Analysis Of Critical Investigation

For my critical investigation, I will be looking at the representations of different ethnicities in movies, and how the films itself attract their audience. As i will focus on both american and british cinema the main movies i will focus on are Crash, Kidulhood or Bullet boy, Blood Diamond and perhaps Babel (bradd Pitt)...(decision pending).

My linked production will be a 5 minute opening sequence to a movie based on racism. It will contain racial stereotypes, and the impact this has on society itself.

MIGRAIN analysis

Media language.

For the critical investigation, i will talk about how different camera angles and lighting are used to create a connotation. For example low lighting creates a negative impact, Low angles connote themes of power.

This also links to my linked production, as effects such as camera angles, lighting, sound and edits are all key in creating a professional standard opening sequence. It will also help me create effects and connotations in the opening sequence, that will help the production grip the audience. This is a common feature of opening sequences.

Genre.

The genre I will be looking at for both linked production and investigation is drama.

I feel this has more key issues and debates which can be analysed in detail.

Another genre i will be concentrating on is the British genre, for example Adulthood. This has a main focus on younger characters, aswel as touching on racial issues.

Representation.

The main representation i will focus on is the representation of different races and the stereotypes created by this. I will also compare and contrast this representation between the different movies i focus upon.

Audience.

In my critical investigation i will focus on how the film attracts its different audiences. For example the use of different theories and techniques, and how they appeal to ethnic groups. This can be how a race is represented, for example in a negative manor, which makes the viewer of that race want to watch the movie. This can link to the uses and gratifications theory.

In the linked production, I will try to come up with an innovative story line, which focuses on representations, to help appeal to the target audience.

Ideology.

Ideologies i will be looking out for are key in telling a story. For example Patriarchy, Hegemony. This may link to one race being more superior to another, e.g the power and dominance of a race creates a hegemonic reading for the viewer.

Narrative.

Throughout both of the assignments, the narrative is very key. I will have to analyse closely the narrative of the films and how they are representing different race's. This can help me contrast and compare the different movies and if they have any similarities or differences.

In my linked production, i will have to produce a narrative, and create 5 minutes from a movie that will grip the audience. I will have to focus on racial stereotypes, dominant readings, the theory of Todorov (equilibrium theory), which will help attract the audience. Other theories i will draw upon are Levi Strauss's Binary Oppositions and Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze.

Media Theories.

One of the main theories i will focus on is Gender and Ethnicity. However i will mainly focus on the ethnicity side rather than the gender. This will help me answer my topic question about how and why different people are represented in certain ways and what effect this has on society.

Another theory i will look upon is Hegemony, as it shows what is accepted by society in the texts, and if it is because of a dominant force, for example a specific race.

Issues and Debates.

One main issue is Morale Panic's. This can be seen is all of my movies, it is an exaggeration of an event by the media which makes everyone think too much of it. For example gangs, which is a major issue in the movie Crash. A morale panic is created as a character shoots a black male as he is reaching into his pocket, the reason for this was he thought the black male was pulling out a gun. This is a major stereotype created by a morale panic, and i will look in more detail with in my critical investigation.

Internet Institution Case Study...Microsoft

Who owns the site?
Bill Gates and Paul Allen.


Do they also own any other traditional media business?
Yes,Bill Gates owns a think-tank company named "bgC3" which covers the design and development of computer hardware and software founded by himself, and also owns a company that sells and distributes photography and film footage named "Corbis Corporation" which was founded in 1989.


What other internet sites do they own?
They do not own any other internet sites.


What is it's revenue?
Around $60.42 billion annually.


What is it's overall worth?
Microsoft is worth $520 million.


5 Key facts on Microsoft.

1. Most of the profit comes from Microsoft office and the windows operating system.
2. It manufactures the xbox consoles.
3. The company has made 4 billionaires and 12,000 millionaires.
4. They own a cable television network, NSBNC.
   
5. Microsoft is based in America.

What information does the website offer?

• Key information about the products of Microsoft.
• Downloads available for the users.
• Updates, which are key to keep brand loyalty.
• It has a search engine, so users can research.
• Support about the products.
• Information about offices in the U.K.

Article 1


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Microsoft

1. The company has over 90,000 employees.
2. The history of microsoft began on April 4th, 1975.
3. The current best selling products are microsoft office and the windows operating system.
4. In june 2009, microsoft started taking pre orders of windows 7 at discount price, set to be released in october 2009.
5. December 2007, Microsoft signed a huge deal with viacom.

Article 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Microsoft

1. Issues with Microsoft are things such as security, stability and ease of use.
2. In the 2000's a number of malware attacks targeted the security of Microsoft Windows.
3. The company has been in a number of law suits due to apparent unlawful practices.
4. When Microsoft discovered that its first product, Altair BASIC, was subject to widespread illegal copying, Microsoft founder Bill Gates wrote an Open Letter to Hobbyists that openly accused many hobbyists of stealing software.
5. Another concern is that microsoft may be using the distribution of shared source software to harvest names of developers who had been exposed to microsoft code.

Three Quotes with references

The European Commission has concluded, after a five-year investigation, that Microsoft Corporation broke European Union competition law by leveraging its near monopoly in the market for PC operating systems (OS) onto the markets for work group server operating systems(1) and for media players(2).

Client revenue declined 8% as a result of PC market weakness and a continued shift to lower priced netbooks. However, strong annuity licensing drove Server & Tools revenue growth of 15%.

1/9/91 Microsoft announces the availability of Microsoft Excel for Windows 3.0. It also announces Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh 3.0 and Excel for OS/2 Presentation Manager which are expected to ship in the next few months.

Evaluating The Other Productions

This was very well filmed and it was aesthetically pleasing to the eye, whilst entertaining it also showed the key information which is the main aim of the video.

This video is also again good aesthetic wise, and some of the information is put well across to the viewers. However greater variety could be used when giving information.

This was a good video as it had some humor in it to help entertain, as well as give the audience the information needed. Also the questions asked were well answered in this video and the examples used were good.

This video had a good soundtrack which was well placed for the purpose. It entertained and it gave good information that was needed. However again greater variety of giving the information to the audience could have been attempted.

Internet User/T.V audience, Are we more active offline?...

    There are some key differences between an internet user and a T.V audience. A T.V audience do not have that much interaction with the same interaction an internet user does, for example on the internet a user can watch films online, download music and other files at the same time, this can not be done by a single t.v audience member whilst watching television. However connecting consoles to the t.v eg PS3 enable us to download, and watch t.v, which is a clear example of how an audience and internet user are similar. An internet user can be said to be less active as they are always online, sitting and not taking place in much activities. This can lead to weight problems and other health related risks. I personally believe we are much more active offline, we have time to take place in sporting activities, gym, jogging, and we are not just stuck in one place hardly moving, apart from the increasing the stamina of our fingers as we type! Users of the internet are becoming much more less active as the net is seen to many as almost an addiction, however is this a bad addiction? or a positive?....

D i g i t a l . B r i t a i n . R e p o r t

Digital Britain: Analogue radio switch-off set for 2015

• FM spectrum will be filled by a new tier of ultra-local radio consisting of small local commercial and community stations. Radio stations currently broadcasting on medium wave will upgrade to DAB (digital audience broadcasting).
  
• DAB must reach 90% of all the population and all major roads before the upgrade timetable can begin.
  
• The report says that for the DAB transmitter to work, it will need a large amount of money from other commercial opperators, apart from the BBC.
  
• Commercial radio operators have so far been unable to make niche digital services pay.
  
• Digital Britain: Landline users to pay £6 tax to fund broadband
  
• Fixed-line telephone users will pay £6 a year to fund the rollout of superfast broadband across the country.
  
• A 50p-a-month levy on every copper telephone line will help pay for next-generation broadband for 90% of the population.
  
• The government wants everyone to be able to receive broadband of at least 2Mbps by 2012 as it puts more public services online.
  
• The government has said they will use part of the BBC fee to help fund the ITV regional news service.
  
• The more people do illegal filesharing it will eventually slow down their broadband connection.
  
• Digital Britain: ISPs will have to cut filesharing by 70% under new proposals
  
• British ISPs will be required to cut illegal filesharing on their networks by 70% within a year under new powers set to be given to the communications regulator Ofcom.
  
• Persistant file infringers will see their details passed onto right holders, where they can then sue them in court. The can also face bans.
  
• Artists, musicians and record labels, said that it thinks the proposals will not succeed in achieving such a cut.
  
• If there is not a decrease of up to 70% after the first year, the government will use it's powers to introduce further measures, eg cutting down internet connection to offenders.
  
• It may also take a very long time, as the government is only consulting, and the legislation will enact months after this.
  
• By Gurjoth & Sajel

New Media Video on the Internet