Example 1 - Mary Ann meets the Gravediggers (Regina Spektor)
Front
Back
Example 2 - Hospice (The Antlers)
Front
Back
Example 3 - Burst Apart (The Antlers)
Front
Back
Example 4 - The Black Parade (My Chemical Romance)
Front
Back
Tuesday 27 October 2015
Pre-Production Research: CD Cover Examples
Example 1 - Mary Ann meets the Gravediggers (Regina Spektor)
Front
Back
Example 2 - Hospice (The Antlers)
Front
Back
Example 3 - Burst Apart (The Antlers)
Front
Back
Example 4 - The Black Parade (My Chemical Romance)
Front
Back
Wednesday 21 October 2015
Pre-Production Research: CD Cover Codes and Conventions
Before I can begin to design my pre-production, I must first define the typical conventions that a CD Cover may contain. As the word 'convention' means "a way in which something is usually done", then I need to identify the features all CD covers have in common.
The most obvious conventions would be the artistis name, the album title, and the main image. All three would have some link to each other; an example would be Regina Spektor's album, Mary Ann meets the Gravediggers (featured left). The main image, a woman walking away from three gravediggers, expressibly links to the album title. While the main image is mostly black and white, the flowers the woman (a.k.a Mary Ann) is holding are red; this colour scheme is reflected in the artists name, which stands out against the simplistic black and white background. The flowers themselves are wilting, indicating that they are dying; this links back to the idea of gravediggers, which the album is called. Another notable aspect about the CD cover, is the fonts used. Part of the album title is, not only capitalised, but also in a slightly larger font; this attracts the attention of the audience and focuses us upon what the album concerns. However, it also informs us that this album is likely to be more of a abstract collection of songs: 'and other short stories'. This makes the CD stand out from more stereotypical albums; rather than replicating other artists and singing about money or relationships, this artist seems to revert to using music to tell stories rather than using it to brag. In contrast to the album title, the artists name is presented in red, linking to the wilting flowers, and stands out amongst the simple colour scheme. The font it is written in is also different to the album title; again, this is to make it stand out and also clearly define who the singer is.
These are three items that are widely accepted as the main conventions of the front of a CD cover; the back, however, contains a number of different conventions: * A list of song titles
* A barcode
* Copyright and year
* Name of the company record
* Who the album has been distributed by
While this album contains all of the conventions listed, it also includes some others that are relevant and could aid me in discerning what should feature on my design.
Although it is predominately a CD, you learn that the album also features a DVD, one which references a previous album sold by this artist. However, it does contain the music video to one of the songs featured on the disc. Considering that I will be creating a music video for my production, this is a clever idea that could feature upon my pre-production.
Another item that is not a stereotypical convention of CD Covers is the picture format, colour mode, the region code, disc format, duration, and the language and audio content. These are all relevant as they inform the consumer which countries this disc can be played in, and also the length of the album itself. Again, these would also be useful to include for my pre-production.
My final point concerning the back of this album is the use of an image. It is arguable that this is an uncommon convention, but it is one that is used by artists; the image itself is one that conforms, not only to the colour scheme, but also the albums theme. As such, I need to consider if this is an item that features upon the backs of my selected artists CD covers, and if it should be included based upon my research.
Wednesday 7 October 2015
Print Based Analysis
Magazine Analysis
Example 1 - Allure
Allure magazine is very clearly one that is targeted at young women (possibly from age fourteen to twenty-five) within the socio-economic band of C1 to D - there is however a chance that it may be attractive to people within other socio-economic grouping.
The most immediate method in discerning the gender and age its targeted at is the masthead. A bright and bold pink written in a lowercase, and unusual, font. Pink, this shade in particular, is a stereotypically "girly" colour; through the use of this alone, you can easily identify the gender that this magazine is targeting. However, you can also use the masthead to identify the age and socio-economic grouping through the font used. The font is unusual and fun implying that it is aimed at a younger audience, most likely within the fourteen to twenty-five band, and is not particularly sophisticated. This rules out the A band at the very least. The masthead has also been written in lowercase; again there is a level of refinement missing that you would associate with the upper two socio-economic classes. Ergo, from the masthead alone you can determine the gender, age and socio-economic grouping.
Another way to determine the audience of this magazine is through the cover lines. "Best HAIR Ever!" and "STRESSED-OUT Skin" are to name a few and all point to a specific gender and age. To begin with, "Best HAIR Ever" suggests that this magazine is for women who do, generally, spend a lot of time in trying to make themselves look nice, their hair included. Not only does this hint towards the gender, but also suggests that it is targeted at an age that places a lot of focus upon making themselves look 'the best': so you can infer that it is targeted at under thirty (thirty is an age that women typically begin to 'lose' their looks and figures). Given the presentation of the masthead and this main cover line, it is same to assume that the highest target age for this magazine is mid-twenties - you can discover the lower limit from the next line: "STRESSED-OUT Skin Superfast Ways to Calm Zits and Redness". As 'stressed-out skin' is something that teenagers experience as they progress through puberty, we can determine that the lower limit is within this time period, most likely fourteen, possibly younger. From two cover lines, you can accurately identify the upper and lower limits of the target audience's age.
A final point to make regarding this magazine cover is the main image: a close up of a young woman. I personally do not know who this is but, from one of the cover lines, I can infer that this is Ashley Greene - the cover line also informs us that she starred in one of the Twilight films. Again, due to how Twilight is teen orientated fiction, you can assume that the target audience is within that boundary and possibly a little above. One of the most notable things regarding the main image is that she is looking directly at the camera; this invites the audience in and encourages them to engage with the magazine and the story. However, the cover line that introduces her gives her whole name; this could be as she is a rising actress and not as well known as others.
Example 2 - Time
Whilst Time magazine does not appear to target any specific gender, it does target then A and B socio-economic classes and probably those in their early thirties and above. Compared to the first example, this magazine is rather simple in its design; its cover is not plastered in cover lines, and the font styles are not excessive in an attempt to seem fun and 'down-with-the-crowd' as the first seemed to be.
Much like how the masthead of Allure magazine is indicative of the audience's age, socio-economic class and gender, so too is the masthead for Time magazine. With a font reminiscent of times new roman, the masthead is very simple and yet appears to carry a level of elegance that the first example lacked; from this it is easy to determine that this magazine is targeting an older and more sophisticated class of people, meaning people within their early to mid thirties who are a part of the socio-economic class of A and B. The gender is harder to discern however; this is because their is no obvious indicator of a specific gender - the colour red, for example, is one that has no immediate association with either gender. As a result, it is safe to assume that the magazine is not gender specific.
Another reason for deciding that the socio-economic classes are A and B is the magazine's content. We can see what the main articles are through the cover lines, the main one creating a heavy focus upon the American presidency. When you consider that the other important articles are concerning nuclear rogues and "Clint's take on heroes", Time magazine presents itself as a very political product. Politics are stereotypically followed by those who are within the top socio-economic classes, immediately meaning that it is targeted at those top bands rather than lower down. As Allure - a highly unpolitical magazine - targets classes lower than Time magazine's audience, this stereotype is given more credit.
The distribution of the cover is also very 'classy'; there are no unnecessary cover lines promoting tips to clearing you skin or nonsensical articles about movie stars. Instead, there is a simple close up of the leader of the democratic party against a plain white background - the main cover line is side by side with the main image, indicative that this is the main article within the magazine. The other cover lines, while visible, are placed in an out of the way area, preventing the cover from becoming overly cluttered.
Film Poster Analysis
Example 1 -
The Dark Knight, released in 2008, is part of the latest Batman series directed by Christopher Nolan, focusing upon the confrontations between the Joker (Heath Ledger) and Batman (Christian Bale). As within any superhero film - as indicated by The Batman's symbol backing the masthead - it is targeted at the male gender; it follows the stereotypes that women like romance and men like action. The film features a male protagonist and antagonist, meaning that women would be less likely to take the preferred reading, and instead opt for the negotiated reading of this text; that is, they would have to place themselves in the 'shoes' of a male protagonist.
As the genre of this informs us that the target audience is male, so too does it inform us of the age and socio-economic class. Given that it is a superhero film, The Dark Knight contains a large amount of violence - this is echoed in the poster: the Joker has written "why so serious?" in what appears to be blood with his hands. The blood is symbolic of the violence and death that the Joker perpetrates throughout the film, immediately establishing him as the Batman's antagonist. Not only that, but it is he writes it with his hands, not any other implement; this is indicative that he is the cause behind most of the violence within the film. As a result of the vast amount of violence, you can assume that the target audience is mid-teens (thirteen to fifteen) and upwards. Also, due to its genre, you can infer that the upper limit for the target would be about thirty.
Another point of note concerning the "why so serious?" is that it is the Joker's catchphrase; it could be said that this is to create a link between the antagonist's name and its meaning: jester, one who makes jokes. The Joker finds his actions to be humourous and is unaware of the gravity of what he does - he is someone who is not in a sane state of mind, and, because of that, he is able to commit great acts of barbarity.
The socio-economic class is harder to discerne; there is little to indicate the most likely band; due to that, you can assume that its quite wide spread. It is unlikely to be targeted at E as it contains the elderly and unemployed, i.e. those who cannot afford or are uninterested in this film, and, although students are a part of this grouping, they are the minority within the group and, as such, abnormalities in the statistics. Also, professional people are unlikely to view this whilst in the cinema, meaning that the most likely socio-economic grouping is from B to D.
In this image the glass on which the Joker is writing is frosted, obscuring himself and the skyline of Gotham city, whilst the smile he has drawn in blood is approximately over his perpetual smile. This makes me thinks of the quote "there's daggers in men's smiles" (Macbeth, W.S.) one that means that the smile is just a facade worn by a dangerous person, an apt description for the Joker then. It is also refers to the changeable story the Joker tells about how he received the scars that make up his mutilated smile'; whilst we never know the reasoning behind it, we do know that it must have been, not only painful, but bloody too. The final thing that this bloody smile could be symbolic of, is the Joker's mentality; he finds humour in pain and death.
The fact that the glass obscures the Joker's face is also notable; it conceals his identity much like his clown make up does. Throughout the film, the Joker's real identity is never established unlike the Batman, whom the audience knows is Bruce Wayne by day. As a result, the Joker is only ever known as the Joker, a character no doubt created by the man, but has eventually evolved until all there is of the person, is the Joker. Again, this is indicative of the character's madness; he is the Joker, and the Joker is insane. His gloved hands are another manner of concealing his 'real' identity, meaning that the only way he can ever be known is by his pseudonym.
The distribution of this poster is also meaningful: while Gotham, a large city, is situated in the background at the bottom of the poster, the Joker is in the centre and appears to tower over the city. A possible interpretation is that the Joker dominants the city during his time there - another could be indicative of the Joker's character: he is larger than life. This links back to the idea of the Joker's real identity and the character he portrays.
Example 2 - The Conjuring
The Conjuring is a supernatural horror film that is supposedly based of real events; this alone limits the target audience. It is unlikely to be directed at any specific gender as both men and women enjoy watching films of the same genre, however its target will probably be fifteen to thirty-five, possibly higher.
An extreme longshot of a large house smothered in fog and completely isolated is the image that the audience is confronted with; all of these characteristics are part of the horror genre. The fog promotes a ghostly feel, and, coupled with the isolated location, you get a sense of entrapment that films like these like to create within the viewers. A dead tree within the foreground inspires foreboding within the audience, and given the noose and the shadow on the ground, you can infer that this text will tell of the ghostly occupants and occurances within the house.
We know from the text that this is based on a true story and is also from the director of Saw and Insidious, two highly popular horror films. This will extend the clientele that the film is targeted for, meaning that the socio-economic class will probably be fairly wide - most likely C1 to D, though it has a possibility of extending into the upper and lower groupings depending upon the individuals.
Example 1 - Allure
Allure magazine is very clearly one that is targeted at young women (possibly from age fourteen to twenty-five) within the socio-economic band of C1 to D - there is however a chance that it may be attractive to people within other socio-economic grouping.
The most immediate method in discerning the gender and age its targeted at is the masthead. A bright and bold pink written in a lowercase, and unusual, font. Pink, this shade in particular, is a stereotypically "girly" colour; through the use of this alone, you can easily identify the gender that this magazine is targeting. However, you can also use the masthead to identify the age and socio-economic grouping through the font used. The font is unusual and fun implying that it is aimed at a younger audience, most likely within the fourteen to twenty-five band, and is not particularly sophisticated. This rules out the A band at the very least. The masthead has also been written in lowercase; again there is a level of refinement missing that you would associate with the upper two socio-economic classes. Ergo, from the masthead alone you can determine the gender, age and socio-economic grouping.
Another way to determine the audience of this magazine is through the cover lines. "Best HAIR Ever!" and "STRESSED-OUT Skin" are to name a few and all point to a specific gender and age. To begin with, "Best HAIR Ever" suggests that this magazine is for women who do, generally, spend a lot of time in trying to make themselves look nice, their hair included. Not only does this hint towards the gender, but also suggests that it is targeted at an age that places a lot of focus upon making themselves look 'the best': so you can infer that it is targeted at under thirty (thirty is an age that women typically begin to 'lose' their looks and figures). Given the presentation of the masthead and this main cover line, it is same to assume that the highest target age for this magazine is mid-twenties - you can discover the lower limit from the next line: "STRESSED-OUT Skin Superfast Ways to Calm Zits and Redness". As 'stressed-out skin' is something that teenagers experience as they progress through puberty, we can determine that the lower limit is within this time period, most likely fourteen, possibly younger. From two cover lines, you can accurately identify the upper and lower limits of the target audience's age.
A final point to make regarding this magazine cover is the main image: a close up of a young woman. I personally do not know who this is but, from one of the cover lines, I can infer that this is Ashley Greene - the cover line also informs us that she starred in one of the Twilight films. Again, due to how Twilight is teen orientated fiction, you can assume that the target audience is within that boundary and possibly a little above. One of the most notable things regarding the main image is that she is looking directly at the camera; this invites the audience in and encourages them to engage with the magazine and the story. However, the cover line that introduces her gives her whole name; this could be as she is a rising actress and not as well known as others.
Example 2 - Time
Whilst Time magazine does not appear to target any specific gender, it does target then A and B socio-economic classes and probably those in their early thirties and above. Compared to the first example, this magazine is rather simple in its design; its cover is not plastered in cover lines, and the font styles are not excessive in an attempt to seem fun and 'down-with-the-crowd' as the first seemed to be.
Much like how the masthead of Allure magazine is indicative of the audience's age, socio-economic class and gender, so too is the masthead for Time magazine. With a font reminiscent of times new roman, the masthead is very simple and yet appears to carry a level of elegance that the first example lacked; from this it is easy to determine that this magazine is targeting an older and more sophisticated class of people, meaning people within their early to mid thirties who are a part of the socio-economic class of A and B. The gender is harder to discern however; this is because their is no obvious indicator of a specific gender - the colour red, for example, is one that has no immediate association with either gender. As a result, it is safe to assume that the magazine is not gender specific.
Another reason for deciding that the socio-economic classes are A and B is the magazine's content. We can see what the main articles are through the cover lines, the main one creating a heavy focus upon the American presidency. When you consider that the other important articles are concerning nuclear rogues and "Clint's take on heroes", Time magazine presents itself as a very political product. Politics are stereotypically followed by those who are within the top socio-economic classes, immediately meaning that it is targeted at those top bands rather than lower down. As Allure - a highly unpolitical magazine - targets classes lower than Time magazine's audience, this stereotype is given more credit.
The distribution of the cover is also very 'classy'; there are no unnecessary cover lines promoting tips to clearing you skin or nonsensical articles about movie stars. Instead, there is a simple close up of the leader of the democratic party against a plain white background - the main cover line is side by side with the main image, indicative that this is the main article within the magazine. The other cover lines, while visible, are placed in an out of the way area, preventing the cover from becoming overly cluttered.
Film Poster Analysis
Example 1 -
The Dark Knight, released in 2008, is part of the latest Batman series directed by Christopher Nolan, focusing upon the confrontations between the Joker (Heath Ledger) and Batman (Christian Bale). As within any superhero film - as indicated by The Batman's symbol backing the masthead - it is targeted at the male gender; it follows the stereotypes that women like romance and men like action. The film features a male protagonist and antagonist, meaning that women would be less likely to take the preferred reading, and instead opt for the negotiated reading of this text; that is, they would have to place themselves in the 'shoes' of a male protagonist.
As the genre of this informs us that the target audience is male, so too does it inform us of the age and socio-economic class. Given that it is a superhero film, The Dark Knight contains a large amount of violence - this is echoed in the poster: the Joker has written "why so serious?" in what appears to be blood with his hands. The blood is symbolic of the violence and death that the Joker perpetrates throughout the film, immediately establishing him as the Batman's antagonist. Not only that, but it is he writes it with his hands, not any other implement; this is indicative that he is the cause behind most of the violence within the film. As a result of the vast amount of violence, you can assume that the target audience is mid-teens (thirteen to fifteen) and upwards. Also, due to its genre, you can infer that the upper limit for the target would be about thirty.
Another point of note concerning the "why so serious?" is that it is the Joker's catchphrase; it could be said that this is to create a link between the antagonist's name and its meaning: jester, one who makes jokes. The Joker finds his actions to be humourous and is unaware of the gravity of what he does - he is someone who is not in a sane state of mind, and, because of that, he is able to commit great acts of barbarity.
The socio-economic class is harder to discerne; there is little to indicate the most likely band; due to that, you can assume that its quite wide spread. It is unlikely to be targeted at E as it contains the elderly and unemployed, i.e. those who cannot afford or are uninterested in this film, and, although students are a part of this grouping, they are the minority within the group and, as such, abnormalities in the statistics. Also, professional people are unlikely to view this whilst in the cinema, meaning that the most likely socio-economic grouping is from B to D.
In this image the glass on which the Joker is writing is frosted, obscuring himself and the skyline of Gotham city, whilst the smile he has drawn in blood is approximately over his perpetual smile. This makes me thinks of the quote "there's daggers in men's smiles" (Macbeth, W.S.) one that means that the smile is just a facade worn by a dangerous person, an apt description for the Joker then. It is also refers to the changeable story the Joker tells about how he received the scars that make up his mutilated smile'; whilst we never know the reasoning behind it, we do know that it must have been, not only painful, but bloody too. The final thing that this bloody smile could be symbolic of, is the Joker's mentality; he finds humour in pain and death.
The fact that the glass obscures the Joker's face is also notable; it conceals his identity much like his clown make up does. Throughout the film, the Joker's real identity is never established unlike the Batman, whom the audience knows is Bruce Wayne by day. As a result, the Joker is only ever known as the Joker, a character no doubt created by the man, but has eventually evolved until all there is of the person, is the Joker. Again, this is indicative of the character's madness; he is the Joker, and the Joker is insane. His gloved hands are another manner of concealing his 'real' identity, meaning that the only way he can ever be known is by his pseudonym.
The distribution of this poster is also meaningful: while Gotham, a large city, is situated in the background at the bottom of the poster, the Joker is in the centre and appears to tower over the city. A possible interpretation is that the Joker dominants the city during his time there - another could be indicative of the Joker's character: he is larger than life. This links back to the idea of the Joker's real identity and the character he portrays.
Example 2 - The Conjuring
The Conjuring is a supernatural horror film that is supposedly based of real events; this alone limits the target audience. It is unlikely to be directed at any specific gender as both men and women enjoy watching films of the same genre, however its target will probably be fifteen to thirty-five, possibly higher.
An extreme longshot of a large house smothered in fog and completely isolated is the image that the audience is confronted with; all of these characteristics are part of the horror genre. The fog promotes a ghostly feel, and, coupled with the isolated location, you get a sense of entrapment that films like these like to create within the viewers. A dead tree within the foreground inspires foreboding within the audience, and given the noose and the shadow on the ground, you can infer that this text will tell of the ghostly occupants and occurances within the house.
We know from the text that this is based on a true story and is also from the director of Saw and Insidious, two highly popular horror films. This will extend the clientele that the film is targeted for, meaning that the socio-economic class will probably be fairly wide - most likely C1 to D, though it has a possibility of extending into the upper and lower groupings depending upon the individuals.
Sunday 27 September 2015
Beck - Room 302 Analysis
Beck (Room 302) is a Swedish crime drama that focuses on unravelling the murder of a young woman whose body was discovered in a hotel room - most likely room number 302 due to the title of the episode. As it is a crime drama, there are examples of crime within; both of these are shown within the first two minutes of the feature length drama: one we see being performed, and for the other we only see the aftermath.
The first two minutes of any television or film are key for hooking the audience in, and so encouraging them to watch the remainder of the story; this is why I have chosen to analyse the first two minutes of Beck.
Before the story even begins, the audience is introduced to an eerie and enigmatic soundtrack: a high frequency pitch juxtaposed against a very deep tone is one that creates the 'creepy' feeling. The first shot then fades in to an unusual noise, almost like gears moving, or, as this is a crime drama, the barrel of a gun revolving and echoing perhaps. By utilising these specific non-diegetic sounds, the director/producer has immediately created tension and intrigue amongst its audience, resulting in them wanting to continue watching the programme.
The first shot of this drama is an establishing shot of a high rise building, though it is unclear as to its purpose initially, which implies that this is where the action of the feature is to occur. It is during this shot that the previously mentioned 'deep tone' takes precedence and diegetic noises of night life (e.g. dogs barking) are introduced. This then cuts to the first crime of the story: a theft.
Two young men, dressed in dark clothes and hoodies, are in the process of stealing an expensive looking car in a well-lit urban area. The mise-en-scene of this shot is key in providing the viewer with information regarding the characters; by wearing dark clothes, it is clear that the thieves have planned to steal a car rather than just happening upon a vehicle that has taken their fancy. This suggests that they have perhaps done something similar in the past. Also, while both are wearing hoodies, the lookout has his hood down giving the audience, and others, a clear view of his face in the street light. Through this, you can infer that the thieves are confident in their ability to carry off the theft without being caught - again the mise-en-scene supports the idea that the characters specialise in vehicle theft.
As stated above, Thief One and Thief Two are wearing hoodies, a garment that is stereotyped to the lower classes; in this way, the audience might immediately assume that they are from the underclass, one which is often associated with the long-term unemployed and the career criminals. Given the crime they are committing, it can be read that they are career criminals rather than unemployed.
In light of how the thieves clothing provides the reader with a clue as to their background, so too does the clothing of the car owner. A low angled, long shot introduces the Owner who is clearly on the opposite end of the social spectrum to the thieves: an expensive looking suit and watch creates the impression of a professional person. Through his clothing, the director establishes an evident difference between the thieves and the Owner, one which is only emphasised by the Owner being placed in a higher position indicative of power. From this, you can surmise that the Owner is of a higher class, and also in a high paying job, the opposite of the thieves.
However, the Owner's power is only a result of his money as, very soon, the thieves are in the power position. Thief One draws a gun and the Owner is immediately compliant: "Take whatever you want" Owner. Not only does this represent a shift in power, but it also shows conflict within the social classes, an idea that is continued throughout the scene and is most discernible in the two shots. The two shots show Thief Two and the Owner within the same shot and facing each other on opposite sides, and thusly, in opposition (if they had been shown side-by-side in the shot, they would have been seen to be supporting each other).
The first half of the opening scene of Beck is comprised of short shots accompanied by fast paced non-diegetic music, emphasising the danger and action of the crime committed; it sparks a sense of immediacy that makes it feel as though the theft were happening. This is a contrast the much slower second half, the part of the exposition that shows the aftermath of a crime, rather than one in action.
In the second half we are shown two seemingly unrelated moments; one is the discovery of a murder, the other, a mundane conversation by two hotel desk workers. To begin with, the interaction of two co-workers could be an attempt to insert some normality within what is, no doubt, a surreal experience for the hotel; not only does it emphasise the unusual nature of the murder, but it also makes the discovery more shocking that it would be without that normality: the abstract infringes upon reality.
What the director is more likely trying to achieve is to introduce key characters before the viewer is aware of their importance - in this case, it is the female member of staff that we are encouraged to focus upon, and so it is she who is likely to be one of the main characters in the text. The maid is a contrast to this; her relevance is revealed very soon, indicating that she is merely a catalyst in alerting the authorities rather than being important to the plot as a whole.
Although there is reference to the later importance of characters within this scene, the main focus is upon the discovery and, as a result, the journey of the maid. One shot of the maid is when she is approaching the victim's hotel room; it foreshadows the case the drama revolves around. The winding corridor she has to travel suggests that the case will not be straight forward and instead by complicated to solve - however, most notably, a backlight in the corridor is red. It is not overly noticeable and instead serves as a subtle warning to the viewer that something is about to be discovered.
While the light in the corridor is very subtle, the warnings in the hotel room are not so. Boldly coloured walls are the most notable aspect of the room, and, as more of the room is revealed, the room is coated in swatches of red - even though this colour is typically associated with warnings and danger, in the room itself, it is indicative of something else. Throughout the room, the victim's clothes are scattered (along with a champagne bottle) and the bed sheets are rumpled, suggesting that the victim had sexual intercourse before her death. Collectively, the excessive usage of red and the mise-en-scene create the impression that this particular murder was a crime of passion, immediately narrowing down the suspect pool and also hooking the viewer in with the enigma it inspires.
Another key point regarding how the discovery is made is the fact that it is made in daylight; this adds a sense of realism to the murder, and creates tension. This tension is furthered by employing the ticking of a clock that is clearly non-diegetic. The clock is almost like a countdown, or, when considering the beat of a clock, a pulse - the pulse of the victim perhaps. As the clock stops when it is revealed that the woman is dead, the idea that the clock is symbolic of a pulse only further emphasises the murder.
The entire opening scene of Beck is one that employs the enigma code well, and encourages the audience to watch the rest of the drama. It engages ideas of conflict and utilises the mise-en-scene to create a wide range of meaning within the drama.
As stated above, Thief One and Thief Two are wearing hoodies, a garment that is stereotyped to the lower classes; in this way, the audience might immediately assume that they are from the underclass, one which is often associated with the long-term unemployed and the career criminals. Given the crime they are committing, it can be read that they are career criminals rather than unemployed.
In light of how the thieves clothing provides the reader with a clue as to their background, so too does the clothing of the car owner. A low angled, long shot introduces the Owner who is clearly on the opposite end of the social spectrum to the thieves: an expensive looking suit and watch creates the impression of a professional person. Through his clothing, the director establishes an evident difference between the thieves and the Owner, one which is only emphasised by the Owner being placed in a higher position indicative of power. From this, you can surmise that the Owner is of a higher class, and also in a high paying job, the opposite of the thieves.
However, the Owner's power is only a result of his money as, very soon, the thieves are in the power position. Thief One draws a gun and the Owner is immediately compliant: "Take whatever you want" Owner. Not only does this represent a shift in power, but it also shows conflict within the social classes, an idea that is continued throughout the scene and is most discernible in the two shots. The two shots show Thief Two and the Owner within the same shot and facing each other on opposite sides, and thusly, in opposition (if they had been shown side-by-side in the shot, they would have been seen to be supporting each other).
The first half of the opening scene of Beck is comprised of short shots accompanied by fast paced non-diegetic music, emphasising the danger and action of the crime committed; it sparks a sense of immediacy that makes it feel as though the theft were happening. This is a contrast the much slower second half, the part of the exposition that shows the aftermath of a crime, rather than one in action.
In the second half we are shown two seemingly unrelated moments; one is the discovery of a murder, the other, a mundane conversation by two hotel desk workers. To begin with, the interaction of two co-workers could be an attempt to insert some normality within what is, no doubt, a surreal experience for the hotel; not only does it emphasise the unusual nature of the murder, but it also makes the discovery more shocking that it would be without that normality: the abstract infringes upon reality.
What the director is more likely trying to achieve is to introduce key characters before the viewer is aware of their importance - in this case, it is the female member of staff that we are encouraged to focus upon, and so it is she who is likely to be one of the main characters in the text. The maid is a contrast to this; her relevance is revealed very soon, indicating that she is merely a catalyst in alerting the authorities rather than being important to the plot as a whole.
Although there is reference to the later importance of characters within this scene, the main focus is upon the discovery and, as a result, the journey of the maid. One shot of the maid is when she is approaching the victim's hotel room; it foreshadows the case the drama revolves around. The winding corridor she has to travel suggests that the case will not be straight forward and instead by complicated to solve - however, most notably, a backlight in the corridor is red. It is not overly noticeable and instead serves as a subtle warning to the viewer that something is about to be discovered.
While the light in the corridor is very subtle, the warnings in the hotel room are not so. Boldly coloured walls are the most notable aspect of the room, and, as more of the room is revealed, the room is coated in swatches of red - even though this colour is typically associated with warnings and danger, in the room itself, it is indicative of something else. Throughout the room, the victim's clothes are scattered (along with a champagne bottle) and the bed sheets are rumpled, suggesting that the victim had sexual intercourse before her death. Collectively, the excessive usage of red and the mise-en-scene create the impression that this particular murder was a crime of passion, immediately narrowing down the suspect pool and also hooking the viewer in with the enigma it inspires.
Another key point regarding how the discovery is made is the fact that it is made in daylight; this adds a sense of realism to the murder, and creates tension. This tension is furthered by employing the ticking of a clock that is clearly non-diegetic. The clock is almost like a countdown, or, when considering the beat of a clock, a pulse - the pulse of the victim perhaps. As the clock stops when it is revealed that the woman is dead, the idea that the clock is symbolic of a pulse only further emphasises the murder.
The entire opening scene of Beck is one that employs the enigma code well, and encourages the audience to watch the rest of the drama. It engages ideas of conflict and utilises the mise-en-scene to create a wide range of meaning within the drama.
Wednesday 23 September 2015
Representation in Media Task
Example 1 - Hot Fuzz, Sandford
Hot Fuzz revolves around the tale of an exceptional London policeman being involuntarily transferred to a "quaint" English village named Sandford. The village itself is intitially a stereotype; it is small area where everyone knows each other and is very welcoming. It is established to be a very peaceful area due to its non-existent crime statistics and also the fact that an escaped swan is the greatest emergency that can be tackled in Sandford.
When PC Nicolas Angel is on his way to Sandford, there are a three extreme close ups of his phone throughout his journey at varying intervals: the first shows full signal, the second half, and the last time, he has no phone signal. This is conforming to the stereotype that there is no such thing as a mobile phone signal in the countryside.
The audience also learns on the journey that Sandford is a model village thanks to a sign that Angel passes on his way to the remote town; and it does conform to the idea of a model village. It is a close knit community that runs frequent fetes to raise money for the churhc roof, and is filled with people that know each other well and just generally seems overly fake. Sandford conforms to the stereotype in which its presented to such a degree that it does not feel like a real place.
Example 2 - Dolce and Gabbana, The One
There is plenty of 'wit' from Scarlett Johansson to the 'reporters' during the advert, again this is to convey that wearing the perfume will make you appear educated and cultured and so fit easily within the upper classes. The actress is also presented in such a way that she seems both girly and educated; it seems to be attempting to challenge a stereotype about women, but it does not seem to successfully do so.
Example 3 - The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is an American comedy revolving around the lives of socially awkward scientists and how they develop over the years after their new neighbour moves in across the hall. The scientists, Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj, are all highly educated people but are all incapable of interacting with the opposite sex successfully, whether it is due to long term disinterest (Sheldon) or they have selective mutism and so cannot speak to women (Raj). Much of their social awkwardness stems from the fact that they are nerds, and so have different interests to most people, like comic-con, and as such they are a stereotype of what society believes scientists and nerds to be.
Throughout the series, we meet at least three female scientists and all, unsuprisingly, wear glasses, another belief on what it takes to be a scientist or nerd. Whilst two of the female scientists, Leslie and Bernadette, seem perfectly capable of social interaction, the third, Amy, is completely new to the concept of friends and the term 'social life'. As such, The Big Bang Theory creates the representation that all scientists are nerds and that they are socially incompetent, as according to the stereotype society has created.
Hot Fuzz revolves around the tale of an exceptional London policeman being involuntarily transferred to a "quaint" English village named Sandford. The village itself is intitially a stereotype; it is small area where everyone knows each other and is very welcoming. It is established to be a very peaceful area due to its non-existent crime statistics and also the fact that an escaped swan is the greatest emergency that can be tackled in Sandford.
When PC Nicolas Angel is on his way to Sandford, there are a three extreme close ups of his phone throughout his journey at varying intervals: the first shows full signal, the second half, and the last time, he has no phone signal. This is conforming to the stereotype that there is no such thing as a mobile phone signal in the countryside.
The audience also learns on the journey that Sandford is a model village thanks to a sign that Angel passes on his way to the remote town; and it does conform to the idea of a model village. It is a close knit community that runs frequent fetes to raise money for the churhc roof, and is filled with people that know each other well and just generally seems overly fake. Sandford conforms to the stereotype in which its presented to such a degree that it does not feel like a real place.
Example 2 - Dolce and Gabbana, The One
"Dolce & Gabbana presents the new uncut The One film, revealing the provocative yet effortless femininity of the eternal diva."
The advert above is for one of Dolce & Gabbana's many perfumes, and, in this case, it is being showcased by Scarlett Johansson. Throughout the advert you get the sense that the model is being presented as classy through the lace trimmed dress and the fancy updo, and this representation is therefore extended to the perfume: if you use this perfume, you shall immediately smell like an upper class lady, or, at the very least, an actress. Also, by using Scarlett Johansson, the perfume company are trying to convey the sexual appeal the perfume can bring to the wearer; the actress is a very beautiful woman, and no doubt desired by numerous people. They also talk about sex - "I do all my own stunts, even love-making" - to express this idea to the audience.There is plenty of 'wit' from Scarlett Johansson to the 'reporters' during the advert, again this is to convey that wearing the perfume will make you appear educated and cultured and so fit easily within the upper classes. The actress is also presented in such a way that she seems both girly and educated; it seems to be attempting to challenge a stereotype about women, but it does not seem to successfully do so.
Example 3 - The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is an American comedy revolving around the lives of socially awkward scientists and how they develop over the years after their new neighbour moves in across the hall. The scientists, Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj, are all highly educated people but are all incapable of interacting with the opposite sex successfully, whether it is due to long term disinterest (Sheldon) or they have selective mutism and so cannot speak to women (Raj). Much of their social awkwardness stems from the fact that they are nerds, and so have different interests to most people, like comic-con, and as such they are a stereotype of what society believes scientists and nerds to be.
Throughout the series, we meet at least three female scientists and all, unsuprisingly, wear glasses, another belief on what it takes to be a scientist or nerd. Whilst two of the female scientists, Leslie and Bernadette, seem perfectly capable of social interaction, the third, Amy, is completely new to the concept of friends and the term 'social life'. As such, The Big Bang Theory creates the representation that all scientists are nerds and that they are socially incompetent, as according to the stereotype society has created.
Friday 18 September 2015
Identifying Audience Task
Example 1 - Doctor Who
Doctor Who is perhaps one of the most popular science fiction shows that is currently viewed; it attracts a wide audience from young children who want to hide behind the sofa, to adults who enjoy the constant action and suspense The Doctor holds his viewers in.
In the advert above, it is very clear as to the attraction of this TV programme: it is filled with action, and hints at humorous situations. As its a programme that various generations have grown up watching, or hearing about, it would be viewed, not by a single socio-economic class, but spread across the six with various numbers from each. Most would watch it as a temporary escape from reality, whilst others, due to its high popularity, would watch it for the social interaction to be gained from the discussions and theories that would ensue.
The preferred reading of this text would be that the Doctor is the hero of the show, as stated in the trailer itself: "I'm the Doctor. And I save people!" (The Doctor). It is clear that the majority of the audience would take the preferred reading of this text; the Doctor, whilst being an alien, has saved a great number of civilisations and would be viewed as a hero by those that grew up watching this programme. However, it is possible that, due to regeneration and the changing nature of the Doctor, that many would be incapable of relating to the character and would view him in a far more oppositional light than what the producers desire: he may be a man that saves people, that does not necessarily make him a good man.
Example 2 - How to Train Your Dragon
How to Train Your Dragon is a popular animated children's film that was first released in 2010, which has since produced a successful sequel. The target age range for this film is probably between 8 to 12 years, with its most likely consumer being male; a result male main characters within a primarily male society who ride dragons. Due to its target audience being so young, it had a high chance of appealing to adults too; they are the ones who would pay for the film to be seen. Again, the target audience also means that professional people would be least likely to view it, and so the most likely socio-economic classes to watch this film would be B, C1 and C2 - there is, however, a possibility of those within the A and D classes being targeted also.
The text attracts its audience by presenting an ancient society of our world interacting with the fictional world of dragons; to sum up, by the end of this film, the children would want a pet dragon. The audience would view this film for the entertainment value, although it could be a result of social interaction.
The target audience - namely children - would take the preferred reading of this text: that two different societies can harmoniously cohabit a similar region if we look past the surface. Given it is a family film, it is unlikely (but possible) that anyone would take an oppositional stance to the text.
Example 3 - Top Gear
In recent years Top Gear has become one of the most controversial factual programmes, mostly due to the antics of former presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. The target audience is young adults and 'petrol-heads' rather than any specific gender; given its content, the socio-economic classes would be stereotypically C1 to E - though the E class would be students rather than pensioners. Those within the A and B classes may watch it, but it is targeted towards the lower economic classes.
The text attracts the vast majority of its audience through the controversy it creates - a diplomatic incident in Argentina being one such example - alongside the situations the Top Gear boys find themselves in. It's a fun filled show with plenty of bawdy humour and facts regarding the various cars they test. Many would watch this show for the entertainment value and the social interaction likely to evolve from the content, but there are others that watch it purely for the information it provides concerning the latest and best vehicles on the market.
While many would see the preferred reading of three regular people going on adventures and testing the latest cars, there are those who find the controversy they create to be stupid and would therefore take an oppositional reading. These would be those who find the humour and entertainment to be crude and are far from petrol heads.
Doctor Who is perhaps one of the most popular science fiction shows that is currently viewed; it attracts a wide audience from young children who want to hide behind the sofa, to adults who enjoy the constant action and suspense The Doctor holds his viewers in.
In the advert above, it is very clear as to the attraction of this TV programme: it is filled with action, and hints at humorous situations. As its a programme that various generations have grown up watching, or hearing about, it would be viewed, not by a single socio-economic class, but spread across the six with various numbers from each. Most would watch it as a temporary escape from reality, whilst others, due to its high popularity, would watch it for the social interaction to be gained from the discussions and theories that would ensue.
The preferred reading of this text would be that the Doctor is the hero of the show, as stated in the trailer itself: "I'm the Doctor. And I save people!" (The Doctor). It is clear that the majority of the audience would take the preferred reading of this text; the Doctor, whilst being an alien, has saved a great number of civilisations and would be viewed as a hero by those that grew up watching this programme. However, it is possible that, due to regeneration and the changing nature of the Doctor, that many would be incapable of relating to the character and would view him in a far more oppositional light than what the producers desire: he may be a man that saves people, that does not necessarily make him a good man.
Example 2 - How to Train Your Dragon
How to Train Your Dragon is a popular animated children's film that was first released in 2010, which has since produced a successful sequel. The target age range for this film is probably between 8 to 12 years, with its most likely consumer being male; a result male main characters within a primarily male society who ride dragons. Due to its target audience being so young, it had a high chance of appealing to adults too; they are the ones who would pay for the film to be seen. Again, the target audience also means that professional people would be least likely to view it, and so the most likely socio-economic classes to watch this film would be B, C1 and C2 - there is, however, a possibility of those within the A and D classes being targeted also.
The text attracts its audience by presenting an ancient society of our world interacting with the fictional world of dragons; to sum up, by the end of this film, the children would want a pet dragon. The audience would view this film for the entertainment value, although it could be a result of social interaction.
The target audience - namely children - would take the preferred reading of this text: that two different societies can harmoniously cohabit a similar region if we look past the surface. Given it is a family film, it is unlikely (but possible) that anyone would take an oppositional stance to the text.
Example 3 - Top Gear
In recent years Top Gear has become one of the most controversial factual programmes, mostly due to the antics of former presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. The target audience is young adults and 'petrol-heads' rather than any specific gender; given its content, the socio-economic classes would be stereotypically C1 to E - though the E class would be students rather than pensioners. Those within the A and B classes may watch it, but it is targeted towards the lower economic classes.
The text attracts the vast majority of its audience through the controversy it creates - a diplomatic incident in Argentina being one such example - alongside the situations the Top Gear boys find themselves in. It's a fun filled show with plenty of bawdy humour and facts regarding the various cars they test. Many would watch this show for the entertainment value and the social interaction likely to evolve from the content, but there are others that watch it purely for the information it provides concerning the latest and best vehicles on the market.
While many would see the preferred reading of three regular people going on adventures and testing the latest cars, there are those who find the controversy they create to be stupid and would therefore take an oppositional reading. These would be those who find the humour and entertainment to be crude and are far from petrol heads.
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