Thursday, 20 February 2014

Ethnicity in hotel babylon



Mise-en-scene
Firstly the costumes used for each of the characters show there job and status within the hotel, for example the maids are shown to be wearing the traditional style maids uniform with an apron etc. chefs shown in the traditional chef outfit and other characters are shown to be wearing smart suits suggesting that they are possibly managers or other higher up jobs. The characters with the English accents are the characters who are wearing the suits and appear to have the higher paid and higher status jobs and the characters with the foreign accents have the less high up jobs showing how the locals appear to have superiority over the others. The formal costumes of the characters show how the location of the clip is a posh hotel where the staff are required to dress appropriately regardless of their ethnicity. The body language of the Italian/foreign chef is very touchy feely which could be a stereotypical trait of a foreign person who may not know the restrictions of personal space. This also shows how he is trying to act friendly in front of the higher staff suggesting him to be a suck up character. The décor in the hotel is drab and neutral which could be so as not to offend anyone with certain colours and just to keep the hotel natural and smart.

The foreign chef is wearing black and acts happy and friendly with the English chef who is wearing white whilst the higher status characters are in the room but when they leave the foreign chef is shown to be unpleasant which could be represented in his black clothing in contrast to the English chefs white clothing.




Camera shots, angles and composition
The first long shot showing the man walking past the pool allows us to see his appearance in his clothing and his ethnicity. As he continues walking we see the other man of a similar ethnicity get out of the pool and approach him. A medium close up of the first man shows his reaction to the second man to be as if he wants to avoid him which is also suggested the way he responds to the man. An over the shoulder shot while the two have a conversation informs that they know each other, suggesting that just as they appear to have the same ethnic background they would automatically know each other. The conversation between the two suggests that maybe their past is something that the first character has tried to forget which is confirmed when the second character talks about ganja. This is very stereotypical as this is suggesting that because both characters are black they would smoke ganja which is commonally smoked in Jamaican countries. The camera also does a zoom into Bens face to emphasize the characters facial expression. The camera angle as the two manger characters walk down the corridor is in line with them or slightly below eye line level, this is suggesting that the audience are below these characters which could be connected to the fact that they are English as when other characters such as the chefs and maids the camera angle is higher up suggesting that the audience and the manager characters are above them. Also in this scene it is set up so that you can see characters cleaning and working who look like they have a foreign ethnicity while the English characters seem to wander down the corridor not working hard.

The point of view shot from the Chinese looking man sitting on the bed shows what he can see emphasising the actions of the cleaners as they strip. When the shot changes to the close up of the money it is understood that this is the reason that these cleaners are doing this and suggests that they are slightly desperate for money as this is not something someone would necessarily choose to participate in shown by the younger clearly less experienced cleaner leaving and the reaction shown in a close up of the other worker as she sees the cleaner leaving whilst doing up her shirt.

Sound
The accents of the characters emphasize there ethnicity and there status within the clip. For example the first man in the clip who works at the hotel speaks with a fairly posh accent where as the man who appears to be from the same ethnic group has a less posh accent suggesting that they are from different up bringing's despite the same ethnicity. This is also suggested in the fact that Ben the hotel worker seems to want to avoid having the conversation with this other character. The ethnicity of the cleaners is also emphasised by there accents which contrasts with the far exaggerated accents of the English characters in the clip. The music in the clip doesn't appear to have any connection to the different ethnicity's in the clip.

Editing
Straight cuts are used in the clip to ensure that continuity is maintained throughout. The shot reverse shot used during the conversation between the two black men at the beginning of the clip allows the audience to see the ethnicity of the characters showing the similarities in appearance and difference in character and voice.



Wednesday, 12 February 2014

Homework - 13/02/2014

Successful media products depend as much upon marketing and distribution to a specific audience as they do upon good production practices.” To what extent would you agree with this statement, within the film area.


Successful media products depend as much upon marketing and distribution to a specific audience as they do upon good production practices.” To what extent would you agree with this statement, within the film area.

Marketing and distribution is a vital part of the process of getting a film popular and well-known. Take a successful film such as Avatar and remove the marketing and distribution process and it is unlikely that the film would do as well do to lack of the public knowing about it certainly on a worldwide basis.

Marketing includes things such as merchandising, advertising and interviews with the cast and crew, all of which gets the film discussed world wide and gets audiences talking about the film before it has even come out in cinemas. With out this even the best made and highest budget films would not due as well.

The distribution of film is also a vital part in the process of a film becoming popular. After and during the film being marketed good distribution is key in order for the people who have seen the film to have easy access to view the it, with out good distribution such as firstly a lot of cinema showings and then DVD rental and sale any fan base built up will die down.

Monday, 3 February 2014

Homework - Section B practice


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

Candidates must focus on the following media areas: Film
Digital distribution has a very positive affect on marketing and consumption of media products. It is the advantages of digital distribution that creates this positive affect mainly that it is easier, cheaper and quicker to send digital files than tins of film to the cinemas.

If a film uses well-known and popular actors and directors interviews of these are seen digitally therefore promoting the film and the fans of the actors and directors build up a fan base without the film even being seen yet.

Marketing films is made a lot easier with digital distribution as this means that the trailer or advertisements can be found within seconds on the internet therefore repeatedlly reminding people that the film is out or soon to be. Television is also used to show film trailers once again reminding people of the film and ensuring that everyone sees the advertisement as most people watch tv at some point in there day. These methods also start people talking about the film if they think it looks like there genre they may suggest it to a friend and creates further advertisement.

Finally DVD's and digital streaming make it easier and cheaper for people to see films once they have finished being shown in the cinema. This then makes people watch them due to the lack of effort needed to do so. However this can also become a disadvantage due to films being illegally downloaded and played for free.