Film C1
Section A
Friday 23rd February 2024
Film Industry
LO: To explore the aims and conventions of film posters.
Do Now:
- Disney
- Paramount
- Dreamworks
- Warner Bros
- Pixar
- Universal
- 20th Century Fox
- Sony
Film Terminology:
Franchise - A collection of related media in which several works have been produced from an original work of fiction (films, books, tv shows)
Distributor - The person responsible for marketing the film
Hollywood Major - A particularly large film production company that dominates hollywood
Teaser - A short trailer or poster for the film that is a form of advertising the film
Montage - The editing technique of assembling separate images and putting them together into one picture
Ensemble cast - A group of actors who more or less have equal roles in a production
Tentpole Film - a very high budget film which is expected to be very successful in order to support smaller, riskier productions
High concept - Emphasis on a striking but easily communicable central idea, designed to have wide audience appeal
Enigma - A question that encourages an audience to watch/read on to find the answer to
Film Industry:
1. The big 5 major hollywood studios - Universal, Paramount, Warner Bros, Disney, Sony
2. The main aim of a film marketing campaign is to entice the audiences to want to watch the film and generate some excitement
3. Marketing techniques often used - Social media, trailers, posters, advertising, collaborations with other companies, merchandise, film premieres
4. Film posters include - Title, directors name, actors names, characters names, tagline, release date, key information about the genre, narrative and characters
5. Difference between teaser and theatrical poster - A teaser poster will have very little information on the film whereas a theatrical poster will have more info maybe including cast members
6. High School Musical
Homework (James Bond 007 research)
Writer and Inspiration:
- The novels were written by Ian Fleming and the idea itself could have been inspired by the fact that he was in the British secret service during the war.
Timeline of films:
- Dr. No (1962) - A View to a Kill (1985)
- From Russia with Love (1963) - The Living Daylights (1987)
- Goldfinger (1964) - License to Kill (1989)
- Thunderball (1965) - Golden Eye (1995)
- You Only Live Twice (1967) - Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
- On Her Majesty's Secret Service ( 1969) - The World Is Not Enough (1999)
- Diamonds Are Forever (1971) - Die Another Day (2002)
- Live and Let Die (1973) - Casino Royale (2006)
- The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) - Quantum of Solace (2008)
- The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) - Skyfall (2012)
- Moonraker (1979) - Spectre (2015)
- For Your Eyes Only (1981) - No Time to Die (2021)
- Octopussy (1983)
Main Characters:
- James Bond - Miss Moneypenny
- Felix Leiter - Q
- M - Lyutsifer Safin
Typical Storylines:
- A protracted attempt to kill Bond. In the majority of the films, the main villain captures Bond and attempts to kill him however he always escapes.
Main Themes:
- ????
Actors who have played Bond:
- Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig
Typical Target Audience:
- Older teenager and adults
Facts and Statistics:
- Skyfall is the highest-grossing Bond movie, making over $1.1 billion worldwide
- As of October 2021, No Time To Die has made over $589 million worldwide
Wednesday 28th February 2024
Film Posters
LO: To analyse the film poster set texts effectively.
Do Now:
- The part of James Bond has been played by Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig
- No Time to Die is the most recent film which was released in 2021
- So far there have been 25 films
- The novels were written by Ian Fleming
- The films have been made from 1962-2021
- He is a spy for the British Government
- 'License to kill'
- No Time To Die was released in the UK on 30th September 2021 after a global premiere at the Royal Albert Hall on 28th September 2021. Starring Daniel Craig as 007, this is his fifth and final performance as the fictional M16 agent. Originally planned for release in April 2020 however due to the pandemic was pushed back.
- The film was produced by the British company EON (everything or nothing) Productions and distributed in UK cinemas by Universal Pictures.
- The poster was designed by Empire Designs, a British film promotion agency. The first teaser poster was released on James Bond day.
Main Image:
- James Bond himself is the main focus on the poster which shows his importance.
- The characters are inside the shape of his body, potentially showing how he doesn't know whats coming for him
- The car is on fire which is stereotypical for a Bond movie
- The main image is a mid shot and within the picture of James Bond there is a montage of the other characters and possible props that are in the film
- The second largest character is the villain and he is also in the centre which suggests these are the main characters
Colour Palette:
- The colours used are blue and orange which are opposing colours, this can show the constant battle between good and evil
- The colour of James Bond's suit ties in with the 007 text at the top of the poster which links in with the fact that he is 007
- The colour orange has connotations of danger showing the movie is going to be action packed
- The blue colour could represent a lack of emotion since blue is often considered a cold colour
Typography:
- Futura Black is used
- Block capitals connotes the action genre and tend to be more masculine
- Modern version of military font
Mise-en-scene:
- James Bond is wearing a suit which is stereotypical for for the 007 franchise
- There is a women holding a gun, contradicting the stereotype that suggests men are often the people to fight in battles and help defeat the enemy
- Violence, death, guns
- Stereotypical Bond girl
- They all have serious facial expressions and look quite calm and collected which suggests they are in control and are professionals
Genre:
- The genre is action for this movie which is shown by the guns and the car on fire
- Exotic locations are quite typical for an action film
Release Date:
- The 2nd of April is near to easter which means more people could go and watch it
- Shows how it could be for everyone
Logo:
- The logo is immediately recognisable as the James Bond logo
- His head is covering the logo which shows just how recognisable without having to see the whole logo
- His head covering it shows he is 007
- Small logo is gold which has connotations of wealth and luxury
Title:
- The title could be read as their is no time because Bond is so busy
- Shows that the movie is going to be fast paced
- It could suggest that it is a bad time to die
- Suggests someone is going to die
Film Poster Conventions:
- Doesn't have actor names on the poster
- Recognise the cast members
- More of an ensemble cast
- Take away from the visuals
Friday 1st March 2024
Film Posters
LO: To analyse the film poster set texts effectively.
Do Now:
Facts about James Bond and the 007 film franchise
- No Time to Die was due to release in April 2020 but was held back until September 2021
- There have been 25 films in the franchise so far
- The franchise began in 1962 and has been an ongoing films franchise
- The novels that a large amount of the films are based on, are written by Ian Fleming
- The role of James Bond has been played by many different actors including Daniel Craig, Sean Connery and Timothy Dalton, 7 actors
Intertextuality:
- The montage design, where separate images are laid over each other, references previous Bond films, providing a sense of familiarity, nostalgia and pleasure to fans who recognise the link. The 007 gun logo acts as an intertextual link between No Time to Die and previous Bond films. It has become synonymous with Bond.
It is significant that there is no intertextual reference to Ian Fleming on this poster - this is a departure from previous Bond films, signifying No Time to Die is not based on one of his original books.
Narrative:
1) Mountains are shown which could connote quite remote areas and could suggest that the film may include remote areas?
A bar is also shown, connoting danger and alcohol. This could also connote gangsters and a fight, as a lot of mobs in films are known for hanging around bars.
2) We can see on the poster:
- The hero
- The villain
- The donor
- The princess
3) Some questions that may have come from this poster are why some characters have guns, why a car is on fire, and some of the characters it isn't clear who they are and so may have people questioning who they are.
Representation context:
They have been represented in a stereotypical way:
- Men are represented as being strong and independent
- Women are represented as the love interests
The representation of gender has evolved overtime to an extent.
Daniel Craig's Bond is not as sexist and stereotypical as the earlier representations of Bond.
He is represented as older, more thoughtful and shows signs of vulnerability.
A range of ethnicities are shown on the poster and this shows the societal changes.
Dr Madeleine Swann is pictured twice on the poster. A French psychiatrist and one of Bond's love interests, as she also appeared in Spectre.
At the start of the movie, James Bond has retired to Jamaica, and his 007 title is reassigned to a new M16 agent, Nomi.
Stereotypes - The No Time to Die poster follows the stereotypes of having a 'Bond Girl', however they are also steering away from the stereotypes as the poster includes a range of different ethnicities and women holding guns which wouldn't have been stereotypical for some of the previous bond film posters. The poster also doesn't follow some stereotypes of film posters in general since it doesn't include the actors names on the poster. The poster does follow certain stereotypes for an action film such as the colour scheme and the fact there are guns and cars on fire in the image.
Gender - Men are represented in a stereotypical way for James Bond as he is wearing a suit, although he is also being represented as older than some of the other interpretations of the Bond character. Women are also being represented in an anti-stereotypical way because as we can see on the poster there are women holding guns showing they have some position in the battle for good and evil, which fighting was often considered more a masculine thing to do. Bond is shown on the poster 3 times and each time he provides an image of masculinity. The fact that we only see half of his face could show he has a dual nature. However unlike others he doesn't have a weapon. Lyutsifer Safin is the second largest character on the poster which could show his importance and how the franchise is male dominated.
All the women are being represented as beautiful and Nomi is high up. None of the women are represented as being the 'damsel in distress' character.
Ethnicity - There is a vast range of ethnicities in the cast that have been shown on the poster, showing how the James Bond franchise is changing alongside the societal changes happening at the moment.
It is clear they are also steering away from having only white actors. The cast is predominantly white but they have got a wide range of ethnicities showing how they are being much more diverse than some of the previous films.
Age - There is a range of ages included in this poster some young some a bit older. The representation of Bond in this poster is that he is older than the previous interpretations which means they are being inclusive yet also realistic as James Bond is going to age overtime. However, teenagers, young children and elderly people aren't being represented which shows how they are focussing on young adults and middle aged people.
Sexuality -
Wednesday 6th March 2024
Film Posters
LO: To analyse the film poster set texts effectively.
Do Now:
The stereotypical characteristics or skills that would be expected for a male hero to have in a spy/action movie would be intelligence, strength, bravery, handsome looking, formal outfit choices, carrying a weapon of some sort, expert about how to use these weapons, calm under pressure.
Characters:
- James Bond
- Nomi (new 007)
- Lyutsifer Safin
- Paloma (CIA Agent)
- Q
- Madeleine Swan
Friday 8th March 2024
Film Posters
LO: To analyse a historical film poster effectively
Do Now:
Stereotypes in an older Bond movie
- At least one or more love interests for Bond
- James Bond following those spy stereotypes
- Following the stereotypes of gender
- There is a villain who Bond ultimately defeats
- Bond girls - good looking, glamorous ---> not really important to the plot
- Heterosexual relationships
- The Man with the Golden Gun was released on 19th December 1974
- Roger Moore's second appearance as Bond
- The film was produced by the British company Eon Productions and distributed by United Artists.
- Based on the book written by Ian Fleming
- Made over $97 million
- Several Kung Fu scenes to reflect the popularity of the Martial Arts film genre and the film was filmed predominantly in Asia, having been shot in Hong Kong, Thailand, Macau
- The artwork for the poster itself as produced by artist and illustrator Robert McGinnis
- The film was set in the middle of the 1973 energy crisis, when he oil producing Arab nations proclaimed an oil embargo causing an oil crisis which had both short and long term effects. This is hinted through the posters iconography of the power plant in the lower left corner and the energy beam directed at Bond
1) They have used a montage of images rather than just an image of Bond so that they can include a wide range of characters that are important to the film and the stereotypes of James Bond. They may have also done this because it allows them to showcase the overall theme/genre of the movie. (Locations)
2) The connotations of the gun in the central image of James Bond are that they are stereotypical for spy movies since spies are often known to be quite advanced in using weapons and so by including a gun it shows that this movie is going to be based on the action genre. He is wearing a suit which again is stereotypical for James Bond (formality) to have and his costume alongside his facial expression that looks quite serious, gives the impression that he isn't taking any nonsense from anyone else and that he takes his job seriously. He is also using direct address which entices the audience to want to see the poster and therefore the film, but this also makes it seem more personal to the audience.
3) The imagery of the golden gun ties in with the title of the film which links the main image to the main text. The colour gold connotes luxury and wealth and the bullet is also gold. However, it isn't actually clear who the person holding this gun and so this may make the film appeal to the audience because they would want to find out who is holding it. The gun is pointing towards Bond though, so we can infer from this that the person holding the gun is attempting to kill Bond which would again interest the audience even more. Villain of the movie, the bullet is meant for Bond.
4) The text of Ian Fleming next to the title will appeal to his fans and fans of the franchise and book series. The fact that Roger Moore's name is at the top of the poster means that fans of his will want to watch it.
5) Who is the Man with the Golden Gun?
Who are the women in the image and what is their importance to the plot?
6) We can see the hero, possibly the villain, the princess/damsel in distress
7) There are many items that are associated with the action/adventure genre that are included in the poster such as guns, explosions, locations, fighting.
Exam Style Question (Mise-en-scene):
In the James Bond 'The Man with the Golden Gun' poster the use of mise-en-scene shows the women as being stereotypically feminine. They are wearing very little clothes with could be to link with the concept of the Bond girls being quite feminine and living up to the idea that they are purely for men to look at. They are using the idea of the male gaze theory to make them seem this way to stick to the stereotypes of a James Bond movie. However, compared to the women in the image, James Bond is wearing a suit and tie which can connote wealth and formality keeping to the Bond stereotypes.
Homework (exam style question)
Explore how the film poster for No Time to Die uses the following elements of media language to create meanings.
Images:
In the James Bond 'No Time to Die' movie poster, they have made the main image more of a montage so not only can they show the vast majority of main characters but they can also show some of the exotic locations and weapons that are going to be included in this film. By including guns and cars as well as locations, it coveys to the audience the genre and that this is possibly an action film. James Bond himself is the main focus of the image which is obvious by the fact that he is the largest person on it and everything else is inside the shape of his body, which shows he is the main character. The fact that he is turned away could suggest that Bond doesn't know whats coming for him. The second largest character on the poster is Lyutsifer Safin, who, from this we can infer that he is going to be the villain and he has also been placed in the centre of the image which again links to this idea.
Mise-en-scene:
In the movie poster, they have utilised the mise-en-scene in order to show how they have stuck to the stereotypes of the franchise but also steered away from them. One way in which they conform to stereotypes, is by having Bond wear a suit since this links to earlier films where Bond is portrayed as being quite formal and handsome looking. The colour of his suit ties in with the 007 at the top which could be to illuminate the fact that he is 007. The colours used on the poster itself are orange and blue which are directly opposite on the colour spectrum which could be used to represent the constant battle between good and evil. The colour orange is often used in action movies which could be another contributing factor of why from the poster alone people may think this is an action film. However, a way in which this poster challenges the stereotypes is by the fact that there is a woman holding a gun. Not only is this anti-stereotypical for a woman in a Bond movie but in general, it is considered more of a mans job to fight and women wouldn't often be part of the battles. By including this women, they are showing how the Bond franchise is making changes taking into consideration how society is changing.
Layout and Design:
One of the first things you may see on this poster is the logo which is immediately recognisable as the 'James Bond logo' which shows how well known this franchise is but also the fact that his head covers part of it adds to this since you don't need to see the whole thing to know what it is. The small logo that is included is gold which has connotations of wealth and luxury, possibly suggesting that this film is worth watching. The title of the film is No Time to Die which could be viewed in different ways. One way of viewing this is that Bond is so busy he literally doesn't have time to die. Another way you could read this is that it is a bad time to die. The word die does suggest that someone is going to die which would entice the audience to want to watch it because they would want to know who. The font used for the title is futura black and it is in block capitals which connotes the action genre and tends to be more masculine. The release date mentioned on the poster is the 2nd of April. Although it had to be held back and rescheduled for release in September 2021 due to covid, the original date could have been chosen because it is close to easter meaning more people could go to watch it and it also shows how the movie is for everyone.
Wednesday 13th March 2024
Film Posters
LO: To analyse a historical film poster effectively.
Do Now:
Connotations of
- A black suit
Has connotations of formality, wealth, classic
- The colour gold
Has connotations of luxury, wealth, royalty
- A power plant
Has connotations of industrial, action genre, dangerous, radioactivity
Context:
- At the start of the 20th century, many film depictions of minority ethnic groups supported the dominant stereotypes of the time
- While society was progressing towards racial equality by the 1970s some of these stereotypes were still in evidence in mainstream film
- It is interesting to consider this poster in the context of the move towards gender equality and increased women's right in the 1960s and 70s
Stereotypes - James Bond is holding a gun and wearing a suit which is seen as quite common for a spy character and alongside his serious facial expression it gives us as the audience the impression that he is a professional at his job and is experienced in what he does. They are representing women in a negative way as their outfits consist of not a lot of clothing which is completely the opposite of James Bond's since he is wearing a suit which has connotations of formality. The fact that the women in this poster have these specific outfits, links to the Bond franchise presenting them as the Bond girls. This also links to society at the time and how they have constructed the concept of women being purely for men to look at and to be beautiful.
Gender - The representations of gender are different to the No Time to Die poster. In this poster men are being represented in a much more positive way than women, since James Bond is represented as being the hero and he is dressed formally, whereas the women are wearing a different type of outfit. The women are also presented as being weak and vulnerable, however from his facial expression we can see Bond has been portrayed as looking more powerful than them. Representation of masculinity told the audiences what a man had to be at the time. If you were intelligent and prepared to put yourself in danger then you would gain respect and women would want you. Another female, however, goes against the feminine stereotypes as she is dressed in a karate uniform.
Ethnicity - A women of a different ethnicity is challenging the stereotypes as she is wearing karate uniform. She is represented as different from the other women in the poster.
Issues and events - The 1973 global energy crisis. With the embargo on oil, countries were considering alternative power sources and this is portrayed through the iconography of the power plant and the related explosions.
Section B
Friday 15th March 2024
Film Industry
LO: To explore the process of film making.
Do Now:
Production - The making of the film, editing, filming
Distribution - How the film is distributed across different streaming platforms and channels
Marketing - How the film is advertised via social media, advertisements
Exhibition - When the release of the film is and the first viewing of a film at a cinema or premiere, showing the film
Conglomerates - Big film companies
Vertical Integration - When the film company completes all 3 processes of the film
This is a good thing because it allows these companies to earn more profit rather than sharing them with outside companies since they do the vast majority themselves
Production:
Development Stage - Ideas are created, the rights are bought, screenplay is written
- Pre-production
Writing the screenplay, casting, costumes, rehearsals, finding set, figuring out the budget, production schedule
- Production
The making of the film, principal photography
- Post-production
The editing, colour grading, visual effects, sound, shooting pick-up-shots
Producers
Executive Producers - ensures a film has the funding that is required, sets the budget, oversees the whole project, and overall schedule
The title of producer can be given to anyone that who contributed to the overall film
Producers - Have the overall responsibility for the movie
- secure funding by convincing investors the film will be successful
- secure the rights to screenplay
- manage crew, cast and directors
- manage locations, equipment and schedules
- manage any problems that occur
1) The executive production company for No Time to Die is Eon Productions.
2) Yes they are part of conglomerate, Danjaq and MGM (US companies that hold rights to James Bond films)
3) It is a studio film with high production values
4) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, are also involved with the film
5) ?
6) The budget for the production was £214 million
7) They were filmed in the countries Italy, Jamaica, Norway, the Faroe Islands and London
8) It took 10 months from March - December 2019
Wednesday 20th March 2024
Distribution and Marketing
LO: To explore the process of the film making.
Do Now:
Production - The making of the film
Distribution - How the film is spread around different platforms and streaming sites
Marketing - How the film is advertised on social media/posters
Exhibition - The showing of the film
Distribution:
The process of making copies of the film for cinema, VOD (video on demand), DVD, and SDV (streaming and digital video) release and marketing and promotion.
Smaller films may be shown at festivals in order to persuade distribution signs to take on their films
Distributors need to:
- Work out and stick to budgets for both creating copies of the film and all aspects of marketing
- Consider release dates and theatrical window (the amount of time a film is at a cinema) very carefully
1) The UK and USA distributors of No Time to Die are Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (USA) and Universal Pictures (International)
2) They are both part of conglomerates
3) This would mean that the film's production and distribution is vertically integrated because MGM had a part in both.
4) Release date in cinemas was the 30th September 2021 (in cinemas for 31 days/1 month)
Release date for DVD was the 20th December 2021
5) Easter then Winter. The decision to delay the release was made when it became apparent that the theatrical markets, especially in the US, would not see full demand due to the pandemic.
Marketing and Promotion:
They want to make a profit. A film's success is judged upon how much money it makes at the BOX OFFICE
Bond is an established franchise which has backers (financiers) lining up to either advertise a product within the film via product placement or finance part of the film
Films are very expensive to make, the budget for NTTD was £214 million
Hollywood and movie institutions are very cautious about spending too much on movies and roughly want 2 times what it cost to make the movie, back in profit
The advertising of the film is known as film promotion or marketing and the people who are responsible for this are the distribution company.
- Social media and the star system, celebrities promote the film
- Posters, taglines and trailers, billboards
- Featured parts of films on television
- Marketing used to be done after the movie, however now they do that beforehand
- Marketing budget is 1/4 or 1/2 of the production budget
- Theatrical release costs more
- Print advertising or radio appearances
- Product placement or sponsorship
- Merchandise
The delays in the release may have effected the marketing because people may become less interested in the film if they have to wait even longer to watch the film. They would also have to constantly advertise the film throughout the length of waiting time in order to keep people intrigued, but they would also have to be careful not to reveal to much about the film. Marketing budgets have to increase.
Friday 22nd March 2024
Marketing and Promotion
LO: To explore the marketing methods in NTTD.
Do Now:
- Adverts on tv
- Use of social media
- Posters
- Billboards
- Merchandise
Synergy - Having 2 things that help advertise each other
Examples of Promotion:
- Posters
- Trailers and teasers
- Announcements
- Music
- First teaser poster was released on James Bond day
- In late June there was a behind the scenes look at the movie's filming in the Caribbean
- The first official still from the film was released in early December at the same time as the initial trailer. This was accompanied by the trailer and the cast appearing on Good Morning America ---> star system
- Interviews with cast members and new cast members/director
- Social media was used
- Billie Eilish won a Grammy for the intro song
- Rami Malek mentioned being in the film but kept the identity of his character a secret
- Superbowl advert
- Bond radio
- Merchandise
Brands:
- Range rovers
- Tom Ford
- Omega
- Aston Martin
- Heineken
Wednesday 27th March 2024
Exhibition and Regulation
LO: To explore exhibition and regulation in the film industry.
Do Now:
The delayed release of No Time to Die was an issue for the team behind the movie because it meant they had to keep the audience interested for the length of time before the film was released. This meant that it cost them more money to advertise. They would also have to make new adverts that still didn't reveal too much about the movie so that the audience would still want to watch the movie.
Exhibition:
Exhibition (circulation) is the process of showing the film across a range of different media platforms.
Historically, this used to only include cinema release, but due to the fact that digital technology has evolved, the way in which we watch films has also evolved.
- Cinema release
- DVD release, pay per view, video on demand
- 'Free to air' television (available on standard tv channels for free to the viewer)
In the last few years there has been a change in the way audiences/viewers consume (watch) film.
The rise of Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming sites has made film more easily accessible to viewers. They can stream digital copies straight to their TV, laptops, tablets and phones.
1) No Time to Die was in cinemas in the UK for 31 days and was released in cinemas on the 30th of September
2) They made a worldwide total of $774.2 million at the Box Office
3) No it wasn't released on DVD, VOD, PPV simultaneously. Digital download a month after cinemas, DVD a month after that
4) No Time to Die went free to air in the UK on Sunday 1st January 2023
5) Yes it is available on SDV sites. This includes Apple TV, Google Play, Amazon Prime and Youtube
6) The DVD/VOD/PPV sales were very successful
Regulation:
Film and video releases in Britain are amongst the most tightly regulated in the Western world.
Age restrictions are placed on all commercially released films by the bbfc and some are even expected to make cuts or alter the film in some way to conform to the guidelines.
When classifying films the bbfc consider:
- Context
- Themes
- Tone and impact
- Depiction of discrimination
- Depiction of drug use
- Depiction of sex and nudity
- Use of language
- Depiction of threat and violence
- Depiction of imitable behaviour
1) The age classification for the theatrical release of NTTD was 12A because of moderate violence and infrequent strong language. For video release/DVD the age classification was a 12 again due to the violence and language used.
2) Some financial positives of NTTD being this age classification could be the fact that they have a wide range of people that can come and see the film because anyone from the age of 12 and above can see meaning that they would make more money at the Box Office.
3) The digital age ratings is also 12
Wednesday 17th April 2024
Audience Appeal
LO: To explore the uses of gratifications of films.
Do Now:
A 12 is the age classification for a film when released, however 12A is the age rating for a cinematic release.
People younger than 12 can see a 12A film if they are accompanied by an adult.
Why we would use the media?
- Entertainment purposes
- Be informed about the news and what is going on in the world
- To be educated
- To stay up to date with trends/new films
- To communicate with others
Uses and Gratifications Theory
- Uses and Gratification is a theory from two men called Blumler and Katz that audiences take an active role in the media.
- What people do with the media not what the media does to people
- The theory states that an audience will use a media form for either one of four reasons:
Personal Identity
Information
Entertainment
Social Interaction
Personal Identity:
Media products allows audiences to find role models and other people with similar values
Use of media to reinforce personal values by coming closer to similar and desired people/products
Example: instagram/facebook
Information:
Any information can be learned through different forms of media
Media allows the audience to gain an insight into other peoples lives
The media keeps the audience informed with current events
People can acquire information, knowledge and an understanding through media products
Example: bbc/itv news
Entertainment:
Use of media too escape the humdrum of their boring everyday lives
Access media forms to forget about worries and troubles for a while
To give a sense of happiness and release from the daily 'grind' (work, school, obligations)
Example: films/tv shows/video games
Social Interaction:
The ability of media products to produce a topic of conversation between other people
Media products allows the audience to break down barriers of time/ distance to communicate with others
Example: whatsapp/messenger
How does the uses and gratification theory category of social interaction apply to social media?
People use social media in order to interact with other people because apps such as instagram are international meaning that anybody across the world can utilise the app which allows people from different countries to communicate with each other. Apps like instagram also allows you to post content about anything you would like, whether that is about your life, music, etc. This gives people the opportunity to see what you have been up to and the different things you post, and comment/contact with you.
Band 5?
No Time to Die
How would they be entertained?
People would be entertained because the film includes scenes with guns, fire and other key parts of an action movie which would interest viewers who enjoy the action genre. If someone is aware of the James Bond franchise they may be easily entertained by the storylines.
How would the film promote social interaction?
Fans of the movie may discuss with each other the movie, their likes and dislikes
Friday 19th April 2024
Audience Appeal
LO: To apply the uses and gratifications to No Time to Die.
Film Posters - Information, Social interaction
Film Trailers - All
Website - Information, Social interaction
Merchandise - Entertainment, Social interaction
Billboards (bus stops/buses) - Information, Social interaction
Sponsorship - Entertainment, Social interaction
Uses and gratifications (NTTD website):
Information - paragraph provides information on the film and who the cast is
Social interaction - the photos could give people something to talk about, possibly speculate what is going to happen, social media links
Personal identity - trailers and posters include characters who could be role models/inspirations for other people
Entertainment - trailers and posters give something to be interested in and provides entertainment for those viewing them
Explain how the audience would find 'social interaction' from the trailer
The No Time to Die trailer provides social interaction for people after watching it because many of the scenes are action packed and may leave the viewers with many questions. This gives a topic for people to talk to one another about and discuss what they think may happen. One of the questions they may have could be who is after and why are they after James Bond, following the scene in which one of the characters says something around the line of 'I'm coming for you Bond'.
Wednesday 24th April 2024
Film Industry Roundup
LO: To consolidate our knowledge of the film industry and to apply it to exam style questions.
Do Now:
Things that you would expect to see on a film franchise's website:
- A paragraph or a few sentences of information about the films
- The trailers/posters/images from the films
- Links to social media sites such as Instagram or Facebook
- A list of the cast and crew
- Merchandise items and where you can by them
Sets and costumes of NTTD:
- Jamaica
- Ian Flemings desk in Bonds bedroom
- Bonds outfit had to be casual but also still stylish
- They had to build each set in Cuba
- Iconic silhouettes in the noise (Bond and Paloma)
- Paloma had to have diamonds but also the outfit couldn't pull focus from the scene and stunts
- Invent the island
- Precision to each of Safin's costumes
- References to previous James Bond films
Exam Structure: (C1 Section B)
Two questions
Question 3 - A stepped question that will focus on one of the four media industries (film, radio, newspapers, video games)
Question 4 - A stepped question that will focus on audiences in relation to one of the four industries
There will be no unseen sources. You will need to use the case studies as examples
Work to 1 mark = 1 minute
Question 3: Industry
3a) Name on of the companies that produced No Time to Die. [1]
3b) Briefly explain what a media conglomerate is. [2]
3c) Briefly explain what convergence is. [2]
3d) Explain how films use technologies to reach audiences and promote the film. Refer to No Time to Die to support your points. [12]
Question 4: Audience
4a) Identify two ways in which media producers categorise audiences. [2]
4b) Briefly explain how No Time to Die targets audiences. [4]
4c) Explain why users visit the No Time to Die/007 website. Refer to the Uses and Gratifications theory in your answer. [12]
Homework
3d) Explain how films use technologies to reach audiences and promote the film. Refer to NTTD to support your points.
Many films use all types of methods in order to promote their films. One of these methods is to have interviews with the cast and crew of the films in order to raise the popularity of their films. The cast of No Time to Die appeared in interviews in order to discuss elements of the film before it was released.
Another method of promotion is to have music/songs written by famous music artists. This was popular for the James Bond franchise by previously having Adele perform Skyfall and for No Time to Die Billie Eilish performed the theme song which raised the popularity of the movie even further because not only were fans of the franchise interested but also Billie Eilish's fans would be looking forward to the release of the theme song and therefore the release of the movie. Billie Eilish won awards for the original song created for the film which increased the popularity even more.
Another popular technique is when the cast are revealed but not always the characters alongside. So for example one of the cast members will be announced, possibly also telling the audience which one of the characters from Propps theory (ie. the hero, villain) but maybe the character name will not be revealed. This was the case with Rami Malek's character Safin. It was announced that Rami Malek would be joining the Bond franchise but his character was left a secret which left the audience wanting more information.
4c) Explain why users visit the No Time to Die/007 website. Refer to the Uses and Gratifications theory in your answer.
Fans of the James Bond franchise may visit the NTTD or the 007 website due to wanting to find out more information about the film. Often websites for films include exclusive content that can only be accessed on the website so people may view them to learn about the film in more detail. The websites also include an about page which is a paragraph of information and also news pages which allows to catch up on the latest news about the franchise.
Another reason why people may visit the websites could be for entertainment purposes. The websites include many trailers, video clips and photos from the movie which would be fun for the audience to watch and would again leave them wanting more or being excited for the film to come out. Their would also have been many posters due to the fact that the film had to be rescheduled for the following year. Some of the posters are of single characters which links in with the idea of personal identity since these characters could be seen as role models/inspirations for the audience.
They may use the websites named because it gives something for people to talk about, therefore linking to the social interaction part of the Uses and Gratifications theory. It gives people a topic to discuss with one another, maybe they could speculate what they think is going to happen in the movie. The websites also offer social media links so you can access the accounts for the movie on online platforms such as Instagram or Facebook which again could include more information on the film linking back to that idea of having a topic to base the conversation on when talking with friends or just in general. The websites offer a good thing to talk about with others.
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