Statement of Aims

I have chosen to pick brief 1- television, because I have an extended knowledge of television instead of music. As part of our brief we had create an opening sequence of a television programme lasting for roughly 2:30-3 mins. In addition, we have created a front and back cover of the television’s DVD boxset, consisting of 3 pages.  

I have decided that my television series will be a Crime-Drama, based upon on the suspect. I have styled the plot of the television show to fit the remit of 30-49-year olds unisex explorer audience.  The crime drama will be about a teenage boy called Jamie who is being Physically beaten up by Mitchell. Jamie then loses control and accidently pushes Mitchell, Mitchell will then fall down the stairs, and the crime is committed. It will be called ‘the suspect who was the victim’

I will be also adapting the television show to fit the remit of the popular channel, ‘Channel 4’ which is to provide distinctive, diverse and innovative programmes. Channel 4 normally host programmes that are usually aimed at teenage adults, but can suit explore adults who want to try something different. I will be using the independent production company ‘Red Productions, as they our famous for producing quality dramas like ‘years and years’ and ‘Trust Me’  I will be using teenage actors to fit the storyline of the show, due to the fact it is set in a College. The Opening sequence will appeal to an adult audience because it will deal with real life dramatic scenarios. The opening sequence will allow the audience to emotionally connect with the main character because he is going through an upsetting and life changing event that wasn’t his fault. 

I plan to film my television programme in the college stairway and the school field. The opening scene of the sequence will be a handheld shot of Jamie running away from Mitchell, the camera will be shacked and there will be a close up of Jamie’s face, to highlight how scared he is, there will also be diegetic sound of heavy breathing to again indicate how scared Jamie is. Next, I plan to have a long establishing shot of to show Jamie has nowhere else left to run, this will be shot in the college stairway, with non-diegetic sounds of a heartbeat and dramatic music to add tension. There will be a range of close ups and extreme close ups of objects that have a huge relevance to the story. There will be a close up of Jamie’s bag, which Mitchell will fall over, in addition there will be a close up of Mitchell’s fists hitting Jamie and of Jamie’s face, to highlight the physical and emotional impact it is having on Jamie.  To finish the scene there will finale Ariel shot of the dead body with suspenseful music in the background, to create dramatic tension. I will also try and add a dolly shot, to introduce a new character and a zoom out shot to close the sequence. 

I will be using fast pace editing to fit in with the tempo of the action sequence. I will have to try and film my sequence in the same month to avoid continuity errors, for example there could be changes to the weather or set design. 

I plan to include three characters of different social backgrounds, I plan to have two teenagers similar age, but of different social backgrounds, and a teacher, to make it realistic. The story will be told by the characters dialogue and actions. 

For my print production I will be designing a television show advertising poster and a front and back DVD boxset cover. These specifications are used to advertise the television programme to make it money and bring it an audience.  Throughout all 3 pages I have to include a minimum of 7 original images, and to film in two various locations and again to include three different characters and actors. 

For my boxset front cover I plan to have a main image of the main character Jamie and the original antagonist Mitchell. For my boxset front cover I plan to have a main image of the main characters Jamie and Mitchell. Both Characters is what the television show is about, so when the audience see the boxset in the shops, they will understand that the tv show will be based around him and Mitchell. The title of television show will be called ‘the suspect who was the victim’ which will be placed in the top layer to allow the image to be at the centre to draw more attention to it. The title will inform the audience of the main plot of the show, they will then start to build ideas up in there head based on the tile and the main image. In addition the front cover will also include the age rating and the channel 4 logo, to display the broadcasting producers. 

My back cover of my DVD boxset will contain small snippets of my tv series, that don’t feature in my final opening sequence.  The scenes will leave the audience trying to imagine what is happening in the photo, which will make the audience want to purchase the boxset, to find out what is happening.  I have another main image of the Main Character however in different pose and facial expression to the main image on the Poster and front cover. I will also include a promotional Blurb to inform the audience the plot and storyline of the television series. This will be a promotional and persuasive piece of text to persuasive the audiences to buy the product.  A Billing Block will also be introduced to the back cover to reference the other people behind the scenes involved in the production. In addition I will have to reference the production company (Red Productions) and the broadcasters (Channel 4). It is also a legal requirement to include the appropriate age rating for the television series, which is 15. I plan to  the age rating in the middle bottom so the pictures and blurb can get the top layer and therefore the main focus. The Billing block will be above the age rating along with the production and broadcaster logo and technical information like running time per episode and overall, special features and subtitle information. 

 For my main advertising poster I plan to have a main image of the main character Jamie that will take up the majority of the poster, to make the character the main attraction.  The main image again will be different to the others that have been shown on the back and front cover of the DVD boxset. The image will display a narrative through the terrified and distressed facial expression and body language. In addition the Poster will include the main actors name, to attract interest from fans of the actor, also I want to add the production and broadcaster logos and the age rating. Also of course I will add the release date of television series, so people know when it is on and what channel. 

Tide

     The advert  includes a main image of a woman hugging the product being sold, which is 'Tide' washing powder. This images connotes that women loves this product, suggested by the heart symbols  above the main woman's head. Woman are the main target audience of this product evident by the direct and discriminative pronoun 'you', this means that they are singling out woman. They use persuasive slogans like 'no wonder you woman buy more tide', which is placed at the top and the main slogan which is put in the big font and in bright red says, 'tide's what woman want!' the fact the slogan is put at the top and made to stand out in the poster suggests that this is the companies main message about their product, that it is for woman and they like it. 5 different woman are displayed using propaganda lexis to help sell the product.  With lines like 'Tide gets clothes clean' which connotes that Tide gets the job done, the word 'tide' is always show in bold red writing to make it bold.  The colour scheme is bright and bold to try and bring more attention to it. The colour makes the poster more attractive and intriguing, the colours that are mainly shown are the classic RED, WHITE, AND BLUE course that are associated with America from its flag.

The woman are shown as quite wealthy and are represented as a modern and classic housewife of the 50s. The clothes and hairstyle were the on trend fashion styles in the 50s. The Unique selling point is used to manipulate people to buy the product. They often compare themselves to other companies who sell similar products. They use comparative text like ' No other washing product' which suggest that it is the best washing product around.

Vampire Poster.

   

As soon as people will look at the poster, they will straight away link the poster with a horror movie.  This is because of the connotations that are linked with the Horror genre. For example the darkness and low key colours emphasise that the film has a dark and horror twist. Vampires is a sub genre of the horror genre. the connotations associated with Vampies' are also presented in the poster, with presentation of Bats which are associated with Vampires due to old fiction. The bats indicate danger and poison, due to what we already  know about bats and vampires. The iconography on the lexis also empahises the danger of Vampires, with the a fang being represented using the the 'v', the blood ascending down from the fang connotes death and murder. The castle that can be seen in the background is another stereotype of the vampire genre.  





 The blonde woman is being sexualised evident by her clothing which is short and low cut. She is being represented as weak and in need for help. She is seen as unconscious and is suggested to being protected by the male Vampire. The other woman and man and switched, as it is the man in the white shirt who is being presented as weak and in distress and it is suggested that the female Vampire is protecting the male. In the time of the film, men were always seen as in power and superior, and in charge of woman.

Water Aid 'rain for good'

We start off with an establishing shot of an ordinary Middle class kitchen in England, which presumed because of the rain and old radio.  The shot is a close up establishing shot, which is unusual for an opening scene of an advert.  We then switch to a binary opposite of a dry place. There is another establishing shot of the girl as she starts to sing, this sets the scene and allows us to become familiar with the character. The song allows us to relate with her as most middle aged viewers will be familiar with the song.

There are more close ups of poverty in the area, for example the people carrying buckets of water on their head, and men working in dry sun. The most intresting shot is the boy, who is shown fully clothed and presumed to be in school clothes being happy and excited. The charity are trying to show the audience what there money can do, for example the boy running, but the shots of the poverty in the area, guilt trip the audience  to show them what their money can do.

African people are represented poorly in this advert, they are displayed as poor and in need people, who will all benefit from the money. This is a negative stereotype of people who live in African countries. 

Extended exam question

Compare the representations of gender and ethnicity  in this music video  and the video for Dizzee Rascal’s Dream.

In your answer, you must consider: 

·         How representations of gender and ethnicity are constructed through selection and combination of elements of media language 

·         The similarities and differences in the representations of gender and ethnicity

·         How far the representations relate to relevant contexts.

You should refer to Levi-Strauss ( binary oppositions), Barthes ( semiotics), Gauntlett
( identity theory ) and Gilroy ( postcolonialism ) in your answer as well as any other relevant theory 

                                                                                   

In this essay will be discussing and comparing the differences and similarities of represntations that are represented in the Beyonce's 'run the world' and Dizzy Rascal's ' 'Dream'  . 

In Beyonce's video there is a clear representation of woman, woman are being represented as the rulers of the world and in are being portrayed of having greater power than men. There are majority of black females in the video, with Beyonce being the main character and being portrayed as the woman in charge and connotes that beyonce 'runs the world'. In the opening establishing shot we see a woman on a horse, which highlights  the point of woman being in power and superior. 19 seconds in there shots of hundreds of armed men running out and long shots of woman being imprisoned in cages, this shot connotes that men treat woman badly and indicates there is a war between both genders. In 0:32 there is a powerful establishing shot of a group of woman, which is shown above, the woman are wearing powerful and revealing  clothing and are shown as community and emphasises the point that woman have to stick together. Additionally there is a Lion which indicates power and superiority.  The majority of people in the video are black, which means the video is trying to tackle two represntations, woman, gender and black people, ethnicity.

In Dizzee rascals we open with a establishing shot of middle class old English lady, which connotes that this video will be about race. We then see shots of puppets reprinting the artist childhood, with majority of the puppets are black, the video discusses problems like police brutality on black people through puppets which gives out a humorous tone. The video tackles the point that it is difficult to achieve dreams if you ar black. the main message of the video is that everyone should fulfil their dream. There representations of men in the video, there are men doing criminal activities like graffiti and hanging around on the streets, the most interesting representation is the black male pushing the pram which is not something that is usually not associated with men. 

In both videos men are shown as violent and as criminals, in Dizzy's video there is a male policeman who is beating other men and there are men who shoplifting and doing graffiti. in Beyonce's video men are shown as brutal savages who are also presented as violent and monstrous. Also in Beyonce's video woman are indentified as in charge and superior and in Dizzy's a posh woman is the only person who isn't small or a puppet. However there is positive representations of men for example a man pushing a pram and doing the same jobs as woman, but there are no positives of men in Beyonce's video. 

Levi Strauss had a theory called Binary oppositions are a pair of related terms that are used, so in Beyonce's video there is clear binary opposition of woman and men, where the woman and men are showed at being at war and woman at being with great power. 

Ronald Barthes had theory called semiotics. Which are codes that are meant to be read and which symbolise certain things and meanings. In Dizzy's video the puppets signify the artist life and howl life is tough for young black males. In Beyonce's video they use animals to connote their points. The lion symbolises power and strength. Whereas the Hyenas symbolise balance between genders, which connotes with the main point of the video. 

David Gaunlett had a theory called identity theory which says that we can base our opinions from updated media, for example views watching Beyonce's video may come up with new opinions about males and females based upon the video. From dream we might start to come to the conclusion that white policeman beat up black criminals. 

Paul Gilroy had a theory called postcolonialsm theory which is the idea that our world today consists of racial hierarchies. There are majority of black people in the video which shows that the video are prioritising black people and showing them as superior and on top, there a white woman who is in a cage. In Dizzy Rascals video black people are shown as weak and defenceless against white people.  They are shown as puppets which implies that they ar being described as being under control of the white people. 

Horror movie trailer

Horror movie trailer

https://youtu.be/bMffbgU3c5w

I Daniel Blake

I Daniel Blake was directed by Ken Loach, who is a famous English director, who specialises in political and independent films. He is expresses his social options and the films often discuss serious issues like poverty, homelessness and lower class and working class rights.

Dave Johns plays Daniel Blake, who is a middle aged white man who is in poverty and struggling to live in the modern society.  Dave Johns is a comedian , so is therefore stepping outside his comfort zone acting in a drama film.  The actors are newcomers and non- professionals, they are first time actors and some just play the role they play in real life. The film is funded by the public, it domestically earned $200,576.72 and $4,275,018 in the UK. The film was sponsored and created by BBC.

I, Daniel Blake  was more successful than expected, it won a Palme' d' or which is a fence award which highlights it has had global success. it won the BAFTA for best film and the leading actor Dave Johns won best actor.  

Steve Mc all- Job centre manger- 'I, Daniel Blake is a representation. I hope people don't think the film is a documentary, because it's a story that doesn't represent the reality we work in.' this published on the daily mail online, this indicates that the daily mail agree with this statement as published it on their website and promoted it., the daily mail are a right wing newspaper, where as Ken Loach is left wing. The director Ken Loach fought back and said that everything in the film is based on real events. The New York times gave a good review on the film saying that the film is powerful.


The main themes of I, Daniel Blake is poverty, injustice for older people and the difficult process of benefit applications in Britain. The film is a political drama, which is Ken Loach's speciality. The film is set in Newcastle, All the actors are from their and it is all realistic. The film also reaches to a global audience, and is unusual as most global British films are filmed in central London, because everyone globally knows it, but Ken Loach wanted to make it as realistic as possible. There are different hierarchies of people presented, the job centre managers and the police are presented as higher and more respected than Dan and Katie. Dan is represented as nice, distressed and confused middle-aged white man. The main target audience are British people who may be going through similar events, they also want to make people understand that this real and based on proper events.

There is scene where the managers and staff in the Job centre refuse to help Dan and Katie, they are then thrown out, after creating a scene, which implies that they do not care about people in difficult situations.

On the I, Daniel Blake poster, we have the main character Daniel Blake in a pose that is recreated in the film. In the film there is a scene where Daniel protests outside the Job centre and Starts with the film title 'I, Daniel Blake. This scene is recreated in the poster, but there is writing in the background of all positive reviews, and has the film title in the graffiti style.