Audiences and Institutions Essay

Audiences and Institutions Essay

1. Assess the importance of marketing in the media area you have studied.  

The importance of marketing in film is for the promotional factors and the success of the movie in and out of the box office. With the direct connection with their fans through the marketing of the film; they help keep people excited to watch the movie, helps connect to their audience, and tells people when it's going to be released. The millions of dollars that the different production companies -marketing teams- use to help showcase the film, helps in the box office. 

   An example of how marketing efforts for the movie helps in the box office shows through the marketing efforts for Beauty and the Beast. Through the cross promotion of The Bachelor and Beauty and the Beast, the marketing of the movie helped both the movie, and the show. ABC the broadcasting company, is owned by Disney making marketing cheap and beneficial, creating the synergy to help promote both the show and movie. The marketing team also promoted the movie through the use of trailers and sneak peaks. This kept me excited to see the movies and continued to be invested in the movie even after I saw it in theaters. The film made around 1.3 billion (USD) in the box office alone, with around 140$ million (USD) in marketing promotions, showing how marketing helps gain attention for the film.

   Another example of marketing helping the sales in the box office is, Fantastic Beasts:The Crimes Against Grindelwald, exhibition and distribution of the film. The different platforms for spreading the film through the exhibition of the movie and distribution, like purchasing the movie through; Blu-ray, DVD, Digital HD, Netflix, and On Demand to name a few, helped people want to see it in theaters. This also connects to their website that streamline the viewers to other movies they have. The Harry Potter series is connected through the Pottermore website, allowing a marketing platform for future movies as well as the Fantastic Beasts movies. This reaches their audience through a personal way making the films popular. I have a Pottermore account and the different ways they channel their merchandise and movies on the site help influence the people to go out and experience the world of Harry Potter in the movie theaters. The high amount of marketing shows in sales with this film alone making 653.7 million (USD) at the box office while only needing 150$ million (USD) for marketing promotions. 

    The movie Jurassic world is a good example of the marketing team promoting the movie in a way that showcases a special part of the movie, while also closing the gap between the trailers of the movie, and the release date. This was so the fans of this movie will wait and will be happy to go to the theaters to watch the movie. The easter egg hunt on their website was the way they promoted their new movie with a creative twist that the big age demographic would like, including my sister who was eight and father being fifty at the time. The age demographic for this movie was thirty-nine percent under twenty five and sixty percent was over, this big fan base needed to have things to do in between the release date and the time they announced the release date. 

  Connecting to people through websites and shows the age demographic might be watching are how the marketing of the movie is important for the overall success of the movie. However, even with the marketing of the film, if the film itself isn't produced in a way the age demographic like the success of the film is null and void. The movie Cats age demographic was for kids and adults but mainly the people watching musicals. Universal spent a lot of money on the movie Cats ninety-five to around 100 million alone to market their film, through interviews, trailers, and countless ads on the movie, and still couldn't save its incredible loss. Even with the showing in the theaters twice the movie is looking at several million dollars in losses. In my view of the movie from someone who enjoys musicals, I was very shocked to hear that they were turning this musical into a live action movie when there were so many better ones out there. This musical turned into a movie with extreme editing on the faces, and bodies of the characters, leaving me not wanting to watch even the ads due to how creepy it looked.The marketing of the incredible cast with Taylor Swift, James Corden, Jason Derulo, and the other amazingly famous people couldn't even save the movie. 

  The importance of marketing in the film is one of the most important parts of releasing a film to the people of the world. However, if the film you've directed isn't produced to the standards the age demographic like the film Cats the movie will suffer. Through the production, distribution, and exhibition phases of the film the companies (marketing teams) form a way to help keep interest in its demographic. Like the promotion in another show, easter eggs, and the different sites that the marketing teams make, to interact with the fans, help build that basis for the fanbase to watch the movie in theaters, and keep the money coming in from the box office.  

   

Practice Extract Assignment: Essay

Essay

The director is trying to convey to the audience that the scenes are taking place in a medieval time period that is most likely filled with the usual themes of war and betrayal. Through the theme of dark conventions similar to a drama and thrillers the director uses the set to transport us to another time and world. The many different layers of conventions that the director brings to the scenes makes the audience feel the seriousness and the underlying sense of fear the actors make the charractor portray. 

   The feelings that brings out in the audience and the charractors is that they are trying to get help from a kingdom they know will refuse their request. Through the message of the harsh music and distinct diegetic sounds the audience is left with getting submerged in the story the director is showing us. I think the way the director layered out the scenes was to show the vulnerability of the first two characters shown and the contrast between them and the three other men in the last scenes.

     For scene one, the director's vision is the medieval times, to make the characters on the ship the main characters,all for the scenes that will follow. This can be seen through the use of the dark elements to this theme. In the use of the high angle shot of the ship as it sails by we can see the colors of the ship to be ones that could have possibly been obtained back then. The reds can be a symbol of where they came from or represent their individuality as characters. From this bird's-eye perspective we can see the urgency in which it is moving, the fast pace is matched to a jump cut. The camera zooms into the character wearing a grey costume, making him out to be the most important person, in the two-shot that it zooms out to. This light costume sets him apart from the person behind him. After which the camera jumps again to a wide angle two shot, capturing the sword at the side of the person wearing the black costume, this makes him out to be the one to protect the one in grey. This could mean that the one in grey is of high rant and social status. The tone of the scene is conducted through the non-diegetic sounds of the ambient noise in the background. This sound brings about urgency and the seriousness of the mood the actors are portraying. This leads the audience to believe that they're going to a place where they are seeking help but already know they will be denied it. These costumes compliment the medieval tone of the other pieces to the scene, the diegetic sounds of the waves, birds chirping, the ship creaking, all set the mood to tell the audience that they are in a boat sailing to a place where they will ask for help for something serious. 

      For scene two the director's vision is set in a kingdom where the characters we meet a second ago are sailing to, and through the use of the previous conventions we can tell they are apprehensive about going. Through the use of a pan shot, we are in a bird-like perspective that zooms out away from the two characters, to tilt up to a statue, and a big city. The characters were looking up before we had seen the statue leading our eyes to follow theirs to the statue. The pause after would be an establishing shot telling the audience this is where they will be for the remainder of the scenes. These are all slow jump cuts and mainly pans signaling the audience to focus on the characters and marvel at the surroundings.

    For the director's vision is still the medieval themes but with the characters in the big open room we can see how truly at a loss they are. The window and close up shot of the presumably main character's head shows how the scene is meant to be dark and adds to the suspense. Then through the use of a pan we see the look of fear from him. We can hear the abiant non-diegetic sounds stop and the boots are the loudest noise till the dialogue. Then it goes to a wide shot of the lonely huge room that is much too big for just a couple of people. The director likely made the decision to show the audience that the two people are probably going to be made a fool of or at least made to feel like they aren't important. The place they were in was much too big for a small meeting and the large table with the two small stools across from the three thrones made the audience's assumptions clear. The characters seem distressed about the confrontation they had sailed there for, the dark lighting ,and their face highlighted with a dark contrast and sweat makes them look a little sickly. The audience is left with the assumption that they already know the answer to the questions they're going to ask. This tension can be seen in the way the characters present themselves, throughout the main character (in grey) pacing, to the black character watching him with a fearful gaze with the low angle shot, made to make the other character (grey) seem bigger and thus in charge, we can practically feel the tension in the air ourselves. At this time the jump cuts seem to be getting faster as the characters continue back and forth, this leads the people to believe they are still nervous.

      From scene four the director's vision is to make the audience feel the awkward surroundings and the pressure that the two men have to bear, to try to get what they need, even with the people who seem to be impossible to get through. Through the use of a big setting like the room filled with only a long table, two small stools ,and three thrones, it makes the space between them and the other people who aren't in the room yet feel bigger. The flinching of the two characters and the fast pace jump cuts to and from them then to the massive doors makes us question what's going to happen. With the confidence the men walked in with we can tell what's about to happen. The director makes it so the camera tracks and pans the movements of the three men to look as if they are synchronized. This leads the people watching to believe this isn't the only time they have had this meeting with another kingdom. The two other men are shown quickly but the camera rests on the one in the middle, marking him as the leader. He greets the men with a fake smile and a fake welcome. The scene brightens up but only on their side as the side with the first main characters stays dark. The director chose this lack of color and light to represent the hard times they've faced and will face in the future it seems. The reoccurring colors of muted tones of grey, faded yellow, blacks, and other muted tones seems to make this scene even more suspenseful and interesting to watch. When he directs them to sit it jump cuts to a wide shot of the two characters looking at the small uncomfortable stools. This shows the disrespect of the nice tone he uses, completely contradicting what he is projecting on the outside. The silence in the room is suffocating and the close up of the main character (the one wearing grey) tells us how uncomfortable the scene should make us feel. He walks to the chair and the camera moves at a low angle in a pan motion. Afterwards the close up to his face and the jumpcut to the two shots of the main characters can be seen. This awkward way of filming makes us wonder what they will try to do to get them to agree to their demands. After the long pause of the scene the wide shot can make the characters look extra small but the one wearing black introduces the man in grey then sits. This shows the other characters in the throne that he has a title too and shouldn't be disrespected. However, the one in the middle who as I, the audience, assumes to be the leader other others disrespects him further by talking about his past makes the scene turn even more awkward.  The dialogue continues but it isn't until the end where we see more light on the main characters side as the one in black stands up for his boss and I'm assuming friend. This interaction shown by this man brightens up the room and the jump cuts to the one wearing grey shows a new perspective on his character. He walked away after being criticized so harshly but, even if he cut the fingers off the man with the black clothes, he is still highly respected by him. The man wearing black talked highly of him regardless and the turn of emotions gets played on the other mans face (the one sitting in the throne). The turn of the criticisms makes it seem like the two main characters might have a chance at getting what they were after all along. 

     From the audience's perspective there were two main scenes, but the different tones split the last scenes due to several changes to the atmosphere of the characters,lighting, and overall mise en scene. The directors' use of the many conventions helped shape the theme of this medieval drama and thriller to transport us (the audience) into the world that the director wanted to show. We got to experience the subtle increase in tension with the increase in jump cuts and close up shots of the characters faces. The diegetic sound of the ocean and birds transported us to go to the kingdom they went to, in a birds perspective with pans and close ups. The props and the clothing fit the medieval times and were completed with a sword and boat. The vision to transport us to a world where these characters feel they need to start a battle, and gather resources from people they don't trust, creates high tension to make this scene work for the times they chose.

Practice Extract Assignments

Extract Assignments

Due to COVID-19: The Music Video

The Music Video

Due to the COVID-19 virus the exams were cancelled however, we are still required to provide the things we have done so far in AICE Media, so this is the music video my group and I did. I did the camera work, most of the editing, costumes, and props. I am really proud of this piece and what we did to achieve it. 

How this film has shaped my journey in AICE Media. This was the first film where I completely filmed and had a hand in how the filmed looked. I was the person who looked over the editing process to make sure it completely followed with the storyboard.  I loved how we could represent the LGBT+ community and how we could see how in the 1950s to late 60s that representation wasn't there. We can see in the video how if they could be who there are out in the open, how happy we all could be. The music is by Frank Sinatra and the song is called "Fly Me To the Moon," which at that time and now is still a very famous song. "Fly Me To the Moon," is not just a famous song, it doesn't have a music video from what we could find on youtube ,and we wanted to give it one that showed how beautiful the lyrics are. Through the song I wanted to take the lyrics both figuratively and literally. Showing how the music is old the black and white adds a touch of how it could have been. The shots like the iris in and out scenes were used a lot in those times in early television. 

I wanted to incorporate some of those themes along with the newer themes of the 21st century. The lyrics don't have a gender, there is not he, she, or they, these lyrics could be for anyone. That's what I wanted to show, that we can all have a bit of love, no matter who. The song is like a love letter, it feels like the song is meant to be danced to slowly. The slow pace of the song matched with how fast it ended shows how short can be sweet. Songs now-a-days aren't short and sweet, the lyrics of this time can show the innocence in love. No matter how old this song is every generation will listen to this song. Its relatable for every gender and sexuality. We don't have to agree with our views, and it's okay ,but one thing I believe everyone can agree with is music is a universal language. We can listen to music and listen to how it makes us feel, we can all have emotions, and music expresses it to everyone. 

My CCR: The Finished Product

My CCR

My CCR pt.1 is the one with my dog interviewing me. 
The second one is the pt.2 to the first one. Due to me using an IMovie and an apple device it would only transfer up to five minutes per video to a windows device and took around two hours to load each. 
In total the combined videos are around 10 minutes.  

Part One 

Part Two

In this CCR I've reflected on not only the movie and the details of it, I've also talked about my experiences with filming and the AICE Media class overall. I've put my script in the previous blog and also stated the reasons for certain details about the CCR. 

I chose my dog to be the one to interview me due to the social distancing order. I didn’t want to risk going across county so I could film with my group so, we all decided to do it separately. The reason why I decided to not film my face and instead record an audio file and send it in is, that way I can show my skill in inserting a voice over. I also don’t like to be the one to be filmed. Stage fright is real and I can show my talents better off camera. I like to be the one to express what I can do in a film off camera. I like to see other people act and interact with the props I made and the costumes. I like to be involved behind the scenes and watch the movie with audience. 
I choose to film my dog as a way to add humor and an interesting element to my CCR. The CCR is supposed to be personal and our own experience with how we filmed. Since I filmed off camera I wanted to show how I improved the way I filmed and the other ways you can still make a movie without being in the spotlight. I wanted to give the people in my group the spotlight cause they enjoyed being filmed and seemed to have fun. I enjoy doing the hidden work. I liked making the props, getting the locations, making the costumes, and I liked to film. The movie industry isn't just the people acting that make the movie, otherwise why would there be a "best director" award given. 

My CCR: The Script and Background

My CCR

In this CCR I've reflected on not only the movie and the details of it, I've also talked about my experiences with filming and the AICE Media class overall. I've put my script down below and also stated the reasons for certain details about it. 

I chose my dog to be the one to interview me due to the social distancing order. I didn’t want to risk going across county so I could film with my group so, we all decided to do it separately. The reason why I decided to not film my face and instead record an audio file and send it in is, that way I can show my skill in inserting a voice over. I also don’t like to be the one to be filmed. Stage fright is real and I can show my talents better off camera. 

The Script 

Question #1

Throughout this experience in AICE media I’ve learned to not only adapt with the ever changing challenges i faced for filming and production but also I’ve learned how to manage the time and resources that were available. I learned how to use my previous knowledge of costume and design and built on those skills. I’ve learned to work under a time constraint and I feel like I can better handle similar situations in the future. AICE media taught me to be more quick on my feet and mind. Along with teaching me the basics of filming and how movies, commercials, and music videos get filmed. With the virus the last thing we had to do was our movie. Since the no contact warning re-shooting was a bit of a challenge but we managed by taking each others strengths into consideration. The movie turned out great.

For regular dramas, you mainly see bright lighting and happy music. For the drama “A Bit of Love” I wanted it to play in more to the darker side of dramas. I wanted a darker feeling with the aesthetic of a drama. The yelling and fighting that the characters show to the audience quietly gets shut down. This adds a little humor into the mix along with the constant change of scene like most dramas have. With the genre leaning more towards drama than romance or crime I wanted it to have a bit of everything. The dialogue is few but should add a little humor to the dark atmosphere. The way the movie is shown is that I wanted them to be in dark lighting when they were together, and a lighter lighting when eating. This emphasizes the importance of what they are eating. 

This movie shows the darker side to celebrities. It addresses that what the public may see is not what usually happens behind closed doors. This group of people that people regard as “can do no wrong” can be an issue. People are people, humans are humans, we all have flaws, anyone who says different is lying or selling stuff. 

Question #2

This movie engages with the audiences by creating the suspense of the fast pace and multiple locations. The fast pace introduction shows a glimpse into the unknowns of celebrity life and how one thing can be vastly different on and off camera. The drama is the people and their interactions with each other, but also their food. This also can create a little humor on how we can all be different before and after we are hungry. 

With the COVID -19 virus, times are changing, for better or worse it’s too soon to tell. The movie industry has been shut down to prevent the spread to the actors and the people on and off set. The production of the movie has been stopped but the movies that have already been through that are on to the stage of releasing the film. However with the virus social distancing rules out the movie theaters. Online sites are now spreading like wild fire and with the working class staying home movie watching is their go to. Online sites would be a good way to get our movie out there and after the virus has been controlled we can possibly release it to the movie theaters. Hypothetically speaking. 

Question #3

Like I've said previously the virus has kept most of the production to zero.  Before this started however, we were fortunate to have filmed the essential parts to the film. So, we didn’t need to reshoot very much. My experience with filming before this was quite low but I’m happy to say that my management skills and my ability to work a camera has gotten better. For this introduction to the movie world I was able to broaden several of my skills. Clothing and production, the props and the settings and or locations, and the directing and camera work were up to me to desire how it should flow. I wanted to help out on editing but with the zero contact order I was able to leave suggestions and help my group mates with the flow and direction of the film. I helped my group mates stay on top of their work and made huge progress with time and production effort. 

   The technology aspect in the film was a must. We used different software to help aid us through the time where we can’t go to school to edit. We got to branch out more and see what other sites are available. I got to use different cameras and edit things along this journey. The use of a tripod and other camera devices helped us stabilize and make our film less shaky. I had fun on this journey of AICE media.


Background
I edited this CCR to be in the style of an interview for the fun and creativity aspect. I wanted this CCR to be the thing that was simple and shows off my talents that I've learned. The ability to adapt and the ability to show creative spirit throughout this adventure. In the reflection bit after the questions I put in the little behind the scenes to how I made the props and why I  made them how they are.

The Movie

The Movie

This movie took longer than we had originally planned. 

This was due to the lack of interactive availability with our group. However, even with that we were able to create something that makes us proud. We could have done a better job with some parts but we were able to follow most of the storyboard. The different elements we brought to this movie makes me proud that i was able to sort everything out on time. I wanted to thank the teachers for helping us be informed during these times. The teachers around the world are really working hard on helping everyone with not only education on what we were learning, but also education about the world and how this virus will shape the future. The movie industries are already changing. postponing production, taking leave, self quarantine, and the new movies being released on the online sites. 

This new age can be scary but also teach us to what's to come and how we will be introduced faster than we thought to this new online world. For the COVID-19 virus this has been dangerous to not only older adults, children are also being affected by this virus, all around the world. The movie was shot before this and thanks to that we were able to safely film and edit while in quarantine. 

This film shows the two sides to how people perceive celebrities. We can see the one the celebrity shows to the public and how they are completely different at home. We can take this with a grain of salt, and see how people can hide who they truly are, not that celebrities are cannibals. The props are all made by me including the costumes. The body parts are all handmade candies by me. They are all made out of marshmallow fondant and edible food coloring. The ''wine'' is a mix of grape and cherry juice. I wanted the props to look as realistic as possible.