At the beginning of the film, Mark grabs a bucket and stands outside the book shop collecting money for the miners, he calls this LGSM (lesbians, gays support the miners). This represents Mark who is a real person as passionate and helpful towards those who needs help. Mark also highlights the struggle that the miners faced in the 1980s as he gets rejected so many times but he is very resilient about this matter. This shows how real people in the 1980s were fighting for what they thought was right. With LGSM being declined from so many places, it shows how the gay community were discriminated against as people thought their help and contribution wasn't needed; this represents real people in the 1980s as homophobic. Marks character is represented as motivated even when the issue about his sexuality is made clear to him; for example, a brick is thrown through the window which is wrapped in a newspaper which headlines "Perverts support the pits'. This represents Mark as a strong character as he doesn't react back in a negative way instead, he uses the attack he got to turn it into something fun and useful which turned out to be the Pits and Perverts gig. This shows how real people such as Mark Ashton did have many barriers but over come them with help from being a community and standing together; reinforcing the theme of unity.
Gethen's character is another real person, he represents the backlash homosexual people faced from other people discriminating. There is a scene where 2 men approach Gethen when it is dark, suspense is built up. We don't see Gethen actually get beaten up but later in the film, he is in hospital which reveals how he was beaten up. This represents real people as being prejudice towards gay people and not accepting of who they are. This shows how Britain in the 1980s and the people of it were homophobic. When Gethen is beaten up, it is revealed to the audience how Johnathon has AIDs, this shows the medical and life threatening illnesses real people faced as Johnathon is a real character.
Because Pride is based on real life, many characters in the film represent real people going through the time. The director uses stereotypes to portray some of the characters, as well as possibly challenging traditional stereotypes. Mark Ashton is a character that I think is shown as challenging traditional stereotypes. In the 1980s, although being homosexual was legal, it was still a controversial issue. Because of this, gay people suppressed their feelings and identity. Mark , however, is very open and confident. This is clear to us, as Mark is shown to be the leader of LGSM, as hes always the one to stand in front of a crowd, making speeches to raise awareness, despite being faced with various obstacles. He is represented as defiant and resilient.
Heffina represents the theme of unity. Typically, we would associate older generations of having traditional right wing views, however Heffina is very accepting of the gay community. We could say that the directors have represented Heffina as one of the bridges between the gay community and the mining community, because she helps both groups come together despite their differences.
At the end of the film, captions are shown on screen, it reveals how Sian become a member of parliament, Mark sadly died at aged 26 and that Johnathon is still alive despite being one of the first people having HIV in the UK. This emphasises realism of the film as we have followed their pathway throughout their life and are aware of where they ended up today.
The 1980s was a decade of intensified homophobia due to the Conservative Government being in opposition to the LGBT community. LGBT Rights came to prominence after the decriminalisation of homosexuality between 1967 and throughout the 80s.
1980 - The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act decriminalised homosexuality with two men aged over 21in private Scotland. 1980 - The first Black Gay and Lesbian group formed in the UK.
1982- The Homosexual Offences Order decriminalises sex between 2 men the age of 21 "in private" in Northern Ireland
1984 - The first openly gay politician, Chris Smith.
1987 - The International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE) is founded to promote acceptance for transgender people.
1987 - Margret Thatcher attacked LGBT community saying there was "no such right"
1988- UK Prime Minister, Margret Thatcher, introduces Section 28 of Local Government Act1988. The act states that a local authority "shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish materials with the intention of promoting homosexuality" or "promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretend family relationship."
1988 - Sir Ian McKellen comes out on the UK's BBC Radio in response to the governments proposed Section 28 in British Parliament. Stonewall UK is formed. ( a charity for the LGBT community) 1988 - London Pride parade was double what it had been in previous years (it increased to 30,000 marchers). 1989 - The number of gay and bisexual men convicted for consenting same-sex behaviour was almost as great as in 1954-55, when male homosexuality was totally illegal and when the country was gripped by a McCarthyite anti-gay witch-hunt.
Youth is represented in Slumdog Millionaire in the scene when Salim who is roughly 12/13 shoots and kills Maman. This represents youth in a negative way as it shows how they are common with violence from a young age which portrays the lack of innocence which they truly have. This also suggests how the youth are not scared of acting in a brutal way because their lack of ambition. However, the reason Salim shoots is to rescue Latika from Maman and to protect her from becoming a slave. Therefore this represents youth as being loyal to the ones they cared about and the intentions of Salim shooting Maman was to get Latika back. This also represents the youth to being familar and common with killing people due to how they group up alone so they have to fight for survival. They are portrayed to being comfortable with crime, they have to learn this stuff in order to grow up in the area they live.
Another way youth is represented in Slumdog Millionaire when we see a young boy singing in a tunnel. The young boy is blind and is singing because he is begging for money. Maman blinds young children as he believes they will get more money if they go out begging portrayed earlier on in the film. This scene represents the innocent of the youth and the lack of freedom that they have. They cannot disobey Maman as he will hurt them so they are forced to beg. Jamal gives the blind boy $100, Jamal's actions represents youth as being caring of each other and shows a sense of loyalty. This scene clearly represents the youth as being very poor and lonely, they have no one else to turn to so their lives are given up to Maman and they follow his rules. This shows the youth as being very weak and a lack of ambition to change their lives.
The writer of the article is Alan Payne who himself is a media studies teacher. The article was published in Media Magazine 34 in December 2010.
The article sets to explore:
- how the world is constructed
- how the world is mediated
- what the audience react and respond to
Alan Payne discussed 'Postmodernism'. He believed that Glee represented this through how they 'mixed' and 'broke' the rules. He thought that the show 'invites us' to laugh at itself laughing.
Glee shows the 'highly constructed' and 'mediated' world through Glees references and music attraction, he thinks that the audience are allowed to expect a production of each show in the future.
The article say that the actual world and mediated world is 'blurred'. Glee is a 'simulation' of everyday life (reality) but yet we are not far behind from this. The article suggests that challenges and 'competitions' help present this.
The article suggests that the character have importance and help the audience understand the episode more by providing 'flashbacks' and allowing the character to be the 'narration' of the scene.
Payne believes glee 'makes sense' of the world within a 'constructed world'. For example, one character called Kurt constantly has new outfit in almost every scene, this shows how outfits are constructed to create a different setting and meaning. He says this is 'competing claims of the truth'.
The article describes 'fiction within fiction' this implies how if it is trying to compare to reality it is drifting away as fake things are being included. For example, Will auditions for Les Miserables which is fiction however can also reach out to the audience as it may become common to them.
The article states 'characters whole reality is simply playful come and go' which implies how the simplicity of the world is shown and ignores the complications that are faced. It says that this 'leaves' the audience to make the 'right connections'.
Payne says how uniforms are important to this show, they are presented throughout such as the dancers and footballers, this shows the hierarchy in different groups of people.
This genre is particular popular within people who are middle aged and older, the age group I would allocate the soap opera genre is 30-60. Examples of this genre are Coronation Street, Eastenders, Emmerdale, Doctors and Hollyoaks.
Format
This format of genre is broadcasted all time around, however soap operas are not shown on weekends they usually have different schedules through the week. Coronation Street is usually on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays so the narrative is easy to catch up on. In soap operas, multiple characters have their own small problems but there is always one problem being kept secret or a disaster to be unfolded that will have an effect on everybody. For example, in Coronation Streets a few years back, there was a horrific tram event which affect many characters in the soap opera. Often when the problems finally come out they are not resolved they either continue or the characters go away in the show and it is forgotten about.
= Appeals
Coronation Street appeals the audience through personal identification to the working class particularly as the life that is portrayed is quite common through their way of working all day and earning their own money. The soap is set in Manchester which is particularly working class area and shown at the opening sequence is terrace houses and a random cat. In addition, Coronation Street is only shown on television on weekdays which appeals to a lot of adults who usually work jobs that have weekends off such as office and admin jobs so this can be used as escapism from their work life. Therefore Coronation Street can be used for entertainment. Moreover, shock tactics such as murders and disasters happen which keeps the audience intrigued in the storyline. The audience are also appealed through social interaction as the biggest audience group is mainstream so they like to familiarise themselves and they do this by discussing the events of what happens which allows the audience to have a topic of discussion, encouraging communication. This show is conventional as it displays usual, ordinary life and this is what the audience expect from the show as they want to predict the outcomes of situations occurring. Target Audience
These type of shows have one main audience which is the mainstreamer, the mainstreamer want to feel comfort and be able to familiarise themselves with the characters and this show lives up to its need. It provides similarities such as the working life which is quite boring and repetitive therefore the mainstream are appealed to this. The lifestyle category which is targeted is the rebels as they ant to fit into the world and by watching a well known soap which is easily relatable, allows them to see how to differ with the way they live their life.
Opening Sequence
The visuals start off with the area being shown and random people walking about, this implies that the show will be relatable. No characters are used in the opening sequence, which suggests that there is a lot of characters and this may be due to it being a soap. The setting looks quite ordinary (nothing special) as it is just streets shown and a postbox which tells the audience that this is a simple show about everyday life. The camera shots are often blurred and show tracking into what it wants to be shown which portrays how the show provides mystery but also an interest to what could happen in the episode. The sound used is quite old fashioned and the pace of the whole scene is quite slow which suggests that the soap can be considered as calm and relaxed. Themes portrayed in this is realism but also mystery due to so many things happening and not being able to predict it all.
Setting
Usually soaps are set in a rural area, places such as a town or a village. Usually the settings are not well known which makes the show unique. This is significant as many people live in an rural are so its easy for the audience to identify with. The set is a studio.
Technical Codes
Popular shots used in soaps is two person shot due to the events and situations in the episodes, normally in a typical episode dramas are likely to happen within a couple or more so these shots are used frequently. In addition, close up shots are used frequently because of different storylines, usually something bad happens so the characters facial expressions are portrayed to show the audience fear, sadness but also sometimes happiness. Hardly any non diegetic music is used as the editors want the show to feel as involved and make the show feel very realistic. Editing used the most is usually relaxed during the day however, when a disaster happens such as the tram crash it suddenly speeds up to create tension.
Characters & Representations
Typical archetypes represented in soaps is the lovable loser such as Chesney who is too sweet and lets everybody tell him what to do and basically walk all over him. Another archetype is the tart with a heart, which is the character Eva as she used to care mostly about her appearance although she does, she met someone recently called Aidan who she believes too love and wants to start a future with. Another stereotype in soaps is the business man which divides between Mr Connor and Aidan since they took over the factory, these usually think that they know whats best and usually believe to have a lot of wealth. Also, we have the mess up kind of guy which is a character who constantly makes mistakes and doesn't learn from them, in Coronation Street this is Peter Barlow due to his actions with cheating, he cheated on Leanne with Carla, then cheated on Carla with Tina, now has cheated on Toyah. There is always the typical, overcrowded family which all live under one roof which is the Platts in Coronation Street, there is roughly 6 people living in one small house. They tend to argue frequently and fall out with each other, but always make up shortly afterwards for their own sake of living together.
Narrative
As soaps are on going all year round, they never do have proper endings due to the problems being released but also solved so quickly. The encoders what to show so much reality as possible, but they do this with so many different characters so they can identify themselves with it therefore Todorovs theory cannot be applied as there is not ending equilibrium. The soap always wants the audience to make predictions through using enigma codes such as 'whats going to happen in the next episode?' so they leave each episode on an almost feel of cliff hanger but slightly less dramatic.
Glamour magazine represents women as being positve but also negative. The representation of being traditional is portrayed in this front cover due to Rachel Mcadems appearance, she has bouncy curly hair and red lipstick which shows this generation of women still have not grown out of the traditional view they are perceived as. Even though we get the traditional stereotype of women displayed, we can also see the modernity of the next up coming generations being created.
The encoders (editors) chose to include this traditional representation because they want to show women how times haven't changed and they still need male dominance for their identity. This is represented though the way it says "Men, Men, Men" which suggests that women are too vulnerable and naive alone and have a need to have a relationship before other important things in their lives such as careers and supporting themselves.
Rachel is the only person on the magazine front cover which suggests that the representation of women is that they are becoming independent as she is standing alone which implies that women are growing in power. Her stance is confident and she looks although the way she is posing is natural to her which represents how women of this day and age are becoming more comfortable with their appearance so they are choosing to behave in a more confident way.
Lindsey represents herself as a young passionate girl who is growing. her clothing represents her innocence as she is dressed in formal black clothes that suits her personality of being enclosed and smart. Lohan jokes about the interviewers name and calls him 'Jay Lemon' this shows us that the representation of being made that she is childish and loves to have a laugh which creates a positive representation. Lohan makes a representation that she is unaware of what being on television in an interview is all about, she reveals little gossip about her life and is quite contempt throughout is which shows how she is calm and gentle.
Throughout the interview, Lohan remains happy and cheery, this suggests how child like she is and how she has an optimistic view on life. Lohan reveals her age which is 12, this shows the audience how naive and innocent she is. As she walks onto the stage, she waves to the audience, this creates the representation that she is confident and is that is already familiar with the celebrity lifestyle.
Considering she is just a child at this point, the language she uses is very formal, she creates the representation that she is growing into an elegant girl, she portrays herself as being mature for her age. Throughout the interview Lohan giggles which goes against the representation that she is mature for her age because the giggling shows her child like behaviour. Her facial expressions throughout the interview seem to be quite calm and collective, this creates the representation that she is laid back. A clip from a film she stars in is shown to the audience, this portrays how her career is growing from such a young age.
Text 4:
The image used for this magazine front cover suggests how wrecked she is due to her lazy eyes. The close up shot reveals how she is unaware of how she is looking due to being so intoxicated. The encoders in this case are the editors and journalists of Star magazine create an awful but also a familiar representation this is through the copy used which is 'wasted again' which suggests it has already happened.With this representation, the encoders are portraying a negative image to the audience. Lohan looks as if she doesn't know what is going on, this indicates to her fans and to any potential audience that her life is becoming beyond a joke as we get the impression that she doesn't care about her representation being created.
The shot has a spotlight on her face and shows the audience Lohans lazy eyes, the encoders have done this to show the consequences she is facing from her drug and alcohol abuse. The encoders who are in this case are the journalist and the magazine editors have made sure that Lohans story is the biggest on the page, this is because she is such a famous person, when gossip is released it is easier to influence the audience to believe this representation because of her popularity which will then shock the audience.
Text 2:
This representation gives the audience the impression that she is back on track with his life however, this isn't the best representation of herself. Lohan is modelling but in a negative way. The encoders want to show the audience that they Lohan has changed herself from the bad representation of her using drugs and alcohol to forget about everything. The modelling representation can be interpreted into a positive aspect and negative aspect, the positive impression is she wants to be out there and engage with her fans to show her life is back on track but the negative way is that she is revealing herself too much because she is crying out for help.
In this cover, you can see her breast cleavage, this creates the representation that she has no respect for herself. This could be down to the confusion of how to get her life back together. Lohan is modelling for Playboy which is an adult magazine company which shows the audience has she has degraded herself. Lohan is surrounded in the colour read which signifies lust and love but it also represents danger. Playboy magazine are unsure how to represent Lohan due to her actions before hand, they want to show us as audience that she got her life back together but they have shown has she is swallowing her dignity and getting involved with the wrong business. The long shot used allows us to see everything that she is wearing (which is very little) and also emphasizes her revealed legs and top half of her body. This creates a sense of mystery and also a sense of guilt due to her wanting her career back that she has been forced into doing this.
The target audience for this particular text would be aged 18-25 year old men due to the nature of the magazine, this would be for those who are more interested in what she does in her own life than her acting career. The men targetted for this would probably not be married or have any children, they would use this text purely for entertainment and comfort because of the lack of attention that they have. They would take the preferred reading of this text that Lohan has now moved on from her acting career and is an object of sexual desire to those who lack this.
This shows how in our society, women are becoming more looked at as objects and that can be controlled by men because of their dominance, it implies that we live in a patriarchal society.
Text 1:
This media text is a front cover for one of her film that she starred in called Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen which was released in 2004, this was before Lohan had went off the tracks she hadn't abused drugs or alcohol at this point. The images show Lohan in a good lighting, her hair looks healthy and she is smiling on most of the pictures. This creates the representation that she is just a young girl enjoying her life and what she is doing. This representation is significant because it shows the audience how well she had a good child life through her upbringing.
The images used are bright and vibrant, the encoders have did this so to the audience she is represented as being a bright young girl and is shown to have so much potential, this is very different to her more recent representations because at this point she wasn't aware of the drugs and alcohol she has went through her more recent life depending on. The bright colours imply how she is confident and has a lot of will power to pursue what she wants when she gets older. However, we all know now due to tabloids that she is basically a mess.
The target audience for this piece of media would be girls aged 14-17 due to the setting of the film being still in high school, these girls would have spare time so would choose to watch this for entertainment but a stereotypical look for teenage girls is that they love to shop and in this film Lohan is shown as a huge lover of shopping so this allows them to familiarize themselves with her. The preferred reading of this text is that Lohan is growing so much in her acting career as she is in so many films, this gives the ideology that anyone can pursue their dreams with the opportunities that they're offered.
This masthead is very eye catching due to the size of the font, it is relatively large and this grabs the audiences attention. The size of the font has a meaning behind because Vogue is created for women to be inspired by, this creates a meaning that women are important and should be noticed more. The masthead is the colour red, I think this colour represents the authority of what women should have The colour red also creates a serious mood as red symbolises tension. the actual word 'vogue' is short and snappy which I think it creates a statement the word can also be sounded as quite formally written. The strapline I would say is "Fashion in wonderland" which I think the actual phrase sets off a fantasy mood to the world women are believed to be apart of which is the caring and attitudes towards appearance. With the phrase being fantasy themed I think it makes the magazine cover more intriguing because it gives off a sense of originality due to the unusualness of it. The strapline is in white and this has been done to show the importance women have, the colour white is quite a soft and gentle colour which contrasts with the masthead as red is looked at as a dominant colour.
Jennifer Lawrence is the main image and she has be portrayed through a medium shot. This has been done as we can see her full face which reveals her facial expression which seems to be sombre.this technical device has been used so the audience are exposed to what type of fashion ideas we will endure from her which associates well with the magazine itself. The background of the magazine cover is blurred out, this implies to the audience how irrelevant other opinions and attitudes are apart from what the magazine has to offer. The model on this cover is Jennifer Lawrence who is a famous actor, she has been chosen because the film she was the protagonist in was the Hunger Games and this was always released in November and this magazine was realised in December so this issued her appearance to the fashion icons. The photo has been composed in this way to show the trends being created to interest the audience.
The colour tones alls seem to give off a relaxed and neutral environment, this creates a calming meaning that women
This is about equality is not gained in todays society. People seem to be judged based on who they are and this shouldn't affect their opportunities. This music video teaches us not to follow a trend, we should choose the pathway we want. It implies how people are selfish and just to ignore people who are in need. For example, it says 'I have nothing' which shows how people are made to just get on with their lives. Whitney is singing this in a theatre which shows she is making awareness.
Camera/Editing:
The colours and camera doesn't seem to be as clear as modern music videos, this shows how it is old but unique because it implies how people used to watch this media. Whitney wears quite old fashioned, but precious clothing; this shows how she respects herself. Close shots are used when she is singing, these shots allow the audience to see how she is passionate about what she is doing. Also, she is wearing a sliver beaded wig and in my opinion I think silver to be a dominating colour and this shows how she has grown and gained power.
Conventional/Unconventional
The genre of this song is ballad and it is easily seen through its conventions. It has an audience which show the song and performance has meaning. In addition, we know this is a ballad song due to her performance and how well she stands out. However, it can be argued that it is unconventional because it gets across an important message about how we still haven't got equality unlike other typical music videos that just want to entertain the audience and promote the artist to get their fame bigger.
What works?
I think the best thing about this music video as it is used to get a particular meaning across due to a film called The Bodyguard. Also, this music video promotes the film because it refers back to scenes from The Bodyguard.
This music video first starts off with a medium shot standing behind Rihanna and in the background you can see walls with what looks to be all different names written over them. This could symbolise how Rihanna is an icon. Rihanna walks slowly towards a mirror, this implies to the audience that she is doubting herself as she wants to look at her reflection. A close shot of Rihanna is used, this allows the audience to see how she is holding her hair up and her bold makeup; the bold makeup represents how she is confident. A two shot of Rihanna and a boy on a date shows how Rihanna suddenly looks different, the audience can see how her makeup is a lot more natural which implies her personality is changing. The editing done in this video is very interesting, a lot of quick shots are displayed from the past with this boy and the audience become more attracted as they want to know the story. As Rihanna begins to sing, a medium shot is took of her and the audience can see how she is revealing herself due to her clothing; she is wearing a black dress. The connotations of the colour black is danger and negativity. A spotlight is portrayed on Rihanna which shows the audience how she has authority. There is also a walking room shot of Rihanna walking in the streets but she looks completely different as she is wearing white clothes. This implies to the audience that Rihanna has two identities. There then is a medium close shot of Rihanna in bed with another man. This tells the audience that she is not a truthful or loyal person. The music goes off and there are non diegetic heart beats, this builds up tension so it makes the music video more exciting
Narrative
There is a story to this music video, it is based around loyalty and how truthful people are. Rihanna starts off seeming happy with this man but as the music video continues the audience learn that she has other interests in more than one person. Throughout the music video, Rihanna constantly looks on edge, this shows the audience how she is beginning to get a guilty conscious. Rihanna is shown wearing white clothes and black clothes, these two different outfits represent her two different personalities. The black show how she is dominant and in control whereas the white outfit shows how she is innocent. Rihanna is having an affair and throughout the video it seems to be getting too much for her so this is the reason why it is being revealed.
Conventional/Unconventional
I think this music video is unconventional because usually in love narratives, the boy is showed at being the bad one in the relationship but in this story, it is the girl who is shown in the negative light. Usually, females are shown to be weak compared to men but in this instance Rihanna dominates the two males, this goes against the stereotypical thought that women need men whereas Rihanna is strong enough without both of them.
What works/doesn't
In my opinion, I think the best thing is how the audience are introduced to a new stereotypical view of women being stronger than men and have more power.
This music video first starts off with a medium shot of Adele, the audience can see how she is sitting up straight and this shows how she is classy and has respect for herself. Adele is sitting alone which implies to the audience that she is lonely as she has no companionship. She is wearing all black, the conventions of the colour black is danger and sadness; this could represent how Adele is currently feeling due to the lack of comfort. Adele is wearing her hair up and neat which shows she is dressed formally and this makes the audience think that she is waiting for something to happen. There is a close shot of hundreds of glasses of water, the clearness of the water could symbolise how Adele is innocent and lives a good life. As the drums start in the background, a medium shot shows the glasses of water vibrates; this builds up an adrenaline for the audience because they are made to think something bad is going to happen. The camera quickly backs away from Adele whilst she is sitting in the chair and this portrays the messy room she is sitting in; the messiness of the room could represent how her life is getting out of control for her to handle. A long shot is used of a ninja in a separate room, this scene is shown in black and white which creates a tense atmosphere for the audience. The ninja is portrayed digging sand which represents the song title "Rolling in the deep". The audience are allowed to see the disruption to the house through a low shot of plates and bowls being thrown down the stairs and smashing against the wall. As this continues the pace of the music gets faster and builds up tension to show the chaos happening. In this music video, there are three consistent settings the room Adele is sitting in, where the plates are being smashed and the room where the ninja is in. The end of the music video ends with a similar shot to the beginning, it is a medium shot of Adele sitting down and this shows the audience that all of it could have been imagined.
Narrative
I think there is a story to this music video, it is about how there is always one person that is out to get you but secretly. In this case, the ninja represents that person. The audience are taught that nobody can be trusted due to the actions that they can do at any time. The house Adele is in is being destroyed, plates are being smashed everywhere and the house looks wrecked but Adele continues to sit in the room. This shows the audience how she can't see the wreckage and is unaware of the actions happening. However, there is twist in this as the music video opens and ends with the same clip this makes the audience believe that this is just all thoughts and it has been imagined.
Conventional/Unconventional
I think this music video is conventional because of the only real setting it is in. Adele doesn't move from her seat so this doesn't give an edgy feeling to the audience. What works/doesn't
I think the best thing about this music video is the sound of the drums, they are so loud and dramatic it makes the audience feel attached to the music video because of the passion it builds up inside. There are sounds of clapping in the background and the tension build up makes you want to sing loud and clap along.
This music video first starts off with a long wide shot of two elderly people ,that look to be living in the countryside, rocking away on their chairs. This allows the audience to see how their lives are peaceful as they are surrounded by nature. There is then a tilted angle shot of a door which looks to be old as it is rusted, this shows the audience that the couple have lived here for a while. A close shot of Dolly and a male is used, it shows Dolly singing and smiling. This implies that she is happy where she is in life and this creates a positive atmosphere for the audience. The male is playing a guitar which makes it feel more alive. The genre of this music video is country and the audience will know this because of the pace of the song which is quite steady and calm. Also, the male is wearing a cowboy hat which also hints that it is in the country category. In this music video, old video clips are shown. There are clips from when they were toddlers, then clips from when they were teenagers which shows them building a relationship as a close medium shot is used of them both laughing and becoming comfortable with each other. There then shows a baby arrival through the past clips, this implies to the audience that all these clips represent their lives and how they grew up. A low angle shot shows the hands of the elderly people on their rocking chair, this shows the audience how they are becoming older but still enjoying their life without any conflict. There is also a close shot of the back of a car and it says "Just married" this shows the audience how their relationship from such a young age has grew to this bond. This music video ends which a low over the shoulder shot and you in see the two elderly people rocking in their chairs. This portrays how they got a happy ending.
Narrative
There is a story to this music video and it is about how a relationship can develop from such a young age. Throughout the music video, there are two people,a girl and boy, who are friends always and this goes further. The clips show them growing up together and getting closer and in the end forming a relationship with each other. This narrative creates the ideologies that friendship is important because it can form some wonderful things for the future. The audience are notified that the two get married due to the visuals of the wedding dress and wedding car. This shows the audience how they have formed a bond that can't be broken through just a simple friendship from a young age. The clips shown from the past suggest that Dolly is looking back on her life she as sings happily with the male. The end shows two elderly people and these are meant to represent Dolly and how they have stayed together.
Conventional/Unconventional
I think this is unconventional because it shows video clips from the past to represent the journey they have been on, this makes the audience interested as it tells the story but in a fun and creative way. However, I think the worst thing about this music video is the video clips from the past aren't always shown in the correct order which can show some confusion to the audience.
What works/doesn't
I think the best thing about this music video is the genre, I enjoyed listening to this as it is unusual for my generation to hear so I think if it was re-made it would attract a large audience and become unique to its genre.
The whole music video is recorded in black and white and this creates mystery for the audience of what could happen. It starts off with a wide shot of a burning fire; this gives a negative mindset to the audience as fire symbolises danger. There is a walking room shot of a boy running; this makes the audience feel on edge as the impression is made that he is getting chased. In this video, the pace is very fast so many things happen at once and this builds up tension dramatically. There is a close shot of a treasure chest and it shows dirty hands. The audience can see how he is trying to protect this chest that seems to be important. The two main male characters in this music video are wearing jeans and hoodies which shows the audience they are just ordinary people. A medium close shot is used of the two males and railings are in front of them. This implies to the audience that they are trapped from the real world. There is another close shot of them both kissing, this implies that they are happy with each other but the audience can see they some people do not accept this. There is a high angle wide shot of a plane going across the sky; this portrays to the audience how they are running away because of judgements made from society. Near the end of the music video, there is a low angle shot portrayed of one of the boys being dragged by a gang, this shot allows us to see the anger and frustration in his face to why it is happening to him. The music video ends on a over the shoulder shot and in the background you can see the boy being beaten up and the treasure chest threw in the fire. This shows the audience that they lost the battle.
Narrative
I think this music video has a very heart touching and quite sad storyline. It is about how society doesn't accept their sexuality which I think it to be so wrong that people would create a gang to go against this. The couple realise in the video that they are just not friends, there is a relationship behind it and this is shown through them kissing. This shows the audience that they are happy but scared of what might happen because they try to hide it. They are seen running away, and this represents how society is a cruel place because people are not accepted for who they are. The treasure chest represents their sexuality and they try to bury this, this shows the audience that they do not want anyone to know because they are scared. They are trying to hide their identity which nobody should have to do. At the end of this narrative, sadly we see that society won the battle because they are getting physical hurt for being who they are.
Convention/Unconventional
I think this music video is unconventional because the whole time it is shown in black and white; this is unusual but unique because most music videos tend to have bright, vibrant colours to it. In addition, this shows real things that are happening and people aren't aware. This creates awareness to the audience that people are being judged for who they are. Also, it shows how society is working in the modern day which is people being hurt, criticised and judged for their sexuality and this stands out to the audience as a huge problem and makes them want to stop it as it is extremely awful and unfair.
What works/doesn't
I think the best thing about this music video is that it is filmed in black and white, this creates an old feeling which will reach out to a wider audience. Also, the music video pace is quite fast which I also like as it shows how their lives are chaos. I think the worst thing about this music videos is the lack of stable camera shots, the angles of the music video seem to be hectic and look confusing at times.
This music video first starts off when a long shot of what looks like to be a dancer, it is just her shadow and the background is red curtains. The audience get the impression that a show is going to be portrayed about her but also it makes the audience think the hiding of the dancer symbolises how she can be invisible to some.. A connotation of the colour red is love so this gives hints to the audience about the themes of the music video which will be shown. The dancer then walks on and at the other end is Ed, a long two shot is used and this shows the dancer and Ed standing in two different spotlights which could represent their importance to each other. The dancer is wearing white laundry but she is covered up which shows the audience how she respects herself. Ed is wearing a suit which shows the audience how he dresses formally and this could represent his expectations as being high and well. There are many walking room shots as the two dance together; these shots show the audience how they dance affectionately and passionately with each other. This implies that they think highly of each other. The background looks like a ball room and small fairy lights are dotted around it, this makes the audience feel happy as a warm mood is created. The white lights reflect their happiness and how they think good of each other. When the two are dancing, a constant switch from close shots to long shots is used and this allows the audience to make the inference that this symbolises their relationship (constantly going back and fourth). The spotlight follows them around the ball room and we can see this through the long shots used; this shows to the audience that they have authority and importance as the spotlight continues to allow the audience to watch what they are doing. At the end of the music video, a high angle wide shot is used and it shows the audience Ed and the dancer both lying down with the spotlight on them. This shot implies that they are exhausted and have gave up.
Narrative
I think there is a story to this music video but it is told in a simple way. The whole storyline is about their relationship and this is shown through the dance moves portrayed. At first, the dance moves aren't as passionate this shows the audience that they are at the start of the relationship and are getting to know each other. As the music video continues, the dance moves become more close contact, this implies that they are comfortable in their relationship. However, there are some sharp moves but then gentle dance moves; the sharp moves reflect the conflicts they have had in their relationship but the gentle shots represent the good times and memories made in the relationship. As Ed sings "People fall in love in mystery ways" he suddenly lifts the dancer up, this implies that their relationship was a surprise but also a shock. The whole music video they are dancing together, this shows that even though they're are arguments in relationships they never left each others side. The end of the narrative is a happy ending, they lay next to each other happily. This shows that their relationship pulled through the problems from the past.
Conventional/Unconventional
I think this music video is conventional, as the song which is based around love usually have two main protagonists so this shows how it is similar to other music videos. In addition, I think this is conventional because there is nothing that stands out clearly to the audience so it can seem ordinary where I think music videos should all have their own uniqueness which this lacks.
What works/doesn't
I think the best thing about this music videos is the way they dance. It is a clever idea because their dance moves represents the different things happening in their relationship, also the dance moves are entertaining to watch which keeps the audience intrigued. In addition, the music video has a clam mood throughout so this creates a comfortable atmosphere. However, I think the worst thing about this music video is the simple story line, most music videos are about relationships so this can be compared to many other music videos which doesn't make it unique.
This music video starts off with a long shot of an indoor cage with the dancer (Maddie) and a man called Shia. This shot allows the audience to see their environment which they are trapped in. the background is just four simple, white walls they looked to be a bit old. The white walls represent the innocence they are lacking in their life as they cannot get to it. The bars of the cage look rusted which suggests that they have been there quite a long time. Maddie has white short hair which symbolises her purity and age as she is young. Both are wearing nude colour clothes which gives the audience the impression that they have been restricted from their human rights. The camera zooms into Shia and a close up shot is used, this lets the audience see how scared he is because he is breathing heavily and has an anxious facial expression. The same shots are used for Maddie after this and she looks the complete opposite, confident and comfortable; this implies that their is a conflict between the two. Maddie swiftly runs at him and starts dances erratically and a medium close shot is took of Shia and he presses against his heart as he backs away. This portrays that he is worried about the child and her actions. A medium shot is used of Maddie spinning around Shia, this shows how in this relationship that has been formed she is in control. A long shot is then portrayed of Shia climbing to the top of the cage and Maddie then begins to dance a lot more calmly; this implies to the audience that she doesn't want any harm she just has a guard which protects her. There is an interesting shot of Maddie holding onto Shias shoulder; this shows to the audience how she does care for him. At the end of the music video, there is a close shot of Shia trapped in the cage, we can see Maddie trying to pull him through but he looks although that he has given up.
Narrative
There is a very distinct story to this music video which not all will understand. Maddie is a representation of how children have freedom and Shia is a representation how adulthood and their difficulties they face. Maddie runs around quickly and dances erratically, throughout this she is not judged and in fact Shia seems to be scared of her. The dance moves that Maddie portrays are unusual and crazy, this symbolises how she can live her life freely and does what she likes because she is a child. The audience get the impression that younger people are more useful because of the freedom they can gain compared to being an adult and being trapped. Shia cannot get out of the cage but Maddie can, this shows how adulthood is trying to be contained whereas childhood are allowed to roam around freely without no rules. The cage represents society and society controls what adults can do because of their age. They are restricted from certain things and their behaviour is affected as Shia shows an anxious feeling throughout the video as he doesn't want to go against society. I think this story is quite difficult to understand as it can seem confusing to the audience.
Conventional/unconventional
I think this music video is unconventional as the narrative as a meaning behind the actions that are portrayed. A representation is presented that society doesn't allow people to live the life they want to, their freedom is restricted and this is shown through Shia. This music video is unique because the messages sent across are complex so not everybody will understand. However, it can be argued that it is conventional because of the similarities of the background, it is condensed to one room which doesn't make the music video anything special. Also, the genre of this music video is ballad and this can be seen through the pace and movements of Maddie when she she is dancing.
What works/doesn't
I think the best thing in this music video is the camera angles when showing Maddie and Shia in conflict; when Maddie is on top of Shia a close shot is used of Shia and its angry, confused facial expressions are exposed to the audience. I also think the narrative to the story is very interesting, the representation of society is portrayed which is rare to find in popular music videos. However, I think the worst thing about this music video is the confusion to the story, the audience can be made to believe that Maddie and Shia have some certain bond but in fact it it representing the freedom and lack of freedom.
This music video first opens with a long shot of a group of friends including Rita, they are sitting on steps outside a building. The audience are made to feel what they are up to or planning. The group are dressed a some would call it unusual, Rita has tassels on her leather jacket, this makes the audience feel interested in their style as it is unique compared to others. There is then a close up shot of a blonde boy who is holding a camera in front of his eyes, this hides his identity from the audience and creates a mysterious mood. Another close up shot is used and it shows a boys hand with two rings on and across four fingers the letters L, O, V, E, are spread. This shot allows the audience to think that he is looking for comfort. Up to this point, there is no actual song yet it is just general non diegetic sounds such as police sirens. The song then starts and Rita walks away and into the place where she is modelling. As she is modelling in the video, the camera zooms in. We can see that she looks confused to why they want her on her own but then smiles as she becomes nervous. Rita changes outfits to a black and white striped, tight jumpsuit, this symbolises how she has good and bad in her from the colours she is wearing. The music stops and this builds up tension as it seems that chaos is happening as the editing picks up the pace and the sounds of camera shots can be heard which creates a tense atmosphere to what is going to happen. There is a medium shot of Rita and she is wearing black underwear and seems to be revealing. This outfit implies that she is changing and now has more freedom. At the end of the music video there is a medium shot behind Rita and she is watching her canvas burn down.
Narrative
The story is about modelling and consequences it faces. Rita starts off with her group of friends who I believe are interested in the modelling industry too. She seems to be loved by many of different people such as the person modelling the biker but they all seem to not fit the category she wants to put them in. The blonde male who has the camera seems to get annoyed when he sees Rita doing all the modelling. This creates the impression that she is just selling herself when she is worth more that what she is doing. In the gallery scene, the person who provides the shoots for Rita tries to give the blonde male money, this implies that he is selling Rita without her knowing. This makes her close friend angry and he walks out because he knows it is wrong what is happening to Rita and he just can't face it. Rita goes to find where he was and she then finds him modelling, this makes her angry as it was her role that he is trying to take. Rita then walks out and burns the canvas in the gallery of herself. The ideology created is that women shouldn't look at themselves to impress everyone, they should be who they are and be proud.
Conventional/Unconventional
I think the music video is unconventional because it is based around a career which is the modelling rather than the relationship between Rita and the different males she attracts due to her appearance. It is also unconventional because it switches from different settings which are the steps outside, to the modelling shoot, then backstage where hair and make up is done for Rita then to the gallery where her canvas is. This keeps the audience interested whilst listening to the song.
What works/doesn't
I think the best thing is the enigma created which is why does she want to choose this career. The pathway she is following is stupid in my eyes as it doesn't reflect yourself as a true person it just shows the appearance people want to see and wants to be impressed by. I think the worst thing about this music video is the lack of interesting camera angles, there are mostly long shots and close shots in this video therefore the backgrounds aren't shown as much so the story is kept to a certain extent.
The music video opens with an extremely close shot of Miley's face, this lets the audience look closely at what she is feeling and we can see that tears are running down her face; this implies that she is upset. Also, direct eye contact is given which makes the audience feel more intrigued and that they have a role in this video. The background is white but I can see that it is slightly blurred which creates a mysterious atmosphere. Miley wears bright, red lipstick throughout the video and this creates the impression that she is bold and wants to make a specific impression. There is a high angle shot of Miley when she is licking the sledgehammer, this allows the audience to look widely over what she is doing. The high angle shot suggests that she is no longer in control and has lost power. A long shot is used and the audience can see Miley walking around in just white knickers and a white vest, in the background of this shot the wrecking ball crashes into the walls. This implies that her life is breaking apart and she is unaware. Up until this point, the music has a slow pace along with the actions but when it gets to the chorus is suddenly becomes louder and more aggressive. The white nails she is wearing represents the innocence she used to have. After these shots, they are mostly repeated and Miley is shown singing up close and swinging on the wrecking ball. The music video ends on a close up shot of the wrecking ball coming at the camera which builds up tension.
Narrative
The story in this music video is about how Miley didn't intend to destroy relationships or friendships that she has. The narrative starts off with Miley in distress as tears are running down her face and her eyes look although they are sore because of the lack of sleep. Miley doesn't seem to wear much clothing or any in some scenes and this begins to tell the story. Miley needs comfort, support and protection and she is not getting any of this, and how she is revealing her body is reflecting the consequences. This video wants to reach out to girls and parents to let them know to support each other and that there is nothing wrong with who they are. The impression that she is a mistake is created as it says "I came in like a wrecking ball" which means that her first appearance was huge and wasn't liked. She is shown lying in the smashed crumbles of the walls, this is supposedly reflecting her life; full of smashed dreams. Throughout the video Miley is upset, the ideology that women are not strong is created. The wrecking ball ends the video which shows us that the thing disturbing Miley defeated her and is defeating other women out there too.
Conventional/Unconventional
I think this music video is unconventional because there is only one person present in the video (Miley) this makes the audience focus on just her and the story behind. Also, it is set in a random setting what looks to be an inside skip yard which is unusual as female artists usually pick a more formal place.
What works/doesn't
I think the best thing in this music video is how Miley's emotions are shown. The close up camera shots allow the audience to get a more in depth understanding of how she is feeling by looking directly at her face and her expressions. However, I think a negative side to the music video is that it can seem inappropriate as Miley shows herself to be revealing which doesn't create a good look for her fan base.
This music video is by Beyonce and is called Best Thing I Never Had. The music video opens in a cream, expensive looking room, white flowers are dotted around the room. The colour cream and white symbolise her innocence and purity. Beyonce walks around in laundry, and this makes the audience believe that she has changed. A medium shot of Beyonce is took and she is in her wedding dress and the sunset is in the background. The colours of the background are red and orange and they create a warm feeling to the music video which creates a positive mood. Her hair is tied back and this represents how she is classy and respects herself by making her appearance formal and suitable for the occasion. There is a high angle shot used and Beyonce is lying out and her arms are spread out. This represents the freedom that she currently has.
Narrative
The narrative of this story is about Beyonces new way of happiness. I gather from the title of the song that she had bad past experiences with boyfriends but this time it has all changed and been successful. Beyonce is in her wedding dress and this implies that she has met the one she wants to spend her life with and she is going to marry him in this music video. Throughout the music video, she is shown smiling. This creates the impression that her life has been lifted by this special person. The music video shows her wedding day; Beyonce walks down the aisle and is surrounded by good vibes. This influences the viewer to believe that they will meet someone better but it just takes time. This story has been told in a gentle way as there seems to be no anger or violence, there is just positive scenes shown in the video.
Conventional/Unconventional
I think this music video is unconventional because it shows old videos that actually look real and might be. This shows that everybody does have a past even if it was good or bad but it also portrays how people can get over it, it just takes a certain time. The song focuses on how Beyonce has had a bad, previous relationship and this creates the ideology that women are independent and can cope with things even though they might need support throughout, they are strong people.
What works/doesn't
I think the best thing about the music video is the environment of the wedding day, this automatically creates a positive atmosphere as when people see others happy it lightens the mood and makes them want to feel their happiness. I also think that it is good that women are shown to be in control as Beyonce is the lead of the music video which shows that women have power as much as men do and that we should be equally treated. However, I think the worst thing about the music video is that it can become boring because it just swaps from around 3 locations, the bedroom, the sunset and the wedding ceremony which can seem quite dulling if the same places are shown constantly.
The music video I looked at was Chandelier by Sia. It starts off in a flat look a like which is dark and isolated and gives a negative vibe. The abandoned place is empty until the camera swiftly turns around and a long shot of a child (dancer) is used, she has nude colour clothes on which represents how she is invisible to everybody. A very close shot of the dancers feet is took, she has no shoes or socks on; this implies the lack of comfort that she is missing reflects her life, a sad , lonely and definitely not how a children should be treated. As the music video goes on, the pace of the dancer seems to speed up This builds up tension and dramatises the atmosphere. The fast pace of the dancer also represents how her life is full of chaos and to deal with this she moves swiftly through life. Near the end of the music video, a long shot of the child is used and she looks almost like a doll. This makes the viewer think that she is being controlled by someone and doesn't have a personality. Narrative
In this music video, I think there is a storyline. The audience get the impression that the child lives alone and has been abandoned by her parents because there is no one in sight. The ideology that children are suffering quietly is created as the child is lonely and isolated but nobody knows of her existence and what she is facing being alone. The star in the music video dances erratically, this shows that she is not ordinary and this is due to not being brought up and going through the process of socialisation. This video almost reaches out to parents to inform them how much children need support. The dancer also rubs her belly. This shows how she hasn't been fed and looked after. The story is basically about how children think they can manage on their own and look after themselves but in the real world it is almost impossible.
Conventional/Unconventional
I think this music video is unconventional because throughout the whole video there is just one person. This creates the ideology that everybody is independent which I believe is a good thing as confidence should be built up. In addition, the child dances very unusual, this is a positive for the music video as it intrigues the audience because it is so different to normal music videos. Also, the setting is desolated which makes it conventional as it leaves the audience in wonder.
What works/doesn't
I think the best thing about this music video is the setting, it creates a mysterious vibe as no one knows where it is actually located. This build sup tension and some audiences like to answer questions that have been left. I think the worst thing about the music video is that it can come across as confusing, the dancer just runs around the flat in a strange manner which makes the audience not understand the story line.
The happy family have moved into their new houses with no problems at the start
The clown doll makes an appearance and gives a scary mood
There is no actual music, just dramatic bangs when something bad happens
A medium is always introduced when the demon or ghost is recognised
A cellar is usually in a horror film which causes curiousity to what meaning it has
The characters are dressed in ordinary clothes which makes the audience think they are normal people
Recognition to it being similar to other horror films, "From producers of Evil Dead"
Haunted house reminds me of Insidious (another horror film)
Screams of terror made throughout the trailer, creates mystery and grabs the audiences attention
Set in America, big country well known and popular (creates familarity for the audience)
The child in horror films are normally the one who becomes possessed, maddie is taken by the poltergeist and the parents and mediums try to get her back
Narrative codes:
There is an equilbrium at the start, nothing bad has happened they have just moved into their new house, this is todorovos theory.
The disruption is noticed, the poltergeist and the haunting it is causing
The audience are made to feel that they are living ordinary lives by the way they present themselves
The audience are made aware of when the poltergeist is noticed because the haunting and torture doesn’t stop
The audience are left to ask 'Will Maddie return?' This creates mystery and makes the viewers want to go watch the film
Usually horror films don’t get a happy ending and in the trailer near the end no resolution of the problems is shown which makes the audience think that a new equilbriumisn't going to be made
The themes in this trailer shown are thriller, terror as the things that happens to the family are so violent it will shock the audience
Binary oppositions that are shown in this trailer are Good vs Evil (family vs poltergeist), Control vs Chaos (family are controlled and the poltergeist gives chaos), Real vs Fake (the family are real, but is the poltergeist just a bad nightmare?)
In horror films, no explanation is ever given to why it has happened to a certain family, popular to use in these films
The family near the end of the trailer become possessed, Maddie's face becomes distorted, the father throw ups worms and they come out his mouth and the son is taken around the house by what looks like black jelly
Technical codes:
In the trailer, rain and thunder is displayed then after this the lights go out, this is called pathetic fallacy and creates an intense mood
Flashing lights are shown when Maddie is taken by the poltergeist, this shows the chaos and danger that is happening
The small clown doll attacks the son, and a close up shot of this is taken and it allows the audience to see the terror and fear in the boys face
Non diegetic music is played in the background, the music is a slow version of a nursery rhyme and it creates a scared atmosphere as a creepy feeling is created
A creepy, evil sounding laugh comes from the clown doll so the audience are then made aware that this is no normal film and that the family are now in danger
The poltergeist grabs the father from behind, an over shoulder shot of this is taken because it has the significance that the poltergeist has more power than the father and that he is weak
Near the end of the trailer, more hauntings keep happening to the family and when these are happening the pace of the trailer speeds up and this represents the craziness of the poltergeist but there are some parts of the trailer where the background music is slow and this is the sign that something bad is about to happen any second
When Maddie is stuck in the television with the poltergeist, she slowly says "Hi Mommy" in a creepy voice so this signifies that she has now been possessed
When the family are being tortured by the poltergeist, the lights constantly switch on and off and this creates a tense mood as pop ups could show up on the trailer and make the viewers jump
There is the sound of footsteps but no one to be seen so this builds up tension as the audience don’t know what to expect
