TV DRAMA: HOTEL BABYLON

 Extract from Hotel Babylon HERE

January 2010: Hotel Babylon, Series 1, Episode 5 (Alrick Riley, Iain B MacDonald and Keith Boak, 2006, BBC) 
Extract location: Episode 5, Chapter 2 
In point: 6 mins 22 seconds 
Out point: 11 mins 52 seconds

Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representations using the following:

• Camera shots, angles, movement and composition 
• Editing 
• Sound 
• Mise-en-scène [50]

The examiner drew particular attention to candidates' failure to analyse editing:

 'As with the January and June 2009 series, this technical area proved to be the most problematic for candidates and the one technical area of analysis that was often omitted in candidates’ answers. Many candidates ignored editing altogether and only a few of those that did cover it were able to make meaningful links to representations by, for example, showing how the editing created particular viewpoints which we are encouraged to identify with or how screen time indicated the shifting relationship between characters in the sequence, for example through the discussion of the rule of thirds.

'Most candidates made reference to the pace of editing to reflect the frantic situation and emotions of the immigrant characters. The use of shot reverse shot and cuts to aid continuity were mentioned by many candidates, as was the use of cross cutting between the two situations to enhance tension. More able candidates demonstrated the ability to link the use of editing to the representation of characters, such as the use of long and short takes to represent power and the use of eye line matches to reinforce a sense of dominance. Most candidates who addressed editing were able to address the type of transitions used and could comment on the pace of the editing.  There was evidence on occasion where students engaged with the rule of thirds and juxtaposition of characters in the narrative using editing devices, which is very encouraging.  

'However, many candidates’ responses seem to be very limited in address of the issues of editing and all too frequently it was absent from their responses – which does not enable candidates to reach a level four on the marking criteria for the use of examples.  Weaker candidates often omitted any discussion of editing or offered quite simplistic accounts of how editing was used, for example in the use the shot reverse shot sequence between characters. A common error in the terminology of editing continues to be with the use of jump cuts.'

MEDIA TEXTS & CONCEPTS EXAM

Save to your laptop media folder the recent exam paper that you have received by email for your one exam this summer: Component 2 Media Texts  & Concepts.

 

You will see that you have already done Section A on analysing representation in Agent Carter.

The format for Section B is the essay. CIE have changed the mark to 25 per essay but the total proportion remains identical:

Section B: Institutions and audiences

Answer one question from this section. Refer to specific examples from one media area chosen from:

• film

• music

• print

• radio

• video games.

2 ‘Nowadays, everybody consumes media texts in the same way.’ Discuss with reference to the media area you have studied. [25]

OR
3 Discuss the impact of funding on media products. [25]

In today's class time:

• identify the key concepts in essay title question 2 about 'everybody consumes media texts in the same way'.
• explain any terminology and relate it to the essay question
• note the command /task : evaluate, analyse, how far? to what extent? 
• in a sentence, state what case studies, studios, events you plan to use
• make a mental note of how you can include personal consumption

You will have class time to develop our brainstorming and note-making into an essay.

Attempt to draw a conclusion, such as:

• In conclusion / to sum up / ultimately / upon consideration / with this in mind / taking all of this into account...
• To conclude, I have shown that the concept of 'audience' is complex and diverse, that even a single text may have more than one audience: for instance, Ken Loach's IDB and SWMY speak to both 'grassroots' audiences who may watch a community screening in a village hall as well as 'prestige' audiences who value the cultural capital of attending a film festival screening. Equally, the same audience may choose different platforms to consume different media: whilst the Instagram or TikTok feeds for a film benefit from the interactivity of a mobile phone platform, action and drama films with high production values like No Time To Die and Captain Marvel attract audiences to the big cinema screen with its immersive pleasures and Dolby Atmos sound.

PREP TASK as outlined in class, an investigation: what theorist would support any of your views?

Whilst you are not required to send me the finished rough essay, you may do so if you wish, for marking after next term starts.

EXTENSION WORK: Considering other platforms like TikTok

The Rise of Film TikTok by Maybelle Morgan

WARNER BROS/MOVIESTORE/SHUTTERSTOCK & PAVAN BIVIGOU/TIKTOK.

Zendaya & Timothee Chalamet in Dune (2021), Pavan Bivigou's profile on TikTok.

 

TikTok had been untouched on Pavan’s phone for about a year when the pandemic hit and she, like many other film-lovers, found themselves at a loss as theatres shut their doors for the foreseeable future. Restlessness, fear and boredom crept in, and during the height of isolation, she began using the video-sharing platform to keep a personal diary of what she was watching. Seeking distraction and connection, hordes of other displaced cinema-goers also had the same idea, and creators in their thousands began to pour in, joining a sacred space where the love of everything screen-related is key: Film Tik

Today, the hashtags #filmtiktok and #filmtok tally up just under 3 billion views in total, and that’s not taking into consideration the numerous sub-categories of the community which branch off into their own obsessive corners of the internet: #filmtokmusical #blackfilmtok #tiktokshortfilm – the list goes on. Here the creators blur the boundaries of film content with anything from recommendation videos, critical video essays, crowdsourced projects, to fan trivia and Timothée Chalamet supercuts.

EXTENSION WORK: Considering the concept of 'platforms' ( = how & where audiences 'consume' media)

Broadly defined, media “platforms” are methods (linked with technologies) that allow media producers to deliver content to media consumers or audiences.  “Platform” may refer to a technology, service, site, or method of delivering content.  Every platform has its own uses, gratifications, technologies, rules/codes, structures, cultural standards of use—in short, what we might call its own “ecosystem.”

Traditional or “old” media platforms (print and broadcast media, including books, newspapers, magazines, television, film, etc.) rely on unidirectional messaging.   Digital or “new” media platforms (internet media, including social media, knowledge platforms, media sharing platforms, service-oriented platforms) allow multi-directional messaging. 

So as we ponder the concept of 'platforms', we might link together the features that a particular platform offers with its audience pleasures:

• IMAX: giant screen, surround sound, special FX (immersion into film world, suits action film experiences like Avengers Infinity Wars)
• cinema: big screen, Dolby Atmos, additional trailers (sociable occasion, food & drink; special screenings with Q&A, membership eg. Curzon) 
• proliferation of streaming services: offer wide choice and range of costs to audiences, from children to film fans (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Sky...)
• streaming platforms: accessible on a range of devices for different screening occasions and needs (watch a trailer on iPad but the film at the cinema; portable; downloadable)
• social media platforms: interactive, engaging content; music, fan sites, merchandise; FB, Insta, TikTok
• film website: hosts trailers, cinema screening info & booking tickets, hub of convergent links to social media / music tracks / merchandise

FILM INDUSTRY: EXAM QUESTION

You have worked answering written exam question posted on Google Classroom, partly with scaffolded examples of how to write about case studies and integrate theorists, which have been emailed to you. The next step is to brainstorm an exam essay from scratch

• unpacking the question itself
  
• defining any key terms
  
• identifying the task (evaluate, to what extent, analyse the ways in which....)
  
• applying the case studies
• supporting your discussion with theoretical frameworks ; also look here
  
• offering examples of relevant personal experience

The construction of a relevant topic sentence to start each paragraph will help you stick to the question.

 We take the following essay question as exam practice together in class:

To what extent is profit more important than creativity to media companies?

TV DRAMA: ANALYSING REPRESENTATION of ORDINARY LIES

TV DRAMA: ANALYSING REPRESENTATION of ORDINARY LIES (Danny Brocklehurst, Episode 2, first screened 2015)

 

This work is set on GoogleClassroom

2021 Exam paper and its mark scheme linked on Google Classroom. Instructions are usually:  

Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs meaning through the following:

• camera shots, movements, angle and composition
• editing
• sound
• mise-en-scène

ADDITIONAL EXPECTATIONS: Introduce the summative approach in a nice big fat paragraph. Pull in a theorist if it fits.
TODAY'S TASKS:
1. Compose the opening introductory paragraph
2. Make three points explaining how the media language constructs the protagonist as anxious, suspicious and probably guilty in the opening scene at the airport, up to and including her check-in.
3. Make two points about how tension is created using media language in the second check-in sequence.
4. Make two points about the function of the diegetic sound and the non-diegetic sound in the tracking shot as the protagonist is moved behind the scenes to the interrogation room.
5. Make one point about the use of mise-en-scène to create realism in the interrogation room.
6. Find evidence of two ways that diegetic sound and non-diegetic sound are used to suggest intimidation of the suspect.

TERMINOLOGY:
Camera Shots, Angle, Movement and Composition 
 Shots: establishing shot, master shot, close-up, mid-shot, long shot, wide shot, two-shot, aerial shot, point of view shot, over the
shoulder shot, and variations of these. 
 Angle: high angle, low angle, canted angle. 
 Movement: pan, tilt, track, dolly, crane, steadicam, hand-held, zoom, reverse zoom. 
 Composition: framing, rule of thirds, depth of field – deep and shallow focus, focus pulls. 
Editing 
 Includes transition of image and sound – continuity and non-continuity systems. 
 Cutting: shot/reverse shot, eyeline match, graphic match, action 
 match, jump cut, crosscutting, parallel editing, cutaway; insert. 
 Other transitions, dissolve, fade-in, fade-out, wipe, superimposition, long take, short take, slow motion, ellipsis and expansion of time, postproduction, visual effects. 
Sound 
 Diegetic and non-diegetic sound; synchronous/asynchronous sound; sound effects; sound motif, sound bridge, dialogue, voiceover, mode of
address/direct address, sound mixing, sound perspective. 
 Soundtrack: score, incidental music, themes and stings, ambient sound. 
Mise-en-Scène 
 Production design: location, studio, set design, costume and make-up, properties, 
 Lighting; colour and design.