Case Study

Media Magazines

THEORIES

In very simplistic terms, some texts were fictional and some purported to be based on fact and the ‘real’ (Macdonald and Cousins).

"The primary proposition of cultivation theory states that the more time people spend 'living' in the television world, the more likely they are to believe social reality portrayed on television. (Gerbner and Gross)

Vertov argues that documentary is a way of representing “life as it is” (that is, life filmed surreptitiously) and ‘life caught unawares’ (life provoked or surprised by the camera).

Lorentz defines a documentary as ‘a factual film which is dramatic.

Renov believes there are four distinct purposes of documentary film (although some documentaries can be shown to have more than one function):

MM30 PG 10: Reality Bites: Documentary in the 21^st Century

O Narrowcasting refers to broadcasting that targets smaller, more defined audiences. (Offers advertisers a specific, desired audience.)

O voiceover is a key documentary device and is used to direct audiences towards a preferred reading.

O focus on Mise-en-Scene, close-ups which signify what is being told (iconography-Synergy)

The key aspects of the documentary genre are now being used across various genres but not in an attempt to make a parody. To make a new branch of documentary that merges the two.

‘How have the core principles of documentary making evolved in an age of rating  wars, channel proliferation and audience fragmentation? What issues do documentaries raise about the institutions that produce them and the audiences who consume them?’

People are often arguing that recent documentaries are‘dumbing down’, suggesting the documentary form has been tabloidised  with a stronger emphasis on sensationalism and voyeurism in order to make them more appealing to mass audiences.

A hybrid documentary has been created in the form of reality TV, the people are carefully chosen and it slowly becomes more like a scripted drama.

‘documentary needs opposing characters,

tension and a strong sense of narrative.’

The dramatic exchanges that are typically seen in the hybrid genre owes as much to Big Brother as it does to traditional documentary modes of representation.

E.g BBC3 Takeaways

There is constant binary opposition created:

   -  Between the workers

  -  The workers and those in charge

  -   The lives of the workers and the lives of the Brits.

The has always used to create a narrative however more recently it has been used to much and has become the focus of some products rather that the facts being investigated or explored.

Factsheet 62: Realism in Television

Realism: The attempt to show subjects and events as they are in everyday life.

Anne Fischel believes that ‘all documentary is biased’ the sheer fact that footage is being constructed and edited to suit a narrative and regulations means that bias has been created regardless of whether it was intentional. Even the removal of the smallest but of information can change a narrative and the way the audience perceives.

Types of realism:

Link to Making a Murderer shots?

‘Home Videos’

Prison

Factsheet 52: Documenting ‘The Real’

‘Even in its infancy, when documentaries were composed of a single shot and lasted less than a minute, cinema was divided into two camps: those who looked to the ‘real world’ for their subject matter, and those who filmed performance’

Even in the beginning people used the documentary genre as a platform for drama rather than facts.

One of the first documentary makers were the Lumiere Brothers- who also invented the 50 ft stock film, enabling longer filming periods – they concentrated on brief moments of everyday life. They did it because they believed that the audience of the time(1895) were ‘more engaged in how ‘real life’ was being represented’ they also seemed to be more affected by these representations.

(Diverting Time: London’s Cinemas and their Audiences, 1906-1914')

In the early days of cinema, documentary provided information for audiences.

‘as fictional texts became more sophisticated they became more popular and began to dominate over factual ones. Audiences seemed to prefer to see fictional representations rather than factual ones, although news and information was still shown through newsreels.’

The rise of television has meant that documentary became more suited for a ‘living room’ experience rather than a cinematic one, in saying that there have been many successful cinematic releases such as:

Fahrenheit 9/11(Moore, 2004),

Super Size Me (Spurlock, 2004),

March of the Penguins (Jaquet, 2005),

An Inconvenient Truth (Guggenheim, 2006)

‘They are constructed and mediated and are designed to create specific meaning and effect and have different functions. ‘

TYPES OF DOCUMENTARY

Expository- these documentaries often have a conventional narrative structure and present ideas through cause and effect.

Codes and Conventions - authoritative commentary employing voiceover or title. They try to persuade the viewer, commentary often sounds ‘objective’ and omniscient (all seeing and knowing).

Observational- They attempt to spontaneously observe lived life with a minimum of intervention.

Codes and Conventions - mobile lightweight cameras and portable sound recording equipment, offer a sense of immediacy and intimacy.

Participatory- Where the film-maker is part of the narrative of the documentary.

Codes and Conventions - Filmmaker is part of the film, we also get a sense of how situations in the film are affected or altered by their presence. Interviews

Reflexive – These documentaries seek to draw attention to their own construction and the fact that they are representations.

Codes and Conventions - Question the way the world is represented in documentaries, Highly sceptical of ‘realism’

Performative - These documentaries are personal, subjective and often focus on emotional responses.

Codes and Conventions - hypothetical enactments, end themselves to providing a way for minority groups to ‘speak about themselves.’

If performative is a choice, then it lends itself to the creation of docu-drama’s. Creators may underestimate the impact of the performance elements.

CRITICAL INVESTIGATION

In order to appeal to an audience and enable them to develop their own opinions completely, there would have to be some kind of interest, whether it be entertainment or education. But, to be an easy narrative to follow and suit a timescale, information has to be left out. The information removed can inadvertently create bias. Sometimes institutions intentionally do this, they want to make a group of people seem a certain way. Sometimes it is so subtle that it is actually difficult to apply theories such as the (Gerber’s – cultivation theory?) hypodermic needle  as the evidence is either well-hidden or miniscule. So how do we know when there is an intentional desire to discriminate or be prejudiced? Where is the line of privacy when it comes to Criminal Justice cases?

The Thin Blue Line(1988)    is a documentary film made by Errol Morris. It follows the story of Randall Dale Adams who was convicted and sentenced to death for murdering Texas Police Officer: Robert W. Wood. The film ‘is cited as being instrumental in his exoneration the following year.’  This is similar to Making a Murderer and the pressure/influence the active audience had in ensuring that Dassey’s case was taken as seriously as it should have been. Despite the changes occurring with the Halbach case, it was not the same with the Woods case. In 1989, Adams was released but it was decided that there was to be no prosecution against the real murderer due to the length of time since the crime. Perhaps this was due to the lack of new/digital media, it wouldn’t have been easy to share your opinion and try to make a stand, the investigation into the original case may not have ever happened had it not been for social media. If this film/case had occurred 20+ years later there would be reason to believe that a retrial or even official investigation would have taken place. This may only be a result of the film trending online, trends can be incredibly unpredictable so there may not have been enough attention brought to this issue. Yet, this doesn’t mean that future cases that may arise and/or be made into a media production, would see a positive and just result. The internet is unpredictable and the views/intention of online users don’t always translate smoothly into reality. Another real-life example that has certain reflections of Dassey’s trial/retrials is Derek Bentley’s case,  in 1953 he was hanged for the murder of a policeman, a crime which was later quashed in 1998 and had a 45 yearlong campaign that created widespread controversy. In 1990 M J Trow had written a book Let Him Have It, Chris which explored the inconsistencies in the police version of events. Even though this is a more traditional medium, given the time of the events and publishing, it could be suggested that this had a similar effect to Making a Murderer. Events had been explored and it was left to the audience to develop their own opinion, ultimately resulting in the favour of the protagonist’s innocence.

NDM STORIES

Is big-budget television threatening cinema?

http://katie13exam.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/220317-is-big-budget-television.html

22/03/17 - Google and Levi’s Project Jacquard jacket has restored my faith in wearables

http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/12/14899468/google-levis-project-jacquard-jacket-hands-on-sxsw-2017

Google and Levi's have worked together to create wearable technology, in this case the first product is  a jacket motions you make on the left cuff of the jacket’s sleeve register as touch inputs and are sent to your smartphone. However there are safety concerns especially since this is aimed at cyclist enabling them to change routes or songs.

O The wearables market exceeded $2 billion in 2015, will hit almost 3 billion this year and over 4 billion in 2017. 
O Just under 50 million wearable devices were shipped in in 2015 and over 125 million units are expected to ship in 2019
O One in six consumers currently own and use wearable tech
O And 71% of 16 to 24 year olds want wearable tech
O 51% of people surveyed cited privacy as their biggest concern with wearable tech

I personally like the idea of wearable tech however google and Levi's are jumping the gun, rather than going straight to the most expensive 'innovative' thing. They need to start maximising what they can do to with smaller contraptions such as smart watches and ensure that they are doing the most that they can do. There is also the issue of 'too much technology and people becoming unsociable' however i think that we are becoming more sociable, people are on their screens taking to others, unlike in the past where there would be entire rooms of people in silent reading newspapers. furthermore, privacy is becoming more of an issue, especially safety, with the GPS and more personal information shared and used in order to use the products.

22/03/17 - Is big-budget television threatening cinema?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-39307548

In the past few years TV has cost almost as much as films. The producer of Bridget Jones and Love Actually says that this has made his job more difficult. on the other hand this kind of 'super-TV' content has filled a gap in the market. Traditional cinema viewing is in decline and at home TV is more appealing to audiences. 'Oscar-nominated director of the series, Stephen Daldry, says it is "bigger than a film set".'

O Netflix's The Crown supposedly spent spent £750,000 in just one day.

O Andy Harries says he is creating a "viewing experience that is somewhere beyond top-end television and much nearer to big-budget feature films".

OThese programmes are "attracting a better quality of people than before because of the time and the format that you can tell a story in television. It is enticing for people who are auteurs," Smith says.

I personally think that new TV shows are more enticing because they are offering new content, the price hike of making them is just a result of people becoming more involved in the process because it has been made more appealing thanks to sites such as Netflix. I agree with Matt Smith because it is about the content of the show and not how much money has been put in it, in most cases the audience never really knows how much money is in it. If money was the only factor for its success then short films wouldn't be successful on sites such as youtube, people wouldn't give it a chance because a very minimal is put forward for the content. Big-budget television is not necessarily threatening cinema they offer different pleasures, traditional cinema is obviously in decline however this is not something new. Big budget television typically lets people binge watch, while traditional cinema is a one-sitting thing.

MEST3 Independent case study: New/Digital Media

Case study research tasks

The basics

Your chosen industry: Film - Documentary Genre

Your chosen case study (i.e. text/institution etc.): Making a Murderer

Have you received approval for this case study from your teacher? Yes/No

Debates on the miscarriage of Justice are present throughout media in both historical and modern texts. The Thin Blue Line(1988)    is a documentary film made by Errol Morris. It follows the story of Randall Dale Adams who was convicted and sentenced to death for murdering Texas Police Officer: Robert W. Wood. The film ‘is cited as being instrumental in his exoneration the following year.’  This is similar to Making a Murderer and the pressure/influence the active audience  had in ensuring that Dassey’s case was taken as seriously as it should have been. Despite the changes occurring with the Halbach case, it was not the same with the Woods case. In 1989, Adams was released but it was decided that there was to be no prosecution against the real murderer due to the length of time since the crime. Perhaps this was due to the lack of new/digital media, it wouldn’t have been easy to share your opinion and try to make a stand, the investigation into the original case may not have ever happened had it not been for social media. If this film/case had occurred 20+ years later there would be reason to believe that a retrial or even official investigation would have taken place. This may only be a result of the film trending online, trends can be incredibly unpredictable so there may not have been enough attention brought to this issue. Yet, this doesn’t mean that future cases that may arise and/or be made into a media production, would see a positive and just result. The internet is unpredictable and the views/intention of online users don’t always translate smoothly into reality. 

15/03/17 - Murdoch is no longer the big man of this multimedia age

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/mar/12/murdoch-no-longer-big-man-multimedia-age-sky

There are a lot of opinions surrounding the Murdoch's and their empire. They have been surrounded by many controversies including The Phone Hacking Scandals. Ofcom has reservations about the Murdoch's sustainability. His papers are often spewing gossip and ''filth' and they have lost their reputation.


O “Ofcom believes the features of a plural news market include the presence of a diverse range of independent news voices; high reach and consumption of multiple news sources; low barriers to entry and competition to encourage innovation; economic sustainability, with no single organisation holding too large a market share.”
O “Online news, in a wide variety of forms, is used by a significant and rapidly growing proportion of the UK population
O 50% of young people who get most of their news off the net

I think that it was inevitable that Murdoch was going to lose his power, the newspaper industry in particular is declining an they seem to not be doing enough to make sure they stay on top of it. Furthermore their reputation cannot be repaired after everything that has been found out. He is not as powerful other than having a lot of money. The newspapers that once always reported positively on him are now against him. and he can no longer control papers the way he once did to try and be as influential as a marxist would suggest.

15/03/17 - BBC interview hijacked by children prompts social media debate

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/12/viral-video-hijacked-by-children-sparks-fierce-debate-on-social-media

political scientist Prof Robert Kelly's Children became internet sensations after 'hijacking' his BBC Interview. However the response from their mother sparked debates across social media after many assumed she was the nanny due to stereotypes of asian woman.  Even 'valid' sources of news wrote that she was the nanny. suggesting that stereotypes are deeply ingrained within everyone and across media.

O Stereotypes the internet has strengthened

I personally think that this video shows a lot of things. Initially I didn't think much of who the woman was, I was to busy repeating the children entrance but whilst reading the comments I noticed the assumption of her being the Nanny quite quickly. Rather than commenting on the children people were talking about her and her actions. there were also comments quick to reply and show that she was their mother. But i think that it highlights how stereotypes are often reinforced on the internet almost instantaneously and how the internet doesn't follow the hypodermic needle. People were having debates on who she was, not just accepting the assumption so although stereotypes can be easily reinforced, they can also be as easily debated and taken apart. Potentially this could be a good factor with trying to removes stereotypes because people can see other sides of the story.

SECTION A

Evaluate how the two trailers use the narrative technique of enigma to encourage the target audience to watch the film.

In Product One, enigma codes (Barthes) are used to draw emphasis towards the binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) between the two male characters, Edward and Jacob. In many of the scenes that include the two characters, they are situated at opposite ends of the frame and are typically close up shots, accentuating their facial language. Their facial and body language, eye contact most specifically, creates a tense atmosphere for the audience, they are uncomfortable with each other and are suggested to be at odds. The space between them on the frame, highlights that they are at contrasting ends of the argument. However, later in the scene this suggestion is contrasted by their actions when Jacob agrees to help the vampires, conversely he still is not completely happy with the choice as he ‘gets to kills some vampires’. This is an enigma code in itself as the audience, particularly those who have not watched the other instalments of the franchise, will want to know who the vampires are, what they are fighting, why the men are at war on a more personal level and what is going to happen next. This appeals to the target audience as the cast are relatively young which allows them to identify with them on a fantasy level, which links to escapism (Blumler and Katz), they can escape their own life to become involved in one with fantasy creatures and relationships.

In Product Two, the actions of the young girl create most of the enigma codes throughout. In one of her early appearances, she is seen jumping from a building and attacking people. This makes the audience question what she is and what her intentions are, especially regarding the male character. The relationship that is obviously developing between them, given the hand touches and hugs makes the audience question whether the boy has or will be turned. Creating suspense in various scenes as we cannot grasp her personality through body language or dialogue. The disequilibrium (Todorov) is very sudden and rarely touched upon, but it is suggested that there are various antagonists and villains (Propp). The fire and room with people create many enigma codes such as who are they? What do they know? And what is there intention? As the scene with fire is supposedly killing a ‘vampire’ the audience is more inclined to believe that they are the hero’s or villains depending on their chosen reading of the narrative presented.

In both texts, the use of a non-diegetic instrumentals emphasises the appropriate codes (Barthes) that dominate the trailers. In Product One, the action codes are emphasised which appeals to the audience members whom are seeking a film with more action. In support of this, there are constant fades to black that take information away from the audience and there is a lot of slow motion used in the climax. Building suspense and allowing the audience to immerse themselves further in the narrative, encouraging them to watch the complete film. In Product Two, the Instrumental highlights the enigma codes that are more prominent in the trailer and make it more appealing for a thrill seeking audience whom may want to watch something that they are continually questioning. The slow tempo builds suspense in a similar way to Product One, but there is less dialogue in this so the audience relies on what the music is telling us. The quieter sections bring forth more enigma codes as we are not explicitly aware of why suspense is being created, or why the scene is moving at a faster pace.

Why are media products that represent outsiders, such as vampires, so popular?

Media Products that represents outsiders such as vampires are so popular for a variety of reasons. Escapism, is a more obvious one given the fact that the audience can be completely immersed into a different world. For others this can do the complete opposite and give them a sense of Identification (Blumler and Katz). In Product One the less dominant group are the Werewolves, throughout the films they are suggested to live a more tribal lifestyle, potentially representing various people who live a lifestyle that isn’t mainstream or expected. Furthermore, In Product Two audiences may identify with the young child who was being bullied but still finds a companion. This not only allows outlasted groups to be represented in films but offers surveillance for other, more dominant groups to see what life is supposedly like.  

Other examples in media texts that show this include: Young Dracula, where they turned the character of Van Helsing from Bram Stoker’s Novel Dracula into a Black vampire who originally presented Alvarado’s stereotype of being Pitied, he had a story of his daughter needing to be married and used this in the beginning of his appearances. However, it is later revealed he did this to befriend the Dracula’s to take and overthrow their rule, highlighting the more dangerous stereotype.

Another example would be Gone Too Far where there was a constant debate over people’s origins and what is ‘cool’ within society. Yemi’s brother brings the disequilibrium into his life when he comes to London and doesn’t understand the contrasting culture. Characters belonging to a certain nationality are essentialized and outcasted from societies mainstream groups. To see various characters, develop and accept their nationality will not only allow people to identify with people who are potentially going through a similar situation but to give surveillance into the issues faced by ethnic minorities.

Even documentaries are so popular when they are investigating outsiders. They offer people ‘poverty tourism’ showing how the less fortunate live, seeing the ins and outs of their lives and how it contrasts with the lives of those watching. This could appeal to the Explorers who want to know about what is going on across the globe and with a variety of people. This could also result in strugglers, particularly those who have been outcast from society because of their situation, identifying with those being shown.

Do you agree that official and unofficial websites contribute to a films’ box office success?

I do agree that official and unofficial websites contribute to a films’ box office success. The use of new and digital media appeals to a younger audience which makes film more appealing to them regardless of the initial target audience. The user generated content that the websites allow also allows people to feel some personal identification especially with reviews. The ability to also share their own views on the films and the subjects surrounding it offers people a communal atmosphere and find people with similar interests. Each Website offered social media links, which allows the creators and consumers to communicate with each other.

Ill Manors used consistent iconography across all platforms, using typical costume such as hats, to portray youth stereotypes. Their website was a base for the #TagLondon Campaign which included projecting people’s tweets across landmarks. It was also where links to the trailer, CD and DVD could be found allowing for easy access to all the content. The user generated content involved the audience and advertised the film and the associated products. . The ‘hype’ created would have been beneficial for its box office success as they are using Plan B’s pre-existing audience to ensure people are interested in the film.

Suffragette is a similar example where the creators created a competition #InspiringMothers which encouraged people to share stories about their mothers whilst promoting the film. The user generated content would have been seen across twitter encouraging others to seek information on the brand. The main link would have been to the official website which offered consumers information on the film and the story behind it whilst also offering people the chance to buy tickets to watch the film. This as a result would have encouraged more people to watch the film which resulted in its successful box office revenue.

Pottermore is a relevant website that is still being used even after the main Harry Potter franchise has finished. Whilst it may not have contributed to its box office success, It is still providing for it especially when new update quizzes have been made. Audience have a sense of relationship with the characters and the actors as they have grown up with it and the narrative and are continually being connected because they are now able to find out their own patronuses and houses, linking them to a specific community within the fandom. This also tends to trend across all social media platforms which increases the chances of encouraging more people who may not have seen the films before to watch them and feel as if they are part of the mainstream media.