Thursday, 10 March 2011

Audiences are no longer just consumer to text but producers too.

The media of today are much more diverse and are intersected into three main platforms which are; broadcast, print and E-media. looking at my case study i will be explaining that the audiences are no longer just consumers but producers too. In the media a consumer is one that intakes information by either watching, reading or being virtually active. a producer is one who creates the things that the audience or the consumers intake. The three texts that i have chose as my case study are; Smallville, Dr Who and The vampire diaries. The common theme which runs throughout them is the genre of "Super-natural" and "Drama", though there audiences are quite different all three of these texts have a similar way of getting their audiences involved by using the three platforms of media.


 How has Smallville used E-media to involve their audiences into producers?


The online website for the TV show series smallville has given a whole new experience for their audiences. Through the internet the audiences have access to almost all information about the series including how it began, the cast, shooting scenes/bloopers, the history of superman and what future episodes contain. Discussion forums allow the audience to engage in conversation about the show and express what their opinions are; this is an example of how the consumers are now becoming producers as they are now not only in-taking the information that the broadcasting platform provides they are providing the website and other members of the forum with information about the show that is given by someone who is not an official producer. Elaborating on this, there are websites other then the official one made by fans to provide a more entertaining side such as interactive games that involve the characters from the series, photo galleries including a page where photo uploads are possible if you have any pictures with the characters. There are other means of connections about the series that may provide more then the official websites. Such as facebook or twitter pages which not only provide pages on the series and fictional characters but on the real people who play those characters, they give constant updates about the series and their own life. Now the audiences have began a personal relationship virtually over the internet with these characters, although they may not respond due to other personal issues they will certainly receive it. Buying the music that has been played during the show and also purchasing other merchandise that is connected to the show may be done online as-well, some audience member have even gone to lengths where they produce their own merchandise such as designing their t-shirts and selling them online for other fans to buy. The E-media has provided the audience to explore much more vastly into the inn’s and out’s of the show, also could be a tool to expand the smallville fan base to a greater scale.


How has Dr who used print-media to involve their audience’s intro producers?
The doctor who magazines have been running since 1979. It is known in the Guinness world book of records for longest T.V tie-in. Also sanctioned and run by the BBC, initially starting off as a weekly magazine it eventually turned to a monthly issue. The fact that that this magazine is famous for being the longest running magazine specialising to act as another branch of media to promote a T.V show proves that this particular text have always wanted to involve the audiences into producers. Even in 1990 when the show was cancelled the magazines continued running, which may of driven more of the broadcast audiences into the print sector.  In one of the issues of the magazine there had been a competition  where they asked readers to send in a drawing of a monster and from all the applicants, the drawings will be judged and the winner’s drawing of a monster will feature in an episode along with receiving various doctor who merchandise and a chance to meet with the actor’s. This competition enables the winner or all other participants to get involved in the actual production of the show, as what they produce in the drawings will be what audiences will view when they watch, therefore making the audiences of the show also producers as they are the creators of that particular character. Also the magazine occasionally gives out “free-bees” such as doctor who pencils/pens/bags or toy figures, when readers use these in public they are advertising the show as people will view it and may take into consideration to find out what it is therefore the audiences are now potentially producing new viewers.  


How does the vampire diaries use all three platforms of media to make their audiences into producers.
The vampire diaries does not to a great extent use their platforms to make or encourage audiences into producers, this could be because it is a fairly new show launched in September 2009 with only 2 seasons aired. Their fan base is continuously growing throughout the broadcast and e-media sector. They do not own their own magazine as of yet however have featured in numerous magazines and newspapers for reviews and article’s. Another reason could be because the shows is based on a book series written by L.G.Smith and they want to stick to what happens in the show according to the script of the book. Magazines they have been featured in includes vanity fair, sky and teen vogue these magazines include the show’s target audience of teenagers and young adult’s (in the early 20’s). They where mostly to advertise the show and gain reader’s attention by giving them a background knowledge of what the show will be about and exclusive photo shoots. In conclusion to the print media attempting to make the vampire diaries audience into producers it fails in the sense it is still new and after they have gained a loyal follow ship of the audience they will attempt to engage them in more in the production of the show.   

Tuesday, 8 March 2011

Hyundai advert analysis

what advert techniques are being used?
The techniques being used in this advertisement are common conventions found in most advertisements. As it is a car ad they have used a dramatic scene to persuade viewers in to promote their product. The moment the as starts there is dramatic music playing luing people in to watch. They have used babies as their main tool for the advert, this is a great technique for this ad and moreover for this particular car. From watching this ad we know this is a family car that is suited to fit the needs of all members, however when driving a babies safety is one of the main priorities, this could be why they have shown the baby as the main protagonist also in the ad the baby is seen as care free and enjoying himself, however he does have his seatbelt on, showing viewers features’ of the product. The happy music along with the “cute” scenes of the baby driving the car which is quite unusual, woos viewers and gives them a “happy” feeling as the ad is quite joyful. The technique of “awing” the viewers had always been successful as it brings out their sensitive side.
How is gender represented in the advert?
The main protagonist is the male baby, he is the one who drives the car, this could be representing that the car is for male drivers as it is a family car he could be sitting in the “dad” seat. the advert has tried to fulfil the baby’s roll that of which a typical dad does including when he drives by he waves at his friend who is also a baby a gesture that is typical of dad’s to do. Also he is represented as the more dominant being in front of females as he is the driver or the one in “control” of the car and he picks up a baby girl hitchhiker portraying that the women are always second and are incapable of having their own or care or taking care of themselves. The female is presented as the male’s accomplice sitting on the passengers side who has no significant power. Also when the baby boy takes the girl to the beach to show of his surfing skills the baby girl is sat in the car watching as the male performs and shows of his practical skills, whilst the girl cheers him on another representation of the male being dominant whilst the female fits her role of sitting back and watching.
What is offered about the Hyundai brand and the experience it offers?
The advert presents the experience of this particular car as enjoyable, the blue sky, sunshine and beach views give the sense of freedom and openness which is a joy that may come with the purchase of this car. The Hyundai brand has expressed itself through this advertisement as a family brand who values the customs and lifestyle of a family and provides for their needs. It also suggests that the happiness is determined by this material object  as the car is what makes the baby happy.  At the end of the advertisement when the voiceover quotes “ the next generation of Hyundai Santa Fe is here”  this could suggest this car has been designed for parents with young children as they are the “next generation”.
Who is the target audience and how does the advert attempt to persuade its audience to buy this product?
The target audience for this advertisement would be parents of young children or large families potentially over the age of 18 as that is the age when you can receive your licence to drive legally  however this particular car is probably for more experienced drivers such 25+. The socio economic group would be C1/C2. The way in which the advertisement attempts to persuade its audience is firstly they show all different angels of the car throughout the advertisement so that the viewers can visualise the car as something they may desire, also showing the interior paying special attention to the radio and clutch section. The joyful music, happy expressions and various shots of the car are all intended to persuade the target audience into buying that product.

Tuesday, 15 February 2011

T-mobile dance advert analysis


What conventions of advertising are evident in this text?

There are many conventions evident in this advertisement of advertising techniques. Firstly to open the advert they have given a fact of the location and timing/date this has already drawn the audience in as they are wondering what it could be about since the usual adverts never start of this way. Secondly the camera shots are as they are being viewed from security cameras because of their position, the sudden use of music beginning also draws the audiences attention as it is slightly “random” and unusual to hear a person singing that loudly in the middle of a train station, gradually as dancers start to join in, thoughts begin to enter the audience’s mind as to what is all this about especially since it is so routinely done it must be a set up. There is no evidence of what the actual advert is promoting however they do leave clues such as zooming into people who are on their phones recording or taking pictures. The use of different style’s of music is another convention as they have attempted to invite all audiences in e.g. playing pussycat dolls ”Don’t cha” would attract a younger audience as it is a contemporary popular song and then playing “the mashed potato dance” which is a much older song of the 60’s would attract older generation in. The unity of all the travellers in the train station gives out the “feel-good” feeling of how they may be very different from one another e.g. we see black, white Asian people, old and young all coming together in the name of music. In the end when they give their slogan the understanding of the advert is made clear how absolute spontaneous events could happen randomly at any given moment and T-mobile could be there to help you share the moment.

How is technology represented in this advertisement?

 In this advertisement technology is represented as a positive thing and reinforces people about the greater good in what it can provide for you such as sharing the little moments in life that make you happy with other people. The scenario in the advertisement makes one believe it is impossible for that to happen completely randomly however those thoughts can be put aside as people are enjoying the moment with their mobiles. Every few shots we see people using their mobiles this represents the popularity of mobiles and how everybody has one and technology has reached everyone and it is more “shocking” to see people with out mobiles. The advert is trying to portray that it is the technology which is making these people smile seeing this abnormal situation then being able to share it with the world. T-mobile is trying to persuade viewers that it is companies like itself that help to make life easier and technology has simplified itself so moments like this can be shared in a matter of minutes.

What is communicated about the T-mobile brand and the experience it offers?

T-mobile has attempted to communicate a various amount of things. The first thing we notice when watching the advert is the diversity between people and then the unity between them. Everyone is so different in Race, culture, gender, age and social class however they have been united with the common purpose of music and dance. This tells us that t-mobile values all different types of audiences and intends to reach out to all of them. T-mobile is a network service available to everyone regardless of the ethnic differences. From the advertisement t-mobile are promoting that by joining their network service they offer an experience which will be enjoyable and they will be able to communicate and share moments like these much easily.

What target audience is T-mobile aiming to attract in this advertisement?

In this particular advertisement T-mobile have not specified a particular audience however has gone for reaching out to everyone from every background as they are trying to present that t-mobile is for everyone. Although their primary audience would be from 15-40 as they are the ones most in touch with technology, this precise ad reached to old pensioners as well as younger audiences. By portraying all the different characters of society in this one advertisement t-mobile have aimed to attract most of general public from every sector, including the business men who take the trains to the cleaners of the station 

Wednesday, 9 February 2011

Audiences are no longer just consumers to text, but prodcuers too

The media of today are much more diverse and are intersected into three main platforms which are; broadcast, print and E-media. looking at my case study i will be explaining that the audiences are no longer just consumers but producers too. In the media a consumer is one that intakes information by either watching, reading or being virtually active. a producer is one who creates the things that the audience or the consumers intake. The three texts that i have chose as my case study are; Smallville, Dr Who and The vampire diaries. The common theme which runs throughout them is the genre of "Super-natural" and "Drama", though there audiences are quite different all three of these texts have a similar way of getting their audiences involved by using the three platforms of media.

 How has Smallville used E-media to involve their audiences into producers?

The online website for the TV show series smallville has given a whole new experience for their audiences. Through the internet the audiences have access to almost all information about the series including how it began, the cast, shooting scenes/bloopers, the history of superman and what future episodes contain. Discussion forums allow the audience to engage in conversation about the show and express what their opinions are; this is an example of how the consumers are now becoming producers as they are now not only in-taking the information that the broadcasting platform provides they are providing the website and other members of the forum with information about the show that is given by someone who is not an official producer. Elaborating on this, there are websites other then the official one made by fans to provide a more entertaining side such as interactive games that involve the characters from the series, photo galleries including a page where photo uploads are possible if you have any pictures with the characters. There are other means of connections about the series that may provide more then the official websites. Such as facebook or twitter pages which not only provide pages on the series and fictional characters but on the real people who play those characters, they give constant updates about the series and their own life. Now the audiences have began a personal relationship virtually over the internet with these characters, although they may not respond due to other personal issues they will certainly receive it. Buying the music that has been played during the show and also purchasing other merchandise that is connected to the show may be done online as-well, some audience member have even gone to lengths where they produce their own merchandise such as designing their t-shirts and selling them online for other fans to buy. The E-media has provided the audience to explore much more vastly into the inn’s and out’s of the show, also could be a tool to expand the smallville fan base to a greater scale.

Sunday, 6 February 2011

The Sun advert analysis


How does the advert use codes and conventions to appeal to its target audience?
This is an overt advertisement. The advert has used many codes and conventions to appeal to its target audience such as considering the technical, symbolic and written aspects. The white background colour of where the newspaper is placed is used to make the product seem simple and pure, just as the original ipod had tried to use this method. The shot is medium however the camera zooms in when showing certain images or is trying to highlight a point. Also just like in the iPod advert only the hands are shown, and some gestures are also imitated such as when describing the “26 inch panoramic mat” the hands touch the centre of the page and then the fingers separate diagonally as if on the iPod to zoom in. The sounds used are also that of which is the same to the iPod advert; the background music is playing along softly as the narrator is explaining the product. The narrator is another convention of an advertisement as it is someone verbally explaining the product to you which is always useful considering their target audience aren’t from middle class or above social groups and are from working class who may not understand certain advertisement techniques. Unlike previous the sun or newspaper advertisements this one does not show the price of the product which is unusual as it is a cheap product for only 20p and cheap prices almost always get more attention, however to make this advert seem like it is a well worth “expensive” product as it is a sophisticated advertisement in contrast to their usual exaggeration and role play adverts they have decided to not display the price instead show a few coins being exchanged for the paper, these actions in itself add to the simplicity of the paper and would appeal to its target audience who are mostly over the ages of 40, these are also the people who would appreciate the no fuss of “waiting for pages to download” .

How is new technology represented in the advertisement?
In this advertisement of the sun newspaper they are mocking apple’s ipod /iphone and trying to persuade viewers that this newspaper is much better than the ipod. To do this they imitate the original ipod advert by copying their style of advertising using the same white background, only viewing of hands, and the narrator’s voice. From this advert we can tell the sun dislikes this new technology as it is taking away their readers. Sharing content is just as easy as with a smart phone, simply pick it up and hand it out as opposed to e-mailing friends and posting links. – simple and effective. At the end they mention this newspaper has been this way since 1969 – Shows how they are proud of their heritage as a national newspaper and they look to the past for inspiration as opposed to the future where things become more complicated like “hidden charges, contracts” reception for network etc. they try to justify their high “newspaper standards” by mentioning all images are “photo real 3d” which is an improvement of their technology. “The UK’s best hand held for 40 years”  this is the headline of the paper Mocking Smartphone’s as newspapers were delivering this service a long time before Smartphone came around.  Another way they mock the new technology is when they mention the “Pen-touch interface” as a feature people can use on this product this is Sarcasm as using a pen is no “new technology” also as it is normal for touch screen smart phones   however they parody this by showing the hand holding a pen and writing on the paper then scribbling it out. , which shows they are trying a tradionalist point of view as u cannot simply erase what you have written on a screen by pressing the delete key. 

What does the advertisement tell you about the values and ideologies of the sun newspaper?
The advertisement tells me that this newspaper values the classic form of reading news and getting information from a newspaper as this has been the method to do so for hundreds of years. They dislike the ipod and point out their faults and use it against them to persuade readers to read the sun. They criticise the ipod indirectly by naming these faults e.g. there are no hidden charges and no contract. No squinting at sports on a tiny screen. No turning it sideways to see it better” etc. they have a very traditionalist and conservative point of view. They are pro status quo and value old traditions. From this advert we can tell that the newspaper does use forms of escapism as it does not show any real or international news about the current affairs concerning governments and people , this could be an ideology of theirs to keep the working class people narrow minded and not exposing them to too much information apart from “junk news”.


How does the advertisement appeal to its audience?
The suns target audience are working class males from a C2,D,E, social class. Who are into typical males things such as sports, girls and entertainment news. This advertisement however is opening up to a wider audience of the ipod industry, as when viewers first see this advert they may think it is an ipod advert because that is usually their style however they are introduced to the sun newspaper, as this advert looks more sophisticated in comparison to the actual newspaper they have not shown their usual explicit images of women on the page 3, the celebrity males shown are well known entertainers, however they do show one image if Rihanna  in a very revealing outfit which is typical of the paper and would grab attention from their usual audience. Also British formula one driver Jennson Button, this use of celebrity endorsement appeals to a younger audience of youths who are users of the new technology such as Smartphone’s. The readership of females are smaller however there are pages dedicated to them such as the fashion and gossip columns.  During the advertisement when they are describing the “photo real 3d” they zoom into the image of Simon Cowell who is contemporarily best known for his show the X factor, he is a very significant figure in the entertainment/music industry, this would appeal to a very large x factor audience and people who enjoy celebrity gossip. In the sport section to advertise to there more primary audience they have one of the world’s best known football team’s manager sir Alex Furguson which would largely appeal to the footballing youth.      


Lynx advert

The lynx advert follows codes and conventions of an advert by displaying various techniques to persuade viewers to watch the advert. The product itself is seen at the beginning of the ad on a pile of rubble, from this instant the viewers become aware that this is an advert for that particular product “the lynx deodorant”, when the man approaches it picks it up and then uses it, there is a rope that grabs his legs and starts to drag him. From this instant a loud, dramatic music is being played that follows the dramatic scenes which are happening as he is being dragged across the street/fences/tunnels. This use of making the advert seem very realistic and persuade viewers the theory that when you use this deodorant girls would be attracted to you it is very melodramatic, unusual and in contrast the situation is virtually impossible however the use of the “mythological mermaids’” adds the fantasy factor that every “man” dreams about, that being having good-looking, sexy girls attracted to them. As an advertisement has limited time to promote its product the shots in here are very fast paced which is a common convention. Towards the end of the add the voice-over expresses their tag line” All girls prefer dry guys” which is the message it is sending out to all the males out there to buy this product as if they don’t girls may not like them. The voice in which it is said in is a female slow sort of seductive voice. The mermaids in the ocean are naked although we don’t see their nudity, this is giving the sexual appeal that most men give into and is a successful technique found in many advertisements. This technique also used to gain their target audience’s attention. To conclude the advert they show the product once more and the narrator also state what the product is just so it may remain in the viewers mind.

The location in which this advertisement took place in seems like it is a city near the sea. The set where it was shooted along with all characters in the advert where decided with the main product in mind, as the product was called lynx dry obviously being an anti-perspirent a sea resort would definitely bring out the irony and contrast in this, as it is the ocean/water/wet and the purpose of the deodorant is to “dry” out the “wetness” or sweat from men. The advert represents alternative ideology of where the male is the inferior protagonist and the female “mermaids” are the ones in control. They do this by making the man seem like the naïve male. Traditionally fishing is a male’s job however in this advert the roles are switched as the female mermaids are “fishing” for men they lay out there bait which is the Lynx deodorant and wait till their target approaches, as the male takes the bait they grab him n begin dragging him in. the mystical mermaids are portrayed as superior as they manipulated the male which is unusual in the real world. However the male does escape suggesting that overall men “always win”.

The target audience for this advertisement is male’s 15 and over and their social economic group would be from a C2,D,E audience. Though the audience is predominantly young and is trying to attract the “young, fresh and cool” guys as they are the ones who would like to be attracted by so many girls. The male protagonist shown seems like he himself is young around the age of 20 or so. The sexual appeal given by the mermaids is also a technique the advert has used as they are well aware of the young male’s constant attraction towards women. The projection of the product at the beginning and at the end of the advert is also something the target audience would keep in mind perhaps for later use when actually purchasing the product.  

The institution for the lynx product is uni -lever it is a fairly new corporation that owns many of the world’s consumer product brands. Being the modern business that it is the ideologies of contemporary society has had a massive influence in how it delivers their products. Over the years the development for the increase of equality for men and women has been on the rise and in the western world it is now considered the norm for men and women to be treated equally. Uni-lever have taken these thoughts in mind when creating the advertisement for the lynx product, and as is evident however they have reversed the roles and portrayed the women in this particular advertisement as superior then men. Traditionally it is as the women who enjoy dressing up in order to impress or attract men; the lynx advertisements in contrast represent the men applying products to themselves in the aim of attracting women. The message the advertisement is trying to get across is that it is perfectly fine for men to want to look and feel appealing, and this particular deodorant will make them feel that way as well as attract women towards them .  

Sunday, 12 December 2010

Mr Bean’s Trailer Analysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV_HYwmEi_k


There are a number or trailer conventions presented here in this trailer, the first one being as an introduction to the movie they give a preview of the last movie Mr bean was in as a reminder to viewers who has previously seen this movie. Another convention is as this was a comedy film; the narrator had a light-hearted humorous tone as to invite viewers who enjoyed comedy to watch the film he along with the scenes followed gives an insight as to what can be expected from the movie. Also the music playing in the background was light and bouncy and fitted well with the events on the screen, so much so it almost seemed diegetic. Also at the beginning of the trailer they give the name of the company which produces the film which was “universal studios” this is a very important convention as it is seen in virtually all trailers. In order to show the highlights of the film in such a short time, they must even it out, as to show some long scenes and some short ones, but all together there aim is to make people laugh so they show the funniest scenes in the movie. All the conventions mentioned are typical of trailers, however there are also some specifically for this film. Not only because it is a comedy but because of who it is starring who is already known as a comical genius worldwide, so it quite familiar to the comedy audience.

The trailer has used many forms of media language such as camera shots/angles, mis-en-scene, editing and sound. The very first scene of the trailer starts of with the bouncy music in the background and the scene of which Mr Bean is opening a tap in a public toilet, however all the water splashes over his trousers and in order for him to dry them he stands underneath the dryer. The camera zooms into the tap as it is splashed and also onto his trousers to show the audience that it looked like he had “urinated himself” this use of comedy in the very first scene of the trailer draws the audience in immediately as they have now identified it is a comedy and will want to continue to watch the rest of the trailer. The trailer has used sound very effectively in attempting to establish the film’s genre in addition to the music they have used “cartoon like” diegetic sounds e.g. when he is thrown of the train there is a sound of a cat screeching. Another example when he is waiting for the car and he puts his thumb out there is boomerang like sound you would expect to hear from cartoons, also the horn of the car does not seem diegetic. They have used a lot of editing of sound in this trailer in order to add humour as it emphasises the situation.

The target audience for this movie trailer is more vast than usual, because it is based on a family comedy T.V series that started of in 1990, so children, teens and parents from that era would be interested in the new 2007 movie and now this would include grandparents too. Also as it is child-friendly humour, children of this age would be interested too. The socio economic group would be C1,C2,D. Males and females would be attracted to this as Mr bean’s humour is on no sexist view and is just for general laughter.

The trailer is very effective in promoting the film, this is because it has shown a preview of the previous film and then leads on to this new film they want viewers to go and watch. There is a narrator telling the audience what the narrative of the story is about, therefore giving an overview so viewers are persuaded to watch it. The trailer shows the best parts of the film which are the funniest, so when people watch the trailer and laugh they will be encouraged to watch the film too.






Work for Monday 18 Oct





This Film poster is for the film "American Gangster" it is a crime film directed by Ridley Scott starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. these are actors known for their "hard-macho image" so its no surprise the target audience is predominantly male middle aged men from a C2, C1, B class range. the target ethnicity is black and white people. The film semi-fits the stereo-type of the bad guy being the black drug-dealer and the good guy being the white cop who cracks the case. The cross cultural consumer characterisation from Young and Rubicon’s psychographic profile is Resigned- seeks survival. 

The poster is in black and white so immediately we know it is going to be a sort of dull film, the two actors faces are cropped out however they leave half of it to show that one man is black and one man is white, also the black man is wearing a black suit and the white man is wearing a white suit suggesting the good v evil/ darkness v light. Denzel Washington the man in black is holding a gun connoting that this film is and will contain violence. Both men are smartly dressed we can infer that this means they are both quite wealthy, this may attract a B class audience. the only bit of colour in this poster is the red line separating the lines "American and Gangster" 
.Red being a colour which is in the American flag, also it co-notates blood and violence. This poster would appeal to their target audience because it lacks in colour, attempts to show that it is a violent film and the people who it is starring may appeal to their audience followers.


Thursday, 2 December 2010

GHD textual Analysis

This advertisement has used many techniques in order to persuade its audience to purchase the product of the "GHD" straighter. The advertisement is in black and white with a very demeaning background music. from this we can infer that it is already trying to give a historical context to the straighter. When the voice-over begins it becomes clearer that they are attempting to bring value's of the past into the present as they use biblical references throughout. in every scene the narrator says "tho shall not" and then give a commandant which is also related to Christianity as it refers to the "7 deadly sins". the advert has used religion to persuade viewers to buy their product. Also in the advertisement they have used some amount of "sex appeal" e.g. all the women are good-looking giving the "sexy" look and are dressed in lingerie, when viewers view this they will be tempted to buy the product as it will make think they will be "sexy". This advertisement has used Maslow's hierarchy of needs the safety, love and belonging and esteem needs.


In this advertisement Females are presented as sexually appealing, jealous, violent, girls who commit adultery and have pride. However throughout all this they continue to say these are the things you should not have or "thou shall not". They are all presented as beautiful girls who have clearly used the "GHD" on their hair. Men are presented as "weak hearted" or who give into the sex appeal presented by women. As one man cheats on his girlfriend/wife and another is seen as dead as a women has taken his money and used him to her advantage. The advert presents women as more dominating then men which is very important as a selling technique as women who will buy this product are more likely to thing they have gains some amount of "male dominating" power.

The advert creates a controversy among Christians, as the advert has used biblical references and taken the gospel which is a very holy book in Christianity and turned it into a selling method for GHD consumers. therefore decreasing the value of such a holy book which is respected by so many millions throughout the world into a technique to sell a hair product. the advert is shown on e4 and e4+1 after 9pm so they have censored this advert from children as they are aware it would increase complaints that children are viewing things that are too sexual for T.V. The channel obviously values children as too not show it to them, however it has not valued Christians as it takes their theory of life and turns it into a method to sell their product, many people would be strongly offended by this.

On the basis of this ad the advert appeals to females from a B, C1 socio economic group. As the product is expensive naturally only people with more money would buy this. The product is for all females with mid-length to long hair as these are the only lengths shown in the advert, curly straight or wavy haired girls can all use this product. it is also for people who want quick stylish looks This advert can also appeal to men who have long hair.

Tuesday, 23 November 2010

John Tucker Must Die



The trailer has used a number of techniques to try an invite audiences to come and see the film. First of all it starts with loud music and cheerleaders cheering as a basketball game is going on. There is a narrator telling the viewers what the film will be about as she opens the trailer by saying “this story is about john tucker”. Also the trailer shows the great humorous scenes that are in the movie, this will persuade viewers who like comedy to come and watch it. Like most trailers the director has tried to get the best scenes from the movie to display to viewers as they will be attracted to these, from viewing these they will want to go and see the whole movie.

 The main character John tucker is represented to be a typical American teenage boy, good-looking, very popular, captain of the basketball team and in American slang term he is a “player” as the trailer reveals the film is about him dating many girls at the same time, and when they find out they try to plot a revenge. In this sense men are presented as egomaniac, and have no respect for women, as he is cheating on all of the girls. 
 
On the basis of the trailer the target audience would be teenagers from a B,C1/2 social economic background. People who enjoy comedy, people who have been in situations like that e.g. been cheated on whilst in a relationship or people who have cheated on their partners. Boys who can relate to the protagonist would be popular guys who have a lot of experience with girls.

Hollywood characteristics that I can identify are firstly the hierarchy in schools based on popularity and status. All the boys and the girls are good-looking actors/actresses and have some sort of sexuality appeal which is a very important value in Hollywood.




Wednesday, 17 November 2010

Article Summaries

The first article is called "Bebo's new soap is all product placement, no plot" by Anna Pickard who writes for the guardian.
From the title we know that this article is going to be about the social networking site "bebo" their new soap, and how it has no plot and is accusing it of being all "product placement" meaning that this soap was created simply for advertising purposes, she states that it is "utterly unsubtle product placement" this is further explored throughout the article. The secret world of Sam king is a new short drama soap for bebo viewers that is aired on a regular but seasonal basis. The writer of this article is clearly not impressed by universal records new soap as she calls it a cross between "a careers day advert for entry-level positions at large conglomerates, and every other Disney show banging around at the moment", she uses witty humour to explain that this show looks like its either an advertisement for children to attend a careers day, or a Disney show, she may say this because like most Disney shows "banging around at the moment" the soap is about a "shaggy haired teenager", which contemporary is the American teenage look. the show has tried to adapt an American look as they are aware what's "cool" in America is "cool" here too. 
The reason she said it was very product placement was because she mentions how in one episode the brilliance of virgin mobile was said 9 times in under a minute. This is pointing out the obvious that virgin have clearly sponsered them to do so, as she has mentioned Sony ericson did so too a few episode before. the reason for this is clearly because they are trying to reach out to their target audience of British teenagers who are active users of the youthful socialising website bebo, and interest them in their great deals or at least persuade them of their "brilliance". Other then the critical side she does praise them for their excellent editing as it is "very sharp and looks good" she also mentions Sam the main character is a cutie, which is important to gain attention especially from females, as the ratings view could increase. The writer acknowledges that this soap was not targeted for her liking, however she refuses to disembark the fact that demographics is not an excuse "to make something bad" and mentions how even though it is only a 3minute episode this is neither an excuse to lack from a proper "plot". She ends the article by comparing the show to other short soaps that are far out-strethed in its creative reach to have a good plot. To end the article she makes a brief attempt to talk about a new sci-fi show, but complain how she cannot view it as it is not available in her territory, she makes a joke about emigrating just so she can view the "hulu" shows which she agrees is worth it. In summary this article was written in "the guardian" and as it is about something quite youthful, the newspaper audience I don't think would be much aware about subject matters like this, so i disagree that the article had much relevence however I do still think it is important for people from all demographics to acknowledge what kind of media is being fed to their children. 
New technology like the internet makes a huge impact on contemporery media landscape, this addition to the media "the E-media" is available for everyone from all ages, and has extended the media consumption in our lives. 


The second article is named " The critics need a reboot the internet hasn't led us into a new dark age" by David Wolman who writes for the "Wired" magazine. the title is a mix of a pun and a cliché. we can tell the article is going to be an argument criticising critics who claim the internet has led "us" meaning the current generations into a dark age. The article opens with a statement. and then a philosophical and religious point on media.
In the second paragraph there is the use of sarcasm  e.g. the article is criticising critics who criticise the internet, however he himself refers to the internet out of sarcasm "the technological bogeyman" this was his attempt to show critics how "moronic" it sounds, to say that this is the thing responsible for the "supposed sharp uptick in American shallowness and credulity". He gives an example of one of the critics;Mark Bauerlein and his statement that " the internet video games and IM's all serve to numb and dumb". David says that his assessment was very "grim" and was just rattling of about statistics  which where used to buttress his assertion on his statement. 
His attempts to make more fun out of this theory that the internet "stupefies" people is done by using more sarcasm  by giving examples or irrational conspiracy theories like "vaccines cause autism" or "Saddam Hussein was behind the 9/11 attacks". He agrees that the web does contribute into providing these "bogus ideas" however he also states a fact that it is in human nature to search our for information that supports "pre-existing assumptions" and this behaviour of humans can be explained as it has occurred in the past as-well before the introduction of the internet. David mentions that when people or as he states "Americans" look on the internet they already have pre mind-set of what they are looking for. He summarises this article by stating and giving example of why the internet "gives us the opportunity to become smarter not dumber" e.g. wikipedia not perfect yet provides accurate information, this one source is a new sort of revolution of how we can get information in comparison to methods that where used before the 21st century. The article concludes its self by giving his last viewpoint telling us how it would be naive to think that this new digital age will "magically remedy stupidity" and that the only solution is having better schools with better facilities, good teachers and keen students. a new commitment to the idea of having a method to distinguish what on the internet is real "knowledge" and what is just plain "garbage". To ultimate the argument of whether or not the internet is truly leading into a new dark age, he concludes by saying "what's moronic is to assume that it hurts us more than it helps" meaning it is foolish for one to think the internet does more harm to someone than it does good. Throughout this article David has referred to a number of authors and their books relating to the subject matter, to make this article seem less bias or based upon a minimum amount of information. New technology within the 21st century like the internet has had a magnificent impact on contemporary media and in which the way the world currently works. if we compare the difference within the last two centuries of how vastly technology has developed since the industrial revolution it is almost unbelievable as to how far fetched the landscape has established. 


Sunday, 14 November 2010

KILL BILL analysis

In this scene of kill bill staring Uma Thurman, the scene starts of with the camera looking up from a worms eye view at the sword and at Uma who in the film is referred to as "the bride". At first only the sword is in focus and the light above and her face is out of focus slightly blurred but as she bends down to pick it up she also comes into focus. a few seconds later we can hear the non-diegetic sounds of the motorcycles erupting outside, this brings the scene alive as it indicates the action which is about to appear. when the first ninja is entering the building there is an extreme low-angle shot trakking behind him at his feet as he is running.
The mis-en-scene is presented in the scene where  as soon as the fighting has began 12-seconds into it after she has just sliced one of the arms of the ninja's, she pulls out the eye of another within a mili-second, as soon as this happens the colour on screen turns black and white to the point where she is fighting her last battle with the group of ninjas. This could suggest that during the scene where it is black and white they have chosen to take out the colour due to the sickening sights of the grusome methods which she cuts of limbs of the men. As she is backing away there is an over-the-shoulder shot of the ninja's moving towards her, then there is an extreme close up of her eyes which at this point when she blinks the colour on screen returns. 
A few seconds after this the power turns of and darkness falls in the room so they cannot see each other, the next fight is taken place in the dark, however there is exellent editing done here as the room is dark, there is a neon blue background for light and all charecters in the scene are blacked out against this background so we can only see their shadow figures as they fight, this emphasises every movement they make as it is highlighted.I think this use of editing was primarily done to give the audience another sense or view of the fighting. Diegetic sound through out the scene are of the swords and the screams coming from the ninja's.
the iconography presented here in this scene is the building tension and anticipation, then there is a sense of an adrenaline rush. this scene also captures suspense, and towards the end of the scene some light hearted humour, when she spanks one of the ninja's with the sword and tell him to go home to "his mother". 
All the elements that the movie have used to produce this scene is quite important  in how it affects the audience. the different lighting, sounds, camera movement are all what makes this scene one of the greatest fighting scenes of all time,it was ranked no12 in the the all time best fight scenes category, not only because it got the best out of kung-fu and appreciated the extent of how great this sporting is but also because of the exellent editing that went in to make it a brilliant scene. where else would you find a white women who's professionality is kung-fu and manages to defeat over 60- or so men. 

Monday, 1 November 2010

Reebok advertisement analysis (50 cent)

This ad for reebok trainers advertises violence by the lyrics that are said by 50 cent 
"got shot nine times in jamiaca queens" as if to say this is a good thing, is proud about it that he has been shot at 9 times yet he is still alive, this is making violence seem like it it inevitable however if you are "cool" or "street" like him by wearing the trainers you could too survive. Jamaica queens being the new york ghetto district connatations of this are  black on black crime – hip hop beef. 

The first scene in the ad is a medium shot of a railway track, two buildings, two poles which holed together electrical wires, and hanging off in the distance from the wires are a pair of trainers which is the follow up scene shows a close up shot of it and a train underneath passing by. The sound is a diegetic sound of a train as it passes by. Mise-en-scene is presented here as the trainers hanging from electrical lines which give the impression of a sub-urban ghetto/wasteland, then the screen goes red symbolisiing death/alarm /blood, there is also a non diegetic sound of the sirens from the police car. 

Rain dropping on through wire, into a puddle is a very grey and close up shot.it then says on the left hand side of the puddle as the rain continues to drop "I AM" this could be representing the streets or the unknown. other non-diegetic sounds is the screams you hear and then the voice over from the police report. 
The Music starts when u see 50 cent and then you hear a  heart beating very slowly but loudly after the Hospital doctor says "patient is in a stable condition". The camera the slowly zooms into 50 cent from a low angle long distance shot. 

In my opinion a global famous and very successful company like Reebok would glamorise violence, not because they like it and want their audience to become violent however, they are already aware that there audience which are predominantly males over the age of 15 from urban areas of a B, C1,C2 and possibly D class range are already in the violent scene and are attracted to it as within their daily lives they encounter so much violence e.g. they watch violent movies from Hollywood, they play violent games regularly e.g. Grand theft auto or call of duty which in these games all require guns, killings and just physical abuse. They listen to Mainstream hip hop where rappers talk about violence they have either encountered/experienced or threaten for future violence. These everyday events that this particular audience experience from a day-to-day basis de-sensitises violence and it looses the “shock factor”. Reebok have attempted to be smart and take advantage of this factor about their audience as they are aware that “violence sells” and have tried to take dominance and gain viewers attention in this way. Like most companies the only intention is to make money and if it be making violence look “cool” then so be it. The target audience would be affected by the ideology of the add in a way which is ignorant. They will be fully aware of what and how the company is attempting to sell their product, however because the advert uses celebrity endorsement by making 50 cent the star of the add they will view it in a more “positive” perspective towards them as it targets their interests. People will now associate the 50 cent Reebok I am Brand/ trainers with the gangster/hip-hip culture. Possible outcomes from the advert could be people could no associate violence with success thus inturn they will carry out violent acts in order to achieve success also.

In my opinion I agree that the advert should have been banned, because the advert does glamorise violence, reebok is attempting to manipulate audiences by using 50 cent for celebrity endorsement, as they are aware people love celebrities and in western society this is the popular culture which people follow, he is showing off his survival of surviving 9 attempt to be shot at, perhaps suggesting that it was the reebok shoes that helped him, this is subliminally said nevertheless false advertising. 

12B - Work for Monday 1 November

Kicks trailer analysis
The main character of the film is Nichola Burley the trailer starts off with a non-diegetic sound of the faint voice of her humming to what seems like she has repeated numerous times. The first shot is a medium shot of the girl in her bed stroking what seems to be a poster of a boy. The shot is panning downwards starting off with her head then going down towards her hands that are on the poster. The scenes that follow become clearer as to who the girl is and who the boy on the poster is. Other non-diegetic sounds are in the scene when she is looking through a gap between the walls while watching “Lee Cassidy” who throughout the rest of the trailer becomes clear that he is a footballer/celebrity she is obsessed with, it is a medium shot but the top and bottom part of the screen is cut out to show the viewers the point of view in which the girl Nichola is looking at. This is good for effect on the audience as it shows the different types of editing that would be in the film which makes it all the more interesting, there is the sound of a whistle but the scene is of him kicking a football and wearing a training bib so it is clear that he is training. While this scene is taking place another non-diegetic sound overtakes is it a news report and the voice over is stating the news about Lee Cassidy’s move from Anfield to Madrid, there are two letters on the side of the screen at this moment “NE” which viewers can straight away assume that this shot has been cut out and edited and the full word is suppose to say “news”.
Iconography is used in films to create a certain feel, such as fear or anticipation. In this trailer the iconography is to create suspense and wonder of what the girl is going to do, viewers know that it is about a young girl’s fantasy, she attempts to make it a reality and when she succeeds she realises it comes at a cost.

Tuesday, 12 October 2010

Adverts Banned by the ASA



Vauxs Wagern
This advertisement is advertising the new Vaux wagern diesel car. the advert lasts 41 seconds. The reason it was banned was because throughout this clip there are several children who encounter some sort of misfortune and after every one all the children say “Bollocks” this caused some controversy as Bollocks is a word of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning "testicles". The word is often used figuratively in British English, as a noun to mean "nonsense"


Cussons Original Source- LEMON
An advert for shower gel which featured a young-looking model has been banned after the industry watchdog ruled it "offensive". A naked woman sitting under a lemon tree is featured in the PZ Cussons advert for Original Source shower gel. 29 people complained because the model appeared to be under 16 and were depicted in a sexually provocative way. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld the complaints. The firm said it was "surprised and concerned". The ASA said the combination of nudity and the shots of the model's pose were likely to be seen by viewers to have sexual overtones.


Make Poverty History
This advertisement for make poverty history is a series of advert featuring many celebrities like Bono, Kanye west, Justin Timberlake, Cameron Diaz, 50cent and many others. Every 3 seconds they would “click” to show that every 3 seconds there is a child in the world who is dying from “preventable poverty”. The media regulator ofcom banned this advert as they say it constitutes a political message, and are thus outlawed under the 2003 Communications Act

Saturday, 9 October 2010

Dominant and alternative ideology

Titanic
An old lady who claims to be a survivor of the Titanic tells her story to an eager group of treasure hunters, who are in search of a rare diamond in the Titanic's wreckage. Her name is Rose and she was a passenger on the Titanic along with the star, Jack. The two meet and Rose, unhappy with her arranged marriage to Cal. Jack, a young artist, who struggles to get through with life yet inexplicably enjoys it, sees the true Rose hidden behind the upper class snob. As he continues to spend time with her the two fall in love and kiss on the bow of the Titanic. Meanwhile the ship hits an iceberg and Jack is framed for theft and chained up in the lower levels of the ship whilst it is sinking! Rose tries to find a way to free him, and get off the ship. Will they both survive the sinking?


Dominant ideology
The film Titanic presents dominant ideology as it appeals to many audiences. the main target audience was young and old white males and females of a middle class/upper class background. However because of the eccentric storyline involving a poor boy from a working class background falling in love with a rich upper-class women and their struggles during this journey, it has appealed to many more audiences like working class people. Other then the fact that it was a huge blockbuster hit in the western world, the movie ratings where equally high all over Asia. This may be because the movie explores the difficulties of being from a different class and wanting to be with someone of another class, this is a huge issue in Asia especially countries like India where they have the “caste” system and if you associate with people from a lower class it degrades your reputation and brings “shame” to your family. In titanic Jack and Rose are lovers and they break this tradition as they come closer together. It appeals to a young audience because of the characters who are young and they represent “young love” meaning love is possible even when you are young. It also appeals to an older audience as rose from the beginning  is seen as an old women telling her tale of how she loved and lost and many old people can relate to this.



Freedom Writers
Fresh–faced, idealistic twenty–three–year–old Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank) is ready to take on the world as she steps inside Wilson High School for her first day of teaching. Her class, a diverse group of racially charged teenagers from different walks of life – African Americans, Latinos, Asians, juvenile delinquents, gang members, and underprivileged students from poor neighbourhoods – hope for nothing more than to make it through the day.
On the surface, the only thing they share is their hatred for each other and the understanding that they are simply being warehoused in the educational system until they are old enough to disappear. Despite her students’ obstinate refusal to participate during class, Erin tries various means to engage them on a daily basis. But then ghetto reality steps in to focus the picture.
A racially motivated gang shooting witnessed by a Latina gang member in Erin’s class, and an an ugly racial cartoon that Erin intercepts during class, become the most unwittingly dynamic teaching aids. They spark a transformation in the classroom, compel them to listen and force her to take off her idealistic blinders and take in the kids’survival stories of their undeclared war on the streets. Erin begins to connect with them. She brings in music from the ‘Hood, and literature from another kind of ghetto, The Diary of Anne Frank, and with these simple tools she opens her students’ eyes to the experiences of those suffering intolerance throughout the world and the struggles of those outside their own communities.

Alternative ideology
“Freedom Writers” presents itself as an alternative ideology or “subordinate” as it is appealing to a female working class audience. The movie involves a lot of ethnic backgrounds who are all at war with each other. This film’s main target audience is people male or female from an ethnic working class background from their teens till 40’s. It targets ethnic teens since in this movie the struggle is about them and how they learn to live with each other. Middle aged people because the solution for these children is the white middle class teacher who learns to look beyond their background and understands their struggles outside of school but in the classroom she unites everyone.