Representation of Youth - Slumdog Millionaire

Representation of Youth

Danny Boyle chose to portray Jamal and Salim’s metamorphosis from child to teenager in a unique shot where they roll down a hill as children and rise as teenagers. This shot is a close up on their faces and cut in with other shots of them while they are falling. By doing this, Danny Boyle has made a statement on growing up and how the change from youth to teenager can be a brutal change – especially for our characters in the film. The clouds of dust that shroud them can be seen as a visual metaphor for the inability to predict what this change will bring for their lives and the fact that the ageing occurs in just thirty seconds could imply how fast childhood leaves you and soon becomes a memory. For our characters, this is very much the case as they were denied their childhood due to several traumatic experiences they were dealt.

Also, when they reach the teenage threshold, some more serious undertones are brought into the film to reflect how this age brings some of the more serious events that will follow them for the rest of their lives.  Recurring shots of Latika’s silhouette as a child are used to portray Jamal’s desire to reunite with her to the audience. The coming of age moment for the characters occurred in the moment Salim shoots Maman. In this scene we can tell that Salim has changed irreversibly and although he has always been more troublesome than Jamal, he has now become a killer and his childhood is well and truly lost before him. For Jamal and Latika, this represents another departure and barrier for their romantic relationship as Salim forces Jamal to leave them at gunpoint. This is more poignant as it is the last scene where we see the characters as teenagers so to the audience it is the literal end of their adolescent years.

Contemporary british cinema and the representation of youth - slideshare

Hoodies strike fear in British cinema

• it's no surprise that hoodies are increasingly populating British horrors and thrillers, generating a presence so malevolent and chilling that there are often hints of the supernatural or the subhuman about their form.
• Johnny Kevorkian, the 33-year-old director of last year's The Disappeared, an atmospheric supernatural thriller about a young boy who vanishes on an estate populated by prowling hoodies, agrees. "Although it's a ghost story, much of the fear in The Disappeared is real," says Kevorkian. "These threatening nasty gangs run these estates. The film is exploiting the fact that things like gangs killing little kids really happens. So of course, in the film, you wonder if these guys are the cause of the boy going missing, and that is really scary."

Robin Wood - 'normality is threatened by the monster. I use ''normality'' here... to mean simply ''conformity to the dominant social norms''

• The film initially represents the young people as 'monsters' then replaces them with actual monsters 

East is East - Michael Massey, April 2004

• East is East is a good choice for a study of 1990s British Cinema because it contains a variety of themes, images and generic features which link it to the history of film and popular culture in this country over the last forty-odd years.
• In common with many films of this period, East Is East borrows heavily from a variety of genres, as suggested here. Such ‘genre-bending’ has become a common feature of contemporary filmmaking, and lends weight to the more complex definitions of the term ‘genre’. We no longer witness simple categorisations of film ‘types’. Instead audience expectations and pleasures depend much more on surprising juxtapositions and conflations of generic characteristics. For example, we are not altogether sure whether we are watching a domestic comedy or a domestic tragedy.
• There are no easy answers in this film; no happy endings and no glib solutions.
• a significant feature of every character’s life seems to be pretence
• East Is East is arranged chronologically, it seems to concentrate more on episodic glimpses of the Khan’s family life rather than following a distinct linear storyline.
• Great care has been taken to create a very accurate ‘period feel’ for the film - create a sense of deprivation and making-do.
• we are forced to confront not just the very human contradictions within the Khans and their neighbours, but more importantly the very human contradictions within ourselves.

Attack the Block: B-Movie or Blockbuster? - Pete Turner, February 2014

• Joe Cornish's film makes for a fascinating case study of how British films can emulate Hollywood blockbusters and B-movies, while still remaining distinctly British
• $13 million (around £8 million) was invested in the production of Attack the Block; but it only made nearly $6 million at the worldwide box office, meaning the film made a significant loss
• It had only Nick Frost as a star ... as a result the filmmakers would have struggled to raise the budget - there is far less chance of big international box office without internationally recognised stars.
• Attack the Block takes very English characters, cast and settings, and mixes them with a popular genre. So the science fiction element could help to draw in bigger crowds and therefore make investors feel more comfortable putting in $13 million
• Attack the Block combines practical and computer-generated effects for its alien creatures. The relatively low budget meant director Joe Cornish had to limit the CGI and work more with traditional techniques
• Attack the Block was shot on locations in and around London to add to the credibility and realism of its far-out story of an alien invasion
• Even though Attack the Block displays many generic trappings, it is also clearly very different from many blockbusters. Generally British films are less likely to follow trends as they are more likely to deal with real situations and characters in the social realist tradition. Attack the Block incorporated elements of this with its working-class characters, but also incorporated genre conventions to make it a more appealing bit of escapist cinema.
• Its characters are unknown actors who talk and act as if they are really from the streets of South London, and the film proudly represents them in all their glory, both perpetuating and challenging stereotypes of British youth.
• Although British films are attempting to become more commercial, and Hollywood studios do distribute some independent and British films they hope will make a profit, there are still many films getting made for niche audiences on very low budgets.
• Though Attack the Block failed to attract a huge audience and make a profit, it was a clear attempt to make a B-movie in which B stood for British. Film is increasingly about business; and with the Prime Minister urging the British film industry to make films with more mainstream appeal, we can expect to see more films with the ambition of Attack the Block - but with less of the believable British youth, and more of the science fiction escapism.

Why Watching Films Is Good For You - Andrew McCallum, December 2015

This article discusses many of the presumptions people have over novels and films and their perceived positive and negative impacts respectively. I chose this article to research as I feel that the content is interesting and challenges the mainstream views of society. For example, by including research from a Cambridge University study, which claimed that an 'extra hour a day of television, internet or computer game time in Year 10 resulted in poorer grades at GCSE' to begin his article, Andrew McCallum makes it clear that this article will be opposed to these claims and the stigma attached to mediums such as films or video games.

Primarily, the article's main argument is that films and video games have the same social benefits that novels have despite what the general public think. This is because they are 'actively engaging in learning' and offer 'multiple opportunities to enhance critical, cultural and creative abilities' (Film: 21st Century Literacy). To substantiate his argument, Andrew McCallum quotes leading neuro-scientist Antonio Damasio when he states that we do not actually think solely in words but 'multiple sensations much as a film plays through multiple images'. This makes 'movies the closest external representation of the prevailing storytelling that goes on in our minds'.

*Please watch 3:50 - 4:05, 7:52 - 9:05 and 14:08 - 14:56 

As well as this, Andrew (co-director of the English and Media Centre) uses his own experiences of spending more and more time watching a variety of films that span a plethora of genres and searching out films that contrast to him geographically and chronologically. After doing this, he says that it had an 'amazing effect' and that he could feel 'long-ignored synapses sparking back to life'. Non-mainstream films can be especially 'challenging' as they require a 'reorientation of...receptive processes'.

I agree with the above quotations and the general message of the article because I find that, in my mind, I do not think in black and white words yet with a multitude of senses and I too experience a similar sensation after watching films as to what the author states.
The article, overall, was a very interesting read and challenged my preconceptions of the world of literature, films and video games culminating in the belief that films and other forms of media can do for the mind all of the great things that books can.

Television - Drama

• Luther
• Sherlock
• The Office
• Downton Abbey
• Misfits
• Life on Mars
• Peaky Blinders
• Shameless
• The Musketeers

 

Format

Typically, this genre runs in series' consisting of varying amounts of episodes in each. The shows are usually scheduled to be broadcast from 7pm as this allows families to watch it as they will have finished school or work. Throughout the series, there is a large, often complex narrative that is resolved more and more as each episode passes yet every episode has its own narrative that is resolved or may even end on a cliffhanger to keep audiences coming back. As a series ends it is common for a larger twist or cliffhanger to occur in order to prepare the audience for what is to come when the show comes back.

Appeals

Drama series offer the audience a form of escapism from everyday life and transport them into more exciting worlds filled interesting characters and scenarios. On top of this, the fact that the shows are often broadcast on mainstream networks means that a large number of people will watch them which gives people something to interact with others about. As well as this, the characters offer us a chance to compare our own experiences with theirs which helps you to relate to the show more and have more interest in the events that transpire. The shows are often unconventional in the way that they all offer something original to an audience as a unique selling point and they need this in order to market themselves more effectively however they do follow familiar conventions such as problem and then a resolution in order to remain familiar to the audience.

Target audience

The target audience for UK drama would be the mainstream audience type. As UK drama shows are very popular and watched by many, people would want to keep watching in order to fit in during social situations with others which they would not be able to if they didn't have the talking points from watching the show. As well as this, the shows broadcasting schedules offer the chance to sit down with your family and watch them together, something the mainstream audiences profile would want. 

Depending on the show the age of a viewer can vary greatly yet typically they are at least teenagers as the topics discussed within the shows are usually serious topics. Families could watch them together yet so could individuals, the fact that the genre can be watched by so many people is a staple of the genre itself as they offer something for everyone.

Opening Sequence

The opening sequence for Sherlock is fast paced and instantly establishes the setting as London through the use of iconography such as the London eye and Big Ben. The fast pace tells us that the show is going to be tense and adds mystery and suspense, this is enhanced with cut in shots of blood, guns and voyeuristic shots of the public.

Setting

UK dramas often take place in cities and busy environments because the shows focus on relationships between people and what better way to have plenty of people than to set your show in an urban environment. Also, the majority of people watching will be from urban or suburban backgrounds and therefore they can relate to these environments better than they could do a with a rural setting. These shows also use studios to reproduce highly controlled environments with perfected lighting and mise-en-scene.
 

Technical Codes

Often the shows use fast paced editing to create tension in the audience as this helps to increase the suspense that the show gives off. Common shot types are close ups in (order to relate to characters) and shot reverse shots to show the relationship between characters on screen. Combine this with plenty of wide shots to showcase the environment and you have easily identifiable characters and the setting they are within. Non-diegetic music is often used to help add energy to certain scenes and build tension as the music builds. 

Characters and Representations

These shows often blur the lines between 'good guys' and 'bad guys' as the protagonists always have a flaw that gives them edge and makes them more interesting to watch. UK drama has taken a likeness to the crime genre and due to the modern trend of darker, grittier themes as it is no longer as entertaining to watch a wholly innocent protagonist go about his business as it is seeing the character struggle with the blurred line separating good and bad. However, these shows do of course use stereotypes in order to create characters that are easily identifiable by an audience such as the chav and the wise old mother figure. As well as this, when a show changes era they use costume to stereotype what type of class the characters are with often drastic differences between the lower, middle and upper classes.

Narrative 

Binary oppositions presented in UK drama are often good vs evil and law vs crime, however sometimes they may be mixed up so that the protagonist does not necessarily follow the law and so we are rooting for the criminals. Following Todorov's stages of narrative, TV series often begin in a state of equilibrium and it is here that we are introduced to the characters. As the series progresses, the disruption, recognition, and the attempt to repair will all take place across many episodes. However, the series may not specifically end on the reinstatement of the equilibrium in order to create a cliffhanger that causes people to want to watch the next series. Internal conflicts that characters have to go through during the disruption and the attempt to repair the disruption tell us a lot about the world we live in as these problems reflect everyday issues and can be presented as microcosms to relate to the audience. Each episode will usually end with an enigma code in order to raise questions with the audience that to answer they will need to keep watching. The main bulk of the episodes will therefore take the form of action codes in order to move the narrative forward and answer the questions that have been prominent across the series. UK drama values the enigma code as they often challenge the audience and can often help to shatter expectations.

Kanye West - Twitter

Kanye West's Twitter account is often a point of uproar across the media due to the nature of the tweets that he produces, often inciting 'beef' across multiple platforms and against other artists or brands (such as Nike who just happen to be the biggest competitor to his brand Adidas which market his own 'Yeezy' gear). This tweet is marketing his new album which is to be released in February called 'Waves' (formerly known as 'Swish', a parody on the famous Nike slogan 'Swoosh'). The fact that Kanye is marketing his album yet is not using the valuable tools Twitter provide such as hashtags, images, video or sound clips acts as a statement and adds to the air of mystery that he surrounds himself with.  

Twitter was not formed from a technical revolution, it came at a point in our existence where the human population demanded the features that it allowed. After Myspace blew up and the introduction of Facebook, people slowly gravitated towards celebrity life after realising that all their current social networks allowed were their friends. Twitter was introduced to meet that demand that had not yet been supplied by its competitors and was able to bring the general public closer to their favourite celebrities. However, instead of using Twitter to inform their fans of valuable details into their lives, the majority of celebrities use it as a free marketing campaign to reach a much larger audience than they would without the existence of Twitter. 

Kanye West's Twitter followers number 18.1 million, a number which may appear excessive but when compared to Katy Perry's 81.9 million follows it is actually minuscule in comparison. This is due to his specific traits that make him desirable to some such as his ego, narcissism and controversial nature and undesirable to others such as his ego, narcissism and controversial nature. However, the people following him on Twitter will be eager to know any new information on his album which Kanye is providing them with. On the other hand, they could be following him purely for the attention. 

The sheer volume of followers he has is shown through one persons response that garnered over 1000 people engaging with her post and was seen by over 200,000 Twitter users. By causing such a response like this to the account of just one of his many followers, the power of his reach is shown to the world.

People have responded with mixed feelings about his tweet but one section that caught my eye was a section where somebody praised his confidence then other followers would slate him for his 'confidence' and instead calling it 'delusion' or 'narcissism'. This is interesting as it shows the vibrance between types of followers on Twitter from supporters to people who are purely negative towards his actions. Either way, he still has 18 million followers and people reading, interacting and improving the spread of his image across the internet. Any publicity is good publicity. 

Kanye West - BRITS 2015

Arguably one of Kanye West's most well known and controversial modern performances was his appearance on the 2015 BRIT awards. He chose to, rather than appear on his own and sing his music, appear on the awards show with a large number of men, some of who are the biggest names in the up and coming hip hop and grime scene such as Stormzy, Skepta and Krept and Konan. They appear dressed all in black and with may of them wearing caps or with their hoods up. This image that they promote would fit with their 'criminal' representation that goes with artists of their genre and skin colour. The flamethrowers that light the stage adds to the violent and fear inducing performance.

By choosing to do this, and actually being able to do this, shows the influence and power that someone with such status has over big companies such as ITV (who host the BRITS) as not everybody would be allowed to do what he done. In the performance, Kanye uses the 'N' word at least three times. This is in no way a support of racism or slavery but in fact the word has become a colloquialism against racism and from Kanye West is it almost satirical due to his many comments upon slavery and black history in song such as 'New Slaves' and 'Blood on the Leaves'. 

As the Daily Mail reports, the performance left 'Taylor Swift and Lionel Richie open-mouthed', this description of the performance is, I assume, negative yet open-mouthed can be just as positive as it is positive and the way the Daily Mail has presented it in an ambiguous way regarding the opinions of other artists leaves it open to interpretation from the audience. However, by including that 'viewers complain[ed]' about the fact that ITV had to mute the audio just shows how popular his fan base can be that they cause newspaper headlines purely over their collective voice on Twitter.

A very dominant ideology that people often throw about too much is freedom of speech, therefore by ITV muting Kanye's performance some were understandably concerned. Yet, through the focus of exercising free speech many forget about the responsibility that comes with it and Kanye West does not appear to be bothered about his responsibility to middle aged, ITV viewers who expected a quiet night in listening to Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith.

Kanye West - Yeezus

Kanye West's album 'Yeezus' is controversial on many levels, starting with the fact that the album does not have an actual cover and also lacks any singles. This is due to Kanye wanting to fulfil his depiction as an 'anti-celebrity'. The entire album is a calculated piece of new age music which pushes boundaries compared to other modern produced albums. The album art contains the image of Kanye West hanging in a type of crucifix in the shape of a 'Y' - a clear comparison to him and Jesus Christ who he often has compared himself to in the past, and goes with the name of the album and also the track on the album 'I Am A God'.

The encoders for the album were many combinations of celebrities, producers and artists. For example, each individual track has at least ten different writers credited to it. This comes from Kanye requiring a Legion of Doom to help come up with exactly what he wants his new wave sound to be. However, his image representation is something he has a lot more control over and it comes from his own ideology that he is truly a 'God'. Therefore, the album cover acts as satire to the many who complain and even protest against Kanye's actions and presentation of himself.

The target audience for the album would be his many followers that already are interesting to anything that he produces yet also there is the new fan base that he can reach through his almost avant garde, breakthrough (arguably revolutionary) sound on this piece of media.

Modern ideologies that go with more and more people wishing to be that 'indie' type of audience who are interesting in new things and pieces of media that do not follow trends but instead push boundaries are what help this album to go down so well despite its experimental sound.

Kanye West - TIME

Kanye West's medium close up shot on the front cover of TIME magazine allows us to see Kanye as an important figure who we should be focusing on. This is reinforced by the fact that the article he features on is 'the world's most influential people' and he is number one out of one hundred. Kanye's stare directly into the camera makes him appear intimidating and gives the effect that he is staring directly at you. This imitates the Earl Kitchener or Uncle Sam propaganda posters during the war which were used to persuade people to enlist to fight, this gives him an added feel of power and importance to the audience looking at the magazine. His hand covering his face adds an air of mystery about him by partially covering up his identity and adding shadows to his frame.  

The encoders of the magazine are representing Kanye in a way that fits with what the mainstream audience will know of him. This is done through the photographer taking the picture of him blank faced without a smile (as he is notoriously known for looking at press events and on thousands of internet memes).  By having Kanye West on their cover, the encoders realise that their target audience are closer to the audience following Kanye West than a celebrity such as his wife, Kim Kardashian - who are almost polar opposites yet through their marriage they were able to unite them and create a pangea of potential audience members. 

The target audience would be teenagers to young adults as they would be the majority of his fan base due to his explicit music and fame from the 2000s. However, as they are reading TIME magazine and the article is about how influential he is, the audience majority will be of the succeeder type. They would appreciate Kanye West as he has become such an icon through his music and burst into the fashion industry.

Kanye West is seen, more recently, as less of a 'celebrity for celebrity sake' (ironically compared to Kim Kardashian) and instead as more of a cultural influence across the globe with his successful development from hip hop up and comer to edgy, artistic 'genius'. Funny enough, another name on the 'TIME 100' on the cover is Kim Kardashian. The fact that she is not the cover star but instead her husband is shows society's shift from blankly absorbing all information shown to us by the media about celebrities and instead choosing to follow people with more depth who have more layers to them and almost more business behind them.

As well as this, the fact that their cover star just last year was a black man shows the effect that reaching out to minority groups (far less ethnic minorities have featured on the cover compared to white people) is able to bring by captivating much larger audience members and enabling themselves to be seen as almost pioneers towards racial equality in an age were discrimination is still prevalent in pop culture.

'Goodnight Mommy' - Genre Analysis

Goodnight Mommy

 



'Goodnight Mommy' is an Austrian horror film released in September of this year and has been awarded relatively good reviews for a horror film, with critics claiming it is one of 2015's 'creepiest horrors'.

In the trailer, we see many conventions of typical horror films from the visual aspect with the use of masks, low key lighting, unnatural movements shown through the use of editing and the inclusion of stereotypically frightening insects such as cockroaches. On top of the visual signifiers, the use of audio is also important as it reaffirms to the audience that 'Goodnight Mommy' is a horror film through the symbolic horror music. This is portrayed by the use of music slowly building and increasing tension, loud, echoing booms and sharp, shrill shrieks.
Within these direct conventions of the horror genre through visual or audio signifiers, the functional approach to the typical horror film is used with the trailer touching upon themes of identity, the supernatural and danger in the everyday.

We, as an audience, know that these conventions are typical of a horror film as they sit with us in an uneasy way and cause suspense to build up from within. The fact that, after the surgery, the face of the children's mother is bandaged and hidden from sight makes the viewer distrustful of that character from the off. This use of mise-en-scene causes the audience to begin to suspect that there is something not right even before it is implied through the narrative. Also, by combining this with the inclusion that the mother cannot talk, the director has amplified the suspense surrounding her character and created such a barrier between her and the audience that whenever she is on screen or talked about, the viewer will feel a sense of fear and tension.
This convention links to themes of identity; often seen in films of the horror genre. Because we do not know who the mother is, we innately want to discover more about her by continuing to watch. Another way the film links to themes of identity is through the use of the extreme close up on the mothers eye, with the eye typically being seen as the window to the soul it is quite common for horror films to show images of the eye with characters who are somewhat unknown and offer a sense of  We support the children's efforts to find out who she is because we can relate to them through their easily classified identities via the binary opposition of familiarity vs dissimilarity - the children being the familiarity by being normal, human children, and the mother being dissimilarity because of the viewer not knowing who (or what) she truly is. On top of this, by not giving the antagonist of the film a face, the director has made the mother a symbol, rather than a person, which magnifies the fear clouding her character and allows her to be moulded by the audience into what they fear the most which can give the film a personal touch and thus can resonate more with the audience.

Throughout the history of horror cinema, one of a directors biggest tools to create and instil fear into the audience has been audio. For example, the infamous John Williams score to the Spielberg hit Jaws, or the strings-led orchestral waltz in Rosemary's Baby which turns a simple lullaby into one of the eeriest pieces of music you will ever hear, often stick with the viewer after the film for much longer than any specific scene or visual feature. However, it is not just the soundtrack to a film which can create tension, the sound effects and foleys can be just as chilling when applied correctly. In this trailer, the scratchy sounds of the mother closing the blinds, the ominous creaking door sound and, of course, the sinister crunch of the cockroach all work together to create a plethora of realistic, diegetic sounds which create horror and tension within the audience.
Because the sounds are all practical, the viewer is transported into the scene and thus feels the fear and danger on a more personal level. This links to the theme of danger in the everyday which the film, as with many horror films, portrays to the audience. The everyday, compared to a distant, more sci-fi-esque setting, is relatable to the audience and because of this is able to generate a lot more fear within them. 'Goodnight Mommy' is set in a household environment with children and a parent, which almost everybody can relate to, combine this with the realistic sound effects of things you would hear around the house rather than a number of alien, otherworldly sound effects for example, and what you have is a very visceral fear of the familiar created in the audience.

Standardised horror characteristics such as low key lighting and creepy insects are used to good affect but what separates 'Goodnight Mommy' from a truly realistic, down to earth horror film is the elements of the supernatural that is included. For example, the editing used when the mother is in the forest and the image of the cockroaches pouring out of what appears to be the mothers stomach are not natural and affirm to the viewer that the mother is not an ordinary character, reaffirmed with the piercing shriek she gives off whilst her head is shaking frantically at a speed that is not achievable by humans. This is juxtaposed with the setting of the normal family household and works to further alienate the mother from the eye of the audience.
As well as this, the use of twins within the film also links to themes of the supernatural due to intertextual references to other films like The Shining. Although the twins are not the antagonists of the story, their sheer presence subconsciously warns the viewer that something supernatural or altogether unnatural may happen.

To conclude, 'Goodnight Mommy' is a horror film which sticks true to its predecessors by containing many of the typical conventions that horror films contain, whether it be shot type, mise-en-scene, visual or audio signifiers and at the same touches upon the stereotypical themes that are discussed in horror films.

Media Diary Week 6

One Direction - Night Changes

 

One Direction's 'Night Changes' is a song off their album 'Four' and is targeted at the mainstream audience category. More specifically, teenage girls are the target audience for this well known and beloved boy band who have well and truly taken over the world since their rise to fame a few years ago on the television show The X Factor.
I do not watch The X Factor, and I do not usually listen to anybody who was on the show when it finishes and the runner ups typically burst onto the music and media scene as it generally is not the type of music that interests me. I classify my music taste into the explorer audience category because I do not tend to follow the music trends on the charts. Currently, I am a fan of bands such as Catfish and the Bottlemen and Nothing but Thieves, so therefore this addition of the gentle, easy listening 'Night Changes' to my music library can be seen as a strange one indeed.
I take the preferred reading of the text as I enjoy just simply listening to the music and the harmonic lyrics to put together an all round pleasant song. As well as this, it reminds me of the song 'Changes' by David Bowie, which is another song I really enjoy and so the One Direction hit automatically has positive connotations in my mind. Another song it sounds like is 'Only You' by yazoo, the fact that the song is reminiscent of other works by other artists helps to make the song more accessible to a wider audience as it is not copying but in fact taking inspiration and therefore pays homage to other songs that people like who may not have otherwise liked or proactively listened to the One Direction song.

Media Diary Week Four

Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction

When I look back to my childhood I am surrounded by many different media texts; films, television shows, magazines and, most importantly, music. As a precursor to my ability to develop mine own tastes and discover what it is that I seek for musical entertainment, I had to first learn what music is. Many people will have conflicting opinions on this matter as 'music' has become such an umbrella term but in my life I have been raised to identify music as simply a skill.
Due to my parents being young when I was born, they grew up with the new trend of dance music, so it is definitely not them that taught me this, my grandparents did not have strong musical influences on me until much later in my life so I did not learn this from them and as an only child I had no siblings to discover new music with. However, my aunties (both late teens/early adults when I was a child) had a strong taste in what music they liked: Queen, Led Zeppelin, and what sticks to me until this very day, Guns N' Roses.

When I first heard the Sweet Child O' Mine introduction it blew my mind, I simply could not comprehend how someone could have a skill so good as to inspire thousands of feelings inside millions of people all at the same time, each note resounding more than the last yet Slash was able to captivate audiences all around the world with his stunning talent; myself included.
Axl Rose's outstanding vocal range on this album show him at the peak of his career before things may have took a turn for the worse with his personal life, but none of that is clear through truly chilling performances that work well to gel the piece together and complete the text.

For the rest of my life that was to follow, my musical taste has remained something that I am proud of  and even though it has broadened with time, there is still a rock core that I can trace all the way back to these memories of listening to Welcome to the Jungle through my aunties speakers.

Audience Questions Homework

1a. Two theories which are associated with the effects debate are the desensitisation model and the two step model.
1b. The desensitisation model suggests that long term exposure to repeated media messages causes audience to become 'immune' to them. For instance, repeated images of violence - through video games or movies for example Grand Theft Auto or Zodiac - normalise it to the viewer and therefore these people may be more likely to commit a violent act as it is no longer seen as an extraordinary action.
The two step model states that the information given from media texts does not flow straight into the minds of the audience unmeditated but it is instead filtered through opinion leaders who then communicate this information to their less active associates over whom they have influence. The audience then digest this information using the ideas and thoughts expressed via the opinion leaders, thus being influenced not by a direct process but instead a two step flow.

2. Theories discussing the relationship between the media and audience make assumptions about whether the audience is active or passive.

A theory which assumes the audience is active is treating them as free willed and with high levels of self control. The encoding/decoding model is a theory which treats the audience as active. This theory states that a text is encoded with certain ideologies by the creators and the audience can then decode these ideologies in a multitude of ways, varying on their culture and background.
A theory which assumes the audience is passive treats them as content, submissive and easily influenced. A theory which treats the audience as passive is the hypodermic syringe model. This theory suggests that violent images can influence the behaviour of some viewers as they receive an 'injection' of media stimulus; negative or positive.

3. In my opinion, violence on television being watched by viewers does in no way influence their behaviour to make them violent or aggressive in real life. The theories which support this do not take into account that human beings are individuals with their own moral compass and who are able to decide their own thought processes. Also, these theories do not consider people's mental state when affected by violence on television. For instance, someone who is not emotionally or mentally stable when being witness to certain events on television may find that it affects them however I believe that this theory cannot be generalised on a few isolated, extreme cases and should instead only be acceptable when talking about people who are in a state where they are fully in charge of their own mind and thoughts.

4. Personally, I believe that theories which treat the audience as active are more viable than theories which treat the audience as passive. Mainly, this is down to the fact that I believe we, as a species, are made up of individual people all with unique traits and characteristics. This belief appears to be shared with active audience theories as they acknowledge the fact that people will act however they want and instead try to give the audience something to think about, rather than passive audience theories which believe that the messages given off from their media text will be directly influential to how the audience behaves in their everyday life.

5. A media text that I enjoy is the television show, The Office. By using the uses and gratification model I can say that the show offers me a form of escapism from the everyday life of college and instead throws me into a world where it is easy to become familiar with everyone and their surroundings. I find the show humorous due to the pranks that they pull on each other and the quick, witty humour as it reminds me of my own friend group and the way that we converse with each other. Also, the way the show can turn every day situations into extraordinary, unique moments keeps me hooked as I never know what is going to happen next.

6.
 http://youtu.be/rmSV2l6JFt0

I have chosen this advert as it appears to follow me around YouTube and will load up nigh on every video I watch, whether it be music related or not.

The advert shows a man who informs the audience that he tried to learn guitar but it was just too hard for him to manage, until one day he tried learning with Yousician and since then he has been learning so fast and is a much happier person all round.
A preferred reading of this advert would be audience members who, after viewing it, decide that learning the guitar is for them and are swayed by the advert to try out this new way of doing so. This audience member will also feel that everything the app offers (including mini games and other extras) will be worth their while and will all in all result in a much better learning experience for themselves.
An oppositional reading would be people who view this advert and disagree with its methods of teaching guitar. People may believe that the only way to learn is through having a tutor and by learning over the Internet or through your phone is only a sure fire way of confusing yourself and slowing the entire process down tenfold. These viewers will also have seen what the app can provide and may feel that it is not teaching enough for it to be worthwhile to a beginner or guitar playing enthusiast.

Media Diary Week Three

Audience Classification - Cadburys Phil Collins advert

Everyone has seen it, the classic advert with the drumming gorilla that has nothing to do with chocolate bars at all yet probably Cadburys best advert to date. However, not all members of the audience will agree with this statement, as people have different opinions and are targeted by different sections of the media for different things. 

Income/Status Model

By classifying members of the public in categories based on the wage of the main earner in a householder, I feel the ideal target audience would be anyone from class B and below. This is due to the inclusion of 'creative' types in class B who would appreciate the individuality of the advert and the skill that has gone into it for them to accurately play along with a piece of music. Below this, everyone else would enjoy it as the advert is not segregating any social class and instead leaves itself open to favour from all angles from people who work and watch television for a break from the ordinary and mundane every day life.

Audience Profiling 

Hartley and Fiske's subjectives feel too specific for an advert showcasing a man drumming in a gorilla costume, nevertheless we can state that the ideal gender would be males with the adverts immature nature and aggressive style of playing the drums. The age group would be anyone who was old enough to appreciate the song, In the Air Tonight, and younger because they will find it funny and easier to endure than other standard, boring adverts for other institutions. Families would be able to enjoy the advert together in between their favourite shows that they watch together as the children would find the feature of the gorilla amusing and the parents would appreciate the humour their children feel and can relate to those emotions. Beyond this, subjectives such as nation, politics and religion become obsolete as the advert is broad enough to be appreciated by the educated and uneducated alike with its creative yet simplistic style,  and no favour towards any particular social or religious class.

Young and Rubicams '4Cs'

Through Cross Cultural Consumer Characterisation, we are able to state that the targeted group would be the 'Explorer' category. This is due to the adverts creative, indivudual and innovative, witty style that would appeal to their desire for discovery and something new.

Lifestyle Categories 

In my opinion, the categories of the 'Cynics' and the 'Drifters' would appreciate the advertisement the most. I think this due to the fact that, because of its long run time and unique style, people - 'Cynics' - are bound to find the advert irritating (especially after multiple watches) and may even turn on it just to spite what the majority of people think. However, 'Drifters' would find the advertisement appealing due to its individual nature and the fact that it does not try too hard to sell its product, just simply provides people with a fleeting, momentary sensation that will stick in the head of people with an open mind enough to accept it.

Media Diary Week Two

Mr. Robot

                

Name of Text:
Mr. Robot

Date/Time:
24/6/2015

Where did you find it?:
Online

What is the purpose?:
As a television series, the purpose of this piece of media is to entertain and keep viewers wanting to return and watch more of the programme. Also, as a byproduct of enjoying it, the writers of the series also want the viewer to refer it to friends and family or online in order to keep the view count rising and raise the profile of the series.

Institution:
Produced by Universal Cable Productions, broadcast on USA Networks.

Target Audience:
Young adults, as the programme is about computer hacking and contains some explicit scenes therefore it would not be for the older demographic as they may not understand or be interested in what is happening and not for children who are too young as their parents may not allow them to watch it.

Your reaction to the Text:
Unfortunately, in an age where land all across the face of the world has been explored and ventured across, there is not much hope for any budding explorers or adventurers as there was as little as 100 years ago. Yet after a long, arduous search and meeting several dead ends or despairing destinations, stumbling upon Mr. Robot will arguably go down as the best discovery I will make.
It seems that the formula for making a popular television show these days is 'include the supernatural', so it is refreshing to see a good old fashioned crime drama not too far off reality. Mr. Robot appealed to the Explorer in me as (mentioned earlier) it was not a fantasy series which is the present day norm. Instead, the programme is about a group of computer hackers attempting to bring down the 'corporation' and, as a result, change the world and bring about a fresh start for everyone. Personally, I find the storyline very interesting and I am absorbed by the well written characters, each of whom are just as intriguing as the next. After seeing the season through, I would definitely say I am a fan and will continue to watch when any future episodes are released all the while recommending it to anyone who gives me five minutes of their time.

Why would people consume the Text?:
People would consume this piece of media because they enjoy it and would return to watch it every week when a new episode came out. Alternatively, people may consume it after a recommendation from a friend or reading a review online or in a newspaper.

Could some people react in different ways to the text?:
Viewers of the programme could really enjoy it and become big fans of the series and continue to support the makers by continuing to watch the episodes and being aware of new releases. On the other hand, people could very well not like it and find it mundane or unappealing to them. This is all personal taste as no piece of media can, or is made to, appeal to every demographic around the world and must face the facts that people are individuals and have their own likes, dislikes and interests which decides what media they consume.

Foo Fighters, Sonic Highways - Review

Foo Fighters, Sonic Highways

Unsurprisingly, after twenty years of touring the world and recording seven albums together, being in one of the worlds biggest bands and pumping out record after record can almost be seen to become just another day in the office. For Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters, however, this only opens the doors to new challenges and opportunities for new experiences and adventures.

Sonic Highways, Foo Fighters' eighth album, is new ground for the band as they may have recorded in their own state of the art studio 606, and they may also have recorded in frontman Dave Grohl's garage on tape machines in a clutch back to their familiar analogue over digital past, but had the band composed an entire album made up of eight songs recorded in eight different studios in eight different cities with a week to do each one? Oh, and all the while recording an episode for a documentary in each city to compile together at the end and create a DVD to inform viewers about the history of their favourite bands and the relative cities which nurtured them whilst entertaining with their own antics at the same time? As I said, new ground.
To a band just starting out or on the cusp of their breakthrough, this can seem like quite a task. Fortunately for the veteran touring machine that is the Foo Fighters, they have enough money and experience in the bank to be able to pull this goliath task off with relative ease; Dave Grohl choosing to write the lyrics to the songs out of quotes from the stars of the music past and present who he interviewed seeming to provide the biggest challenge.

Each city results in a new sound for the record, such as 'Congregation' (recorded in Nashville the proclaimed home of gospel) or 'Subterranean' (conceived in Seattle, the centrepoint of Grohl's musical life resulting in his joining of Nirvana and formation of Foo Fighters), yet somehow all manage to still contain that all important 'Foo's sound' which really staples the album as part of their history and not just a sideshow made as a passing fad for television.
Not only does every city bring a new feel, they also bring a new band member. With the guys inviting a big hitter from every city to record a part on the album whether it be Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick) playing baritone guitar on 'Something from Nothing' - the huge introductory song which follows Dave Grohl's classic algorithm for massive stadium rock tunes, or Joe Walsh (Eagles) laying down a breathtakingly effective minimalist solo on 'Outside', the band never fail to pull out the stops when bringing a seventh man to the band.

However, as optimistic and positive as everyone may have been to the task they took on, I do believe they may have set their sights too high with the publicity and hype this album achieved before release, with fans expecting odes to every city and be purely identifiable and individual to the recording studio used on their journey. This, obviously, cannot be done with sacrificing you're integrity and remaining who you are as a writer of creative media at the end.

As they say, it truly is about the journey and not the destination, as individually the songs on the album are sublime, yet as an entirety the eight songs fall a bit short compared to their past works.
On the brighter side, for twenty years of history and to still be producing such identifiable and original records as this, I think that the pedestal dominated by the Foo Fighters, passed on by legends such as Kiss, The Clash, and AC/DC, from where they can look out amongst a sea of next generation rock bands awaiting their leave in order for them to live in the limelight, shall remain theirs for years to come.