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Genre
My Argument - Spectre - Spectre follows all the standard genre conventions of a typical Bond film. This is emphasised by the action, sex and setting structure.
My Argument - Mad Max - Mad Max follows the conventions of an action movie through violence, editing, vehicles and weapons. However, it provides the audience with aspects of postmodernism that produces elements of ‘difference’ (Steve Neale). For example, diegetic music is an element of postmodernism. It is eccentric (unconventional).
My Argument - The Selfish Giant - The Selfish Giant is also conventional in terms of a social realist film. There is a tragic ending and a consistent bleak atmosphere. In addition, the working class heroes are presented as heroes. The mise en scene is generally melodramatic. Reference to Kes.
Narrative
My Argument - Spectre - The narrative in Spectre is conventional in terms of the Bond genre. However it is unconventional in terms of the generic Hollywood narrative. It is constructed to fit the conventions of the genre through action, sex and setting in order to maximise audience gratification.
My Argument - Mad Max - The narrative in Mad Max is conventional in terms of typical hollywood narrative structure and general Propp's character archetypes. However, it is unconventional in its internal plot. Through the use of narrative codes and binary oppositions, it creates a postmodern and intriguing plot. A combination of repetition and difference (Steve Neal).
My Argument - The Selfish Giant - The narrative in The Selfish Giant is conventional in terms of it being constructed to match the typical themes of pity and sorrow of social realist films. This is to enhance the prefered reading of commiseration. Additionally, it is in constant disequilibrium which challenges/subverts Todorov's typical structure. This gives the film a continuous uncomfortable narrative which reinforces the genre conventions.
Representation
My Argument - Spectre - Spectre reinforces the typical representation of women. They are consistently represented as weak and defenceless and always need Bond to save them. This strengths the princess representation. There are a few subverted elements such as Madeleine saving Bond but besides this, the representation is antithetical to that of Mad Max. The women are simply disposable and typical ‘Bond Girls’. Masculine men representation is also reinforced and Britain is portrayed as sophisticated, exciting and cool.
My Argument - Mad Max - Max Max subverts the typical representations of women and strengthens the representation of disabled people. Despite Furiosa's arm, she is not affected by her disability. Additionally the wives subvert many of the typical representations of women. For example, Taking off the chastity belts symbolises them taking back their freedom of their bodily autonomy. This is complemented by the symbol of their cult which proves she is escaping immortan Joe's prison. Challenges patriarchal hegemony.
My Argument - The Selfish Giant - The Selfish Giant connotes a negative representation of Northern England or England in general due to the emphasis on poverty and struggle. It is also highlights marxism due to the issues induced in the film and the focus on the working class. The representation of Britain is completely the opposite to Spectre and the working class is represented as noble and heroic.
Audience
My General Argument - Westworld - Westworld appeals to the audience through the use of consistent codes that produce intense enigmas for the audience. It also uses transgression to shock and excite the audience by challenging societal norms. It helps emphasise Batailles literature and evil theory because the audience will take pleasure from the disruptions, murder, and voyeurism. Additionally, the representation of women in Westworld is mainly through the Madonna/Whore complex.
My General Argument - Jeremy Kyle Show - The Jeremy Kyle Show consistently manipulates it's working class audience by presenting a dominant ideology that the working class are stereotypically lazy, repulsive and to be laughed at. The producer attempts to manipulate the audience to reinforce hegemonic rules in society. This further cultivates deeply held stereotypes and causes division in British society. However, the audience can be gratified through inverted escapism.
My General Argument - Blue Planet 2 - Blue Planet 2 appeals to the target audience through the use of high production value, anthropomorphisation, verisimilitude, education, and intertextuality. This appeals to a global audience and as a result helps emphasise the dominant ideology of the producer which is to stop global warming and protect the environment.
Industry Exam Question Arguments - Tyler, The Creator
Marketing/Promotion - Tyler markets himself through social media and merchandise. Social media gives him access to promote his personality through website like Twitter, while website like Youtube market his music videos. He consistently wears his own brand in his music videos and consistently advertises his unconventional style. Additionally, Youtube has a sharing feature that can be distribute his product to other audiences.
Distribution - He is able to successfully distribute his unconventional music through the use of the internet . Websites such as youtube allow for easy access to music videos that gratify the audience and as a result help promote his products. They have links to all his products and merchandise and hus album are available on Amazon in various formats to satisfy several different audiences, e.g vinyl or MP3.
Celebrity - Tyler empowers his celebrity identity by the use of postmodern themes in his music. Additionally, through merchandise and festivals he is able to enhance his image. These techniques attract larger audiences.
How Successful/Global? - Due to his unorthodox approach to music, he has gained a global audience (8 million twitter followers). His unconventional/postmodern themes and elements of transgression alongside self marketing has resulted in world wide success.
Social Media/Internet - Tyler uses sites like Twitter to emphasize his unconventional personality and to promote his music. Additionally, he promotes his music videos through sites like Youtube to further establish his atypical style. Lastly, he uses websites to market his brand.
Regulation - Regulation is largely ineffective when censoring Tyler. Tyler the Creator uses many transgressive themes, controversial image and lyrics to deliberately disturb and shock the audience. Due to the fact that youtube and the industry is self regulated, Tyler has complete freedom of speech and many of his offensive content is available to anyone with no age restrictions - banned in the UK.
Digital Technology - Digital technology is essential for Tylers success. It enables him to market his music through device apps such as Youtube, Itunes, Twitter and personal websites such as his brand/group website. He uses digital technology to his advantage by promoting his eccentric character to his audience
Production - Tyler has low production values to exaggerate his atypical music videos and style. Low production values evoke elements of horror conventions to induce gratification through intertextuality.
Actual Audience Response - “Dark twisted fantasy with gore”. - NME. - Gratifies audience through horror intertextuality and postmodern themes. “Creative but confusing - TLC (Youtube commentator) - Negotiated.
Audience Positioning - The audience in consistently put in uncomfortable threatening position to enhance the transgressive theme of his music. A combinations of bizarre social media use and disturbing music videos.
Audience Appeal - Tyler the Creator uses unconventional themes and even elements of transgression to appeal to middle class white American teenagers. His postmodern and controversial imagery aids in adapting his unique persona. He is an example of repetition and difference.
Industry Exam Question Arguments - Plan B
Marketing/Promotion - Through the use of digital convergence and intertextuality, he is able to advertise his music through his films and vice versa. This widens the audience and improves distribution due to the mix of several industries.
Distribution - Plan B distributes his music through Youtube and online websites. The music videos are directly linked to his films. This is an example of digital convergence and he uses it to his advantage by essentially promoting 2 products simultaneously. Additionally, his albums are available in various formats on websites such as Amazon.
Celebrity - He enhances his celebrity image through the use of music videos. He is consistently the focal point and and the use of direct mode of address evoke a sense of dominance. Additionally, by being the representative of the working class social group, he is able to increase his popularity and celebrity status.
How Successful/Global? - Plan Bs success is isolated to Britain. This is because he covers issues that are specific to working class British teenagers. His movies are also directly related to Britain. He consistently uses mise en scene and typical iconography of Britain.
Social Media/Internet - Plan B makes use of the internet and social media to promote his music. His own website and social media website such as facebook directly advertise his tour dates and album. There is additional sneak peaks on his facebook page which introduce elements of voyeurism and induce the gratification of social interaction. Additionally, Youtube advertises his music videos.
Regulation - Music is a self regulated industry and the freedom of speech allows him to make numerous political statements against the government stemmed from real life issues. As a result, it is easier for him to promote his music videos and films.
Digital Technology - Plan B makes consistent use of digital technology to advertise his music and political issues he stands against. Websites and social media has allowed his audience to access his music video and albums easily which aids him in the marketing process.
Production - Plan B consistently uses high production values in an almost ironic, subversive way; He uses conventional features of a working class mise en scene and setting which correlate stereotypically to low income yet by using high production values, it puts emphasis on the struggles of his social group and helps convey his dominant ideology.
Actual Audience Response - This song is a sincere reflection of the times in the UK. If anything, this song chants for change, revolution or reform” - Youtube Comment. - Ill Manors. This proves that Plan B is a representative of the working class and he is raising genuine issues that need to be addressed.
Audience Positioning - We are positioned in a threatened and vulnerable position to emphasise the issues he is trying to portray. Additionally, the audience is also occasionally positioned voyeuristically to gratify the audience.
Audience Appeal - He appeals to the audience by being a representative of their social group. He refers to real life issues which gratify the audience through relatability. His use of powerful lyrics and lifelike iconography evoke a sense of realism which positions the audience alongside the same societal issues he projects about; hence evolving his dominant ideology.
Industry Exam Question Arguments - Lady Gaga
Marketing/Promotion - Lady Gaga is able to market her music through the use of youtube. Music videos act as “adverts for a song” which is especially true with Lady Gaga as hee music is complemented by her usual sense of style and iconography. She additionally promotes her brand through merchandise on her website.
Distribution - She is able to distribute her atypical music videos through the use of the internet which helps promote her singles and albums. Websites such as youtube allow for easy access to music videos. There are links to all her albums and websites and all her albums are available on Amazon in various formats to satisfy several different audiences, e.g vinyl or MP3.
Celebrity - Lady Gaga induces a grand celebrity profile. She does this through her postmodern approach to music videos.
How Successful/Global? - She is also one of the best selling music artists in the world, selling approximately 27 million albums and was named Billboard's 2015 Woman of The Year. Her unique and bizarre enhance her success and celebrity status.
Social Media/Internet - Lady Gaga promotes her music through the use of social media. Youtube allows her to advertise her songs through music videos while she is able to advertise her merchandise and tours through her website. Additionally, she is able to take advantage of twitter to build closer relationships with her fans and promote her charity.
Regulation - Lady Gaga is able to actively challenge religious metanarrative through subverting religious iconography. She bring attention to other issues such as the negative representation of women in media and even animal cruelty. However, her videos are not regulated and censored.
Digital Technology - Digital technology allows her to market her music and merchandise (Beats) through social media such as Youtube, Twitter and her own personal website. She promotes her abnormal style through music videos while advertises her charity through twitter.
Production - Lady Gaga uses high production values to exaggerate her celebrity status while developing her extremely unconventional themes which gratify her audience.
Actual Audience Response - President of Catholic League News called Gaga “disgraceful and talentless.” - Controversial themes.
“Gaga is so extra and I love it.” - Quinta, 360k followers, almost 2000 likes - Postmodern attraction.
Audience Positioning - Lady Gaga's use of disturbing mise en scene purposefully positions the audience in an uncomfortable place. This is contrasted with her “off camera” persona as she places the audience in a personal and close relationship through her social media.
Audience Appeal - She appeals to the audience through her postmodern and eccentric imagery. Her unique and almost controversial style satisfies the audience by being different from the norm. Additionally, she is a good role model as evidenced by her social media and BTW Foundation.
