Representation of Disability

The extract opens straight away with some diegetic dialogue from a woman who is stating that she 'didn't think there was anything strange about Billy'.  This immediately allows the audience to infer that 'Billy' has done something that would warrant being called strange. A cut is then made, showing a different location and a tracking shot of a man walking down a road, dusting himself off. It can be assumed by the audience that this is Billy, due to the previous dialogue. With this cut comes some non diegetic music, which could be described as suspicious or eerie, suggesting that Billy has done something wrong. His body language and the action of dusting himself off also portrays this theory. The makeup used on Billy's face and his costume are quite dirty and scratched, showing a contrast with the clean police uniform shown later.

Soon after, another tracking shot of Billy is shown, apparently oblivious to the police that were shown nearby in previous low angle shots. Those with a disability are being represented in this clip as somewhat ignorant to their surroundings, until Billy notices the police in a low angle reaction shot, and runs off frame. A high angle of the police restraining Billy is shown, forcing the audience to look down on him. This shot is used to represent disabled people as significantly weaker than people without a disability. This is further represented in the clip through the dialogue by Billy: 'I haven't done anything wrong' in a pleading tone, showing him submitting to the police.

After the opening titles, a tracking shot showing a group of people outside a house guarded by police is shown, portraying the concern of people without a disability for those with a disability. A cut is then made to the inside of the house, showing a high angle of Billy's father and Detective Frost talking quietly. Frost asks the father if Billy could be considered mentally subnormal, and after being corrected as to what is the correct form of address, he apologises. This piece of dialogue represents abled bodied people as wary or even scared to come across as mistreating disabled people. During another tracking shot Billy's mother approaches, informing Frost that Billy would feel better if she could clean him up. This part of the extract represents disabled people as needing help from abled bodied people to complete basic tasks such as cleaning themselves.

When Frost and Billy's father enter the room, yet another tracking shot is made, following Billy's father who is approaching Billy. Billy immediately looks up and tells his father that he hasn't done anything, to which his father replies in a gentle manner to calm him down. As Frost sits down, a close up shot of Billy is made, showing his reaction. His head is tilted and he looks quite curious and we notice that Billy is sat lower than the others. This gives the impression that he is vulnerable or perhaps representing him as a lower status than the other two men in the room. Frost starts talking to Billy in a condescending and patronising way implying that Billy needs to be treated like he is a child. It can be seen that Frost is becoming increasingly frustrated that Billy isn’t listening to him and is not participating with any of the questions through his body language, (repositioning himself, leaning in closer).

To conclude, mise-en-scene, sound, editing and camera work have all been used throughout this extract to portray disabled people in certain ways. The ways in which the audience react to disability in dramas generally varies, with reactions such as discomfort, indifference or sorrow, depending on how they are perceived in the show.

What is the significance of the proliferation of hardware and content for institutions and audiences?

Plan:

Paragraph One:

What is the significance of the proliferation of hardware and content for producers?

• Advantages: Cameras are cheaper
•  Producers can spend more money on the computers and the quality of films in terms of CGI, graphics, 3D, etc. (D-Box). Skyfall is an example of how much money needs to be used to succeed in competition.
• Disadvantages: Due to the cheaper cameras, more competition has been created for producers to create a popular film. Ill Manors is an example of a small budget film that was not able to compete with larger film and film companies.

Paragraph Two:

What is the significance of the proliferation of hardware and content for distributors?

• Advantages: Marketing is easier because audiences have more chance at seeing the film being marketed through social media and Web 2.0 (the internet), via their phones, tablets, iPads, laptops, iPhones, etc. Skyfall and Ill Manors both had websites, pages, trailers and posters.
• Synergy can be used more effectively due to the proliferation of hardware. (video games, CD's)
•  Disadvantages: Audiences have access to sites such as YouTube therefore they can create their own films, creating more competition for the film industry.

Paragraph Three:

What is the significance of the proliferation of hardware and content for exhibitors?

• Advantages: Various ways to watch movies have been created, such as Netflix and LoveFilm, therefore making audiences more likely to watch the movie. High budget, popular movies such as Skyfall (of which had a budget $200 million) may be more likely to be on these forms of movie watching, however, films like Ill Manors (with a budget of £100,00) may not be well known enough to feature on these sites.
• Disadvantages: The ways in which audiences can illegally watch movies have also expanded, especially since the invention of Web 2.0.

Paragraph Four:

What is the significance of the proliferation of hardware and content for audiences?

• Advantages: Easier to gain access to high quality movies through various manners such as the internet (Netflix, LoveFilm) and DVD/Blu-Ray.
• A subscription to a site such as Netflix tends to be worth the money due to the extensive choice of films and TV shows available.
• Disadvantages: Piracy videos tend to be bad quality, which audiences may be tempted to watch due to the fast access and lack of money spent on it. 

To What Extent Does Digital Distribution Affect The Marketing And Consumption Of Media Products In The Media Area You Have Studied?

To what extent does digital distribution affect the marketing and consumption of media products in the media area you have studied?

There have been recent changes in the film industry in terms of marketisation and the consumption of the products released by the industry due to the increasing updates in digital distribution. An example of a form of digital distribution that has affected the film industry in both positive and negative ways is Web 2.0. Web 2.0, more commonly referred to as 'the internet', has changed the film industry in terms of not only the marketing and consumption of their products, but also in terms of the overall popularity of the film industry. Before Web 2.0, the ways distributors would distribute their films to exhibitors took a lot longer, and was much less efficient. 'Digital distribution' means the exhibitors are receiving the media products electronically rather than physically. Due to the increase in updates relating to digital technology, it is now common for distributors to use this form of distribution, for it is cheaper and easier.

In terms of the marketisation of media products, digital forms of distribution have been mainly positive for both the institutions and the audiences. Web 2.0 supplies social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. On these sites, official pages for specific films can be made for people to 'like' or 'follow', therefore giving them occasional information and updates about the upcoming movie. Also, posters are now commonly released online before being released onto bus stations or banners and such. Ill Manors had a very small budget, so when marketing the film the institutions were able to avoid spending a lot of money due to Web 2.0. This is an advantage for it is very cheap, and thousands, if not millions of people can see the posters easily.

YouTube is used to post official trailers and teaser trailers for upcoming movies as well, and these trailers tend to include released dates. Trailers and posters help establish the genre and age group that the film is aimed at, and the comment system allows audiences to share their views on the trailer and indicates the popularity of the film.

Ill Manors also has its own website at www.illmanors.com, which the social network sites shared for the audience to view. On this website, all the information the audience needs to know about the film is shown, as well as the marketing and advertising of a DVD and Blu-Ray release of the movie. Skyfall has its own website, sharing the same information. However, due to the higher budget, the Skyfall website looks a lot nicer and features effects like fade ins and fade outs, whereas the Ill Manors website does not.

Overall, the extent to which digital distribution affects the marketing and consumption of media products in the film industry is noticeable and very much efficient to both the institutions and the audiences. The fact that distributors can now distribute their films in a digital manner has made the process a lot faster and smoother, rather than transferring the footage of the film psychically, therefore making the updates in digital distribution have more positive effects for institutions and audiences than negative.

Question 1 Technical Practice

Scene One:

Camera Angles:

Tracking Shot - Moves the character into an area with the second character, establishes surroundings
Over the shoulder shot - Allows audience to see faces and main features of characters
Shot reverse shot - Allows audience to see both characters reactions to the conversation

Sound:

Accents: Used to help the audience identify the ethnicity of the character
Dialogue: Used to help the audience identify the situation that is occurring as well as the relationship between the characters

Mise-En-Scène:

Costume: Establishes formality and informality of characters
Body Language: Shows how the character feels about a situation
Location: Establishes the mood/atmosphere and the character's place within it


Editing:

Shot reverse shot- Allows audience to see both characters reactions to the conversation

Planning Essay Question

Introduction:

• Show my understanding of the question.
• Reference the institutions - Production, distribution, exhibition.

Paragraph One:

Write about the advantages of the advancement in digital media for production companies.

• An advantage is that digital cameras are cheaper than using film, and are a lot more efficient in terms of transporting the film footage to the editing stage.

Write about the disadvantages for production companies.

• A disadvantage is that film is better quality than digital quality.

Write about whether there are more or less advantages than disadvantages.

Paragraph Two:

Write about the advantages of the advancement in digital media for distribution companies.

• An advantage is that the methods of getting the film to exhibition companies are faster and cheaper, because it can be done digitally.
• Films are coded so they cannot be corrupted by exhibitors.

Write about the disadvantages for distribution companies.

Write about whether there are more or less advantages than disadvantages.

Paragraph Three:

Write about the advantages of the advancement in digital media for exhibition companies.

• There are more ways for exhibitors to exhibit their film, such as Netflix and other internet-based companies.
• D-Box cinemas are very good quality.

Write about the disadvantages for exhibition companies.

• Due to the rise in digital technology it is easier for consumers to watch films illegally, without paying.

Write about whether there are more or less advantages than disadvantages

Paragraph Four:

Write about the advantages of the advancement in digital media for audiences.

• Easier access to various forms of watching films.

Write about the disadvantages for audiences.

Ill Manors Marketing:

• Social networking pages (e.g Facebook, Twitter)
• Official Website
• Posters released with film release date included - establishes genre
• Trailers for the film released on YouTube and the official website, giving more information about the film.
• Premier