Monday, 11 October 2010
Banksy and The Simpson's
Banksy has created a new opening sequence for The Simpsons which has aired on US television. See what you think. He gets away with critiquing the way the show is allegedly manufactured which shows a willingness of a big media company (Fox)to accept being pilloried from within. The Simpsons is the biggest, best and most universal comedy in the world so can only benefit from this ability to make fun of its own shortcomings. Not even someone as cool and anti-establishment as Banksy can bring it down. In trying to criticise and make a statement has Banksy joined the art establishment as a celebrity icon ?
Monday, 4 October 2010
Feckless Britain's poster boy
Keith MacDonald has become a tabloid favourite. He has managed to father 15 children with 14 women and claims disability benefit for a bad back.
The Sun also uses the term 'feckless' which its sister paper the Times uses in its headline. They go on to call him a 'jobless scrounger' and a 'love rat'. He gets £67.75 a week in incapapcity benefit which they clami he spends on alcohol.
Eleanor Mills in the Sunday Times believes the 'underclass needs to change' and estimates that Keith's irresponsible lifestyle is costing £2million pounds. Each child receives £20 a week cghild benefit while most of the mothers gets £65.45 a week as they do not work. Housing benefit, free school meals and council tax benefit all add up.
What do you think of the media representations of this story ?
How will this story be received by different audiences ?
What does this story reveal about our society and our media ?
Why has this story caught the public imagination ?
10 : 10
A controversial video for a pressure group hoping to raise awareness about climate change has achieved exactly what it set out to do. The press have had a field day with the clip which has more exploding children in it. This seems to be the shock tactic of the moment. (see MIA post)
They have apologised and removed the video from their web-site but the damage has been done and their goal has been achieved. Viral marketing works on the basis that people will pass things on through social networking and people will search this video out. They have succeeding in putting their cause on the agenda as the event approaches.
The question is how will audiences recieve this media text ? Will they be outraged or will they feel that the message is so important that it justifies the content ?
Compare coverage of the video in the Telegraph and the Guardian. What does this tell you about the audiences for those papers ? How do you think schoolchildren will react as opposed to parents ?
Read the comments on the Guardian blog to see if the stunt has worked and to see how it has been received by a range of people.
They have apologised and removed the video from their web-site but the damage has been done and their goal has been achieved. Viral marketing works on the basis that people will pass things on through social networking and people will search this video out. They have succeeding in putting their cause on the agenda as the event approaches.
The question is how will audiences recieve this media text ? Will they be outraged or will they feel that the message is so important that it justifies the content ?
Compare coverage of the video in the Telegraph and the Guardian. What does this tell you about the audiences for those papers ? How do you think schoolchildren will react as opposed to parents ?
Read the comments on the Guardian blog to see if the stunt has worked and to see how it has been received by a range of people.
Monday, 27 September 2010
AS textual analysis feedback
Focus on specific camera shots and camera angles
e.g. Frodo is shot from a point of view of the ghost and from a high angle. When Frodo looks up at the ghost the point of view is from a low angle. This is a classic cinematic trick showing vulnerability and power relationships. It is also used in Terminator 2 when Sarah Connor sees the Schwarzenegger for the first time since the first film when he was chasing her. She is crawling along the ground trying to escape as Schwarzenegger looms over her.
Go from the specific to the general . Make your point using textual evidence and explain fully.
Ian made a good point about the ring whispering to Frodo ‘quietly and seductively’ as if they have a secret between them. ‘Giving the ring a voice in some way personifies it making it a bit like it has a living consciousness.’ Very perceptive using skills of textual analysis used in GCSE English when you also interrogated a text.
The skill in textual analysis is making perceptive points and the linking them with textual evidence whether a film , television or print text. In the exam you could be given any media text to de-construct so expect the unexpected. You need to develop a confident, fluent style of writing.
The most successful responses are those that show effective note taking. You view the extract four times so you can organise your response into a series of points. Make notes using what the exam board call a toolkit for analysis concentrating on different aspects such as lighting, genre, narrative, sound, mise-en-scene, camera angles and shots and special effects. Also discuss representation and audience as they are key concepts in media studies.
Focus on specific points and write as much as you can in time allowed.
e.g. Frodo is shot from a point of view of the ghost and from a high angle. When Frodo looks up at the ghost the point of view is from a low angle. This is a classic cinematic trick showing vulnerability and power relationships. It is also used in Terminator 2 when Sarah Connor sees the Schwarzenegger for the first time since the first film when he was chasing her. She is crawling along the ground trying to escape as Schwarzenegger looms over her.
Go from the specific to the general . Make your point using textual evidence and explain fully.
Ian made a good point about the ring whispering to Frodo ‘quietly and seductively’ as if they have a secret between them. ‘Giving the ring a voice in some way personifies it making it a bit like it has a living consciousness.’ Very perceptive using skills of textual analysis used in GCSE English when you also interrogated a text.
The skill in textual analysis is making perceptive points and the linking them with textual evidence whether a film , television or print text. In the exam you could be given any media text to de-construct so expect the unexpected. You need to develop a confident, fluent style of writing.
The most successful responses are those that show effective note taking. You view the extract four times so you can organise your response into a series of points. Make notes using what the exam board call a toolkit for analysis concentrating on different aspects such as lighting, genre, narrative, sound, mise-en-scene, camera angles and shots and special effects. Also discuss representation and audience as they are key concepts in media studies.
Focus on specific points and write as much as you can in time allowed.
AS start of term
We have been analysing extracts from film texts and gaining an understanding of terminology. We have also been thinking about a trailer for a horror film.
We looked at the importance of sound in blockbuster films and analysed extracts from Bond films. We looked at the Bond Franchise as a business model and discussed the changing representations of Bond focusing on Daniel Craig's mean and moody version. We compared this to the Bourne franchise and what this explained about changing audiences.
We watched a documentary about sound in Casino Royale. The sound editor explained that sound is 50% of the film in a blockbuster like Bond with lots of explosions, chases and gadgets. We saw how individual sounds were heightened in foley post-production. For example, when someone hits the wall, we hear the crunch as sounds are enhanced in post-production. The software in Final Cut Studio allows us to put on sound effects and we will use this in our productions. An example was the 'Schwing' sound of the sword as it clatters to the ground. There are lots of details and we saw how the music was composed for a full orchestra. The music was exciting, increasing tension with the Bond signature tune a theme throughout. Depending on the country Bond was in the music would be matched to reflect the place. As in Final Cut Pro lots of tracks were laid on top of each other. There are 15 minutes of music in the Miami sequence of action.
We went on to analyse extracts from Mission Impossible, Star Wars and Spiderman. A brief written response was asked for in response to Lord of The Rings as an initial assessment.
We looked at the importance of sound in blockbuster films and analysed extracts from Bond films. We looked at the Bond Franchise as a business model and discussed the changing representations of Bond focusing on Daniel Craig's mean and moody version. We compared this to the Bourne franchise and what this explained about changing audiences.
We watched a documentary about sound in Casino Royale. The sound editor explained that sound is 50% of the film in a blockbuster like Bond with lots of explosions, chases and gadgets. We saw how individual sounds were heightened in foley post-production. For example, when someone hits the wall, we hear the crunch as sounds are enhanced in post-production. The software in Final Cut Studio allows us to put on sound effects and we will use this in our productions. An example was the 'Schwing' sound of the sword as it clatters to the ground. There are lots of details and we saw how the music was composed for a full orchestra. The music was exciting, increasing tension with the Bond signature tune a theme throughout. Depending on the country Bond was in the music would be matched to reflect the place. As in Final Cut Pro lots of tracks were laid on top of each other. There are 15 minutes of music in the Miami sequence of action.
We went on to analyse extracts from Mission Impossible, Star Wars and Spiderman. A brief written response was asked for in response to Lord of The Rings as an initial assessment.
Monday, 21 June 2010
MIA
This video by MIA has been banned on You Tube but is still available on miauk.com What do you think and what is the artist trying to say through the video ?
Read this article about the artist MIA written by Miranda Sawyer in the Guardian.
We discussed why this video might be banned. The graphic violence including shooting of a young boy and blowing another up with the body literally exploding. CGI effects show the dismemberment of limbs and the slow motion effects show the blood exploding from a bullet wound. Josh felt that he had seen much worse in war films, however and perhaps the lack of dialogue and lack of engagement with characters meant that the power to move an audience was less palpable. At one point a man is seen smoking crack which may be controversial and also leads the viewer to think this may be a simple drugs bust. There is some nudity also but it may be the political message that was too hot for You-Tube. The military clad in black and gas masks have American flags on their uniforms suggesting that the USA persecutes minorities. Those with ginger hair may represent any group that is persecuted for their 'difference'.
Josh felt that it could be a metaphor for the Nazi's who exterminated Gypsies and Jewish people. It could also be read as a comment on Gaza or other places where the majority has a vested interest in removing a minority group. An interesting piece of mise-en-scene is the mural on the wall which depicts 'terrorists / freedom fighters 'and the statement 'our time will come.' This opens up the debate about political violence. It was not long ago that Americans were financing the IRA in Northern Ireland. The artist's own family is of Sri Lanka descent and we could read the struggle of oppressed minorities like the Tamils into the film. News reports suggest that the recent government victory over 'rebel' groups was achieved through massacres of soldiers and civilians on the very beaches that are now being advertised as tourist destinations. Most conflicts have this tension between countries or ethnic groups at root so the video can be seen as raising a mirror to the World.
We discussed the effect of the video on an audience and whether it was too graphic. The artist raises their profile through viral advertising and banning the video only raises awareness and makes audiences want to see what they are missing. Particularly a young media savvy audience of music fans for whom the artist could be a symbol of rebellion. Should this use of shocking subject matter be in a music video which is essentially an advert for a product or does using this medium which can be accessed by a wide audience provide an effective platform for political messages and voices that want to be heard in the anodyne world of popular music.
Read this article about the artist MIA written by Miranda Sawyer in the Guardian.
We discussed why this video might be banned. The graphic violence including shooting of a young boy and blowing another up with the body literally exploding. CGI effects show the dismemberment of limbs and the slow motion effects show the blood exploding from a bullet wound. Josh felt that he had seen much worse in war films, however and perhaps the lack of dialogue and lack of engagement with characters meant that the power to move an audience was less palpable. At one point a man is seen smoking crack which may be controversial and also leads the viewer to think this may be a simple drugs bust. There is some nudity also but it may be the political message that was too hot for You-Tube. The military clad in black and gas masks have American flags on their uniforms suggesting that the USA persecutes minorities. Those with ginger hair may represent any group that is persecuted for their 'difference'.
Josh felt that it could be a metaphor for the Nazi's who exterminated Gypsies and Jewish people. It could also be read as a comment on Gaza or other places where the majority has a vested interest in removing a minority group. An interesting piece of mise-en-scene is the mural on the wall which depicts 'terrorists / freedom fighters 'and the statement 'our time will come.' This opens up the debate about political violence. It was not long ago that Americans were financing the IRA in Northern Ireland. The artist's own family is of Sri Lanka descent and we could read the struggle of oppressed minorities like the Tamils into the film. News reports suggest that the recent government victory over 'rebel' groups was achieved through massacres of soldiers and civilians on the very beaches that are now being advertised as tourist destinations. Most conflicts have this tension between countries or ethnic groups at root so the video can be seen as raising a mirror to the World.
We discussed the effect of the video on an audience and whether it was too graphic. The artist raises their profile through viral advertising and banning the video only raises awareness and makes audiences want to see what they are missing. Particularly a young media savvy audience of music fans for whom the artist could be a symbol of rebellion. Should this use of shocking subject matter be in a music video which is essentially an advert for a product or does using this medium which can be accessed by a wide audience provide an effective platform for political messages and voices that want to be heard in the anodyne world of popular music.
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
Lady Ga Ga Again
The prolific releases keep her in the media spotlight as Ga Ga shows she is the heir to MAdonna as the master manipulator and image changer. In this video for Alejandro the allusions to Madonna's Vogue era are obvious providing another elemnet of intertextuality and self referencing the naked materialism and blatant stealing of well worn marketing techniques. Like Madonna she shocks her audience with sexuallised routines and imagery. The whole fetishitic and militaristic / fascist connotations offer the analyst lots of material. Is it about a love affair in fascist Spain under Franco ? Are there allusions to Eva Paeron and Argentina, another MAdonna link through Evita ? Or is Ga Ga just kicking around for eye catching ideas that will be visually memorable and familiar to anyone with a knowledge of popular culture. Like the Tarantinoesque Telephone this one has many intertextual references which make her work read like anseries of in jokes for a media savvy audience much like an episode of the Simpsons. Again the Guardian love to provide their opinion which is great for our study.
The success of launching a music video as an event and making it an internet phenomenon is again seen in the fact that the web-site hosting the new video crashed after a countdown to its launch online. Cynical but effective marketing for a cynical but insatiable consumerist audience.
One reading is that Ga Ga is unable to attract her male gay friends and the video is about unrecquited love. Like Madonna, Ga GA is clearly wanting to be regarded as a gay icon, attracting a lucrative key audience.
A great web-site to aid your own analysis of the videos is the vigilant citizen which attempts to de-construct the messages and values in the song and video.
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