Section B Revision

Technology and how it’s changed distributed (including the convergence of technology)

Evaluate the role of digital technologies in the marketing

and consumption of products in the media area you have

 

To what extent does digital distribution affect the

marketing and consumption of media products in the media

area you have studied?

 

What significance does the continuing development of digital

media technology have for media institutions and audiences?

 

How important is technological convergence for institutions

and audiences within a media area which you have studied?

 

“Cross-media convergence and synergy are vital processes in

the successful marketing of media products to audiences.”

To what extent do you agree with this statement in relation

to your chosen media area?

 

Over the last 10 years technology has increased exponentially and now there is new video on demand services such as Netflix and youtube that are now even available all in the same place on tablets and mobile phones. 61% of adults now claim they rarely go to the cinema to watch a film implying that if they do watch a film they would rather pay £5.99 a month and watch unlimited movies from the comfort of their own home and on any device rather than pay the increasingly expensive ticket prices to watch a film let alone the cost of actually going out. This goes against the standard Hollywood distribution model which relies on an exclusively theatrical release followed a few months later by the release on home video and home streaming.

 

 

General question about how films are distributed

 

“Successful media products depend as much upon marketing and

distribution to a specific audience as they do upon good

production practices.” To what extent would you agree with

this statement, within the media area you have studied?

Discuss the ways in which media products are produced and

distributed to audiences, within a media area, which you

have studied.

 

 

Hollywood studios have developed a standard release model that enables them to make the most profit possible which is why the model has remained relatively unchanged for the past decade. This model relies on exclusive release models starting with a theatrical release followed a few months later by a home video and VOD release. Before the theatrical release there is a big marketing scheme that can cost over $30,000,000 on average for a hollywood tent pole movie.

 

Media Ownership

 

What impact does media ownership have upon the range of

products available to audiences in the media area you have

studied?

 

Discuss the issues raised by media ownership in the

production and exchange of media texts in your chosen media

 

“Media production is dominated by global institutions, which

sell their products and services to national audiences.” To

what extent do you agree with this statement?

The film industry is dominated by the major conglomerates including Warner Bro’s, Disney, Sony, 20th Century Fox and Universal. These conglomerates represent 90% of the film market which then dominates the cinema’s with just the Hollywood films on as these are the films with the most money spent on marketing and therefore attract the larger audience and make the most money. It’s obviously then more beneficial for the cinema’s to show Hollywood films as they make the most money. This limits the variation in the amount of films available to the audience and more independent films don’t get the chance to have a cinema screen to be shown on.

I think this counts as Section B revision

So while avoiding revising for geography I stumbled upon movie critic Mark Kermode’s review of This is England. Him and his estranged radio co host Simon Mayo briefly discuss the synchronous release and how because of the bizarre nature of the film the approach is appropriate and the standard release model may not quite have worked. It doesn’t really cover anything that we haven’t already done in class but I guess it helps drum in Ben Wheatley’s name and release pattern.

I’m just trying to justify being on Youtube as revision.  Without further procrastination here’s the clip:

My Question

This is my question: “Media production is dominated by global institutions, which sell their products and services to national audiences.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Doc Martin Textual Analysis Regional Identity

Camera work:

Wide shots showing scenery allow contrasts from countryside to doc martin.

High angle shots used for plumbers and low angles for Doc Martin demonstrates his view that he is above them.

The younger plumber who starts to appear more subverted from stereotypes and talks about literature starts to get low angled shots during the revelation. Showing the change in expectations from the audience.

 

Mise-en-scene:

Doc Martin wears suit and appears more formal, fulfilling the intelligent city look and makes him look authoritive. The rest of the characters have more casual countryside attire. The plumbers are also dressed in messy overalls indicative of their manual labour job. Because of Doc Martin’s suit he is contrasted to the rest of the village and appears more neat and posh.

There is a strong west country accent that also contains non standard english for the village members compared to Doc Martin’s use of standard english and lack of any strong regional accent. This makes him appear more educated than the village members.

 

Sound Design:

There is a theme that directly follows the actions of Doc Martin and is seemingly only appropriate to his current state. There is no other music to accompany any other characters. This focuses the audience on Doc Martins character and allows them to emphasise with him more than any other character. This almost creates a bias against the other characters who are all from the region.

Folly sound effects of seagulls and general ambient countryside noises that highlights and exaggerates the countryside aspect. This adds context for the audience and allows them to realise that the people with the west country regional accent are the residents and Doc Martin is the odd one out.

 

Editing:

Reaction shots for Doc Martin placed after almost all events in the scene. Adds more empathy towards character. Complete lack of reaction shots for villagers makes them seem less important in the plot and makes the audience have less empathy towards them.

Doc Martin also has the most screen time. Establishes him as main character against regional villagers.