Film Analysis

Kidulthood

Symbolic codes:

A darker colour scheme is used, particularly on the streets. This mirrors the weather of England, as well as setting the tone of the film and giving hints towards the genre. The contrast between dark and light that is used can connote the contrast between the characters' young age and the adult life the live.
Since the film is British, it is set around London. Many well known areas are used, such as roads in Croydon, in order to make it realistic and relateable to the audience.

Technical codes:

Many of the camera angles were close ups of the characters faces, as well as the use of tracking. These help to make the film more realistic as and it gives an insight into the characters' emotions, through their facial expressions. There were scenes where the pace slowed and the image blurred to show the audience the scene through the character's eyes or mind.The lighting in the scenes is often quite dark to mirror the serious and intense narrative.

Written codes:

All of the spoken language was London slang, reinforcing the narrative and genre of the film, and also appealing to the primary target audience. 

What I have learned so far

Sectors 

There are 10 media sectors, including film, TV, press, publication, gaming, interactive/online media, radio, advertising, animation and photo imaging. In media, sectors can also be described as media texts or forms.

Genre

Genre is a French word, meaning type. It is a style or category of a specific media product. It’s main purpose it marketing, meaning that it has to attract large and specific audiences. Audiences will appeal to genre as it allows their expectations to be met and are able to find pleasure in predicting. They want a narrative to be instantly appealing, using generic conventions. Generic conventions are often iconography which indicate the genre, and so the audience can automatically understand and relate to them.

Within genre, there are also hybrid genres and crossover genres. A hybrid genre is a genre created from more than one genre, for example, a romantic comedy or an action comedy. A crossover genre is a genre that blends themes are elements from other genres together. Typical crossover genres can typically be romance or action as these aspects can appear in many types of film and TV.

Purpose of music videos

There are many reasons and purposes behind an artist’s music video. A main purpose is promotion. This can be as promoting the artist, the record label, the genre and anything or anyone linked with the music. Another purpose is extension of income. By listeners downloading and buying the songs and their videos, money is able to be made for the artist and their producers, as well as extension of outlets such as the artist’s music channel, their website and direct DVD and CD sales.

Other reasons for artists making music videos is for their audience’s gratification, and even promoting a particular look or lifestyle.

 Styles of music Videos

There are many different styles of music videos. These are popular, live, animated, interpretive, narrative, impressionist, surrealist, pastiche, parody, or commercial. These styles are clearly told apart through their differences in the uses of music video codes and conventions. Some examples of these include colours, dancing and fashion.

  Representation

Representation is how people, ideas and events are presented to us, typically through the use of the media. The media has the power to use a representation of something or someone to challenge or reinforce beliefs, values and attitudes. Stereotypes, which are a fixed widely held but oversimplified idea of a person or thing, are used within representation. (Media is usually represented as a stereotype in order to please or relate to the masses.) Stereotypes exaggerate and simplify and can be negative or positive ideas.

There are 4 ways Richard Dyer suggests representation as:

• ·         A typical representation of reality (use of stereotypes)
• ·         Speaking on behalf of or as a particular position
• ·         A re-representation of reality
• ·         The meaning which media messages represent for audiences

Hall describes 3 approaches to representation:

• ·         Reflective
• ·         Intentional
• ·         Constructionist

What are the main purposes of Commercial Radio?

"Give at least 3 purposes of commercial radio, using detailed examples."

Here I will discuss what commercial radio is and what its purposes are. I will describe how methods are effectively used to attract and appeal to an audience, also. Commercial radio is the broadcasting of radio programming by privately owned media, compared to state sponsorship.

one reason for commercial radio, of course is to sell a product. It is a good idea for a company to advertise on the radio as it can reach a large number of people as many people listen to the radio since it is free and easily accessed, meaning many people are listening to the product being advertised, giving it a higher chance of selling.  

Adding to this, by selecting specific radio stations to broadcast the advert, the company is more likely to reach their target audience, since specific people will listen to specific radio stations.

Another reason for commercial radio is the radio station to make money. Commercial radio stations are funded mainly through advertisements, and so the use of adverts is vital to them otherwise they can not afford to broadcast. 

Commercial radio will also buy a particular radio show from other stations in order to save money and increase the number of continuing listeners. For example, Capital FM will often buy the BBC's news stories so they will not have to get their own. This saves money whilst still being able to reach out to the listeners. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

About me

Introduction post 

My name is Maddie Quinn. I went to Edenham High school. I am now studying media and A level History. I am interested in going forward with media, or childcare as a career in the future. 

My favourite food is Italian and my favourite movies are all Disney ones!

Film studies homework

A short description of each and an example from a film:

The Avengers Infinity War

• Genre analysis -  A genre is the type or style of the movie. This genre is science-fantasy action, which is clear by the quick scenes and darker colours.
• Content analysis - The content is everything that makes up the film.
• Narrative analysis - The narrative is the brief storyline/plot of the movie. Due to so many characters being involved, the narrative is split between them to tell all of their                                  stories. 

Define...

• Reception study - 
• Fan study - A form of research focused on media fans and fan cultures. 

The Avengers Infinity War Analysed:

It's action genre means that the scenes are at a quicker pace, making them more intense. This keeps the audience on edge, highlighting the genre. Its typical use of darker colours also show this genre. Due to the large amount of characters in this movie that come together, the narrative was split between them in order to show the audience the character's individual stories. The narrative and content also helps to show the science and fantasy side of the genre through the locations and storylines.

Film in Theory

Structuralism - A method of interpretation and analysis of human behaviour and culture.
Semiotics - The study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation.
Auteur theory - A view of film-making in which the director is considered the primary creative force in the motion picture.
Feminism - The support of women's rights on the grounds of equality of the sexes.
Queer theory - The idea of 'heteronormativity' (promoting heterosexuality as the normal sexual orientation.)
Marxism - Political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, forming the basis of communism. 
Psychoanalytic - A systematic structure of theories concerning the relation of conscious and unconscious psychological processes. 


Film reviews: 

       The avengers infinity war
       Genre -Action adventure sci-fi film. (superhero movie)
        Director - Anthony Russo and Joe Russo.
        Target Audience -  People aged 12 - 30, typically those who have                  followed the Marvel comics and movies.





The Kissing Booth
Genre - Romantic comedy
Director - Vince Marcello
Target audience - Young girls aged 12 - 20 who are girly, interested in boys and drama - typically British or American.