Paul Lazarsfeld limited effects theory from Sarah Ghost

Beyoncé 1+1 video

The music video has many connotations and Beyoncé herself is shown as being very sexual and suggestive. Throughout the video there are many suggestions that make the audience believe she has had sex, e.g. the water looks like sweat and messy hair. Sounds are also used throughout the song to also show signs of sexual intercourse. For example heavy breathing and high pitched “ooh” sounds, give suggestive connotations of sexual intercourse. 

As well as sounds and body features, Beyoncé uses body movements and motions to add extra connotations and hints of sex. When the camera is pointing at the singer with just a black background, she rubs her neck and strokes her body with facial expressions that may suggestive a sexual feeling.

The video is clearly aimed to be very sensual and sexual and designed for male gaze, which suggests that males are dominant and women’s purpose is to please men. At one point in the video a still of Beyoncé with blown back hair and red lighting staring directly into the camera is shown. This picture could have many connotations. In Greek mythology a famous name appears man times, “Medusa”. This still image could be linked to Medusa in the sense of the long strands of hair that look like snakes and a glaring stare that (due to Greek mythology) could turn a man to stone. This comcomparison is fitting in many ways as medusa is said to have attracted men with her beauty before turning them into stone, which could relate to Beyoncé using male gaze and sexualisation to get more fans and views.

Throughout the video Beyonce uses many facial expressions as connotations, the most regularly used is the ‘Invitational’ smile. Marjorie Ferguson theorised that there are 4 male gaze facial expressions used in media. According to these the ‘Invitational” expression is the closest to hers. The lips are closed and a sexual look gives the audience ideas. 

Sexuality Stereotypes

Sexuality Stereotypes

Common Stereotypes

REPRESENTATIONS – COMMON STEREOTYPES

True Detective Analysis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_HuFuKiq8U

The establishing shot at start of the clip shows  a few characters entering a building with guns and other weapons, this tells the audience from the start that these characters and dangerous and looking for trouble. The shot does not change and continues to run an over the shoulder shot whist the characters force their way into the house and threaten the people inside the building with violence. The main character then is followed by the camera around the house whilst he checks for any other people, when he finds a child in a bedroom he tells him to hide in the bathroom, an indication that this character may not be as bad as the others breaking into the house. The camera then follows him back to the centre of the house where the rest of the gang are holding the members of the people in the home hostage. The camera is angled at an over the shoulder position in able to give a hands on perspective to the viewer, this is supposed to make them feel involved and intimidated by the chaotic scenes. When a member of the intruders fires his gun and kills an innocent member of the group originally inside the house, the character that has been the centre of the cameras attention appears to change his motive and punches a member of what the audience thought was his gang, he then forcefully escapes and makes the man he punched escape with him whilst grabbing on to his shirt. After exiting the house the main character is attacked by what appears to be a random man. The camera zooms out to a long shot that allows the viewers to fully watch the action as the main character fights of two attackers with baseball bats and catches up with his fleeing victim. Throughout the 6 minute running single track shot there are many different camera techniques, angles and shots, however not all are clear as the running, nonstop and non-edited film creates a feeling of chaos that merges all these techniques into one. A running camera with majority of it being mid shot, makes the audience involved, you feel as you are running with the character and feel the need to escape the chaos as the character does in this very scene.

Audience and Institutions-the 7 Key Concept Areas Listed And Explained

Audience and Institutions-the 7 Key Concept Areas Listed And Explained

Section B: Institutions and Audiences

Candidates should be prepared to understand and discuss the processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary media institutions, as well as the nature of audience consumption and the relationships between audiences and institutions. In addition, candidates should be familiar with:

• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;
• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange;
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences;
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences;
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions;
• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary (current) media practice

The depth and range of ownership across a range of media and the consequences of this ownership for audiences in terms of the genres and budgets for films. How for instance, can Channel4's Film4 survive in the British market place against the high concept, big-budget films made by Newcorp's FOX, Warner Bros, Disney, Universal, etc.? What kinds of niche audiences are left for Film4 to attract? Are mass audiences out of reach given the genres of films Film4 have the budgets to make? How successful have they been in reaching mass audiences with their films? How healthy is it that just a few mega media groups can own such a range of media and can decide what the public may see, and, perhaps, shape audience's tastes?

• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing

 Digital technology is enabling various media to converge in hubs, platforms and devices. For instance, mobiles phones do a lot more than act as hand held telephones: you can download and watch films and TV programmes, use them as alarm clocks, watches, play music on them, take photos and short films, text, go online, use GPS functions, a range of apps, and a whole lot more. New HD TVs, Playstations, X-Boxes, iPads, Notebooks, MacBooks, etc. are also examples of hubs which in which a variety of media technologies can converge for convenience for users. Media convergence is having an enormous impact on the film industry because of the ways in which institutions can produce and market for audiences/users on a widening range of platforms, capable of receiving their films.

Synergies can come out of an organisation's size; smaller media organisations such as Channel4 can-cross promote their films, etc. but the scale of cross-media promotion is nowhere near as great as that which can be gained by massive media organisations. Film4 is therefore unable to promote their lower budget films on a level playing field.

• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange

The audience's ability to interact with films by, for instance, using digital technology to put extracts on You Tube and overlay new sound tracks on them, etc. and make answering videos has been greatly enhanced by Web 2.0; Film studios can make films using CGI, greenscreen and other special effects that were impossible to make only a few years ago. The ways of filming and editing films have changed, too, with the introduction of digital film and film cameras, editing software, laptops, digital projectors, etc. Distributors market films using the latest software for designing high-concept film posters and trailers. They can use phone apps., online marketing, Twitter, etc. File-sharing and piracy are growing issues because the software exists to take the protective encryption of DVDs, etc and WEB 2.0 enables people to make and share copies of films easily. One way in which film companies are trying to get around this is by releasing films soon after theatrical release by selling them on video-on-demand, premium TV channels and downloads. US and UK cinemas chains are not happy about this, especially after all the investment some have made on digital equipment, projectors, etc. which unfortunately quickly goes very quickly out of date!

• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences

This means the increase of something: i.e. digital cameras, software, CGI, 3D films, film genres, etc. which are part of current trends; how significant is this for See Saw Films or Film4? Or are they still able to be successful without it by making films with genres that do not need the latest breakthroughs in digital technology? Research the film company's use of cameras, special effects, software, posters, digital distribution of films, etc.

• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences

This is a WEB 2.0 issue and how technology is coming together in hubs like laptops is one of the features of our age; the mobile phone in your pocket is a great example of technological convergence: it can do so much more than a simple phone call; think how this is affecting film making at the production, marketing and exhibition stages? The Internet is acting as a hub for many aspects of film: you will find film posters, YouTube videos on films, interviews, trailers, official film and blog websites, etc. on it.  Audiences can also remake their own films by creating extracts and running new scores over them and then posting them on YouTube. This often leads to answering videos, never mind the comments, etc. that people make  on such sites. The internet, film and videos games seems to be converging in so many ways. People can watch films in a range of ways, using an astonishing range of hardware and software. They can also find audiences of their own. This amounts to free publicity for film institutions for their films and "A Long Tail" sales into the future through endless exchange.

• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions

"Slumdog Millionaire" was originally aimed at Asian audiences living in various parts of the UK and also at Danny Boyle fans. The film's unexpected success at film festivals and being nominated for the Oscars led to another theatrical release and a crossover from the "indy" art-house into the mainstream. British film makers often make social realism films and aim them at local and regional audiences whereas this would never be enough for the major media players who tend to make high budget, high concept films. They have boutique offshoots who make and often distribute lower budget films, aimed at more high brow audiences. Disney's Mirimax and Fox's Fox Searchlight are examples of such boutique, art-house film distribution.

• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour
How you consume films whether it is as a social activity after visiting a shopping centre or on an MP4 player or Playstation, is what is at issue here. Visit Pearl and Dean to see how multiplex cinemas are adapting the experience of cinema-going to gain audiences. In an age of falling DVD sales, home cinema and an increase in downloading for both music and film audiences are changing in how they want to consume film. Identify trends and consider where the audience trends are going in the near future.

This unit should be approached through contemporary (up-to-date) examples in the form of case studies based upon one of the specified media areas. 

Representation of Me

Representation of Me

Skins Representation of Age

Skins Representation of Age

Film Production

Writer: Screen writers research and develop scripts so that they can be adapted and turned into a film by the crew and cast. Quentin Tarantino often helps and takes part in writing his scripts.

Producer: The producer of a film is in charge of making sure the film goes to plan. They insure everything runs smoothly, by hiring the crew and by putting together a talented cast.

 Casting Director: A casting Director’s job is to find actors to play the roles in the film. They have to sit through many auditions and interviews to insure they select the actors they think are right to play the part in the film.

Director: The director is the main person in charge when making a film, they tell the actors what to do and how they should do it so it should looks good when the film is finished. They bring the script to life by visualising and creating a structure to the film.

Film Finance: The people who are in charge of the film’s finance deal with buying items to create the film and make sure the producer sticks to a budget.

Camera Operator: A camera operator’s job is really in the name; their jobs include operating and preparing the camera and the equipment needed with it. They also work alongside the director to work out what bits need shooting and at which angle.

Editor: Once the film is finished the editor works closely alongside the director to make sure everything looks how it should and whether anything needs changing or cutting.

Production Designer: Production designers define and manage every visual aspect of a film and work with the Director and Producer to produce a budget and schedule for making the film.

Marketing: People working in marketing are responsible for promoting the film by creating trailers, posters and adverts in various other forms to attract attention of the film before it is released.

Exhibition: Cinema exhibition is how the film is viewed. The film tape/ digital copy is sent to cinemas around the world for the film to be played on various cinemas.

5X5

Favourite Five Albums

1.      The Wytches – Annabel Dream Reader

2.      My Bloody Valentine – mbv

3.      Cream – Strange Brew (The Best of Cream)

4.      Drenge – Drenge

5.      Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am is, That’s What I’m Not

There is a wide range of music genres and types in my five favourite albums, certain music reminds me of certain places, like the first Arctic Monkeys album reminds me of holidays as a kid as it was regularly played. 

Favourite Five Films

1.      Trainspotting

2.      Youth in revolt

3.      Nowhere Boy

4.      Submarine

5.      The Grand Budapest Hotel

All these films are interesting, none are maybe the best visually or action wise however they are all films I could watch over and over and still not grow tired of. Films with an interesting story line that interests you whilst at the same time as entertaining you.

Favourite TV Series

1.      The Following – An American crime drama that follows the story of a murderer setting up a string of highly intelligent murders, attacks and cults. The programme is intelligent and tense, leaving you to sit on the edge of your seat the whole time.

2.      The Walking Dead – An American horror drama that tells the story of the zombie apocalypse sweeping the world through a deadly disease and how the survivors manage to survive. Moments of tension between zombies and even other human’s makes you think what would happen if the world actually did end up like this.

3.      Skins – A British comedy/grim drama that follows the lives of teenage youth in Bristol. The programme makes you feel for some of the characters and loathe others cleverly giving a personality to a character. Many now famous British actors featured in early series such as, Nicholas Hoult and Dev Patel.

4.      Peaky Blinders – A period drama set in Birmingham in the early 20^th Century follows the lives of gang culture and family rivalries and is based on the stories of the notorious ‘Shelby’ family. The programme interests the viewer with some of the best staging and backdrops I have ever seen on any TV programme, as well as this, the British actors and period costumes are incredible.

5.      Orange is the New Black – An American comedy/drama that is set in a female prison.

Favourite Five Bands

1.      Cream

2.      The Smiths

3.      Catfish and the Bottlemen

4.      The Wytches

5.      Lower Than Atlantis

The variety in music choice is based on the mood and what I feel like. Five bands is extremely hard to pick so I went for five different sounding music and picked my five favourites from these categories. It is impossible to listen to one style of music and never stray. Some bands are mellower and some more heavier, some older and some newer. All intriguing and extremely good in their own way.

Favourite Five Actors

1.      Michael Cera

2.      Nico Mirrallego

3.      Scarlett Johansson

4.      Emma Stone

5.      Woody Harrelson

I don’t know much about actors or acting skills so I went to my favourite films and selected the most interesting characters and thought about which actors managed to completely transform themselves into another person on film, as that’s what makes a good actor.