k1819961

[k1819961]

Blog 14: Directing a Feature Film

This week our guest lecturer was Vlastimir Sudar, who discussed his experience of making a feature film that he co-wrote and directed. The film was called “Borders, Raindrops” and it was released in 2018. He also gave us advice about how to pursue a career in filmmaking.

Following on from what we focused on in class, one film that I have watched recently is “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”, starring The Rock, Nick Jonas, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart and Jack Black, among others. This movie is an action packed, comical film that follows a group of teenagers who get trapped as avatars inside a game console. They have to attempt to complete the game, without losing all of their lives, in order to escape death and return home. The actors who play the avatars in the game do a great job of embodying the personalities and characteristics of the teenagers that exist outside of the game, whilst also incorporating the characteristics of the avatars themselves. It appears to be an ideal combination of the two. There is also an extensive amount of visual and digital effects used to simulate the world of Jumanji. Overall this film is a pleasant watch as It keeps the audience interested with its engaging storyline, while also using humour to entertain the audience.

Bibliography:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiSNz4GGoCw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_TJKwJwN0E

https://www.empireonline.com/movies/jumanji-welcome-jungle/review/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/jumanji-welcome-to-the-jungle-is-a-hoot-of-a-reboot/2017/12/19/b1798e14-e1c1-11e7-89e8-edec16379010_story.html?utm_term=.ce30ca6b76bb

[k1819961]

Blog 13: Visual Media Cultures and Representation

This week’s class focused on media representation. We looked at visual culture and the symbolic nature of the media image in film, TV, advertising, magazines, internet and social media. We also looked at how we interpret images in terms of reception theory in relation to issues such as the male gaze theory and the female gaze theory. We also looked at the relationship between technology and media, particularly regarding digital media. 

Our seminar task was to choose an image from the media and analyse it in terms of its symbolic nature. My group decided to focus on the H&M advert which received lots of criticism for featuring a child of colour in a jumper that read “Coolest monkey in the jungle”. The advertisement proved to be very controversial as many people felt that the image was inappropriate and offensive. People also felt that the company were negligent and shouldn’t have let an incident like this occur in the first place. H&M issued an apology after receiving backlash and removed the image.

Bibliography:

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/jan/08/h-and-m-apologises-over-image-of-black-child-in-monkey-hoodie

[k1819961]

Blog 12: Interactive Media Industries (Part 2)

This week’s lecture was again given by guest lecturer, Nick Irons. He continued to teach us about interactive media, this time focusing on games and gaming. We learned about things such as the evolution of gaming and the vast amount of career opportunities in that field. Our seminar task was to either market a recent movie release, support fundraising for a charity or to help young people learn important skills. We had to consider things such as: our target audience, a platform, key goals and achievements for players to reach etc…

my group and I decided to create a concept for a game to help young children learn. The game would feature a number of levels and there would be trophies and medals for the users to collect if they passed a level and got all of the answers to the quizzes correct. We also decided that the game would be in the form of an app. This was so that it could be easily accessed on smart devices. One reason why we made this decision because lots of schools and parents use smart devices as tools to help their children learn.

There are many job roles available in the gaming industry. These roles include animators, game designers, audio engineers, sound designers, game developers, producer, project manager, screenwriter, editor, motion capture, digital imaging, customer service, professional gamer, journalist and online reviewer. Personally, I think that I would enjoy working in the media sector of the gaming industry. This includes jobs such as a journalist and an online reviewer. These jobs are important because they offer insight into what the games are like to the audience, therefore helping them decide whether or not they want to buy/download it or not. 

Bibliography:

https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/

[k1819961]

Blog 11: A Career in the Creative Economies

This week’s lecture was given by Russell Miller, who is an Associate Professor at Kingston University. We looked at the impact that Artificial Intelligence is having on the UK creative industries and how this will impact the way content is discovered and created in the future. Some of the things we learned from the lecture is that as a result of Artificial Intelligence fewer technical skills will be needed in the future as AI will be doing most of the work, and that it will create many new creative careers, therefore giving people working in the industry more opportunities in the future.

The seminar task was to create a visual concept depicting an AI assisted dating service that we think could possibly exist in the year 2029. My group an I came up with the idea of a smart watch that projects a hologram of the person you match with, the user would then have to tilt their wrist left for yes right for no, depending on whether they wanted to begin communications with their match. If the user selected yes, they would then be given access to the persons full profile, with all of the necessary information about them available. A video would also appear which would feature a self-made video with the person explaining about themselves and what they’re looking for in a relationship. This would give the user more insight into what the person they’ve matched with is really like before committing to meeting them in person.

One example relating to Artificial Intelligence and its interaction with media forms is the relationship between social media and AI. Social media platforms now use AI to suggest content and posts to its users. For example, social media marketers can use AI to find out information such as: what content their audience consumes, what product/brands they look at most on social media, what they use social media for and what platforms they spend the most time on. They can then use this information to create targeted marketing messages and advertisements, specific to what the user has shown interest in. Platforms such as Twitter also use AI to show its users the most relevant tweets on their timeline, based on tweets that they have previously engaged with. Another example would be LinkedIn, who have revealed that they use AI to suggest potential jobs/employees to its users based on their profiles. This could be beneficial to social media users as they have access to more personalised content, which is specifically tailored to the things they like to engage with or are looking for. However, this could also be negative as it would prevent social media users from engaging with different types of content and opinions online. Therefore, leading to people not having open-minded attitudes about subjects, for example politics, which are often discussed and debated on social media.

Bibliography:

https://hackernoon.com/the-future-of-ai-assisted-social-media-marketing-7f8e91afbec1

[k1819961]

Blog 10: Interactive Media Industries (Part 1)

This week’s lecture was focused on interactive media industries. The guest speaker was Kingston graduate, Nick Irons, who works as a UX Designer. Specifically, we looked at website and app design. Our seminar task was to examine a website, mobile device or app, or a piece of interactive advertising. We then had to assess its effectiveness and user experience of its interactive properties, using the things we had discussed in the lecture.

An example of an app that we could have assessed is the Instagram app. The main purpose of this social networking app is to allow people to communicate with one another through images and videos, and to express themselves in a creative way. It allows users to share moments of their lives with their friends and family all over the world. The app is fairly intuitive as it is easy to use, and it isn’t hard for the users to understand how it works. The information is ordered in a simple way too. You can create a profile and then follow other people’s accounts; which allows you to able to see their posts in your timeline. It also allows you to like other people’s posts and comment on them. The software algorithm makes the posts that it thinks the user will most likely want to see appear first on their timeline. However, if you view somebody else’s profile, their posts appear in chronological order (newest to oldest). The app is fairly accessible as it can be downloaded on most smartphones through various app stores, such as google play and iTunes. The app achieves its main purpose as it makes it easier for its users to connect, communicate and share pieces of their lives with each other through a collection of images and videos, therefore bringing people closer together.

Bibliography:

https://www.google.com/search?q=instagram&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjTrM30zuLhAhXNQhUIHRnWAv0Q_AUIDygC&biw=849&bih=737#imgrc=BzYRr8sq-DYkhM:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.instagram.android&hl=en_GB

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/instagram/id389801252?mt=8

[k1819961]

Blog 9: multiculturalism and diversity in the media

This week’s class was focussed on multiculturalism and diversity in the media. We looked at the history of multiculturalism in Britain and the rise of diversity and inclusion of different races, cultures and people within the LGBT community in British television and media. We also looked at both the positive and the negative views of workplace diversity. Some people believe that companies who have in-house diversity targets are employing people based on their ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation as opposed to their capability in that role. They refer to this as ‘positive discrimination’. However, the other side of this argument is that these diversity targets give opportunities to people who are just as capable in the job role, but who are sometimes overlooked for the role because of their ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender. The diversity targets are also good for business as they allow for more innovative ideas. this is because the companies have insight from people who come from a range of diverse backgrounds, therefore giving them a better understanding of the different types of consumers they are targeting.

Our seminar task was to research an example of inclusion and diversity in the media and critically discuss its effect and implications. My group and I decided to discuss the Freeform show grown-ish. We decided to look at this show because it features a multicultural and diverse cast. This is positive because it gives people of colour representation in the media, which also gives children and young people a diverse group of role models in the media industry to look up to.

Bibliography:

https://www.spiked-online.com/2016/10/12/the-unspoken-bigotry-of-the-bbcs-diversity-quotas/

https://www.inc.com/ian-altman/5-reasons-why-workplace-diversity-is-good-for-business.html

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7018644/mediaindex

[k1819961]

Blog 8: TV/Online News Reporting

This week in class we looked at TV and online news reporting. We looked at advertisements such as the controversial Gillette advert that aired recently. We looked at both the negative and the positive responses to the advertisement and we then went on discuss our own opinions on the advert in small groups. 

The people who had negative responses to this advert felt that it portrayed all men in a negative light and implied that all men are aggressive, sexual harassers or bullies. They also felt that it emasculated men. One person in particular that responded negatively, and criticised the ad, is Piers Morgan. Others responded to this advert in a more positive way. Saying that this ad presents a more modern view of masculinity and that it does not imply that men can’t be masculine. It simply suggests that some men could strive to be more aware of outdated stereotypes, such as “boys will be boys” and that showing emotion makes men seem un-masculine. It suggests to men that it is okay to show emotion or call people out when they see unjust behaviour towards others. This ad also recognises that the concept of masculinity is changing in our current climate and with the new generation, and Gillette are using their platform to reach their audience and try to educate people and tear down outdated stereotypes.

One example of something else which provoked a similar debate is the cosmopolitan magazine cover that featured plus-size model, Tess Holliday.

Some people have expressed the opinion that this magazine cover glorifies obesity and that it encourages an unhealthy and dangerous lifestyle. However, others felt that this magazine cover encourages women to be confident and shows that not all women look like the models that are typically on the cover of these magazines; therefore demonstrating body positivity and encouraging people to embrace all body types.

Bibliography:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/15/gillette-metoo-ad-on-toxic-masculinity-cuts-deep-with-mens-rights-activists

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koPmuEyP3a0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkgtvs_ugDY

[k1819961]

Blog 7: Film Archiving

In this week’s lecture we looked at film archiving. We looked at the different roles that a film archivist has and the different types of film archiving. We also went on to find out about the purposes of each type of film archiving. In our seminar, we were tasked with creating a mini-season of several films, which constituted a season of our lives. We had to then explain why we chose those films and a create short blurb about the season.

Film restoration is when people try to reverse the damage made to celluloid. Film preservation is when people attempt to prevent the damage from occurring in the first place. This practice first began in the 1930’s. Film preservation ensures that movies and films will continue to exist in a form that is as close to the original as possible. Film archivists achieve this by handling the original material with care, duplicating the content, storing it properly and making sure that the final product is accessible on platforms that are used today. Film archivists strive to ensure that the films they restore are protected and are in a state which allows them to be shared with the public, so that the art lives on. An example of a film that was recently restored is the 1939 classic, Gone with the Wind.

Bibliography:

http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199791286/obo-9780199791286-0301.xml

https://www.mediaguru.com/five-classics-films-restored-for-the-digital-age/

[k1819961]

Blog 6: Cinema Management

In this lecture we were taught about cinema management by our guest speaker, Mick McAloon, who has previously managed various Curzon Cinemas in London. He advised the class on what it takes to manage a successful cinema and how to ensure that every customer has a pleasant experience. Something that is crucial to a successful cinema is an events programme that details the films being shown at the cinema, along with a short description of the movie and the screening times. This is important because it allows the customers to not only see what is on offer at the cinema, but it also allows them to gain some knowledge on what the movies are about. This then allows them to pick a film that they will most likely enjoy watching. We were tasked with attempting to create our own cinema programme. Mine is as follows:

Cinema programme 25/11/18:

Bohemian Rhapsody - 12A - this movie follows the extraordinary carer of Queen, their music, and their lead singer Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek). The film follows the rise of the band and their journey to creating their iconic songs and their revolutionary sound. The band achieved unprecedented success. However, in an unexpected turn of events, Freddie decides to leave the band, as a result of persuasion from darker influences, to embark on a career as a solo artist. his attempt is unsuccessful and he returns to his bandmates just in time to perform at Live Aid, where he leads Queen into one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. It is there that Queen cement a legacy that continues to inspire music lovers and dreamers today.

Viewing times: 10:15, 13:00, 15:45, 18:30, 21:15, 23:55

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms - PG - In this Disney reimagined Christmas classic, the Nutcracker and the Four Realms follows the story of Clara (Mackenzie Foy) who is transported into a magical world on a quest to find a key that swill unlock a box that holds a precious gift from her late mother. At her godfather Drosselmeyer’s (Morgan Freeman) annual Christmas party, he gifts her a golden thread that he claims will lead Clara to the key she is searching for. As she follows the thread, she is transported into a parallel universe where she meets a solder, Philip (Jayden Fowora-Knight), an army of mice, the regents who rule the three Realms: Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers and Land of Sweets, and the Sugar Plum Fairy (Keira Knightley). To retrieve the key and restore balance in the deranged world, Clara must overcome the dangerous Fourth Realm, ruled by the evil dictator, Mother Ginger (Helen Mirran). 

Viewing times: 11:00, 13:15, 15:30, 17:45, 20:00, 22:15

A Star is Born - 15 - In this new take on the 1930′s classic, Musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) discovers and falls in love with artist, Ally (Lady Gaga). Ally has given up on her dreams of becoming a singer, until Jack leads he into the spotlight. As her career begins to take off, their relationship behind to break down as Jack fights his own demons as his career declines as Ally’s rises. 

Viewing times: 10:00, 12:45, 15:30, 18:15, 21:00, 23:45 

All three of these movies have varying target audiences, as one is rated PG, another 12A, and the other 15. however they do have other things in common. for example, all of these films have am obstacle that the main character(s) must overcome. For example, in Bohemian Rhapsody the band must overcome the obstacles in their way of achieving fame and success, in The Nutcracker Clara must overcome the fourth realm, and in A Star is Born, Ally has to overcome the lack of faith she has in herself to make it in the music industry and Jack must accept that his career is coming to an end. Also both Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star is Born follow musicians and their rise to fame. However, Bohemian Rhapsody is a biopic, and A Star is Born is fictional. 

Bibliography:

https://www.curzoncinemas.com/this-week

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP0VHJYFOAU

https://www.myvue.com/cinema/thurrock/film/bohemian-rhapsody

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7sAnI5By5Q

https://www.myvue.com/film/the-nutcracker-and-the-four-realms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSbzyEJ8X9E

https://www.myvue.com/cinema/thurrock/film/a-star-is-born/synopsis

[k1819961]

Blog 5: The BBFC

This lecture focused on the British Board of Film Classification. The main role of the BBFC is to regulate movies that are available in the cinema, on television or on DVD. We learnt about their history, their role within the film industry and how they decide on the certificate of films. We were also given examples of movies that had shocked and upset the public due to their disturbing nature. One movie being Stanley Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange. 

This movie proved to be very controversial upon its release in the United Kingdom. People were outraged at the inappropriate and violent nature of the movie. Despite its graphic content, the BBFC still decided that it should be released with o cuts. The amount of disapproval from the public eventually resulted in Stanley Kubrick banning the movie, in the United Kingdom, himself just two years after its release. Almost twenty-seven years later, in 1999, it was announced by Warner Brothers international, that an uncut version of Clockwork Orange would be available in the United Kingdom in the spring of 2000.

Th BBFC play a very important role in the film industry as they protect the vulnerable, such as children, from inappropriate content. They also offer a guideline for people so that they can make informed decisions when it comes to choosing what their children can watch or when it comes to choosing something to watch themselves. This is because each age rating offers some insight into the content of the film. 

Bibliography:

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPRzm8ibDQ8

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/cultureshock/flashpoints/theater/clockworkorange.html

[k1819961]

BLog 4: Scriptwriting

In this week’s lecture, we were taught about scriptwriting and the and what the job requires. The lecture and seminar were taken by writer and producer, Alex Perrin, and by writer, Allan Swift. They had previously worked on shows such as Casualty, Emmerdale, EastEnders and Hollyoaks, and both had a lot of experience working in the industry. They explained to us the role of a scriptwriter and the steps that have to be taken in order for the script to be commissioned and broadcast. Firstly, the writer has to pitch the idea, then the production company develops the idea, they then rely on the commissioner to buy the idea before it can be produced and broadcast /streamed.

In the seminar, we were tasked with developing an idea for a potential script that we would go on to present to the rest of the class. Alex and Allan then advised each group on what could be improved and indicated whether the ideas had any potential. We had to think about the genre of our script, the target audience, the main characters and the storyline we would follow. My group decided to develop an idea for a drama series, specifically a psychological thriller. We wanted to create a concept for something that would appeal to our generation and that would intrigue people by exploring interesting and unusual subjects, similarly to shows such as Black Mirror.

Bibliography:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0842562/

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1233872/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2085059/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2spS4Lc3CM

[k1819961]

Blog 3: Advertising

In this lecture, we had a guest speaker come in and teach us about the advertising industry. He taught us about what goes into creating a good advertisement and spoke about his experience from working in the industry. In our seminar, we were tasked with coming up with at least three ideas for an ad campaign for Lego. We had to choose between three marketing strategies to explain how Lego is either durable, safe or educational. My group and I chose to come up with concepts to explain how Lego is safe. We then had to present our ideas to the class. I believe that this exercise has allowed me to better understand the difference between an advert that works and an advert that does not. An example of an advertisement that did not work is the 2017 Pepsi commercial shown below.

This advertisement did not work because people felt that Pepsi were exploiting very serious issues such as the Black Lives Matter movement. The commercial shows a group of activists protesting, who eventually approach a number of police officers. Kendall Jenner, who features in the ad, then approaches them and offers one of them a can of Pepsi. Firstly, people felt that the unserious atmosphere that is portrayed in the advert is misleading and offensive, as many protests in the past have ended in violence and arrests. Also, people disagreed with that the advert unrealistically implying that a simple gesture of good will (handing the police officer a can of Pepsi) will resolve the issues being protested about. People were also upset and offended by the commercials resemblance with the events that occurred in 2016 at a Black Lives Matter protest. People felt that Pepsi were referencing the moment Ieshia Evans stood tall in the face of police officers at the 2016 protest that took place after the death of Alton Sterling, who was shot by a police officer. The ad was removed by Pepsi less than twenty-four hours after its release in response to it being criticised, mocked and ridiculed by people online. Pepsi also apologised.

Bibliography: 

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/apr/05/pepsi-kendall-jenner-pepsi-apology-ad-protest

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/41465222/kendall-jenner-feels-bad-after-pepsi-black-lives-matter-advert-controversy

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/pepsi-ad-everything-wrong-kendall-jenner-video/

http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20180308-international-womens-day-iconic-images-of-women-protesters

[k1819961]

Blog 2: Working in Film Production

In this week’s lecture we learned about the role of an Assistant Director from guest speaker, Teresa Orlando. She told us about her journey from finishing her degree to where she is now as an assistant director. I found this interesting as it gave me an insight into how to go about looking for work in the media industry and left me with valuable advice about the level of commitment needed to get to where I want to be in the future once I’ve decided on the career path I want to take. Teresa explained to us, in detail, what her role as an assistant director entails and told us about some of the projects she has worked on in the past. Including Jurassic World, In the Heart of the Sea and Star Wars. I found this very interesting and I liked many aspects of the job role. For example, the opportunities to work with very talented people within the film industry and to work in a job where you’re constantly kept busy, and in such an entertaining environment. However, the downsides being that the hours are long and non-consecutive, and the job can be stressful.

When looking into other possible job roles within the industry that I could potentially pursue a career in once I leave Kingston University, I discovered that I was interested in the role of production coordinator. I was interested in this role as they get to overlook the entire process of making the project and they have the responsibility of supervising the production assistant staff and ensuring that the crew follow all of the requirements of the production company or studio, along with various other responsibilities.

I do not currently know where I see myself in 5 years’ time. I hope to maybe be working at an internship somewhere. I’m still undecided on the specific job role I wish to work in, however right now I know I want to work in the media industry doing something like PR or maybe social media marketing. Although, as my studies progress and I learn more about other roles within the industry, I could change my mind and look into following another career path.

Bibliography:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4148263/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7mPBstkiKw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gcrb1vV6B0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7E5DRyAfHY

[k1819961]

Blog 1: Film Distribution

The movie “X+Y�� (also known as “A Brilliant Young Mind”), released in 2015, was funded a total of £300,000 by the British FilmInstitute. The movie was wildly successful globally and won various awards, including Best feature film at the Palm Beach International Film Festival, Best Emerging Producer at the Rome Film Festival and Best First Screenplay at the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards. The movie was based on a true story, which could be one of the factors which contributed to its global success as people can relate to the characters more because the events that took place actually happened. The main character in the movie also has autism, which could be another reason why the movie did well because it would have given the public an insight into what it’s like to live with disorders such as autism and it also would have helped people to understand more about autism and those who live with the disorder. The movie was rated 12A by the British Board of Film Classification because of its use of strong language, drug use, injury detail and brief self-harm. Therefore, the movie was aimed at an older demographic as it isn’t suitable for young children. The genre of this movie is comedy drama. Therefore, indicating that the target audience would have been a combination of old and young people as the older demographic tend to watch drama, whilst the younger demographic would generally go for comedy.

In the seminar we looked at two other films that received funding from the BFI. One of those films was “Upstream Colour” and the other was “Mr Nice”. We were tasked with looking at the movies in small groups and discussing what we thought their demographic would be, their distribution, their release, and which BFI strand they belonged to. “X+Y” would likely be classified as part of the big audience strand because it made over £1,000,000 at the box office.

Bibliography:

https://www.bfi.org.uk/film-industry/funding-awards

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3149038/

https://stephenfollows.com/how-the-bfi-awarded-129million/

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/xy-film