Key Words

Denotation - the literal or primary meaning of a word

Connotation - an idea or feeling which a word invokes for a person in addition to its literal or primary meaning.

Realistic/Realism - having or showing a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved or expected - reference to a character

Verisimilitude -  the appearance of being true or real - storyline reflects reality

High/Low Production Value - The look of the film being expensive/cheap

Narrative - The way a story is told.

Parallel Editing -  a technique whereby cutting occurs between two or more related actions occurring at the same time in two separate locations or different points in time. D. W. Griffith is often cited for his use of this technique.

Pace of Editing - Fast/slow - how long it takes to cut to the next shot

Screen time - The amount of time they're on the screen for

Shot reverse shot - fluency and continuity 

Continuity Editing -  Fluent and coherent. The predominant style of film editing and video editing in the post-production process of filmmaking of narrative films and television programs. The purpose of continuity editing is to smooth over the inherent discontinuity of the editing process and to establish a logical coherence between shots.

Montage editing -  a technique in film editing in which a series of short shots are edited into a sequence to condense space, time, and information. The term has been used in various contexts.

Discuss the issues raised by media ownership in the production, distribution and exchange of media texts in your chosen media area.

Discuss the issues raised by media ownership in the production, distribution and exchange of media texts in your chosen media area.

Media Ownership is associated with the types of media companies which produce and distribute products in relation to the value of the companies. The film industry/market is dominated by a small amount of companies known as conglomerates, forming an oligopoly. The market is shared between six different companies, Warner Brother (19.8%), Universal (19.4%), 20th Century Foxx (14.7%), Buena Vista (10.5%), Columbia (12%) and Paramount (8.5%), which account for 90% of the film box office. 

Firstly, with regards to production companies, media ownership is more substantially beneficial for conglomerates rather than independent companies. Due to the conglomerates larger financial capacity, they are able to perform strategies such as cross media convergence and synergy. Cross media convergence is the interpretation that two or more types of media coming together. An example of this is the release of Adele's "Skyfall" soundtrack which accompanied the release of the film, therefore both of the two products are promoting each other. It is more significant for conglomerates to used this method of promotion as they will own the subsidiaries needed to produce the relevant products. However, it is much more difficult for smaller independent companies to do this as they won't have enough money to set aside for expensive cross media convergence, and also, larger companies will not want to associate themselves with independents because they will not want to jeopardise their income as the product could potentially be a failure and unpopular. Which, in turn could lead to insufficient profits made or none at all. Therefore, larger production companies tend to spend a lot of money on the production of the film in order for assurance and comfort that the film will be successful and therefore accumulate significant gross. Also these companies do not take many risks as if the risks do not pay off, the mass amounts of money spent on the production will not be worth it, so they rather handle there procedures more safely taking minimal risks. However it also could be considered that because of the success of their previous films, the would be able to take more risks because their product is bound t be successful due to default.
 whereas synergy is different elements of a company working together in order to promote related products. Small independent companies find this a lot harder, for example Ill manors, directed by Ben Drew had a significantly small budget of only £100,000 and therefore could not afford to spare money in order to pay other companies to produce products accordingly. However, due to Ben Drew (Plan B) being established a musician, he was able to release his album, which was given the same title as the film, at the same time as the release of the film. 

Furthermore, conglomerate distribution companies would also profit from the value and size of the companies themselves. First of all, they can afford more costly marketing methods which reach larger audiences. Sony along side with MGM distributed Skyfall, introduced synergy and tie-ins to the products. They did this very effectively as they could afford established brands such as Aston Martin, Tom Ford and Omega which raised the awareness of the film alarmingly. They also collaborated with Coca Cola in order to produce a vending machine which allowed customers the chance to win tickets to see the film. As well as this, Skyfall's marketing companies had the opacity to publicise the film through the use of large billboards and posters which were displayed in highly populated areas in the UK and New York. Contrastingly, smaller independent companies would not be able to afford this method and therefore, alike Ill Manors, have to result to using cost effective forms of marketing such as social media and the use of web 2.0. When it comes to distributing the product conglomerates find it much easier to sell their products to the exhibitors. This is because exhibitors will favour in screening films from well established companies which are more like to be successful than films from independent companies.  This is illustrated through Skyfall being shown in 587 cinemas across the UK, meanwhile Revolver's Ill Manors was only shown in 191 across the UK and Ireland.

Finally, as previously mentioned, exhibitors such as cinemas are much more likely to show films from larger well established companies rather than smaller independents. This is because the films from larger companies have more probability of being successful and also accumulate much larger audiences. Therefore, as cinemas receive 60% of there overall revenue on concessionary items, the fact that larger audiences will be attending the viewings mean that the profits made on concessionary would increase accordingly. This opposes films from independent companies as the attendances will be significantly lower and ultimately will not allow the cinemas to accumulate substantial profits on concessionary which produces such high quantities of their finance.

Disability

Throughout the extract of the drama 'A Touch of Frost', disability, and in this case Downs Syndrome, is represented through the character of Billy. In the following essay I will discuss how this is represented in association with the micro elements.

During the opening scene the audience is introduced to two people through a mid shot seeming to refer to the character of Billy by stating 'I didn't think there was anything strange with Billy' in there dialogue. As the audience have not yet seen Billy, it makes them think about why they are referring to Billy in such a negative way and could even begin to them make assumptions that he has done something wrong.

In the first scene a long shot/tracking shot is used to follow Billy who seems to be walking through  a forest at night where he comes to a stop and dusts himself off. This shot shows Billy's sheepish body language which can imply wrong doing through is strange body language. This feel is continued through the introduction of low key lighting as well as an eerie non diegetic soundtrack. Then a low level long shot is used to show a police dog searching for Billy, therefore once again implying and relating disability to wrong and dangerous behaviour. Another Tracking shot is then used to show Billy's sheepish body language. Following this an extreme close up reaction shot is used to illustrate Billy as frightened. The dialogue of the Policeman initiate a short chase where Billy begins to run, contributing to the sense of wrong doing because why would he need to run away from the police. A mid shot is then used to show Billy struggling with the policeman on the ground but eventually losing the battle. Through dialogue Billy pleads 'I didn't do anything wrong' Here he is presented to be weaker than the able bodied and perhaps in need of being controlled. 

The next scene is initiated through a slow pan where is it apparent that neighbours a gathered by Billy's home. The fact that a police officer, recognisable through costume, is standing on guard contributes to the feel that disability is a potential threat to the local community. The setting then changes to the inside of Billy's house where a high angles mid shot is used to show Detective Frost and Billy's father conversing. Through dialogue Frost asks whether "Billy would be considered as mentally abnormal". The father corrects him by replying "handicapped". The body language of a nod is acquired to Frost in order to show his recognition of is mistake. It could be considered that the able bodied are being presented as ignorant to the disabled, not taking care in how they refer to them. Frost then states that he should "have someone with me in case I break the rules" and implies that they need to be cautious with Billy. Then a 3 person mid shot is used where Billy's both is introduced with the props a bowl filled with water when she asks if she can clean him to make him feel better. This presents the able treating the disabled in an over caring fashion by treating them like children.

Following this an action match of Frost and the father walking through the door is used to once again change the setting to a living room. A tracking shot is used to follow the father who eventually kneels down next to Billy and reassures Billy through dialogue and by putting his arm round him, once again showing the able bodied treating the disabled as child like. Here a high angle shot is used to show the camera looking down on Billy. Low angle POV shots are used along with several shot reverse shots where the 180 degree rule is applied. Close ups of Billy's face also allow the viewers to consider that he looks seemingly confused, supported by the fact that his head is slightly titled. The position of the father behind him acts as a purpose to present the able feeling as if they need to help explain and support Billy's view acting as an anchor. During this the Inspector is using very simplistic vocabulary as well as speaking slowly in a calm tone; reinforcing that the disabled are treated like children. Throughout this sequence of reversal shots, Billy is shown through a a high camera angle whereas when focussing on the inspector and low camera angle is used. Therefore forcing the audience to look up to Frost and down on Billy. Meanwhile Billy is acquired very simplistic replies, with minimal length to his sentences which also imply his childlike nature. Towards the end, Billy begins to become restless and impatient which is recognisable through the increase of pace and volume to his voice, once again implying how he is childish.

What is the significance Proliferation in hardware and content for I&A

What is the significance Proliferation in hardware and content for I&A

Definition - The proliferation of hardware is the increase or spread of technology at a rapid rate, meaning there is a large amount on it.

Production: 

Advantages

• More technology on set, quicker production, cheaper
• more technology means more people can produce content, leading to more content being created
• There is a lower barrier to entry
• can produce produce content on iPhones - Ill manors scene

Disadvantages

• More competition, hard to succeed and therefore could lead to people spending more money on production in order to succeed.
• Harder for indie companies

Distribution:

Advantages

• more content to distribute so more more can be made
• more effective distribution as loads of people have access to Web 2.0 and therefore marketing of films will reach more people.
• cheaper distribution - social networking (Ill Manors)

Disadvantages

• will be harder of films to be successful as there be a lot of films being aimed and advertised to specific audiences
• distributing companies have to up their game

Exhibition: 

Advantages

• More technology to consume media on 
• the technology allows companies such as Netflix to exist and operate
• more content to be exhibited, so more audiences will be reached
• digital/3D projectors become cheaper
• more content to chose from

Disadvantages

• cinema attendance numbers fall
• need to spend more money to improve their service- d box seating,IMAX

Audiences:

Advantages

• can consume in any location as long you have connection 
• cheaper consumption
• more hardware to consume content on
• more content to chose from

Disadvantages:

• As people can watch film on many devices in any location there will be distractions which opposes the cinema experience. People may be content but it's not the same experience as the cinema.

Section B revision

To what extent does digital distribution affect the marketing and consumption of media products in the media area you have studied?

In the modern film industry, films are now distributed digitally, meaning that they are now being delivered to the exhibitors electronically. This has been developed from the previous method of distributing film physically which was considerable expensive and time consuming to distribute the 35mm film. Digital distribution is therefore much more effective as it is free of charge and can be delivered quickly. It effects the distribution and exhibition companies both positively and negatively as well as the audiences.

Firstly, films can now be marketed digitally through Web 2.0 free of charge, meaning that they can direct more of their budget to other aspects of the product such as the production. This allows low budgeted films to be marketed successfully. Companies are beginning to using social media campaigns excessively as it provides advertisement worldwide to anyone with access to Web 2.0. For example, Ill Manors wouldn't have been produced without these low cost marketing techniques.  They creates a Facebook page which accumulated 31,000 likes, demonstrating the wide range of people reached through social media. On this page they posted posters, trailers and other exclusive content which contributed to the 'buzz' and interest of the film. Distribution companies also use Youtube to present any trailers or insights to the upcoming films. Revolver entertainment posted their official trailer for Ill Manors which reached 740,990 views. Also Sony Pictures Entertainment posted their official trailer which accumulated 23,019,136 views along side with their teaser trailer which gathered 9,355,431 views. These statistics symbolise the masses of viewers reached through posting insights on social media, epitomizing the success in advertising and publicising the product. Adverts have also made there way into social networking with pop ups on the screen which provide links to watch trailers on Youtube. Both of the aforementioned films had websites made such as www.illmanors.com and www.skyfall-movie.com which once again provided further insights to the film.

Additionally, due to digital distribution, exhibitors and audiences have benefited significantly. It has provided platforms for companies such as Netflix to actually have the services to operate. Netflix works 100% digitally and without digital distribution it would receive films to display, therefore meaning that they would have no interest and would not exist. Also if Netflix was not available, audiences wouldn't be able to watch films at any internet connected location. Digital distribution, also allows the audience to view films on TV or on demand where some of the latest films can be viewed. Films can also be bought/rented digitally on box-offices which would not e available without digital distribution. Another advantage of this type of distribution would be that films are now available on DVD or Blu-ray which allow the audience to watch films wherever they want on devices such as computers, TV's and gaming consoles. All in all, digital distribution provides many more platforms for the audience to consume media other than attending the cinema which are all accessible in the comfort of their own home. However, there is also a down side of digital distribution. This is that there is an increased risk of piracy which leads to the establishment of illegal unlicensed websites which stream movies for free.

Furthermore, cinemas have also been affected accordingly. They are now able to gain much needed consistency within their viewings. This is because before,when cinemas exhibited films by running a film reel, the film gradually deteriorates due to the constant viewing and therefore the quality of the film also deteriorated. Digital distribution eliminates this issue as the viewing remain of the same quality from the first viewing until the last viewing. This also effects the audience massively as they will be provided with an excellent quality regardless of the time which they attend the viewing. However, exhibition companies now face much more competition in attracting audiences and will feel the need to introduce new technologies such as 3D/4D screenings, high quality sound systems. bigger screens and new improved D-Box seating in order to do so. There are also modern companies such as Netflix which rely fully on digital distribution and only operate digitally. These websites are also very appealing to the audience as it supplies them with the opportunity to consume film within the comfort of their home.

Ultimately, digital distribution allows films of a low budget to still be marketed successfully through social media campaigns as mentioned above, therefore allowing more money being spent elsewhere on the product. Also it increases the quality of the viewings to the audience as they are now of a higher consistency and also available within the comfort of their own home.

What significance does the continuing development of digital media technology have of media institutions and audiences?

INTRO - 


MAIN PARAGRAPHS
Production - Advantages
High quality digital cameras 
Digital filming is much more efficient because it allows the producers to review their footage over in order to establish whether the footage is useful/successful.
Much Quicker and easier - therefore cheaper
Editing stage is also much more effective with the latest softwares 

Disadvantages
Much more competition because of the easier access to digital technology meaning more people will be able to produce film

Case Study ILL MANORS - produced on digital technology £100,000 budget



Distribution - Advantages
The ability to distribute digitally is much more quicker than exporting 35mm film.
Free of charge 
Free marketing methods through Web 2.0 - CASE STUDY ILL MANORS 
Trailers websites

Disadvantages
Increased chance of piracy as people don't know who they're distributing their film to

Exhibition - Advantages


CONCLUSION - 

How does technological convergence affect institutions and audiences?

Technological convergence is the transformation towards differing technological systems to evolve towards performing the similar tasks where multiple media are combined into one device. Mobile phones such as the iPhone are a good examples of technological convergence as they incorporate several aspects of different media. Consisting of cameras, mp3 players, camcorders, voice recorders, internet browser, GPS. Technological convergence is seemingly influential in the production, distribution and exhibition institutions of the film industry in addition to the audiences.

One key aspect of technological convergence is associated with the production of films. For many years, films were traditionally produced using film reels and very expensive large cameras. In modern day the majority of film businesses produce films digitally for many reasons. Films such as Skyfall and Ill Manors were filmed digitally. The main advantage of filming in the format would be that it is considerably cheaper, assisting the more Independent companies who have a lesser budget than the conglomerates. Ill manors wouldn't have been successfully produced if it was filmed traditionally due to their extremely low budget of £600,000. This minimal budget would've have been significantly spent only on filming, leaving substantially less amounts of finance to spend on other areas. Saving money in this way allows production companies to spend more of their budget on other aspects of the film. Also technologies have been merged into smartphones as mentioned above which allows production platforms for producing film. Meaning a whole film can be produced on a smartphone and even edited on them. As there are an increasing amount of independent businesses who can produce films at a minimal cost, therefore more independent companies will invest in the industry and therefore will be much more competition to attract interest into their product.

Accordingly, technological convergence has brought advantages to the distribution aspect of the film industry. Previously, film had to actually be physically transferred to all exhibitors which would be significantly time consuming and also cause financial setbacks to transport them. However, now days films can be stored on digital devices such as computers, iPhones and tablets and can be downloaded to cinemas. This is much more time efficient and also doesn't cost any money, apart from the cost of the device in which it is stored. Distributors must lock the files to particular cinema screens/projectors to ensure that the film can only be played at a specific place and a specific number of times. These companies do this because they can be unaware of how many people or who is downloading there product, which could lead to piracy. Piracy and illegal movie streaming websites are increasing as technological convergence allows them to easily stream films. Ranging websites allow audiences to view download or watch the latest streamed films. The distribution industry also benefit from the technological convergence of devices such as smartphones, computers and tablets as their distribution methods which involve internet use will be able to be seen by anyone, anywhere on any of these devices as long as they have connection to the internet. Methods such as social media campaigns and trailers and advertisement on websites and sites such as twitter, Facebook and YouTube being used are very effective as people can explore these sites continuously due to the converged devices. Without these devices existing, people would have much more limited access to the internet, meaning that the methods used by distribution companies wouldn't be successful as viewers wouldn't have consistent access to them.

Furthermore, technological convergence has influenced the exhibition companies and audiences as now they can consume film through various technologies. Film can now be consumed through hardware such as smartphones, laptops, tablets and gaming consoles. Meaning that customers have access to the internet where they have the opportunity to use streaming websites such as Netflix and Lovefilm and several other legal sites any time at countless locations. Also services such as films on demand and Sky Box Office are available where thousands of films can be purchased/rented to view over a period of time of even at no cost available for an unlimited time period. Without technological convergence audiences would have a much more limited access to these services and consumerism would depreciate. This has also significantly impacted the exhibition industry as there are now many other ways  which audiences can consume media, meaning that exhibition companies such cinemas have much more competition and have begun to alter their services accordingly. Piracy also creates a problems for exhibition companies as they are losing interest and finance due to it and cinemas have initiated upgrades in the experience they offer by improving several aspects. They now have increased the sizes of their screens, producing a further wow factor about the sheer exaggeration of the experience. This is accompanied by better quality speakers which gain a improved connection with the audience as they will not have this service at home. Films are also available in 3D which can be viewed by customers in premium seats which are more spacial but come at a further cost. Also recently D-Box seats seats are starting to be introduced where the seat vibrate and move according to the action on the screen. These a several ways in which exhibition companies are enhancing their service in order to improve the experience and create attraction and attention.

Ultimately, technological convergence has provided audiences with the ability to consume films wherever they chose. The many opportunities to view films free of charge have caused peoples ambitions to watch free films to venture away from the cinema, therefore significantly impacting the film industry, specifically exhibition and distribution companies. This has provokes cinemas to improve the overall experience of their service, introduce new and effective technologies and elements to available at home.

Write an illustrated essay outlining all the ways possible to consume and produce films, with advantages and disadvantages. 

In the world's modern day society, the latest technology allows people to consume and produce films in a variety of ways using a range of methods. Technological convergence, which is the combining or merging of more than one piece of technology into a single device, is an example of how the platforms in which films can be consumed is proliferating. For example, the modern technology has developed to create phones which introduce cameras to this software, allowing people access to filming with the camera and viewing it over on the screen of the smartphone. This is a perfect example of the Proliferation of Hardware, The rapid increase in the number of available technology. The Proliferation of Hardware allows films to be consumed in various ways such as phones, laptops, tv's etc.. which are all available within the comfort of the calm environment of home. Both increasing the availability and consumption of films.

 Previous generations weren't able to view films consistently as they were required to wait until the film comes out in the cinema and if they wished to watch it again they would have to visit the cinema repetitive times. However eventually the DVD was introduced in 1995, which allowed constant film availability. Gradually, Technological convergence developed further as devices were introduced that allowed DVD's to be played. Initially DVD player's and then progressing to games consoles and PC's. Advantages of these devices is that the experience of consuming films was improved as they were then continuously available in better quality within home comfort.  However, the down side to this is that there is still a period of time to wait for the availability of DVD's as they're release a while after the initial viewings of the film. Films are also available on the internet through websites that steam or display or provide illegal downloads for new films closer to there release date, reducing the initial issue with having to wait a long period of time to watch a film again. Also these are usually free of charge which is considerably convenient to the viewers but this will then cause a struggle for distribution and exhibition companies as people will be seeking the different methods with a lower cost. Devices such as Phones and computers allow people to watch films anywhere at any time as long as they have connection to the internet. However the viewers are partaking in a risk when watching illegal downloads as they then could be prosecuted due to this activity. To prevent this risk legal websites such as Netflix were introduced to provide audiences with similar outcomes, however the downside to these sorts of websites is that a membership needs to be allocated which requires a monthly payment in order to gain access to the provided services.  Also networks such as iTunes, Apple's digital store or even Sky Box Office sell a wide range of movies, priced cheaper than DVD retail prices. However, the negative aspect of this technology is that the majority of the films provided will  rentals and can only be viewed consistently over a specific period of time. 

It is commonly implied that due to the proliferation of hardware the interest in cinema's has declined. However, this is misleading as statistics illustrate that over the past years, cinema admissions have been rising. The cinema still gains huge interest through the overall experience of the cinema, including the extremely large screens and good quality sound systems. Making the audience feel as close to the action as possible. This approach has been enhanced through the introduction of 3D and 4D screenings where the viewers seats move and vibrate accordingly to the events taking place on the screen. However, the downfall to this approach is that the increase in ticket prices could in fact repel some interest. Interest could also be effected by the introduction of 3D TV's and DVD's which could be considered to provide similar satisfaction. Unlike cinemas, by using DVD's and websites on these adapted TV's, the latest films can be viewed at come at minimal cost through methods mentioned earlier in the essay.

The technological convergence of smartphones can be considered as seemingly convenient in recording media. However the majority of smartphones don't have very good quality cameras. Due to this the creation of a digital or DSLR camera has improved the ability the successfully record media. Cameras allow users to capture media very well and can be made to withstand a tougher conditions than smartphones. New digital cameras provide tthe element to film in full 1080p HD quality, therefore producing a very high quality film. Other cameras have also been modified with the availabilty of wifi, therefore leading to internet connection and allows the producers to share their work with others through the use of social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram ect.The main downfall to these cameras is that the professional devices can be bought but at a very expensive cost.

Disney

The Walt Disney Company, other known as Disney, is an American multinational mass media corporation which was founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. The company produces a variety of media and physical products such as films, TV shows, music, theme parks and radio products.  It is now the world's second largest broadcasting and cable company in terms of revenue, after Comcast.

Disney was founded by 'The Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio' other known as the brothers Walt and Roy O. on October 16th 1923. Walt Disney began creating an animated series, named 'Alice Comedies', along side with the help of Ub Iwerks who was also an animator. As the popularity of this series faded, Walt ad Iwerks invented a new animated cartoon character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit which was immensely successful in 1928 which was a pivotal moment as they had the rights stolen off of them, minimising any profits. Only until 2006 Disney managed to regain the rights to this character. Following this, Walt designed two unique mouse characters which were name Micky and Minnie. The film 'Steamboat Willie' featured the charater of Micky and was released in 1928 through Pat Powers distribution company. Disney furthered their progression started pushing the boundries  with the first production of an animated feature length film in 1934. The film took 3 years to make and 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' first screened in December 1937 and became highest-grossing film of that time by 1939. The film was released through RKO Radio Pictures.  After a period of development and success the couple, Walt initiated the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio with his brother. Establishing itself as the leading American animation company before dividing into live-action film production, television and theme park. After various name changes in 1986 The Walt Disney Company was assigned to the company after Walts death and still remains a major successor in the modern day.

In 1954 Walt conceived the idea of Disneyland through his desire for a location suitable for both children and parents. The first Disney attraction theme park was built and created in 1955, in California, accompanied by a live television broadcast. Followed by other theme parks being built worldwide in places such as Paris, Florida, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai which is the most recent, built in 2015. Disneyland has the most substantial cumulative attendance worldwide, summing to over 650 million visitors since it opened. However, Walt Disney never saw the majority of these theme parks finished as he sadly passed away in 1966, and Roy O. Disney took over as chairman, CEO, and president of the company. 

An aspect of Disney which was successfully introduced was television. They were allocated their own channel called 'The Disney Channel' which was first screened in 1983. Initially, Disney Channel was mainly aimed towards family audiences, however they adapted and widened their marketed audience in the 1990's to suit more youthful viewers and later suiting teens. Additional channels such as Disney Channel Junior was used to satisfy its viewers around the ages 2-7. Disney XD was also introduced in order to cater for their slightly more mature audiences targeting children around the ages of 7-14. In doing so, gaining a wider audience as and an even interest with each channel and leading to more success. The most successful featured programmes in terms of feedback and ratings are Even Stevens, That's So Raven and The Suit Life of Zack and Cody.

Another aspect which Disney is dominantly know for is family movies, which are seemingly educational as they're engraved with life teachings and morals for younger audiences whilst still remaining entertaining for older generations.A staggering 492 titles has been created and many have resulted in high gross. A recent example of this is the release of Frozen which was created by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures in 2013.  The film has a gross of $1,279,852,693 and was amazingly successful, however many companies collaborated with Disney in order for this to happen. An example of this is Youtube as the official trailers were released and advertised through YouTube and the music video for the song 'Let It Go' featured in the film had over 350 million views. Another company that has contributed the popularity of Frozen was therefore partly responsible for its huge income and interest was Apple through the use of it's iTunes store, containing 800,000,000 customer accounts. The film Frozen involves several songs throughout its narrative but the most  famous being 'Let it Go'. Disney granted iTunes permission to sell, advertise and distribute a number of these song which were successful in raising the awareness and popularity of the film. 'Let It Go' accumulated over 3,000,000 and reached the top end of the music charts worldwide. 

Furthermore, one of the most important forms of marketing used to promote the film is merchandise. Disney collaborated with major retail companies such as Hasbro, selling the rights to the company to make the frozen toys. Now producing a range of dolls created based on the characters from the film. They have even produced costumes that the characters wear in the film that can be purchased in the store of online. Apart from Disney promoting and advertising their ow products they also collaborated with Japanese company 'Secret Honey' by 'Honey Bunch' to create Frozen themed clothing ranges. This consisted of casual wear as well as replica dresses from the film that can be purchased online or in store. 

Ill Manors - Marketing and Promotion

Ill Manors is a British crime film written and directed by the music artist Plan B. It was released on June 6th 2012; budgeted at and estimated £100,000 and was surprisingly successful despite its significantly low budget. The films overall box office income reached a total on £451,000, multiplying the original budget by a staggering four times. The film relied significantly on the marketing and promotion techniques in order to gain the immense success it eventually received.

The film was seemingly unique in relation to the amount of publicity it received before it was actually released. Plan B, being as musician, was an established artist and had secured large fan base who followed his music. Before the film was created, he released an album named Ill manors which reach the UK's no. 1 in the charts for a period of time. This was also very convenient in presenting aspects of the upcoming film as the music video for his songs where filmed and created in the same locations as the film. The album was later complimented by the film which also provided further promotion for Plan B's album as it featured throughout. This supplied a platform for the film and an astounding quantity of attention to the film even in the early stages of production as the awareness rocketed due to the already established popularity of Plan B. This was also very effective in attracting a specific audience of people who were interested in his music. 

Social media, networking and websites were very influential in promoting the film, as due to the very low budget of £100,000, a small portion would be available for marketing and promotion. So the social media were very effective as despite the fact that they have no cost to make and run, they result in a significant increase in popularity and awareness worldwide. Networking such as Facebook, which gained 31,609 likes and Twitter which credited 3,668 followers were used as well as their unique introduction of the film website www.illmanors.com to display the posters, trailers and exclusive context and gain access to fan/audience interaction. Allowing them to answer and questions and queries in regards to the upcoming film. Also competitions were used on their pages to increase the popularity as people would enter to win a chance to tickets to see the film. Additionally, by using social networking, it is much more success to contact and reach their main targeted audience of young adults and receive responses and feedback from them. Resulting in the film to recognise the strong aspects and weaker aspects of the film, allowing them to alter and editing any specific parts which cause any queries. Therefore suiting the film to this particular audience.

Another promotional technique which was attributed to the film was the use of posters which were published in order to raise the awareness and profile of the film. This technique is seemingly effective as despite its subtle production, it provides the audience with a limited insight and understanding of the nature and context of the film. Overall eight posters where produced, illustrating an urban location/theme of a city and also displaying one of the main actors holding a gun which conveys the genre very effective providing a gritty/grime feel. These posters also encapsulated reviews of other companies, allowing the audience to gain knowledge of the success of the film. The result in this technique is that a much wider audience is reached as the poster were distributed from billboards in central  London to magazines, visible to millions of people per day.

In May 2012, another technique was used through the release of the films trailer which lasted one minute 45 seconds. The trailer is a very effective technique in providing further insight to the context of the film including clips form the film. Throughout the trailer a soundtrack is used which is recognisably Plan B's music. The trailer provides a clear overall feel/perspective surrounding the film, exploring themes of drugs, crime and violence. The main characters (assumed) are displayed in the trailer to be located in an urban location of a city, causing a presumptuous atmosphere surrounding the film due to paradigms of society in London. The trailer also has a specifically persuasive element as it included several reviews from a variety of credible sources.

The film also entered several film festivals which once again has minimal cost and also boosted the awareness of the up coming film further. It featured in festivals all around the world, entering prestigious festivals such as the Toronto International Film Festival 2012 Official Selection Vanguard, Festival do Rio 2012 Official Selection, Stockholm Film Festival 2012, Zagreb Film Festival 2012. Ill manors also triumphed in other specific competitions, deserving the awards of being winner of Prix Coup de Coeur Award Dinard Film Festival 2012 and winner of The Technicolor Award for Best Cinematography Dinard Film Festival 2012. On May 30th 2012, Ill Manors premier was released in London, where the film's actors and countless celebrities such as Alesha Dixon, Tinie Tempah and Ed Sheeran were interviewed and walked the red carpet and in time viewed the first official screening of the film. This resulted in great publicity and attraction as many press and critics travelled to London in anticipation of their reactions on the film, later publicised the following day.

Furthermore, despite the films very low marketing budget, many effective marketing and promotion techniques where used that had either low cost or free of charge. Despite the insufficient budget, the film was successfully promoted and gained great publicity, awareness and popularity through the social media which was encouraged by Plan B's original fan base.

The Avengers - Marketing

Marvels The Avengers, one of the most successfully grossing films, was released May 4th 2012. One of the main feature which contributed to the films success was due to the increase of 3D admission prices, almost increasing it by double of standard cinema tickets. The film had an extensive marketing campaign that began well before the film was made due to the original comics. Films such as Thor, Captain America, The Incredibly Hulk and Iron Man were already made and the main characters of each of these films collaborated together to form The Avengers.

Trailers play a vital role in marketing and promoting films as they allow millions of audiences worldwide to view a video which provides an exciting insight to what to expect from the upcoming film. The Avengers was promoted at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2010 where a short trailer was exhibited to tease the audience and was narrated by the worldwide known figure of Samuel L. Jackson. However, at the next Comic-Con, Marvel didn't participate in the event as they were unprepared and un-confident as the production of the film was incomplete. Here, they missed out to gain a major following where hundreds of thousands of people visited the event every year. In 2011, a teaser trailer was shown during the credits at the end of the new Captain America movie which intrigued a large audience who were later pleased in the year as the official 2 minute trailer was released.

Marvel promoted the trailer on iTunes and was downloaded over 10 million times within the first 24 hours, showing the audiences extreme interest and excitement. Marvel also took to social networking creating accounts on networking such as Twitter and Facebook where they would interact with fans and post the trailer for everyone to view. Another website Marvel used was Youtube where they posted their trailer and the views rocketed sky high and amounted to an astonishing 40 million views. They also included 30 second adverts placed between videos to keep the interest and advertisement constant and consistent.  Marvel used the modern technology of television to present a 30 second trailer played during the most watched sporting event in America, the Superbowl. The advert was displayed to ever 120 million viewers which increase the interest and acknowledgement significantly. This cost the company $4 million which is a significant setback but the following increased interest paid off extremely well for the film and covered any spendings.  They  invested in further advertisement on many social networking, posters, comic books ect. where the interest reached a wider audience as gradually more insight to the film was being released and attracting much more attention and engagement and aspiration to watch the film. 

Marvel also began a chain of partnerships between other major brands in order to promote the film. A beneficial example of this was their partnership with Acura cars where both companies profited. Characters such as Tony Stark were being seen driving these cars so then allowing an increase in interest for the car company, but also the advertisement produced on the cars were being seen by a much wider audience on people on the roads and therefore increasing the awareness of the film.

Representation of Sexuality

In this clip, extracted from the TV programme Fingersmith, sexuality is presented through the use of a range of techniques associated with camera work, sound, mise-en-scene and editing. In this essay I will analyse the ways in which the three characters' sexuality in displayed.

In the opening scene a long shot is used to introduce two female characters, Maud and Sue. Here the two characters are presented to be rather feminine through the use of costume as both females are wearing dresses. This long shot then quickly cuts to a two shot where Maud (behind) is displayed to be holding up a dress in front of Sue. This two shot presents Maud to be comfortable with physical contact with others which is shown through her body language. She is shown to be resting her hands on the shoulders of Sue, therefore implying that they have a close bond/relationship. However, Maud only looks directly at Sue when Sue stops making eye contact, perhaps presenting Maud to feel awkward or uneasy. Following this, a non-diegetic narrator is used which seems to be coming from Maud begins saying 'she looked so beautiful' and a second or two later and background piano soundtrack is introduced and could be considered to suggest that Maud has some sort of emotional attraction towards Sue. The emotional connection between the two characters is shown through the pace of this shot which is very slow as it is held for 10 seconds. Perhaps intending to emphasise that this moment is significant. It could also be considered to imply deep emotional thought as everything is very slow and fluent. The shot then cuts into another two shot of the two characters through a reflection of a mirror but once again positioning Maud behind Sue in the composition. Maud's body language is further enhanced in this shot and is displayed to be rather serious through her expressionless facial expressions. Portraying she is in deep thought at this time. This behaviour is quite unusual as most women would be happy and excited in this particular situation. The shot the cuts back to the original where Sue states 'oh my goodness miss.. I look like a real lady'. Maud's sexuality could perhaps be presented through her facial expressions at this point as they remain emotionless which could be in reaction to the words 'real lady'. This could present her to be opposing the traditional heterosexual stereotype of women as throughout the scene she is seen to be seemingly uncomfortable in the situation.

After this, there is a dissolve used where the audience sees a mid shot of Maud on her own, once again seeming to be in rather deep thought, shown through her facial expressions looking rather confused or in thought, perhaps thinking about the previous events. Gradually causing the audience to get a better understanding of her sexuality. This shot then dissolves once again into a long shot of the two characters in bed which each other, Sue is asleep whereas Maud is awake watching over her. There is a slow camera movement towards the two. The use of low key lighting and the setting/props of a bedroom sets a calm peaceful and rather romantic atmosphere. This could be considered to portray Maud's affection towards Sue. Maud's affection towards Sue is defined in this scene where she positions her hand just above her body as though she wishes to touch it. She runs her hands over rather sexual parts of the body, starting at the breast and ending at the crotch, implying that she possesses a sexual desire in towards Sue. Once again the pace of the scene is very slow and the camera movement acquired to this shot intensifies the action taking place and suggests that she should't be doing so. This impression is furthered through the use of the costume of a glove which implies that her feelings towards Sue are forbidden and demonstrates how she has to prevent herself from making it public.

In the next scene, Maud is shown to be painting Sue through a series of close ups and then a long/establishing shot which displays a new calm neutral setting of a lake. This feel is furthered through the diegetic sound of birds tweeting which employ a calm and relaxed atmosphere. As Maud continues her painting a new character is introduced through a long shot and then a close up is used to demonstrate the man interrupting her proceedings by grabbing her hand and saying 'she must think we love one another'. His action and body language conform to the masculine heterosexual stereotype of men as he attempts to show his dominance. Additionally, Maud says to the man 'wake her, she'll burn" which clearly shows that she cares about Sue's health and feels the need to take responsibility for her. The man then reassures his dominance and sexuality by telling Maud to 'shh'. A shot reverse shot sequence, including close ups of Sue's breasts and hands on her lap and also close up reaction shots acquired to Maud. Implying themes of a very sexual nature as she once again shows he desires towards Sue. After this a sequence of close up action matches of paint dripping onto Maud's dress, the dripping of the paint has been slowed down and therefore intensifies the action. The dripping and slow pace is caused by Maud being distracted by admiring Sue, emphasising her attraction towards her. From this point onward the pace of the scene increases and the man becomes seemingly aggressive and violent which is displayed through his body language of holding Maud by her throat. This once again reinforces the man to be particularly dominant and heterosexual. As the two character converse the man says 'she'd laugh in your face if she knew' which implies that he knows that Maud has feelings for Sue and thereofore presenting homosexuality as something which is frowned up on.

In the denouement of the clip Maud refuses to kiss the man and denies him the opportunity to do so by turning away, showing her cheek and therefore defines her status as a lesbian. Demonstrating that she is accepting her sexuality and therefore resulting in confronting the stereotype given to women. In this scene the pace once again decrease down to a slow pace to emphasise the intensity of the situation of the man kneeling before kissing her hand and therefore exemplifying Maud's uncomforted.

Representation on Ethnicity

In the TV programme Hotel Babylon, ethnicity is presented in various ways to show different ethnic groups. In this essay I will be analysing the techniques used in the text to imply the specific stereotypes given to specific ethnic groups. This will be in relation to camera work, mise-en-scene, sound and editing.

To initiate the opening scene, a long shot tracking the movement of a black male employee assisting a guest. This tracking shot presents the costume of the character as being in very smart/formal attire by him wearing a suit.This costume implies that the male takes pride in his smart/groomed appearance which opposes the perspective given to his ethnic group (young black males) as they are stereotypically not as well presented than British males. We can also recognise the body language of the character as he seems polite and has good etiquette; demonstrated through the dialogue acquired to him, here he says "thank you very much" and "hello". This dialogue presents his accent ad the way he speaks which is rather educated and well mannered. A further out long shot is then used to establish the location of a hotel and therefore allow the audience to familiarise them self with the males workplace. Presenting the black male to oppose the stereotype given to his ethnic group through the use of smart costume, well mannered body language and an educated accent. A new character is then introduced through an over the shoulder shot. This shot shows a character which represents the stereotypical male of the same ethnic group as the previous. This impression is displayed further through the use of dialogue and regional dialect/idiolect. Throughout the dialogue exchanged between the two, displayed by a sequence of over the shoulder shots and shot reverse shot, he uses slang phrases such as "ganja", "bro", "blood", "bredrin", "booze" etc. and it is evident that all he is interested in is girls and partying. Implying that his aspirations on life is somewhat opposite to the employee. The young man's ethnicity is also through the visible appearance and body language. A side on two shot shows the man to be wearing baggy shorts and the series of over the shoulder shots displays him to be wearing diamond jewellery such as ear ring and a necklace. His hair is also messy and un-groomed in the style of dread locks. The appearance further relates to his mentioning of "ganja" and could present him to be a crew member or even a drug dealer. Overall, these two characters present both sides of their ethnic group, one conforming to the stereotype and the other confronting it.

In the next scene, a tilt is used to introduce two foreign females, making clear of what their occupations are. This tilt shows the the women in maid costumes and also shows off the props off carts. Dialogue between the two is shared and they both seem to have eastern European accents which initiate the ethnicity of the two characters. The job of a maid is usually low paid and stereotypically occupied by eastern Europeans as they come over to the UK for job opportunities. A close up of a card showing "please service" with two red aster-ix. This is accompanied with dialogue where the woman states "He pays double for double." referring to the girls. This presents the ethnic group of eastern Europeans where they carry out certain jobs to get money, whether it be a formal job or someone paying for their "service". Then a tense non-diegetic background soundtrack is introduced which implies that they are doing something they shouldn't be. After this a long shot of an Asian man sat on his bed. This shot also displays his costume of just wearing a dressing gown. A close up of he prop of money on the side corresponds to the earlier dialogue, supporting the stereotype that eastern Europeans are relatively poor and willing to carrying out manual labour and other activities. However, one of the females appears to be seemingly uncomfortable, shown through close ups of facial expressions/reaction shots and long shot which demonstrate her timid and shy body language. She then runs out saying "sorry.. I cant". Therefore, perhaps implying that she may confront the stereotype as she is not used to the behaviour of stripping and does no feel comfortable.

Towards the end of the text, the setting once again changes to be in a kitchen where the pace of the video increases. Many props are used through tracking shots and close ups of specific items such as a knife. In this scene a mid shot is used to display a man in a stereotypical chef attire. He then converses with other and it becomes apparent that his accent is of a foreign country (Italy) and uses words such as "madame". The chef is then considered as part of an Italian ethnic group, therefore resulting in stereotypes being applied to him. The association with Italians and food is significant and suggests that being a chef is specific to people of this particular ethnicity. Italians are also perceived to be relatively interactive and physical. This "touchy feely" attitude is visible through mid shots and two shots where his body language towards others is displayed by grabbing his "old friends" and kissing them on the head.