Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Unit 1- LO2 Pre- Millenial Case Study

 Pre-Millennial Case Study 

TITANIC (1997)
-Titanic was, for some time, the highest grossing film of all time, and started an absolute media frenzy many years before the prevalence of social media and digitally convergent technologies. In many ways, Titanic can be seen as one of the final purely traditional marketing campaigns for a massive blockbuster film. The soundtrack, production details and extensive marketing campaign all combined to enthral  massive audiences for years, and the film became a cultural phenomenon.

Wikipedia Trawl

-Written, produced, and co-edited by James Cameron.

-Cameron's inspiration for the film came from his fascination with shipwrecks; he felt a love story interspersed with the human loss would be essential to convey the emotional impact of the disaster. 

-Production began in 1995, when Cameron shot footage of the actual Titanic wreck. 

-The modern scenes on the research vessel were shot on board the Akademik Mstislav Keldysh, which Cameron had used as a base when filming the wreck

-It was the most expensive film ever made at the time, with a production budget of $200 million.

Advertising and Marketing 


Examples of advertising include:
Theatrical posters
Trailers (put in a screenshot!)
Print advert
Publicity stunts
Soundtrack CD
Live events and premieres
Magazine front covers
VHS front cover
Merchandise including clothing
Fan produced material including parody









Trailer Analysis

How does this trailer appeal to a mass audience? 
This film is a romance/drama= stereotypically women would watch this, but then also you have enthusiasts of the real life disaster who would want to see how accurate it is. Also it shows the main actors so people who already love Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet will have wanted to see the film.

And how does this trailer maximise the chances for the film's financial success?
The trailer had choppy/ quick editing to give people glimpses of the film to make them curious and to show the appeal of the story. Also the use of popular actors of the time boosted views and therefore profits.

Cinematography -
during the trailer we see  a range of shots and camera angles to show different sections and not allow us to see the full picture Keeping watcher on edge.

Editing - 
The editing is very choppy and changes from one screen to the next and uses different time periods to skip key informations which allows.

Mise-en-scene - 
The clothing for this timer period suits very well and the props are very well made and work well with the film. The weather suits with what happened your in the film and creates a dark and mysterious sensation thought the film. Due to the fact that most people have seen the film i creates suspense because we know what will happen but we don't when.

Colour - 
The trailer using something called low key lighting which is very suspenseful and leads to more shadows. They have used a desaturated colour which represents a gloomy and suspenseful atmosphere.

Setting - 
It is set in the middle of the atlantic ocean on the titanic. This large boat was the biggest of all time. 

Production values -
$200 million.

Soundtrack -
Titanic: Music from the motion picture.


Extension: choose another film released in the 90's, and explore it's marketing campaign, using the lists above.

Friday, October 15, 2021

LO1- Job Roles & Production Processes

Digital marketing- component of marketing that utilises internet and online based digital technologies  digital media and platforms to promote products and services.

Social media officer- in charge of representing a company across social channels as the sole voice of the brand. They respond to comments, compile campaigns and create content. These experts provide organisations with the guidance needed to enhance their online presence.

Producer- A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script; coordinating writing, directing, editing; and arranging financing.

Assistant producer- assists the Producer in all stages of a television programme or series, with direct accountability for the execution of a programme intention to a specific brief, referring when necessary on editorial matters.

Director- the creative leads of the film. They hold the creative vision throughout the whole process, from pre-production through to the final edit.

Assistant director- tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of the health and safety of the crew.

Editor- works with the raw footage, selecting shots and combining them into sequences which create a finished motion picture.

Concept artist- a designer who visualises & creates art for characters, creatures, vehicles, environments, and other creative assets. Concept art is used to visualise ideas so that modellers, animators, and VFX teams can make these ideas ready for production.

Set designer- someone who is in charge of designing and creating sets for films, television, and theatre 

Carpenter

Runner

Hair and makeup

Costume designer

Cinematographer 

Camera assistant

Lighting technician 

Screen Writer 

Monday, October 11, 2021

LO1- independent label research WARP RECORDS

Come to Daddy Video-1995

  • In what ways is this promo an effective marketing tool? (LO2)
distributed on Youtube so gets lots of views so it could go viral and become more popular.  its unconventional eg everyone having the same face except old lady and creepy monster. theres children with the mans face which is unsettling. the music itself is weird. theres creepy, strange, disturbing video.  unorthodox editing makes it weirder. very high production values even though the budget was low. 


  • Who is this video targeting, and how does it do so? (LO4)]
this film targets teens and young adults at the time, specifically those that were teens at the time it came out as as it could create nostalgia. the audience has an eclectic taste. now millennials.  hybrid genre= combination of genres = very atypical 
  • How does this video use mise-en-scene, setting and colour grading to create meaning for the audience? (LO3
setting= depressing/scary/dingy , literal rubbish heap, hostile unpleasant feeling/ atmosphere
colours= grey/blue/cold colours that create a weird environment
people are in the front/ middle of the shot to weird people out as it's unsettling
miserable atmosphere created for the audience
the focus is on the video and not the music
  • What regulatory issues does this video potentially raise? (LO6)
there's nothing actually bad in it but the sheer weirdness of this video could cause younger children to be mentally scarred.  
the use of flashing imagery
possibly cause imitable behaviour 
gives a negative representation of council estate
evil horrible demonic entity/ energy

WARP Records
-Warp Records (or simply Warp) is a British independent record label founded in Sheffield in 1989 by record store employees Steve Beckett and Rob Mitchell and record producer Robert Gordon. It is currently based in London.
-associated with the UK's northern techno scene
-In 2004, Warp opened the online store Bleep.com, which sells downloadable music free of digital rights management (DRM) features.
-Warp has released a number of ground-breaking and original videos that have launched their directors' careers.
-a subsidiary to Warp in Bleep= warps online store- online distributor 
Warp Records logo.svg
Founded1989
FounderSteve Beckett
Rob Mitchell
Robert Gordon
Distributor(s)
Genre
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Location
Official websitewarp.net

 


















Brand Identity
- refers to how a brand differentiates itself from other brands. Without a brand identity, it would be impossible to try and tell brands apart, and marketing strategies would be rendered largely pointless.

How does Warp records construct a brand identity?
Watch at least some of the following videos, and make notes on how Warp records has cultivated a brand identity.

Squarepusher - Terminal Slam
Autechre - Gantz Graf
Aphex Twin - On
Oneohtrix Point Never - Lost But Never Alone

Mise-en-scene
Editing
Colour
Celebrity and personality
Genre and conventions

-selection of artists with similar sound allows Warp communicate with audiences that they are associated with a particular genre. 
-Experimental music may have a niche genre, but it allows Warp to target a gap in the market
-Specialisation: warp have cornered the market in experimental music which allows them to market their music more effectively 
-allows warp to organise tours and promotions more effectively 
-music videos share an abstract aesthetic, with confusing glitchy details
-music videos and promotional material typically misses out the artists themselves
-all music videos share a similar, busy, glitchy aesthetic 
-abnormal characters and visual details

Warp films case study
Choose any of the films produced by Warp's film arm, Warp Films. Here are a few, but you can do any one you want

Tyrannosaur
Four Lions
Submarine
This is England
Dead Man's Shoes
Watch the trailer for your film, and answer the following question:

In what ways is the film you selected marketed towards its target audience? And how does the selection of this film reflect Warp's brand identity?

- this film is marketed towards the 

WARP is an independent company which means it's not owned by a conglomerate. 

what makes and indie film indie?
-low budget
-lack of complicated editing techniques
-unknown actors
-natural/unshowy colour grading
-naturalistic setting
-soundtrack- use of less famous music, perhaps less emphasis on music in general
-lack of CGI and expensive effects
-less commercial theme/plot
-less exciting themes
-lower production values
-less concern about age rating (This Is England is a BBFC 15), less concern about marketing to children  

Practice question

Explain two ways that an independent company you have studied created successful media products. Use examples to support your answer [4]

Remember: 4 marks = 2 ways and 2 examples (one for each way)!

What makes a company successful?
-making money/revenue/profit/financially successful
-making PROFIT
-multiple brand deals
-strong Brand Identity- allows it to appeal to a niche and enthusiastic audience 
-critically successful
-commercially successful
-distributed in a variety of different ways
-entertainment value
-present a message or ideology
-raises awareness of issues 

There are many ways in which an independent company can be successful. For example WARP records has a very strong Brand Identity. This allows them to be appeal to a niche and enthusiastic audience with their media products such as their Come to Daddy video. This video shows a good example of the type of product Warp records distributes, it had a high production value even with such a low budget.
Another example is of success is from WARP film's This is England as it provided profit to the company. This film presents a message to the audience to raise awareness of the issues lower class people faced in 1980's England.  

3/4 marks

Friday, October 8, 2021

Unit one - LO1 - conglomeration and ownership structures

 conglomerate= a large organisation that owns other organisations

Conglomeration is the defining business model of our time.
A conglomerate is a large business which has become large through the process of buying other businesses.
Think of a huge blob, ‘glomming’ (sticking) on to everything else. That’s a conglomerate. It's an aggressive business practice that prioritises profit and growth over everything else.
Typically, a conglomerate owns lots of little companies that are responsible for the production, distribution or exhibition of the film.
And the companies a conglomerate owns are called subsidiaries

conglomeration allows companies to eliminate the competition eg disney buying marvel etc...

SONY

Facts/Figures
Founded in Tokyo in 1946- a post war company 
CEO= Kenichiro Yoshida
worth US$128 Billion- but this changes

Subsidiaries- a wide range of range of subsidiaries allows a conglomerate to appeal to multiple audiences!
Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC
Sony Electronics
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment
 -AWOL- record label
Sony Computer Entertainment
Stake in Marvel (spiderman)
Hawkeye Innovations
Aiwa
Gaikai
Crunchyroll
Funimation
Stake in Spotify
insomniac
Sony Publishing Inc

Products/Services
image sensors
Consumer electronics
Semiconductors
Video games
Films
TV shows
Music
Computer hardware
Telecommunications equipment
Robots
Cameras
Playstation
high end electronics
record players

HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION= where a conglomerate owns other companies in the same sector
Eg. Disney owns and have bought out Marvel Studios, Lucas Film, and Pixar

VERTICAL INTEGRATION= where a conglomerate owns companies in different sectors. In short, they own the method of production and distribution. This practise is highly anti-competitive.
Eg. Disney , owns Disney Plus, a range of distribution and production services

MULTIMEDIA INTEGRATION= where a conglomerate uses digital technology to integrate business
Eg. Netflix who uses digital tech to distribute & produce films and tv shows rapidly

CONVERGENCE = the coming together of previously separate media industries
Eg. use of mobile phones to access absolutely every media product

SYNERGY= the advantages of convergence
Eg. music videos are two previously separate industries  that work particularly well together

Case study: Sony and Spectre
How Sony used its power as a conglomerate to produce, distribute and market Spectre. 
Find evidence of Cross media ownership, horizontal/ vertical integration, synergy, marketing, affiliations, and so on
-released 2015
-produced by eon productions
-shot from dec2014 - feb2015
-it made US$880.7 million worldwide
-made US$70.4 milion on opening weekend= second highest at the time
- huge financial success
-biggest onscreen explosion/ most expensive ever
-official website with teasers/trailers- allows sony to target hardcore fans of the franchise 
-teaser= short trailer with very little info to create hype/excitement among fans
-filmed in 5 different countries- makes it more authentic, very expensive production
-aston martin unveiled new car as part of marketing strategy


Production Companies
-Eon Productions (Eon Productions Ltd.)(owned by Danjaq LLC) - is a British film production company that primarily produces the James Bond film series.
-Sony doesn't own Eon but they do own Spectre outright
Budget
estimated to have cost around $245 million to $300 million

15 age rating- due to a gory suicide scene 
changed suicide to be off screen
12A age rating because of moderate violence, threat 
- commercial mainstream films inn the uk generally avoid 15 film rating to maximise viewings

Production companies, distribution companies
Released in 2015
Produced by Eon Productions, famous for making James Bond films
Distributed by Sony Pictures
Pre-production, production and post production details
Shot from December 2014 - February 2015
Most expensive exploion ever!
Filmed in five different countries, very expensive production, that allows it to target multple audiences
Budget, box office (ticket) sales
880.7 million $$$ worldwide
245-300 million $$$
Huge financial success!!
70.4 million $$$ on opening weekend, second highest at the time
Examples of marketing
Williams F1 team branded with Spectre Logo
Official website, with a range of teasers and trailers - allows Sony to target hardcore fans of the franchise
Teaser: short trailer with very little information to create hype and excitement among fans
Aston Martin unveiled new car as part of marketing strategy
BBFC Age rating (and why)
Initally rated as 15 by the BBFC. Sony edited the film to make a suicide scene less prominant, which allowed the film to be released as a 12A
Commercial, mainstream films genrally avoid 15+ ratings in the UK, in order to maximise audiences

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Camera Shots, Angles and Movements

 shot types= the distance between the camera and the subject

camera angles= the angle of the camera

THE BASIC TYPES OF CAMERA SHOTS:

Close Up= shot taken of person/object at a close range. tightly framed and takes up most of the screen. shows audience needs to pay attention

Medium Shot= often used for back/forth dialogue. known as the sweet spot shot- allows both details of subject to be see as well as some setting

Long Shot= establishing shot, sets the scene & characters in it 

Extreme Close Up= subject is tightly framed, powerful

Extreme Long Shot= view is so far from the subject it isn't in focus anymore

THE DIFFERENT ANGLE SHOTS:

High Angle= camera points down on the subject from above

Low Angle= camera is positioned low on the vertical axis 

Over the Shoulder= 

Bird's Eye=

Dutch Angle/ Tilt=

Establishing shot

Long shot

extreme long shot

Mid shot 


Close up

Extreme close up

High angle

Low angle

Over the shoulder


Friday, October 1, 2021

LO1 Media Sectors and Companies

 Largely agreed there are 6 or 7 main media sectors that make up the industry. Focuses on a particular type of media product/production.

  • Film

  • Tv

  • Radio

  • Video games

  • Print/publishing  (magazines, newspaper)

  • Internet/ web & online tech

  • Music


Sector

Company

Product/Brand 

Film

Blumhouse Productions

Scary Films- The Purge, Get Out, Us, Ma, Fantasy Island

TV

Sky

Showcase, max, comedy, sport,

Radio

BBC 

Radio 1, Radio 2

Video Games 

Nintendo

Super Mario Bros

Print/Publishing

Vogue

Teen, UK, USA, Fashion magazines.

Web & Online Tech

Google

Internet, maps, docs,sheets, duo, youtube, play, gmail

Music

Spotify

Music streaming



Types of Media Companies


Term

Explanation

Example

Conglomerates

A massive company that owns other companies

Disney, Google, Amazon, Facebook, 

Subsidiaries

A company owned by a conglomerate 

Disney: Marvel, Fox, National Geographic, Lucasfilms

Independent company

A company not owned by a conglomerate 

Opium, Island, Warp

Distribution Company

A company that gives out/distributes a media product

Digital: Netflix, Youtube, Crunchroll

Exhibition: Cinema

Physical: HMV, Tesco, Flop

Production Company

The company that makes media products

Amblin entertainment, Sundance, Marvel Studios, Happy Madison Productions

Public Service Broadcaster

A not for profit organisation working for the public good

BBC, PBS Network