The Force Awakens:

What formats is it available on?

The formats that The Force Awakens is available on include iTunes, DVD and Blu-Ray

Why is it available on different formats?

The Force Awakens is available on different formats so that they can appeal to all audiences and a variety of social groups. This is so that the film is able to reach out to audiences that don't have access to iTunes, therefore the audience that buys DVD's will be satisfied. The same goes for the other formats the film is on.

What is the advantage of this for the distributor and Disney?

The advantage for Disney is that they will receive more money from releasing the film in so many ways and on a variety of styles of media.

Homework: Coming Down The Mountain

How is the audience positioned to think about both David and Ben?

The audience is positioned to think that David has to take full responsibility for Ben, and that he is his carer. This is clear because Ben's character is very much based on needing dependancy from someone else to guide him and answer his curious questions. The viewer can empathise with both of these characters because David is having to take full responsibility over someone that he loves and cares about, whereas Ben does not have a choice in this and cannot be as independent as he would like to be because of his condition.

How is the editing conveying representation of disability?

Editing is conveying the representation of disability when David is answering Ben's questions and is being fixated by what he is hearing. There are constant cut aways throughout the extract showing Ben's reactions and thoughts whilst he is listening to David talking. This shows that David is clearly a character that Ben can rely on and trust because he is not able to see the world in the same way that David can. Therefore the viewer feels sorry for Ben because he is fascinated by the simplest of things in life and is in awe of the life he thinks his brother has lived, showing that his brother inspires him.

Who gets the majority of screen time?

The majority of screen time goes to David because he is being portrayed as the more knowledgeable character. Therefore Ben's reactions are shown in a separate shot to show the differences between the two, and the different personalities and experiences they have had. Also to a new viewer of Coming Down The Mountain, it would be more entertaining to someone if they were to watch someone who seemed more academically capable and more intellectual than a person who has a disability. This is because disabled people generally are shown to be people who aren't seen as knowledgeable or wise in a way that would intrigue a viewer who is having a comparison in characters being shown. Therefore someone who is articulate and intelligent is going to be more pleasing for a viewer than another character who could be slightly more incapable in these departments.

How does the mise-en-scene convey representations of disability?

Ben's characters facial expressions involved a lot of his mouth being open, creating dribble. This is generally what happens with children with disabilities, and commonly Down Syndrome. This is because the muscles in the face become extremely weak, and they don't have the control to stop this from happening. This shows the representation of disability in an original way because instantly the viewer can see that the two characters are different because physically, Ben is disabled. Ben is shown as someone who is hunched over and very smiley, which again is how most people with Down Syndrome are stereotypically shown, whereas David is shown to be slightly more put together and polished because he is able to have control over how he chooses to present himself.

Can you find any examples in the dialogue which convey representations of disability?

Dialogue that conveys the representation of disability involve sentences such as "we've done kissing" and "what's sex like?". Both of which show that despite Ben's character not actually being that young physically, emphasise that he could mentally be of a young age and finds these things to be very mature and make him feel more responsible for his own thoughts and feelings. Although this may be the case, the viewer empathises with Ben because he is still so vulnerable to the world and he cannot help this, therefore these questions and stories are really big and exciting events for him because they help him feel more grown up and impressive.

Film Institutions Essay

Evaluate how different media institutions market and distribute products in the media area you have studied.

In film, major movie studios and independent productions market and distribute their products in many different ways. One example of an institution that has done this is Disney’s major studio production of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’. It is evident that Disney have used various marketing strategies such as the technological convergence engagement of their very own multimedia interactive app. This was extremely effective because it engaged an audience and it was convenient due to it being mobile, which is a clear demonstration of Disney taking advantage of convergent devices. Furthermore, the app also had features including a camera setting, enabling the user to take a ‘selfie’, which encouraged sharing and spreading branded content onto platforms such as Facebook or Instagram.

In contrast to this, Ben Wheatley’s Film 4 Production of the independent film ‘A Field In England’, decided to created a website for a digital master class rather than an app, due to the limited budget AFIE had. The website enforced engagement with the audience and Web2.0, which is a new form of interaction. To add to that, the website appealed to the film’s ‘cinephile’ target audience and the site included videos, which took advantage of digital technology because it showed behind the scenes content, giving more insight into the making of the film.

Going back to Disney, they also used the synergistic strategy of premiering the trailer for ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ on ESPN, this was an intelligent use of synergy because Disney owns ESPN, therefore reaching out to an audience watching a Monday night football game allowed for a larger audience. The use of a ‘premiere’ also creates more of an event for the user. There are also various audience reactions uploaded onto Youtube where people are getting emotional because of the excitement of the release.

However, Film 4 Productions also used social media to take advantage of the director’s small but committed fan base. It created niche cult audience for the film. The use of the day of release allowed A Field In England to be a trending topic. The BFI also said “Wheatley and the whole cast supported the plan and mobilised their active fan base” which is helping to promote the film and makes the reviews more positive. To add to that, Mark Kermode, Virgin and Film4 also tweeted about the film trying to show the audience that the film is worth watching, as Mark Kermode is a film critic.

The distribution strategies used by Disney in order to promote Star Wars: The Force Awakens included the day and date worldwide release which was effective because it created an event and the saturation release capitalised the demand and desire from a vocal hard core fan base. The traditional release windows such as cinema, video on demand, DVD and streaming on television allowed fans to choose format and encouraged repeated viewings in a different format. Whereas the strategies used by Film4Productions mainly involved the simultaneous release which maximised a dedicated but small audience. They used all platforms possible with no release windows, which allowed all fans to see it regardless of geography.  They add value to cinema with Q&A screenings, which took advantage of convergent devices, meaning the viewer could watch the film anywhere, which created an event.

From this, it is clear that there is a difference between both institutions because A Field In England was more dependent on social media, whereas Disney used synergistic marketing and multimedia apps.  This is because Independent films need more social media in order to create an audience for the film and allows there to be a wider audience. I think the most effective release was A Field In England because of the simultaneous release, this is due to it being a technique that isn’t often done, but Wheatley was able to make this successful because he managed to incorporate social media into this process as well. 

Engaging The Audience

How has the film industry (Disney, Film4 or another) used digital technology to appeal to an increasingly fractured audience?

'Inside out': Pixar website

• Explore characters 
• The different areas of the mind where the film takes place 'explore the world' - shows different things that go on
• Headquarters
• Imagination Land etc.
• Facts/Behind The Scenes - says some inside information about where the locations are set and the meaning behind them. Also mentions characters and areas of the mind
• Has a list of credits
• Adverts with Sky Broadband promoting premium internet service
• Also worked with the phone company '3' 
• #InsideOut
• App - game called Inside Out Thought Bubble

'Four Lions': 

• Website: buy DVD, Blu-Ray
• Special features
• Photo gallery - This engages the audience because it gives the audience a glimpse of something they may have missed or it allows those who have not seen the film but are interested in seeing it, to get an idea of what they can expect.

Press:

• What people have said about the film (newspapers etc.) 
• Information about the film
• Cast & crew
• Director: Chris Morris
• Cast: Riz Ahmed, Adeel Akhtar and Benedict Cumberbatch
• Writer: Chris Morris
• Other recommended films the viewers might like

Share Four Lions:

• Facebook
• Twitter @4lionsfilm #RubberDinghyRapids #BrotherOmar
• Email
• Google Buzz
• StudioCanalUK - Youtube channel, uploaded trailer

'Grease: Live'

• They used Snapchat daily in order to show a behind the scenes to the fans and shows parts of the dance routines, locations etc.
• Had an Instagram account with countdown to the live premiere and behind the scenes photos. Also reblogging photos that some of the cast had posted
• Singers/bands such as Jessie J and DNCE changed their own songs to suite the 50s/60s era and sung songs from the original film to promote the old and new style.
• Frenchie and Stan from the original Grease are playing different characters in the updated version and the two of them are preparing to go on a date

Website on FOX:

• Watch the whole live performance if you missed it
• Meet the cast and see who plays which character
• Information about the show and how it will be filmed
• Behind the scenes footage
• Used the hastag on all social media #GoGrease 

Fingersmith

Sound:

Sound in this extract from Fingersmith is presenting sexuality when the two women are standing in the bedroom and we hear the hyperbolic sound of the maid breathing heavily, which is then followed by Maude's voiceover expressing "I had to keep telling myself what she planned to do with me". This presents lesbianism in a fanatical and frustrated way due to society's views on lesbians, showing that many relationships would have to be confined. To add to that, the setting of a bedroom also helps convey messages of lesbianism as a forbidden sexuality.  The confinement and secrecy of a bedroom allows the two to have a more intimate and private interaction.  This is contrasted in general in the extract by cutting to the outdoors when we see the heterosexual relationship being played out.  This editing technique emphasises that heterosexual love is considered more "natural" whereas homosexual is hidden away.

Furthermore, the non-diegetic piano music being played in the background of a scene in a library is displaying Maude's thoughts whilst she is supposedly imagining the woman she is forbidden from loving. This music links to beauty and peace, therefore the woman brings Maude peace of mind and makes her feel comfortable with who she is. From this, it is evident that sexuality is being portrayed as something that should be accepted, and it can feel more special when loving the same sex, as opposed to a more sexually driven relationship as a heterosexual.

In addition to this, a violin is playing when Maude is painting the woman, a man, whom Maude is advised to marry, enters the scene and the music becomes discordant and tense. This emphasises the view that Maude is not comfortable around this man, the music becomes increasingly louder, which could imply that the man is dangerous and has bad intentions. This represents aspects of sexuality because Maude is resisting to pretend to be someone she is not, and despite being a lesbian or not, a heterosexual man in Victorian times, would more often than not be inclined to getting what he wants from a woman, because a man and a woman are meant to love, making the idea of lesbianism become alienated by society.

Representation of Sexuality

1. 
This poster represents sexuality in a stereotypical way.This is because the woman is small and inferior, tied up as a damsel in distress wearing barely any clothes with a stronger and superior beast dominating her and being made to look a lot larger than the woman. This is a clear representation of sexuality because the woman is shown to be physically weaker than the dominant male or creature.


This poster represents sexuality in a stereotypical way as well because there is a strong man carrying a weak and helpless woman away from the danger surrounding them. This is a clear stereotype of sexuality because the woman is incapable of saving herself, therefore she has to rely on the help of someone who is physically stronger than her. The woman is also wearing minimal pink clothing, which shows that her femininity is a main factor in her character and that she reinforces many stereotypes such as women not being able to defend themselves and needing to look a certain way in order to please the opposite gender.

2. Films such as Flash Gordon and The Attack of The 50 Ft. Woman, which both include aliens played by women who are only there to be seduced by a man. Also it implies that women were limited to to roles that show him as weak or submissive.

3. More often than not, women are regularly depicted for their pride, and they aren't always wearing a lot of clothing.

4. Recently, writes and directors have felt that they have been given the opportunity to push the boundaries of how a heterosexual male and female should be portrayed. This allows them to present sexuality as something with more depth and something that is more relevant for society today.

5. In Torchwood, which was the post watershed spin-off from Doctor Who, Russell T. Davies presented Jack's sexuality as an open book and this is evident with the relationship with another character names Lanto, who played one of his co-workers.

6. Captain Jack's sexuality is never properly revealed, only hinted at, this is because sexuality on a programme such as Doctor Who would not be considered suitable for family viewing, therefore his character would tiptoe around the idea of his sexuality.

7.

Film Distribution

What does it do?

• DCP: Digtial Cinema Package
• Transport film and arrange the film to be distributed and released in the cinema
• They help find or decide a target audience
• Consider why people would go to see the film
• Estimating the revenue potential across all the formats of its release
• Persuading exhibitors to play the film
• Developing plans and partnerships to build awareness of and interest in the film
• Aiming to convert as much interest as possible into cinema visits.

Which of the 'Big Six' are shown by the FDA 

• Sony Pictures
• Twentieth Century Fox
• Universal Pictures
• Warner Bros.
• Walt Disney Studios
• Paramount Pictures
• Lionsgate

Definitions to remember for Film Distributors

• Limited: Only played at certain cinemas - anything under 600 cinemas
• Key Cities: Only being shown in a specific country or area - 
• Wide: Played in most places but not everywhere
• Saturation: Played in alm,most every cinema
• Platform Release: A platform release is a limited release strategy, whereby the film opens in only a few cinemas, then gradually expands to more cinemas depending on how well the first release was. Therefore releasing the film in bulks epending on the popularity and feedback.
• Non - Theatrical: A film that is not related to theatre.