*x*... A L e v e l M e d ii a B l o g ...*x*

Eric Schmidt used the abridged slogan: “don’t fight the internet” which Tim O’Reilly believes “encompasses the essence of Web 2.0”. I agree that this slogan sums up Web 2.0 as the internet is now a media platform that – in the 21^st century – no person can live without. Everyone seems to need to use it for something, whether its business related, keeping in touch with loved ones, or simply to entertaining themselves.

Therefore, Web 2.0 can be defined as a term used to describe the ever changing World Wide Web and incorporating new ideas which enhance creativity, information sharing and the way in which people use the internet.

Unlike Web 1.0 (which restricted users to only being able to retrieve information), Web 2.0 lets the user interact with the World Wide Web which has led to an explosion in UGC (User Generated Content), which targets niche audiences. In the time of Web 1.0, the majority of people were watching prime time TV. Now, a decade later, the amount of interaction available with the internet has changed this number and left the minority of people watching prime time TV, and the majority on the internet.

This dramatic increase in UGC (and the fact that Web 2.0 is all about a faster internet connection – broadband rather than dial-up) has perhaps been the turning point in the history of the World Wide Web. I explored different websites and ideas that have caused the number of UGC to rise.

Social networking and virtual communities have had a big impact on Web 2.0. There are many social networking sites. I like using Facebook is one of the biggest virtual communities of this kind. Facebook attracted 132.1 million unique visitors in June 2008, compared to the 117.6 million that were attracted to MySpace.

I, personally, enjoy using Facebook because it's an easy way to keep in touch with loved ones. You can upload photographs and can comment on photographs left by family and friends. You can also send messages to each other, talk on Facebook messenger and play user quizzes and games which have a range of topics. You can also join clubs and get all the new news about things that interest you. I have joined The Backstreet Boys fanclub and now get a list of their tour dates etc.

Youtube is another example of Web 2.0's virtual communities. Being owned by Google, Youtube has the rather fitting slogan of "Broadcast Yourself".

Being a member of youtube, you can create playlists of videos that you can watch whenever you log in, send and recieve e-mails, comment on upload videos and your own videos. It's another great way of with family and friends and keeping in touch with the keeping in touchnew tracks which are updated practically every second. You can also entertain yourself by watching amateur videos.

Another way that there has been an explosion of user generated content is because of the easy set up of blogs. Blogging is a fantastic way to get your opinions and thoughts out there for everyone to see. I personally own 3 different blogs: Athenix (my own personal blog); A Level Media (a blog for all my A Level Media work); & Shout Out! (the blog for the school magazine).

I have my own personal blog for two reasons. My first reason is because when I apply for work experience positions, I can invite them to look at my blog and see what kind of things interest me and see my style of writing and designing. It's also a good way to keep the family in touch with what's happening in my life as I update my photographs, articles and designs whenever I have a chance.

An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube by Michael Wesch was a 55 minute presentation presented at the Library of Congress on June 23rd 2008 and was split into 25 different parts as you can see below.

Part 1 - 0:00, Introduction, YouTube's Big Numbers
* In 1989, the foundation of the World Wide Web was being launched.
* "You aren't going to turn passive consumers into active trollers on the internet." - Stephen Weiswasser, ABC.
* 1948 - ABC became the 3rd newtwork to start broadcasting.
* 3 networks x 60 years x 265 days per year x 24 hour a day = over 1.5 million hours of programming.
* YouTube produced more in the past 6 months without a producer than this 1.5 million hours of programming in the past 60 years.
* There are 9232 hours of video uploaded every day which is the equivalent of 385 all day TV channels.
* There are 200,000 3 minute videos watched every day, this is not being consumed "mass media".
* 88% of YouTube new and original content which is believed to do better than the networks.

Part 2 - 2:00, Numa Numa and the Celebratin of Webcams
* April 23rd 2005 - YouTube is launched and the first videos are posted.
* People started posting videos of themselves copying the Numa Numa guy - not taking the mick of them, but "spreading the happiness".
* YouTube allows the user to connect with billions of other people all over the world in ways which we've never connected before.
* It's getting easier and easier for the user to make new ways of connecting with each other.

Part 3 - 5:53, The Machine is Us/ing Us and the New Mediascape
* The web is no longer a way of getting infromation, its more about linking people in ways which we've never linked people before.
* Almost ever 6 months there is a new way of linking people over the internet.
* 2 days after he uploaded a video, Michael got 253 views on YouTube.
* A day later, this view number had jumped to 1,154!
* Digg.com is user-generated filtering - Michael's video was a hit because on Digg.com, the users can get together and say whether the video is liked or disliked and then it gets posted on the front page.
* This is also happenng on Del.icio.us!
* User Generated Content > User Generated Filtering > User Generated Organisation > User Generated Distribution > User Generated Commentary
* Within a matter of months, The Machine is Us/ing us video was translated into 12 different languages.
* Media is not content...Media is not tools of communication... media mediates human relationships...when media changes, human relationships change.

Part 4 - 12:16, Introducing our Research Team
* 25% of YouTube videos feature someone 35 years or over, which is the same as the number of teens between the ages of 12-17.
* 12% of the featured videos contain someone younger than 12, 52% of videos feature ages over 18-24 and the young adults betwenn 25-35.
* The most commonly uploaded videos on YouTube are home videos.
* Soulja Boy was just a kid who mixed a tune, made up a stupid dance and posted it on YouTube - this song became so famous that everyone uploaded videos of themselves doing it. By August 2007, he was signed by a major record label and when doing the video, he made fun of how his song became big.

Part 5 - 17:04, 5% of Videos are Personal vlogs Addressed to the YouTube Community, Why?
* Almost 10,000 videos on YouTube are addressed to the YouTube community every day.

Part 6 - 17:30, YouTube in context. The loss of community and "networked individualism" (Wellman)
* Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam explores the loss of community
* When women joined the workforce, when you moved from the cornerstore to the major shopping centres...there was less free time.
* New forms of networks and communities are being introduced, e.g. mobile phones.
* "From place-to-place to person-to-person connectivity" Barry Wellman = "networked individualism"

Part 7 - 18:41, Cultural Inversion: Individualism and Community
* Cultural Inversion - we express individualism but we value community. We become increasingly more independent but long for relationships. We see commercialization but long for authenticity.
* "My hunch is that meeting in an electronic forum is not the equivalent of meeting in a bowling alley" - Robert Putnam 1995.

Part 8 - 19:15, Understanding New Forms of Community Through Participant Observation
* Participant Observation - you have to experience a phenomenon to understand it.

Part 9 - 21:18, YouTube as a Medium for Community
* Everytime you talk to a webcam, you don't know who you're talking to. You never know when you're going to be watched either, or the context.
* Context collapse!

Part 10 - 23:00, Our first vlogs
* Mitigating the collapse to content.
* People find it weird talking to a camera because it makes them feel like they're talking to themselves.
* Forming a new mask, a new identity for a community - it's as if everybody is watching when no-body's there.

Part 11 - 25:00, The Webcam: Everybody is Watching Where Nobody is ("context collapse")
* Your bedroom is the most private space you have, and yet it's the most public because of the webcam.
* Self and Identity - we know ourselves through our understanding of how others understand us.

Part 12 - 26:05, Re-Cognition and New Forms of Self-Awareness (McLuhan)
* You, yourself, might see that video once again in that video.
* Re-play offers a deeper level of awareness than the first play.
* When you think of yourself, you dont think of yourself how you appear to other people!

Part 13 - 27:58, The Anonymity of Watching YouTube: Haters and Lovers
* "Some of the comments on YouTube make you weep for the future of humanity just for the spelling alone, never mind the obscenity and the naked hatred." - Lev Grossman, Time Magazine Dec 13th 2006
* Anonymity + Physical Distance + Rate and Ephemeral Dialogue = Hatred as Public Performance.
* However: Anonymity + Physical Distance + Rate and Ephemeral Dialogue = Freedom to Experience Humanity Without Fear or Anxiety.

Part 14 - 29:53, Aesthetic Arrest
* James Joyce's term "aesthetic arrest".
* You can connect with people on YouTube in a way that you couldn't connect in real life - you cant stare in real life!

Part 15 - 30:25, Connection without Constraint
* Cultural Tension - we crave this connection but see it as constraint.
* Connection without Constraint is offered by YouTube.
* Media do not just distance us, they connect us in different ways that can sometimes feel distant but sometimes that distance allows us to connect more deeply than ever before.
* New forms of community create new forms of self-understanding.

Part 16 - 32:35, Free Hugs, a Hero for our Mediate Culture
* One lonely man started a campaign for free hugs which soon made people all over the world give random people where they were free hugs.
* This video was put on YouTube and became an iconic video.

Part 17 - 34:02, YouTube Drama, Striving for Popularity
* For your video to be shown, you have to be one of the most viewed, the most discussed, the top ranked etc.

Part 18 - 34:55, An Early Star "emokid21ohio"
* Six days after emokid (Matt) uploaded his video blog, there was a video reply from a shy young woman who liked him so much that they had this huge love story online.

Part 19 - 36:55, YouTube's Anthenticity Crisis, the story of LonelyGirl15
* LonelyGirl15 was beleived to be a 15 year old girl who was locked in her bedroom all the time and wanted a way to ammuse herself.
* She started vlogging in June 2006.
* In a matter of weeks, she was YouTube's second most subscribed.
* However, debate soon sparked amongst YouTubers regarding her authenticity.
* These suspicions were confirmed.
* "Who is she?"="Lonelygirl15 is a reflection of everyone!"
* "She is no more real or fictitous than the portions of our personalities that we choose to show (or hide) when we interact with the people around is!" - Lonelygirl15 creators.

Part 20 - 39:50, Reflections on Authenticity
* We are all producers, producing ourselves.
* Retaking identity, editing our own histories, playing with identity.
* Which is really you?
* You don't know what is real in YouTube and what isnt.
* People dont want fakes and liars on YouTube.

Part 21 - 41:54, Gaming the System / Exposing the System
* 2-3 of the main thumbnails have sexy thumbnails which are the most viewed.

Part 22 - 43:37, Seriously Playful Particpatory Media Culture
* Context Copllapse
* You never know where a camera may be and when it may come on YouTube.
* Chevy allowed people to take clips of their new Taho and make their own advertisements - a lot of which they didn't really expect :S
* Most of what we do is illegal - remixing videos for YouTube, ripping a DVD, etc.
* Can't kill...only criminalise, Can't stop...only drive underground, Can't make passive...only "pirates"...good?
* Ordinary people live life constantly against the law.

Part 23 - 47:32, Networked Production: The collab. MadV's "The Message" and the message of YouTube
* This is an invitation to make a stand to make a statement to make a difference.
* Make a statement on your hand and put it up to the camera - the messages are powerful and revealing.
* You are not alone...I believe in you...Love one another...Love yourself...Love all the people...Hold me...We are all connected...Come together...Together as one...United as one...We're all in this together...One life...One move...One peace...One planet...
* Strong values are emerging.

Part 24 - 49:29, Poem: The Little Glass Dot, The Eyes of the World
* The pale blue dot...the only home that we've ever known.
* The otherside of the glass dot has everyone in the entire world, a way to reach out to people we love, want to love and don't even know.
* It can be many things but not just one thing.

Part 25 - 51:15, Conclusion by bnessel1973
* Lost his son to sids...
* April 17th 2007 - creating characters gave him an escape ... a form of theropy!
* Gave him a chance to talk about what he's gone through...he made his videos to help him cope with the world he lives in, not to change the world.
* The YouTube community helped give him life again.

1. What are the issues of using Wikipedia as a source of information?
Wikipedia, although a good source of information, cannot be 100% trusted due to the fact that an ordinary person can edit the text and therefore make it biased and inaccurate.

2. How has the use of the internet changed since the introduction of Web 2.0 (2nd generation content)?
Since the introduction of Web 2.0, the internet has become more than just a source of information. Now, a user can post comments on websites, upload home-made videos, photos and music. It is now a way to keep intouch with family and friends and has become full of user generated content.

3. What legislation is in place for internet use?
Legal actions have been taken out against the internet trying to cut down on the amount of crimes being committed through it, this mainly revolves around the music and movie industries which have been challenged by illegal downloads. There are many issues about copyright, virtual vandalism, online abuse and bullying which cannot really be stopped because at the time of writing, there is no legislation.

4. What real life examples are you aware of where the internet has been 'abused' and action has been taken?
Six Rolls Royce workers in Derby were sacked after serious misuse of the internet. The firm monitors which websites the staff logged into all year round and the material being viewed by these particular members was illegal.

Choose a magazine front cover and analyse it using the Uses and Gratifications Theory. Write 3 paragraphs with detailed examples and analysis of the cover.

...x...

Uses and Gratifications Theory:

.>. Survaillence
.>. Personal Identity
.>. Integration and Social Interaction
.>. Escapism

...x...

According to the Uses and Gratifications Theory, the January 2008 front cover of Empire reveals that audiences may use the text for escapism and survaillence purposes.

The use of the central image being a fictional character who can found in one of the latest movies suggests that the reader will be exposed, by the magazine, to key information about Joker and the new Batman film. Another thing to suggest this is the use of the strapline: "One-on-One with Batman's new Nemesis!" This feature demonstrates that the audience can fulfil their needs of escapism.

The list of latest movie releases on the bottom right hand corner of the magazine, as well as the green plug underneath the magazine masthead, detail new movie releases and stories to be covered in the course of the magazine; thus the audience are aware they can fulfil their surveillance needs as well.

x~Self Evaluation~x

Attainment 2 (very good)
I put a lot of effort into my work and try to attend every single media lesson that I have. However, because I occassionally "blank out" or get distracted, I perhaps miss important things that I should be listening to.

Effort 2 (very good)
There are a few times in lessons when I "blank out" or get distracted by other things. However, on the whole, I attempt to complete all classwork and homework to the best of my ability.

Punctuality 2 (very good)
I have been attempting to attend every single media lesson, however, there have been a few days where I've missed lessons because of illness or holidays since I have started AS Level Media.

Submission and Quality of Homework 2 (very good)
I attempt to give in all my homework completed to the best of my ability. However, there have been a few times where I have missed the deadlines to some of the homework pieces set or have forgotten it at home and haven't been able to hand the completed work in.

Ability to Work Independently 1 (excellent)
I enjoy working independently as well as in groups. I find that I work well independently and can concentrate on the task more and not get distracted.

Quality of Writing 1 (excellent)/2 (very good)
I believe that my quality of writing is excellent the majority of the time. I use a wide range of vocabulary and media terminology and my sentences are varied and make perfect sense. However, occassionally, I find it difficult to know where to start writing and my quality decreases.

Organisation of Media Folder 2 (very good)
The organisation of my media folder is reasonably good. I like to type up my notes after each week in order to revise them. It also makes my work neater and easier to revise from afterwords. Also, I highlight all the given sheets and annotate them which helps me understand my work and organise my folder better.

Oral Contributions in Class 3 (good/average)
I find that I get rather shy when standing up and talking infront of the class. When I'm confident about an answer, I find that I contribut a lot in class. However, if a teacher picks on me to answer a question, I find that my confidence goes.

What Went Well (WWW)
* I now understand the difference between the three media platforms.
* I started up my own blog and have kept all my work neatly organised on it.
* I have been working well in a group - especially with Jawaria and Aqeel.

Even Better If (EBI)
* I contributed more in lessons.
* I begin my revision early and start writing up revision notes.
* I know the syllabus and requirements.

x~Course Evaluation~x

How well is the course organised?
2 (very good)
I beleive that the course is very well organised. Each lesson is planned and structured and helps us understand the entire course. The fact that the course is split between three teachers helps the understanding of the course because there is one teacher for each media platform. However, there is always room for improvement.

How interesting is the content that is covered?
2 (very good)
The content itself is very interesting. I enjoy learning the majority of the content, including Web 2.o and who owns what in the world of media. However, there are times at which the content isn't taught in an interesting way which takes away some of the interest from that particular subject.

How useful are the handouts?
2 (very good)
The handouts (although there haven't been many at the moment), are very informative and helpful. They are easy to understand and the majority of them are self explanitory which is an added bonus.

Have the lessons been well-paced?
2 (very good)
Although there have been lessons missed, either because the teacher hasn't been able to attend or I haven't been at school in order to attend the lesson, I beleive that the lessons have been well paced. Work is easy to catch up on and it's easy to pick up on key information and take notes on it.

What is the standard of the teachers' presentation/subject knowledge?
2 (very good)
I think that the standard of the teachers' presentation and subject knowledge is really good. All the teachers have had some sort of experience in the feild before they became a teacher. They seem to enjoy sharing their first hand experience and help you understand the media in ways other teachers cant.

How well has the course met your expectations?
2 (very good)
The course is exactly what I expected it to be. It's well paced, it's informative and intersting and there are loads of useful sources which help understand the course. However, as said before, there is always room for improvement.

Have the extra-curricular events been useful? (e.g. Awards Eve.)
2 (very good)
The only extra curricular activity event that has occurred so far is the media awards evening which I found to be extremely useful. It gave time for good ideas to come to me for my own films. However, I believe that it would have been even more useful if in the programme there was interviews with the producers etc. saying how they came up with the idea, the process etc. which would help other students make their productions just as successful.

Has the MacGuffin Blog been useful?
2 (very good)
The blog has been very useful. I can catch up on work through this blog and can even look at my friend's media blogs.

What Went Well (WWW)
* The use of the Media MacGuffin blog helps catch up on work.
* The Media Awards Evening helps us thinks of ideas for our own productions.
* The individual blogs help other people if they're stuck or dont understand something.

Even Better If (EBI)
* We use the computer etc. and explore the uses of each media platform in order to help us understand it more.
* We have more group activities which will spark off individual ideas.
* More creative work - media is about creativity!!!

I personally thought that the three best media productions at the 2008 Media Awards were:

-->Saving Faith -x-
--> Silent Pain -x-
--> Kuch To Hua Hai -x-

-x-*1st Place*-x-

--> Saving Faith <---
Directed by: Aemud, Tremaine, Karan, Jordan
Starring: Tremaine, Jordan, Karan
I believed that "Saving Faith" was one of the three best media productions because it was a powerful trailer and looked very realistic and proffessional. I thought that the choice of camera angles along with the acting made the trailer suspenseful and down right brilliant to watch. After the death of Kirsten, you really felt for Tremaine's character and could easily sympathise with him and understand why he became what he became. All in all it was a fantastic trailer and had it been real, I would have been one of the first in the cinema to watch it.

-x-*2nd Place*-x-

--> Silent Pain <--
Directed by: Sunaina, Yasmeen, Anum
Starring: ...loads of people...
Personally, I think that "Silent Pain" was the best documentary at the 2008 media awards. The issue of marital rape is one that isnt discussed in everyday life. The documentary addressed this issue in a way which made the audience think. I enjoyed watching this documentary because it showed the deep impact of this topic on women and the use of an interview with a rape victim helped the audience understand the topic and feel sympathetic towards those suffering and make the audiene want to make a difference.

-x-*3rd Place*=x=

--> Kuch To Hua Hai <--
Directed by: Priyanka, Sabah, Madenah, Natasha
Starring: Priyanka, Sabah, Roshan
I thought that "Kuch To Hua Hai" deserved to be in the top three productions at the 2008 media awards because it was a typical bollywood trailer - there was a love triangle and a dance scene which made it typically Indian but there was it was also modernised which most Bollywood directors are attempting to do to their movies in the present day. I thought that the acting was very well and the costume was impressive also. The dance sequence seemed very well choreographed and the music was the right mood for the movie trailer.

---> Betty Suarez <---

The opening scene of the trailer to Ugly Betty shows a contrasting image of average sized Mexican, Betty Suarez, and a tall, skinny model both applying for a position at a fashion magazine at Meade Publications. At first glance, unlike the other characters in the trailer, Betty is stereotypically represented as a geek. This is demonstrated to the audience by her costume which includes thick glasses and braces. The use of camera angles throughout the trailer suggests that everyone is superiour to Betty and reinforces the idea that she is alienated from everyone else at Mode.

Despite the negative first impression of Betty, with the use of upbeat music playing in the background, the audience gets the idea that Betty has a bubbly personality and is the kind of person that won't let other people bring her down. This positive view of the character is reinforced by the contrasting scenes with Daniel Meade - Betty's new boss. When we first see the two characters together, Daniel brushes Betty off, suggesting that he believes that she is inferior to him. However, when he last see the two characters in the same scene, he tells his new assistant that her ideas were "very smart and beautiful" and suggests to the audience that his veiws of the main character has changed.

--> Marisa Ventura <--

The trailer of Maid in Manhattan explores two opposite stereotypes, both centered around the main fictional character, Marisa Ventura. The first of these stereotypes is that of a single mother who works as a maid in a hotel. As shown at the start of the trailer, Marisa, although popular among her friends, goes unnoticed as a maid and seems to be thought of as insignificant. The use of a one of the guests at the hotel saying "she's just a maid" and suggesting that she doesn't understand English due to the idea that she is working class and latino, reinforces this negative first impression of Marisa's life. This is then emphasises by the voice-over, which is taken from the movie itself, is heard to say "a maid should strive to be invisible".

The second stereotypical view of Marisa is that of a rich, single woman staying at the hotel. This image is a contrasting view of the first stereotype. When this second stereotype is seen on screen, the music becomes more romantic and upbeat which suggests that there is a change in her life. Her costume reinforces the idea that unless you're rich you can't be noticed. When the character played by Ralph Feinnes first sees Marisa, she is scrubbing his toilet floor as a maid. However, when he first really notices her is when she is wearing a Dolce suit and he believes that she is a guest at the hotel. As a "rich woman", her opinionated attitude doesn't get her into trouble and is welcomed, but as a maid this attitude is seen as unspeakable - as a maid, she has no right to state her mind.

--> Gabrielle Solis <--

Gabrielle Solis is portrayed as a stereotypical, snobbish model. She is tall, skinny and beautiful with expensive taste as can be seen by her costume. The fact that her conventionally handsome husband, Carlos, says: "and I really hate that I spent $15 thousand on a diamond necklace that you couldn't live without" demonstrates this and suggests that he buys her whatever she wants and he seems to have no say in the matter. Her costume also suggests that she is seductive which is reinforced when the audience sees her sleeping around with a younger man who seems to be working for her in some way.

Throughout the trailer, the majority of camera shots use angles which look up to Gabrielle which suggest that she believes she is superior to everyone else. The use of her never being alone in a scene gives the impression that Gabrielle is always centre of attention and of gossip on Wisteria Lane. The audience doesn't ever see the intelligent side of the character, they only are shown the seductive side of the character which suggests to the audience that Gabrielle fits the typical stereotype of a model which is that they are dumb bimbos who don't know anything apart from fashion.

--> Lalita Bakshi <--

According to the fictional character, Lalita Bakshi, an Indian girl is stereotypicaly simple, which little to no personality, uneducated, hardworking and always has her marriage arranged for her. However, Lalita is not portrayed as this stereotypical Indian girl. She is, instead, portrayed as a woman who is torn between two things - her heart and mind, and the will of her mother. She is indeed, a modern woman, living in a traditional family. She is shown to be the backbone of her family - a strong and willful character who despite all stereotypical representations, wants to marry for love rather than have it arranged.

She is shown to be a forceful woman who is very opinionated. This is demonstrated in the trailer when her and the character played by Martin Henderson are at a swimming pool where she attacks his beleifs by shouting: "you think this is India?" Unlike her husband, who sees Lalita as the audience sees her, Lalita's mother doesn't see past the passionate, opinionated personality that her daughter has. When trying to arrange her second daughter's marriage, she tells Lalita, in the trailer, not to say anything "too intelligent", reinforcing the idea that the main character isn't a stereotypical Indian woman.

.x.>. S i m i l a r i t i e s .<.x.

--> Marisa, Betty and Lalita are all working-class women who are attempting to fulfil their dreams and thus gain a better style of life.
--> Marisa, Betty and Lalita all seem to be content with who they are on the surface but they are all trying to break free of their stereotypes.
--> Low camera angels are used on Marisa and Betty showing that they are inferior to everyone else.
--> They're all using their talents to get what they want rather than wasting them.

.x.>. D i f f e r e n c e s .<.x.

--> Gabrielle, unlike the others, is not portrayed to be trying to break free of her stereotype.
--> Lalita is trying to break free from her ethnic traditions whereas Betty and Marisa are trying to break away from their social class.
--> Betty is outcasted because of her looks, whereas Lilita, Marisa and Gabrielle aren't.

"City of Men" Trailer Analysis

Task: Write a 750 word textual analysis on the City of Men trailer, keeping focus on representations and audience.

The trailer to Walt Disney’s television drama, “City of Men”, clearly appeals to a young audience aged approximately 16 to 32. The fact that the institution is Walt Disney, will encourage audiences who are loyal to Disney to watch this programme as well as new ones. The show hails an audience primarily of D/E class viewers who can relate to the situations discussed in the programme. This audience will be able to identify with the programme and it may give them a sense of release (catharsis). However, it seems to have a secondary audience of C1/C2 class viewers.

The lack of ethnic minorities in the trailer suggest that it is aimed at young, black males. The editing of the trailer is quick which indicates that it is an full of action. Action programmes and action films have the primary audience of young males due to the fact that an audience of this age range may use the text for vicarious living as males of this age want to live lives full of guns etc., which adds to their social identity. This audience profile can be confirmed by the fact that the title of the programme is “City of Men” which suggests that their gender is dominant and that women are inferior to them.

Throughout the trailer, women are represented as sexual objects which reinforces the idea that it is a male dominated society and that women aren’t on par with the male characters in the programme. There is only one woman shown in the trailer and she is shown having a sexual scene with one of the main characters.

On the opening scene of the trailer, the camera tracks, using a birdseye angel, through the inner city which looks somewhat like a shanty town. The use of the inner city shots connote poverty, gangs, crime and violence. This negative idea is then contrasted with an image of a brightly lit beach with a medium close-up shot of two, young, black men – verifying the targeted audience. The closeness between these two men suggests to the audience that they are friends. This is then confirmed with a shot of them hugging each other.

This frame freezes and the words “They were like brothers” appear on the screen before there is a dissolving fade into the next scene. The word “were” suggests to the audience that something is going to happen to change their friendship. This idea is reinforced by the use of bright lighting turning rapidly to dull lighting, as the speed of the music quickens, suggests that there is going to be a change for the worst in their lives. This frame then changes to an close-up of a group of men who are loading guns. This quick reference to gang crime signifies that the programme will deal with aspects of crime and violence. The connotations of this include death and injury which gives the audience the idea that one of these two friends will inevitably die or be fatally wounded.

The use of the rapid change in music from slow to upbeat, club style music gets the adrenalin pumping in the audience’s and also creates tension. There is then an extreme close-up of the police sirens indicating to the audience that this programme is going to be full of violence and crimes. This detail to action also suggests that the audience may use this text for entertainment and escapism purposes. The use of the idea that something in their past was to come and catch up with the characters suggest to the audience that anyone with a bad past isn’t going to “get rid of it” that easily and that they will have to pay for it.

The connotations of this negative suggestion include murder, crime and violence as these are the main ideas that we connect to bad pasts. This refers back to the idea that all young black males are connected in some way to crime and gangs etc. The fact that the production is by Walt Disney goes against all connotations connected to this particular institution. The majority of Walt Disney’s productions usually are animated or family movies, full of music and romance. This will attract a wider audience range because they want to experience the new genre of movie for this institution.

Cross Media Case Study

Tasks:
--> Find a tv text and film text that have a shared theme/link.
--> Provide a paragraph explaining the link between the two different texts.
--> Analyse the opening credits for your chosen TV text - include media language, analysis, audience and representation. What comments could you make about how this text fits with its generic predecessors/conventions?
--> Find and analyse the institution that produces this TV text - create a profile for them - what other platforms does it own? (Remember lessons on vertical.horizontal integration). Research viewing figures/data on the institution and this particular text. Don't copy and paste - analyse and use relevant data.
--> Find and analyse the trailer for your film text (MIGRAIN!)--> Provide an analysis of the film poster for your text - comment on audience and conventions (genre).
--> Research web content/marketing for both texts and provide an analysis of style, content, form and appeal to primary and secondary audiences. You must use audience theory and offer an audience profile.

.x..x..x..x..x..x.

The texts that I have chosen to study for my Cross Media Case Study are:

.x. X-Men: The Last Stand .x.
and
.x. X-Men Evolution .x.

I chose to study X-Men for many reasons. As a fictional marvel comic book superhero, there aren't only cartoons and films based around this particular group of mutants - there are also comic books, games and much more media dedicated to them. There are also programmes that are losely based around the x-men, for example, the hit TV series Heroes.

After the success of the X-Men movies, and the origional X-Men cartoon (both of which were seen to be aimed at a much more adult audience), X-Men Evolution was created in hope that it would appeal to a younger audience.

Name: Marvel Entertainment, Inc.
Founded: 1933
Founder: Martin Goodman
Headquaters: New York, USA
Key People: Isaac Perlmutter, CEO
. Peter Cuneo, Vice Chair
Industry: Entertainment
Products: Comics, Movies, Toys
Employees: 255
Subsidiaries: Marvel Characters, Inc.
. Marvel Publishing, Inc.
. Marvel Studios, Inc.
. MVL Film Finance LLC
. Iron Works Productions LLC
. Marvel Animation

Income, Assets and Equity in 2007
Operating Income: US $485,807,000
Net Income: US $139,823,000
Total Assets: US $817,358,000
Total Equity: US $181,503,000

..x..*..x..*..x..*..x..*..x..*..x..

Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is an American entertainment company formed from the merger of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. and Toy Biz, Inc.

Marvel Publishing is one of the world's largest publishers of comic books and controls 45% of the comic book market, with a library of over 5,000 characters, including:
. >>> Captain America
. >>> The Incredible Hulk
. >>> Spiderman
. >>> X-Men
. >>> Blade
. >>> The Fantastic Four
. >>> Iron Man
. >>> Ghost Rider
. >>> Daredevil

Approximately 70% of Marvel's comic books are sold in their own specialty comic stores and traditional retail locations such as bookstores and subscriptions.

Marvel's characters have been licensed for:
.x. Use in feature films
.x. Use in television shows
.x. Clothing
.x. Video games
.x. Food
.x. Collectibles

..x..*..x..*..x..*..x..*..x..*..x..

The trailer to Marvel's third X-Men movie, X-Men: The Last Stand, clearly appeals to a young audience aged between 13 to 26. The fact that the institution is Marvel encourages fans of Marvel comics, cartoons and movies to watch this movie. Although the primary audience is both young males and females, there is a secondary audience of an older generation who grew up reading the X-Men comics.

The trailer begins, like many movies, with a green page with white writing telling the veiwer that the trailer has been "approved for all audiences" suggesting that it is suitable to be shown on primetime tv etc. which would lead to them gaining a larger audience. This 6 second screen then fades to black and the audience are presented with a quick image of the white house where the camera begins to zoom out. The camera then begins to zoom in as the shot changes to the corridors inside the whitehouse. This puts the audience in the shoes of the cameraman, walking down the corridors.

During this, there is a voice-over, which we assume to be the President, saying "On principle, I can't negotiate with these people." This creates an enigma in the minds of the audience - Who is he talking about? Why can't he negotiate with them? There are then two quick camera shots of a man saying "well then you know what needs to be done" and a shot of the president, confirming our belief about the voice-over and adding to the mystery already being created.

The 20th Century Fox logo then appears on screen. Unlike in the movie, the music to the logo isn't it's average music. Instead, it is choir based music, playing very low. The logo blends into an image of a series of cars and vans driving down a nearly empty road. As the voice over says "we're going to protect our citizens", we see an image of a blue lady with red hair, tied to something, behind bars. The camera zooms towards her and pans to the left, giving the audience a face-on view of the character and showing us that she, herself, is blue and scaly and that it isn't her clothes. The audience also sees that she has yellow eyes. This adds to the mystery for those who haven't seen the previous X-Men movies.

.x. Websites .x.

• Internet Movie Database (IMDB) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0376994/ had information about the movie, including the cast, crew and basic knowledge (rating, genre) as well as trivia on the movie.

• The Official X3 Website http://www.x-menthelaststand.com/ was full of downloads, pictures, character information and ways to buy the DVD.

• Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Men_3 had background information on the movie, as well as information on the plot and cast.

• Apple http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/tls/trailer/ had the X3 trailer on its website.

• Rotten Tomatoes http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/x_men_3_the_last_stand/ , much like IMDB, had basic information about the movie but it also had a space where users uploaded their comments on the movie and they gave it an overall rating.

Fox Searchlight Pictures’ movie, “Street Kings”, starring Hollywood A Listers Keanu Reeves and Forest Whitaker, clearly attracts a primary audience of young males aged between 16 to 32. Throughout the first 20 minutes of the movie, only one woman is shown – a doctor who is seen as more of a sexual object rather than someone on par with the male characters in the movie. The movie will also encourage a secondary audience of fans who are loyal not only to Fox but to the main actors as well. The popularity of previous movies from Keanu Reeves, e.g. The Matrix, will encourage more people to watch his new films, building up their secondary audience. The movie hails an audience primarily of D/E class viewers who can relate to the situations discussed in the production. This audience will be able to identify with the characters and will gain a sense of release (catharsis). However, there also seems to be an audience of C1/C2 class viewers who wish to use this text for escapism and surveillance purposes.

The movie begins with institutional information appearing onscreen. This is then faded off screen and the words “Street Kings” appear on a plain black background, perhaps suggesting that there is darkness in the movie. However, the words themselves are shades of orange, and have been formatted in such a way that it looks like the sunrise. This may suggest to the audience, therefore, that although there is darkness in the movie, the ending will show a new, brighter future – much like the sun ending the darkness of the night. This idea is then reinforced as the lighter shade of orange, which we assume to be the sun, starts moving further down the “E” and illuminating the words. As the words begin to fade into yet another black screen, the sound of an alarm clock begins. This digetic sound may be used as a tool to emphasise the idea of a brighter future.

The audience are then presented with a medium shot of a man, fully clothed, asleep with a jacket over his head. As he pulls it off, we see that it is Keanu Reeves and understand that this must be the main character. As he gets out of bed, we see him pull a gun from underneath his pillow followed by a close-up shot of him reloading this weapon, suggesting to the audience that this movie is going to explore crime and violence. The camera then tracks the character into his bathroom where he picks up a toothbrush – we assume that he is about to brush his teeth but are then shown in the following scene, using a close-up shot, that he is cleaning his gun with his toothbrush. The camera zooms in towards the character in such a way that the audience are shown the state of the room in which he is in. This cluttered mise-en-scene informs the audience that this character’s life is cluttered, incomplete and difficult.

The audience is then shown him walking out of the house in broad daylight. The use of another close-up shot of the gun in his hand suggests to the audience that the gun is a key sign in the movie. Behind the character’s car is an American flag which, to some extent, seems to be ironic. America is meant to be the “land of opportunity” and yet there is a central image of a man wandering the streets with a loaded gun and no-one seems to notice or care. The car seems to be an expensive make suggesting that the character is rich. The idea that people who wander the streets and have guns are meant to be associated with crime and violence, along with the idea that the character is rich, suggests to the audience that perhaps this man is a crime lord.

The camera then tracks the characters car and shows the sunset in the background. This rapid change in time through the first three minutes of the movie gives the audience the idea that perhaps he has been driving around all day which creates an enigma. The music, although a continuation of the start of the movie, begins to get louder suggesting that something going to happen. Once the sun has completely set, the audience once again sees the character. This time, he is pulling up outside a shop and buying bottles of alcohol. The idea that he is drinking alone, and the fact that he is drinking vast amounts while driving, suggests to that he is an alcoholic – perhaps informing them that something terrible happened to him in his past which has made him the way that he is. This then further emphasises the idea of his life being incomplete and cluttered, the same way that the mise-en-scene earlier in the movie showed.

It is four minutes into the movie before what the audience believes gains evidence. The character, who is still not named, pulls up to a car park where a “gang of Koreans” are waiting for him. The use of one Korean saying “Yo, Dog!” suggests that this is a criminal activity. This idea is backed up by the fact that the main character is attempting to sell them a bag of drugs. This further enforces the idea that this movie discusses themes of crime and drug abuse etc. as well as suggesting to the audience that their impression of the main character was correct.

The group of Koreans are represented negatively, as is the attitudes towards them. The main character says: “It means you’ve got eyes like apostrophes, you dress white, talk black and drive a bunch of Jews”, suggesting that he is a racist person. This negative representation of Koreans is reinforced where the Koreans beat up the main the character and steal his car. The idea that the character didn’t fight back counterattacks the ideas that were previously arousing in the minds of the audience. There is then a shot of the main character phoning an unknown number and asking “where?” which creates a bigger enigma. There is then a shot of a billboard where a missing people’s poster is pasted, suggesting that perhaps the main character is searching for these girls.

The next scene shows the main character reunited with his car at the thieves’ headquarters. He opens the boot to reveal a compartment on the side of the machine gun he was trying to sell the Koreans, in which lay guns and a bullet proof vest. This deepens the enigma and arouses questions in the audiences’ minds. The character then sneaks into the building and kills every Korean in the house, even the unarmed ones. The idea that he plants weapons on the Koreans after they are all dead gave the enigma yet more depth. However, it is when the audience is shown a locked cage with the two children who were previously shown on the billboard that we begin to understand that he was trying to save these girls. It is here that the narrative begins to reveal to the audience the true identity of the main character.

Task: In as much detail possible, analyse the opening sequence (first 3 minutes) of an episode of “Heroes”, comparing it to a typical title sequence. You may want to use the following prompts to help you:
.....--> Media language
.....--> Voice over
.....--> Recaps
.....--> Peter trying to fly
.....--> Claire taping her attempts to hurt herself
.....--> The eclipse
.....--> The Heroes logo
.....--> The title of the episode
.....--> Settings
.....--> Comics
.....--> Characters

Analysis of the Opening Sequence to:
Heores, Season 1, Episode 2: Don't Look Back

Like the other episodes of Heroes, Episode 2: Don't Look Back begins with a shot of the Heroes' logo. This shows the uniqueness of the show, as many other TV programmes fail to have their own logo or symbol which people link the programme to. The fact the image used is of the solar eclipse gives the audience an insight to the show as it explains the first few episodes of Heroes, that a solar eclipse occured which was observed by several strangers around the world and "unleashed" each of these characters, showing them powers that they never realised they had. Reference to the fact that the solar eclipse can never been seen at the exact same time all over the world is is the episode where this occurs. An audience member with the knowledge that this event is impossible, informs the audience that this is a supernatural drama.

The audience next hear a voiceover saying the words "previously on Heroes" followed by a close-up shot of 5 different people as the voice over introduces the characters and tells the audience what previously happened on Heores. There is then a long shot through the viewpoint of a video camera, putting the audience member in the place of the person filming the video. The voice-over fails to point out the powers of these characters, if any, and instead they are depicted by use of a series of quick cut scenes, creating mystery and suspense. The fact that the voice over doesn't name the characters creates an enigma in the minds of the audience and makes them want to watch on and see what happens next.

Heroes, rather than saying episode, uses the word chapter. This, along with the idea that the words are written on the building, have a comic-book effect suggesting that this programme is loosly based on a comic book story. People with knowledge of comic books, will see the similaries with X-Men, and will therefore be more interested in watching Heroes, leading to the programme having a wider audience. The voice doing the voice over is then exchanged for one of the characters in the show - in this episode, it is Mohinder, who we discover isn't a mutant, but a scientist with no powers.

The shot is of one of the main characters, Peter Petrelli, standing on the edge of a building. The use of a pan outwards with a low angle suggests that this character is superior to the audience. This then switches to a birdseye veiw of the character as he falls from the building. Mohinder continously speaks over this scene, discussing his ideas about destiny, fate and evolution. There is then another switch to a high angle shot, showing a black figure flying towards Peter and catching him before he falls. Peter grabs onto his arm and there is a closeup of his hand losing grip, suggesting to the audience that perhaps this is a symbol for him losing control of his life and his destiny.

This image then quickly cuts into an image of Peter lying in a hospital bed, his brother Nathan, touches his shoulder and the camera spins around from a sideways angle to a normal angle. This, along with the stop in voice over, emphasises the idea that Peter's destiny is out of his control. The characters' names and location then appear on screen, much like they would in a comic book. The words "Nathan and Peter Petrelli, Mid-Town Manhattan" are written in white writing in the same font as the chapter title was earlier in the show.

The use of close-up shows from one brother's face to another, shows the audience the closeness of these characters. When Nathan tells his brother that he tried to kill himself, the look on both of their faces tell the audience that although they are close, there are also many secrets which are forming a barrier between them which is why they aren't shown in the same frame.

This scene, mainly coloured blue and white, is then followed by a contrasting scene of cheerleader, Claire, running into a burning building and saveing a man's life. The fact that she is a cheerleader breaks stereotypical ideas that the audience once had. Stereotypically, a cheerleader is meant only to have her mind on boys and the fact that she's blond (which stereotypically suggests that she's dumb) doesn't change the audience's mind. However, the idea that she risked her life for another man's shows to the audience how unusual and unique these characters really are and reinforces the idea that this isn't your average television programme.

Mest 1 Analysis

“Mean Girls” is an American Teenage Comedy released in June 2004 and deals with issues of sex, alcohol and breaking free from the American status quo in High Schools.

Like the majority of American Teen Comedies, “Mean Girls” is about the main protagonist of the movie trying to fit in or achieve the impossible. In this particular movie, as Cady (the Proppian ‘hero’ of the movie) tries to fit in at her first time in public school, she attempts to impress Aaron Samuels who is a jock in the year above them and going out with the meanest girl in school, Regina George. Throughout the movie, the Proppian spheres of action can be clearly seen. Cady is shown as the hero and Regina as the villain. In the majority of Teen Comedies, the funniest part of this movie is the ‘cat fight’ between these two characters.

The target audience for this film is obviously teenagers as the main characters are teenagers and it is mainly set in a High School. The audience may be able to relate to this movie, especially an American audience as they are more ‘segregated’ (in the sense that they are split into ‘cool’ kids, ‘jocks’, ‘varsity jocks’, ‘plastics’ etc.) than other schools in Europe. Non-American teenagers may use the text for escapism purposes – those who think their school is bad can watch the film and realise how bad schools in America are. It may also be used for personal identity purposes as they may want to change themselves to be more like the characters in the movie – e.g. Regina George for her looks, popularity etc.
The setting of the movie is mainly in a High School which informs us of the target audience. It also sticks to the typical conventions of a teenage comedy as they are normally set in places where the audience can relate to.

Bullet Boy Trailer Analysis

The trailer to Bullet Boy informs us that the target audience is young males who are clearly linked to the narrative which is shown to be about crime and violence. Women, like many male dominated films, are here shown as sexual objects which reinforces the idea that they aren’t an important aspect in the movie.

The use of the setting being near flats allows the audience to relate to the story. The setting also seems to connote violence and crime which is emphasised throughout the trailer. This is also emphasised by use of low key lighting throughout the trailer which continues to reinforce the genre of the movie. The occasional use of high key lighting is usually on scenes of the protagonist and the female character suggesting that women are “pure” because it’s only the men who are getting into trouble.

The use of props such as guns and handcuffs informs the audience that the movie is based around crime and violence which is reinforced by characters being arrested or at gun point which continues to emphasise the genre of the movie.