TV Industry Genre and Representation - REVISION

Starter: Fill in the spaces on the gap handout provided which is to do with Happy Valley and genre.

Exam Question:
“Media representations of people are often simplistic”.
How true is this of the representations of people in your three main texts?
[30]

Your responses to exam questions need to refer to specific extracts from the 3 texts.
This means you should be able to discuss the relevant iconography, visual and technical codes whether you are answering a Text question (genre, narrative, representation) or an Audience question.

1.       Genre – Make detailed notes on the codes and conventions of the genres of each programme: crime, drama, sitcom, documentary, reality. Additionally look for where the genre has been treated in an unconventional way i.e. Always Sunny in Philadelphia. We’ve already looked at Drama in Film (Whiplash and Theory of Everything) so you should understand how Drama works but research and make notes first, if you’re not sure, on the conventions of the other genres then analyse how they are present (or not) in the Case Studies. There are plenty of texts books and web sites that will explain the conventions of the genres if you cannot work them out.

2.       Representations – Make detailed notes on how Characters are represented based on their age and gender. Remember that representation is about how People, Places, Events or Issues are re-represented in media (a version of something we know from real life, based on real life, or actually taken from real life e.g. First Date) and they can be positive or negative. If they are negative they may well be stereotyped or under-represented or the representations will be very biased. Look for how much narrative time a character is given, what status they have, how they are costumed, how they are directed to perform, how much dialogue they are given, how important they are to narrative events and cause-effect logic etc. Make notes on the significance, if any, of Place (locations/settings) e.g. Happy Valley and British Social Realism, First Date and London, Philadelphia/Paddy’s Bar and Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Make notes on Issues such as drugs and poverty, gun laws and gun ownership in America, the ideology of romance in the UK (e.g. heterosexual, homosexual etc).

Task 1:
You adopt a department role. One of the following:

• Sound
• Editing
• Lighting
• Framing
• Costume (include make-up, hair and jewellery)
• Props / Setting

Watch the clips of Happy Valley, First Dates, Always Sunny and indicate on white boards the approach taken by your 'department' to that specific clip.

Task 2: Note on the master sheet (middle of the table) the observations that people have made about their department.

Watch the clips of Happy Valley, First Dates, Always Sunny and indicate on white boards the approach taken by your 'department' to that specific clip.

https://media.sjd.ac.uk/View.aspx?id=4356~4s~tdtbzBql

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/first-dates/on-demand/61921-024



Task 1: Plan and write a response to the following exam question (Around 1000 words).

“Media representations of people are often simplistic”.
How true is this of the representations of people in your three main texts?
[30]

This question invites a personal opinion (which needs to be coherent and backed-up with examples), but it also invites candidates to discuss the construction of representations within their main texts. Candidates may also discuss any aspect of ‘people’ and ‘representation’. For example gender, ethnicity, disability, youth etc.
Points covered may include reference to:
 Selection, construction and mediation; agendas
 The relationship between the narrative and the representation
 Characters, roles and attitudes
 Construction through technical codes
 Appearance – dress codes, body language, mode of address
 Stereotypes, traditional or unconventional representations
 Theory as appropriate – for example Mulvey

Film - Industry Issues - Regulation

Starter: Look at the list of BBFC concerns below and consider any issues that would have been considered for regulation in your three texts; The Theory of Everything, Jurassic World and Whiplash.

Exam question:
How effectively is your selected industry regulated? Refer to your chosen texts in your answer.

In your response to this question you need to consider the following:

•  BBFC classification.
•  Reasons for certificates.
•  Specific examples from each text which raise cause for concern in regulation.

_______________________________________________________________________________

•  BBFC classification

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), previously the British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organization, founded by the film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films exhibited at cinemas and video works (such as television programmes, trailers, adverts, public Information/campaigning films, menus, bonus content etc.) released on physical media within the United Kingdom

•  Reasons for certificates

All films rated by the BBFC receive a certificate, along with "consumer advice" detailing references to sex, violence and coarse language. If a certificate specifies that a film or video game is only suitable for someone over a certain age, then only those over that age may buy it.
The BBFC rates theatrically released films,
Legally, local authorities have the power to decide under what circumstances films are shown in cinemas, but they nearly always choose to follow the advice of the BBFC.

• Current concerns

The BBFC's current guidelines identify a number of specific areas considered when awarding certificates or requiring cuts. These are:

• Depictions of cruelty and harassment based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or mental or physical disability,
• Adult themes and situations that may be considered too distressing for younger or more sensitive viewers,
• Offensive language (i.e., profanity and use of racial and ethnic slurs),
• Nudity
• Sexual content (including scenes of sexual activity and spoken/visual references to sex),
• Violence
• Gore and injury detail
• Sexual violence (rape and forced disrobing especially),
• Dangerous actions that can easily be imitated by younger, more naive viewers (certain combat moves [ear-claps, headbutts, and neck-breaking in particular]),
• All visual and verbal references to suicide [particularly if it involves hanging oneself or slashing one's wrists],
• Detailed criminal acts [such as breaking into a house using a credit card to jimmy the lock or hotwiring a car],
• Actions that result in injury or death in real life, but are almost always shown in the media (especially on shows aimed at younger audiences, such as cartoons) with no negative consequences, such as hiding in appliances that can trap and kill small children [i.e., tumble driers and old refrigerators], ingesting or misusing common household chemicals, or creating dangerous devices from common household items [such as a flamethrower from an aerosol can and a cigarette lighter] – fall under this category),
• Scenes of horror, threat, and danger and their intensity on audience members, and,
• Drug abuse being condoned or glamorised.

 

The examination proper is only two and a half hours long and there are three questions to answer.

Massive detail will not be required but the examiner will want the sense that a candidate has a real synoptic overview, so the use of lists used to illustrate you understand the full scope of the question will go down well. This is called 'touching the bases'.

Task 1: Using the handouts provided, find out as much as you can about the three texts; 

Whiplash IMDB

Wikipedia

Washington Post

____________________________________________

Jurassic World IMDB

Wikipedia

BBFC

Colin Treverrow interview

____________________________________________

The Theory of Everything IMDB

Wikipedia

BBFC

____________________________________________

INDUSTRY

Production

Context

Marketing

Regulation

Global Implications

Distribution

What is film DISTRUBUTION?The meaning of film distribution is the process of making a movie available for viewing by an audience, especially a target audience targeted to the specific film. This is normally known as film distributor, who would determine the marketing for the film, the media by which a film is to be exhibited or made available for viewing and who may set the release date and other matters on the film. The film may be exhibited directly to the public either through a movie theatre or television, or personal home viewing, such as; DVD, video-on-demand, download, , film distribution is usually accompanied by film promotion.

Who DISTRIBUTED THE FILM? The company that distributed the film was one of the biggest film companies in film industry; Universal Pictures

The Theory of Everything - Industry issues.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO ANSWER A REGULATION QUESTION IN THE EXAM, BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS HOW TEXTS CONFORM TO THE REGULATOR'S GUIDELINES, AS WELL AS ANALYSING THE TEXTS THAT HAVE BEEN CONTROVERSIAL.

Key Terms:
Indigenous - Originating and produced in a specific region, for example Britain.
Synergy - The interaction and co-operation of two or more media organisations in order to produce mutually beneficial outcomes. For example the combination of the artist and the record company.

RegulationThe production/distribution of many texts is subject to the regulation of an authoritative body, which may include censorship and certification. In terms of film, the BBFC classify texts before distribution in terms of age, based on the content of the film. 

The Theory of Everything Production Stats

Of the three films we are studying, The Theory of Everything (TTOE) is a British case study.
The notion of what constitutes a British film is complex and at times confusing.
The dominant definitions focus on institutional, industrial and cultural factors. It is of advantage to the British government to have films officially classified as British as this means that there are tax implications that will earn them money.
This may also attract overseas investment and also encourage the indigenous film industry.
It also means that British film achieves recognition in a global context.

The House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee report of 2003 into the British film industry stated that:
'The nature of the British film industry is not what we would wish it to be. 
Ideally, we would prefer the main activity to be indigenous production of films about Britain, a substantial proportion of which break out to success in the global market.'
They suggested that the British film industry does three things;
Provided services for the major Hollywood studios.
Makes indigenous films that are shot in the UK.
Makes films that are co-produced but not shot in the UK. Like, for example The Bond films.

Under the films act, for a film to be certified British it must meet the following tests:

• The maker test - the film must be made by a company that is registered, managed and controlled in the UK.
• The production cost test-70% of the production cost must spent on film making in the UK.
• The labour cost test-70-75% of the labour cost must be paid to residents of the UK.
• Previously filmed material-no more than 10% of the film should contain images from a film by a different filmmaker.

BFI require any film claiming to be British must pass Cultural test and awarded 16 out of 31 points;

• 75% of the film must take place in UK
• three of the lead characters must be British
• the film must be based on a British subject matter
• 75% of the original dialogue must be recorded in English language

Task 1: Discuss and Answer this question:
What services could the British film industry provide for a Hollywood studio?

Task 2: Research and consider how TToE meets the criteria for a British film.

What is meant by a high concept film?

Hollywood big budget film

• clearly defined characters, recognisable stereotypes
• simple narrative with universal themes, summarised in single sentence
• high production values in cinematography, costumes, settings and special effects
• elements that are easy to market and promote (e.g recognisable soundtrack)
• high profile stars related to films genre
• ‘larger than life’ protagonists
• visual appeal including expensive action scenes
• highly dramatic and hyperbolic plot situations

-Important in attracting global audience

-High concept films are produced by major film studios that are media conglomerates therefore have the ability to rely on financial returns

-Major distribution companies have the means for the promotion, exhibition and distribution of films they make

-Practise of synergy through horizontal integration

In 2012 90% of media was owned by 6 companies including Disney, News Corporation, and  Time Warner.

What is Synergy?

• Range of media agencies coming together to help each other
• As media conglomerates they seek to own companies that are mutually beneficial
• e.g time warner owns warner brothers who makes films, can exhibit products (IPC magazine) broadcasting (Turner broadcasting and CNN news)
• Allows cross-promotion of media products without involving any other interests
• The Disney channel/ Disney store/ Disney films

_____________________________________________________________________

The British Board of Film Classification, previously the British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organization, founded by the film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films exhibited at cinemas and video works released on physical media within the United Kingdom. It has a statutory requirement to classify videos, DVDs and, to a lesser extent, some video games under the Video Recordings Act 2010.

Task 3: Make an essay plan for the following question:

B2. Explore the impact of regulation on your three main texts. [30]
Candidates will need to know how their selected industry is regulated and to comment on how regulation has impacted on their chosen tests. Whilst the texts may not have been controversial they will all have had to adhere to the regulator’s code – so some discussion of relevant parts of the code may be needed. Overall, media texts need to adhere to codes of practice so regulation impacts on the structure, content, placement/scheduling etc. of texts.
The following offers a brief overview of the regulators for the film industry:

How does classification work?

BBFC Insight

The BBFC publishes detailed information about the content of every film that we rate, which we call BBFCinsight. BBFCinsight is aimed particularly at parents. It offers a summary of how and why a film was rated at any given category.

Complaining about a film.

BBFC classification. Reasons for certificates Different regulators in other countries  DVD certificates Monitors and responds to complaints

Task 1: Discuss and Answer this question:
What services could the British film industry provide for a Hollywood studio?
These services may include: 

• established and iconic stars that would attract a global audience. 
• settings not found in the USA. 
• a different tax regime and technical expertise to facilitate the production of high budget films.

Approaching the exam.

The three industries with relevant texts that you have been studying are as follows:

Music Industry:
Little Mix - Catfish and the Bottlemen - Beyonce

TV Industry:
Happy Valley - First Dates - Always Sunny

Film Industry:
The Theory of Everything - Jurassic World - Whiplash

__________________________________________________________________

For each text selected, candidates should consider the following:

 Text 
 genre  narrative  representation


Audience 
 audience/user targeting
 audience/user positioning
 audience responses and user interaction
 debates about the relationship between audiences/users and text.


Industry 
 production
 distribution (and exhibition where relevant)
 marketing and promotion
 regulation issues
 global implications
 relevant historical background

____________________________________________________________________

A written examination of two and a half hours, assessing AO1 and AO2. 

The paper will consist of two sections: 

Section A will offer two questions based on media texts; 

Section B will offer four questions based on industry and audience issues. 

Candidates will be required to answer one question from Section A 

and two questions from Section B, using a different media industry for each answer. 

Each question will require them to make reference to the three main texts they have studied for each media industry. 

_______________________________________________________________________

Rubric Infringement

It is a requirement for this unit that candidates refer to three main texts in each of their answers. If candidates refer to less than three texts, the following adjustments will be made:

Two texts referred to - 3

One text or no text referred to - 5

_____________________________________________________________________

Useful links:

Film Distribution

Film Industry - The Theory of Everything - Narrative

James Marsh's biopic of the celebrated scientist Stephen Hawking, The Theory of Everything, stars Eddie Redmayne as the famous figure. Enrolled as a graduate student at Cambridge, Hawking establishes himself as one of the leading minds of his generation, and begins to win the heart of Jane (Felicity Jones). After one of his earliest breakthroughs, Hawking is diagnosed with ALS, and he becomes less and less able to control his own body. With the loyal Jane at his side, he continues his work. However, as the years progress, Jane starts to feel more like a nurse than a wife, and Hawking begins to have feelings for a woman who is hired to care for him. The Theory of Everything screened at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.

Theory of everything narrative from aealey

Film Industry _ The Theory of Everything _ Genre

Genre theory of everything from aealey

Film Industry - The Theory of Everything - Audience Positioning

Past exam question:

B1. Discuss the different ways audiences are positioned by your three main texts. [30]

Starter: Define these Key Media Studies terms (white boards):

Active Audience

Passive Audience

encoded signs and messages

In order to understand the relationship between the audience and the media text, it is important to know that all media text have a series of encoded signs and messages.

The audience decode these messages and different audiences will decode them in different ways.

Media texts and the industries are acutely aware of their audiences.

To understand the position that the audience will take dependent on certain factors.

The relationship between media and audience is fluent and changing

Audiences are not a mass and their responses are complex and sophisticated

Audiences are made up of individuals - Either PASSIVE OR ACTIVE
Active Audience - This audience responds to and interprets the media text in different ways and actively engages with the messages.
Passive Audience - This is an audience that does not engage actively with the text. They do not question the text and therefore accept the preferred reading without challenge. They therefore might be more affected by the messages contained within the text.

Genre theory of everything from aealey

1. Opening Scene – Bikes in Cambridge: 00:00- 02:12

2. Jane Meets Stephen: 02:12-05:25

3. Family Dinner: 12:35-14:00

4. Montage of Home Movies: 01:07:00-01:09:00

5. Ending: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RdvRJGl_w

Task 1: Watch the key scenes from The Theory of Everything and makle notes related to audience positioning.

Consider the following:

Sound. 

Diegetic/non diegetic.

Lack of sound (Pure cinema)

Dialogue 

and tone of voice

Edit.

Is it clear who's point of view?

Does the editing (through shot-reverse shot) put anyone in a dominant positionm?

Shorter shots (fast paced editing) to add drama?

Slow paced to show reactions?

Does it cut between hand held and tripod shots.

Lighting.

Is there any top lighting to make characters look intimidating?

Spotlight to isolate a character.

Warm or cool coloration to show human side or intensity.

High key, natural lighting to make audience feel comfortable?

Low key lighting to provide enigma and keep the audience hooked.

Framing.

Close ups to show emotion of characters and position the audience.

Wide shots to establish setting.

Up shots put a character in position of strength.

Down shots making character look vulnerable.

Eye level make audience feel comfortable.

Tracking shots positions the audience in the scene, with the characters/action.

How are the audience positioned through the use of technical codes?

Task 2: Attempt the exam question but relate only to The Theory of Everything.

B1. Discuss the different ways audiences are positioned by your three main texts. [30]