Morgan Spurlock's documentary Super Size Me followed his health over 30 days while eating only McDonald's meals. He ate three super-sized meals per day from McDonald's and gained 24.5 pounds over the month. Medical experts advised Spurlock but he ignored most warnings. The documentary examined the health effects of an exclusively fast food diet and the role of McDonald's as a dominant fast food company.

1. “ A film of epic portions”

2. Super size me is an expository documentary
about the international dominated fast food
company McDonalds. The director, producer and
writer, Morgan Spurlock features in the
documentary himself, where he documents his
30 day fast food diet. He ate three supersized
meals from McDonalds, three times a day to
show the effect it can have on your health and
body. He had three different medical experts
advising him through out but chose to ignore
majority of there advice. One being a general
practitioner and the others being a cardiologist
and a gastroenterologist. But in addition to this
he also had advice from a nutritionist and a
personal trainer.

3. As mentioned previously, Super Size Me was
written, directed and produced by the man
himself, Morgan Spurlock. But was edited by Julie
“bob” Lombardi and distributed by Samuel
Goldwyn Films and Roadside Attractions. As this
was an independent production, Spurlock only
had a small budget of just $65,000. Some could
say that Super Size Me would have not been
successful because of the budget, but when the
documentary was released on 7th May 2004, it
made a fantastic $29,529,368 in the box office.

4. Super Size me is an expository documentary;
meaning that it has been produced to portray
a particular message by exposing a particular
subject. Throughout Super Size Me there was
a wide range of conventional features for the
audience including expert interviews,
interviews and has reconstructed elements to
it. Spurlock has also used the ‘voice of god’.

5. As Super size me is an expository documentary a
specific message would be portrayed. Morgan
Spurlock created Super Size Me to show the
audience that eating fast food is not good for
your body or health. Spurlock was successful as
this by documenting his thirty day fast food diet,
as well as showing obesity is a problem in
America. By Spurlock doing this, it shows the
audience the effect it would have on you. The
effect is had on Spurlock was that , gained 24½
lbs, a 13% body mass increase, a cholesterol level
of 230, and experienced mood swings, sexual
dysfunction and fat accumulation in his liver.
Furthermore it took him 14 months to lose the
weight that he had gained over the thirty days.

6. Morgan Spurlock have used ‘the voice of god’
throughout his documentary. However, Spurlock
does feature in the documentary himself,
placing him in power throughout. By Spurlock
doing this he shows the audience his use of
cinema verite and would leave the audience
with a sense of realism.

8. Stereotyping/Simplification

9. Morgan Spurlock has used reconstructions

10. Interviews

11. Impact/Influence

12. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media
concepts
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media
contexts and critical debates
Uses terminology appropriately and with accurate and
coherent written expression.
Apply knowledge and understanding to show how meanings
are created when analysing media products.
Apply knowledge and understanding to show how meanings
are created when evaluating their own practical work.
Demonstrate the ability to plan media products using
appropriate technical and creative skills.
Demonstrate the ability to construct media products using
appropriate technical and creative skills.
AO4
Demonstrate the ability to undertake and apply appropriate
research.
AO3 AO2 AO1
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