LO4 -Task 5 Ethical, legal and regulatory issues

Welcome to another video today we will be talking about the Ethical, legal and regulatory issues that are associated with my chosen film, X-Men Days of Future Past.

A. Impact and effect
Firstly I will be talking about impact and effect that these issues can have on a films final product. We can explore this further by looking at a theory put forward by Theodore adorno who said "media has a negative impact. mass audience believe everything they see/hear. This could also be known as a passive audience who are referred to as "copycats" these are people who will watch a film and take something from it such as violence or a certain scene and will then try to rein act it in real-life. This shows the effect media can have on a audience. The other type of audience are known as active audience these are people who are more likely to sit down and watch a film and then critic and question things put forward by it. A way in which my film could have a negative impact on a audience could be that it promotes a lot of violence so people may be influenced by it to cause violence. Another negative impact on the audience would be the use of strong language against a character, this comes as quite a surprise as it is said by a character you wouldn't expect to be aggressive, this would be negative towards a passive audience as they may take from this that it is ok to use that kind of language. A positive impact of the film could be the role model of wolverine as he represents things such as heroism and bravery this could impact the audience by making them want these traits. Another positive thing represented by the film would be the conclusion to the film where wolverine is reunited with his friends, this would have a positive effect because it would show the audience just how important friends can be too a person.

B. Representation
Representation is when the actions of a character are viewed by the audience whether it be from a good or bad perspective. Stuart Hall (1980) stated that all stereotypes are mediated meaning they are done on purpose. A reason for doing this in media is that it makes characters identifiable as they relate to a certain stereotype and can then be seen for what that stereotype represents. Tessa Perkins said that not all stereotypes are false. This can be supported by a few stereotypes in my film one being that most of the dominant characters in the film are males the effect on the audience could be that they realise that men would appear to be the dominant gender in this film. This could then be seen as a negative stereotype as it does not show diversity within the dominance of the characters. A positive stereotype would be the role model of wolverine, as stereotypically all role models are strong, brave characters this applies perfectly to wolverine as he is relatable with these characteristics. Within my film there are also examples of countertypes. One such example is the character of mystique as she goes against the stereotype of all women being subordinate to men, she goes against this as in many scenes she is dominant to the males and can overpower them with her strength. I believe that the reason for this inclusion of a counter type is too give the dominant males a direct opposition as she commands a lot of authority when she's in a scene and also i believe it is to give the female viewers and role model.

C. Legal and/or ethical
Copyright infringement is when someone creating a piece of media content uses something such as a piece of music or a video in there content but they did not get the permission from the original content creator who owns that piece of content. The way in which a person can avoid this happening would be either contacting the person or company who owns the content if you can use this in your own project, you would then need some form of proof or give credit to the original content owners. An example of something which would need to have copyright permission would be the song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" this song is performed by Roberta flack. In order for 20th Century Fox to have permission for this piece of music they would have had to arrange a deal with Atlantic Recording Corp. in order to avoid any legal issues. They would have had to pay a vast amount of money in order to get the rights to the song.  Another example of content in X-Men Days of Future Past that would need to have copyright permissions would be the song "Time in a Bottle" performed by Jim Croce. In order for 20th Century Fox to get the rights to use this in X-Men they will have needed to contact Lastrada Entertainment to gain the legal rights to use it. In X-Men Days of Future Past there is content that could be seen as offensive. One such example is the violence that is seen throughout the film this could be seen as offensive as it could have bad influences on a audience, specifically a passive audience. The BBFC gave the film a 12A this is an appropriate age rating as the violence does not contain any gore, bloody scenes or any sexual content. In the US X-Men Days of Future Past got a PG-13 rating, this is an appropriate age rating as it comes under the same guidelines as a 12 or 12A in the UK. It got this rating because it does contain scenes of violence and adult humour but it doesn't have scenes of gore or nudity.

D. Regulation
The ASA is the Advertising Standards Authority. This organization are the UK's independent regulator of advertising across a wide variety of media. They set boundaries for the advertising for media products such as films, they state that it must be responsible, must not mislead or offend a viewer. My film poster complies with ASA for example it complies with section 16 gambling if they had featured this on there poster the film would have been given an 18 age rating which could have resulted in a lower profit when the film was released. Another way in which my film complies with the ASA code of conduct in another aspect as there are no graphic scenes of violence.

Thanks for watching hope you enjoyed bye

LO4 -Task 5 Ethical, legal and regulatory issues notes

Ethical - representations I.e. Gender, age, ethnicity

Legal - copyright, music/soundtrack
  +         - certification (age rating)
Regulation                 BBFC/ASA ( British board film classification)/(advertising standards authority)

Active audience - question what they see in the media (audience pleasure)

Passive audience - "copycats"


A) impact and effect
 Hypodermic syringe (Theodore adorno, 1930s) -  media has a negative impact. Mass audience believe everything they see/hear
issues about violence?
issues about sexual content?
issues about representation?

Positive impacts/role models?

we are able to filter and adapt to content in media (David gauntlet)



B) representation
    who is being represented?
    all representations are mediated(Stewart hall, 1980) on purpose

is there use of stereotypes (negative)/countertypes (challenged stereotypes) (Tessa Perkins, 1979). not all stereotypes are false
men: stronger (physically)
women: cant drive

Alvarado (1987) - ethnicity 'exotic(clothes, accent), dangerous(different to masses) humorous, pitied.


C) legal/ethical issues
copyright infringement - when you use content that you don't have the rights/permission to use.
prevent it by getting permission for the content
Consequences - sued by the owner, arrested, banned from distributing content you make

ethical
offensive material- racism, sexual content, strong language, violence, use of drugs - refers to a passive audience
inappropriate depending on the age certificate of the film
sensationalism- making something bad/dangerous is made to look good
censorship- removing/re editing the content that is not appropriate






D) relevant regulatory bodies

LO3 Task 4 Feedback sheet

LO3 - Task 4 Distribution and advertising

Hello again and welcome to another video, today I will be talking about how films are distributed in correlation to my chosen company 20th Century Fox.



Distribution channels
Firstly distribution is the way a company gets the product to its viewers or audience. The way in which a product is distributed in recent years has changed dramatically. This is due to technological convergence, this is where technologies come together and this provides new services to the audience an example of this is a smartphone as in the past phones could only ring people but know you can watch films, use the internet and play games on them. The intended audience for my product is mass mainstream this means people internationally will see my product. There are many ways in which a viewer can watch my product for example they can buy it on DVD as 20th Century Fox are there own distributers so they can put there film onto DVD. Another example is on TV this is prominent for my company in general as both 20th Century Fox and Sky are owned by 21st century fox so they can show films on Sky made by 20th Century Fox this is what's known as synergy. Another way in which you can watch my film is on a mobile device this is possible as you can buy the film from places such as iTunes and Google play and then you download it onto your device and watch it in a variety of places. This is a form of converged technology as this downloading service has been integrated into the mobile platform, about ten years ago this would not have been available to this outlet but with the use of web 2.0 where everyone has access to the web so they can integrate this service into a mobile device. Web 2.0 has also been integrated into the cinema as previously the cinema would receive a film reel from the company who produced the film, this would cost the company a lot of money to develop the film on the reels, but with the introduction of web 2.0 the cinema is sent the film over the internet and then they can download the film which is much easier for the cinema to receive and costs the film company less to develop the film in this format.

X-men Days of Future Past

Theoretical performance
Production budget - $200,000,000
Domestic earnings - $233,921,534
Foreign earnings - $514,200,000
Worldwide earnings - $748,121,534

Home market performance

Domestic DVD sales - $23,304,489 Domestic Blu-ray sales - $47,992,182 Total domestic video sales - $71,296,671 From this we can see that based on the budget of X-men Days of Future Past ($200,000,000) it was indeed a successful film as it made $748,121,534 worldwide. Therefore it yielded a profit of $548,121,534. Therefore using a range of distribution channels was successful as the audience had more access and choice to how they watched the film. Marketing One way in which X-Men Days of Future Past was advertised was through the use of a trailer, this will show scenes of the film to the viewer this will create interest for the viewer and may make them want to see the film when it comes out. This a form of new media as the video is being shown online to a mass audience and utilises web 2.0,  this is a good use of advertising as it is targeted to the mass audience as it can then be shared onto social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter and people can then comment on it and share it again.  These websites in particular have had a major impact on the marketing for films as they attract a vast amount of people from around the world because they offer a way to communicate with friends and share opinions on topics and media such as film trailers that companies such as 20th Century Fox can pay to have their film trailers shown on these websites or they can make a page dedicated to a specific film.  Another way in which it was advertised was through merchandise this is things such as toys, posters and clothing. This is a form of old media as toys and clothes have been around for a while and do not incorporate web2.0. Posters are another good method of marketing as these can be very eye catching to a viewer and can be viewed by a mass audience if they are placed in places like a city centre or at a cinema.   Another way in which the film was advertised was through events such as comic con. This is a form of old media as events such as comic con have been around for many years, this is an effective form of advertising as fans of existing franchises can go see actors from a new instalment of a film franchise such as X-Men. The rise of web 2.0 has been a drastic change in the way films can be marketed as the new features incorporated into it make it much easier for films to be shared around the internet. Audiences have also influenced the way films are marketed through social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter as this allows people to share trailers or images off a new film this can then let people comment on them giving opinions on the film and then the cycle repeats itself and it can be shared again.

LO3 - Task 4 Advertising and promotion notes

Advertising and promotion - means marketing the film to create maximum awareness to a specific target audience.

Bus posters
Trailers (online and in cinema)
Adverts on TV
Merchandise
Website banners
Events
Social media
Radio adverts
Magazines and newspapers
Billboards (mass audience)

David gauntlet(2002) discussed the rise of web 2.0
This is the change in the internet being a static, one way form of communication to a two way interactive medium .

You should try and apply ideas about how audiences now also contribute to the marketing of your film.

LO2 - Task 3 Audience

LO2 Task 3

Hello and welcome to another Vlog, in this video we will be looking at the age, gender, lifestyle and spending power of the audience of my chosen film, which is X-men Days of Future Past.

John Hartley (1987) and Ien Ang (1991) suggested that producers create invisible fiction or imaginary entities before creating a media product. This is important as it allows the producers to target their product or film to a specific audience and then suite that audiences needs. In my film I believe that the audience would be more male dominant than female and intended for 20 year olds. We can see this in a audience profile for X-men Days of Future Past.

James, 20, loves the sci-fi genre of films this very thing has influenced his choice of friends, hobbies, personality, fashion sense and lifestyle.
He LITERALLY dreams of nothing other than sci-fi, 24/7 his life is full of sci-fi elements whether it be his fashion sense to the decorative items littered about his house. He is a very sociable person as he will attend conventions such as Comic Con with his friends who are also obsessed with the genre. Its the very thing that drives a conversation between himself and his closest friends.
He is very focused on personality as this is what sets himself apart from the crowd and allows him to be himself in all aspects of his life. He is a fanatic for comics, especially MARVEL comics. He is quick witted and active dedicating a vast amount of time to keeping himself fit and healthy but he loves to make space for a lovely Chicago Town pizza. All of these things are integral to making James able to commune his love of the sci-fi genre.

Gender
In X-men Days of Future Past we can see many examples that enforce the dominant gender in the audience profile, which is Male 60% / Female 40%. One such example is when there is a fight scene in Paris between Beast and Eric (Magneto), this agrees with the audience profile as this scene is very action heavy which males tend to find more enjoyment from also it agrees with the stereotype of men being the dominant gender as the scene is dominated by two characters exclusively who are males.
Another example that agrees with the audience profile is the character of Wolverine. Throughout the film he is a dominant character but is also shown as an "ideal self" (Carl rogers,1980) as he is a character that is represented to the Male audience as being a role model. He's  shown as being strong and authoritative, but in contrast is also a kind and caring person which I believe most males would strive to gain these traits and be just like Wolverine. We can see the dominant gender being shown again in a certain scene where the mutants are hiding from the sentinels. The reason this reinforces the dominant gender as it co-insides with john Berger's theory of "men act, women appear" as the women in this scene do not contribute as much as the males reinforcing that they are the dominant gender. In contrast to this, in a earlier scene we see the roles reversed as the female is the one in control contradicting the audience profile and making the film in some select scenes more appealing to the female audience as any women watching the film may feel that the film is more relevant to them. Another scene that appeals more to the female audience is an action scene, but the difference here is its very emotional as it shows the x-men losing there final battle and has a lot more focus on the characters than the action, making a female audience appreciate and enjoy the scene.

Age
Also we can see in the film many examples that reinforce the projected age group who would watch this film (20yrs +). One such example is the action scenes in the film, this is because the action is very fast paced and is projected as more of a spectacle rather than just pointless action, also the audience may enjoy the action as there hobbies may include things such as video games and sports. Another example would be the comedy within the film as it aimed at a more mature audience who would understand the suggestive themes represented within the jokes and the audience may relate to this type of humour as something they have with there friends or family. The relationships within the film are also an example as they are mainly of friends going through hard times and making the right choice, this easily relates to the projected target audience as people of this age group will be facing many tough decisions at this point in there life. Another example is the story of the film as it has many plot points that viewers of this age group would find interesting compared to a younger or older audience which will help keep an audience enveloped within the films story. The final example would be the actors within the film, these actors such as Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Laurence and Michael Fasbender are very popular towards this age group as they are interesting and to some are attractive so having these in the film would entice this age group to go watch the film and see their favourite actors.

Lifestyle
NRS (national readership service LTD) is a separate organisation specialising in demographic information.

The audience that are most likely to go see my chosen film would be D- nest builders this lifestyle is finding a home in the city and I would put this category of people in my audience profile as the film showcases many popular cities that an audience may want to see. Because my film is a science fiction I believe it would appeal to "nest builders" as these people are established with a house but are working there way towards family life so they maybe more likely to own things related to the science fiction genre such as a video game console, PC or comic books. They may also attend events such as Comic con and E3 and may also dress up in cosplay. I believe this links to nest builders as they may go to events such as comic con and may then form relationships with others who love sci-fi and may ultimately lead to them starting a family. This also links to the theory put forward by Denis Mcquail that people consume media for four reasons (surveillance, escapism, building personnel identity and building personnel relationships) we can link escapism to our audience as the world in the film is very interesting and cool so a viewer after watching the film may then feel like they want to be apart of that world. A further extension of this could be that they escape to that world through cosplay and video games, these can make the viewer be apart of the world in a different media format. Another one of these features is building personnel identity this is where the viewer relates to actors/characters in the film so this relates to what we previously stated about there interest in cosplay and through this have built themselves a personnel identity because of the films impact on them.

Spending power
For my chosen film (X-men Days of Future Past)  I chose the NRS social grade for spending power as being B,C1,C2. I believe this to be because in the film the characters have very ordinary jobs and are on a basic salary so when seeing the film advertised they could relate to that lifestyle and would want to see a film with characters that they can relate to as they themselves would be semi professionals or would be aspiring to be like the role models that are represented within the film. Another reason why I chose these specific social grades is because as previously mentioned people in these social grades are on a salary and because of this will be able to afford the film on Blu-ray and DVD but they may also be able to access the film online through streaming websites. I also believe this to be as people in this class are more likely to be able to afford to go watch the film and then after watching this my then be able to buy things such as posters and merchandise linked to the film also as nest builders they could also be able to afford to cosplay.

 

LO2 - Audience profile for X-Men Days of Future Past (LO2 Task 3)

James, 20, loves the sci-fi genre of films this very thing has influenced his choice of friends, hobbies, personality, fashion sense and lifestyle.

He LITERALLY dreams of nothing other than sci-fi, 24/7 his life is full of sci-fi elements whether it be his fashion sense to the decorative items littered about his house. He is a very sociable person as he will attend conventions such as comic con with his friends who are also obsessed with the genre. Its the very thing that drives a conversation between himself and his closest friends.

He is very focused on personality as this is what sets himself apart from the crowd and allows him to be himself in all aspects of his life. He is a fanatic for comics, especially MARVEL comics. He is quick witted and active dedicating a vast amount of time to keeping himself fit and healthy but he loves to make space for a lovely Chicago town pizza. All of these things are integral to making James able to commune his love of the sci-fi genre.

LO1 - Camera work analysis

The purpose of camera work is to involve the audience in the scene/narrative and create a spectacle for them to witness. There are many different techniques when it comes to camera work that we will know explore. The first technique we will be looking at is the shot type, close up. In X-men Days of Future Past we can see many examples of this, for example in the a particular scene we can see denoted an argument between two characters (Charles and Eric) it then zooms in on Eric's face at the height of the argument. This connotes tension and aggression as we can see a lot of anger in Eric's face as he says his final statement. The effect on the audience could be that they are quite exhilarated by this and may want to see how other characters react to this.

The  next shot type we will be looking at is a crowd shot. This is denoted  when the X-Men have their first encounter with the sentinels, the X-men stand in a circle ready to fight them. The connotations of this could be tension and unprepared as the X-Men are caught off guard and must quickly form a plan to hold off the sentinels. The effect on the audience could be exhilaration as this is the first action piece in the film and will be excited to see it in its entirety.

The next piece of camera work we will be looking at is a camera angle specifically a low angle shot. This is denoted in the scene where Mystique rescues some mutants from the military the shot depicts a military officer standing above her as he looks down at her. The connotations of this could be fear and dominance as this agrees with the stereotype of men being dominant over women. The effect on the audience could be that they are quite in shock as previously Mystique has been a dominant character, so perhaps she has met her match.

The next piece of camera work we will be looking at is a tracking shot. This is denoted when Wolverine first meets Beast, he forces his way into Charles's mansion and begins to walk through the main corridor. As he walks through the camera follows his movement until Beast pulls him back. This connotes tension as we do not know how this scene will evolve from here. The effect on the audience could be tension as they do not know how the two characters will interact from this point onwards.

The final piece of camera work we will look at is Focus specifically Shallow depth of field. This is denoted when Charles is talking to Eric, Eric is in the foreground and out of focus while Charles is in the background and in focus. This could connote importance to the narrative as what Charles is saying is more important to the current conversation. The effect on the audience could be that they are intrigued as to what Eric's reaction to the  conversation could be.

LO1 - Editing analysis

Editing is the process of arranging footage to create a narrative, applying SFX and manipulating audio and music. Edit essentially means to take out. In editing there are many different styles and methods of achieving a certain type of shot or effect. One of these techniques is called shot reverse shot structure  this is where you juxtapose two images in order to create a link between them this is usually used in conversation between characters. In X-Men Days of Future Past there are a few examples of this one such example being when Wolverine first meats Beast, the camera switches  between over the shoulder perspectives of the two characters as they exchange dialogue and later leads to a confrontation between the two. This clip takes place at a disequilibrium as Wolverine needs to find allies in order to help him complete his task. The connotations of this could be struggle and fear as Beast is very reluctant to help Wolverine perhaps implying that Wolverine has some previously unknown dominance over Beast. The effect on the audience could be that feel intrigue to see where this scene will lead on from here.

 Another editing technique is action match. This is where an action began in one shot and is then seen within a different shot type. A few examples of this can be seen within  X-Men Days of Future Past one such example being located within the previously discussed scene involving Wolverine and Beast. The shot denotes Wolverine walking down a corridor and Beast pursuing him he then does a flip off a bookcase, this is when the shot transitions behind him latching onto a chandelier and then finishes with a shot from over Wolverines shoulder. This connotes aggression and fear for the opposite character. The representations of this are that it reinforces the male stereotype of males being dominant but at the same time offers a power struggle as the previously dominant male has become the subordinate. The effect on the audience could be that they are thrilled by this sudden change in power and want to see if these positions of power shift or stay the same.

Another editing technique we will look at is called crosscutting this refers to an editing sequence that cuts between two or more narrative events that are occurring in different places simultaneously. There are many examples of quick cross cuts but there will usually be main locations in which the story will cut too. In X-Men Days of Future Past there are two main locations that are frequently cut too these are the future and 1970s Washington. The reason why we are shown these cross cuts is too have multiple characters different perspectives on certain situations that are currently effecting both past and present eras. the connotations of this could be loss and hope because we are seeing a bleak situation but are then shown the good outcomes that benefit the future characters.  The effect on the audience could be that they are enveloped in the story as they can see outcomes that benefit and hinder the future characters.

Another editing technique we are going to look at is an insert shot. This is a close up shot designed to draws the viewer or audiences attention to something that was only part of the previous shot. This is usually a prop, used to connote used to show or signify something's importance to the narrative. This can be seen within the scene of magneto recovering his helmet from the pentagon. The shot denotes a large corridor but then gradually zooms in on the helmet before magneto decides to recover. This connotes importance and significance this is because the helmet is an important plot point to the story. the effect on the audience could be that they know wonder why this helmet is so significant and what part it could play later in the film.

The final technique we will be looking at is eyeline match. This is a kind of shot reverse shot structure which knows what a character is looking at. We can see an example of this in the scene where Mystique attacks a boardroom of men. The scene denotes Mystique looking at a board member on the table who is looking back at her, she then kicks him down the table and into a soldier. This connotes aggression and tension as there is a brief moment where it looks like mystique is on the back foot and she may fail. The effect on the audience could be a gripping one as they do not know whether mystique will succeed with her given task or if she may fail.

LO1 - Mise en scene feedback

LO1 - Feedback on sound analysis

LO1 - CDM minimum target grade

MTG: MP

LO1 - Self assessed starter task

Self-assessor Billy Armitage               

Peer Assessor- Jack Warwick

What is diegetic sound?

Diegetic sound is sound that is natural (ambient, sound effects) to the Digesis; an example would be a sound the characters in the story can hear such as dialogue or an explosion. This takes place in pre-production, production, post production.

What is non-diegetic sound?

This is sound that only the audience can hear and not the characters in the story, an example of this could be a narration (voice over, incidental music, music) at the start or in the middle of the film. This happens in post-production.

What is the difference between denotation and connotation?

Denotation is what you can see and hear, while connotation is when you explore the meaning of something correct

Who talked about the ‘the male gaze’?

Laura mulvey talked about this in 1975 women been represented as sex objects.

life on mars task

 non digetic sounds- soundtrack, sound effects, sirens, heart monitor, transition sound effects, whispering, ringing sound

LO1 - Audition intro task

Today I have learnt how to manipulate an audio track, I have learnt how to mix multiple clips of audio to make one track and I have learned how to import and export different types of sound file. 



LO1 - Voice recorder task

3 things I found easy during our voice recorder session :
1. The recorder itself was very easy to use
2. Playback was very clear
3 reading the script felt very naturally

3 things I found hard:
1. Getting a place where background sound was minimal
2. A distance where our voice would be clear on playback
3.people would occasionally interrupt the recording

3 things I learned for next time:
1. we should use the sound booth next time as it is secluded and has the proper equipment
2. make sure to keep the recorder away from our mouths for clear playback
3. we need to record on our own to minimalize background noise

we will be recording our scripts on Wednesday

LO1 - Audio recorder

LO1 - Premiere task

3 Things I learnt to do on premiere

1. I have learnt how to organise a timeline and edit video length
2.I have learnt how to change the size of a picture to fit the screen size
3.I have learnt how to add in a effects such as lens flare and then manipulate the properties of it.

LO1 - Task 2 textual analysis of X-Men Days of Future Past

Hi guys welcome back to another video, today I will be explaining how I will analyse a certain film.
The film I chose to analyse is X-men Days of Future Past.

Purpose
The purpose of this film is to entertain the viewers, an example of how they do this is by having a lot of action sequences and an original and interesting story for a viewer to get involved in. The reason this film was made was that firstly it is an internationally successful film franchise, secondly it was made was to make the studio money as 20th century fox are a company and must make money using there types of media platforms to earn a profit.

Genre
Genre means type or category, the genre of my film I believe to be sci-fi and action, examples of this can be seen in the film as it features futuristic technology and mutants and there are multiple action sequences within the film. A sci fi film is a film that is either set in the future or features futuristic technology, an action film is one that features many action scenes whether it be fighting or a war. When a film features more than one type of genre it is known as a sub-genre, it was Barry Keith Garry who said "all genres have sub genres".

Form
The form of the product we are analysing is a feature film we know this because it has a overall runtime of 2hr and 11mins. This film will have been released on streaming services such as Netflix's, on DVD and Blu ray.

Style
The style of X-men Days of Future Past is a mixture of futuristic and nostalgic as it takes place in the future and the past so this gives the film 2 unique settings that the viewer can get enveloped in.

Content
The narrative of X-men Days of Future Past starts with a disequilibrium as it starts with the world being taken over by robots called sentinels and then its up to wolverine to go back in time to change the past to save the future while the X-men must guard him from the sentinels in the future. He then meets up with the X-men as there younger selves. A equilibrium then occurs when Mystique saves the president and brings Oliver Trask to justice. A resolution then occurs as wolverine is then sent back to the future where the events of the past have changed the future for the better.

According to Kate domailles 8 narrative types, X-men days of future past falls into 2 of her narrative types as it falls into Achilles as the story's main character wolverine, his skeleton is made of metal so his weakness is magneto who can control metal.

diegetic sounds
1. explosion
2.dialogue "you and I are gonna be good friends"
3.lightning
4.glass shattering

non-diegetic sounds
1.music, dark tone
2.voice over "what's the last thing you remember"
3.sound effects "drum beat"
4. future voice "so this is what becomes of us"

In X-men Days of Future Past there are many examples of diegetic sounds  one such example is the sound of an explosion this connotes violence and anger within the scene. Another example is when Hugh Jackmans character says "you and I are going to be good friends" this is in the scene where wolverine meets beast, this connotes a hopeful mood that the characters will become friends and a sense of mystery as to how Jackmans character knows of future events. Another example is the sound effect of a lightning strike this occurs just before the x-men are attacked, this connotes a dull mood and an ominous feel as this could be foreshadowing future events, the effect on the audience could be a tense one as they may be expecting an action scene to know occur. The final example is the sound effect of glass shattering this connotes anger as to the reason for the glass being broken.
There are also examples of non-diegetic sounds one such example is when music with a dark tone begins to play this has connotations of fear as something bad may happen to the characters that the audience knows about but characters in the film do not. Another example is when a voice over plays at the beginning of the film saying "what's the last thing you remember" the tone of his speech is calm but connotes mystery to what he is referring to. Another example is when a sound effect of a drum beat plays this connotes suspense for the audience. The final example is when Charles goes into the future for a brief moment and speaks to his future self in a dream he says "so this is what becomes of us" this connotes mystery and loss.

Mise en scene
In X-men Days of Future Past the location varies as there are multiple different time periods throughout the film. In the future the location is denoted as an old monastery at night time, this is effective use of location as it connotes loss and also fear of the unknown . This is located at the disequilibrium as our characters are being hunted by the sentinels. This links to the genre as locations such as this can be seen in many sci fi films. When in the past the setting is denoted as Washington D.C which is very bright and colourful, this connotes hope that the future will look brighter for our characters. This located at the equilibrium as the characters are beginning to succeed with their task.

In the film we also see the use of gestures as a key feature. In a particular scene we can see examples of both the antagonists and protagonists gestures. The protagonists gestures are denoted as being very worried as he is cowering back and his face seems shocked or scared this could connote fear of the antagonist or that he is doubtful of his own capabilities. This challenges the male stereotype as males are seen to be very dominant but in this scene he is not. The antagonists gestures are very much the opposite as his are more direct and harsh this connotes aggression and authority over the protagonist as he is the one currently in control of the scene . This agrees with the stereotype of males being dominant as in this scene he is the one in control.

Costumes are another important aspect to look at as once again they can change drastically depending on the scene and character. In the scene in question the protagonist is denoted  wearing a suit of armour this connotes heroism and  bravery this links to the scene as he is preparing to fight the antagonist this will make the audience excited as an action scene is about to take place. On the other hand the antagonist is wearing a cape and a helmet this connotes protection and authority as his cape could be a way of distinguishing him from less dominant characters the effect on the audience could be that they know realise that he is the most dominant character in this scene.

Iconography is another important thing to look at as there are many in the film, the most significant being wolverine claws these connote danger and authority as the claws can spread fear into others giving him authority in certain scenes, the effect on the audience maybe that they see wolverine as a more memorable character because of this iconography or that they feel him to be one of the more dominant characters as compared to others. Another piece of iconography is magnetos helmet this is key as this is a key element to his character he wears this throughout the film this could connote heroism or safety, the effect on the audience could be that they see magneto as a heroic character or as someone wanting to conceal themselves.

Lighting is another important thing to look at, there are many examples throughout the films one such example is when the X-Men are hold up at an old monastery the lighting is low key this could connate danger and possible foreshadowing, the effect on the audience could be that they feel something for the characters as they know their situation is bleak. Another example is the use of high key when wolverine travels to the past this could connote hope and happiness, the effect on the audience could be that they know feel uplifted as there is hope that the characters could succeed with the task at hand.

Camera work
The purpose of camera work is to involve the audience in the scene/narrative and create a spectacle for them to witness. There are many different techniques when it comes to camera work that we will know explore. The first technique we will be looking at is the shot type, close up. In X-men Days of Future Past we can see many examples of this, for example in the a particular scene we can see denoted an argument between two characters (Charles and Eric) it then zooms in on Eric's face at the height of the argument. This connotes tension and aggression as we can see a lot of anger in Eric's face as he says his final statement. The effect on the audience could be that they are quite exhilarated by this and may want to see how other characters react to this.

The  next shot type we will be looking at is a crowd shot. This is denoted  when the X-Men have their first encounter with the sentinels, the X-men stand in a circle ready to fight them. The connotations of this could be tension and unprepared as the X-Men are caught off guard and must quickly form a plan to hold off the sentinels. The effect on the audience could be exhilaration as this is the first action piece in the film and will be excited to see it in its entirety.

The next piece of camera work we will be looking at is a camera angle specifically a low angle shot. This is denoted in the scene where Mystique rescues some mutants from the military the shot depicts a military officer standing above her as he looks down at her. The connotations of this could be fear and dominance as this agrees with the stereotype of men being dominant over women. The effect on the audience could be that they are quite in shock as previously Mystique has been a dominant character, so perhaps she has met her match.

The next piece of camera work we will be looking at is a tracking shot. This is denoted when Wolverine first meets Beast, he forces his way into Charles's mansion and begins to walk through the main corridor. As he walks through the camera follows his movement until Beast pulls him back. This connotes tension as we do not know how this scene will evolve from here. The effect on the audience could be tension as they do not know how the two characters will interact from this point onwards.

The final piece of camera work we will look at is Focus specifically Shallow depth of field. This is denoted when Charles is talking to Eric, Eric is in the foreground and out of focus while Charles is in the background and in focus. This could connote importance to the narrative as what Charles is saying is more important to the current conversation. The effect on the audience could be that they are intrigued as to what Eric's reaction to the  conversation could be.

 Editing
Editing is the process of arranging footage to create a narrative, applying SFX and manipulating audio and music. Edit essentially means to take out. In editing there are many different styles and methods of achieving a certain type of shot or effect. One of these techniques is called shot reverse shot structure  this is where you juxtapose two images in order to create a link between them this is usually used in conversation between characters. In X-Men Days of Future Past there are a few examples of this one such example being when Wolverine first meats Beast, the camera switches  between over the shoulder perspectives of the two characters as they exchange dialogue and later leads to a confrontation between the two. This clip takes place at a disequilibrium as Wolverine needs to find allies in order to help him complete his task. The connotations of this could be struggle and fear as Beast is very reluctant to help Wolverine perhaps implying that Wolverine has some previously unknown dominance over Beast. The effect on the audience could be that they feel intrigued to see where this scene will lead on from here.

 Another editing technique is action match. This is where an action began in one shot and is then seen within a different shot type. A few examples of this can be seen within  X-Men Days of Future Past one such example being located within the previously discussed scene involving Wolverine and Beast. The shot denotes Wolverine walking down a corridor and Beast pursuing him he then does a flip off a bookcase, this is when the shot transitions behind him latching onto a chandelier and then finishes with a shot from over Wolverines shoulder. This connotes aggression and fear for the opposite character. The representations of this are that it reinforces the male stereotype of males being dominant but at the same time offers a power struggle as the previously dominant male has become the subordinate. The effect on the audience could be that they are thrilled by this sudden change in power and want to see if these positions of power shift or stay the same.

Another editing technique we will look at is called crosscutting this refers to an editing sequence that cuts between two or more narrative events that are occurring in different places simultaneously. There are many examples of quick cross cuts but there will usually be main locations in which the story will cut too. In X-Men Days of Future Past there are two main locations that are frequently cut too these are the future and 1970s Washington. The reason why we are shown these cross cuts is too have multiple characters different perspectives on certain situations that are currently effecting both past and present eras. the connotations of this could be loss and hope because we are seeing a bleak situation but are then shown the good outcomes that benefit the future characters.  The effect on the audience could be that they are enveloped in the story as they can see outcomes that benefit and hinder the future characters.

Another editing technique we are going to look at is an insert shot. This is a close up shot designed to draws the viewer or audiences attention to something that was only part of the previous shot. This is usually a prop, used to connote used to show or signify something's importance to the narrative. This can be seen within the scene of magneto recovering his helmet from the pentagon. The shot denotes a large corridor but then gradually zooms in on the helmet before magneto decides to recover. This connotes importance and significance this is because the helmet is an important plot point to the story. the effect on the audience could be that they know wonder why this helmet is so significant and what part it could play later in the film.

The final technique we will be looking at is eyeline match. This is a kind of shot reverse shot structure which knows what a character is looking at. We can see an example of this in the scene where Mystique attacks a boardroom of men. The scene denotes Mystique looking at a board member on the table who is looking back at her, she then kicks him down the table and into a soldier. This connotes aggression and tension as there is a brief moment where it looks like mystique is on the back foot and she may fail. The effect on the audience could be a gripping one as they do not know whether mystique will succeed with her given task or if she may fail.

Production process
The production process is when a company making a film, goes through the processes of film production. These processes are pre-production, production and post-production. I will be looking at how these processes were used for the film I am analysing, X-Men Days of Future Past. Firstly we will be looking at is Pre-production. This process mainly consists of writing a script, making a storyboard, hiring cast and crew and searching for locations or movie studios. In my film in particular they will have had to hire on a company to help build all the practical effects and sets that could not be filmed in real locations such as Charles's mansion and the White house. Another example of how they will have handled pre-production will have been scouting for real locations to film in for certain scenes in the film, for example they went to a city in France and to Florida in order to film certain scenes.

The next process in the film production cycle is production. This process mainly consists of building sets and travelling to certain locations to film in, filming scenes with actors and using practical effects and pyro techniques in scenes that require them. In my film there are many examples of how they used the production process, on such example of them filming in France with actors and practical effects. I believe this location was chosen and the peaceful setting is juxtaposed with the dark tone in the current scene. Another example would be them using pyrotechnics such as explosions in a key battle scene, I believe these were used to give the scene more tension and create more of a spectacle for the audience.

The final process in the film production cycle is post-production. This process mainly consists of adding in CGI and SFX, manipulating audio and adding in music (soundtrack). In my film there are many examples of how these aspects have been utilised to benefit the film. One such example is when they add in a soundtrack to the final product, I believe that this is done to give a scene more empathy and depth. Another example is when they add in CGI a specific example of CGI used in the film is wolverine claws. I believe this was added as they stay true to the characters source material and make the character more threatening.

LO1 - Task 2 notes

X-men Days of Future Past
Purpose
inform/educate/entertain?
The purpose of my product (film) is to entertain the viewers, an example of how this is achieved is that there is a lot of action sequences and an interesting story
what is the reason why the film has been made
type of audience- mass? niche? national? international?
commercial gain- to make a profit?

Genre
Genre means type or category
Sci fi, comedy, romance , horror, action, documentary, rom com, thriller, animated, historical, family
A mixture of two genres is called a sub genre
Barry Keith Grant "all genres have sub-genres"
rom com, sci fi thriller, action adventure
what genres does my film have?

Form
what type of product are you analysing for his task?(feature/short) it is a feature film
what is the duration of the product you are analysing?
where would it have been distributed based on who the target audience of the film is?
streaming service, DVD, cinema, download

Style
Aesthetic quality - the way something looks
modern?
old-fashioned?
nostalgic?
futuristic?
creates 'verisimilitude' (appears to be realistic)

Content/Meaning
narrative(story)
how the story is put together
todorov(1977) 'narrative structures' 5 stages to telling a story, we will concentrate on 3 stages (beginning, middle, end) 1.equilibrium 'balance' 2.disequilibrium 'unbalanced' 3.resolution: new state of equilibrium
Levi Strauss "binary opposite"  gender Male (important) Female(subordinate) stereotypical or challenged
ideology(views, opinions that are recognised)
protagonist - lead, hero
antagonist - opposition, villain
Laura mulvey (1975) "the male gaze"
John beserc
Micro elements - sound, mise en scene, editing, camera work
sound- diegesis where your narrative takes place (is it verisimilitude/appear to be real)
diegetic/ natural to the diegesis/story world (ambient, dialogue)
non-digetic - voice over, incidental music (music that is used to show the mood of the scene, talk about the tempo, pitch etc.)
denotation(describe what we see and hear) and connotation(what does it mean, implies, infer, represent)
1. 'the image denotes a red heart' 'a red heart is denoted' 'the denotation of the image is a red heart'
2. 'it connotes love' 'love is connoted through the image of a denoted red heart' 'connotation of the red heart symbolises love'

mode of address
1.peer to peer- informal, slang
2.parent to child- informal, calm
3.teacher to child-formal, informative, giving advice

1. What does the film
connote/signify?

2. Macro
narrative/genre/representation

Production Process
1.pre-production?
2.production?
3.post-production?

5 things we would expect to see in:
1.a indie music video- instruments, singer, band performing, secluded place, outside

2.a horror film- low key lighting, blood, characters, haunted house

Mise en scene:
1.location : diegesis
                :verisimilitude what does it suggest
2.costume/make up
   costume is worn for a specific purpose while clothes are worn by our own choice. Comparing     costumes
3.props (property)
  a prop is always something handheld, significant objects, iconography or icon
4.colours/ lighting
   connote moods and emotions, low key and natural lighting
   low key is when there is shadows and low light ( can connote fear and fear of the unknown)
   high key is when the scene is bright or well lit ( can connote victory or happiness)
5.gestures (significant movements)
  character types- protagonist, antagonist

encoded- embedded on purpose
1.stereotypes
2.narrative
3.genre

Mise en scene - everything within the frame

locations and iconography- 2-3 examples
characters and acting gesture (protagonist, antagonist)
costume and make up (protagonist, antagonist)
props (2-3 significant props)
lighting and colour (high key or low key examples)

LO1 - Peer assessment LO1 task 1

Jack shakeshaft

1.conglomerate
2.cross media ownership
3.Independent
4.Distribution
5.consumption NOT IN SCRIPT
6.production process
7.vertical integration
8.Horizonatl intergration
9.synergy
10. joint venture

I know need to add in consumption into my script.


Ownership Hello, my name is Billy Armitage I work for 20^th century fox. I have been asked by them to create a series of educational vlogs analysing a film produced by the company in question (20^th century fox). The film I will be analysing will be x-men days of future past.

Rupert Murdoch is the current owner of 20^th century fox; it is structured like a conglomerate and is made up of smaller companies known as subsidiaries. 20^th century fox operates as a cross media company, for example 20^th century fox make their own films such as avatar and x-men but are also their own distributers as they release their films on Blu ray and DVD. The advantage to them being a big company is that they do not need to have to create a joint venture to distribute their own films at the cinema as smaller companies must do. 20^th century fox is not an independent company as they work for 21^st century fox unlike an independent company who will only work for themselves.  An example of a joint venture is when 20th century fox worked with DreamWorks.

Operating model

In 20^th century fox the subsidiaries can help promote the conglomerates production of a certain type of media as they have cross media ownership so they can help promote a film by showing adverts on fox TV this is known as synergy or horizontal integration where a company uses a free advertising for a certain product they do this by owning many subsidiaries. For example if 20^th century fox make a new film then they can then air adverts on one of their many subsidiaries such as fox TV or SKY.  In order for different parts of the company to start help producing a product (film, toy etc.) the research team then will conduct surveys perhaps on what the company’s best product has been or what people look for when viewing a type of media. 20^th century fox can also use vertical integration, this is when they produce distributed and exchange their own products (PDE) this is also known as the film production cycle. The film production process is when a company goes through the process of pre-production, production and post-production. Pre-production mainly consists of writing a script, making a storyboard and hiring cast and crew. Production is when the filming of the product takes place so scenes will be shot with actors and effects such as pyrotechnics. Post-production is mainly the process of editing the final product by adding in CGI, editing audio and scenes together and manipulating a green or blue screen.  

Products

Products produced by 20^th century fox are mainly made for a mainstream audience. A subsidiary of 20^th century fox is sky Atlantic who produces a wide variety of programmes to accommodate a larger viewing audience, for example they make Blue bloods and Boardwalk Empire for more hard hitting drama viewers but also make shows such as Mount Pleasant and trollied for viewers who may like comedy. One of their most popular series is a game of thrones which is just starting its next season. Another subsidiary of 20^th century fox is regency enterprises an Entertainment Company who have produced many films to suite many different genres and age demographics. They have made films such as free willy and gone girl which shows they are reaching many different target audiences.

Market position

20th century fox are obviously a very successful company and there are many ways to tell that they are indeed a successful company. One way we can see this is by looking at the total revenue of a selection of films produced by 20th century fox. If we take a look at some popular films produced by 20th century fox we can see their total revenues, for example Avatar earned a total domestic gross of $760,507,625 another popular film produced by 20th century fox would be Home alone this earned a domestic gross of $285,761,243. Another way we can tell if 20th century fox are successful is by looking at if they are successful both nationally and internationally. A way in which we can do this is again by looking at a films revenue but instead we compare the domestic and foreign earnings, lets use X-men days of future past as an example if we look at its domestic earnings we see that it earned $233,921,534 but if we then look at its foreign earnings we see that it earned $514,200,000 making a total of $748,121,534 globally. From these figures we can tell X-men days of future past earned more money internationally than nationally. So we now can see that 20th century fox are indeed successful both nationally and internationally.

Another way we can see if they are a successful company is by comparing there revenue to another company that offer the same products such as universal. If we then compare this years current total gross we see that as of the writing of this blog that 20th century fox have made over  $775,290,822
while universal have made $2,199,820,996. So we can see that 20th century fox have been successful so far this year but not as well as its competitors universal.

Competitors

A company such as 20th century fox is bound to have many competitors a few examples would be companies such as Universal, warner bros., and paramount. These particular companies are considered competitors of 20th century fox as they offer the same types of products such as films and DVDs. I believe that what helps 20th century fox stand out from the other companies is firstly the wide variety of films targeted for many different audiences and secondly the vast amount of subsidiaries that they own, all targeted for different platforms.

LO1 - Competitors starter task

Synonyms for the word 'competitors'

1.Rivals
2.Oppositions
3.Adversary
4.Opponent
5.

LO1 - Market position

Market position

Market position means how successful the company is in their field.

Things that could show that 20th century fox is successful could be:
Revenue on films- how much money they make on each film
Market share- how much a company is worth
Polls- asking people their thoughts on the company and the products they make
Profits- how much they make in profit when looking at how much they spent on budget for the project
Reputation- have the films they've made been nominated for any awards such as Oscars or baftas
Success- are they successful nationally or internationally

20th century fox are obviously a very successful company and there are many ways to tell that they are indeed a successful company. One way we can see this is by looking at the total revenue of a selection of films produced by 20th century fox. If we take a look at some popular films produced by 20th century fox we can see their total revenues, for example Avatar earned a total domestic gross of $760,507,625 another popular film produced by 20th century fox would be Home alone this earned a domestic gross of $285,761,243. Another way we can tell if 20th century fox are successful is by looking at if they are successful both nationally and internationally. A way in which we can do this is again by looking at a films revenue but instead we compare the domestic and foreign earnings, lets use X-men days of future past as an example if we look at its domestic earnings we see that it earned $233,921,534 but if we then look at its foreign earnings we see that it earned $514,200,000 making a total of $748,121,534 globally. From these figures we can tell X-men days of future past earned more money internationally than nationally. So we now can see that 20th century fox are indeed successful both nationally and internationally.

Another way we can see if they are a successful company is by comparing there revenue to another company that offer the same products such as universal. If we then compare this years current total gross we see that as of the writing of this blog that 20th century fox have made over  $775,290,822
while universal have made $2,199,820,996. So we can see that 20th century fox have been successful so far this year but not as well as its competitors universal.

LO1- Task 1 Ownership of 20th Century Fox

Ownership
Hello, my name is Billy Armitage I work for 20^th century fox. I have been asked by them to create a series of educational vlogs analysing a film produced by the company in question (20^th century fox). The film I will be analysing will be x-men days of future past.

Rupert Murdoch is the current owner of 20^th century fox; it is structured like a conglomerate and is made up of smaller companies known as subsidiaries. 20^th century fox operates as a cross media company, for example 20^th century fox make their own films such as avatar and x-men but are also their own distributers as they release their films on Blu ray and DVD. The advantage to them being a big company is that they do not need to have to create a joint venture to distribute their own films at the cinema as smaller companies must do. 20^th century fox is not an independent company as they work for 21^st century fox unlike an independent company who will only work for themselves.  An example of a joint venture is when 20th century fox worked with DreamWorks.

Operating model

In 20^th century fox the subsidiaries can help promote the conglomerates production of a certain type of media as they have cross media ownership so they can help promote a film by showing adverts on fox TV this is known as synergy or horizontal integration where a company uses a free advertising for a certain product they do this by owning many subsidiaries. For example if 20^th century fox make a new film then they can then air adverts on one of their many subsidiaries such as fox TV or SKY.  In order for different parts of the company to start help producing a product (film, toy etc.) the research team then will conduct surveys perhaps on what the company’s best product has been or what people look for when viewing a type of media. 20^th century fox can also use vertical integration, this is when they produce distributed and exchange their own products (PDE) this is also known as the film production cycle. The film production process is when a company goes through the process of pre-production, production and post-production. Pre-production mainly consists of writing a script, making a storyboard and hiring cast and crew. Production is when the filming of the product takes place so scenes will be shot with actors and effects such as pyrotechnics. Post-production is mainly the process of editing the final product by adding in CGI, editing audio and scenes together and manipulating a green or blue screen.  

Products

Products produced by 20^th century fox are mainly made for a mainstream audience. A subsidiary of 20^th century fox is sky Atlantic who produces a wide variety of programmes to accommodate a larger viewing audience, for example they make Blue bloods and Boardwalk Empire for more hard hitting drama viewers but also make shows such as Mount Pleasant and trollied for viewers who may like comedy. One of their most popular series is a game of thrones which is just starting its next season. Another subsidiary of 20^th century fox is regency enterprises an Entertainment Company who have produced many films to suite many different genres and age demographics. They have made films such as free willy and gone girl which shows they are reaching many different target audiences.

Market position

20th century fox are obviously a very successful company and there are many ways to tell that they are indeed a successful company. One way we can see this is by looking at the total revenue of a selection of films produced by 20th century fox. If we take a look at some popular films produced by 20th century fox we can see their total revenues, for example Avatar earned a total domestic gross of $760,507,625 another popular film produced by 20th century fox would be Home alone this earned a domestic gross of $285,761,243. Another way we can tell if 20th century fox are successful is by looking at if they are successful both nationally and internationally. A way in which we can do this is again by looking at a films revenue but instead we compare the domestic and foreign earnings, lets use X-men days of future past as an example if we look at its domestic earnings we see that it earned $233,921,534 but if we then look at its foreign earnings we see that it earned $514,200,000 making a total of $748,121,534 globally. From these figures we can tell X-men days of future past earned more money internationally than nationally. So we now can see that 20th century fox are indeed successful both nationally and internationally.

Another way we can see if they are a successful company is by comparing there revenue to another company that offer the same products such as universal. If we then compare this years current total gross we see that as of the writing of this blog that 20th century fox have made over  $775,290,822
while universal have made $2,199,820,996. So we can see that 20th century fox have been successful so far this year but not as well as its competitors universal.

Competitors

A company such as 20th century fox is bound to have many competitors a few examples would be companies such as Universal, warner bros., and paramount. These particular companies are considered competitors of 20th century fox as they offer the same types of products such as films and DVDs. I believe that what helps 20th century fox stand out from the other companies is firstly the wide variety of films targeted for many different audiences and secondly the vast amount of subsidiaries that they own, all targeted for different platforms.



thanks for watching this vlog I hope you all enjoyed and found it informative, remember to tune in next week for my new episode, goodbye.