Working Title Productions.

Working Title Productions is another of the British Film Industry's highest-rank companies. Founded in 1984, the company is co-owned by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner.

The company is also partly owned by major Hollywood Film Company Universal Studios, having a 67% share in the company. Despite this, Working Title has since been listed as being one of the largest companies in the British Film Industry today.
Despite this status, the company has only 42 employees working full time, spread also across the sister company ‘Working Title 2 Productions’ , a subsidiary company launched in 1999 by Bevan and Fellner. The company is run by Natascha Wharton, producing well-received films such as Billy Elliot and Shaun of the Dead.The Distribution of films from Working Title is affected greatly because of their partnership with Universal as they have the most power over the company, they can decide when it is best to distribute films. For example, if Universal produces a film of their own at the same time as Working Title, they will hold back distribution of Working Title’s film to make room for Universals big block buster film. On average, Working Title produce four films a year, one of which needs to be a block buster film, their partnership with Universal helps immensely with costs and distribution etc.
A block buster produced by Universal will always receive a huge response at the box office in the first weekend, for example in 2004, Working Title produced Bridget Jones’ Diary, Thunderbirds and Shaun of the Dead. Thunderbirds turned out to be a major flop at the box office, against the predicted response. Despite this, the film company was supported by the two other films distributed that year with the help of Universal.
A strong reason for successful films from Working Title is their reputation for having a wide genre appealing to niche audiences for example; films such as Notting Hill and Hot Fuzz both have a targeted niche audience. Aside from this, the company’s main audiences are Romantic Comedy audiences and family audiences. Due to their partnership with Universal, Working Title has access to fresh talent actors and well known directors to help produce a successful film, for example, Stephen Dadly. Cherished actors by Working Title include Hugh Grant and Richard Curtis, both being British which is a huge positive aspect for the British film company, worldwide viewers will remember that it is a British film despite Universal ownership. Working Title tend to treasure actors and use them again in other films, almost like a family.
The philosophy of Working Title is: ‘to make films for an audience which are then played in a multiplex as this is the only hope of sustaining the UK film industry’, according to Tim Bevan.

Film4 Productions.

Film 4, one of the main independant production companies in the British Film Industry. Owned by Tessa Ross, the company was founded in 1998 and is a spin-off from channel 4. Despite the separation, Channel 4 still make regular donations to fund the production of Film 4, a big help to a small company.

On average, the company produces about 20 films a year. Successes include huge films such as Slumdog Millionaire.
The company's philosophy is 'to experiment, innovate and cater for audiences not dressed by other channels'.

Stephen Frears directed the first Film 4 film entitled ‘Walter’ which was a box office hit, this was a good start for a new film company although the film was also partly produced by Working Title. Due to finances and the small scale of the company, Film 4 in recent years have partnered with FilmFlex, now called Film 4 on demand, which supplies films to buy and rent online, many of them being released close to the release of the film on DVD and Blu-ray. This decision to join forces with FilmFlex has increased the profit and status of the Film4 Company.
Unlike Working Title, Film4 are not best known for sticking to similar genres of film. Funding around 20 films a year, Film4 look for stand-out films that differ from other production companies. This has created a reputation for Film4 as having an un-expected film production and therefore a higher competition with other film companies. For example, Slumdog Millionaire was an un-expected film produced in 2009, resulting in a huge box office success.

Stereotype Presentations (Prezi).

In pairs, we were all assigned a different social group, stereotyped in Tv dramas and soaps. Each pair had to gather their information and create a 'Prezi' presentation on the Internet about our stereotype. In class, we sat down and watched each pairs presentations whilst we copied down notes.



Age - On the Tv, children are often stereotyped as being very annoying; crying all the time, screaming and throwing tantrums although on the other hand they can be stereotyped as being very cute and cuddly. At the other end of the age scale, elderly people are very much stereotyped as being grumpy, bitter and stubborn. They may also be stereotyped as being crippled and helpless, or stereotyped as being very clever and wise. These two age stereotypes could be labelled as a binary opposite; a symbolic code used in Tv drama to contrast the two ages and make them appear more extreme perhaps.
We were shown a clip from the Tv comedy series 'Little Britain' in which, 'Vicky Pollard' advertises herself as being loud, gobby and rude; showing a typical stereotype that teenagers may have put upon them. Afterwards, we were shown a picture of a hard working teenager to contrast the bad stereotype of adolescents in the media.

Regional Identity - The 'Northerners' of the country are often stereotyped as being very friendly and social people. The fact that they live in a rural area has often stereotyped them all as being very nature-driven and all seem to own their own farm. This could back up the stereotype of Northern people being quite simple and not very bright. On the TV, a series such as 'Heartbeat' is shown as being very colourful and green. This is a contrast to the south. A clip of the series 'Spooks' was shown, in which the scenes were very grey and monotonal, this could possibly be a semantic code, to represent how the South is very urban, materialistic and fast-paced, meaning that the life of a Southerner is very dull and repetitive. The fast-past lifestyle could also be a stereotype in itself, stereotyping that all Southern people are clever and work in office buildings, for example, in the comedy series ' The Office'.

Sexuality - We were shown a clip from 'Little Britain' again, in which an extremely stereotyped gay male, 'Daffyd Thomas' is shown wearing tight-fitting clothing and appearing very feminine with a high-pitched voice. In the clip, he is also filmed in front of a dark background to make him stand out more and appear more alien-like to his surroundings. In contrast to this, a male homosexual could be shown as being very masculine and having an interest in any stereotyped straight male past-time. In argument to this, Lindsey Lohan, an openly-bisexual female, could go against all stereotypes of a gay female being very butch and masculine. In the media, she is portrayed badly but also as being very feminine, wearing tightly fitting dresses etc. In Tv soaps and dramas, a common 'gay-plot' would be; a character realising that they are gay, then everybody finding out, and then how they react to the news.

Explain how ethnicity is represented in the clip.

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Mention:

• Mise en scene
• Editing
• Sound

At the start of the clip, a black male is shown walking by a poolside dressed smarty in a black, clean-cut suit. The lighting is blue and down lit which gives the impression of a calm, cool and trendy atmosphere. The fact that the pool is inside and lit up suggests wealth. At the start of this clip the camera angle is a long shot which pans along the side of the pool alongside the character walking. On his way, the character bumps into an old friend who obviously knew him before as being a slightly different character as he seems on-edge and uneasy. The other male character is represented in a stereotypical way, he is shown with tattoos, dreadlocks and chains. When he is talking to the other male, the camera moves and jitters, this could represent how the stereotyped black male is intimidating and a space invader. The two characters are an example of binary opposites.

The second scene shows the stereotypes of french women and Japanese males. Two french maids are shown entering one of the hotel rooms to find a Japanese man sitting on the side of the bed. The room is also clinically tidy which is a stereotype of Japanese people being very clean and tidy people. When the customer turns the music on, the maids begin to strip. This is a stereotype of french maids being very sexual people, one of the maids reacts very strongly to this stereotype whereas the other maid refuses to strip and runs away, this is another example of binary opposites. The music playing when they begin to strip is 'Lady Marmalade' which mentions the lyrics " .. down in old Moulin Rouge" which links to the strippers at the moulin rouge in Paris, ironic? The biggest stereotype in this scene is that Japanese men are perverts. The camera angles used in the clip also could reflect stereotypes, the Japanese man is filmed from a low height, this could be a stereotype of Japanese people being small or that they eat and sleep near to the floor. When the close-up of the money is shown on the table, it too is filmed from a low height, it is shown from the Japanese mans viewpoint.

Another scene in this clip involves a Caucasian male and female talking about other staff in the hotel. The fact that they are of high class and seem in charge links to a very archaic stereotype that Caucasian people are of higher status and are the superior race.

This scene links to another set in a kitchen, the two Caucasian characters enter and begin to talk to who appears to be the head chef. He is introduced as a mid shot, chopping at the work counter. He is Italian, another stereotype. Italians are stereotyped to be good cooks, linking to the fact that he is a chef. The two Caucasian characters also talked about how he was a recovering alcoholic, this could be a stereotype of Italian men being raucous and excessive drinkers. When the two Caucasian characters leave, the head chef attempts to argue with another, British, slightly overweight chef. The English chef is dressed in white uniform which may connote innocence and purity whereas the Italian chef is dressed in black and red which connotes anger and the devil. When alone with the chef, the Italian becomes very aggressive and he threatens the English chef with a poultry knife. This could stereotype him as being two-faced and dangerous. The English male could also be stereotyped, as he is overweight,this could stereotype the majority of the British public for being supposedly overweight and easily threatened.

In conclusion, Ethnicity is very apparent in this clip of 'Hotel Babylon', although there is no evidence of 'going against the stereotype' which shows that the stereotypes represented are extremely predictable and almost archaic.

Question: How does Calvin Klein represent females in this advert featuring Eva Mendes? Are they objectified or sexually empowered?

In the advert, Calvin Klein present Eva Mendes in a strong stance, this shows power and domination through the way her legs are stood apart, this also connotes masculine qualities.The way her hands are positioned on her hips not only relates to strength but also draws the eye to the CK underwear and also to a region which could possibly be seen through the male gaze.
The Calvin Klein label itself is associated with sexuality and status, the fact that the logo is positioned near to her legs but positioned behind her, in her shadow, shows power and domain. Another take on this would be to appeal to males, allowing a full shot of the woman, allowing full view of her body and not covering it up.
The camera angle is also appropriate to status, the fact that it is shot from below shows importance and superiority of the model and could also relate to the high status of the CK label.
The fact that she is 'oiled up' and her hair is damp shows that she may have just come out of the shower, possibly in the evening, and that she may now be getting dressed to go out, 'as attractive people do'.
She is wearing high heels to ellongate her legs, make her appear taller and appeal to a male audience. Making them think of their wife or girlfriend and buy the product in hope that they too with look like the advert. Suspenders add to the appeal and are often associated with sexiness although this image has a tasteful quality.
One aspect of the photo thats not so obvious at first glance is the fact that the model is not wearing a wedding ring which is giving the impression that she is 'available', this is subject again to the male gaze.
Eva Mendes poses with her head turned back slightly, this makes her seem mysterious and also keeps the attention from her face and directed on the product. Another reason for this may be that she is too superior to face to the front, relating to the feminist viewpoint of the male gaze.

The Male Gaze.

The male gaze is a theory founded by Laura Mulvey, who believed that the way in which films are produced, are in the eye of a male viewer. She believed that because of this, the films audiences have to view characters from the perspective of a heterosexual man.
She categorised this viewing theory under three ways:

1. How men view women


2. How women look at themselves, which links into:


3. How women view other women.

The male gaze has this idea of the camera 'lingering' on the curves of the female body, and the events which occur to women are presented largely in the context of a man's reaction to these events.
It relegates women to the status of objects almost. The female viewer must experience the narrative secondarily, by identification with the male.

In the 1980's, Marjorie Ferguson identified four types of facial expressions on the front cover of British women's magazine and categorised them as follows:

1. The chocolate box - Half/full smile, lips together/slightly parted, teeth barely visible, full/three-quarters of face to the camera. This gives the impression of innocence, creating a 'nice' image. For example, Cheryl Cole on the cover of October 2010's issue of Vogue.
   
2. Invitational - Emphasis on the eyes, mouth shut with a hint of a smile, head to one side or looking back to the camera. This gives the impression of a woman who is confident with herself, coming across as endearing and inviting to an audience. For example, Catherine Zeta Jones on the cover of May 2010's allure gives an invitational look
3. Super-smiler - Full face, wide open-toothed smile, head thrusts forward or chin thrown back, hair often wind blown. This gives the impression of a happy-go-lucky woman, This gives the impression of a happy-go-lucky woman, not intended to appear in any sexual or inviting way at all. This example of Kate Hudson on the cover of the June 2008 Vogue presents her in this way .


4. Romantic or sexual - Includes male/female 'two-somes', dreamy, heavy lidded, overtly sensual/sexual. To present an advert or magazine in this way connotes feelings of sensuality and desire, this may also create lust from the consumer of the way in which the two models appear. For example, Calvin Klein typically present their advertisements in this way, playing on the fact that it is to promote underwear - Mark Wahlburg and Kate Moss are seen modeling CK underwear in the advertisement below.

During the 90's, Trevor Millum took Fergusons theory into mind and created his own theory of which he thought to be more of a correct way of categorising these expressions.

1. Seductive - Similar to cool/level, eyes less wide, expression is less reserved but still self-confident, milder. This gives the impression of a strong woman, shown on October 2010's French issue of Vogue iconic insert with Kate Moss on the cover.
   
2. Carefree - Nymph-like, active, healthy, vibrant, outdoor girl, often smiling/grinning. This expression connotes feelings of happiness and energy, Lauren Conrad, in this example, gives a wide-toothed smile with wind-swept hair on the cover of May 2010's issue of Glamour Magazine.



3. Practical - Concentrating, engaged in business in hand, mouth closed, eyes object directed, sometimes a slight frown, hair often tied back or short style. This is shown in this picture of a woman, concentrating on her work, hand held to her head and hair brushed back
   
4. Comic - Deliberately ridiculous, exaggerated, acting the fool, pulling faces. This gives the impression of a humorous, care-free cover, in this case, Dazed and Confused's July 2008 issue features a model posing with a comic expression on their face, this adds a quirkiness and keeps in tone with the unique quality of the magazine.


5. Catalogue - A neutral look as of a dummy, artificial, wax-like, features may be in any position - but most likely to be with eyes open wide and a smile, looks remain vacant and empty with personality removed. This gives an un-real look to a magazine cover, although it could also come across as soft and neutral but in this example, Victoria Beckham shows off her 'wax-like' expression on May 2010's issue of Vogue Germany.
   

Film Habits Questionaire

Film Habits Questionnaire

Roland Barthes - Narrative Codes

Roland Barthes was a semiologist, meaning he studied texts for a living. He believed that when a story is being told it has either an Open Narrative or a Closed Narrative.

An open Narrative is when a story can be taken anywhere and can leave the audience wanting to watch more, a good example is a TV drama or soap which play on different stories to attract viewers, many stories can also happen at once.
A Closed Narrative is when there is only one string to pull on, there can be only one obvious outcome to a story, usually seem in children's TV programmes, usually teaching children a moral which are always summed up at the end of an episode. Children would not be interested in a series of episodes which continues for a long time, this is why it is the perfect narrative for this genre of media.

Codes in Media

Action code - For example, if someone draws a gun during a film, you, as an audience, know somethings going to happen, a murder perhaps. The rule is that if A happens, B must follow.

Enigma Code - An element in a story that's not explained therefore exists as an enigma. An enigma makes the audience want to find out what happens next, it is usually an unanswered question.

Semantic code - An element that often suggests an additional meaning by way of connotation.

Cultural code - ALWAYS REFER to any narrative that refers to a science or body of knowledge.

Symbolic - Levi-Strauss' idea of binary opposites for example, good and evil, the thing in between is what matters e.g. War is Peace, theres no one without the other. It is often known as the 'grey-area' of two binary opposites, for example, if a rich businessman was stood smoking a cigarette next to a poor starving child, we, as an audience, would wonder why this has happened.

Representation.

My definition of Re-Presentation - By using different media, a copy of something which was origional can be made, making it seem as real to the orginal version as possible.

Re-Presentation- The way the media present 'something' as though it were real, it is not real merely a copy of something.

Signs- Something which communicates a piece of information.

Signifiers- Multiple 'ideas' or 'feelings' behind a sign. All signs belong to cultures.

Gate Keepers- The people in charge of what we get to see.

Ideology- A belief system.

Before watching a clip from the film Rushmore we were told to consider Mise en scene:
- Camera Angle
- Props
- Setting
- Lighting
- Acting

We then watched a short clip without sound from the film Rushmore and answered the following:

1. Where is the film set?
A private christian school for boys in America.

2. Describe the main characters personality?
He is very serious, a daydreamer, quirky, smug but also seems lonely.

3. What is he excellent at?
Mathematics equations.

4. How do others view him?
They view him as a hero or genius.

5. How was he dressed?
Very smartly, dressed in a blazer, smarter than those around him.

The 5 C's

5 C's

• Camera Angles


• Continuity


• Cutting(aka editing)


• Close-ups


• Composition

When telling the audience where a film is set, use a long shot. This lets you show all the important information.

A medium shot is the most commonly used shot in cinema, it is used to show any character interaction.

A close-up is used when something or someone is highlighted to show the audience that they are inportant.

Continuity
Genrally refers to a visual error. In very basic terms, it means having a character in a red top one second and a blue top the next.


Cutting/Editing
This is essential otherwise films would be in real time and never end. The main use is to either add pace to a scene to make it exciting or to slow it down fdor dramatic emphasis.


7 things to remember over the year:

• Gender


• Age


• Ethnicity


• Sexuality


• Class and status


• Phisical ability/disability


• Regional identity