TEDx Lecture - Plan B (Ben Drew)

This topic is extremely close and important to Ben Drew due to his own life in a council estate. And therefore knows how it is to be portrayed and judged in this way by society. Plan B believes that people or kids who live in estates are associated with the word 'chav.' The quote, "council house and violent" is what Plan B thinks the word 'chav' means as the stereotypical ideologies of youths living in council estates is connoted. Plan B says that this is an incorrect technique for society to judge upon youths, living in conditions that are poor. He believes that the media constantly show articles which emphasis the dilemmas with youths in general. However, they tend to exaggerate at certain points and stereotypically judging youths.

Plan B realizes what these youths have been through and how they live their lives. Whereas, society completely ignores these people who have been brought from unfortunate families as they are stereotyping them with negative ideologies and opinions. Youths that live in council properties go through a lot and grow up with completely no body except their neighbourhood buddies. Drew recognises how this works as he was once upon a time, in this situation.

Drew was targeting the elder demographic as the audience. He believes that they would benefit more from a lecture like this as it shows them that youths should not be stereotyped and portrayed in the way just like they are by the media. The elder demographic constantly judge these youths by their actions, appearance and language which is truthfully wrong. Drew also made an important announcement which is that people should not believe or take in every single thing they read or see in newspapers, as they are quite good at exaggerating things and leave the relevant and true information out in order to make ideologies and stereotypes dominant.

In terms of the audience, according to the phsycographics, the people in the category of mainstreamers would be hooked as they would want to keep to the trend and therefore think the same as the majority of the world. If Drew was to change the mainstreamers' opinions on this matter, then this may conclude in the overall dominant ideology to be less authoritative. This would also be directed towards carers as they would want to make a change to the world for the best. Perhaps explorers would come in handy as they would want to find out more about whether this view is amd how its being portrayed.

According to Stanley Cohen, a moral panic occurs "When a person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests". Those who start the panic when they fear a threat to prevailing social or cultural values are known by researchers as 'moral entrepreneurs', while people who supposedly threaten the social order have been described as "folk devils". Moral panics have certain distinct features such as concern. There must be some sort of awareness that the behaviour of the group or category is associated with some kind of negative impact on society.

Our Idea of Coursework Production

The genre of the program which we are thinking about producing for our coursework is the theme of crime drama as this in a very interesting genre in terms of the programs like this on television. Also it appeals to the targeted audience; which is the 15-35 year old demographic audience. 

In order to create an effective crime drama which follows the general themes and concepts of a film in this genre, i'm going to research some film clips and analysis them using media language in order to see the key conventions of a crime drama production. Its also good as this would be something which i'd like to look upon and hopefully create a production of that caliber.

Analysis of Ill Manors - Trailer

1) What are the typical codes and conventions of film trailers - what information is usually provided?

The purposes of a trailer are to promote and introduce a film. They normally introduce the storyline (narrative), genre, setting and characters which should lead to the audience having certain expectations and ideas about the film. The genre and storyline are the main two things that give the audience the most expectations. A genre carries certain conventions; for example, with a slasher film you would expect a killer, murderer’s weapon, screaming victims, police investigating etc. This means the audience would want to see some of these things within the trailer so they can identify the genre. The clips used are non-chronological order however, they have a structure that outlines the film’s plot.

1. Screen text - shown in the majority of film trailer and tells the audience relevant info such as, the release date, the production company, age certificates, director(s) etc...
2. Institution information - production company, studio, distributors ect. 
3. Credit block - mostly shown at the very end of film trailers and consist of all the information on the company that made the film.
4. Voice-overs - they usually use the voice of a male. This is because, it could suggest that male voices are more powerful and dominant. The fact that there are not many female voice overs portrays that society is unequal.
5. Names of main stars/actors - are shown early on in the trainer which alerts the audience about starring actors and the protagonists and antagonists.
6. Important information such as the name of the film are sometimes shown at the end of a trailer. This is because, if the beginning of a trailer is appealing, full of excitement, keeps the audience engaged, this would make the audience intrigued in watching the whole of trailer and wanting to know the name of the film.
7. Background music - essential in trailers as it can suggest the genre and perhaps the narrative.
8. Majority of trailers follow the typical narrative pattern according to Todorov's theory which shows equilibrium(normality) at the beginning followed by a disequilibrium(problem/dilemma) and then back to the equilibrium at the end of the trailer. No narrative closure.
9. A number of enigma codes are being used in every trailer, which is effective as it is supposed to keep the audience hooked and wanting to go and watch the whole film.
10. Reviewers quotes are often shown in some trailers as it allows the audience to know if the film is worth watching or not.  

2) How are trailers distributed?

• Usually the trailers are distributed by the same studios that produced them. i.e. Warner Bros. distributes Harry Potter films but also it's trailers.

3) How does Ill Manors use trailer conventions?

The name of the film should be shown and is quite important as it makes the audience aware of what the film is called making them research it. The typography 'Ill Manors' is in a bold and hard hitting font which reflects the nature and genre of the film. The title of the film is shown at the end of the trailer. This is effective as it will keep the audience engaged and hooked with all the crazy events being shown. Additionally, important information such as the realise date is also shown at the very end and this would make the audience aware of when the film will be coming out in cinemas making them feel more excited. Moreover, reviewers quotes are a small part of the screen text which is also quite effective in promoting the film to the audience. And gets the audience thinking about whether it is worth watching or not. In this case, 'Ill Manors' reviewers quotes are shown in the trailer demonstrates that the film is worth watching and this is made evident through 'Simone Baired, Time Out' at 0:15, as he stated "A film for our times". Additionally  the director's/producer's name is stated in the middle of the trailer "From Visionary artist Plan B" which clearly states that Plan B produced this film. This is effective, in making the audience aware who the director of the film is and also if people are fans of his music they are most likely to view the film.

According to sound non- diegetic sound is used throughout the entire trailer of a voice over,  Plan B. The voice of Plan B demonstrates that he, himself is the narrative of the film which is unique and very original. Furthermore, montage editing is used throughout this trailer which shows it is a non-linear narrative in terms of the shots and fast pace meaning, it doesn't follow the structure of Todorov's theory. It is also a multi-strand narrative as there is more than one narrative. This is effective in conveying excitement for the audience. In addition, the music used in the trailer is more urban which would appeal to the youths. Also the sound track is featured in the film which would appeal to the audience.

4) Who is the target audience? Does it have a unique selling point or use particular techniques to appeal to the audience? Consider the way the scenes are edited together-does the trailer give away any clues about the narrative? Are the main stars visible in the trailer? Is there information about the director of the film? Is there information about the release date? Is a narrator's voice-over used?

I think the film is targeted to young adults from ages 18-34, however it could appeal to the male audience highly. This is because, the film contains a lot of violence, males, sexual content, drug-taking etc which would appeal more to a male audience rather than females. Also, from watching the trailer according to the psychographic group I think it would associated with strugglers. This is simply because, strugglers seek escape and the trailer clearly shows adults who have been brought up from deprived areas or haven't had a good childhood which has had a impact on them growing up, perhaps lead them to do drugs etc. Moreover, montage editing is used to show the audience  that the film has a multi-strand narrative. The ways the scenes are edited together cleverly gives away clues and ideas about the narrative because it highlights that the film is going to focus on different characters and their violence /problems. The fact that flashbacks are shown in the trailer connotes significance in reflecting back on each character life. The main stars in the trailer are invisible as none of their names appear in the trailer, which could suggest that they are not well known actors. Furthermore, there is information about the director "From the visionary artist Plan B" which is highly effective in portraying to the audience that he directed and produced Ill Manors, therefore the audience would be more aware, especially fans of Plan B . Additionally, the voice over of Plan B shows the audience he is the narrative of the film. Additionally, the screen text such as the release date and the name of the film is shown at the very end of the trailer. This is quite effective as from the beginning of the trailer, the audience would be engaged and appealed with the events rather that the name, therefore they would wait till the end of the trailer to know what the film is called. 

5) How has the genre of the film been represented through characters, setting, lighting, colour, music, camera shots/movements/angles and editing?

The genre of the film is a teen urban drama  and this is firstly represented through the characters costumes and make up. The male characters are wearing track suit bottoms, hoodies, caps ect and these clothings are very stereotypical in portraying young adults. The clothing worn in the trailer, does reflect the genre because, as it is a teen urban drama the audience would expect the males wearing these type of clothing as it fits in very well with that genre. The music used in film trailer is urban which is related to the genre as well as that type of music is definitely associated with teenagers in these days. Also, according to Props theory the dramatic, fast pace sound is used to highlight the 'Villian' in a more deceiving way and this is made clear when the audience recognise the character Kirby. This links with the genre, as the dramatic music could demonstrate that he is dangerous and not trust worthy. Furthermore, there is more than one setting in the trailer. For instance, a house, police station, in an alley etc. This is because, for every different setting it includes different characters which could suggest that the film follows a multi-stranded narrative. The camera movement focuses on different characters in the film not just one main character which suggests it is also a multi-stranded narrative.

Research - IIl Manors Questions

1)Research all the Institutions involved in the production of Ill Manors. List them with a summary of what their contribution to the film was.Ill Manors' institutions involve Revolver Entertainment and BBC Films.

2) How much Ill Manors cost to produce (its budget)?

The budget for this film is £100,000.

3) How was Ill Manors funded?

Ill Manors was funded by three studios the Film London Microwave, BBC Films, and Aimimage. Film London Microwave is in partner ship with BBC Films. Also, Film London Microwave provide:

• Production Funding
• Bespoke training and mentoring
• Professional development
• Support from script to screen 

4) What is the target audience for Ill Manors?

I think the target audience for Ill Manors would be for teenagers/adults from the age of 16-18+. This is because, the film includes a lot of physical violence, swearing, sex scenes and also the certificate (age rate) of the film is a 18+ therefore it would not be suitable for children who are 18 and under.

5) Who is the main distributor of Ill Manors?

The main distributor of Ill Manors is Revolver Entertainment. 

6) How was Ill Manors promoted?

The film was first promoted by the film poster which was first unveiled by Empire magazine website on the 8th of May 2012. Additionally  the website Digital Spy unveiled two further promotional posters on the 18th of May and 7th of June 2012. The DVD contains footage that was not broadcasted at cinemas. 
7) Compare this with a big budget blockbuster. What are the main similarities and differences?A big budget blockbuster which I have chosen to compare Ill Manors to, is the film Taken. The film Taken is a very successful action/thriller film with the budget of $25million and made $226,830,568 in the Box Office.
Similarities

• Contains Violence.
• Relates to true life experience ( Taken conveys the danger of human trafficking where as Ill Manors highlights the daily lives of individuals who have been brought up in deprived areas since childhood)
• Enigma codes used to intrigue the audience.

Difference

• The film Taken features actors/actresses who are well known to the industry therefore more people are likely to watch it, where as Ill Manors features new aspired actors/actresses.
• Ill Manors budgeting cost is lower compared to Taken, therefore Taken is better equipped in terms of making the film.
• Ill Manors contains sexual scenes, more violence, swearing and drug taking

8) How does the trailer for Ill Manors hook audiences into the narrative and pose questions that the film will answer? Identify 3 ways/techniques.
Ill Manors hook the audience into the narrative and pose questions that the film will answer is because the trailer clearly portrays the lives people who have been brought up in deprived areas such as council estates and the effect it has had on them whilst they were growing up. This hooks the audience into the narrative because, it it gives the audience a realistic insight of how people from deprived areas are coping and the problems they are facing every day of their lives. Also, the voice over of Plan B almost raping instead of telling the story in just words in the trailer is effective on the audience. This is because it could highlight how he directed/produced the film and it also conveys to the audience that Ill Manors is a reflection of his life when he was growing up in a council estate.
9) How does the trailer for Ill Manors balance plot and spectacle?The trailer for Ill Manors balance plot and spectacle through intriguing the audience about what is going to happen later on throughout the film. The flashbacks used in the trailer is effective as it would give the audience and insight of the character childhood and what let him/her in the position they are in now. Also, clearly conveys the main characters by repeating them therefore it allows the audience to identify who is the villain and protagonist.10) Think about the certificate of Ill Manors (18 certificate). Research film certification and outline what is deemed acceptable for this certificate. What is the difference between a 15 certificate and an 18 certificate?
The certificate for Ill Manors is 18, which I think is suitable as the film includes sexual scenes, a lot of violence, and swearing. Difference:18 certificate contains a lot of violence, sexual activity, drug taking etc, where as in a 15 certificate there can be a a bit of sexual context however it cannot be detailed and must be appropriate.  Drug taking can be shown however it cannot be promoted or encourage drug misuse.

Preliminary Exercise Evaluation

According to the brief for our preliminary exercise we, as a group of four (Me, Harpal, Hargio and Samuel) had to create and produce a 30 second clip which included a character walking through a corridor, opening a door and there had to be an exchange of dialogue before the clip ended. 

Whilst filming the conversation we had to bear in mind that we must use an over the shoulder shot when exchanging the dialogue, whilst keeping the 180 degree rule in mind as well. Our first thought on the exercise, was that we needed to start off with a genre before deciding the setting and the dialogue. As a group of four including myself, we pitched an idea based on the genre of what we think the preliminary exercise should be. Eventually, in terms of genre we decided to go with a hybrid of romantic/drama as it would appeal to the 15-35 demographic audience.

Once the genre on this exercise was decided, we drew up a storyboard which included all the different types of shots which we were thinking about to take forward, the narrative of the film, the actions/expressions which we were to do and the dialogue which was to be said. In addition to this, the length of each shot was included so that we knew how long the overall clip was roughly going to take up so that if it was under over 30 seconds, we could edit the clip slightly to fill the overall duration. The shot list that we made, helped a lot as well as the story board as it also gave us an idea of how the overall clip would turn out to be.

Throughout the whole of the clip my favourite part was the extreme close up shot of the male character's eyes and his eye lids closing, although we unintentionally broke the 180 degree rule. However, the close up of the eyes connoted various things. The extreme close up is very effective as it releases more emotions and senses of the character making the audience feel engaged. The connotations of eye lid closing are sadness, unhappy, heartbroken etc. Although the audience does not specifically know what’s happened, they are able to work it out due to these enigma codes. There’s no dialogue in this shot and this engages the audience and have sympathy for the male character.

In terms of the pre-production side of things, I’d have liked to create some more detailed storyboards, in order to show the idea’s and processes which went through our minds whilst preparing to film. Another factor which I’ll take into consideration when making the final real production, would be choosing an appropriate setting as Costa (canteen) was a decent setting for a romantic drama however, I felt that the fact that it wasn't a realistic coffee shop where you could drink coffee in peace but it was the canteen. Also, the audio sound quality was terrible as we had cleaners in the background speaking and moving tables therefore disrupting our filming and made it hard for the dialogue to be heard by peers.

Overall I think we did a decent job of the preliminary exercise however there were a lot of things which we could do differently in the future in order to make our real 2 minute production much better. In terms of the editing, it was done very well. The cuts were on time, great continuity editing which made it more realistic and the clip seemed to flow quite well. When creating the final production for the media coursework, I’m going to take the factors listed above into consideration in order to ensure that it’s even better than what we produced for the preliminary exercise.

Psycographics - Advertisements

MAINSTREAMERS

This is an advert about a company (ADT) that specialises in home security (alarms). In media terminology this advert is aimed at the catergory, mainstreamers from Young and Rubicams pyscographics. This is because mainstreamers normally seek security and conformist. Mainstreamers are usually the ones who need human warmth and avoid any risks therefore this advert is perfect for them.

ASPIRERS

This is an advert about a Rimmel mascara that gives extra long lashes. I think that this advert is aimed at the category, aspirers from Young and Rubicam's pyscographics as they seek status. Usually, aspirers are most likely to be younger people such as teens and young adults from ages 16-24. Aspirers are the ones who usually look at the packaging of a product rather than the product. They are also known as attention seekers.

SUCCEEDERS 

This is an advert about the new release of Microsoft Surface where a keyboard attachment is available. In my opinion this advert is aimed at the category, succeeders from Young and Rubicams, as they seek control.  It's a brand choice based on self-reward and quality which is what this group look for. A microsoft surface is a self rewarding product and of a higher quality. Also succeeders are in a much higher management so they will be able to afford the product. Additionally, they have strong goal and confidence.

RESIGNED

This is an advert about a chocolate bar made by the company, Cadbury. The advert was produced in the 1980's. I think this kind of advert would fit in with the category, resigned from Young and Rubicam, as not only the advert was made in 1980's but it attracts the elderly audience from ages 50+. Also, they are retired pensioners who like to stay at home and be domestic. 

EXPLORERS

This advert is about a car made by the company, Honda. This is aimed at the category, explorers from Young and Rubicam as they seek discovery. This also appeals to them because its something new. Who gets together a choir to make all the noises and sound effects a car makes? That is something totally unique which will grab the attention of explorers.

STUGGLERS

This advert is about playing bingo on the world wide web. I think this advert is aimed at the category, strugglers as people who are desperate for money always play bingo and have full hope that they may win. Strugglers are also people who are disorganised and have a low self esteem. If you noticed, in this advert, when they won £15, they seemed to be over excited about that. This clearly shows that they don't have the lifestyle as classes ABC1 have. Also seeking escape.

REFORMERS

This advert is to do with a whisky bottle called Jack Daniels. I think this advert is aimed at the category, reformer from Young and Rubicams, as people like these like to have a good time and have less restrictions of freedom. Also seeking enlightment.

Preliminary Exercise - Lovestruck