Media Diary Week 5.

The first text I'm going to analyze with the Uses and Gratification model, is the film Monte Carlo. It's based on the idea of a graduate going to Paris with her best friend, and Step-sister, however finding themselves flying to Monte Carlo, followed by a variety of adventures and romance. The film is aimed towards teenagers, more likely girls than boys, who are interested in romance, comedy, and adventure.

This film uses the idea of Personal Identity, due to the age of the characters. The main characters are more or less the same age as a consumer of this text, therefore the viewers are likely to identify with this. Also, the main character is played by a well-known actress/singer named Selena Gomez. By involving her in the film, and putting her in the spotlight, making her the main focus, it allows people like her fans to relate with her. Many people look up to her, and some people might be able to identify themselves with her as a person. With her character in the film being an ordinary girl with dreams to go to Paris, I myself was able to personally relate to this, feeling more of a connection to the film, and making me more interested in watching it. I think it helps that there are a lot of close-ups in the romantic scenes, as it helps us connect with the characters and interoperate their emotions better, just as the medium-long shot makes us feel like we're there with the characters.

Monte Carlo is going to be used least as a source of information. However, having said this, throughout being in Paris the main characters are given information about the City, therefore people watching also gain this information. We also receive information on how Paris and Monte Carlo look, as we are given an insight whilst they visit the City's. Although it's only partly used for information, it's main use is to entertain. Monte Carlo uses humor in the film, therefore entertaining people by making them laugh. Furthermore, the suspense of romance in the film keeps people on the edge of their seats, and can cause them to be entertained this way. People may find it entertaining, because they can watching it at any point of the day. For example, Horror movies are most likely going to be watched at night time, where as this film provides us with the freedom to watch it whenever and where ever we want. By creating this film this way, it presents the idea of escapism, so anyone can watch it for whatever reason.

This film can be used for social interaction. It can be the main topic of conversation between people who've all consumed the text, or it can be used to find people who might have similar interests and things in common with you. After watching Monte Carlo, I found that not many people had seen the film. This gave me the chance to use it for a reason to socialize, and advise/recommend this to people who may be interested in watching it.

The second text I'm going to review (also a film) is The Perks Of Being A Wallflower. It's genre is Drama/Romance, and is about a freshman being taken under the wings of two seniors, who welcome him to the real world. This is another typical film for older teenagers, and includes a vast amount of Drama and Romance, reaching the expectations from views of this genre.

People may be able to relate to this film, giving a sense of personal identity. Personally, I can relate to the setting of the school, however other people watching might be able to personally relate. The main characters of the film are the 'outcasts', with some of them having different sexualities, or different backgrounds.

The main reason for the existence for this film, is for entertainment. It's less likely going to be used for Information, as it doesn't inform us on anything. Like Monte Carlo, this film can be watched at any time, and can be used in a sense of escapism, unlike Horror films, which are most likely to be watched when it's dark to create more of an atmosphere.

The Perks Of Being a Wallflower is quite a popular film amongst teenagers, so it's likely to be used as a source of conversation, and gives people a chance to socialize, meaning the idea of social interaction is relevant to this film.