culture's beliefs through binary oppositions like civilized/savage.
This document outlines some typical codes and conventions of teen drama films, including:
- Dull lighting and close-ups are commonly used in mise-en-scene.
- Props like alcohol, drugs, guns and knives are frequently featured.
- Main characters usually focus on a central troubled teen, their love interest, and an antagonist.
- Gritty settings like council estates, flats, and schools are portrayed.
- Costumes show worn, torn clothing.
- Examples of influential teen dramas are listed, along with typical actors in the genre.
- Trailers often narrate a disrupted equilibrium that the main character must resolve.
The Avengers was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios. It brought together superhero characters from previous Marvel films into one team to fight a common enemy. The film was based on the popular Avengers comics and aimed to unite these well-known superheroes on the big screen. Joss Whedon wrote and directed the film, drawing from his experience writing for the Marvel universe as well as genres like science fiction.
Science fiction films are defined by having a basis in real or potential scientific developments. Common conventions include futuristic technology, space travel, aliens, and dystopian futures. Science fiction frequently hybridizes with action-adventure genres, using exciting plots and special effects to tell stories about humanity's relationship with science and technology.
Marketing and promoting superhero filmsHeworthMedia1
This document discusses various marketing and promotional strategies used for superhero films like The Dark Knight trilogy. It explains that half the budget of major blockbuster films is spent on marketing. Some key promotional strategies discussed include trailers, interviews, posters, tie-ins with other brands, film websites, social media, soundtrack albums, novelizations, limited edition merchandise, and creating promotional partnerships between related companies within larger media conglomerates to maximize synergistic opportunities.
This document provides guidance on analyzing news programs, including their formatting, visual codes and conventions, and case studies. It discusses key elements of news broadcasts like piece to camera shots, cutaways, interviews, graphics. Students are instructed to watch news clips and complete analysis forms, with the goal of building case studies of news stories, channels, and their appeals to different audiences. Visual and production elements of different news programs are examined, along with how they engage audiences through their websites and social media.
The document discusses Uses and Gratifications theory proposed by Blumler and Katz, which suggests that people use media to fulfill certain needs. The theory includes four main needs: escape and diversion from everyday life, surveillance and information, personal relationships, and personal identity. It then provides examples of how music magazines and websites can fulfill each of these needs for their audiences and discusses the importance of interactivity between the magazines/websites and audiences. Modes of address and how they make audiences feel more engaged are also discussed.
The document summarizes some key narrative theories:
- Todorov identifies 5 stages in every narrative: equilibrium, disruption, recognition, repair, and restoration.
- Propp identifies 7 character types that appear in stories: hero, helper, villain, false hero, donor, dispatcher, and princess.
- Levi-Strauss believed concepts are understood through their binary opposites, such as hero/villain, good/evil, sane/insane, war/peace, and ugly/beauty.
This document discusses marketing strategies for promoting a new science fiction film made by an independent British film company. It recommends using digital technologies like websites and social media for viral marketing. The primary audience is families, with a secondary audience of sci-fi fans aged 17-25. A PG rating would be suitable to appeal to both. Special effects and an ethnically diverse cast including strong female characters could draw audiences used to big Hollywood films. Promotional partnerships, merchandise, interviews and previews at comic conventions would help build hype leading up to a festival premiere or London premiere to launch the film.
This document lists 24 science fiction movies from 1927 to 2015 that include classic films like Metropolis, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and Alien, as well as more modern blockbusters such as Star Wars, Gravity, Elysium, and The Terminator. The list spans nearly a century of science fiction cinema and features films involving aliens, robots, dystopian futures, and space exploration.
Representation in Science Fiction FilmsHeworthMedia1
This document discusses representation in several science fiction films, including Mimic, Alien, The Thing From Another World, Independence Day, and Jurassic Park. In Mimic and Alien, the female protagonists initially appear stereotypical but ultimately defeat male antagonists. The Thing From Another World uses its alien invasion narrative as an allegory for Cold War tensions and fears. Independence Day portrays an American-led global coalition defeating aliens on July 4th, emphasizing patriotic themes of independence and unity. Jurassic Park's hero Owen Grady is a physically fit, rule-breaking male who understands dinosaurs, in contrast to the female scientist who created dangerous hybrids.
The document provides instructions for students to complete drawing tasks and storyboards for a superhero exam. It lists potential drawing tasks like a movie poster, website, or DVD cover that should include key details. It also outlines requirements for 12-panel storyboards for a movie trailer or scene, including varying camera shots, edits, timed panels under 3 seconds, and indications of bright or dark scenes. Students are told to include a production company logo in the storyboards.
Posters and storyboards are visual communication tools. Posters simply present information, while storyboards show a narrative through a series of still images with captions. Both posters and storyboards should be visually appealing and easy to understand at a glance to engage their audience.
Science fiction (SF) is a genre of fiction that features speculative scientific and technological elements, often set in the future or in alternative worlds. Key elements of SF include its setting in the future or in an alternative universe, plots that explore the effects of scientific discoveries or technological developments on humans and society, and conflicts that arise from technological or human factors. SF differs from fantasy in that it is grounded in scientific principles and logical extrapolations of current scientific understanding, even if it explores highly speculative concepts.
The Inbetweeners Movie was a highly successful spin-off of the popular E4 sitcom. It had impressive box office returns, setting a new opening weekend record for a comedy in the UK. Its success was no accident, as the producers strategically targeted the existing fan base and utilized extensive marketing and partnerships. They encouraged audience participation online and had a well-timed theatrical and home video release to maximize viewership among their primary 15-25 year old demographic.
This document provides guidance on teaching film language to students. It outlines both macro and micro elements of film language to analyze, including genre, narrative, cinematography, editing, sound, mise-en-scene, and special effects. For each element, it discusses how to identify and discuss the techniques, and how they impact elements like genre and narrative. It emphasizes having students practice applying their knowledge by analyzing film clips both individually and in groups.
The document discusses various types of biases that can occur in news media representations, including selection bias in the stories that are covered, concision bias in simplifying complex issues, and presentation bias in favoring one interpretation. It notes that biases are shown through the angle and framing of stories and that repeated representations of certain groups can lead to stereotypes. While news media are meant to be impartial, biases can be challenged by user-generated content and citizen journalism, though these may also have their own biases.
TV news follows several conventions including a title sequence with graphics and music, prominent logos, and a rundown of top stories with pulsing music. Stories are introduced by presenters in suits maintaining a serious demeanor in a busy studio setting. News crawls provide additional headlines and breaking updates. Segments include a mix of in-studio presentations and prerecorded packages, using structured language. Rolling news emphasizes breaking reports signaled by graphics while local news features local imagery and accents with a more casual tone.
The document provides guidance for storyboarding a horror movie trailer, including techniques like varying shot distances and angles to create vulnerability or power, using dark lighting to set an ominous tone, and following a typical horror structure of equilibrium disruption and final scare. It also recommends including production logos, using title cards and sound design like crescendos and sharp noises to build tension and shock. Examples of storyboarding techniques are numbered shots, camera movements, emphasizing dark tones, and indicating camera distance and angle for each shot.
Broadcast news is gathered, edited, produced and distributed by both news broadcast institutions like the BBC and independent news agencies like Reuters. News agencies employ journalists worldwide to collect stories and footage that is then sold to broadcasters. Broadcast news is manufactured through the way it is collected, constructed and transmitted. News broadcasters buy footage from agencies and also gather their own regional/national news to construct stories that suit their target audiences. A news editor decides the daily news agenda and story selection based on pre-planned and breaking news events.
The document discusses news values and what makes a story newsworthy. It identifies several common news values that increase the likelihood of a story being reported, such as continuity, familiarity, elite persons, negativity, conflict, unexpectedness, personalization, and consonance. It provides examples of news stories that contain multiple news values. The document also discusses Harcup's expanded taxonomy of news values, which includes power elite, celebrity, entertainment, surprise, bad news, good news, magnitude, relevance, follow-ups, and news agenda.
Matt Murdock is a blind lawyer in Hell's Kitchen, New York who was blinded as a child but gained heightened senses. He fights crime as the vigilante Daredevil using martial arts and his billy club. His love interest Elektra is the daughter of a wealthy man targeted by the Kingpin, a powerful crime boss. The Kingpin hires the deranged assassin Bullseye to kill Elektra's father. Daredevil battles both villains to defeat them and bring justice to Hell's Kitchen.
This document introduces genre theory and key concepts about how genres are used to categorize different types of media texts. It discusses how genres share common narrative elements, visual styles, characters, and other features to help audiences identify and make sense of different types of texts. While genres provide a useful framework, the document also notes that genres are not rigid and can evolve and blend over time as new works push genre boundaries.
Genres are categories of creative works based on common elements. They allow analysis of texts and audience responses. Genres have recognizable codes and conventions like costumes, locations, sounds, and narratives. Subgenres have more specific categories. Genres are dynamic and evolve over time. Producers use familiar genre codes and conventions to meet audience expectations and sell products. Audiences recognize codes to choose genres that fulfill pleasures.
This document discusses genre theory and how genres are used and evolve. It provides definitions of genre from various scholars and outlines some key characteristics of genres across media texts. Genres are described as cultural categories that transcend media and are used by industries, audiences and scholars. Genres develop conventions over time but also change as societies change, going through cycles from an experimental to a classic stage and potentially being parodied or deconstructed. The strengths of genre theory are that the concept is widely understood by producers, audiences and academics.
Genre theory divides media texts into categories based on common elements to help study the texts and audience responses. Genres are dynamic cultural categories that transcend media and are used by industries to sell products to audiences using familiar conventions. While genres provide audiences with pleasures like emotion, visceral sensation, and puzzle-solving, they also evolve over time through stages like experimentation, classicization, parody, and deconstruction.
The document provides information about narrative theory and concepts that can be used to analyze media productions for an exam. It discusses several narrative theories and concepts, including:
1. Tzvetan Todorov's concept of narrative structure as involving an initial equilibrium, a disruption of equilibrium (disequilibrium), and a resolution or new equilibrium.
2. Vladimir Propp's concept of character archetypes in narratives, such as the hero, villain, helper, donor, princess, dispatcher, and false hero.
3. Roland Barthes' concepts of the hermeneutic (enigma) code and proairetic (action) code that create mystery and suspense in narratives.
4.
Genre theory seeks to recognize film as both an artistic and commercial medium. It developed as an alternative to auteur theory, which viewed directors as the sole authors of films. Genres are both defined by critics and exist independently, as studios try to replicate successful film types. However, defining genres is complicated, as films can fit multiple categories and subgenres exist. The meaning and conventions of genres also depend on historical and cultural context. Overall, genre theory examines patterns of similarity and difference between films.
The document discusses several key aspects of horror film narratives including:
1. Typical 3-act narrative structures involving an onset phase, discovery phase, and disruption phase where order is typically restored.
2. Theories of narrative structure from scholars like Noel Carroll, Tzvetan Todorov, Vladimir Propp, and Claude Levi-Strauss which analyze common patterns involving equilibrium, disequilibrium, and resolution or use of character archetypes and binary oppositions.
3. Technical filmmaking elements like editing, camerawork, lighting, and sound that are manipulated in horror films to elicit emotional responses from audiences.
This document provides information about the study of long form television drama (LFTVD) for an exam. It discusses the assessment structure, which includes a 30 mark question covering theoretical frameworks and a 10 mark question on academic ideas. Key aspects of LFTVD are defined, such as codes and conventions, and how audiences consume these programs. Examples of set texts are provided, including Stranger Things and Deutschland 83. Details are given about how to analyze the media language and representations in these texts using concepts like genres, intertextuality, and audiences.
This document discusses several key concepts related to media studies including genre, narrative, representation, and audience. It provides definitions and theories for each concept. For genre, it discusses how genres are developed and categorized. For narrative, it outlines different narrative structures and relevant theorists like Propp and Todorov. For representation, it discusses representation in media and relevant theories from thinkers like Berger and Willis. It also discusses stereotypes, ideology, and hegemony. For audience, it outlines different audience theories like the hypodermic needle model.
This document discusses genre in media such as music, film, and literature. It defines genre as a categorization based on common elements that allows studying of texts and audience responses. Examples of genres include jazz, classical, EDM, and documentaries. All genres have sub-genres that are more specific categories. Genre is a dynamic process that evolves over time, not a static system. Genre can be defined by elements such as costumes, props, locations, transportation, sounds, narratives, and characters. These elements are used to analyze genres like westerns featuring cowboys and deserts versus sci-fi featuring space suits and advanced technology. Ideology describes how genres construct meaning through codes and conventions.
The document discusses key concepts in horror film theory and production, including definitions of genres, narratives, representation, audiences, and the use of research, planning, and digital technology in creating frightening elements. It also examines various theorists that contribute to understanding these concepts as related to the horror genre.
The document discusses key concepts related to genre, narrative, representation, audience, and research/planning in relation to horror films. It provides definitions and examples of various film theories and how they link to conventions commonly found in the horror genre, such as the use of equilibrium, an agent of change, and resolution. Real media texts and the use of digital technology and creativity in planning and developing horror films is also covered.
This document discusses genre theory and definitions of genre. It provides perspectives from several theorists on what constitutes a genre and how genres function. Daniel Chandler defines genres based on shared conventions of content, themes and settings. Steve Neale views genres as instances of repetition and difference that provide pleasure to audiences. Genres are seen as dynamic and constantly changing rather than fixed forms. The document also discusses genre hybridization and provides examples of how genres develop over time from experimental to classic to parody to deconstruction. It examines genres as providing structure, expectations and pleasure for both audiences and producers.
This document provides guidance for a film studies exam comparing two sci-fi films. It discusses comparing the macro aspects of narrative, genre, themes, and issues between the films. It also prompts the student to analyze the explicit and implicit fears dealt with in Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Invasion through a table. Finally, it notes that modern sci-fi films often combine genres and have grown into large franchises from their origins as low-budget B-movies.
This document discusses key concepts related to science fiction film audiences:
1) Films can target different audience segments defined by demographics (age, gender, etc.) or psychographics (attitudes and values). The "target audience" is the intended segment.
2) Some films appeal broadly ("mainstream") while others attract a smaller group ("niche").
3) Audience research involves understanding demographics and psychographics to design films that fulfill audiences' needs for entertainment, information, identity, and companionship (uses and gratifications theory).
4) Films offer "utopian solutions" that compensate for real-life lacks like intensity, energy, transparency, community, and abundance.
This document discusses key concepts related to science fiction film audiences:
1) Films can target different audience segments defined by demographics (age, gender, etc.) or psychographics (attitudes and values). The "target audience" is the intended segment.
2) Some films appeal broadly ("mainstream") while others attract a smaller group ("niche").
3) Audience research involves understanding demographics and psychographics to design films that fulfill viewers' needs like entertainment, information, identity, and companionship (uses and gratifications theory).
4) Films offer "utopian solutions" that compensate for real-life lacks like intensity, energy, transparency, community, and abundance.
This document discusses genre theory and how it relates to magazines. It defines genre as the classification of media texts into categories based on similar characteristics and features. Genres have identifiable codes and conventions that audiences expect. The document discusses how genres can be hybrids that borrow elements from other genres. It also examines different scholars' perspectives on genre and how genres provide expectations and pleasures for audiences while also mitigating economic risks for producers.
Genre theory is used to categorize films based on stylistic criteria. Genres help audiences identify different types of films and cater to their expectations. Narratives describe a sequence of events and follow common story structures identified by theorists like Propp and Todorov. Representation in media involves intentionally constructing artificial versions of reality. Audience theory considers how audiences interpret and are influenced by media texts. Research and planning are required to systematically develop knowledge and create goals for making a horror film, such as analyzing films and planning elements like plot, characters, and locations.
This document provides information on various media theorists that can be used for a 1B media analysis. It discusses theorists related to genre, narrative, representation, audience and media language. Specifically, it outlines key concepts from theorists such as Levi-Strauss on binary oppositions, Mulvey on the male gaze, Propp's narrative roles, and Hall's encoding/decoding model of audiences. It also provides guidance on applying these theories to analyze representations, audience positioning and genre in media texts.
This document discusses key concepts in narrative structure and how information is revealed within media texts. It covers conventional narrative structures identified by theorists like Propp and Todorov. It also discusses more unconventional techniques like elliptical, enigmatic, and fragmented narratives. Examples are provided of how these concepts can be applied when analyzing different media like photographs, comics, and advertisements. The role of the active audience is discussed, with a quote from Barthes saying texts form a "galaxy of signifiers" rather than a strict structure.
This document discusses art and its importance. It begins by asking what art is and why the arts are important. Students consider different examples of art and discuss whether they should all be considered art. The document explores how art expresses emotions and conveys truths about nature and society. It addresses the balance between shared and personal knowledge in art and whether appreciation of art is subjective or if there are universal standards of quality. The role of art in fulfilling human needs and conveying deeper truths is examined through various quotes and examples.
This document introduces the natural sciences as an area of knowledge. It defines natural sciences as knowledge of observable objects and processes in nature, such as biology and physics, as distinguished from abstract sciences like mathematics. It describes the scientific method as involving observation, hypothesis formation, prediction, and experimental testing to confirm or falsify hypotheses. Personal knowledge and imagination play a role in scientific discovery alongside shared experimentation and observation. Questions are raised about whether scientific knowledge can be considered absolutely true or reliable given its tentative nature and reliance on indirect observation tools.
The document provides context and analysis for the opening scene of the film Psycho. It focuses on the social, economic, and institutional contexts of 1960s America. Socially, the relationship portrayed would have been frowned upon due to attitudes towards divorce and pre-marital sex. Economically, the characters feel financial pressures typical of urban life at that time. Institutionally, the film pushes boundaries set by the Motion Picture Production Code. The document then analyzes cinematography, editing, mise-en-scene, motifs, and other elements from a textual perspective.
The document provides guidance for a GCSE media exam on TV game shows. It outlines that the exam will be 1 hour and 30 minutes, with 3 questions worth 15 marks each. Design equipment should be brought for the design question. Possible questions include why game shows appeal to audiences and how social media has extended their appeal. For the design question, a 10-frame storyboard is expected that clearly shows the family focus. Marketing the game show to the target audience could involve traditional and digital media.
This document provides guidance on creating a high-quality presentation for a BTEC Creative Media course assignment. It emphasizes including numerous examples from films and television to support points. The presentation should cover three mandatory sections - formats, narrative structures, and technical elements - analyzed using media terms. For each section, the document provides an outline of topics to cover and example slides demonstrating how to present topics like narrative techniques, cinematography, and genres through elucidated examples from texts like Stranger Things. It advises planning the presentation, focusing on content, and getting feedback to ensure a distinction grade.
The document provides instructions for an assignment analyzing magazine covers. Students are asked to analyze covers based on language, audience, colors, images, and codes and conventions. They must identify the target audience and how the magazine appeals to that audience. Students will analyze sample covers in groups and individually analyze two magazine covers of their choice for a coursework assignment.
This document appears to be a composition or paper for a class titled "KGV Film and Media" as it has that title listed first followed by numbered paragraphs 1 through 15. The document likely discusses topics related to film and media across 15 paragraphs, but without seeing the full content, the key details and overall purpose cannot be determined from just the title and paragraph numbers provided.
The document appears to be a record of a student's year and subject of study. It indicates that in 2014, the student was in Year 10 studying Film and Media at KGV, likely an abbreviation for a school name. In 3 sentences or less, this provides the essential information that the document records a student's year of study, year of study, and subject of study at a school.
The document discusses whether there should be a second Guardians of the Galaxy film by examining the institutions involved in the first film such as the studio, director, actors, and agents. It also evaluates metrics of the first film's success like box office numbers, reviews, awards, and merchandise sales to determine if a sequel could also be financially and critically successful based on these measures.
1. The GCSE science fiction exam will be 1 hour and 30 minutes long on May 24th. Each question is worth 15 marks and students should spend 20 minutes on each. Drawing equipment should be brought for question 4.
2. The scenario provides a situation requiring expertise to launch a sci-fi film. Students should answer questions in character as if participating in a film competition.
3. Possible exam questions cover knowledge of why sci-fi is popular, pitching original film ideas, and designing marketing materials like trailers, posters, or websites to appeal to family audiences.
1. One Direction is represented as a manufactured boy band with constructed star personas. Their image and representation are deliberately crafted using media language by the institutions that created and promote them.
2. Richard Dyer's star theory discusses how a star is not a real person but a text constructed from various media materials to form their star persona. Boy bands in particular have very deliberately constructed star personas.
3. The major institutions involved in creating and promoting One Direction include Simon Cowell's Syco production company and record label, ITV which broadcasts The X Factor, and Columbia Records. These institutions collaborate or work together through synergy to maximize profits.
The document discusses two senior pathway options for film and media: IB Film and BTEC Creative Media. IB Film enhances skills through creativity-focused assessments including an independent study script or research paper, 15-minute presentation on a film extract, and a 7-minute practical film production. Most students achieve high exam results of Level 6 or 7. BTEC Creative Media offers a more practical option through unit-based assessments covering topics like video installation, photography, editing, and marketing. It provides more control over curriculum and attention compared to the broader IB program. Both pathways are accepted by universities and prepare students for careers in growing creative sectors.
The document provides information about an examination on the promotion of video games, including the date, tasks, and grading. It outlines key concepts like language, institutions, audience and representation to consider. It then gives examples of video game genres and how brands are constructed. Finally, it discusses representations in games, audiences, institutions, regulations and failed promotional campaigns.
This document outlines Buscombe's theory that genre in film is defined by iconography found in locations, character appearances, tools used, and miscellaneous elements depicted in film posters. Specifically, Buscombe's theory states that analyzing icons related to these four categories can help identify and define a film's genre.
Mathematics is the study of patterns and relationships between numbers and shapes. While empirical evidence may be gathered, mathematical knowledge requires rigorous deductive proof based on agreed upon axioms and theorems. However, Gödel's incompleteness theorem showed that the axiomatic foundations of mathematics cannot be proven with absolute certainty from within the system. There is an ongoing debate around whether mathematical truths are discovered or invented by humans. Overall, mathematics relies on both deductive and empirical reasoning but cannot claim absolute certainty due its axiomatic foundations.
This document discusses different types of sound used in film and media, including ambient sound, synchronized sound, voice-over sound, diegetic and non-diegetic sound, sound effects, music, and how sound is used to transition between scenes. It provides examples of each type of sound and discusses how sound enhances scenes and genres tend to have conventional sound effects and music.
This document discusses storyboarding and provides details about its purpose and process. Storyboards are a visual representation of a film laid out in a comic-strip style, including pictures and notes about dialogue, music, camera movements, and more. They help clarify ideas and plan the sequence and order of shots, which saves time during filming and ensures the director is prepared. The document concludes by providing an example storyboard template and task to create a storyboard for one of the sample shots described.
This document discusses different types of camera shots and angles used in filmmaking to position the audience. It covers establishing shots, long shots, medium shots, close-ups, and extreme close-ups that show varying degrees of detail. It also discusses shot reverse shot, point of view shots, reaction shots, and insert shots that involve cutting between characters or scenes. The document instructs students to watch film clips and analyze the shot types and audience positioning techniques used, and how they achieve their intended effects.
Beyond Degrees - Empowering the Workforce in the Context of Skills-First.pptxEduSkills OECD
Iván Bornacelly, Policy Analyst at the OECD Centre for Skills, OECD, presents at the webinar 'Tackling job market gaps with a skills-first approach' on 12 June 2024
Temple of Asclepius in Thrace. Excavation resultsKrassimira Luka
The temple and the sanctuary around were dedicated to Asklepios Zmidrenus. This name has been known since 1875 when an inscription dedicated to him was discovered in Rome. The inscription is dated in 227 AD and was left by soldiers originating from the city of Philippopolis (modern Plovdiv).
Main Java[All of the Base Concepts}.docxadhitya5119
This is part 1 of my Java Learning Journey. This Contains Custom methods, classes, constructors, packages, multithreading , try- catch block, finally block and more.
LAND USE LAND COVER AND NDVI OF MIRZAPUR DISTRICT, UPRAHUL
This Dissertation explores the particular circumstances of Mirzapur, a region located in the
core of India. Mirzapur, with its varied terrains and abundant biodiversity, offers an optimal
environment for investigating the changes in vegetation cover dynamics. Our study utilizes
advanced technologies such as GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and Remote sensing to
analyze the transformations that have taken place over the course of a decade.
The complex relationship between human activities and the environment has been the focus
of extensive research and worry. As the global community grapples with swift urbanization,
population expansion, and economic progress, the effects on natural ecosystems are becoming
more evident. A crucial element of this impact is the alteration of vegetation cover, which plays a
significant role in maintaining the ecological equilibrium of our planet.Land serves as the foundation for all human activities and provides the necessary materials for
these activities. As the most crucial natural resource, its utilization by humans results in different
'Land uses,' which are determined by both human activities and the physical characteristics of the
land.
The utilization of land is impacted by human needs and environmental factors. In countries
like India, rapid population growth and the emphasis on extensive resource exploitation can lead
to significant land degradation, adversely affecting the region's land cover.
Therefore, human intervention has significantly influenced land use patterns over many
centuries, evolving its structure over time and space. In the present era, these changes have
accelerated due to factors such as agriculture and urbanization. Information regarding land use and
cover is essential for various planning and management tasks related to the Earth's surface,
providing crucial environmental data for scientific, resource management, policy purposes, and
diverse human activities.
Accurate understanding of land use and cover is imperative for the development planning
of any area. Consequently, a wide range of professionals, including earth system scientists, land
and water managers, and urban planners, are interested in obtaining data on land use and cover
changes, conversion trends, and other related patterns. The spatial dimensions of land use and
cover support policymakers and scientists in making well-informed decisions, as alterations in
these patterns indicate shifts in economic and social conditions. Monitoring such changes with the
help of Advanced technologies like Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems is
crucial for coordinated efforts across different administrative levels. Advanced technologies like
Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems
9
Changes in vegetation cover refer to variations in the distribution, composition, and overall
structure of plant communities across different temporal and spatial scales. These changes can
occur natural.
Walmart Business+ and Spark Good for Nonprofits.pdfTechSoup
"Learn about all the ways Walmart supports nonprofit organizations.
You will hear from Liz Willett, the Head of Nonprofits, and hear about what Walmart is doing to help nonprofits, including Walmart Business and Spark Good. Walmart Business+ is a new offer for nonprofits that offers discounts and also streamlines nonprofits order and expense tracking, saving time and money.
The webinar may also give some examples on how nonprofits can best leverage Walmart Business+.
The event will cover the following::
Walmart Business + (https://business.walmart.com/plus) is a new shopping experience for nonprofits, schools, and local business customers that connects an exclusive online shopping experience to stores. Benefits include free delivery and shipping, a 'Spend Analytics” feature, special discounts, deals and tax-exempt shopping.
Special TechSoup offer for a free 180 days membership, and up to $150 in discounts on eligible orders.
Spark Good (walmart.com/sparkgood) is a charitable platform that enables nonprofits to receive donations directly from customers and associates.
Answers about how you can do more with Walmart!"
Strategies for Effective Upskilling is a presentation by Chinwendu Peace in a Your Skill Boost Masterclass organisation by the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan on 08th and 09th June 2024 from 1 PM to 3 PM on each day.
it describes the bony anatomy including the femoral head , acetabulum, labrum . also discusses the capsule , ligaments . muscle that act on the hip joint and the range of motion are outlined. factors affecting hip joint stability and weight transmission through the joint are summarized.
2. The Exam
• Assesses your knowledge of all of the key
concepts - media language, audience,
representation and institutions.
• 1.5 hours
• 4 questions, equal marks
• 40% of final grade
• Based on a brief which will be given to you 4
weeks in advance
• Essay questions - require knowledge of theory and
case studies
• Design questions - require knowledge of
conventions and creativity
• Needs to be PREPARED and CHECKED IN
ADVANCE!
4. MEDIA LANGUAGE:
Conventions
A convention is a key
ingredient in a specific genre
of media text. They are the
things that we expect to see
in particular types of films.
Make a list of any
conventions you associate
with the Science Fiction
genre. Remember, it is a
complex genre as it is very
wide-ranging.
5. MEDIA LANGUAGE:
Conventions
We are going to watch the
trailer for three very different
Science Fiction films. Whilst
watching, see if you can add
to your lists.
The trailers are:
The Hunger Games:
Mockingjay Part Two
WALL-E
Star Trek: Into Darkness
6. MEDIA Language: miSE-en-
scene
• Buscombe’s theory: A genre is
defined by its use of iconography. If
we change the icons, we change the
genre. (Reminder; an icon is a visual
symbol.) We find these icons in four
places.
• Location (Place, primarily, but also
time)
• Character appearance (including
clothing)
• Tools used (guns, vehicles and so
on)
• Miscellaneous (anything else!)
7. MEDIA Language: miSE-en-
scene
• Apply Buscombe’s theory to these four posters. As well as Buscombe,
also consider graphology, palette and layout and design. Make a list of
the conventions of sci-fi mise-en-scene.
8. media language: narrative
theory
• SOME IDEAS TO HELP DISCUSSIONS
• Barthes’ Enigma Code - successful narratives
depend upon the construction of a series of
mysteries.
• Levi-Strauss’ Binary Opposition - successful
narratives depend upon the construction of
oppositions or conflicts
• Todorov’s theory - most narratives have a
three-part structure; equilibrium,
disequilibrium, new equilibrium
• Propp’s Theory - Fairy tales have seven
character types (hero, villain, donor, helper,
princess, false hero, dispatcher.)
9. media language: narrative
theory
• Watch the trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens
• In groups, consider these questions and be ready to feed
back to the class:
• Does there appear to be a three part narrative here? How
much of the plot can you figure out from the trailer? Which
aspects of the plot are being emphasised?
• How many instances of binary opposition (conflict) can you
find? Think of opposition between people and ideas.
• How many different enigmas are being offered? Are any of
them answered in the trailer?
• Are Proppsian character archetypes evident here? Is there
a clear villain, hero, helper and so on? Are any of the
Proppsian archetypes no longer relevant (e.g. the
Princess?) Does sci-fi have its own conventional character
types (e.g., the mad professor, the kindly alien, the hot-
headed young soldier…)
10. media language: narrative -
characterisation
Luke Skywalker Darth Vader Princess Leia
Han Solo Obi Wan KenobiYoda
Which character function? How do you know?
(from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
11. media language: narrative -
themes
• As with any genre, certain themes repeat in
sci-fi.
• Good versus Evil
• Freedom versus oppression
• Reality vs illusion
• Oppressive societies
• Rebellion and conflict
• Watch the trailer for The Matrix
(Wachowskis, 1999): are any of these
conventional themes evident?
12. media language: narrative -
Reflection theory
• Reflection theory suggests that the
themes and representations in film (or
any cultural form) mirror those which
are dominant at the time and place of
making.
• Sci-fi themes are often thought to have
changed to reflect what people are
concerned about at any give time.
13. media language: narrative -
Reflection theory
Period of time
Global issues and
concerns
Film that reflects
1950s
Fears of nuclear war, communism and
views on the cold war.
Godzilla
The film focuses on a prehistoric monster
resurrected by repeated nuclear tests in the
Pacific
1960s
Fears about automation replacing workers
and the dehumanization of society
through science and technology.
2001: A Space Odyssey
A computer named HAL 9000 controls a space
shuttle and later harms its crew
1970s
Fears about the lack of morals existing in
society, especially amongst young people.
A Clockwork Orange
Horrific portrayal of a youth gang engaged in
rape and murder
1980s
Fears about the future being dark, dirty,
dangerous and chaotic.
Blade Runner
Set in Los Angeles in 2019, there are
genetically engineered replicants, which
are visually indistinguishable from adult
humans
Early 2000s
Following the events September 11th,
2001, people were afraid of police
powers, privacy and civil liberties.
Minority Report
A PreCrime police unit arrests people before they
commit crimes based on knowledge provided by
three psychics.
Mid 2000s Fear of issues surrounding cloning.
The Island
Focuses on a compound of inhabitants who are
used for organ harvesting and surrogate
motherhood because they are not ‘human’
Mid 2010s
Fears of environmental disaster,
immigration and overpopulation.
Elysium
Takes place on a struggling Earth with most
citizens living in poverty and in a luxurious space
habitat where the rich and powerful live.
14. media language: genre
• A descriptive approach to genre
simply lists all the conventions which
define that genre - icons, plots,
character types, themes, ideologies,
locations, characteristic
cinematographic or editing or sound
design styles, and you should now be
able to do all this.
• Some movie genres go out of fashion.
Musicals and westerns, for example,
are pretty much obsolete now.
• Some, like sci-fi, are eternally popular.
• This is possibly because the themes
and representations in them keep
changing and thus keep appealing to
new audiences.
15. media language: genre
• HYBRIDITY is an important part of current thinking about
sci-fi film.
• Traditionally, the studios stayed with the genres they knew -
they would use the same sets, actors, directors and plots
over and over because they were pretty sure audiences
(mostly made up of mainstreamers) would keep buying the
same thing over and over.
• As audiences became more sophisticated and choosy, such
films became less popular. As such, it is now common to
blend genres in order to maximise audience appeal. (It’s not
a new idea. Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek,
saw it as a Western set in space.)
• In groups, watch one of the following trailers. Make notes on
which genres are being blended and which conventions of
those genres are being used. Be ready to feed back to the
class.
• Alien (1979)
• Blade Runner (1982)
• Independence Day (1996)
• Mars Attacks (1996)
16. media language: genre
• We can also divide the PARENT genre - sci-fi - into SUBGENRES. Each of these
have their own particular conventions, representations, ideologies and audiences.
Subgenre Premise Example
Alternate History What if history had developed differently? Stargate
Apocalyptic
Humans struggle for survival after devastation of
Earth
Mad Max
Artificial Intelligence Machines become more intelligent than humans AI, Ex Machina, Space Odyssey
Cybernetic Revolt Robots turn on the humans who invented them Blade Runner, Terminator, I Robot
Cyberpunk
Urban noir, set in a near future where survival
depends on ability to manipulate technology
The Matrix
Dystopian A view of the future as worse than the present
The Hunger Games, Divergent, Wall-
E
Alien Invasion Humanity must defend Earth against invaders Independence Day
First Encounters
Narratives based upon aliens meeting humanity
for the first time
ET, Star Trek (First Contact)
Horror sci-fi Scary aliens chasing humans Alien, the Blob, The Thing
Space Opera
Huge narratives, multiple locations, often many
sequels
Star Wars
Superhero movies Superpowers, supervillains, super-franchised
Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy,
X-Men
Environmental sci-fi
Narratives about the impending collapse of the
ecosystem
Wall-E, Sunshine
18. audience: profiles
• We use several parameters to
define audiences; age and
gender, most basically, but also
social position or income
(demographics) and
psychological make-up
(psychographics.) Race,
location, interests and sexuality
can also be used to define
audiences.
• To remind yourself about these
things, go here.
19. audience: profiles
• Sci-fi is an expensive genre (of the top
ten most expensive movies ever made,
all are sci-fi or fantasy.) This means
that the studios target vast, wide
ranging audiences and it becomes bit
artificial to say that certain movies are
aimed at certain audiences. These big,
mainstream movies are aimed at both
genders, most ages, all income levels
and the mainstreamer psychographic
group. They are generally very
conventional and ‘safe’ - they need to
be, to ensure a sufficient audience to
make back that massive budget.
• It has been said, though, that the
dominant audience is males aged 17-
29.
20. audience: profiles
• Some films do have obvious
audiences, though. In general, there
is more of an effort to target a young,
female audience (in keeping with
reflection theory, which suggests that
women are increasingly less likely to
accept media in which they are not
positively represented.)
• The Hunger Games is an obvious
example - female protagonist,
themes about empowerment, no
sexualisation or male gaze and so
on. Can you think of similar films
designed at least in part to appeal to
a postfeminist audience?
21. audience: appeal
• You know some different theories about audience appeal
• Hypodermic Needle Theory: the text communicates in a
direct, denotive way with the audience, with no room for
connotation or alternative interpretation.
• Two-step flow: the text deliberately targets opinion
leaders who then influence opinion followers.
• Uses and Gratifications: texts offer pleasure in four areas
- diversion, personal identity, personal relationships,
surveillance.
• Reception theory - Audiences are made up of individuals.
Producers should try to make the text adaptable for the
audience so they can make it different of themselves and
adapt it to their own needs.
• When discussing sci-fi film, by far the most useful is Uses
and Gratifications.
• The others will be useful when discussing the marketing
of the films.
22. audience: appeal - Uses and
Gratifications
• Watch the trailer for Sunshine (2007)
• Diversion - Enigma and opposition make it
interesting. Editing, sound and cinematography
make it exciting. Characterisation makes it
engrossing. Suggestion of conventional three part
narrative and familiar iconography/ media language
makes it recognisable and easy to accept.
• Personal identity - Emphasises the environmental
theme. Might be an effort to make the audience feel
like they are intelligent, engaged with global affairs.
Appeal to ‘reformer’ psychographic group?
• Personal relationships - Emphasises the previous
films made by the director. Perhaps an effort to
suggest that everyone watches his films, so you
should too.
• Surveillance - Emphasis on a global issue of
immediate concern.
23. audience: appeal - Uses and
Gratifications
• Watch the trailer for District 9
• In terms of media language, how does
it adhere to or diverge from the
conventions? Think about
iconography, palette, editing and
cinematography, genre and narrative
(characters, plot, narrative structure.)
• In terms of audience, to whom does it
appeal and how?
24. A* EXTRAS!
audience: cultural capital
• Pierre Bourdieu, writing in
1977, formulated the idea of
Cultural Capital. He said that
people consume or adopt
certain elements of culture
because they are associated
with affluent or successful
social groups. Likewise, they
avoid those elements of
culture which are associated
with the ‘lower’ classes.
25. A* EXTRAS!
audience: cultural capital
‘Highbrow’ ‘Middlebrow' ‘Lowbrow'
Shakespeare Film Computer Games
Croquet Golf Football
Foreign/ old cinema
Sundance-nominated
films
Blockbusters
Traditional professions Middle management
Labouring/ service
work
Ballet
Popular theatre/
musicals
Pantomime
Tarkovsky’s ‘Stalker’
Kubrick’s ‘Space
Odyssey’
Lucas’s ‘Star Wars’
Classical music Jazz Pop music
So, Bourdieu argues that people ‘buy’ certain types of social approval or
respect by associating themselves with certain cultural forms or artefacts.
This is not necessarily deliberate or conscious. Some sci-fi films are
marketed as being more ’intelligent’ than others - those which deal with
serious issues, for example, as opposed to those which are primarily
action-based. We can see how cultural capital is being offered as bait; it is
a marketing technique designed to hook an audience who value social
approval or respect - an audience of succeeders or aspirers, perhaps.
26. A* EXTRAS!
audience: subcultures
• Sarah Thornton, writing in 1995,
applied Bourdieu’s ideas to popular
culture - specifically, clubbing or
rave subcultures.
• A subculture is a smaller group,
defined by a shared interest or
lifestyle, which often identifies itself
by its opposition to the dominant
cultural ideologies or forms. That is,
they often identify as rebels. Youth
culture is often subcultural -
examples of subcultural groups
might be gamers, emos, computer
geeks, drug users and so on.
27. A* EXTRAS!
audience: subcultures
• Thornton found that subcultural capital worked in the
same way as cultural capital; people are very aware of their
own position in the subcultural group and seek out ways to
enhance their own standing.
• People who produce films know this. Certain films provoke
very powerful opinions and attract very committed fans
(who might become experts or aficionados.)
• The most obvious examples are probably Star Wars and
The Matrix. If you look at various forums for these films,
you will find a degree of competition amongst people who
want to be seen as the most knowledgeable, the first to
receive new information, the first to see new films or collect
new merchandise or whatever.
• Those who make and market films see these aficionados
as a valuable group of opinion leaders and a reliable
market in their own right. Websites, promotional materials,
franchise extensions and expos are often planned with
these people in mind. Marketers will very often try to give
some subcultural ‘cool’ to their products.
28. A* EXTRAS!
audience:
Imagined communities
• Benedict Anderson, writing in 1983, thought that
people were identifying with communities which
were ‘imaginary’- that is, consisting of people who
often don’t actually know each other. Anderson
offered sports fans as an example - they are a
‘community’ only through their support of a team.
• Obviously, since digitisation has reshaped our
world, these imagined communities are much more
evident. Facebook depends on people valuing a
community which does not actually exist in the ‘real’
world.
• Sci-fi official and fan sites are an extremely
important part of any marketing campaign; the
discussions and ideas shared on these sites keep
interest in the franchises alive. Producers very much
strive to create these imagined communities.
29. A* EXTRAS!
audience:
So what?
• Let’s say you have a question like this:
• Design a website to promote a sci-fi film aimed at a young audience of
both genders.
• Everyone will design a website. Hopefully, they will all follow the codes
and conventions of website design. This basic understanding will get you
up to about a ‘C’ grade.
• Good students will think in terms of uses and gratifications and try to offer
a blend of all four gratifications. They will also include things which are
explicitly designed to attract both males and females. They will think of
different audiences and use the themes, the stars, the style, the genre -
anything! - of the film to attract groups of people who will respond to that
particular thing. This is starting to look like an ‘A grade.
• An A* student will do all of that and be able to incorporate ideas about
imagined communities and subcultural capital; they will suggest that the
film is anti-authoritarian, or rebellious, and that there is a community of
like-minded people who associate themselves with it. Various Matrix sites,
for example, strive to create a sense of secretive, subcultural hacker cool
that only certain people can access or understand. The site itself might
only be accessible to certain people (people who pre-order tickets to see
the film, for example) or it might offer the kind of additional materials only
aficionados would be interested in - interviews with crew, for example, or
detailed histories of the characters.
30. REPRESENTATION
• Gender
• Nationality
• The Future
• A* Extra - Gramsci and Ideologies
• Exam Practice
• As with any genre, representations in sci-fi
need to reflect contemporary thinking.
• It has often been said, though, that the world
of sci-fi is very male and very white.
• The films have traditionally reflected this, but
there is evidence that they are now moving
away from such heavy reliance on dominant
representations. Your work should probably
reflect this change.
31. REPRESENTATION: gender
- theory
• Male Gaze - Laura Mulvey wrote that the media industries were mainly staffed by men,
and thus most of what they produced was shaped by male sensibilities and designed to
appeal to a male audience.
• Virgin/ Whore dichotomy - a Freudian idea further developed by many theorists including
Molly Haskell. While men can be many things in films and can be judged as ‘good’
because of any of them- clever, heroic, articulate, kind, funny, whatever - women are
judged purely on their sexual behaviour They can only be ‘virgins’ or ‘whores’ and if their
sexual behaviour is ‘wrong’, they are ‘bad,’ regardless of what else they do.
32. REPRESENTATION: gender
- theory
• Hypermasculinity - the characteristics and behaviours
associated with a dominant representation of masculinity -
e.g., developed muscles and aggression- are exaggerated.
• Hypersexuality - the sexual characteristics associated with
dominant representations of femininity - big breasts, or
flirtatiousness, for example - are exaggerated.
• Postfeminism - A modern representation of women which
combines independence and conventional attractiveness.
33. REPRESENTATION:
gender• As mainstream films which need to make back their huge budgets by appealing to a large audience of mainstreamers, we generally
expect to see a lot of dominant representations in sci-fi.
• When applied to gender, this generally means that women will be sexualised to some degree and men will be hypermasculinised.
• A classic representation of femininity in sci-fi is Princess Leia in Star Wars - most famously, enslaved and half-naked. It is possible
to see Star Wars as a Proppsian narrative rooted in very old thinking about gender and in this instance Leia is the passive Princess,
waiting for the men to rescue her. It is important to note, though, that Leia is also an active, independent character with agency in
the film - she kills her own captor and is frequently involved in driving and changing the narrative of the story. Perhaps this is one
reason for the continued success of the Star Wars franchise amongst both genders.
• A more recent example of gratuitous sexualisation comes from Star Trek: Into Darkness. The writer, Damon Lindelof, eventually
apologised for including a scene where one of the few female characters appeared for no particular reason in her underwear.
Although this was a relatively minor incident which did little to affect the film’s success, the backlash to it does show that audience
expectations are changing and the apology shows that film producers are very sensitive to such accusations of sexism and male
gaze.
34. REPRESENTATION:
gender • There have always been more active
representations of femininity, though. One of the
most famous is Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise
(starting in 1979.) She is the protagonist, and by far
the most capable and competent character. She is
never sexualised; indeed, she becomes very
‘masculine’ at various points in the franchise,
constantly being associated with iconography we
usually associate with men - guns, army fatigues,
muscles, shaved head and so on. In this poster, we
see her combining representational elements
associated with both genders - the gun, fatigues
and low-angle shot connote masculinity while the
protectiveness towards the child connote a
dominant representation of caring feminine
motherliness.
• More recently, there are several films which
construct more postfeminist representations of
women who are simultaneously active and
conventionally attractive. The most famous
examples are Katniss Evergreen from The Hunger
Games and Tris Prior from Divergent. Katniss is the
effective head of her family and eventually the
leader of an uprising; she is completely
independent, frequently responsible for rescuing
other characters and, although she is young and
conventionally attractive, she is never defined by or
judged according to her sexuality. Likewise, Tris in
Divergent is the main protagonist and the
antagonist, Jeanine Matthews, is also female. See
the media language in the promo shots here; low
angle shots, muted colours, weapons, functional
clothing, direct address - all things we more
conventionally associate with men.
35. REPRESENTATION:
nationality/ Ethnicity
• The issue of race, minorities and prejudice are
often explored within science fiction film. Star
Trek, for example, made a big point of making
sure all ethnicities were represented in its
original crew.
• Sci-fi films are often actually about racism (see
The X-Men, for example, where the mutants
experience what is effectively racial
oppression.)
• However, as with many mainstream films and
genres, there is some tension about how races
are represented or how actors and characters
of colour are deployed and represented in the
films.
36. REPRESENTATION:
nationality/ Ethnicity
• ORIENTALISM - based on the theories of Edward
Said, this theory suggests that Asian characters are
typically stereotyped as exotic, whilst being
secondary in importance to white characters. They
are defined by their race in a way white characters
are not. Sulu from Star Trek, for example, is forced
to use a katana while fighting; seems like a strange
choice when everyone else has blaster pistols.
• TOKENISM - When minority characters are included in
narratives but given no agency or activity. Example might be
Uhuru in Star Wars - a black, female character, but at first
not one of the central characters who affect narratives. (This
changed, to some extent. Star Trek was very forward-
thinking in the ay it treated racial representation.) Audiences
are very sensitive to racial representation, and not always in
the way we might expect; there was some outcry when Rue
from The Hunger Games was played by a black actress
(despite her skin being described as ‘dark’ in the novels.)
37. REPRESENTATION:
nationality/ Ethnicity
• Patriotism is often encoded into mainstream media
in order to construct appeal to an audience of
mainstreamers. American film is, perhaps, more
prone to this than most. Watch the speech scene
from Independence Day and note how an appeal to
patriotism is being used to increase audience
engagement and excitement prior to the final fight
between Earthlings and aliens.
• Somewhat less mainstream movies, aimed perhaps
at a more independently-minded audience, often
show national pride as a less attractive, more
problematic characteristic. District 9, for example,
uses sci-fi conventions - aliens settling on Earth - to
discuss problems around immigration. The central
character, Wikus, the representative of white South
African nationalism, is forced to change his attitudes
as he transforms into one of the aliens he hates so
much. He is seen to be a much better person at the
end than at the start.
38. REPRESENTATION: the
future
• UTOPIAN THEORY: Richard Dyer, in a
development of Uses and gratifications theory,
wrote that people consume media primarily for
ESCAPISM (a form of DIVERSION.) He said
there are three main elements of modern life
which people are striving to block out:
• Social tension
• Inadequacy
• Absence
• So, the media constructs worlds (DIEGESES)
where these things are overcome or cease to
be a problem. People have meaningful
relationships; people are more than equal to
the tasks set for them; couples and families
are reunited and are happy to be with each
other. The world is represented as a
predictable place where good always triumphs
and happy endings are usually guaranteed.
39. REPRESENTATION: the
future
• A popular sub-genre of sci-fi is Dystopian Sci-
fi. A dystopia is an unpleasant view of the
future.
• The world in these films is often under he
control of dictatorships; people often live in
danger and poverty and the world is generally
a threatening, impoverished place.
• If we apply Dyer’s theory to something like
The Hunger Games, though, we see that it
hods true. We pretty much know that the
good guys will win; Katniss will find true love
and be happy; Katniss will be more than
equal to solving the problems life throws at
her. So, although the world is shown to be
unhappy, it is still a predictable place where
people can solve their problems and good will
triumph.
40. A* EXTRAS!
REPRESENTATION:
ideologies• Antonio Gramsci was an Italian anarchist who was imprisoned in 1929. For
a while, he struggled to understand why the prison guards, who were poor
men, just like him, were holding him at the request of rich, powerful men
who did nothing to help them in return.
• He decided that the men had been brainwashed into obedience by the
institutions of society - the family, schools, the army the police, politics and
government and so on had all conspired to make them believe that they
‘belonged’ at the bottom of the social order and their ‘job’ was to be
obedient and take instructions from those in more privileged positions.
• These beliefs are called IDEOLOGIES. They are encoded into many areas
of society, including media texts (the media is now one of the social
institutions Gramsci criticised.) They are used to keep the people eat the
top of society in their positions (that is to defend the status quo or
HEGEMONY.)
• Representations are always built on underlying ideologies.
• For example, if woman are sexualised, then it reveals an underlying belief
that ‘being sexual’ is the prime purpose and talent of women.
• If men are always represented as capable, competent and in control (see
Captain Kirk in Star Wars as an example) then it suggests that men are
the most reliable people around and they should be trusted with power.
• If aliens are represented as threatening and predatory, it reveals an
ideology that ‘outsiders’ are not to be trusted and it is better to trust people
like yourself.
• If gay or black or female or young characters are always represented as
funny or mischievous this reveals an ideology that these groups are less
serious and less worthy of respect than those who are no represented like
this; often, white, middle-aged, heterosexual men.
• So what?
• An A* student understands that in her own work, she is representing the
world and people in some way or another. She understands that she is
revealing her own ideologies through her work.
• She will also understand that sci-fi has conventional ideologies; for
example, that freedom is more important than almost anything else. This is
not actually necessarily true, but it is frequently treated as though it is in
sci-fi.
41. INSTITUTIONS
• Film Industry Structure
• Regulation
• Franchising/ Branding/
Marketing
• Convergence and
Transmedia
• Exam Practice
42. INSTITUTIONS: Industry
structure
• There are currently 6 major Hollywood studios: Warner
Bros, Disney, Universal, Columbia, 20th Century Fox and
Paramount.
• These companies are owned largely by shareholders who
demand profits every year.
• That means everything they make needs to turn a profit to
be deemed successful…
• … which means they need to reach the biggest audiences
possible…
• … which means very conventional media language, lots of
star appeal, dominant representations and ideologies…
• .. and lots of remakes, franchises and sequels, because
they are pretty much guaranteed to succeed.
• So when you are talking about major film releases, which
will cover practically every film mentioned in this
presentation, you can discuss it in these INSTITUTIONAL
terms. The films are the way they are because of the
nature of the institution which produces them.
43. INSTITUTIONS: Industry
structure
• Smaller studios have smaller budgets, so their films
have fewer stars, less promotion, less in the way of
special effects, lower production values and so on
• However, they are also less dependent upon making
profit, so they can be rather more adventurous with
representations, media language and ideologies.
District 9 (produced by QED International, so not a
major studio) plays with hybrid genre, for example,
blending sci-fi and documentary realism. This is a
slightly risky move, since realism is not a particularly
popular genre, and probably wouldn’t have been
undertaken by a major studio.
• Look at the trailer for Upstream Colour (produced by
ERPB, definitely not a major.) Considering media
language and representations, how can you tell that
this is not a major label production?
• The budget for Upstream Colour was $50000 -
compare something like Elysium which had a budget of
$115 million, so 23 times bigger.) Upstream Colour
made ten times its budget at the box office. Elysium
made just under twice its budget.)
44. INSTITUTIONS: regulation
• The British Board of Film Classification is an
independent, non-governmental body which has
classified cinema films since it was set up in 1912
and videos/ DVDs since the Video Recordings Act
was passed in 1984.
• The BBFC regulates films shown in Britain and
gives them rating depending upon their content.
• The BBFC guidelines are long and detailed, but in general they are
concerned about areas such as:
• discrimination
• adult themes
• profanity
• nudity
• sex
• violence
• dangerous actions
• references to suicide
• detailed criminal acts
• misuse of household chemicals
• horrific or disturbing content
• glamorisation of drug abuse
• animal abuse
• child abuse
It is important for film producers to have
an accurate idea of guidelines since they
are aiming for particular audiences and f
they are awarded the ‘wrong’
classification, they will lose part of the
audience. If a film is awarded 15 instead
of 12A, for example, they have lost
millions of potential viewers The
producers of Prometheus had to appeal
in Australia to get their classification
moved from MA to M so 15 year olds, a
sizeable chunk of they raudience, could
see it unaccompanied.
46. INSTITUTIONS:
franchising• Some sci-fi film brands manage to develop
into FRANCHISES - whole networks of
media and other products which can, of
course, reach bigger audiences.
• Note the Star Wars profit chart here; the
most profitable part of the entire franchise is
toy sales, worth almost as much as
everything else put together.
• The most successful movie franchise of all
time, depending on how it is measured, is
the Marvel Cinematic Universe
franchise.With a core of central characters -
the Avengers - each of whom can be the
focus for individual films, as well as a whole
host of other characters who can also be
brought into play (Ant Man, Captain Marvel,
Ragnok, Black Panther, Wasp…), they
currently have at least two films a year
planned all the way up to 2028.
47. INSTITUTIONS:
franchising• Producers like franchises for obvious reasons -
predictable success, predictable costs and so
on. The success of Marvel since the release of
Iron Man in 2008 has influenced The success
of Marvel since the release of Iron Man in 2008
has inspired other studios to create or re-
energise their own franchises.
• It has been said that the renewed focus on
franchises has had some negative effects on
the industry. Budget shave gone up a lot, so it
is difficult for smaller companies of filmmakers
to compete. Likewise, films have become more
formulaic so it is more difficult to be genuinely
creative or to find anything ‘different.’
• More positively, Marvel has given the whole
concept of a ‘franchise’ a more positive
connotation. It used to be the case that sequels
were expected to be worse than the original
film; now, they are expected to top the original
in every way. In general, it i s widely agreed
that the Marvel franchise has raised audience
expectations for these sorts of films.
STUDIO FRANCHISE
Marvel/ Disney Avengers
Sony Spiderman
20th Century Fox X Men
DC Comics/ Warner
Brothers
Batman/ Superman
Disney Star Wars
48. INSTITUTIONS:
synergySynergy is when two or more institutions work together for mutual benefit. Sci-fi
franchises are obviously in a position to extend their franchises by licensing
their stars and characters and branding to be used as adverting hooks for other
products. Marvel in particular excel at this.
Synergy is when two or more institutions work
together for mutual benefit. Sci-fi franchises are
obviously in a position to extend their franchises by
licensing their stars and characters and branding to
be used as adverting hooks for other products.
Marvel in particular excel at this.
Synergy is important because many sectors of the
media depend upon each other for survival. As an
example:
• The stars need the studios to produce films
• The studios need the magazines and TV shows
to promote the films
• The magazines need the stars to appear on their
covers and attract audiences
• The musicians who feature on the soundtrack
need the studios for access to a new audience
• The films need the musicians to attract an
existing audience
• The games producers need the studios to give
them access to ready-made characters and
narratives
• The studios need the games producers for
access to a younger audience
• And so on.
49. INSTITUTIONS:
convergence and transmedia
• The adoption of high-performance computers, shift to digital
platforms, and creation of high-speed computer networks have
brought us new ways of doing things.
• Convergence means ‘coming together.’ In a technological sense, it
means that what used to be separate technologies are now united.
• Consider the device on the right. What devices or tools can it
replace? A phone, a book, a TV, a games console, a radio, a
computer, newspaper, a camera… this is what convergence looks
like in technical terms. All these devices have come together or
converged.
• What effect does this have? Media producers know that they can and
need to work across many platforms now. Many forms can be
accessed easily and simultaneously, so franchises need to work as
films, websites, games, comic books, soundtracks… This is
convergence in Media terms; when platforms which were once mo or
less independent of each other become part of the same thing.
50. • The first franchise to see the value of this was The Matrix.
• There are three Matrix films. Bu they do not tell the whole
story.
• In oder to actually understand the entire narrative,
audiences need to play (and complete!) the computer game,
watch the animated series, read the comic books and
engage with the website, This splitting of a narrative across
multiple platforms is called TRANSMEDIA.
• It has pros and cons. Aficionados, predictably, love it
because it allows audiences to get very deeply involved in
the diegesis of the franchise. It also allows producers to
make many products based on the same characters and
locations, so it’s economically sensible.
• Other audience, however, dislike the concept because it
necessitates huge outlays of money and time just to
complete a narrative.
• As such, franchises like Marvel retain the idea - Marvel also
has TV series, comic books, computer games and so on, bu
the narratives tend to be free standing (they are BLOCKED
rather than CONINUOUS narratives.) As such, audiences
can choose parts without having to consume the whole
thing.
INSTITUTIONS:
convergence and transmedia
51. EXAM PRACTICE: Media
Language
1. Describe and compare the
settings of two contrasting Science
Fiction films.
2. Watch the opening scenes of
two contrasting Science Fiction
films. What conventions of the
genre do you see?
3. Design a poster for a new sci-fi
film. Explain how it would appeal to
an audience.
3. Write a treatment for a new
Science Fiction film. Include
suitable conventions and explain
how it would appeal to its intended
audience.
52. EXAM PRACTICE:
Audience
• How are sci-fi film producers
striving to appeal to younger
audiences? Refer to two or more
films in your answer.
• Why are sci-fi films so popular?
Refer to two or more films in your
answer.
• How are films marketed to appeal to
various audiences? Refer to two or
more films in your answer.
• Design a website to promote a sci-fi
film aimed at a young audience of
both genders.
53. EXAM PRACTICE:
Representation
1. Compare the ways heroes and villains
are portrayed in a Science Fiction film.
Refer to two or more films in your answer.
2. Create character profiles for the lead
character in a new Science Fiction film.
How would this appeal to the target
audience?
3. Sci-fi films have been accused of
sexism in the past. Do you agree that
women are unfairly represented in the
genre? Refer to two or more films in your
answer.
4. How is the future represented in sci-fi?
Refer to two or more film sin your answer.
54. EXAM PRACTICE:
Institutions
1. Why are so many sci-fi films developed
into franchises? Refer to two or more films
in your answer.
2. Why is film certification important?
Refer to two or more films in your answer.
3. Explain how synergy is used in the
promotion of sci-fi films. Refer to two or
more films in your answer.
4. Write a proposal for a marketing plan for
your own sci-fi film. You should consider
pre-promotion, several different kinds of
marketing, and subsequent franchising and
synergising opportunities.
5. What effect has convergence had on the
sci-fi film industry? Refer to at least two
films in your answer.