Doctor Strange

1) List the companies involved in the creation of Doctor Strange.
Disney and its subsidiary Marvel Studios.

2) What is conglomerate ownership and how does it link to Doctor Strange?
Conglomerate ownership is when a large company owns other smaller companies involved in filmmaking to gain maximum revenue. Walt Disney owns Marvel Studios.

3) Who regulates the film industry in the UK?
The BBFC regulates the film industry.

4) What age rating was Doctor Strange given? Why?
12A because it has strong language and mild violence.

5) How was Doctor Strange promoted to an audience? List at least three different methods used by the film's marketing campaign.
The trailer, Marvel introduced a Doctor Strange character to their mobile game - creates synergy, and social media advertising.

6) Analyse the film trailer for Doctor Strange. What aspects of the trailer tell you this is a big-budget blockbuster movie?
The star power - Benedict Cumberbatch is a big name actor, big actors cost more to employ. The CGI on the film poster is a convention of superhero blockbusters.

7) What was the production budget for Doctor Strange and how much did it make at the box office?
The budget was £165 million and it made £700 million

8) Would you consider Doctor Strange a successful Hollywood blockbuster? Why?

I would consider Doctor Strange a success but not to the degree of movies like Black Panther - which made £1 billion at the box office.

I, Daniel Blake

1) What is independent cinema and how is it different to Hollywood blockbusters?
Independent cinema has much smaller budgets than Hollywood blockbusters and the directors have more executive control over the movie.

2) What is I, Daniel Blake about?
I, Daniel Blake follows Daniel, a 59-year-old who has worked for the majority of his life but needs state support for the first time following an illness. He meets a single mother called Katie who is having housing trouble and may have to move 300 miles away. Daniel stands up for his dignity and changes the lives of people like him and Katie.

3) Who directed I, Daniel Blake and why is this important?
Ken Loach directed I, Daniel Blake. He is well known for directing political indie films - especially left-wing realism.

4) How was I, Daniel Blake promoted to an audience? List at least three different methods used by the film's marketing campaign.

The film was premiered in Newcastle - where it was set to gain local support, Ken Loach appeared on Question Time, giving the film credibility and Jeremy Corbyn ( the labour leader) went to the London premiere.
5) What unusual or creative marketing methods were used to get audiences talking about the film?
The #WeAreAllDanielBlake campaign involved MPs and members of the public was a more interactive way.

6) What was the estimated production budget for I, Daniel Blake and how much did it make at the box office?
The estimated budget was £2 million and it made £11 million.

7) How can independent films like I, Daniel Blake compete with Hollywood blockbusters like Doctor Strange?
Independent films are viewed in film festivals by different audiences than Hollywood blockbusters.

8) In your opinion, was I, Daniel Blake a success?

In my opinion, I, Daniel Blake was a success because it made £9 million profit and was recognised by members of parliament.
Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this marketing case study on I, Daniel Blake. What does 'making a film launch a political movement' mean?

Read this Hollywood Reporter interview with executive Alex Hamilton on film marketing - including the I, Daniel Blake grassroots marketing campaign. Why was it successful?

Arctic Monkeys CSP

1) How do audiences generally watch music videos these days?
Audiences use Youtube to watch music videos now.
2) What opportunities has the growth of digital technology and YouTube created for new music artists?
New artists didn't have to go through big record labels anymore, instead, they could deliver directly to the fans. This gave more power to audiences.

3) What is P2P and why did it cause huge problems for the music industry?
P2P means peer to peer, Arctic Monkeys music was shared illegally on P2P sites and this popularised Arctic Monkeys' music however for most of the music industry, record companies lost money from sales as people would listen to their music illegally. 

4) Do you think the internet has given audiences more power over who becomes successful in the music industry? Why? 
Celebrities like Justin Bieber were popularized by the internet rather than a large record company because the viewers liked his music. Without the internet, viewers wouldn't be able to access such a wide variety of music and select their favourites so companies would just make assumptions.
5) How has Fortnite demonstrated the potential future for music videos and promotional opportunities for the music industry? You can read more on this event in this Verge feature.
Marshmello, a world famous DJ held the very first Fortnite concert this year. This has never been done before and demonstrates intertextuality.


Arctic Monkeys: Industry

1) How did the Arctic Monkeys first achieve success and build up their fanbase?
**answered above2) Why was P2P file sharing an unexpected aspect to Arctic Monkeys' early success?
**answered above3) How does the rise of Arctic Monkeys differ from how One Direction were formed and became famous?

The Arctic Monkeys were school friends who started playing together whereas One Direction were manufactured by Simon Cowell as part of the X-factor. It could be said that the Arctic Monkeys are more authentic than One Direction because they chose to be a band and it was their idea.

4) How has technological convergence changed the music industry?
Technological convergence has made it easier for indie music - such as Arctic Monkeys' music - to be shared around but for the music industry, it has decreased album sales.


5) Has the internet been a positive or negative development for traditional record companies? Why?
The internet has been a negative development for large record labels as it has taken some of their power. before, there were talent scouts who discovered talented people and trained them to be pop stars but now people can showcase their talent to the word without large companies through the internet.

Arctic Monkeys: Audience

1) What is the main Arctic Monkeys audience - demographics and psychographics?
White, middle class and reasonably young people - aged 23+ - are likely to be Arctic Monkey fans. They may be part of reformer or explorer psycographics. 

2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor?
Nostalgia is a key audience pleasure with the Arctic Monkeys because the music video has conventional 80's lighting and is filmed on 80's cameras to make it look like a live TV performance on Top of the Pops.

3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to Arctic Monkeys fans. Why did you choose those moments?

"Don't believe the hype," is a shoutout to the band's original internet fans that recommended the band to others. The lead singer introduces the song and the band to make it seem like a live TV performance. The 80's cameras are used as it was a convention of live TV performances to show the crew on the sidelines.

4) What is nostalgia and why is it a key audience pleasure for the Arctic Monkeys music video?
Nostalgia is a 'yearning for yesterday' where people watch something because it reminds people of the past. The I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor video is styled to look like an 80's live TV performance so the audience feels nostalgic.
5) How are fans positioned to respond to the video? What does the artist want fans to take from their video?

The artists wanted the fans to realise how different the music industry was then compared to now and they wanted to thank their fans as they are the reason foer the Monkeys' sucsess.

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this excellent Guardian feature on the Arctic Monkeys on the 10th anniversary of I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor. What key statistics can you take from the article concerning developments in the industry and the Arctic Monkeys' role in these changes?

Read this BBC News report from the time - documenting the records Arctic Monkeys broke.

Read this short blog on how the social media website Myspace helped the Arctic Monkeys make it big. What did the website allow the band to do?

Finally, read this short Guardian feature asking if Arctic Monkeys changed the music industry. What does the article suggest?

One Direction case study

1) What are the key conventions of music video?

Movement is a key convention of music videos such as camera movement or fast-paced editing.

2) What is intertextuality?

When one media text references another media text. An example of this is when there are clips from the x-factor in One Direction's "History" video.

3) When did music videos first become a major part of the music industry?

During the '80s and '90s.

4) What launched in 1981 and why were music videos an important part of the music industry in the 1980s and 1990s?
MTV was launched in 198. Music videos were a promotional device to encourage people to buy music.

5) How are music videos distributed and watched in the digital age?

People use Youtube to watch and share music videos in the digital age.
One Direction: Industry

1) How were One Direction formed and how is this reflected in the music video for History?

One Direction are a manufactured group that were put together as part of the X-factor by Simon Cowell.

2) What is vertical integration? You may need to check your book for this (or remind yourself from this Year 1 blogpost.)

Vertical integration is when a conglomerate owns other companies in the same chain of production.

3) What is horizontal integration? (See link above for help again!)

Horizontal integration is when one company buys another on the same level of distribution.

4) How has technological convergence changed the way audiences consume music videos?

People can view and share music videos on their smartphones now so there is no need to watch them on television and videotape them for a friend like people would have had to do in the past.

5) As a manufactured band, what influence do Simon Cowell and the record company Syco (part of Sony) have over the content and release strategy of One Direction music videos?

Simon Cowell has the majority of the band's image since they are a manufactured band. It could be argued that they are not as authentic as traditional bands like Arctic Monkeys.



Audience

1) What is the main One Direction audience - demographics and psychographics?
The main One Direction audience are young girls aged 9-13 that middle class with the mainstreamer personality type.

2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for History?

Nostalgia is a large part of the audience pleasures for "History" because it references old clips from the X-factor, vlog style clips of the band and old video snippets, this is to make long-term fans reminisce about the boys' music career.
Diversion and Entertainment is another key audience pleasure because it immerses the audience into the band's memories and interesting lives that they forget about their own for a while.

3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to One Direction fans. Why did you choose those moments? 

The very end where all the members walk in different directions shows that their group career has ended and would make One Direction fans emotional. The crying fan at the concert represents how the band appreciates that their fans have suppourted them thus far. The silly dancing shows that the group members are now too old and out of touch to be part of a boy-band, this makes the goodbye slightly less hard for fans due to the humour.

4) What is nostalgia and why is it a key audience pleasure for the History music video?
Nostalgia is a 'yearning for yesterday'. In the History video, by using black and white and playing clips of when the band members were younger to make the fans wish they could go back to those times.

5) How are fans positioned to respond to the video? What do the producers want One Direction fans to take from the video?
The preferred reading of One Direction's History video is that although it is upsetting that the band is breaking up, they all need to move on and do other things and that they hope their dedicated fans will still suppourt them in everything they do.
Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this Huffington Post article about the video. What extra details are provided in the article regarding the construction of the video?

Read this short Teen Vogue feature on the video. What does it suggest regarding the ending of the video?

Finally, read this excellent Medium blog on the future of the music video in the digital age. Summarise the main points of the blog in 100 words.

CSP case studies : Final Index

Times Blog Task - https://emmanuelasmediablog.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-times-blog-task.html

The Daily Mirror Blog Task - https://emmanuelasmediablog.blogspot.com/2019/01/daily-mirror-csp-blog-task.html

Class Blog Task - https://emmanuelasmediablog.blogspot.com/2018/12/class-analysis.html

Doctor Who Blog Task - https://emmanuelasmediablog.blogspot.com/2018/12/doctor-who-unearthly-child-csp-blog-task.html

Zoella CSP - https://emmanuelasmediablog.blogspot.com/2018/06/1-who-is-zoella-and-why-is-she-famous.html

Kim Kardashian Hollywood CSP - https://emmanuelasmediablog.blogspot.com/2018/06/kim-kardashian-hollywood-csp.html

Lara Croft GO - https://emmanuelasmediablog.blogspot.com/2018/05/1-who-is-lara-croft-and-when-did-she.html

Galaxy Advert CSP - https://emmanuelasmediablog.blogspot.com/2018/04/galaxy-advert-csp.html

NHS Blood Campaign - https://emmanuelasmediablog.blogspot.com/2018/03/1-what-does-bame-stand-for-bame-stands.html

OMO CSP - https://emmanuelasmediablog.blogspot.com/2018/03/omo.html

Reveal Case Study - https://emmanuelasmediablog.blogspot.com/2018/02/reveal-study-case.html

Tatler Case Study - https://emmanuelasmediablog.blogspot.com/2018/01/tatler-study-case.html

One Direction, "History" - https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5361032028589882639#editor/target=post;postID=1162982681102962190;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=0;src=postname

Arctic Monkeys "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor," - https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5361032028589882639#editor/target=post;postID=3435978031097220771;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=0;src=postname

I, Daniel Blake - https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5361032028589882639#editor/target=post;postID=8139988819317282871;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=0;src=postname

Doctor Strange - https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5361032028589882639#editor/target=post;postID=6933641757549802312;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=0;src=postname

The Times Blog Task

Language

1) What are the main stories on the front cover of the Times CSP edition (15 March 2017)?

The main stories are about: A Scottish poll regarding the fact that they would like to remain in the UK, Google being accused of antisemitism and a story about Angelina Jolie being a guest professor at a University.

2) What are the main stories on the inside page of the Times CSP edition (15 March 2017)?

The main stories inside the newspapers are about an athlete murdering someone, the resignation of the CEO at Channel 4 and Muirfield golf club no longer being a gentleman's only club.

3) What is the balance on the Times front page between images, headlines and text?

There is only one central image and no stories are completed on the front page as the articles are longer compared to a tabloid like The Daily Mirror.

4) How do we know that the Times is aimed at a wealthy, educated, middle-class audience?

The Times uses more sophisticated language that people would need a certain level of education to understand. It is clearly a wealthy audience as there is so much detail on a story about a golf club with a large emphasis on the golf club's tradition which is associated with the upper classes.

5) What does a close analysis of the news stories in the Times CSP edition suggest about the Times political beliefs?
The Times is a right winged Conservative supporting newspaper. The emphasis on the word 'transgender' in the heading of one of the main articles emphasises The Times' old fashioned beliefs as they are linking Lauryn's gender identity with her horrific crime. Their allegiance to the conservatives is shown through the Google story because the Labour party had also been accused of antisemitism so it may have been a front-page article to make the labour party look bad.


Audience

1) What is the target audience for the Times?
The taget audience
2) Why do the Times front page stories/features appeal to the Times audience?

3) Why might the Muirfield golf story be of interest to Times readers?

4) Why might a reader enjoy the Times? Use Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory to add detail to your answer.
Surveillance or information is the main audience pleasure that a reader would get from The Times because it informs the reader on current social and political events. Entertainment is also an audience pleasure of the Times as it has a story about Angelina Jolie - an extremely famous actress that audiences would want to learn more about.

5) Times readers are mostly over 55 years old. Why is this?  
Reading newspapers is a tradition in the older generations as they were not raised with the internet - which is how the younger generations receive their news.
Representation

1) What representation of Great Britain can be found on the front page of the Times?

2) How does the Times represent the gender in the Muirfield golf feature?

The Times is a conservative newspaper that prefers when things remain the same and they are very traditional. They constantly used the word "allows" to show that it was a reluctant decision. They also say "273 year-old" referring to the tradition of not allowing women into the club and they seemed upset that such a long tradition had ended. there is also a smaller box highlighting clubs in London that are still gentlemen only to show that some clubs still stick to tradition.

3) How does the Times represent big companies like Google or Channel 4? 

The Times is a capitalist newspaper and therefore would view major corporations as significant and that's why they are both front-page stories. Since The Times is also pro-privatisation, they are against public service broadcasters like Channel 4, so this is addressed in the stand-first of the Article. They present the head of Channel 4 leaving not being attached to any imminent privatisation as a bad thing because The Times is owned by Rupert Murdoch, owner of a massive competitor (Sky TV).4) How does the Times present the story of the transgender runner jailed for stabbing an official? What does this suggest about the Times's attitude towards LGBT issues?

The fact that Lauren is trans has nothing to do with the story which had to do with her killing an official. The fact that The Times highlighted this shows that they are not the most progressive concerning LGBTQ+ issues. In the sidebar, information is given about her oestrogen hormones. This could show that they think that her hormones were connected to her aggressive behaviour when they are completely unrelated. This shows the Times' traditionalism.

5) What clues can you find in the CSP pages that suggest that Times readers are more likely to support the Conservative Party?


Industries

1) Who owns the Times?
 The Times is owned by News UK - a subsidiary of NewsCorporationn. It is mostly owned by Rupert Murdoch.

2) What is The Times's circulation in 2018? How many papers did the Times used to sell back in the 1990s?
The Times circulation in 2018 was 430,000, down from over 800,000 in the 1990s
3) How has the Times reacted to the decline in print sales and the growth of the internet?
They created a social media strategy in a collaboration with the digital team in order to grow their Twitter and Facebook profiles. In 2018 they hit 500,000 subscribers on their online platform.

4) Using Galtung and Ruge's News Values theory, choose three factors that make a news story more likely to be placed on the front page of the newspaper.
Immediacy to a degree because all the stories were recent at the time of circulation. Negativity because people are more likely to read negative stories since they are more shocking.
5) Why have newspapers seen such a steep decline in sales over the last 20 years?
People can find news for free on the internet as soon as it happens so they see newspapers as redundant.Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this Guardian column on IPSO, the press regulator. Why does Polly Toynbee suggest IPSO has been a "total failure"?

Read this short Press Gazette feature on the Times's paywall. Why does the Times head of digital describe the paywall as a success? 

Read this Guardian column on the pleasures of print newspapers and the dangers of the digital age. Do you think newspapers will continue to exist in the future? Why?