Thursday 23 March 2017
MEST1 Section B: index
1) The British film industry: Media Factsheet questions
2) Institutional context of the British film industry: Factsheet questions
3) Ill Manors: film review
4) Ill Manors: trailer analysis
5) Ill Manors: music video
6) Ill Manors: TEDx lecture
7) Ill Manors: broadcast platform concluded
8) Ill Manors: print platform (newspaper interviews)
9) Ill Manors: print branding
10) Ill Manors: e-media Tag London campaign
11) Ill Manors: e-media social networking research
12) Ill Manors: official website analysis
13) MEST1 Section B: essay plan
14) A Field In England: reading, research and questions
15) A Field In England: the appeal of arthouse cinema
16) Ill Manors, A Field In England, Warp & Vertigo: institution research
A Field in England: the appeal of Art house film
Audience pleasures?
The article talks about different audience being able to view art house films. Elitism plays a big factor in deciding the different pleasures audiences get, for example middle class people pay to see it as entertainment compared to viewing mainstream Hollywood movies and maybe lower class people who view art house films may see them for narrative and its art.
Why do some audiences struggle with art house films?, refer to media theories
Some audiences are use to the Hollywood blockbusters and their typical, generic film structures including equilibrium-dis equilibrium and new equilibrium. Art house films tend not to have no narrative closure and therefore make audiences feel at a disadvantage to the film genre.
To what extent is art house film only available for the middle classes and older pages?
Art house films have always been directed at a certain age group, even the location of the cinemas helps differentiate it from that of those from larger chain cinemas, for example; art house cinemas tend to be in cities and blend in with the surroundings. They are also a lot more expensive then regular cinema tickets because they feel as though they are supplying to a more wealthy audience. Maybe in the past art house cinemas were more exclusive but typically anyone could go and view a film in their, there is no specific people it wants to let though its door but does operate in quite a niche market to a certain extent.
What type of audience would a field in England appeal to?
A field in England fits very well for being an art house production. From the start you can tell that it is an art house production and that it was made for being art and not for the money. I think this would suit a typical art house audience being middle class/middle age people. Although, as it was release on a simultaneous release strategy a lot more of different types of audiences would be able to watch it such as a film 4 audience which amounted to most of the views for a field in England.
MEST1 Section B: A Field In England
100 word summary
The article goes on to talk about the original distribution schedule and how it become to be the success of the film. It compares itself to much larger distribution methods and whether that would be an effective way to make money in the future as the digital age is on the rise as more and more different media texts are being streamed illegally online. Paramount and Warner Bros will need to change their ways in the future and do something like A field in England does with its release.
How was a field in England release different to others?
A Field in England had what is called a simultaneous release strategy which involved releasing the film across various platforms on the same day. For example, the film was released on TV, DVD, Cinema and on demand in mid July. This strategy is different to that of a Hollywood distribution schedule, Paramount uses a method which involves releasing the film on different platforms over a different period of time, for example they could release a film at the start of a year but not release it on DVD till the other half of the year.
Advantages of releasing a film across all platforms on the same day?
In this case, as the film in question is an art house producation we can assume that the films intentions were not to make a large profit but to give a specific audience what they want or to provide a narrative something unique. As a result of this, using a simultaneous relase strategy could have been used to raise more awareness of the film so that it peaks media attention and makes for sales in the short terms than it ever would in the long term. Also, a simultaneous release means it would be aired on TV which means it can reach the widest audeince possible and possibly those who were not in its intended target market.
Disadvantages to this approach?
A Field in England cost approximately three hundred thousand pounds to make so by releasing it across all platforms all at once makes it less likely to recover all of the cots and maybe unable to generate a maximum revenue that they could have gained from using strategy.
Tuesday 21 March 2017
MEST1 Section B: Independent case study
The basics
1) What is the name of the film, the director and notable stars?
The name of the film is 'Suffragette' directed by Sarah Gavron, starring Helen Bonham Carter and Meryl Streep
2) When was it released?
The film 'Suffragette' was released on 12 October 2015
3) What genre is the film? What are the generic conventions that tell you the film belongs to this genre?
'Suffragette' is a historical period drama, this being so because the time period of the film as well as it focusing on an important part in British history.
4) What was the critical reception? What is the film rated on IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes?
'Suffragette' has a mild rating on IMDb however a pretty good rating from rotten tomatoes; 73%
Broadcast
Find examples of television promotion on YouTube (adverts, chat shows, ‘red carpet’ interviews etc.) and post them to your blog along with an explanation of how these promote the film.
This press conference help promote the film, by allowing the stars of the film to speak about their viewpoints and project all their thoughts to the public, this is good because majoirty of the star actors are well loved in the British acting community due to their successes else wheres, this brings in audiences that want to hear from them.
3) Does the broadcast promotion use stars to create interest in the film?
The stars are well loved by the public and encouraging the stars to go out in public and speak about the film and their own viewpoints causes the public to be interested and probably influenced by them to go watch the film and in the end probably will have the same viewpoints as the stars.
Print
1) Read at least THREE reviews of the film and provide a quote from each one.
''This movie paints an eye-opening picture of what life was like for women before the actions of those like Maud and her friends turned the tide toward equality.'' - Common Sense Media.
''The film makes a series of arguments about the workings of patriarchal power, the complexities of political resistance and the economic implications of the right to vote.'' - The NY Times.
''Suffragette is satisfyingly small in scope, a human-scale story of epic change.'' - The Atlantic.
2) Find examples of print promotion (e.g. film poster, billboard adverts etc.) on Google images and post them to your blog along with an explanation of how these promote the film.
1.
This film poster promotes the film by placing the three main characters in the film but also three well known actors across the globe, this draws attention to the poster and then it bold writing there's the words ''Mothers; Daughters; Rebels. This makes people wonder how can people like mothers and daughters be rebels, and hey will watch the film to find out.
2.
This poster highlights the police brutality people had to suffer back in the day and it encourages people to want to understand the issue more, therefore buying tickets to watch the film.
3.
Having the three main actors at the top of the film and a very important picture that describes the situation of the film and the review at the bottom of the poster ''Inspiring, unforgettable movie!'' many people want to be inspired so they might feel it is a must to go see the film.
4) How is the film’s brand constructed? What does the brand connote? Does it remind you of any other brands or similar films?
It is constructed to make people feel inspired and to feel emotional due to the fact the history was made because of the story within the film, the whole women population of the UK can vote because of the actions of the women in the film. It connotes freedom of speech.
E-media
1) Research the film’s presence on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc. How does the film’s social media presence help promote the film?
It doesn't have a lot of followers for a film however majority of the content on the site is re tweeted more than the amount of followers it has.
2) Analyse the official website for the film. How does it use the film’s brand? What examples of synergy can you find with the other platforms?
It uses the film brand by using the actors images throughout the film and it also explains parts of the film/history of the events that took place.
3) Did the film run any kind of e-media based campaign to generate interest in the film?
No it didn't run any e-media based campaign to generate interest in the film.
4) Can you find any examples of the two-step flow theory online – did celebrities or journalists tweet or post about the film in order to promote it to their followers?
Unfortunately i could not find any.
Audience
1) Who is the target audience for this film? Demographics and psychographics.
Probably women but mostly for people who are interested in what happened, and those who respect this particular event in history.
2) How does the cross-media promotional campaign target this audience?
By using their star actors to draw in public attention, through posters, interviews and conferences.
3) What audience pleasures does the film provide? Think about the BFI lecture on audience pleasures in British film.
A trip back into history, living the history changes for themselves.
4) What similar films would the target audience enjoy? Justify your suggestions.
Simalar films would consist of; The Kings Speech, The Iron Lady, Selma etc.
Institution
1) Which film studio produced the film? What other films have they produced? Do they have a track record with this kind of film and this target audience?
The films studio that produced this film would be Olympic Studios.
2) Which company distributed the film in the UK? What other films have they distributed?
Pathe distributed the film in the UK, they also distributed films such as: Slumdog Millionaire, Beauty and The Beast, Selma and A United Kingdom.
3) Do they have a track record with this kind of film and this target audience?
Yes they do.
4) What was the budget for the film?
The budget for the film is 14 Million USD
5) How successful was the film financially? Why do you think this was?
The box office for the movie was 32 Million USD thats more than double of the budget, it was successful but not was much as it could have been.
6) Was this film more successful in the UK or worldwide/USA? Why do you think this is?
I think it was more successful in the UK due to the fact that the film is mostly about the UK and the events the took place, however the US have a huge interest in British events too.
7) What certificate was the film given (12A, 18 etc.)? What was the reason for this certificate? Is the certification important for this film in terms of targeting its audience? Why?
The rating for this film was PG-13 due to the fact it contained some intense violence,brief strong language and partial nudity.
Representation
1) What representations of people, places or groups can be found in this film?
The representation of the people in this film is of working class and a little bit of upper class. Places found in this film would be classic British places, like kings cross station.
2) What representation of ‘Britishness’ does the film contain?
It contains elements of ''Britishness'' such as car carriages and famous London landmarks such as the Big Ben and clothing that can only be associated with the British people.
3) How does the representation of Britain differ to Ill Manors?
It differs to time and how the people behaved, in both films people speak in a different manner with one another, such as in suffragette people talk with a sense of respectable tone but in Ill Manors people spoke in a tone in slang.
4) What values and ideologies can you find in your chosen film? (E.g. The King’s Speech is extremely patriotic, pro-monarchy etc.)
Case study comparison
1) What similarities and differences can you find between Ill Manors, A Field In England and your chosen case study film? List all that apply.
1) What is the name of the film, the director and notable stars?
The name of the film is 'Suffragette' directed by Sarah Gavron, starring Helen Bonham Carter and Meryl Streep
2) When was it released?
The film 'Suffragette' was released on 12 October 2015
3) What genre is the film? What are the generic conventions that tell you the film belongs to this genre?
'Suffragette' is a historical period drama, this being so because the time period of the film as well as it focusing on an important part in British history.
4) What was the critical reception? What is the film rated on IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes?
'Suffragette' has a mild rating on IMDb however a pretty good rating from rotten tomatoes; 73%
Broadcast
Find examples of television promotion on YouTube (adverts, chat shows, ‘red carpet’ interviews etc.) and post them to your blog along with an explanation of how these promote the film.
This press conference help promote the film, by allowing the stars of the film to speak about their viewpoints and project all their thoughts to the public, this is good because majoirty of the star actors are well loved in the British acting community due to their successes else wheres, this brings in audiences that want to hear from them.
3) Does the broadcast promotion use stars to create interest in the film?
The stars are well loved by the public and encouraging the stars to go out in public and speak about the film and their own viewpoints causes the public to be interested and probably influenced by them to go watch the film and in the end probably will have the same viewpoints as the stars.
1) Read at least THREE reviews of the film and provide a quote from each one.
''This movie paints an eye-opening picture of what life was like for women before the actions of those like Maud and her friends turned the tide toward equality.'' - Common Sense Media.
''The film makes a series of arguments about the workings of patriarchal power, the complexities of political resistance and the economic implications of the right to vote.'' - The NY Times.
''Suffragette is satisfyingly small in scope, a human-scale story of epic change.'' - The Atlantic.
2) Find examples of print promotion (e.g. film poster, billboard adverts etc.) on Google images and post them to your blog along with an explanation of how these promote the film.
1.
This film poster promotes the film by placing the three main characters in the film but also three well known actors across the globe, this draws attention to the poster and then it bold writing there's the words ''Mothers; Daughters; Rebels. This makes people wonder how can people like mothers and daughters be rebels, and hey will watch the film to find out.
2.
This poster highlights the police brutality people had to suffer back in the day and it encourages people to want to understand the issue more, therefore buying tickets to watch the film.
3.
Having the three main actors at the top of the film and a very important picture that describes the situation of the film and the review at the bottom of the poster ''Inspiring, unforgettable movie!'' many people want to be inspired so they might feel it is a must to go see the film.
4) How is the film’s brand constructed? What does the brand connote? Does it remind you of any other brands or similar films?
It is constructed to make people feel inspired and to feel emotional due to the fact the history was made because of the story within the film, the whole women population of the UK can vote because of the actions of the women in the film. It connotes freedom of speech.
E-media
1) Research the film’s presence on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc. How does the film’s social media presence help promote the film?
2) Analyse the official website for the film. How does it use the film’s brand? What examples of synergy can you find with the other platforms?
It uses the film brand by using the actors images throughout the film and it also explains parts of the film/history of the events that took place.
3) Did the film run any kind of e-media based campaign to generate interest in the film?
No it didn't run any e-media based campaign to generate interest in the film.
4) Can you find any examples of the two-step flow theory online – did celebrities or journalists tweet or post about the film in order to promote it to their followers?
Unfortunately i could not find any.
Audience
1) Who is the target audience for this film? Demographics and psychographics.
Probably women but mostly for people who are interested in what happened, and those who respect this particular event in history.
2) How does the cross-media promotional campaign target this audience?
By using their star actors to draw in public attention, through posters, interviews and conferences.
3) What audience pleasures does the film provide? Think about the BFI lecture on audience pleasures in British film.
A trip back into history, living the history changes for themselves.
4) What similar films would the target audience enjoy? Justify your suggestions.
Simalar films would consist of; The Kings Speech, The Iron Lady, Selma etc.
Institution
1) Which film studio produced the film? What other films have they produced? Do they have a track record with this kind of film and this target audience?
The films studio that produced this film would be Olympic Studios.
2) Which company distributed the film in the UK? What other films have they distributed?
Pathe distributed the film in the UK, they also distributed films such as: Slumdog Millionaire, Beauty and The Beast, Selma and A United Kingdom.
3) Do they have a track record with this kind of film and this target audience?
Yes they do.
4) What was the budget for the film?
The budget for the film is 14 Million USD
5) How successful was the film financially? Why do you think this was?
The box office for the movie was 32 Million USD thats more than double of the budget, it was successful but not was much as it could have been.
6) Was this film more successful in the UK or worldwide/USA? Why do you think this is?
I think it was more successful in the UK due to the fact that the film is mostly about the UK and the events the took place, however the US have a huge interest in British events too.
7) What certificate was the film given (12A, 18 etc.)? What was the reason for this certificate? Is the certification important for this film in terms of targeting its audience? Why?
The rating for this film was PG-13 due to the fact it contained some intense violence,brief strong language and partial nudity.
Representation
1) What representations of people, places or groups can be found in this film?
The representation of the people in this film is of working class and a little bit of upper class. Places found in this film would be classic British places, like kings cross station.
2) What representation of ‘Britishness’ does the film contain?
It contains elements of ''Britishness'' such as car carriages and famous London landmarks such as the Big Ben and clothing that can only be associated with the British people.
3) How does the representation of Britain differ to Ill Manors?
It differs to time and how the people behaved, in both films people speak in a different manner with one another, such as in suffragette people talk with a sense of respectable tone but in Ill Manors people spoke in a tone in slang.
4) What values and ideologies can you find in your chosen film? (E.g. The King’s Speech is extremely patriotic, pro-monarchy etc.)
Case study comparison
1) What similarities and differences can you find between Ill Manors, A Field In England and your chosen case study film? List all that apply.
Essay Plan
Intro-
Introduce case study (iLL Manors), industry(British Film Industry) and texts (A Field in England, 71 and/or one other film).
Para 1 -
E- Media (ILL Manors)
Tag London Campaign- promotional campaign linked to soundtrack- projecting tweets.
original, imaginative & attract audiences, controversial, engaging, political
Maintain - UGC (User Generated Content)
Para 2 -
Broadcast
Music Video- Visuals &political content/ news footage, actors-synergy/identification, uses and gratifications (personal identity)
Trailer- Narrative structure- main characters are not particularly important in the film- makes the audience think that its just an urban London film.Traditional/conventional (Todorov)- seems more accessible.
Para 3-
Broadcast/ E-media
TEDx Lecture- imaginative- contextualises the film, characters and motivations
Plan B/ Revolver Ent going beyond his typical fan base (middle class) ''Guardian reader'' - social/politics, social class (how inequalities in society can be addressed).- this helps attract and maintain different types of audiences.
Para 4-
Print
Branding- how its constructed- mise en scene- costume/font/image/setting/ colour scheme
CD Packaging/DVD/ Film Posters/ Billboards (add website later)
Introduce case study (iLL Manors), industry(British Film Industry) and texts (A Field in England, 71 and/or one other film).
Para 1 -
E- Media (ILL Manors)
Tag London Campaign- promotional campaign linked to soundtrack- projecting tweets.
original, imaginative & attract audiences, controversial, engaging, political
Maintain - UGC (User Generated Content)
Para 2 -
Broadcast
Music Video- Visuals &political content/ news footage, actors-synergy/identification, uses and gratifications (personal identity)
Trailer- Narrative structure- main characters are not particularly important in the film- makes the audience think that its just an urban London film.Traditional/conventional (Todorov)- seems more accessible.
Para 3-
Broadcast/ E-media
TEDx Lecture- imaginative- contextualises the film, characters and motivations
Plan B/ Revolver Ent going beyond his typical fan base (middle class) ''Guardian reader'' - social/politics, social class (how inequalities in society can be addressed).- this helps attract and maintain different types of audiences.
Para 4-
Branding- how its constructed- mise en scene- costume/font/image/setting/ colour scheme
CD Packaging/DVD/ Film Posters/ Billboards (add website later)
MEST1 Section B: The British film industry
1) What is the 'cultural test' to see if a film counts as British?
The cultural test is a method of identifying British Films. A film must have a score of 16 (out of 31) to be classified as British.
What is the main problem for the British film industry?
There are many British films to be made, but they have to be exhibited by various distribution companies which are foreign. Therefore they lose most of their revenue through synergy (cinema screenings, DVD and Blu ray sales etc). Other problems faced by the British film industry include : the glamorization of american actors over their British counterparts, better pay in Hollywood, and also the popularity of theater acting over film acting.
What are three of the strengths of the British film industry?
- Creativity - J.K Rowling's Harry Potter books have paved the way for successful British Films
- Outstanding Facilities - studios and camera companies attract investment from filmmakers around the world
- Financial aid - Organisations such as the BFI help with production and distribution costs
British filmmakers can rely upon co-productions with American studios or they could attempt to make low budget films aimed at a niche, British audience.
In your opinion, which of these two options would best safeguard the future of the British film industry?
Ill Manors: Print platform
Different aspects should make up our study of the print platform for Ill Manors?
2) Does the article do more than just entertain? How? (Think of Uses and Gratifications theory) What audience pleasures does the article offer?
This article allows the people to gain a better insight to Plan B career and the way he behaves as an artist and a person. This gives the reader a personal connection to him.
4) How is narrative used to tell a story in each interview? Clue: what is it that keeps the reader interested in the article to the very end?
There isn't much narrative in this interview however if the reader were to know already of Plan B it would draw them in to get a better insight to his life.
5) What synergy can you find between this text and the broadcast examples we have studied so far?
Upperclass
- Newspaper/magazine Ill Manors reviews
- Newspaper/magazine Plan B interviews
- Newspaper/magazine features/profiles/ opinion pieces (columns)
- Print adverts
- Billboard adverts
- DVD/CD soundtrack packaging
The mens health interview
1) Identify the target audience (demographics/psychographics) for this magazine. How is that particular audience attracted?
The target audience for this interview would be for middle class men over the age of 30, not his music audience, by using his image and title in this article on this specific magazine allows other men of another target audience to want to get to know Plan B better.
2) Does the article do more than just entertain? How? (Think of Uses and Gratifications theory) What audience pleasures does the article offer?
This article allows the people to gain a better insight to Plan B career and the way he behaves as an artist and a person. This gives the reader a personal connection to him.
3) What codes/conventions of print interviews can you find in the article?
There is quotes from Plan B and as well as pictures of him included in the article.
There is quotes from Plan B and as well as pictures of him included in the article.
4) How is narrative used to tell a story in each interview? Clue: what is it that keeps the reader interested in the article to the very end?
There isn't much narrative in this interview however if the reader were to know already of Plan B it would draw them in to get a better insight to his life.
5) What synergy can you find between this text and the broadcast examples we have studied so far?
Upperclass
Thursday 2 March 2017
Ill Manors: e-media off-site research
Ill Manors Facebook page
- How many 'likes' has the Ill Manors film page had?
29,685
- What is the top of the page promoting?
It is promoting the film and how to allow fans to interact with the site to win a copy of Ill Manors.
- Choose five of the posts on the page's wall, screen grab them and explain how they appeal to the Ill Manor's target audience.
This would appeal to an audience who are interested in the film Ill Manors and this could be from various target audiences and not just Plan B's fan base.
This screenshot illustrates a prize draw of how to win a limited edition DVD cover of Ill Manors. The target audience for this post would be for real fans of Plan B, probably teenagers aged 13-18 who would be interested in collecting memorabilia of the Ill Manors brand.
This screenshot promotes a song from the soundtrack of Ill Manors. The target audience for this like one of the previous posts would be Plan B's music fans, however as the soundtrack and film are both linked (synergy) the fans of Plan B's work are both shared.
- Find three examples of synergy with other platforms (links to broadcast clips or newspaper/magazine articles). Explain how each one promotes the film.
- Links to the NME magazine. There is evidence that this article promotes the film as it is a music magazine and the soundtrack from Ill Manors is also being promoted which promotes the film as there is synergy between them.
- Plan B's photograph of him at the Mercury prize awards which he won awards for the album Ill Manors. There is synergy between the film and the soundtrack album, promotion occurs through this process.
- There is also an article linked on the Facebook page from the Independent newspaper. Its main purpose is to find out more about Plan B, this promote his film even more as it gives him and the Ill Manors brand free publicity.
- Find three examples on the Facebook wall of opportunities for user generated content or audience interaction (e.g. a question that invites people to comment or a competition to enter).
- There are many ways in which users can enter prize give away for things such as, limited edition Ill Manors DVD covers and original copies.
- "What scene from Ill Manors had the biggest effect on you?" this question allowed users to debate and answer what they felt they most liked about the film. It allows the users to engage with the page more and share mindful opinions.
- It promotes a social gathering for the Ill event, including film makers and actors to see there fans. This post encourages the users to get involved with the film and physically show their appreciation for it.
- Find three examples of the Facebook page cross-promoting the soundtrack or DVD release.
- Previewing exclusive clips of the Ill Manors soundtrack is an example of how it cross promotes.
- Previewing exclusive movie clips from Ill Manors the film to attract peoples attention and encourage them to buy it.
- A peoples thoughts section that constantly comes up through the Facebook posts and this helped cross promote the film and the soundtrack.
- Find the Twitter graffiti campaign link on the Facebook wall and screengrab it.
Ill Manors Twitter feed
- How does the Ill Manors Twitter feed use the Ill Manors brand to promote the film?
The brand is used in many ways to help promote the film, for example the twitter page includes various images and videos of Ill Manors. It also links various of people in its "bio" who had a major role of significance in the production of the film.
- What hashtags are used on the Ill Manors Twitter feed?
The main hash tag used was #illmanors, used on majority of the posts to help promote the film.
- Find three celebrities the Ill Manors Twitter feed re-tweeted to promote the film and explain
@RevolverUk, the production company that helped produce Ill Manors and this company has a wide fan/follower base therefore concluding it is probably one of the ideal way to help reach various target audiences and not just the ones the film is aimed at.
- How has the Ill Manors Twitter feed used pictures to help promote the film?
The Ill manors twitter page took full advantage of twitters features as it included display pictures and background images. It also posted pictures on its feed and retweeted various images from fans and institutions.
YouTube - planbuk channel
- How was the planbuk YouTube channel used to promote the Ill Manors film?
Plan B's channel there is many music videos and listed downloads for all of his songs relating to Ill Manors soundtrack and those which were part of the album. However, some videos standout, for example there is a video posted on his channel named, BBC interview, this must be exclusive to the channel as it has not been shown anywhere else on his social media sites so the exclusivity of this makes it more appealing to his fans. There is also teaser trailers that have been released on here which was uploaded in the lead up to the launch, this was done to keep viewers occupied and encaged so they would not loose interest in waiting for Ill Manors to be released.
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