Mock Exam Question 2 Redraft

"Audiences are changing the way they want to consume." In the following essay, i will be discussing the ways in which audiences preferrences are changing, in that the ways in which they are currently consuming films, in comparison to the ways they have done so historically.

When films were first introduced in the late 1800's, there were little ways in which audiences could consume films. The introduction of the cinema in 1905 meant that the general public had access to newly released films (which were still a rarity), and this was used as their only means of film consumption, as no other technologies that allowed digital film viewings were accessible (including televisions, which were made available in 1927.) Even after the TV's introduction, film showings were very rare and when shown would be unreliable, meaning that there may have been excessive interruptions throughout the viewing experience. Due to this, cinemas remained the most frequented means of film viewings, with a steady amount of people using them throughout most of the 1900's. Cinema attendance figures spiked between 1960 and 1980, as audiences were keen to view the new generation productions, made with new technologies and (at the time) advanced film making techniques. Around this time, the cinema was the only way in which a good quality production could be consumed, but soon after this was no longer the case as new devices were made readily available for film consumers, leading a slight decline in cinema attendees, reaching a large depression in the modern day, with a comparably small demographic still attending the cinema to watch film.

In the late 70's and 80's, the analogue VHS (Video Home System) was introduced. This was a device that allowed the storing of video footage i.e films on large cassette-style tapes that could be placed into a VCR system which is connected to the TV. This system meant that consumers could view their purchased film as whenever as they pleased, which is hugely convenient for them, as they would not have to adhere to cinema screening times which can sometimes be restricting. Furthermore, they can watch the films as many times as they wish. In most cases, this would mean that they are receiving better value for money than what a cinema offers, with a purchase of a ticket meaning that you can only have the viewing experience once. Following this, the DVD was made available in 1999. A DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) in principle works similarly to a VHS, however it is digital rather than analogue. Also, by 1999 technology had advanced further, meaning a better quality version was being offered, making for a better film experience for the viewer as the picture appeared more realistic. Subsequently, this made the VHS almost made redundant, as this became one of the audiences' most preferred means of film viewing along with cinema as these two offered the best quality screening. After this, Blu-Ray films were introduced in 2006. Films shown on Blu-Ray disc are in high-definitition, meaning the film quality is more improved than the DVD, due to the sharper image, stronger detailing and surround sound. However, the Blu-Ray disc is only compatible with HD ready television systems, meaning the amount of consumers who this would be an option for would be limited. Furthermore, the Blu-Ray is more expensive than the DVD, meaning that although the viewing experience will be better, less people are willing to spend their money on them.

The way in which these types of technologies allow unlimited access to films for consumers is hugely detrimental to exhibition companies, such as Cineworld Cinemas, and distribution companies as often customers will prefer to take the more cost-effective alternative of buying a DVD rather than a cinema ticket. However, this issue has been combatted to some extent, as DVD's are not released until cinema screenings of the film are over. This means that the cinema will still gather customers who are most eager to view new films. In contrast however, I feel that production companies are likely to benefit from the introduction of re-watchable film technology such as DVDs as they are likely to receive a prolonged intake, rather than a substantial amount from exhibitors immediately after the film release, followed by nothing. On the other hand, it is likely that DVD sales would be of a similar trend as customers would make the most purchases after the initial DVD release, and sales would then decrease following this.

In the modern day, DVD sales are now on the decrease, as many other film viewing methods have been made available. These are technologies such as online streaming sites that have made film viewing more convenient still and sometimes cheaper suiting the viewer even more so. An example of one of these sites is Netflix, where consumers pay a small monthly fee (smaller than the cost of the average newly released DVD)  and therefore get unlimited access to a number of films that the website hosts. In today's society, there are a variety of platforms that enable consumers to have internet access, meaning that films can be viewed on these sites through a multitude of devices, such as computers, smartphones, games consoles and tablets. Due to this convenience offered by online streaming sites, they have proven to be one of the largest platforms for film consumption in the modern day, as users can watch unlimited films when and wherever they please, even 'on-the-go' on internet-accessed smartphones and tablets. I feel that the rise of online streaming sites will be hugely detrimental to all production companies, as often they are paid a relatively small fee for unlimited use of their product, when they could be earning more from selling the film rights to exhibitors that offer film cinema screenings and DVD production.

In addition, another popular means of film consumption is through illegal file downloads. This means that a film that would usually be paid for is downloaded and then watched at no cost, from an illegal website. For consumers, this is extremely cost-effective (as it's free) and also relatively easy. Once the file has been downloaded, they can be spread across all of their modern smart devices also, meaning that the actual film viewing can be viewed across a variety of platforms, making it once again hugely convenient for the consumer. However, people that are partaking in this activity are running a risk, as the process in illegal, and can result in prosecution (very uncommon). I feel that this method of consumption will not grow in the future, as firstly consumers feel guilty about acting unethically and secondly, because it is becoming increasingly more difficult to illegally download, as the law is being stronger enforced. All producers, distributors and exhibitors will suffer from customers illegally downloading film, as none of them are generating any revenue from the consumer, making it harder for them to generate a profit when their costs are accounted for.

Although, all of these new technologies have been introduced that allow convenience and low costs for the consumer, I believe that there will always be a market for cinema film screenings. I think this for many reasons. Firstly, there are no better film viewing experiences than what modern day cinemas offer. This is due to the large high-resolution screen and good quality sound system that is available. These make the audience feel more involved in the film, as it appears more realistic. Furthermore, some cinemas now even offer VIP and premium seats, where customers can enjoy more comfortable seating at a higher cost. Also, some cinemas are beginning to introduce a '3-D' and even a '4-Dimensional' viewing experience, where audience members are seated in chairs that move, vibrate and provide physical effects to match onscreen visuals and audio. This further enhances the images onscreen, one again making for a better quality film viewing experience for the consumer. Although, each of these are priced higher than regular tickets, consumers are able to experience films that they are unable to view in an at all the same way that they are in these types of cinemas, making the extra value added worthwhile.

Due to the small decrease in figures that some cinemas have been experiencing, there have been many attempts to regain viewings, in order for larger profits to once again be generated. Some large brands have used synergy to work with exhibition companies such as cinemas. A good example of this is the phone service provider Orange, who have used their reputable brand image to offer a deal on cinema ticket prices every wednesday, offering consumers reduced ticket prices. This means that they are less likely to be deterred by the high ticket prices of tickets and are more likely to watch at the cinema, which could lead to repeat purchases if they enjoy the experience. This also benefits Orange, as some customers may only use this provider due to this offer that they provide. This has been successful on the whole over the past years, however, cinema attendance figures have not increased to a level where large profits are being generated. Due to this, the Orange Wednesdays scheme has now been scrapped.

In conclusion, I agree with the statement that the ways in which audiences are consuming is changing, due to the introduction of new technologies that allows convenience and cost-effective film viewing. However, i believe that the cinema experience cannot be beaten, and due to this, there will always be a market for cinema.

G322 Micro elements

Mise-en-sc éne

Setting
Decor
Lighting
Body Language
Props
Costume/Make up

Editing

Transitions
Flashbacks
Action matches
Passage of time editing (montage etc.)
Special/Visual effects

Sound

Sound and Character (speech)
Narrative
Background soundtracks
Synchronous/Asynchronous
Diegetic/Non-Diegetic

Camera Work

Shot types
Camera movement
Depth of Field
Camera Angles
Composition

Representation of Regional Identity - Doc Martin

In this essay, i will be analysing the way regional identity is represented through the use of camerawork, sound, mise-en-scéne and editing in this 5 minute extract from the TV drama, Doc Martin. In the clip, the main character, Doc Martin, appears to be of a London/eastern origin, and is visiting a more southerly coastal area.

In the opening scene we can see that Doc Martin appears walks into a room with two local plumbers fixing the sink. In the very first shot, a low angle long shot (on the plumber's level) exaggerates the plumber's position on the floor. As Doc Martin walks into the room a tilt is used and the camera appears to go from looking at the plumber on his level to looking up at Doc Martin entering the room as though he is of a higher importance. Reinforcing this is further is the composition of the shot, as the Doctor is in the centre of the shot, whilst the others around him are on the outskirts and also physically lower down. Furthermore the costume of the characters also illustrates this to us. Doc Martin is dressed in smart, formal attire - wearing a full suit that suggests intelligence and sophistication. In contrast however, the local people are dressed in boiler suits - a uniform commonly associated with laborious occupations (confirmed when we see them fixing the sink). This illustrates to us that the local 'southern' people are being portrayed as inferior in terms of intelligence and sophistication to Doc Martin. This is further reinforced when the men exchange dialogue in the room. Doc Martin seems to mock the cleverness of the man sat in the chair by saying 'treat yourself to a noun' and by using complex lexis such as 'endearing'. This suggests that he is of a superior intellect, as meanwhile the man tries to explain the meaning of a word but avoids giving an actual definition, and uses lots of colloquialisms, fillers and simple vocabulary, but also that people of non-southern origin may be ignorant towards the southerners and consider them to be below their selves.

Next, the local people are being presented as lazy, unproductive and clumsy in this scene. The character that represents these characteristics is the plumber that is sat down. The fact that he is sat down and eating, suggests that he is not a hard worker and that he is delegating all of the work to his son. Also, it appears to be him that causes the water to disperse from the pipe as it happens after he puts his hand under the sink from his sitting position. Furthermore, when the water does come out, he seems to lack any sense of urgency and as his body language and the way in which he remains sat down offering no real contribution to finding a solution for the problem of the flooding shows. However, challenging this stereotype, the boy on the floor appears to be much more well informed than his father as he immediately notices his father's mistake exclaiming 'not that one!'. Also this is reinforced by him saying things such as 'it could be a literary reference' and talks about famous art (which could be considered a more cultured interest). Whilst this happens, the boy stands up from the floor, shown by a tracking shot. This reinforces that he has gained status within the room and shows us that not all of the local people are should be considered stupid and unknowledgeable, as he appears to be speaking on a similar level to Doc Martin.

When the water pipe bursts, Doc Martin seems to lack knowledge of what to do in the situation as he is probably not used to dealing with these issues and therefore lacks experience in the area. We can tell this from his use of dialogue when he says 'where's the.. the... the bloody what's it called.. the thing…'. However, he finds a cushion and uses it to cover up the orifice in which the water is coming from. This illustrates to us that although the more sophisticated Londoners may lack specialist knowledge in laborious occupations such as plumbing as they are stereotypically working in offices/business industries, although they are still represented as having a sense of initiative.

After this, the Doctor begins to appear very tense and stressed whilst the rest of the characters still appear very relaxed and laid back. The Doctor appears to come across like this through his use of dialogue and body language used to assert his authority by shouting imperative commands at those around him: 'Right, hold that and shut up. You, get off the telephone and find the stopcock. You, either get back to Delebolt, wherever that may be. Or go and find a mop and work out how to use it!' whilst pointing his finger at them (an aggressive gesture). The way he delegates tasks in this authoritative manner as well as the stressed, loud prosodic features in his voice suggests that the Doctor is very controlling and is used to being in charge, and the way that those that have been instructed comply to what they have been asked suggests that they respect the Doctor's authority and therefore consider him to be dominant in the situation.

Following this, we hear the diegetic sound of a dog inside the room. This suggests to us that the community that they live in is very tight-knit as it suggests that the doors are open allowing peoples pets to wander where they please between people's houses. Also, some extra narratives are introduced, such as the phone ringing and the secretary entering the room. This is presented with fast paced editing, reflecting the chaotic nature of the scene and the disrupted/stressed mood of the Doctor. Later on in the scene, as the Doctor says 'and as for you...' some background diegetic sound is played that increases the suspense in the scene, coupled with an extreme high angle POV shot looking down on the dog. This creates the idea that Doctor Martin is uncomfortable with animals or the idea of animals that he is unfamiliar with being in his presence. This could also suggest a sense of snobbery amongst the non-locals.

After this occurrence, the Dr takes the dog out with him to the local police station. On his walk to the station, there are a variety of things on screen that help us establish the location that the clips is set in due to the mid tracking shot that follows him on his walk. Firstly, from this we can see the streets that he walks through tend to be very narrow and the buildings appear to be old-fashioned looking and shops appear small and have no big brand labels attached to them, reinforcing that this is a rural village. Also that the streets are very quiet, suggesting the sparse population. Furthermore, we can hear the asynchronous diegetic sound of seagulls in the background and we can see props such as fishing nets placed outside shops, suggesting that it is a coastal area.

When the Doctor reaches the police station, we can see that it is very small. This means that there must be no need to have a station of substantial size, meaning that there must be little crime in the area. This is further reinforced when we see that there is only one officer working in the station. This officer is not carrying out any policing duties, instead he is just hoovering the carpet - shown by a tilting mid shot that emphasises this. This once again shows that there is little crime in the area, linking in with the idea the village is a tight knit community. The idea of a tight knit community is supported once again when the officer says to Dr. Martin 'Dr. Martin, nice to finally meet you'. This suggests to us that in small villages such as these there is often a sense of everybody knowing each other within the community, due to them often being so small in size. Another shot that suggests this to us is when we see a Mid shot of the Dr walking down the street, before stopping and looking over the railings into a window of a school building. The fact that this is so accessible to the public suggests that once again there is little crime and that everyone within the community can be trusted, as usually these types of buildings containing children would be more secure.

In the penultimate scene in this clip, the Dr is approached by a woman whilst walking down the street who asks him to write her a prescription. During conversation with the woman (dialogue), he mocks the hygiene of the current doctor's surgery in the town by saying 'judging by the state of his surgery, he didn't care much for hygiene either'. This gives us the impression that the higher classed Londoners are used to better standards of living and would consider anything less than their own standards to be inadequate. Furthermore, he gives into her ask and breaks the rules in order to issue her a prescription, showing that he is adopting the rural way in which things are done in the community. However, this could be due to the fact that she speaks in a similar accent and dialect to what he does, and because he therefore considers her to be on his level. Also, by now the doctor appears to be much more relaxed, implied by the slow pace of editing, with shots being presented for long periods of times without changing.

In the final scene, the Doctor is called over by an elderly villager who asks him to assist her. The woman is transporting lettuces from the back of a pickup truck into wooden boxes and then into her shop. We can assume that these are local produce that have been grown near by, showing us that in small rural communities, farming is a common occupation and that often villagers will grow their own foods rather than relying on exported foods from large suppliers. From looking at the costume of the woman, we can notice that it is predominantly very natural in colour, with lots of browns and greens being present, again reflecting the agricultural lifestyle in the region.

Representation Of Disability - A Touch of Frost

In this 5 minute clip extracted from a programme from the TV show 'A Touch of Frost', their is an extensive use of techniques that have been used in order to portray the disabled character, 'Billy', to the audience. In this essay, i will be analysing how the producers have used camera work, sound, mise-en-scene and editing in order to represent him.

Immediately as Billy is introduced in the clip we see a tracking long shot of him walking through the woods when he stops and begins brushing off his trousers with his hands. This connotes to us that there has been some element of wrong-doing, as usually this brushing would carry the implication of the desire to remove evidence from his body. This combined with the low-key lighting in the shot  suggests to us straight away that the producers' desire was to represent the disabled character as mischievous. After this, we see shots of a police dog, followed by uniformed police that appear to be searching for somebody with a non-diegetic background piece of music, which is very minor and eerie. This not only suggests misbehaviour as previously, but we now begin to realise that the misconduct that we assumed could actually be of a more serious criminal nature. Furthermore, whilst Billy brushes off his trousers, he keeps his head up and continues looking infront of him after previously appearing to look around him. This further reinforces the sense of wrong-doing amongst the character as it appears that he is conscious of being seen. This could also suggest to us that the disabled are being represented as very alert and aware when they have misbehaved.

After this we see a tracking mid shot of Billy continuing to walk through the woods. Even after the commotion that we have just seen with the appearance of the police and police dogs, it appears that he is unaware and oblivious to his surroundings. This implies to us that the disabled could be seen as naive or unperceptive in society. After this we observe that a close up reaction shot of Billy's face after he notices and begins to understand what's going on. The use of this shot exaggerates the characters fear and implies to us that the disabled could be seen as afraid. Following this shot, he begins to run off, before hastily being caught, suggesting to us that the disabled could be seen as confused (as he wasn't sure what to do in the situation he found himself in), ambitious (as he ran away from a large cohort of police officers) and that they may have the tendency to have little awareness of consequence (as he is likely to get in further trouble from running from the police.)

Following this, Billy gets quickly caught and taken down by the police. Immediately, the police officer who is on the ground with Billy positions himself on top of him, instantly asserting him dominance and power over the character whilst Billy lays powerless below him. This gives us the idea that the disabled have been represented as less dominant over the able bodied. The following shot shows Billy being held up by another officer by his collar. The way that he stands over him in this way also shows dominance and further reinforces that the able bodied could be seen as more powerful. This is a close up shot of Billy, showing his head and shoulders. The use of this shot gives the viewer an insight into the emotion of the character - he looks very scared. Billy does not struggle but assumes his place and acts completely submissive to the officers, before shouting 'I haven't done anything wrong!'. This illustrates to us that Billy is helpless, defenceless and vulnerable, suggesting that the disabled could be seen in this way.

 Another scene in the clip where disability is strongly represented is when what we assume is a detective goes to Billy's house to talk to him. Firstly before we see the detective, the scene is set with a crowd of neighbours watching whilst a policeman gets stands outside his house. The use of this establishing shot presents Billy as a threat to the local community, as the neighbours appear to be worried for their safety after noticing the presence of the police. After this, we are introduced to the detective, who speaks to Billy's father before entering the room. When talking to his father the detective says 'He would be considered mentally subnormal?' referring to Billy's disability. In response to this, his father replies 'handicapped.' before the detective proceeds to apologise. This shows us that the able bodied could be considered as ignorant and insensitive about the disabled, but the way in which the detective apologises illustrates to us that in society, disability is a delicate subject that can easily be upsetting. Following this, the detective says 'of course, i will have to have somebody else with me - incase i break the rules.' This suggests to us that the detective considers Billy as risky and uncertain, but also when way the says 'break the rules' implies that he will think nothing of using harsh measures in order to control him. This makes us feel that the detective considers himself to be above Billy. Following this, Billy's mother appears and says 'he'll feel better if i clean him up'. This indicates to us that Billy is incapable of doing so himself. The way she says this almost makes it sound although she is talking about animal or small child. This shows us that the disabled can often be regarded as unable to carry out simple tasks.

When the detective goes into the room, Billy's dad kneels down beside him whilst talking to Billy, giving us the idea that he finds it important to be on his level when he is speaking to him, in order not to scare or intimidate him too much. A high angle shot is used when he does this to exaggerate this further and put emphasis on the fact that the father is going down to his level, but also shows Billy to be small and therefore less dominant in the room. Billy's Dad then speaks to billy very slowly and patiently, using hand gestures, once again making the disabled out to be child like and easily confused. After he finishes introducing the detective, Billy's Dad then sits behind Billy, on a high chair looking over him. This gives us the impression that he is the most dominant in the room and that he is most in control, but also creates the idea that he considers it important that he is close to Billy to watch over him, almost creating the sense that the disabled are very unpredictable and that he is unsure of what Billy might do.

Next, the detective begins to talk to Billy. When he does so, we are shown a close up of his face. From looking at his general expression, we can gather that Billy looks firstly very edgy and suspicious and also that he has a look of confusion about him, (from his tilted head). This could indicate to us that the producers want to represent the disabled to be untrusting of the authority, possibly because they consider them disserving. When the shot reverses to the inspector, the camera is at a slightly lower angle. This makes it seem as though we are looking up at him and that we therefore see him as more in control. When the inspector speaks to Billy, he adopts a very patient tone, and uses slow speeds and a wide spectrum of pitches in his voice. This again, makes it seem although he is speaking to a child, reinforcing that the able bodied may consider the disabled to be child like and easily frightened. During the conversation that the inspector has with him, the lighting on Billy is of a much lower key, and a shadow is casted over his shoulder. This combined with the fact that he rarely looks into the detectives eye when he speaks could portray to us that he (representing the disabled generally) could be considered untrustworthy as well as dishonest. In contrast however, the detective is shown with high-key lighting on his face could illustrate that the able bodied are considered the opposite: trustworthy and dependable.

Next, during the conversation that the detective is having with Billy, in one instance when Billy says 'coming home from workshop' the detective asks Billy's father 'what does he mean workshop?'. The way he does this comes across slightly impolite, as he is almost ignoring the fact that Billy is there and talks directly over his shoulder to his father. The choice that he has made to ask his father rather than Billy what he means by 'workshop' shows that the detective may think that Billy is incapable of answering, or that he will get a more reliable answer from his father. When he speaks to his father also, we notice the tone of his voice change greatly, as he begins to speak faster and more monotonously. This once again shows that the able bodied can be ignorant of the disabled.

As the conversation continues, we notice Billy begin to get more impatient with the detective, and also less responsive. Whereas previously Billy was elaborating somewhat on his answers, until the detective asks 'is that when you saw Trisha? you saw her again after tea?' and now Billy only nods rather than responding through speech. After this, he says 'I dunno' when asked where he went. The manner in which he does this (sarcastic tone of voice), and the facial expression (raising eyebrows) that he shows when saying it could be considered very impolite and we can tell that Billy is beginning to get agitated and irritated. This shows the the disabled are being represented as having a short attention span and as irritable. In response to this the detective also appears to change the way that he is communicating. He begins to become much more snappy and less tolerant to Billy's actions, as his tone of voice now begins to replicate what something similar to when he was speaking to his Dad. This could tell us that the able bodied can be untolerating and impatient towards the disabled.

How I Consume and Produce Film (Improved)

I rarely find myself going to see a film at the cinema (probably 3 times a year) and for this there are many reasons. Firstly, although there is a cinema in Harlow, there is not one within walking distance of my home. This means that it is often inaccessible until late evenings or the weekends when transport can be provided. Another reason for this is the extortionate ticket prices. From observing on fairly irregular cinema visits over the past 6-7 years, i have found that ticket prices have increased by around 50%, and prices have risen further still with the introduction of 3-Dimensional movies that are priced around £10. When added to popcorn and drink prices, this becomes a fairly large amount of money just to see a movie - it is thought that 85% of cinema's intakes are from concession stands. Some cinemas now even offer VIP and premium seats, where customers can enjoy more comfortable seating at a higher cost. Also, some cinemas are beginning to introduce a '4-Dimensional' viewing experience, where audience members are seated in chairs that move, vibrate and provide physical effects to match onscreen visuals and audio. This would come at an even higher cost still but is not yet widely available across the nation, although i predict it will be. Furthermore, my personal film genre preference (british cult films) does not tend to often be played at my local cinema. However, amongst many others amongst my demographic, visiting the cinema is still a very popular pastime and way of watching films. Approximately 30% of cinema attendees are within my age group (15-24 year olds). Males then have a slightly higher attendance rate than females.

Fortunately, the cinema is not the only means of watching films in the modern day as it was in the past. At home i have access a satellite TV. This means that i have access to many film channels, such as FILM4 and Sky Movies as well as channels that aren't predominantly film channels but do show films on occasions such as Channel 4 (3rd most viewed channel in UK being watched by 10.9% of TV viewers) and the BBC (most viewed channels in UK - watched by 32.3% of TV viewers).  However, i rarely find myself watching these channels, as often when flicking onto these channels, the films have already started or are mid-way through, and as you can with many programmes, it is difficult to establish whats happened previously, ruining the film experience.  However, once again, this doesn't mean that television film watchers are in decline. A recent survey suggests from the British Audience Research Board that film channels take 8.55% share of TV viewings.

As further reason why i tend to not watch film is because in every room in my house that has a TV it has a DVD player of some form. In the modern day, many games consoles, such as the XBOX, Playstation and Nintendo Wii can double-up as DVD players, making films even more accessible. I would think that DVD's is my preferred method of film watching as it is so controllable (can be rewinded, paused, fast forwarded, offers scene selection and subtitles). Due to the recent increase of internet film accessibility, recently i have not bought many DVD's, however when i do i buy them from charity shops or second hand as they are considerably cheaper, meaning i can buy more. Nevertheless, i do not own a blu-ray player. This means that i do not have access to full high definition movies, but most blu-ray releases are also released on DVD currently, meaning only the viewing quality is compromised but the film can still be watched. Currently, sales of DVD's are in huge decline, with physical side sales falling by about 30% since their 2004 peak. In the near future, i predict that the rate of DVD production will decrease further still, and that more films will be produced on blu-ray due to the technology that we will have on offer.

At home i also have access to a hard disc recorder, and occasionally find myself recording films on it. This device can be very useful when a movie that has appeared on TV has been missed, as it means that it can be watched at a later date. But i find it rare that a film of my liking will be shown on the TV, so on occasions that they are shown i will make sure that i do not miss the original showing. 

     
Another way of accessing films is through the use of the internet. I have access to the internet on around 7 devices in my house such as on smartphones, PC's, tablets, games consoles and Smart TV's, each of these being capable of displaying films. For example, sites such as Netflix - who have 13.8 million worldwide subscribers in 40 countries and 4.5 million within the UK - require internet access but can be accessed on a multitude of devices. Currently, 78% of Netflix users watch on their Tv's, contrary to the belief that internet films are usually watched on computers. Due to this convenience, i find that this is my preferred way of watching films. Often i download films from online sites on my PC so that i have the file as an MP4. This means that i can transfer the film between my devices and watch them in different places and on different screens if necessary. Alternatively, i will stream online films on websites such as YouTube (an online video streaming service receiving 1bn users per month) By doing this, i can directly view the films on every one of my devices that has access to the internet, making it very convenient and giving me access to films 'on-the-go'. Currently, mobile viewers make up for 40% of YouTube, so this is a large portion of the population that are likely to watch films and video with the ease of using their mobile phone screen as a viewing platform. YouTube has noticed this trend in film watching on their site, and have now introduced their own film section, where many films have to be purchased (especially new releases) rather than watched for free by private uploaders, however there is still a section for free movies in the YouTube designated movie area. Of the films that i watch, most are professionally made. However, on occasion i will watch unprofessionally made films on YouTube. Generally these sorts of films will be non-fiction or factual, whereas i would prefer to watch a fictional professionally made film. When i consume many films, my ideal environment is to be alone in a dark room in silence, on a large TV. I feel that this environment makes for a good viewing experience because there is little to distract you away from the film. At other times, i like to watch films with friends because it can generate discussion and make a good social event.

In the modern day, we are very fortunate to be able to produce video as easily as we can consume it. With the help of technology, we can not only generate video without difficulty, but we can also edit and then share the video with others. Fortunately, i now have access to many devices that are capable of recording video such as my smartphone and tablet which are particularly useful for quickness and ease of editing and uploading. However, for better quality video, i have use of a DSLR camera. Even these (at the top end) have a built in Wi-Fi device that allows for an easy method of file transfer. This again illustrated just how possible it is for anybody to produce amateur video work. I often use this camera and do lots of video creation followed by editing. However, much of this is merely for practise purposes and i therefore do not share it online but use it for my own personal use. I also like to video myself playing music as i am a guitarist. I do this just so i can archive it and look back over it in the future.

Currently in the UK, industry statistics from the Broadcasters Audience Research Board show that around 96% of homes have atleast one television set. Also from research i have found that around 60% of families have 2 or 3 televisions in their houses. In the USA there are more TV's per home than people. in 2009, the average household had only 2.5 people and 2.86 televisions. This year, 54% of homes in the US had 3 or more TV's whilst 28% had 2 televisions and only 18% had one! Also of the 25.1 million homes In the UK, 19.2 million have access to a freeview television box. This shows us just how accessible the television is, and that it is available to almost everyone in the modern day, and that most have access to film channels also, enabling them to watch films on their televisions.

According to a survey, in the UK, 82.5% of people are internet users, increasing by 60% in 10 years. Similarly, in the USA 84.2% are online. This figure also shows us just how available films are now and that they can be watched by almost anyone in economically developed countries such as the UK and USA. Not only this, but it also means that most people are able to share their own work with the world.
         
 Finally, the number of people in the UK with a smartphone has risen by 14% in 10 months alone and has now reached 72%, whereas the total in the USA is 61%. Once again this shows us just how almost anybody can view film on a multitude of devices and how film production, editing and sharing technology is available to almost everyone.

Representation Of Class and Status - Downton Abbey Clip

Throughout this 5 minute clip, the producers of this text have used many techniques to represent the class and status of the characters involved. In this essay i will be analysing the specific ways in which they have done this, referring to camera work, mise-en-scene and Editing as well as sound.

The first time that we see an indication of a character's class and status is in the very first clip, where we see a boy cycling down a path towards a large house. Firstly, we notice that the attire that he is wearing would be general stereotypical of somebody of the working class. He is wearing a peaked woollen cap with a large tatty satchel around his body. Not only this, but we also see that his chosen method of transport is a bike. This indicates to us that maybe he cannot afford a car or likewise anything more upmarket. In this initial first shot, a pan is used to follow the boy as he rides along the path. In my opinion, this brings emphasis to the large house that he is cycling towards, as well as juxtaposing his presence against it, as in the viewer's mind we would make the assumption that he doesn't work here due to the aforementioned points. Accompanying this, we hear a very minor yet soft piece of non-diegetic background music. This gives us the impression that the character is feeling melancholy, making us sympathise with his hardships of being a working-class citizen.

Following this shot, we see the boy shot from a high-angle. This is when he is seen out of the window from one of the residents of the house. The use of this high-angle gives us the impression that he is being looked down upon, making he seem insignificant and powerless in contrast to the girl in the house. Not only this but the fact that she has just woken up (assumably) whereas the boy is already up and at work shows us that she is of a higher class than him. Also we can see that she is in one of the highest rooms of the house, implying that in terms of status she is also higher than what the boy is.

The next time we see the boy, he appears at what appears to be a more run-down area of the large house (possibly somewhere around the back.) Immediately he is addressed by one of the butlers saying 'You're late!' in an angry tone. The way he talks down to him in this manner combined with the way that the boy holds his head down low after he is spoken to, and the way he produces a very hesitant response implies to us that the butler is of a much higher status than the boy, although even he isn't of the highest class due to his occupation.

The next clip where we can see an obvious indication of class and status begins at 0:30. The first thing we see is a shot of some bells being rang accompanied by synchronous diegetic sound of ringing. After this, we hear a change of background (non-diegetic) music increase massively in tempo. This gives creates an impression of chaos in the scene, in contrast to the previous scene (the girl in her bedroom) which is much has a much more slow tempo and element of elegance within it. Next, the editing in this scene is very fast-paced, and there are many quick cuts between shots in relation to other parts of the clip that contain the more upper class characters. Showing us that the lives of the working or middle class can often be much more hectic than that of the upper class. 

Within this scene, although all of the characters are in the scene are of a similar class, we can see a very clear divide in status between them. Firstly, we can see that the butler that we later to find out to be the main butler of the Lord of the house is sitting at the head of the table, and all of the other maids are sitting around him. Typically, this would carry the implication that he has the most importance among them. Also we can see a divide in the status of the characters in this scene by the clothes that they are wearing. Firstly, the maid who comes into the room asking 'if that water's ready' appears to be the most roughly dressed. The woman that she speaks to is presented slightly better dressed (not wearing a dirty apron) and the woman that she talks to (closer to the head of the table) is dressed even more smartly (not wearing a hairnet) - suggesting that she may have more contact with the main Lord or Lady of the house. Also,  the way in which the ladies speak to each other tells us a lot about their status within the team of servants. First, when the woman comes in and speaks to another of the maids sitting down, she addresses her as 'Lady', in return she is addressed with the title of 'Mrs' - which would be seen to hold less authority or credibility. Next, the way that the woman in green is spoken to by the lady in black suggests that she is of a much higher status within the team of servants. When she asks for 'a hand' taking the drinks up, she lifts her nose slightly and replies very impolitely 'i've got the other two to carry'. This blunt and rude tone suggests that she looks down upon her slightly.

In the latter stages of the sequence, we see a huge contrast in the way that the characters are presented, as we are introduced to what appear to be the owners of the house - the main Lord and Lady. We first see the Lord in the scene where he is walking down the stairs. In this scene, we get a huge amount of indication of his social class. Firstly, we hear an introduction of background music. The music that is played is very slow and graceful, adding to the elegance of the Lord as he walks. Furthermore, a steady cam style shot is used to follow the Lord as he walks down the stairs. This gives us the feeling as a viewer that we are directly following him, making us once again feel that he is of a very high importance and authority. To further reinforce this the Lord is always in the centre of the shot and in the second shot of him, a low-angle shot is used, making us feel although we are looking up at him, intensifying his dominance and authority once more.
Also, the mise-en-scene in this clip tells us much about the class of the Lord. Immediately we can see that he is placed in extremely luxurious surroundings. We see many things in his household that we would associate with the upper class or the very wealthy. For example, the huge paintings on the wall in golden frames, the pillars in the lobby, the red carpets, intricate wood carvings, marble ornaments and the abundance of the colour gold. Also, the Lord has a small dog walking beside him. In my opinion, this acts as a symbol of possession to him and its apparent obedience (walking beside him) once again emphasises the class of the Lord. The way in which the Lord is dressed can also tell us much about his class. He is the only character in the whole clip wearing a bow tie for example. Bow ties are normally associated with the upper class or as an accessory to be worn on very formal or special occasions. The fact that he is wearing one on what appears to be a a normal day implies to us that he is very sophisticated.

Representation of Age: Waterloo Road Clip Analysis

How is Age Represented in this Clip?

In the following answer, I am going to be analysing how the producer of this text (Waterloo Road TV programme extract) has deliberately represented the characters' age in the scene to create an effect of the viewer.

The first that thing that i noticed is the way sound is used throughout the sequence. At the very beginning of the clip, we hear a dialogue between two adolescent characters (assumably friends). Immediately we can hear uses of colloquialisms, sociolect and informal register in the way that they are speaking, for example 'chill out man'. This tells us that the boys appear to be typical teenagers, that speak how they would stereotypically be thought to. After this, the boys appear to be hesitant when they are making excuses to the teacher. For example "well, i was err.. sick, sir." This connotes to us that the boys have been in trouble which they are trying to avoid, going along with the typical received idea that teenagers are always naughty or mischievous. However, the use of words such as "sir" and "miss" show us that they know they are below the teacher in terms of authority, and this acts as a sign of respect - possibly opposing the assumption made earlier that they are 'naughty teenagers'. In contrast, the students later on in the scene tend to speak with much less respect when they are talking to each other (some of the time) - for example there are many interruptions and shouting when they are talking about the girl's parents splitting up. Also, the teachers appear to speak much more forcefully and formally than the students, and sometimes almost in a belittling sarcastic tone, some example are "what do i owe this pleasure?", "give it!" and "dear oh dear". Generally, the older the character in the scene, the more authority they appear to possess over the students. The older teacher even appears to be speaking down to the younger (female) teacher also.
 After the dialogue, we notice that as the students are walking around the school, there is lots of loud background noise (diegetic sound). This helps to set the scene of the school environment as well as connoting that teenagers/school children are generally very loud. Accompanying this, we hear an upbeat electronic-style soundtrack being played. Later on, there is a rap-style piece played when the teacher dresses up 'young'. These types of music is the type that we would associate with a younger audience - helping put the viewer into the characters' shoes.

Next, the miss-en-scene tells us a lot about the representation of age in the clip. Firstly, the entire scene is set in a school building with high-key lighting used throughout. This immediately, gives us an idea of the age groups that are likely to be present in the scene. We can also tell by looking at the general appearance of the students' and their costumes that they are teenagers. Their scruffy school uniforms with loose ties, unbuttoned and untucked t-shirts, help them conform to the general stereotype that all teenagers don't care about their appearance and that they don't have an interest in dressing smart. In contrast, the majority of the teachers tend to be dressed smartly (with the exception of one). One of the teachers has obviously tried hard to look young and has dressed like a youth, wearing baggy jeans, a t-shirt and chain. I would say that this teacher is representative of the type of adult that is trying to be seen as young and modern because they feel deprived of childhood or because the opinions of youth are important to them. Next, near the start of the scene one of the boys retrieves a broken video camera from his pocket. Firstly, the fact that the video camera is broken connotes to us that the teenager has probably broke it; conforming with the stereotype that young people are often violent and destructive. Secondly, the fact that he gets it from his pocket gives us the idea that it is stolen. This also conforms to the stereotype that young people (males in particular) have generally poor morals and are anti-social.

The use of camera work can also tell us about the representation of age in the scene. Near the start, a close up shot is used to show the reaction of one of the students. This is when the teacher instructs him to hand the camera over. This shot is followed by close ups of the camera being handed over and the broken camera itself. The use of these shots emphasise the emotion that the character is feeling, and shows us that he is either regretful or annoyed with himself. This connotes to us that teenagers often make rash decisions that they can regret soon after, whilst still that they are destructive. Next, at appox. 1:05, a pan is used. This is when there is a student stood outside the site managers office. The use of the pan emphasises this, so we focus exactly on the location of the student, and implies to us that the student has misbehaved (hence being outside a senior staff member's office), this once again follows on from the stereotype that all teenagers misbehave. Another example of where an effective camera movement is used is when the teacher is first shown wearing the 'youthful clothes'. The camera slowly tilts up as it would do traditionally to show an attractive female character. This is ironic and gives the viewer a sense of shock but also humour. This exaggerates that the man wearing the clothes is old, as you don't expect him to be as the camera is tilting.

Sound Analysis

Dialogue - speech patterns/dialect/volume/pitch can represent age/gender/class/sexuality etc.
Background Music - sets the mood/tone of the scene. Can give us an idea of era/regional identity/

Diegetic sound - What the actors can hear.
Non-Diegetic sound - Sound been added in during the edit. (actors cannot hear)

Synchronous sound - The sound source is on screen.
Asynchronous sound - The sound source is not shown on the screen.
Ambient sound - background noise.
Sound Effects : Foley sound - everyday sound (door squeaks etc.)

Analysis of Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene - Everything thats in the shot

Setting - gives us information about genre, time scale, regional information (rural/urban etc), class of the characters (rich/poor).

Props (properties) - Gives us a clue about something/what is going to happen. Also helps you read into the characters' background (wealth, interest, occupation etc) /context. 

Lighting - High key lighting = very soft/shadowless. Often used with light skinned people, light skinned clothing - Unthreatening/soft/romantic.

                - Low Key lighting = much darker. More aggressive/masculine/dingy. Make us feel   unsettled.
Costume - Can reveal era/time period/occupation/class(wealth)/sexuality

Analysis of Camera Work

Shot types

Establishing shot - Establishes where and sometimes when the text is set. Often the first shot that is                                           seen.

Helicopter shot - Arial shot taken from above in a helicopter. High production value (budget).

Master Shot - Establishes the limit of where the action is going to take place. Can also show relationships between characters.

Long Shot - Showing a person from head to toe. Can give us an idea of appearance, body language and the character's relation with the location.

Medium Shot - View of a person from the waist up. Often used when there are more than one person in the shot - shows the relationship between them.

Close Up - Shot of the face. Can show emotion or reaction.

Extreme Close Up - Focusses on an action (the character doing something - usually important) brings the audiences attention to what the producer wants us to see.

Camera Movement

Pan - Shows everything (often location/people) and avoids having to zoom out so far that everything becomes small.

Tilt - Horizontal pan. Usually used to scan the body of a usually attractive female - supports the tradition that media is created by men for men (male gaze).

Dolly - Placing the camera on a track so the camera can smoothly move horizontally. Helps us make the connection with something outside of the original shot.

Steady Cam - The camera is moving and tracking with something (the viewers eyes). It is balanced and takes out camera shakes and movements.

Camera Angles

High Angle - Looks down on something. Gives the impression of vulnerability, weakness and insignificance.

Low Angle - Looks up on something. Gives the impression of power and strength. Good for point of view shots so you can shoot small objects on their level.

Cantered angle - Camera isn't straight it is on a diagonal.

Representation of Gender - Dr. Who Scene

Representation of Gender - Dr. Who Scene

In this clip from Dr.Who, different camera, editing and prop techniques are used in order to give the viewer a strong sense of the ways in which gender is represented. Firstly, camera techniques are used very effective to give us this idea of gender representation. The first time we can see the main female character entering the scene, depth of field is used in order to create an image of her being blurred behind the male character whom the camera is focussing on. Already this gives us the sense that the male is of more importance and is more dominant than the female, as he is in focus and she is not - almost as if she is not worthy. After this, when we see the female for the first time in focus, the camera slowly zooms out as she walks towards us (the camera) through the room. The way in which this is done almost gives us the sense that she is continuing to come towards us whilst we are trying to move away from her. In my opinion, this implies to us already that that as an audience we are made to try and shy away from taking a liking to the female in the scene. Next, we notice that throughout the sequence whilst she talks to the man at the top of the stairs, high-angled shots are used frequently. This gives us the impression that we are looking down upon her, as if she is small and insignificant. In contrast however, low-angled shots are used when the main male character is filmed. This gives us a sense that he possesses more power than the female, as he appears to be above her and is being looked up to. Another example of where the female is portrayed to appear less powerful than the male due to the use of camera technique is when he commands her to kneel. Immediately after he says this she follows his instructions and does this. When she does this the camera tilts down with her and follows this movement. By doing this, it exaggerates hugely that the female is being submissive to the male. Following shortly after this clip, a close up shot is used when she female begins to laugh as he tells her to bow her head. The use of this close up shot means that the director wants the audience to notice the reaction of the woman. The way she laughs in this situation is unexpected, and this marks the pivotal point when the female becomes seen as the less dominant, submissive character. At 4:35, we see the male character who was dominant in the scene, become more insignificant as a new male (the Dr) arrives. As he appears, he levitates above him and extremely high-angle shots are used, making the power that he had at the start less significant. The Doctor that appears conforms to the stereotype that the male is usually the hero, as he comes and 'saves the day'.

Sound is also used effectively to impact our opinions on the representation of gender in the clip. Immediately the scene is introduced, we hear a western style music piece begin to play (non-diagetic). This gives us the idea that there is going to be a face-off/duel between the male and female character. This music fades as the male begins to speak, and changes to a softer more minor vocal track as she kneels. This makes us feel sympathetic towards her and this emphasises that she is being submissive. In terms of speech, the male actors tend to speak much more assertively and aggressively in relation to the calm and collected voice of the female. As well as this the male tends to be speaking a lot, leaving the woman little time to speak. Both of these factors indicate to us that the male considers himself to be in a position of power whereas the female tends to be much more modest - conforming to general male/female stereotypes. Finally, around 3:20 the music becomes much more uplifting and inspiring as the female begins to gain power over the male. This music continues until the end of the scene and emphasises the victory that she has made, helping to set the general tone of the clip.

After this, the miss-en-scene of the clip can also tell us much about the representation of gender. The first thing that i noticed was the way in which the characters are dressed. The majority of the males tend to be dressed in military uniform whereas the females in the scene (in the majority) are dressed as maids. I feel that the way the director has chosen to dress the characters in this way conforms to the stereotypes that males usually have higher or better occupations than females.To further reinforce this conforming to stereotypes, the females tend to be wearing make-up giving them a very made-up appearance, but in contrast the males look less groomed. The character with the scars on his face is an example of this. Also, the woman at the top of the stairs is wearing a red dress. Once again, this is very stereotypical clothing that would usually be associated with a feminine woman. Not only this, but i feel that this woman acts as a symbol of the male's power, as she stands there almost acting like a possession of his. Following this, we see the appearance of weaponry frequently in this scene. Firstly, many of the soldiers are carrying large machine-style guns, and also the main character at the top of the stairs appears to have a weapon also. Interestingly, all of the characters that possess a weapon happen to be males. I think that this is because stereotypically, males tend to see weapons as symbols of masculinity and historically, women tended not to be as 'violent'. The main male character points his weapon at the female throughout the first part of the scene, making him come across dominant and patronising. However, as the woman begins to laugh, he retracts his weapon. This symbolises that he is becoming submissive to her.

Finally, the editing in the clip also gives us an idea about how gender is represented. The main part that sticks out to me where editing is significant is at 2:38. Where a flashback is used. Throughout this whole flashback sequence, the female is made to look extremely vulnerable. Firstly, the use of low-key lightning and the dark surroundings generally have the implications of negativity and vulnerability. Furthermore, the use of cross dissolve transitions between the two main shots of the woman walking in the dark emphasise the time that she has spent doing so. Once again, this gives us the idea that the female is less capable than the male.

Greek Yoghurt Advert - Regional Identity Task

Greek Yoghurt Advert Evaluation The first thing that I noticed instantly the advert began was the choice of music used in the background of the advert. The music used is very stereotypically Greek-style, with the Bouzouki instrument being ¬prominent. Immediately, this starts to sets the scene for the viewer and starts to culturally prepare them for the remaining video sequence.

After the music is introduced, we get a look at the main character in the sequence. We can see that he is likely to not be very wealthy, due to his tatty clothes and generally poorly maintained appearance, giving us an idea of his cultural background. Shortly after this, we see the boy turn to a cow and lead it into a field – which we assume to be a farm owned by his family for agricultural purposes. This also sets the scene well for us as a viewer, as it enables us to experience the rural background that he lives in.

The next thing that I noticed was the filter that has been placed over the sequence. The overall frame is very unsaturated, grainy, there is little contrast and the colours are slightly duller than what they would be in a typical advert. This once again gives the viewer the impression that it has been filmed either in the past (before modern film technology) or in a less developed society.

Following this, we see lots of establishing shots, giving us a good idea of location. Furthermore, we almost get a confirmation of the area that the boy is from when he shouts ‘Mama!’ and proceeds to speak in Greek (assumably). Once again, this is sets the scene well for the viewer and helps us to establish the regional identity of the characters – and therefore the culture behind the production of the yoghurt. Not only this, but we often get many other cultural references throughout the sequence that would differ from our own western society. For example we see a shot of a man dressed in black ringing a bell, a woman using traditional methods to wash/dry clothes and a man riding a horse through a field. Many of these people seem to be communicating with the boy, this gives us a strong idea that there is a huge sense of community between the people as normally there wouldn’t be much personal informal interaction with neighbours. This is probably due to the culture of the area that they are from and the fact that he’s from a small rural village.

At the end of the advert, the Boy’s mother’s phone rings. I believe that this is almost ironic, as we go through the whole advert believing that it was set in the past when technology was not so readily available, however the woman’s phone ringing tells us that maybe this is not the case, and that it is in fact set in recent times, but just in another part of the world.