In this video for 'anaconda' by Nicki Minaj, within the first twenty seconds, there is a long shot with Nicki in the center, showing power. She is surrounded by other females, all (barely) dressed in revealing and suggestive underwear. This could be seen as empowering because Nicki is standing in a triumphant and bold position, surrounded by women. Alternatively, this could be seen as degrading due to the fact that the women are dressing in a way that is seen as appealing to the male gaze. Instantly after this shot the video cuts to a close up of a woman's ass. there is nothing empowering about this, it is placing the woman directly in the male gaze showing only her assets and not denying/hiding the fact that this video is based around womens' asses & their sexually pleasing moves. However, at 1:34, there is a change of scenery and Nicki and an entourage of women are in a gym, once again, nicki is wearing ridiculously revealing clothing which would be seen as planting her right in the male gaze. In addition, one of the women in the scene has 'bunz' printed on the back area of her gymshorts, once again reinforcing the fact that these women aren't empowered, they are playing into the male gaze because 'buns' is slang for a woman's buttocks, these women are happily becoming objectified. To counter this view, the video features only women for the first three minutes which could be viewed as empowering because it introduces the view that the women are doing/wearing everything by their own choice instead of being told to by men. After the first three minutes, a Man appears in the video. Nicki is then seen crawling seductively towards him, this could be seen as degrading because it is her doing the crawling and he is waiting, sitting on a chair, Above her.Nicki then dances sexually and seductively around/on the man until the video ends.
Sunday, 4 October 2015
Sunday, 27 September 2015
The Man, The Woman And The Other Man
At first sight, various things about this man become apparent, firstly, his outfit is coordinated and looks expensive yet plain with various individual items that give him an extravagant twist like his scarf or hat. This portrays the image that this man is maybe a fashion designer which is reinforced by the way he holds his arms/posture.
This Lady, on first impressions appears to have quite a 'thrown together' appearance which is created by the fact that she has two bags, both seemly adequately filled, this lady may lead the life of a thrift shop searcher/collector, based on the fact that it seems she's quite confident and her trolley has something scrunched/roughly folded into it.
My first impression of this man is that he's homeless which may be caused by the fact that his outfit is made up of various layers and he's wearing clothes of the more tatty variety (Patches on his trousers and the cardigan buttoned over a shirt project this image seeing as these types of clothes are commonly found in thrift shops which a homeless person might get their clothes in seeing as they are cheaper than new, shop bought clothes) also, the man is smoking which nowadays, is seen as a dirty habit in the eyes of the media. Going on the assumption that he's homeless, this man's 'job' may be panhandling or taking recreational drugs which is an image that has been created by the public eye.
Ex_Machina research
Start to research the film Ex_Machina directed by Alex Garland.
Find out about the following:
Production companies__Film 4 Productions,DNA Films
Director__Alex Garland
Screen writer__Alex Garland
Actors
Screens shown on
Box office figures
Opening Weekend $250,000 (USA)
Gross $25,440,971 (USA)
Budget - $15,000,000
Opening Weekend
Opening Weekend $250,000 (USA)
Gross $25,440,971 (USA)
Budget - $15,000,000
Opening Weekend
Music (composer of score/ soundtrack)
Marketing (teaser trailers, trailers, posters, websites etc)
SFX (special effects - technology used)
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
Monday, 21 September 2015
Wednesday, 16 September 2015
Aviv Shahor 5X5
5 Top Modern(ish) Albums
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain // Pavement (1994)
In Rainbows //
Radiohead (2007)
The Boatman's Call //
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (1997)
Is This It// The Strokes (2001)
In The Aeroplane Over The Sea // Neutral Milk Hotel (1998)
5 Top Musicians/Artists
Tohm Yorke (Radiohead
/ Atoms For Peace / Solo)
Bob Dylan (Solo)
Jason Pierce
(Spacemen 3 / Spiritualized
Mac Demarco (Solo /
Makeout Videotape)
Noah Lennox (Animal
Collective / Panda Bear)
5 Top Films
Trainspotting
Inside lwellin Davis
Boyhood
There Will Be Blood
Inside lwellin Davis
Boyhood
There Will Be Blood
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
5 Top Hip Hop / Rap Albums
Digital Lows // Cities Aviv
MBDTF // Kanye West
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City // Kendrick Lamar
Piñata // Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
Madvillany // Madvillan
5 Top Pre 90s Albums
The Velvet Underground and Nico // The Velvet Underground and Nico (1967)
Blood On The Tracks // Bob Dylan (1975)
Raw Power // Iggy And The Stooges (1973)
The Idiot // Iggy Pop (1977)
Unknown Pleasures // Joy Division (1979)
Monday, 7 September 2015
Section B: Institutions and Audiences
Candidates should be prepared to understand and discuss the processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary media institutions, as well as the nature of audience consumption and the relationships between audiences and institutions. In addition, candidates should be familiar with:
• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;
• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange;
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences;
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences;
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions;
• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.
• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary (current) media practice
The depth and range of ownership across a range of media and the consequences of this ownership for audiences in terms of the genres and budgets for films. How for instance, can Channel4's Film4 survive in the British market place against the high concept, big-budget films made by Newcorp's FOX, Warner Bros, Disney, Universal, etc.? What kinds of niche audiences are left for Film4 to attract? Are mass audiences out of reach given the genres of films Film4 have the budgets to make? How successful have they been in reaching mass audiences with their films? How healthy is it that just a few mega media groups can own such a range of media and can decide what the public may see, and, perhaps, shape audience's tastes?
• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing
Digital technology is enabling various media to converge in hubs, platforms and devices. For instance, mobiles phones do a lot more than act as hand held telephones: you can download and watch films and TV programmes, use them as alarm clocks, watches, play music on them, take photos and short films, text, go online, use GPS functions, a range of apps, and a whole lot more. New HD TVs, Playstations, X-Boxes, iPads, Notebooks, MacBooks, etc. are also examples of hubs which in which a variety of media technologies can converge for convenience for users. Media convergence is having an enormous impact on the film industry because of the ways in which institutions can produce and market for audiences/users on a widening range of platforms, capable of receiving their films.
Synergies can come out of an organisation's size; smaller media organisations such as Channel4 can-cross promote their films, etc. but the scale of cross-media promotion is nowhere near as great as that which can be gained by massive media organisations. Film4 is therefore unable to promote their lower budget films on a level playing field.
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange
The audience's ability to interact with films by, for instance, using digital technology to put extracts on You Tube and overlay new sound tracks on them, etc. and make answering videos has been greatly enhanced by Web 2.0; Film studios can make films using CGI, greenscreen and other special effects that were impossible to make only a few years ago. The ways of filming and editing films have changed, too, with the introduction of digital film and film cameras, editing software, laptops, digital projectors, etc. Distributors market films using the latest software for designing high-concept film posters and trailers. They can use phone apps., online marketing, Twitter, etc. File-sharing and piracy are growing issues because the software exists to take the protective encryption of DVDs, etc and WEB 2.0 enables people to make and share copies of films easily. One way in which film companies are trying to get around this is by releasing films soon after theatrical release by selling them on video-on-demand, premium TV channels and downloads. US and UK cinemas chains are not happy about this, especially after all the investment some have made on digital equipment, projectors, etc. which unfortunately quickly goes very quickly out of date!
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences
This means the increase of something: i.e. digital cameras, software, CGI, 3D films, film genres, etc. which are part of current trends; how significant is this for See Saw Films or Film4? Or are they still able to be successful without it by making films with genres that do not need the latest breakthroughs in digital technology? Research the film company's use of cameras, special effects, software, posters, digital distribution of films, etc.
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences
This is a WEB 2.0 issue and how technology is coming together in hubs like laptops is one of the features of our age; the mobile phone in your pocket is a great example of technological convergence: it can do so much more than a simple phone call; think how this is affecting film making at the production, marketing and exhibition stages? The Internet is acting as a hub for many aspects of film: you will find film posters, YouTube videos on films, interviews, trailers, official film and blog websites, etc. on it. Audiences can also remake their own films by creating extracts and running new scores over them and then posting them on YouTube. This often leads to answering videos, never mind the comments, etc. that people make on such sites. The internet, film and videos games seems to be converging in so many ways. People can watch films in a range of ways, using an astonishing range of hardware and software. They can also find audiences of their own. This amounts to free publicity for film institutions for their films and "A Long Tail" sales into the future through endless exchange.
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions
"Slumdog Millionaire" was originally aimed at Asian audiences living in various parts of the UK and also at Danny Boyle fans. The film's unexpected success at film festivals and being nominated for the Oscars led to another theatrical release and a crossover from the "indy" art-house into the mainstream. British film makers often make social realism films and aim them at local and regional audiences whereas this would never be enough for the major media players who tend to make high budget, high concept films. They have boutique offshoots who make and often distribute lower budget films, aimed at more high brow audiences. Disney's Mirimax and Fox's Fox Searchlight are examples of such boutique, art-house film distribution.
• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour
How you consume films whether it is as a social activity after visiting a shopping centre or on an MP4 player or Playstation, is what is at issue here. Visit Pearl and Dean to see how multiplex cinemas are adapting the experience of cinema-going to gain audiences. In an age of falling DVD sales, home cinema and an increase in downloading for both music and film audiences are changing in how they want to consume film. Identify trends and consider where the audience trends are going in the near future.
This unit should be approached through contemporary (up-to-date) examples in the form of case studies based upon one of the specified media areas.
Candidates should be prepared to understand and discuss the processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary media institutions, as well as the nature of audience consumption and the relationships between audiences and institutions. In addition, candidates should be familiar with:
• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;
• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange;
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences;
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences;
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions;
• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.
• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary (current) media practice
The depth and range of ownership across a range of media and the consequences of this ownership for audiences in terms of the genres and budgets for films. How for instance, can Channel4's Film4 survive in the British market place against the high concept, big-budget films made by Newcorp's FOX, Warner Bros, Disney, Universal, etc.? What kinds of niche audiences are left for Film4 to attract? Are mass audiences out of reach given the genres of films Film4 have the budgets to make? How successful have they been in reaching mass audiences with their films? How healthy is it that just a few mega media groups can own such a range of media and can decide what the public may see, and, perhaps, shape audience's tastes?
• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing
Digital technology is enabling various media to converge in hubs, platforms and devices. For instance, mobiles phones do a lot more than act as hand held telephones: you can download and watch films and TV programmes, use them as alarm clocks, watches, play music on them, take photos and short films, text, go online, use GPS functions, a range of apps, and a whole lot more. New HD TVs, Playstations, X-Boxes, iPads, Notebooks, MacBooks, etc. are also examples of hubs which in which a variety of media technologies can converge for convenience for users. Media convergence is having an enormous impact on the film industry because of the ways in which institutions can produce and market for audiences/users on a widening range of platforms, capable of receiving their films.
Synergies can come out of an organisation's size; smaller media organisations such as Channel4 can-cross promote their films, etc. but the scale of cross-media promotion is nowhere near as great as that which can be gained by massive media organisations. Film4 is therefore unable to promote their lower budget films on a level playing field.
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange
The audience's ability to interact with films by, for instance, using digital technology to put extracts on You Tube and overlay new sound tracks on them, etc. and make answering videos has been greatly enhanced by Web 2.0; Film studios can make films using CGI, greenscreen and other special effects that were impossible to make only a few years ago. The ways of filming and editing films have changed, too, with the introduction of digital film and film cameras, editing software, laptops, digital projectors, etc. Distributors market films using the latest software for designing high-concept film posters and trailers. They can use phone apps., online marketing, Twitter, etc. File-sharing and piracy are growing issues because the software exists to take the protective encryption of DVDs, etc and WEB 2.0 enables people to make and share copies of films easily. One way in which film companies are trying to get around this is by releasing films soon after theatrical release by selling them on video-on-demand, premium TV channels and downloads. US and UK cinemas chains are not happy about this, especially after all the investment some have made on digital equipment, projectors, etc. which unfortunately quickly goes very quickly out of date!
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences
This means the increase of something: i.e. digital cameras, software, CGI, 3D films, film genres, etc. which are part of current trends; how significant is this for See Saw Films or Film4? Or are they still able to be successful without it by making films with genres that do not need the latest breakthroughs in digital technology? Research the film company's use of cameras, special effects, software, posters, digital distribution of films, etc.
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences
This is a WEB 2.0 issue and how technology is coming together in hubs like laptops is one of the features of our age; the mobile phone in your pocket is a great example of technological convergence: it can do so much more than a simple phone call; think how this is affecting film making at the production, marketing and exhibition stages? The Internet is acting as a hub for many aspects of film: you will find film posters, YouTube videos on films, interviews, trailers, official film and blog websites, etc. on it. Audiences can also remake their own films by creating extracts and running new scores over them and then posting them on YouTube. This often leads to answering videos, never mind the comments, etc. that people make on such sites. The internet, film and videos games seems to be converging in so many ways. People can watch films in a range of ways, using an astonishing range of hardware and software. They can also find audiences of their own. This amounts to free publicity for film institutions for their films and "A Long Tail" sales into the future through endless exchange.
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions
"Slumdog Millionaire" was originally aimed at Asian audiences living in various parts of the UK and also at Danny Boyle fans. The film's unexpected success at film festivals and being nominated for the Oscars led to another theatrical release and a crossover from the "indy" art-house into the mainstream. British film makers often make social realism films and aim them at local and regional audiences whereas this would never be enough for the major media players who tend to make high budget, high concept films. They have boutique offshoots who make and often distribute lower budget films, aimed at more high brow audiences. Disney's Mirimax and Fox's Fox Searchlight are examples of such boutique, art-house film distribution.
• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour
How you consume films whether it is as a social activity after visiting a shopping centre or on an MP4 player or Playstation, is what is at issue here. Visit Pearl and Dean to see how multiplex cinemas are adapting the experience of cinema-going to gain audiences. In an age of falling DVD sales, home cinema and an increase in downloading for both music and film audiences are changing in how they want to consume film. Identify trends and consider where the audience trends are going in the near future.
This unit should be approached through contemporary (up-to-date) examples in the form of case studies based upon one of the specified media areas.
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