self evaluation- mr bush

Evaluation

Attainment- 2  becuase I feel that I am not achieving my best when writing out my essays. I have the knowledge of the trailer and I can effectively analyse the trailer. However, sometimes my structure is not correct.

Effort- 3 because recently we have been given 3 coursework deadlines. However, I still allow sufficient time to get homework completed. Class work is completed on time 99% of the time

Punctuality- 2 because im hardly ever late to lesson. However, I have missed a few lessons due to illness

Submission and quality of homework- 3 because I complete most of my homework to a good standard. In some instances I forget about parts of the homework because I don’t always write it down.

Ability to work Independently- 1 because I feel like I can work very well independently. I understand each task given to us and can complete it to a good standard.

Quality of Writing- 2 because my overall writing ability is of a very high standard, due to me having good English skills. However, sometimes my essay are incorrectly structured

Organisation of Blog- 1 because my blog is well organised, with each post saying which teacher it is for.

Oral contributions in class- 1 because i often make contributions to the class that are relevant to the topic and are often helpful. 

London to Brighton

London To Brighton

Media Forms- how does the trailer use media language to establish the films genre?

The movie, London to Brighton, is a dramatic thriller about the life an 11 year old female who is homeless and has to cope with the various struggles that come with being homeless. At first, the trailer begins with a quiet and calm piano themed music. This connotes to the audience that it is going to be a calm and peaceful movie. However, this is not the case. Therefore, the opening soundtrack is shown to have been constructed to lull the audience into a false sense of security. Often when movies are misleading, this is because the purpose of the movie is to make the audience feel uncomfortable, which connotes that the genre of the film may be thriller or drama.

The audience immediately knows that the genre of the film is a drama/thriller. This because during the course of the trailer, there are various extracts from reviews about the film shown on screen, where one of the extracts tells the audience that the film is a dramatic thriller.

During the course of the trailer, there is a wide variety of camera shots being used . These shot types vary between close-ups, medium shots, medium shots and long shots. For example, there is a shot shown where 2 females, one being the 11 year old and the other being slightly older, are walking into a room behind an old man. The whole shot is constructed to connote that they are going to prostitute themselves, because this is how they can make money. However, when they walk into the room, they look anxious and they walk with a big gap in between them. This connotes that they are not together and connotes that they are both vulnerable due to them not walking in together. Here, a long shot is used to show the gap between them and the room. The size of the room and facial expressions of the girls, shown by the camera angle, connotes that a sexual reference will take place, which shows that film may be very dramatic.

A close-up was also used to show the 11 year olds facial expression. At one point, she was in a car. We knew this because the camera zoomed in on her face and her shoulders, which showed a seatbelt. She had lipstick on, and the close-up of her face added emphasis to her facial expression, which showed that she was worried. This makes the audience wonder as to where the girl is going that may make her worried. This adds drama to the trailer.

Media Representations- How is gender represented in the film?

The two central protagonists of the movie as shown by the trailer are two females, one young at the eleven years and one middle aged, both shown to be prostitutes.

In the opening shot of the trailer, the 11 year old female is shown sitting on the floor in a tube station, with an empty cup in her hand scrounging for money from passers by. This connotes that she is poor and homeless, and is resorting to begging in order to get money. This portrays the female as being of a very low social class, because she is poor. This therefore represents the female as being generally inferior to the public.

One of the shots that shortly follows is the eleven year old female being taken somewhere by a male against her own will. We can tell that she is being taken against her own will because when she is being dragged away, she looks back at the other female behind her. At this point, the camera zooms in on her face to put emphasis on her facial expression, which showed her being scared and worried. This shot effects the representation of both the males and females in the movie. The fact that the female is being dragged away against her own will connotes that she is weak and inferior to the males. However, due to the fact that the male is dragging her away, this makes him seem dominant in the scene and therefore makes him seem superior to the females.

Due to the fact that the 11 yr old female is homeless, she resorts to prostitution in order to gain some funds, for her to gain some type of living standard. The fact that she teams up with another prostitution to get some money affects the audience’s opinion of the females. The fact that the females are resorting to prostitution makes them seem emotionally weak and also makes them seem desperate, as they will do anything to get some money. It also makes them seem as if they are sexually driven, because they choose to have sex to get money.

Media Institutions: In what ways is the film London to Brighton a typical low budget British film?

The audience can tell that the film is a low budget film and is also shot in London through many things, such as the accents that the actors speak in, the locations used and also by the actors used.

During the course of the trailer, the majority of the trailer is shown being shot in run down and dirty areas. However, one of the shots also shows the Sanyo buildings, which are based in London. By showing these buildings in the trailer, the audience will know that the film is being set in London.

Some of the shots that follow show some other run down areas, such as dirty flats, which are stereotypically represented with London. The type of location can be combined with the setting to show the audience that the film is low budget. Quite often, Hollywood promotes high budget films, which mean that the producers would often use man made sets, so that they can make the set to the standard that they need. However, because London to Brighton uses natural sets, this shows that they cannot afford to create their own sets and therefore connotes that it is a low budget film.

The actors and actresses used in the movie are relatively unknown, which means that they have not been in productions before, because nobody recognises them. This connotes that they will not charge much in order to be in the production which shows that the film is low budget.

Media Audiences- In what ways does the trailer promote the film to its target audience?

The trailer has been constructed to appeal to a teenage audience, as well as an audience up to the age of 26. This is because of the explicit nature of the trailer. For example, the trailer deals with struggles that people may face. For example, the young 11 yr old female prostitute may be used to empathise with teenage females, which connotes that the film is targeted to them.

Also, the various extracts from the reviews connote that the film caters to a range of different audiences, as it contains extracts from a range of reviews that cater to a wide variety of audiences.

mr bush trailer anaylsis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uvBr5ubtWo  (embedding on video has been disabled)

8 Mile trailer

There was no Babylon trailer available, so I analysed a trailer with a similar plot.

8 Mile is a music based film about Eminem, a white rap artist, who is attempting to become famous in a music area that is stereotypically held by African American males. Eminem faces many struggles due to him being a white male. He faces many problems in his path.

The trailer, as a whole, is very powerful and effective in delivering the plot to the audience. The use of a montage at the beginning is very powerful because it delivers some of the key moments in his life that leads to the events that will take place in the climax of the film. This therefore foreshadows the upcoming events in the scene.

The Trailer begins with a montage of various scenes of the movie outlining Eminems life. For example, the montage contains parts where Eminems life is being described, such as him being fired from a pizza place and his mother’s boyfriend mocking him. It then cuts to a scene where Eminem is cutting metal for car parts. This is seen stereotypically as being a “dead end” job, simply because it goes nowhere. The use of the montage connotes that Eminem is struggling with life, in general.

Throughout the trailer, there is a backing track used, called “Lose Yourself”, which is one of the songs from his album. It begins with soft piano music, until the guitar drops. This connotes that the film will contain scenes of peace and harmony, but then suddenly, the peace and harmony could transform into chaotic and fast paced action, like the backing track.

Throughout the trailer, there is a use of the “fade to black” transition effect. It is used to move from one scene to another. This could possibly connote that Eminems life could possibly be fading away, due to the struggles he is facing in life.

Towards the end of the trailer, there is a scene shown where Eminem  is on stage and is rapping on the microphone. He has the spotlight on him. This shows that lighting has been used effectively during the trailer. The lighting being on Eminem, and the crowd being in darkness connotes that Eminem is the star, and connotes that everybody will look up at him as a symbol of respect. This therefore connotes that Eminem will reach stardom at the end of the film.

Twilight: New Moon Analysis Ms Wigley

Twilight: New Moon Analysis

Twilight New Moon is a movie about a love triangle between a human, a vampire and a wolf. However, the complication in this love triangle is that the wolfs hunt the vampires. Therefore, the film is a dramatic love story.

Media Language

The genre of this movie is a dramatic love story. This is due to the fact that it contains a love triangle. Furthermore, the love triangle contains two enemies. This adds to the drama aspect because, the fact that two enemies are involved in the love triangle connotes that there will be violence within the movie. The trailer also contains a fast paced intense soundtrack. The fast paced soundtracks adds to the tension that is in the trailer. This is due to the fact that the soundtrack used is fast paced and intense, which connotes that the film may also be similar. If the film is fast paced and intense, like the soundtrack, this may convince their target audience to watch the film, because their target may audience may be people who enjoy intense dramatic movies. The trailer begins with the use of non-diegetic sound. The non-diegetic sound at the beginning is the voice of one of the protagonists, speaking to one of the other protagonists about their love for one another. The use of the non-diegetic sound used at the beginning of the trailer connotes that the film may mainly focus on that person and their input to the movie. This may influence females to watch the film, as a large number of females find him sexually attractive.

Representation of Gender

The film contains 3 main protagonists, consisting of 1 female and 2 males. The female is called Bella. In the trailer, she is portrayed as being desperately in love with Edward. This is through the use of speech. Edward speaks to Bella and says that they will not see each other anymore, due to the restrictions put over interaction between humans and vampires by the Vultori. She then responds with the argument that she belongs with him, and describes his absence, as a hole being punched through her chest. This represents the female protagonist as being desperate and emotionally weak, which acts as a negative representation of females. Also, often when she looks at Edward, a low angle camera shot is being used, which therefore means that Bella is looking up at Edward, which connotes that, in terms of power, she is inferior to the male protagonist. This also means that the male protagonist is superior to the female and is therefore more powerful, as she looks up at him. The other two male protagonists are both muscular and ripped. This connotes that they are powerful and sexually attractive to females, which is a positive representation of males. The type of representation used for males and females in the trailer has a vast difference. This is due to the fact that the females have a negative representation in comparison to the males having a positive representation. In the trailer, the female protagonist slaps one of the males, which then leads to the male turning into a wolf as an act of aggressions. In the movie, this is then followed with a battle between two males. This connotes that the males are being portrayed as violent and angry. The volturi are construed as being royalty amongst the vampires. They are shown in the trailer as being very strict. This is shown when a female is talking to Bella in the car, and says that she is a human who knows too much about vampires and how the Volturi may kill them all. This connotes that the Voltori, which consists of males only, are very strict. Also, at the end of the trailer, the volturi are shown being violent and beating up Edward, which shows that they are very aggressive.  Another example of how the female protagonist is shown as being desperate, is that she knows that the only way she can see Edward is by putting her life at risk. Knowing this, she then proceeds to put her life at risk by becoming an “adrenaline junkie”, by driving motorbikes and diving off cliffs into water. This connotes that the females are being portrayed as desperate.

Audience

Twilight New Moon is a film that is based on a love triangle. Therefore, the genre immediately connotes that the film has been produced to cater for teenage females, as well as other audiences. The fact that the movie is based on the complications of love will appeal to teenagers, because they are the main type of audience that experience love troubles often. However, the use of love being the main storyline also connotes that the film caters to everyone, as love is a part of life, and will more or less happen to everyone. The fact that the male protagonists are both muscular and ripped, and often show off their muscles throughout the trailer connotes that the film may appeal to females of a majority of ages, as females may find the muscles attractive. Due to the vast majority of the cast list being white, this may mean that the film may appeal to a white audience. In terms of social classes, the film may also appeal to D or C2 classes, due to the film containing no big actors/actresses and due to the main plot of the movie being based on love and violence, with the addition of fantasy creatures.

Institutions & Hollywood Values

Despite the usage of CGI, Twilight New Moon contains no famous actors or actresses, which connotes that it may have been a low budget movie, despite the use special effects and its high level of popularity amongst the public. However, the trailer also connotes that the film may be a high budget film, not only due to the usage of special effects. The fact that the trailer shows a variety of different locations also connotes that the film may be high budget. 

Mr Bush Essay

Media Essay- Mr Bush                   Jehpal Jhita

Film Extract- Jurassic Park 3: T rex fight scene vs Spinosaurus

The film sequence that I am going to be describing is a short extract from the Jurassic Park Trilogy. The extract is from the final movie, Jurassic Park 3. The extract consists of a fight scene between the two largest predators in the history of the universe, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Spinosaurus.

The first aspect I shall describe is the use of camera shots and angles. The sequence begins with a close-up of the T-Rex’s face, which is dripping with blood from the carcass it had been feeding off. This connotes that the T-rex is dominant in the jungle, because the carcass that it had been feeding off is also quite large. However, as the humans run away from the T-rex, the T-rex follows them, which eventually leads to the confrontation between the T-rex and the Spinosaurus. As the 2 meet, they both attempt to assert their dominance on one another by roaring at each other. The camera begins on the Spinosaurus and then pans over to the left towards the Tyrannosaurus. The purpose of the pan is to show the distance between the 2 dinosaurs, which was decreasing with time. This foreshadows upcoming events by connoting that a violent scene will follow, due to the dinosaurs attempting to act more dominant than their opponent. The following shot is a cut from the showdown to the battle, where the T-rex bites the Spinosaurus  and pushes him down to the floor, with the T-rex’s teeth still clamped around the neck of the Spinosaurus. The camera uses a closeup of this to make it seem as if the fight is taking place around the audience. The purpose of this is to make the audience seem inferior and connotes that the dinosaurs are dominant.

The next aspect I shall be describing is the use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound. For example, when the two protagonists of the sequence meet, they both produce diegetic sounds in the form of roaring. This connotes that they are both attempting to intimidate their opponent and therefore, claim the title of being the most dominant dinosaur in the jungle. After the next cut, there is a shot of the T-rex nearly stepping on one of the protagonists, at which point, he produces a diegetic sound in the form of a scream. This connotes that he is weak and extremely inferior in comparison to the dominance of the dinosaurs. Throughout the sequence, there was no use of non-diegetic sound.

The next aspect I shall be describing is the setting. The battle takes place on an island called Isla Sorna. More specifically, the battle takes in a clearing that is surrounded by large tree’s and wilderness. The large tree’s also contribute to the lighting aspect, as the large tree’s branches block out the sunlight and therefore, prevents it from reaching the jungle floor, which makes the lighting during the battle rather dark. This can then be linked back to the setting, as darkness and lack of lighting connotes evil and the wilderness creates a sense of suspense.  Therefore, the wilderness setting and the dark lighting connotes that the dinosaurs represent evil and death, which adds to the mystery of being in a jungle. 

4 movie stills- Mr Bush

This image is from Deep Blue Sea. The still shows an image of a man underwater, about to be attacked by a shark. The camera shot used here is a medium shot, because we can see both the man and the shark. However, the camera shot used can also be categorised as a medium close up. This can be because we can clearly see the man and the shark, but not their surroundings. The fact that it is slightly a closeup connotes to the audience that the shark is huge in size and is therefore dominating the scene.

This movie still is from Jurassic Park. It shows a man in a foreign jungle being surrounded by deadly dinosaurs. The camera shot being used here is a medium shot because it shows the man and his surroundings. The medium shot used here is good, because it shows his surroundings, which are the dinosaurs. Becuase the dinosaurs outnumber the man, and they are equally as big in size, this makes them seem dominant and makes the man seem inferior.

The following movie still is from Training Day, and the camera shot being used here can be described as a long shot. This is because we can see the two central protagonists, their surroundings and also we can see what is behind them. The use of the long shot is good because we can see their surrounding, which are the two tramps being left battered on the floor. This makes the two central protagonists seem superior.

The image shown here is a still from the movie Bad Boys. The shot being used here is a closeup because we are wanted to focus mainly on the two central protagonists and their facial expressions. The use of the closeup is good because we can see that they are both under stress and some sort of adrenalin rush because of their facial expressions. We can also see that they are both covered in dust and their surroundings are falling apart, which connotes the fact that they are both in battle.

Spartacus Film Tariler 1960 & The Family Man Tariler 2000- Mr Bush

Spartacus Film Tariler 1960 & The Family Man Tariler 2000


Spartacus is a film made in 1960, and is about the roman empire and is based on the violence that is caused by gladiators. Spartacus is trained to be a warrior and then turns on his owners in order to lead a rebellion with the slaves. Whereas, Family Man is an adventure film about a man who is living the good life, until his past comes back to haunt, in the shape of the ex love of his life and his children.
The main difference between the trailers is that in Spartacus, the narrator talks about various aspects of the film, such as how good the cast list is and how the good the movie is, and as a result of this, we can not hear what the actors are saying in the film. Therefore, by watching the trailer, the audience doesn’t know what will happen in the film. Whereas, in Family Man, the narrator talks about the events in the film, and at the same time, we can hear what some of the actors are saying. For example, we can hear that Nicholas Cage is shocked when his past comes back to haunt because we can hear some of his quotes.
In Spartacus, when introducing the characters and their roles, the editor chose to use wipe shots as a transitional effect. Whereas in Family Man, there are a variety of shots used. For example, fade out and dissolve are used quite often to move from one scene to the next, which gives a sense of smooth flowing to the trailer.
In Family Man, there are also some uses of text and rhetorical questions, in order to get the audiences opinions involved. Whereas, there are no attempts to get the audience involved.
However, there is one similarity. Both trailers appear to be of equal length. They are both 2 and a half minutes long.

Mr Bush Extension work (sound)

Development of Sound Technology in Hollywood during 1920’s

In the 1920s, the introduction of sound recording was a massive event in the development of sound recording.  Many other new items and procedures were later introduced. For example, different transducers such as microphones and loudspeakers were introduced, along with devices such as the mixing desk.  Greater sound fidelity was also found during 1920, by using the electrical system, with one of the earliest recordings made being the dedication to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery.

In the 1920s, the media industry also introduced the usage of photoelectric cells to record and reproduce sound signals that were optically recorded directly onto the movie film. Shortly thereafter, there was also the use of the first practical magnetic sound recording system, otherwise known as the Magnetic Sound Wire, which was solely based on the work of Danish inventor Valdemar Poulsen.

Film Noir- Mr Bush

What is Film Noir

Film Noir is dark lighting used by directors to portray emotions and create moods. For example, dark lighting can be used to portray a sense of mystery, which can get the viewer to think what may happen next. Dark Lighting often connotes the presence of evil, which may suggest that evil will follow. Film Noir can also be used to create a sense of mystery. If lighting is dark, this may make the view think as to why the lighting is dark. Is there some evil? Is someone or something going to pop out? Lighting can create various moods.

Film Noir was introduced by Nino Frank, who noticed how dark lighting, AKA film noir was often used amongst African American crimes and during war films, to connote a sense of sadness.#

NO EMBED CODE- http://dvisible.com/category/fashion/  (FEMALE LEANING AGAINST WALL)

In the following movie still, film noir is being used as the lighting has become dark. The mood being created here, in my opinion, is that of suspense. The female is leaning against a wall and she appears to be in an upset mood, as a mysterious looking male watches on from down the corridor. This is where the questions set in: who is the girl? Who is the man? Is she upset? Why? Why is he watching her? As there are lots of questions, this makes the viewer suspenseful. As the female is in the darker section of the corridor, this could possibly connote that she is a femme fatale, a fatal female. This is the stereotype that she fits in, because of the lighting.

However, the same can also be said for the male, as he is standing in a darker section of the corridor. The fact that he is in the darkness could connote that he possibly an evil/sinister character. The fact that he is staring at her contributes to this opinion. However, there is light in-between both of them, coming from an open door, which could connote the fact that safety could be inside that room.

NO EMBED CODE- http://www.pictureshowman.com/articles_genhist_filmnoir.cfm (FEMALE LOOKING AT MALE)

In the following movie still, film noir is being used the lighting is dark. The movie still consists of two people, one female and one male, who look as if they are staring at each other. However, this can not be confirmed because of the film noir. This shows that film noir can create suspense. As the lighting is dark and their faces cannot be seen, this can raise questions, such as: are they looking at each other? Who is looking at whom? Why are they looking at each other? This is how film noir can create suspense.

However, the fact that they are both submerged within a cloud of white smoke/fog connotes that they may not be dangerous. This may connote that the situation could possibly be regarding love, because of the fact that they are both in bright lighting.

3 movie stills

Jurassic Park (http://www.agirlsworld.com/rachel/beat-street/reviews/jurassicpark3.html)

This movie image is from Jurassic Park 3, which is a sci-fi adventure/action movie. The image shows one of the central protagonists in a jungle, surrounded by dinosaurs known as velociraptors.  The frame shows that he is outdoors and in a jungle; we can tell this by the vine behind him and the trees surrounding him. His facial expression shows that he is scared, or in shock.  We can tell that the central protagonist is isolated because the frame shows him on his own.  We can tell that he is not a native to the jungle because of his clothing. He is wearing a smart shirt and jeans with a hat, which may show that he came here and is now stranded or lost.

Freddy vs Jason (http://www.filmlinc.com/fcm/online/reviewfreddy.htm)

This movie image is from Freddy vs Jason, which is a slasher thriller. The image shows the 2 central protagonists, freddy and Jason, having a duel. We can tell this because Jason has his weapon drawn. Their surrounding have been set on fire, which connotes that there has been some sort of chaotic happenings in the area. Freddy is also wearing makeup because his skin has some marks on it. Freddys clothes have been torn up and are dirty, which connotes that he has been through a chaotic experience. 

Next Friday (two young boys greeting each other with smiles) (http://thecia.com.au/reviews/n/next-friday.shtml)

This movie image is from Next Friday, which is a comedy film. The movie image shows 2 young African-american males greeting each other outside a very nice house. This is odd because of their clothing; they are wearing vests and sports shirts, yet they live in a posh house. Their clothing connotes that they are troublemakers. Their facial expressions show smiles, which connotes that they are both happy to see each other.

The genre of the film, Alien vs Predator is a hybrid between action and sci-fi. The two central protagonists of the film are on the poster, as the film is based around these two creatures.The film poster shows an alien creature staring down to another alien-like creature, otherwise known as a predator. The alien creature at the top looks a lot more sinister than the predator, and the lighting at the top of the poster is a darker shade than it is in the middle. This could possibly connote that the alien is more evil that the predator. The image also shows the predator with 2 blades and valves coming out of his helmet. This connotes that he uses technology to battle. The alien looks very aggressive and the predator has his weapons drawn, which connotes that the film will contain a lot of violent scenes. Because they both seem aggressive, it seems as though they are both ready to battle. The title of the movie also contributes to this opinion, as the film is titled Alien vs Predator. The caption of the poster makes the two creatures seem very dangerous. This makes the audience want to watch the film and see why the caption is what it is, which is:  “whoever wins, we lose”. This film would probably be targeted at young male adults, as the film will contain scenes of violence. Movies about aliens and fighting usually is targeted towards males.

The film genre is comedy. The two central protagonists are in the poster as the film is based on their activities on a Friday. The film poster shows to young males sitting down in a front porch, with a radio. This connotes that they are just relaxing and enjoying the day. However, the caption reads “a lot can go down between Thursday and Saturday”, and the day between Thursday and Saturday is Friday, which is the title of the movie. This connotes that the day is not going to be as peaceful and quiet as Ice Cube and Chris Tucker would like it to be. The film is directed towards young male adults, as it contains scenes of violence and also usage of drugs, which would therefore make it a certificate 18 movie. The facial expression of the two central protagonists connotes that they both are going to get up to some trouble, as their facial expressions look cheeky.

In my opinion, the most effective of the 2 posters is the Alien vs Predator one, despite the poster having less content than the one for Friday. This is because the AVP poster makes me, as the consumer, want to watch the film. It intrigues the reader, by showing the two dangerous looking main characters, and also with the caption saying:  “whoever wins, we lose”. This interests the consumer because they want to see who wins and who loses.

PowerPoint research (Time Warner)

Time warner

Brands owned

 HBO (Home Box Office)
Warner Bro’s
Time Inc
Turner Broadcasting Systems

Media Platform used

Television mainly (broadcasting)

Products currently promoting/ developing

Warner bros- Harry Potter and deathly hallows & Nikita

Time Inc- TIME app on iPad & SI app on iPad

HBO- Boardwalk Empire (new series) & In Treatment (series)

Turner Broadcasting Systems- Hardcore Pawn (series) & Men of a CertainAge (series)

Alliances- Boing, Cartoon Network, CETV, CNN, zee/turner

Profits in 2009- 3^rd quarter profit fell 38% to $661 million, with revenue slipping 6% to $7.14 billion

Fox News, CNN, Sky News-  time warner owns CNN

Ms Wigley cover work

Media Texts are Profit Motivated

This could suggest that the people/companies who produce media texts, such as advertisements are misleading their target audience. This is because they make the product seem as if it is the best product available out of that brand, however, we have no idea if that is true. They appear to be promoting the product. However, they may just be promoting the product just so that the advertisement looks good, which in turn, makes the company look good. If the advertisement promotes the product well, and people begin to buy the product in question, simply due to the quality of the advertisement, other companies may also want to use that advertising company to promote their products/services. If more companies hire an advertising company to promote their product, that Advertisement Company would in turn make a profit.

Media Companies & Power

Sometimes, media texts are used as propaganda, otherwise known as misleading information. Some media companies produce advertisements, which make a product seem better than it is. This can influence the people who see the advertisement to buy the product without actually researching into it. These products will cost the viewers some amount of money. Therefore, they are having a financial influence on the public. The government also control some of the media content that we viewers see. As the media is now linked to the government, this shows a rise in power, as the government control the nation, and they now control the media we consume.

Another example of the Media and power is the war in Iraq. Any news regarding a world war, which is taking place in a different continent, is fed to the media consumers in the UK via media. The media are in control of what content we receive, regarding the happenings of events halfway across the world.

MediaMag Conference Notes Summary

Chewing Gum for the Brain

Why Do People talk such rubbish about Media Studies

The speakers introduced his lecture talking about how Homer Simpson is the inspiration for Media Studies.  He then continued his lecture talking about school and parents views on the educational system. Angry parents have accused schools of “dumbing down” English lessons by showing clips of The Simpsons in lessons. The Independent Newspaper also created a headline regarding Media Studies, titled: Tories to tackle Media Studies Menace. Barnaby Lennon, the Head of Harrow School labelled Media  Studies as a worthless qualification, and also stated that : “worthless qualifications give false hope to state pupils”. The lecturer also spoke of an online Media Studies blog, titled “Media Studies is shit!”, where the bloggers speak about how they “want William Shakespeare in classrooms, not Ronald McDonald.” The Independent also spoke about how Media Studies, being a soft subject, has students shunning Science and Maths in order to study Media. One of the lecturers closing points was about how people have argued that studying Media Studies at A-Level and University will not get you a job.

Online Media, Cleggmania, and the Cowell Factor

The topic of the debate is all about democracy. The lecturer introduced the debate by talking about someone called Tony Benn, whom had been in parliament for up to 50 years. He also spoke about how he had big ideas that changed the world.  He then introduced Simon Cowell, more famously known as the judge on X-Factor and Britains got Talent. He then spoke about how Simon Cowell, just by being a judge and a tv star, may have more power than some of the world’s biggest politicians. He then spoke about how converged media is a lot more interactive. Media Studies is also used to create video games, which was the lecturers next point. He spoke about how todays video games are designed using modern media facilities. He then introduced a book by someone called Danny Gilmore, titled We The Media, which connotes that media studies has become a vital part of todays society.  Nick Clegg is a name that is mainly notified as being a major part of todays Government. He then introduced something known as Cleggmania.  For one of his finishing points, he refered back to the beginning of his lecture, where his PowerPoint Presentation showed a picture of Susan Boyle, the lady from Scotland who became world famous for her performances in Britains got Talent. He closed his lecture talking about how he used a picture of Susan Boyle, because she became famous via television, but she has no power. 

Perfecting your Production Work

The 3^rd Lecturer spoke to us about how Media Studies can be perfected by following some simple tips for Media Studies success. The lecturer began by talking about how any Media Studies project needs to be carefully planned before beginning it.  Their next point was how all planning needs to be recorded, perhaps in a book. This allows the planning to be referred back to when the production begins. They then began to talk about using storyboards can help make a media production easier, as it gives the producer an idea of what each frame will contain, and can therefore make production easier and quicker. The next point was about how using Blogs can also help Media  Production a lot easier. These allow you to easily share information with other members in your production team.