Representaion of Regional Identity

Textual Analysis - Doc Martin


Doc Martin is a British television comical drama series starring Martin Clues. The show is set in the fictional seaside village of Portwenn and was filmed on location in the village of Port Isaac. During the clip we have studied, regional identity is constructed to reinforce the stereotypical binary opposite between those who live in the city and those who live in the countryside. Positioning the audience to find humour, rather than challenge traditional  representations, in the difference between Doc Martin and the difference between the locals.


A common stereotype associated with regional identity is that depending on the area you live in can effect how hard working you are. In the opening scene of the clip, the audience is introduced to some of the characters through an establishing shot. In the shot we can see two of the local plumbers who are working in the outdated doctor's surgery. Through the use of Mise en Scene, one of the locals is sitting down on a chair eating a sandwich and drinking from a flask cup. He also appears to be rather over weight. In addition he doesn't seem to be giving any contribution to the job he is supposed to be doing. The other local plumber, who appears to be working at the start of the shot, gets easily distracted when asked a question and quickly forgets about his work. In contrast to the two workers, Doc Martin, shortly after entering the room, starts on emptying boxes. He is also standing up whilst the other two characters are seated. The obvious contrast demonstrated in this scene suggests that the local workers are more lazy than Doc Martin. This could be because the two stereotypes originate from two different parts of England, consequently portraying those who originate from the south look less hardworking and laid back.


Another factor that sets apart the locals from Doc Martin is the clothing codes. The use of a wide angle allows the audience to see the difference between the characters' choice of work attire. Doc Martin, who represents someone who comes form a very urban area, is wearing a smart and clean suit which makes him look very presentable. In contrast, the two local tradesman are dressed in navy boiler suits. The audience can use the clothing codes to establish sophistication between the characters. The fact that the local workers are not dressed as smartly could suggest that they may be more backward which could maybe enforce the idea that those from a rural background are less advance in comparison to those who originate from an urban background. The clothing that the characters are wearing can also enforce a judgement made on their social class and status. Doc Martin, who is wearing a smart suit, looks as though he works in a job which involves looking presentable, similar to a doctor. The two plumbers are wearing practical boiler suits that are ideal for their job type. However it is very easy to tell what sort of work they do from the attire. Due to the fact that the clothes can illustrate what type of career the characters have, it can also give us an indication of their salary. From their salary we can infer the type of lifestyle they may be able to afford and incidentally what social class they may fit into. Therefore regional identity can often have a link with social class and status. In this example it is the Doc Martin with the urban background who seems to assume a higher social class. 


It is a common opinion that those who live in rural areas are often so much more laid back than those who come from urban areas. The older trade worker is shown through shallow focus, which immediately positions the audience to focus their attention on him. Then using a tracking shot, the audience follows him whilst he attempts to contribute to fixing the appliance. This results in him bursting a pipe and causing a spray of water. We then return to an establishing shot where the audience can see the reaction of the other characters. following this, through steadicam the audience follow Doc Martins reaction of stopping the water flow. Then using fast-paced editing the camera flips between head shots of Doc Martin and a new character called Elaine. This creates the feeling of chaos. On top of that there is a lot of non-diegetic sound such as the phone ringing, the sound of the water and the older trade worker talking in the background. This also enforces the idea of chaos and panic.

Ex-Machina Research task

Research

 

Producers
Andrew Macdonald:  Scottish film producer, best known for his collaborations with screenwriter John Hodge and director Danny Boyle, including Shallow Grave (1994), Trainspotting (1996), The Beach (2000) and 28 Days Later (2002).
Allon Reich

 Director

Alex Garland:  English novelist, screenwriter, film producer and director, best known for his work as the screenwriter of 28 Days Later (2002), Sunshine (2007), Never Let Me Go (2011) and Dredd (2012). Garland first rose to prominence in the late 90s with his novel The Beach which went on to receive universal acclaim with many critics lauding Garland as a key voice of Generation X.

 Distributor

Universal Studios:  The company was founded in 1912. Universal is the oldest surviving film studio in the United States and the world's fourth oldest. This means it is well known and has a big reputation. Theme park in LA, California and Orlando, Florida.

 Cast

Alicia Vikander: Began acting as a child in minor stage productions. Vikander made her feature film debut in Pure (2010), for which she won the Guldbagge Award for Best Actress. She attracted widespread recognition in 2012 for portraying Princess Ekaterina "Kitty" Alexandrovna Shcherbatskaya in Joe Wright's film adaptation of Anna Karenina and Queen Caroline Mathilde in the acclaimed Danish film A Royal Affair, receiving a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination. She went on to star in the 2013 Swedish drama film Hotell and appeared in the Julian Assange-biopic The Fifth Estate that same year. In 2014 and 2015, Vikander achieved global recognition and acclaim for her roles as activist Vera Brittain in Testament of Youth, a humanoid robot in Ex Machina for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress, and painter Gerda Wegener in The Danish Girl, for which she received the Academy Award and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress, among others.
Domhnall Gleeson: He is best known for his portrayal of General Hux in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Bill Weasley in the Harry Potter film franchise, Caleb in Ex Machina and Tim Lake in About Time.

 Budget

$15 million: Low budget film

 Locations

Norway:  - Juvet Landscape Hotel, Alstad, Valldal (Nathan's mountain retreat)
                 - Sognefjord
                 - Valldal
                 - Briksdalen, Jostealsbreen National Park (Vertical panning shot before waterfall hike)
UK: - Bloomberg offices, Finsbury square, broadgate, London
        - Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire


Technology
It was filmed in digital at 4K resolution. 15,000 mini-tungsten pea bulb lights were installed into the sets to avoid the fluorescent light often used in science fiction films. The film was shot like ordinary live action. There were no special effects, greenscreen, or tracking markers used during filming. All effects were done in post-production. To create Ava's robotic features, they filmed the scenes both with and without actress Alicia Vikander's presence, which allowed them to capture the background behind her. The parts they wanted to keep, especially her hands and face, were then rotoscoped while the rest was digitally painted out and the background behind her restored. Camera and body tracking systems transferred Vikander's performance to the CGI robot's movements. In total, there were about 800 VFX shots, of which 350 or so were robot shots. Other visual effects were Ava's clothes seen through the transparent areas of her body, Nathan's blood after being stabbed and the interior of the artificial brains.


Number of screens..
Opening weekend: It was released in the United Kingdom on 21 January 2015. However, Universal and Focus Features refused to release the film in the United States, so A24 Films jumped on board for the United States release. The film screened on 14 March 2015 at the South by Southwest festival prior to a theatrical release in the United States on 10 April 2015 by A24 Films. 4 screens
Peak number: 10 May 2015 - 2,004 Screens

Essay 1 - Mr Ford

"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, with in the media you have studied?

For the film Star Wars; The Force Awakens, marketing and distribution was equally as important as good film practices. The high quality of marketing and distribution was essential to the success of the film as both contributing factors worked together to influence the overall positive response from the audience. 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was predominantly distributed by Walt Disney Studios. It was available to be viewed in cinemas, through downloads,via blu-ray and DVD. Disney is a vertical integration as it owns Lucasfilm who produced the film and was also the main distributor. However there were some aspects of horizontal integration as other distribution companies were involved. The film was captured on 35 mm and 65 mm IMAX and was distributed digitally. The fact that the film was distributed digitally saved the production team a lot of money. If the movie was both filmed and distributed on film it would cost a huge amount. Film is much more expensive than digital distribution because the film its self is very fragile. After the film is run through a projector once or twice it will start to degrade - often developing scratches and blemishes which lowers the quality of the film dramatically. As well as being cheaper and more robust, digital distribution allows the film to be shown on platforms such as iTunes, aeroplanes and online streaming. This heavily influences the success of the film because a huge percentage of the audience want to view the film on many different devices and at many different times. This will encourage many more people to watch the film and those who may not be able to travel to the cinemas will be given the opportunity to watch the film before it is released on DVD.

Due to the fact that the film was predominantly integrated vertically, Disney was also in control of the marketing aspect of the films production. Walt Disney Studios is a very famous and well known institution. It has existed since the 16th of October 1923, incidentally it has developed a very positive reputation and has consumed a lot of experience in the film industry. These factors combined means that they have a lot of power, respect, influence and money. When marketing Star Wars; The Force Awakens, Disney used its knowledge and experience to create one of the most successful marketing campaigns yet - the Guardian describes it as "a true Hollywood box office triumph". As well as releasing the standard movie trailers and film posters, Disney made sure it went that extra step further. The team at Disney used social media as a main platform for marketing as well as continuing starters.com they also used the popular social media sites Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and a new tumblr blog. This was a very smart strategy due to the immense amount of people who now uses social  media. It also tackled a wide range of the audience as it became hard not to see or here anything abut the new start wars film on the media. Disney also used the fact that it is a franchise to their advantage, before the film was released Disney enabled all of the six previous Star Wars films available to stream online. Another marketing strategy that Disney adopted was to use some of their branches. For example Disney owns ABC in America, before the release of the film, the anchors from ABC cam on to 'Good Morning America' dressed as star wars characters to promote the film.

Previous to Star Wars: the force Awakens, all the other Star Wars films were produced by Lucasfilm. However after Disney took ownership of Lucasfilm on 30th October 2012, the latest film was the first to be produced by Disney. Despite the fact that this created some speculation as to how the film would turn out, it also meant that Star Wars will expand its audience. Disney has a reputation of creating films for children and families which meant that it created a wider audience for the new Star Wars film. to ensure that the marketing campaign covered everyone, Disney did a lot of brand partnerships. The team at Disney collaborated with covergirl which is a makeup brand. This worked well to capture the female section of the four quadrant. They also partnered with Duracell, a battery company, to capture the older male or adult section of the four quadrant.


However, aside from distribution and marketing, the actually production of the film was of a very high quality. As a result of the fact that the previous Star Wars films were a disappointment to fans compared to the original trilogy, those involved in the production of Star Wars; The Force Awakens felt as though they had a heavy responsibility to impress their fans. J.J. Abrams was the director and producer of the film. This gave them an advantage as Abrams had worked on other big and successful films such as such as Bad Robot and therefore will have a lot of experience in film making. In addition, Abrams is also a well known and highly respected person in the film industry. This would have been a selling point for the new film as those who recognise his name or have enjoyed his previous films, will be eager to see his latest creation. Another producer of the film was Kathleen Kennedy. Along with the producing role, Kennedy is also president of the company who produced the film, Lucasfilm. She too is very famous as she has been involved in successful films such as ET and Jurassic Park. She will have a similar advantage to Abrams when advertising the film.


Going back to the disappointment of the previous films, The production team wanted to use their failure to inspire them to introduce new and different ways of creating the film. The team also looked at why the first films in the franchise were such a success. An effective tactic the used in production practices was to return to the old way of making the Star Wars films. Due to the fact that the older successful films were created along time ago, they had very little technology to work with. Therefore as a substitution they used real explosions, created all the costumes for the characters (opposed to cartoons) and used painted sets that were created painted sets and backgrounds opposed to green screen. The old fan base loved this so much more as they were sticking to the original magic that Star Wars created.


In conclusion, I believe that this films success was equally due to the way the film was distributed and the huge marketing campaign and the successful film production practices. The previous three Star Wars films have been a disappointment to the audience, so this film had to exceed the public expectation. Although the production of the film was dramatically improved, without the marketing before hand, the final product would not have been nearly as outstanding as it was. Using Star Wars as an example, I also believe that and Media product is dependant on the marketing, distribution and production practices.          

Representaion of Age

Textual Analysis - Humans


This is a TV drama that was aired on Channel 4. The series is about our world in the future where we become dependant on these highly advanced humanoid robots called Sims. In the clip we have studied we see how an elderly person reacts to the introduction to a new version of the Sim robots. There are many different representations of age, but we are predominately shown stereotypes of an elderly character. We see the surroundings he lives in, the way he dresses and presents himself to other people.

a common stereotype associated with elderly people is that they like to live secluded from society. People often believe that this is because they ay struggle to conform with the modern and technological advances of the 21st century. This is symbolised at the start of the three minute clip, when we are introduced to some of the interior and ornaments, located inside the elderly mans house, through a panning shot. The scene is accompanied by non-diegetic sound which creates a calming and peaceful atmosphere. The room is also very dark as the main light sources come from two dim lamps in the room. There is also some daylight seeping through some blinds, but the light has very little effect. This may give the audience a dark and depressing feeling as light is often correlated with happiness and darkness is thought of as a representation of sadness, anger or any negative emotion. With the quiet piano music, the soft movement of the camera and the dimly lit room; we are shown a typical scene that we would usually associate with a mature person. This conforms to the stereotype that older people like to cut themselves off from society.

Representaion of Class and Status

Textual Analysis - Downtown Abbey

Representation of class and status is constructed in this extract from the popular birth period drama, Downton Abbey. It reinforces the stereotypical binary opposite between those with higher social class (wealthy, educated sophisticated) and those with a lower social class and status (uneducated, poor, backwards). these representations position the audience to get validation for many of the generalisations already in place.

In the opening scene of the clip we are introduced to a delivery boy riding a bike up to the castle. This is shown through a panning shot. As the shot pans, a long with the boy, we are also shown a beautiful shot of the estate. It is a huge, striking building that is lit up buy the sun. This shot reflects a very common stereotype. The delivery boy is shown to be in a lower class as he is dressed dark and dirty clothing with a woven bag on his shoulder, this costume is that of a typical working boy in the eighteen hundreds. We are also shown through the shot that he is riding a bike. Diegetic sound accompanies this shot with the clinking and squeaking of a bike. This suggests that the bike is old and used. Incidentally it portrays the boy as lower class as he cannot afford to repair his bike. In contrast, as the camera pans, the magnificent estate is revealed in all its glory. They use the lighting from the sun on the building to makes it stand out against the background. Due to the beauty, size and scale of the building, it gives you the impression of power. This is highlighted when you can see the contrast of the small delivery boy in comparison to the huge building next to him. Stereotypically, those of a lower status or class or thought of as less powerful than those of a higher social class. This is clearly demonstrated in this opening scene.

In most cases, wealthy people are associated with unsympathetic or selfish behaviour. This generalisation is challenged when we are introduced to the character Lady Mary Crawly. The director uses sound bridge which adds to the continuity of the transition between the new and previous scenes.  Using cut eating, the audience is positioned inside the house in the characters room. The producer has then used soft lighting on the character which makes her protrude from the background. It also positions the audience to see her as beautiful due to the way the light hits the female character.  She is dressed in all white which could be a symbolisation of her wealth as it gives her a well cared for and clean appearance. White is also often correlated with purity, innocence and is often used to highlight an antagonist character. This contrasts with the stereotype that people of a high social status are mean spirited as the director positions the audience to view this wealthy character as virtuous.

The audience is then shown a physical representation, of what some would consider, a physical representation of a social hierarchy. Using a tracking shot, the audience follows Lady Crawley over to the window where we see the delivery boy cycling past the house though a point-of-view shot. The same non-diegetic sound form the previous clip resumes as we see the action take place. Through the perspective of the Lady, we are looking down at the boy from high up in her bedroom. Typically, those who are wealthy are thought of as being above those of a lower social class. In the clip Lady Crawly, who is of a higher social class, is positioned above the delivery boy, who is of a lower social class. The social hierarchy portrays that she is more powerful as she is positioned higher and have more control.

Following form the bedroom scene, we then move down to the servants quarters. The soft piano music, that was recognised in the previous scenes, fades away and is replaced with the sound of dishes and cutlery. As well as this diegetic sound there is also a lot of dialogue between characters. The two sounds work together to create a mixture of sounds and high volume. This creates a chaotic atmosphere which the director could be using to emphasise the contrast between lifestyles of the wealthy Lady Crawley and the servant workers. You can here that many of the servant characters have heavy northern accents. The director may also have used this to demonstrate the effects of poverty as it was often a sign that you were of a lower class or that you were uneducated as wealth often depended on region and location. This might have been because it contained more colloquial expressions and slang words. In addition, if you had a higher status, society expected you to speak using received pronunciation. The way that someone spoke often demonstrated to others how wealthy they were therefore it was an important part of society.

The director also uses a variety of camera angles to demonstrate the different statuses with in the servant quarters. When the head butler enters the room where a footman is ironing the papers, filmed through a low angle shot to demonstrate his power. In addition, he is also filmed through a hand held shot which reiterates the chaos of the scene. When he proceeds to deliver several orders the camera cuts, with a sound bridge of the dialogue, to an over-the-shoulder shot of the footman receiving the orders.    

Following the seen from the kitchen, the scene changes to the grand stairwell of the house. The  rise en scene reflects the wealth of the family. The directer has used a deep red carpet which is often associated with fame (i.e. red carpet at a film premiere)  and there is a huge, magnificent painting hung on the wall that is framed in gold. The interior design of the stairwell suggest the wealth of the family living there. The soft piano music resumes and the sound of dishes stops abruptly. during this we are introduced to another member of the house, Robert Crawley. Both the calming music and the morning sunlight shining through the windows of the stairwell gives us a preservation of the relaxed lifestyle that the wealthy character lives.          

Representaion of Ethnicity

Textual Analysis - Hotel Babylon


Hotel Babylon is a British TV series aired on the BBC. With in the series, there is a huge focus on mixed ethnical backgrounds. With in the extract we were shown how different ethnicity is presented as a negative thing. The white migrant officers seem superior to the illegal migrant workers. This displayed through the terror the police bring to the workers. Through out the clip there is also evidence of ethnical stereotypes such as religion,


In the opening seen of the clip, we are introduced to the white migrant officers and police through a hand-held camera shot. This is accompanied by loud and very intense non-diegetic sound. The two work together to create tension. The suspense they bring suggests that they are the antagonists. There is also a lot of focus on the contrast between the costumes that the officer and the receptionist are wearing. When the immigration officer enters the hotel he is wearing a black blazer and black trousers. Black is a colour often associated with evil, the fact that the character is wearing black also suggests that he is the antagonist in the clip. In contrast, the receptionist is wearing all white. This coloured, opposed to black, is associated with good. This presents her as the antagonist. The audience can therefore infer right from the start of the clip who's side they should be on.


Stereotypically Migrants or people with a different ethnical background living in England have a reputation of being criminals. A shot-reverse-shot that reveals the receptionist's face, when the authorities walk into the hotel, demonstrates that the police bring fear. Criminals fear the them as they do not want to be caught and punished. The fact that we can see that they make her feel intimidated suggests that they have something to be guilty for. This fits the stereotype that particular ethnical groups are associated with criminal activity. They also use a Dolly zoom shot to reflect the fear of the receptionist.


After the workers have been alerted about the authorities they are taken to refuge in a closet. Whilst in the closet, shallow focus is used to put the attention of the audience on particular characters. Most of the characters are praying and muttering religious prayers. This follows the stereotype that different ethnical groups are heavily religious as the workers are relying on a God to help them in the situation.


Also we can here diegetic sound in the background which is the whimpers and cries of the workers. This lets the audience here the fear and terror the authorities have brought to the workers. This suggests that the white authorities are superior to the migrants. It also presents them in an evil light as they are causing the workers suffering. On the other hand they could be presenting the workers as being weak and backward. This is a common stereotype because often migrants/immigrants come from countries that are filled with poverty. This makes them struggle to conform to modern/western culture and ways of living.


In this scene the Mise en Scene of the characters conforms to a popular stereotype. None of the workers appear to have any status in the jobs they are doing. This is reflected in the clothes they are wearing. Although they are all wearing uniform, It is very visible of the type of jobs they do from there outfits  The majority of the workers are cleaners, this is a job with a very low salary.

Representation of Gender

Textual Analysis - Luther

 

In this short clip we see how binary oppositions struggle for power. Males stereotypically have more power than females, this is demonstrated in this clip when we see Luther using his height and big build to look down at Alice in an attempt of intimidation. However we are shown, from Luther's point-of-view shot, that Alice does not seem phased by Luther's attempt. Instead, she is surprisingly relaxed in the conversation which defies the stereotype of women being threatened by men's physical power. She even attempts to intimidate Luther using sex to try and manipulate him. This is when we see the struggle between the binary oppositions.

In the opening scene to the clip, we are first shown an establishing shot of Alice. We can see the street in the background which is accompanied with the sound of car engines and traffic. Both characters are presented with shallow focus which demonstrates that they are the main focus of the scene. It shows that what they are saying/doing is important and significant to the rest of the story. Throughout the clip there is a variation of over-the-shoulder shots from Luther looking down at Alice. His height makes him look superior as Alice is portrayed to be small and weak in comparison. This relates to the stereotype of women being inferior to the physical strength of men.
Through Mise en scene, Alice is presented as a very controversial character. Throughout the clip we are shown that she is wearing makeup. Stereotypically women wear makeup to  feel or make them seem more attractive to others. This suggests that Alice wants to attract Luther, or certainly impress him with her looks. Although she fits this stereotype, later on in the clip when scene changes into her apartment we get a different impression of Alice. Her apartment is pristine and is filled with academic resources such as a telescope and many books. She also shows a particular interest in the scientific miracle, the black hole, therefore this suggests that she intelligent.  This idea defies the stereotypes as women are typically more reserved and ignorant than men however in the clip, Alice is presented as the opposite.
There is not much sound in the clip other than the dialogue. This highlights that what the two characters are saying is important. At the start of the clip their voices are accompanied by the sound of the road in the background, demonstrating to the audience that they are in an urban area. Towards the end of clip, some background music creeps in as the pace of the dialogue gets faster. The tempo and volume of the music increases and creates a lot of tension between the two characters.
Throughout the progression of the conversation, as well as tension, the atmosphere appears to become more heated. This is created through fast paced shot-reverse-shots.