Ex Machina Research

Producer - There were 2 Producers of Ex Machin and these were: Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich. Andrew is the founder of DNA Films and he is a Scottish film Producer best known for collaborations with John Hodge and Danny Boyle to create films such as: The Beach and Shallow Grave. Allon Reich is also known for films such as Dredd and 28 weeks later.

Director - There was 1 Director of this film and he was Alex Garland. He is a screenwriter and film producer best known for the film Never Let Me Go

Distributor - Universal Pictures distributed this film. They are an American film studio owned by Comcast

Cast - Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac and Sonoya Mizuno. There are 3 main characters in this film and they are the first 3 people listed above.

Budget - $15 million

Locations - There are 8 filming locations for this film and they are:

• Norway - Juvet Landscape Hotel, Sognefjord, Valldal, Jostedalsbreen National Park
• UK - London and Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire

Technology - The technology was 4k resolution and they also had 15,000 mini-tungsten pea bulb lights in the sets to make sure that florescent light was avoided that is used in most sci-fi films.

Number of screens - (Opening Weekend) - In the UK in the opening weekend, this film was shown on 1,255 screens and made $5,349,500 and in the US it was shown on 4 screens in the opening weekend and made $250,000

Number of Screens - (Peak Number) - The peak number of screens for the UK was 1,255 and in the US it was 2,004 but this decreased dramatically afterwards.

Box Office figures - On the opening weekend the box office figures for the USA was $5,349,500, in the UK it was $250,000, in Italy it was €251,000, in the Netherlands it was €38,500 and in Portugal it was $30,733

The issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;

The production companies for this film were Film4 and DNA films. Film4 is a British television company that is partly owned by Channel 4 which are known well for showing gritty and exciting films such as: Boy A, 12 Years of Slave and Slumdog Millionaire. DNA is also a British film Company which is founded by Andrew Macdonald and Duncan Kenworthy and between them, they have also created films such as 27 Days Later, Dredd and Never Let Me Go. Despite being small production companies, they have done extremely well with the films that they have created. They have also worked together on films such as Never Let Me Go and are well known due to their box office figures on all of their films. They can create brilliant films without having to collaborate with big name companies such as Disney and Universal. This is shown through the successful film Ex Machina which only took 6 weeks to film and it had actors that weren't as well known such as Oscar Isaac and Domhall Gleeson. This then proves that not all films need to have big budgets to be successful but they can have small ones and still be as widely recognised.

The importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;
The 2 production companies were distributed via A24 films and Universal Pictures. These are based in the USA. By working with these companies, it allows them to have a wider audience spectrum as they are a bigger and well recognised company that people can understand and relate well to, due to previous films. Ex Machina was also distributed on Blu-ray and DVD by Lionsgate Home Entertainment, another big company, that allows them to extend their audience preference even more! DNA Films and Film4 have brought their ideas together which also helps promote them two as companies as well as promoting the film.Film4, before this, have created many popular and well recognised films so they can offer experience. Whereas DNA Films have can provide a brilliant Writer and Producer. By each of these companies having well recognised features, they can help each other become more successful. By working together they can improve their budget and an audience can see that these 2 companies have worked well together so would therefore watch another film that is brought out by both companies collaborating together again.

The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange;
With nowadays technology, people are wanting to be able to stream films and watch them in the comfort of their own home instead of watching it and paying money to see it in a cinema. This means that, to make the film popular, they need to make the film available on lots of different resources and make the film extra exciting and draw audiences in to see the film at the cinema. Such things as deals and exciting ad posters and videos online would intrigue people to go and see the film in the cinema and to have the full experience. On the other hand, people do like to sit at home and watch films fro their own television or laptop on Netflix. Foe them to achieve the most success possible, they need to widen their audience and distribute the film in a variety of ways that would meet the happiness of all members of the audience. Ex Machina is now available on websites such as GooglePlay, Netflix and Amazon. It was released in the UK, by Universal Pictures, on 21st January 2015 and the USA by A24 films on 14th March 2016. On the 14th July 2015, it was released on Blu-Ray and DVD and available to download.

The significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences;
Technology has become advanced in so many different ways such as: How to show a film and the features that can be used to make a film. Ex Machina have followed what this generation enjoy the most which is special effects and the excitement of new technology. They collaborated with Double Negative who are a highly successful visual and special effects company who are very well known and recognised in Europe. They have worked on highly successful productions such as The Harry Potter films and The Quantum of Solace. The expectations for films that are using modern technology is very high so there is a lot of pressure on Production Companies to make sure that they have used the best special effects work that they can to live up to this expectation. Ex Machina reached this height and this was shown through their box office figures. By winning an Oscar and working with Double Negative, it helped the reputation of the film and helped it gain the popularity that it did.

The importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences;
Marketing has also been improved due to new technologies as for this film it could be distributed through Social Media as well as through billboards, posters and adverts on the television. Through this type of marketing, the audience can have direct contact and it can be a more effective and cheaper way for the film to be marketed. There were mixed opinions about using this as a way of marketing so it created a lot of attention and interest in the film. The film was also shot on 4k resolution which is also a use of new technology. It is a digital way of filming which makes the distribution cost to cinemas much cheaper. This is shown through the quality of the film.

The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions;

Different technologies and film companies have come together to work on this film (DNA Films, Film4 and Double Negative) and by doing so this has improved the success of the film and helped the film to go on and achieve an Oscar Award. The Production team worked together to create the shots for editing, with special effects, and then went on to collaborating with Double Negative so that they could begin to create Ava. Music was also needed to add effect to the film so that the audience could enjoy it more so this technology was placed into the film too. The music was composed by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow, these composers have also worked together, like Alex Macdonald and Allon Reich did, on the film "Dredd". 
The ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour
As a viewer of the newest generation, that is used to having social media and advanced technology around me, I like to be able to view this film on many different devices such as Netflix and the TV, but I do also like to take rips to the cinema to see films that stand out the most to me. This is a benefit for our generation as we are more likely to sit at home watching this film with our own comforts rather than going out to the cinema to do so. New technologies, such as downloading films illegally and steaming them online, can have such a negative effect on the films population and profit as people are not watching the film in the most beneficial way so therefore I am fully against this new technology. All efforts put in by all members of the crew that were involved in this film, did a stunning job at presenting, marketing and distributing this film and the special effects tea created an extraordinary character, Ava, which drew the audience in and made people think about the new advances in technology.

Essay 1

“Successful media products depend as much upon marketing and distribution to a specific audience as they do upon good production practices” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Star Wars the Force Awakens is a very popular and diverse film and can appeal to audiences of any ages. This can range from younger children who are interested in the toys and tie-in product side of the films and the characters that are involved, to the older generation who would maybe have seen the previous starter films and would therefore understand the carry on story in this film. I feel that the marketing of this film did play a huge part in the success of the film and this was due to 4 key areas

Media Products

Star Wars was produced and distributed in numerous different ways that would have applied and tailored to a specific audience. There were five main ways that this film was distributed and made available for people to watch and these were: Cinema showings, DVD, CD, Blu-ray and downloads. These all came about with different release dates as the cinema showings began on the 17^th of September 2015 and was eventually shown on 670 screens in the UK and 4,134 screens in the US. The movie received numerous positive reviews and remained popular for as long as it remained in cinemas. It continuously played in cinemas in the US for 4 months and only started on 2 screens before progressing up to 4,134. In the first day the film made $57 million and then progressed onto making $529 million in the first weekend. This is a highly popular film due to its ratings and would be easily classified as a big budget film. The critic reaction of the film gained an 8.2/10 and had a 92% rating. People claimed that it was “full of renewed energy.” Carrying on from this, on the 18^th April 2016, the Blu-ray and DVD’s were released. This was also very popular due to the continued excitement and enjoyment followed on from the film in cinema. Fans became very agitated that when they purchased the DVD, there was no download link involved so that they could watch it online. They also did not publicise the deleted scenes like any other film would so this then therefore infuriated the viewers as well as they like extra scenes and action to be packed into their DVD pack. Other big budget films and popular blockbuster films would include these features so after the success of the film in cinemas it surprised and upset viewers as this would have enhanced their enjoyment and love for the film even more. The DVD was sold in the UK for a price of £9.99 and on Blu-ray it was sold for £15.00. They then also released a special edition which was priced at £24.99 and this would have included extra scenes and the behind the scenes extras. It has now been available to download on to devices as an extra way to watch and improve profit and the CD has also been released with all of the soundtracks that have been included in this particular film. The release date of this was 18^th December 2015 and was not as popular as the film due to marketing. If this was shown and marketed as much as what the film was then it would have been as popular as the film but because of the film’s success it wasn’t as necessary to publicise this as much.

Specific Audience

Four quadrat applies to this film excessively as it is in the interest of both male and female over and under the age of 25. Stereotypically, boys and men are more interested in action films but with the success and worldwide population of this film it has now applied itself to both males and females alike. The age gap is also non-existent due to how well-known

and populated the film is as the younger generation could have been brought up around the film and the older generation have grown up knowing the film. Older generations can relate and understand the characters more due to how similar this film is made and publicised as the first films were and the characters have remained the same so they can also feel connected to the film through the actors. Younger people will know of the actors in the film and like it just as much due to Harrison Ford being the A list stars and being well recognised due to the films that he has previously starred in such as Blade Runner and Indiana Jones. This film can be seen as a love or hate film. The marketing and distribution would need to do as much as possible to pull this up so that it is seen as attractive to all audiences and they can show it off in the best light to attract an audience into waning to watch and enjoy the film. By showing it off everywhere and showing the special effects and even proving that most of the film was done practically could spark an interest and persuade an audience that this film is worth the watch and worth the money to either go and spend the money to watch at cinemas or to purchase on DVD. It was also publicised to be enjoyed by both UK and UK audiences. This could be due to the fact that they have both American and English actors and actresses involved and the film was filmed in Pinewood Studios in England which is widely recognised and known as a very important and successful studio to produce films in. J.J Abrams is also an American film director and producer so would be recognised very excessively and enjoyed by lots of American viewers and even along with English viewers. The film would not be associated as much with a Chinese audience though due to the fact that there are no Chinese actors or actresses involved in any part of the film and there were also no Chinese producers or behind the scene members of the cast. This would have then not attracted them to watch the film at all.

Marketing and Distribution

There were many ways that Star Was the Force Awakens was marketed, some being bigger than others, and all of these techniques helped the film to be well recognised by everyone in all different Countries. There were huge billboard posters situated around the UK and the US and these contains pictures from scenes of the films and the most recognised picture with all the actors and actresses on the front with an insight into the action that is going to take place in the film. This was done in a discrete way so that no audience member would expect a female lead and a black male lead. They would have all characters on the poster so that people can make their own assumptions about the leads in the new film. There were also adverts on the TV that would reveal slight parts of the plot and give away parts of the action to draw people into the plot and help them to connect to characters and begin to understand which parts people play in the film and who their character is. These adverts would have been watched by most people who watch TV everyday as they were very poplar and came on a lot during TV programmes and in the adverts of films on channels such as Channel 4 and ITV. It would have been used on these channels so that people would see them more often as these are the channels that most soaps are shown on and, in England, Coronation Street and Emmerdale are popular soaps and are recognise by most people in England. Star Was also has its own website and apps for the major fans of the films and this would be their way of playing interactive games and getting involved in the enjoyment of the film. This would also be a good way for the production company to maybe add spoilers and once the film has been released, add backstage clips and the production process for viewers to enjoy also. Other tie-in products were made and sold to promote the film and some of these were: Lunchboxes, lightsabors, water bottles, jumpers and even food products promoted the film, such as Subway. The marketing campaign became a huge deal and everyone in all Cities had heard of Star Wars due to its publicity and the amount of time and effort that was put into the marketing campaign to promote the film. Distribution was done through their large theatre company, Disney, and they were the only distributors of the film. This company set dates for releases of both the film and the DVD and they also supplied the budget of $306 million for the film. This then meant that they also went on to decided that the film would be released as Digital as a pose to film. This was done as it was a cheaper. 1% of theatres in North America showed the full IMAX experience that Star Wars had provided and there is also a lack of cinemas that are now able to show 35mm and 65mm films now, which is what this Star Wars was shot on). There are only 15 theatres in the world that can offer the full 70mm performance so it would be hard to distribute like this. Film also degrades after it has been printed and after being handled once would then become scratched and harder to use dur to the fact that it has been man-handled and smudged. $16,000 was spent on 220 hours of making this film, this is a full 9.5 days! The Production Company are also a Vertical Integration as they have full ownership of the film including production, distribution and exhibition. They then receive all of the profit gained form the film.

Production Practices

There were producers of this film and these were: J.J.Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy and Bryan Burk. These 3worked collaboratively to put this movie together and all pulled together in the end to ensure that, between them, they could make the film a brilliant success. J.J was also well known for producing Star Trek, which was also a Sci-fi film and was also hugely popular in the way that Star Wars the Force Awakens was. He also directed the film as well as producing it. The film was made using film as this made the scenes and screens relate magnificently to the original Star Wars and to show that time hasn’t changed in the film. This also would help an audience to connect more to the film as it would remind them of the ones before and help them to enjoy the film more as it’s so relatable to the original. It also used IMAX which makes the image 10 times bigger than a standard 35mm film. This would have been done to slightly modernised the film and make the picture better and or clear through the film. The film was seen as outstanding and the action involved was one that surprised and lived up to the audience’s expectations and was viewed as extraordinary for huge fans. Their A list star in this film carried on from the others and he was: Harrison Ford and from this film he was paid $20 million to play the carry-on role of Hans Solo. He was hesitant about doing the film again but after a long discussion he decided that it would be good and the action within the film was good enough to take part in. He also wanted the amount of money that he was provided with to take part in the film. This wasn’t even thought about as J.J wanted Harrison in the film a lot! John Boyega was also a main feature in this film as he was the first black male role that would have featured in Star Wars and this came as a surprise to the audience as they expected it to follow a Star Wars tradition but J.J wanted a change so he added a black male lead and a strong female lead (Daisy Ridley) too. This had never happened in Star Wars history. They both earned between $10,000 and $30,000 each which is significantly less than what Harrison Ford was paid. Carrie Fisher also came back in Star Wars as she had been in them before, but the same as Harrison, she was hesitant to come back as she had retired and hadn’t acted for many years so she was never to come back off of retirement to lay her role but her and Harrison have acted together so many times, which helped and it was something she really wanted to do after she had read the script and seen what was going to be in this film. There were also many locations for this film and these included: England, Scotland, Iceland, Ireland, United Arab Emirates. All of these destinations would have helped the actors and actresses to get into character even more as they were living the story that they were supposed to be telling. This was especially done when Daisy was in front of her “home” in the desert and she had real fire around her and the set was real. This would have helped her to understand her surroundings, and scene, even more, along with her emotions. Due to all of these factors, the film made $57 million on the opening day!

Sound Effects were used a lot, especially for sounds such as lasers, cannons and ray guns. Along with this, CGI and visual effects were used, but not to the extent that practicality was used as this was J. J’s vision. Camera work within the film was also extremely important as they needed different angles to display different emotions and also to provide a different view point for an audience so that they could understand the scene and action a lot better. The last thing used for effects was Prosthetics, Solar Power energy and robotics. This was essential to making the film as not all of the props could cover the extent of the scene and needed to be done with extra help. The music was also composed by John Williams, like in all of the other films and most of it remained the same as the theme tune was still included and extra music needed to stay the same such as the distinctive music for the Stormtroopers and they are recognised via this music.

Nostalgia was a main element that was shown in this film as there were older characters, older actors and a huge link to the original trilogy. The only thing that was mainly different was that Daisy and John, as the main characters, were 2 unknown leads and people hadn’t really heard of them before this film, s this was seen as very unusual by an older audience. Other characters that have been involved, such as Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver, have been in lots of other films so are therefore recognised a lot more due to their previous experience and films that they have been involved with.

With the big-name Director, that was J.J Abrams this helped the film to be of a high quality as he related the story very original to the others and he also added more modernised effects to ensure that it still appeals to all ages and audience types now.

Overall, I fell that the marketing of this Star Wars film was as important as the production practice otherwise the film would not become as known to the public and people would not be aware and begin to become as excited for the film as they would if it was shown and placed everywhere in their community.

Downton Abbey Class and Status stereotypes

Downton Abbey is set in 1912 within which a set of maids and housekeepers work and live for keeping their "Ladyships" and "Lordships" happy. It is set in a classic Georgian country house in England, North Hampshire. In this scene, the Titanic has just sunk and the horrific news has just hit the house and everyone within the house is shocked and felling very sympathetic to the people that were living upon the Titanic, especially as the high class people that own the house may know and have associated themselves with individuals that may be aboard the Titanic. The house is very manic and there are various different jobs going on in the different rooms to keep the Lord and Ladyships happy and content. The classes are placed in different sections of the hotel as the higher class are upstairs in the Master bedrooms and the lower class are downstairs in basic beds and have basic necessary needs. 

The first editing technique that was used is fast paced editing when all of the events are going on within the house and all the different jobs need doing. The bells keep going off for all the different rooms of people who are in need of service and everyone is moving around rapidly trying to serve. People are eating at the breakfast table all calmly and the maids and housekeepers around them are running around rapidly trying to please them and making sure that their tea cup is full and their food is done to the standard that they would expect. This shows a huge contrast between each event that is happening within the house and is an example of a class stereotype as all the Lord and Ladyships are up in their bedrooms ringing for assistance whilst the maids and servants are downstairs awaiting their call and running around after whoever needs them or whoever they are serving that day. It is a stereotype as the people that are dressed formally within a Grand house would be expected to be the Upper class and be expected to have people waiting upon them yet the people with scruffy clothes or dirty outfits due to cleaning or food stains would be seen as Lower Class and would not be expected to have any rights or respects within that house in anyway. The writer would have done this to signify the upper and lower classes and to ensure that this is remembered and considered throughout the programme. It also makes people aware of how different people of different classes live. 


Two further editing techniques that were used were Cross cutting and L-cut. Cross cutting was used when the postman is delivering the newspaper and all of the work colleagues are inside prepping and preparing the food. This shows a contrast in jobs that people of the lower class can have and take part in. Some are able to live a more free life by delivering newspapers and associating less with the higher class. Whereas, the people work in the Abbey are having to associate with people in the higher class much more as they live with them and do all of their jobs for them. The Directors intentions for this was to ensure that the audience will see the difference and job types and the way that people are treated in a  different contrasts.


An L-cut was also strategically placed when the two woman on the bottom floor cooking the breakfast are talking to each other and when the camera switched to the younger maid, the older maid was still talking through her scene. This shows an overlap in speech. This was done by the Director so that the intensity can be shown and how manic the scene really is for them. By them talking over each other, it can also show an overlap in the jobs that they have to do and how many there are. This shows that all maids jobs have to overlap each other so that they can get their daily tasks done.

Cuts were also frequently used within this first section of the scene as it moved from each section of work. For example, it moved between the breakfast table, to the kitchen, to the hallway and finally back into the breakfast room where the Lordship has finally awoken and made his way downstairs. Cuts are useful as they collaborate with the fast paced editing well to speed up the scene and show a sense of urgency and desperation within the maids and housekeepers jobs. This could also communicate the desperation in a housekeeper’s mind when they have to serve their Master and how they feel the need to rush around so that they do not displease them.

Shot-reverse-shot was also a technique involved in this scene when the Lord and Ladyship are in their bedroom and they are having a conversation involving somebody that they know aboard the Titanic. The camera switches between both characters after they have finished their section of speech. This would help a conversation flow naturally and help an audience to follow the duologue in the most understanding way.

Shot-reverse-shot also links to continuity editing as the editing technique continues the scene and duologue and helps the scene to carry on and move on after the conversation. This would have been done in the slow manner that it was to prove to the audience that this is a very upsetting conversation for these two characters to have had and the slow movement of the scene would enhance the idea that they are distressed and upset regarding the fact that they don’t know the state and welfare of the people that they know aboard the Titanic. By completely slowing the scene down, it enhances the effect of stillness and tension between the two character’s conversation.

The first camera technique that is used is within the first 10 seconds of the scene when the cyclist is biking along the long stretch road to the Grand Georgian House. An Establishing Shot is used to show the sheer size and proportion of the house compared to the cyclist and the grounds that surround the house. This shot would instantly tell an audience that the people living within this house were of a higher class and had many riches and maybe were inherited a lot of money. It could also trigger in an audience’s mind what the series is going to be about and who the series will follow. Housekeepers and maid are the first that would come into mind as people living within a house like that would stereotypically have maids and people waiting on them as they either don’t want to do it themselves or can’t do it themselves. It starts the series off with a typical stereotype that higher class people live in huge houses and have lots of money to pay for housekeepers and keep such a huge house running in the way that they like.

As soon as the scene enters further into the house and the Lordship is walking downstairs with his dog, stedicam is used as it produces a smooth and even shot when he is walking downstairs to show elegance and grace of the upper class. This is in complete contrast to the fast paced editing shown in the kitchen which also shows the difference in pace between each classes as the lower class have to work fast to please the higher class and the higher class go slow and everybody waits on them. This is a stereotype as when the camera is downstairs the camera seems hand-held as everybody is rushing and doesn’t show a posture as much as what the Upper Class do. This would have been done to show that the classes are extremely different and even their posture can vary as they both have different jobs and responsibilities and hold themselves depending on what environment within which they grew up in.

A medium shot was also used but this time in the bedroom when they are having the conversation about the people on the Titanic. This shot would have been used to show how the Ladyship is sitting up in bed and how she never slouches no matter what position she is in. Lordship is also stood straight up right and has his hands behind his back which is a stereotypical stance for someone of a higher class as it is a sign of respect. When reflecting on a stereotypical higher class male or female, they tend to always be associated with a certain stance or position that they stand in and in this situation the male is standing in this stance to show authority to his wife and to also reflect his class and status.

A high shot was used when the maid is cleaning the fire pit and the central maid walks in to check on her. The angle faces down at the maid and this signifies that she could be scared of the high mistress and wants to do what she can to please her. This could have been done by the Director to show that she is weak and has less authority than anybody else in the frame. They would have done it to ensure that her class was noticed to a significant amount. Tracking Shots were used as the younger housemaid walked through the house to her station. During her shot all of the maids and butlers were shown doing their jobs and each room in the house was shown in the shot. This was done to shown how many different jobs there are to be done in the house and how each maid and butler can be ranked In a system. The ranking is shown through the costumes that they are wearing and how smart each maid and butler looks. A Wide shot was used when the man is cycling down the path to the Abbey house with the newspapers. This was used to set the scene and to show how excessive the house is and how posh it is. This would then lead an audience on to thinking that the house is owned by people of a higher class and they have people waiting on them. Therefore, this shot is able to set a storyline as well as a scene.

The final camera technique that was used is a canted angle. This is used when a servant is ironing the newspaper for the Lordship. As he reads about the Titanic’s sinking the camera is looking up purely at his facial expression and the paper is large. The focus point is on the man’s facial expression as he portrays both shock and distress after seeing such awful news. This angle would have been used to show that all classes do think the same and they all have the same feelings and emotions that a class above them would have even though they don’t have the luxuries do. He also shows on his face how scared he is to tell his Lordship what has happened when he passes the paper on as he knows this big event will affect him a lot and he will definitely know people aboard as most people aboard were of a higher class. He could also be thinking of his situation as well as if he wasn’t with this particular family, he could have been abroad that ship and maybe lost his life as well. He would have thought this as first class people had priority over the lifeboats as they are deemed “more important”.

Diegetic sound was the first technique that was used in this scene as it helped to add atmosphere and a sense of urgency to the scene in the kitchen when all the maids and housekeepers are running around starting their daily duties. The sounds that are heard are pots clanging together and people shouting at each other under the stress of the kitchen job roles and the sounds of plates being banged together whilst they are being washed. These are also stereotypical sounds within a kitchen scene as when pots are being washed they are expected to be hit together when people through them in if they are in a rush. When people think of washing up, instead of dishwashers, they think of the middle or lower class as sometimes it isn’t seen as necessary or is of a too higher expense to have one fitted. So this would be a noise and class stereotype and would only be lined to the housekeepers as they are doing the cleaning and are lower class. If the Lady and Lordships were doing the washing of pots, then they would more than likely use a dishwasher for the speed of it and it is cost effective due to the amount of pots and cutlery that they use when they are eating and drinking.

Non-diegetic sound is also used through the scenes as there is constant music repeating. This music is also a stereotype to the higher class as it is playing classical music and consists of violins and other string instruments. This is a stereotype as it is usual to hear classical music when associated with higher class people yet the middle and lower classes are more likely to listen to rock or pop music. This would also help to set the scene as this is the type of music that was created back in the early 20^th century and thoroughly enjoyed. As this episode is the start of a season, it would help the audience to understand background knowledge and help them to understand what may be about to happen in this series and what maybe entailed through the music as it is able to set a scene.

This then also leads onto a sound bridge as the same music does continue through the first series of scenes to show continuity and that all of these jobs and events can go on in this household in the space of a song length. Having music carrying on through can also help an audience to relate to a scene as this audience can be for any audience type but through the music could maybe communicate more heavily with the older generation as they may have been brought up around this music and would enjoy it better more than what the newest generation could. This could then also maybe impact on the type of audience that they then have.

Synchronous Sound was also used at the start of the scene when the bike is travelling to the house. The noise is one that would be expected to be viewed as you can hear the tyres travelling on the gravel and it makes the expected noise that would follow on from this. The young boy who is travelling on the bike is of a middle or lower class and this can be told through the fact that he is travelling on a bike. People of a higher class would travel with horses to pull them along or have a person leading those horses with a cart following behind that they are sat in. The higher class would have everything done for them so wouldn’t feel it necessary to go around on a bike, hence why the young boy on the bike is delivering papers. The sound would make the scene more realistic and believable as the bike is making the noise that you would hear in everyday life when walking down the street so by adding in the effect it helps the audience to relate and come to terms with the series more.

The dialogue that is used is also in a very stereotypical manner as when the Lordship is talking about the Titanic sinking and the passengers on board, he says “You mean the Ladies in first class”. This line would tell an audience that this is what a man of higher class would expect to happen, when an event such as the Titanic sinking takes place, to happen. He knows that the higher class people are treated with more respect and are shown as more important so he expects that the first class ladies were saved first as in his world this would be normal for him.
They also show that they associate themselves with many other higher class people as when a housekeeper asks them if they are likely to know anybody aboard the Titanic they simply say “We had dinner with a couple just last week” so they’re friendships and relationships with other couples are broad and they feel they have a duty to protect that. This is also shown when her Ladyship says “You must tell Mary; she shouldn’t find out from anybody else”. This shows that they are close with other people and they feel obliged to care and protect their friends. This can be compared to the lower class, through dialogue, as a maid goes on to say “Why are the papers ironed?” This would have been done to show that they don’t have as much care and knowledge surrounding small gestures such as the higher class do as they would never dream of ironing a newspaper considering they can’t even iron their own clothes. She also says it in a more common accent compared to the articulate way that the people of the higher class speak. This is done to show that they do have different ways of life and they are brought up in completely different environments and societies with different morals.

Lighting is the most noticeable technique that is used in this scene as in the kitchen, which is downstairs, it is a very dark area which could represent low income and a dismal atmosphere. With the lighting being low it shows that hardly any money is spent on essentials and care is not taken for the environment that they have to work in. This could show that people of a higher class and authority can be very snobby and only care for the people that are closest to them. This contrasts with the lighting that is upstairs as there are various lamps and chandeliers which adds colour and light to their room and enhances their dress and decoration in their room which would also be a way of showing off their earnings and proving that they are better people. It is a stereotype for higher class people to have numerous chandeliers and fancy lamps all around their rooms because they are expensive and they can afford these items and make them last. They also take special care of them so that they will never need to buy another.

There are also silver decanters next to the breakfast set that is silver plates and numerous knives and forks and glasses. Everything is made of glass and they are of a small proportion. Every ornament around the grand building also seems to be gold and of an expensive nature so is placed very delicately. These gold and silver ornaments would have been places in the scene to show their expenses and are also props that would be expected in such a huge house so it would portray reality.

At the entrance of the room there are huge mirrors so that they can view what they are wearing and ensure that they look acceptable to make their way downstairs. These huge mirrors are gold plated and show that they are also putting their expenses into all sorts of items to yet again show off their wealth. Downstairs there isn’t even a pocket mirror for the housekeepers to look at themselves in so they would just turn up to work looking however they feel looks acceptable for them.

This then leads on to what each class types are wearing. The waiters and head maids are wearing suits that look pristine and acceptable to enter the house itself and appear in their lady and Lordships bedrooms and look acceptable but more than likely, they would have had to have earn this position, and dress, to be allowed to dress in that manner. The hair is also a good factor to look at as all of the people who own the house, so the Lord and Lady ships, and the higher up maids have pristine hairstyles, that have quite clearly had time and effort put into them, yet the maids that are in the kitchen and cleaning rooms have hair falling out of their buns and looks as though it hasn’t been brushed at all.

The maids also have a stereotypical uniform which includes a bonnet and bowties. This is very typical as they would always be seen in black and white uniforms which are extremely formal. The maids that wear these outfits would be the ones that associate themselves with the Lord and Lady ships and maybe take their breakfast to them, yet again on a silver tray. The other maids would be in a stereotypical lower class maids outfit which is grey and whiten and is scruffy as it isn’t as cared for and looked after as they are just hidden away downstairs doing their jobs. This would also have been done to portray how each maids are treated to yet again follow the stereotypical idea of the higher and lower class.


Hotel Babylon Ethnicity Stereotypes

The technique of "cut" was used during the race when the man was caught and the camera flicked between both the cupboard and the men chasing the man who they were taking away. It cut straight from the man being chased to the people in the cupboard and watched both events occurring at the same time and different reactions. This was used to establish continuous action and would have added a sense of urgency and tension. Shot-reverse-shot was also used at the beginning of the clip when the receptionist talks to the man that is sat down and gives him a reminder. He then looks back as though he is going to respond to what she has said. This suggests the intensity involved in their conversation and the urgency in what she is saying and how quickly it needs to be done. It then gives the audience an insight into what my happen next and what they could be planning to do due to what is going on within the hotel. At 3:22 the camera zooms into their faces as they are shocked and someone has walked into the room which adds the effect that the audience are walking into the room too. The editing also connotes the narrative through the way that is was constructed such as following each scene and editing it very specifically to ensure that once the Immigrants have been showed as lower class, they are thrown into a cupboard and other usual tasks carry on taking place whilst they are suffering down under the floorboards of ordinary life. Fast-Paced editing is also used which reflects emotions and situations so as scenes are edited together quickly and of a faster pace than ordinary, it is easier to tell the emotions of the character and understand the hurry and rush surrounding the present events.

Diegetic sound is used a lot within this extract such as verbal interaction and gasps as the lady passes out. All of this sound has a source on screen hence why it is called diegetic sound. Other sounds such as banging on the floor whilst the man is being taken away and door slamming once they have escaped. The immigrants also pray as they are locked in the cupboard which identifies their ethnicity as well as each of them could be of different religions and could have different God's that they are praying too to keep them safe. Non-Diegetic sound was also used in this extract as there is some sort of repetitive sound that continues all the way through which sounds like tension music which would keep intensity all the way through the scene which is what is needed to keep the importance known throughout. It would have been done to show that the plot is extremely important and this scene is very tense and would also draw an audience in to feel more connected and a part of the scene. This music is also carried on through each scene which would be a sound bridge as the music is continuous. This connects each scene and shows that there is something to relate to in each scene. This is done to show a link.


The other type of sound that is used is synchronous sound and this is used throughout the scene as all sounds that are heard are expected as they match the action that is on going. For example, when the lady does pass out, you hear gasps as that is what would be heard if someone did pass out in front of you therefore it is an expected sound within the scene. When she does pass out, Tessa Perkins theory is shown as the man helps her when she is passed out by rubbing jam on her gums, this is a positive stereotype, as he gives her an instant sugar boost which fights the stereotype that all Immigrant people don't have previous skills sets. This man clearly does and is able to use them, despite not being in that job anymore, and is able to help someone as a consequence. In the reception area they speak very formally and use standard English as they are in a high class hotel and this is a typical stereotype for that kind of environment. Yet when they are downstairs, they all talk over each other as though they are in a rush and they talk fast and in their usual tone instead of a tone or language that may be put on. They also speak with an accent or in a foreign language which shows their ethnicity and background. The sound is constantly surrounding which would create an atmosphere and show continuity between the scenes. The man in the cupboard who looks after the lady who passes out says "I haven't always been a cleaner" which shows that he did have a life before he was reduced to this and treated so differently and people expected so much less of him. It draws the audience in and makes them realise that this hasn't always been their life but this is what they have been left with and need to deal with.

Tessa Perkin's theory is first recognised when it is clear that there are separate groups such as: White and black people, Illegal Immigrants and different generations. Each of these characters are stereotyped in different ways so it supports her theory that they aren't always about a less powerful group. The women that are important within the hotel are all dressed in business dress which could be a counter stereotype as usually, women are seen as assistant managers instead of genuinely being a Manager themselves. The costume would be a stereotype though as this is typical of what a business woman would wear. Another stereotype would be that all cooks are in white clothing which is what is expected and followed within many films or TV Programmes. It is a typical trait along with Bellboys in suits and looking presentable and holding themselves with pride which would be expected as they are front of the hotel and are representing the hotel considering they are front of house. Furthermore, all customers and visitors at the hotel are in formal outfits and are dressed in a way which would be seen as posh as the hotel is quite high class.


This can be illustrated through the way that all staff hold themselves and dress. The final way costumes show off stereotypes are the way that the Police are wearing typical Police dress which they are most recognised by in most TV Dramas or films. The hotel, as a set, is also suitably dressed up and shown to be as grand as how the staff are dressed. It gives off a very pristine and perfect impression on anyone that would be watching with a certain opinion. The Police and Immigration officers were shown as Antagonists as they made the situation seem like a game and it was continuous and that they would be back which scares the characters and would keep them and the audience on edge.  The police use Leon Festinger's theory as Police officers should be Protagonists as they are there to make the community a better and safer place but yet they are scaring people out of their jobs and dragging them away from their livelihoods in the worst way possible. Through the way that these characters have been represented as smaller and having dirty and scruffy uniform, it shows how badly they were treated and how white people and workers had a higher status. There colours of the suits of the ladies shows their class and how high up they are within the business. The white suit shows that she is of a higher authority as it is kept in a pristine condition and the housekeeper wears a black suit, which is the same as other Immigrant workers and maids, which shows she is of a lower authority.


The scene is also stereotypical as the hotel is luxury and guests are treated in a luxurious manor but the cupboard that the Immigrants are thrown into is very small and cramped. This demonstrates that their ethnicity is looked down upon and they aren't provided with the privileges and specialities that the others have. At the end f the extract, they are all placed on separate tables, although they are in the same room, which seems to be based on their ethnicities and they are situated downstairs away from all the other staff as they eat and are given a cold looking, cramped room yet again to share. They are though, sat in a  communal group this shows that they can have the same traits and when they work together they have a very positive environment and they are hard workers so they can achieve as much as anyone else. This also follows Tessa Perkin's theory as they aren't all of the same minority or ethnic group, they are all a part of different groups and they are all discriminated against. The last use of the scene would be lighting as up in the reception area the lighting is artificial yet downstairs where the housekeepers and hidden and perform their duties, they have low-light which could translate to how much money or their class that each ethnicity have as they, stereotypically, may not have enough money to afford high-level lighting so by using low level light it reflects both their class and ethnicity.

A Hand-Held camera was used quite a lot in this clip especially during any panic and running around such as when the lady collapses and when the man is caught and carried out of the building. This illustrates to the audience feel as though they are part of the action and as though they are experiencing it with him. It adds a shaky feeling. The camera shakes and follows the lady fall as though falling with her. This could make the audience feel as though they are one of the people hiding in there with everyone else and they have fallen with her to help her. A tracking shot was also used in a very effective way as the camera followed the sequence of action between each scene. For example it followed the mans chase and then focused back on everyone hiding in the cupboard. Furthermore, when he leaves the hotel and is eventually dragged away, it follows his departure and exit of the building. As he is being dragged away by Immigration, the camera looks up at him and gives a different angle. This could represent his place in society and how he should be at the bottom where the camera is but instead he has a job and a comfortable life, up until now. A point-of-view shot is also used a lot when it zooms into peoples faces to see their reaction and opinion to the situation that has just occurred.


A typical stereotype for a black person would be to be scared of anyone that is taunting and of a high importance but within this clip, they break that stereotype and show a counter stereotype as when the Lady uses the code word and the man leaves he shows no fear just ambition. It zooms in on his face and it doesn't seem as though he is scared and he shows a resilience but at the end, when he is taken away, the Manageress looks shocked and completely scared by what has just happened. It is quite clear that she now doesn't know what to do considering she didn't know how to protect one of her employees and Immigration could come back. At 3:22 the camera zooms into their faces as they are shocked and someone has walked into the room which adds the effect that the audience are walking into the room too. There are different takes with the camera. There are long shots for the people who are of a higher society class such as the officers and the police and the receptionist by there are shorter shots for the Immigrants when it shows them in the cupboard. The angles that are used for each ethnicity of character is also shown as when an Immigrant is present on the screen, the camera is either facing them or looking up at them which would show their class as that would socially be the angle that they are looking at people from. Shallow focus is also used when the housekeeper is shown as shocked when the Immigration officer leaves and the receptionist starts talking to her. It could be seen as a dream and something that she is imagining and that is why the receptionist is out of focus.

Luther Textual Analysis

Background

In this clip, gender stereotypes are shown in numerous ways and the usual stereotypes aren't followed as they would be expected to be. The woman in this clip is the heroin and ends up killing a villain which would quite typically be a man's job as it would be seen as too violent for a woman to take on.

Sound

The way that she speaks is very taunting and patronising which you wouldn't expect as women are usually only placed in Film and TV Dramas as a decorative to make the men look good but in this clip, the man that later enters is the decorative because she has full control and power. This would also be seen s a counter stereotype because she is taking control and threatening a man which is not what is expected from a female. There is also music that is building up at the start of the clip which could show that action is about to start and a huge change in the plot or disastrous event is about to occur. It is continuous throughout the duologue and shows a continuation in the action and scene. There is also synchronous sound as once Ian has been strangled, he is struggling to breathe and he shows this within the sound that he makes afterwards. It is an expected sound to what has just happened. There is also non-diegetic sound as there is continuous music in the background throughout each section of the scene, even though the music does change based on the different action that occurs. At the end of the clip, the music changes and signifies that he is now gone and it is the end of previous action and continuous hatred. Diegetic sound was also used in the clip as dialogue is used throughout and noises within the clip also have a source on screen.

Editing

One of the only editing techniques that was used was shot-reverse-shot. This was shown at the start of the clip when both Ian and Luther are talking to each other and the camera switches between them as they are saying something to each other. The camera moves very quickly which increases tension as what they are saying becomes more intense and compressive. As the scene carries on, the camera moves much slower which would suggest that somebody is in control.

Mise-en- scene

The blood splattered all over Ian after her has been shot is spread quite excessively and does look very unrealistic. It does not show realism within the techniques that are shown to have been used to splatter the blood. the men are also wearing suits which is typical dress suit in London of a professional male. It shows them as being ordinary males and they don't stand out as dangerous murderers. It shows a deeper message that anyone is different and not everyone is as they look. They are also wearing jackets as it is cold outside and yet again it shows that they are just ordinary people and they do ordinary things. Alex is wearing a hat which also makes her seem completely normal and could even give her a motherly effect as it is comfortable clothing. It is only until she pulls out a gun and starts threatening Ian and eventually kills him that we see her psychopathic side and intentions.

Camera

At the beginning,the camera passes between both characters faces to show that they are having a conversation. As one person says something, it then switches to the other character as if waiting for a response. An establishing shot is also used after Ian has been shot and is lying on the floor dead. The camera shows the setting of the scene whilst all characters remain stood still. It shows the whole building setting an adds an atmosphere to the scene. Another shot that was used was a point of view shot. This was used when Luther had been stabbed and he was talking about how Ian shouldn't be killed so we can see his opinion from his perspective and his angle which helps to make us relate more with his character. Hand-held camera was also used when the characters were fighting so it added a shaky feeling to the scene and added more tension to the fight. It helps the audience feel as though they are involved in the action. The camera also zooms in closely on their faces so the audience can tell from their facial expressions and eyes, just how they are feeling and what they maybe planning on doing next.

Star Wars the Force Awakens questions

Who owns Lucasfilm?
Walt Disney and Walt Disney Studios.

Who formed Lucasfilm?
The founder of the film George Lucas.

What year was Lucasfilm formed?
1971.

Who is the president of Lucasfilm?
Kathleen Kennedy.

What other major films have they worked on?
Indiana Jones
All other Star Wars films
The Land before Time and Willow

How much was Lucasfilm sold for?
$4 billion.

Who wrote Star Wars: The Force Awakens?
J.J. Abrams
Lawrence Kasdan
Michael Arndt

Who directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens?
J.J. Abrams.

What other major films is the director responsible for?
Star Trek
Mission Impossible III
Armageddon.

How many Star Wars films have there been so far (list them)? & How much money have they all made at the global box office?

Star Wars (1977) - $786,598,007

The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - $534,171,960

Return of the Jedi (1983) - $572,705,079

The Phantom Menace (1999) - $1,027,044,677

Attack of the Clones (2002) - $656,695,615

Revenge of the Sith (2005) - $848,998,877

The Force Awakens (2015) - $2,058,662,225

Episode VIII (2017)

When was the first Star Wars film released?

1977.

What does ILM stand for?

Industrial light and magic.

What do ILM do?
Industrial light and magic are an American modern picture and visual effects company.

Who created ILM?
George Lucas.

Why did they create ILM?
They created for ILM to use at the beginning of the Production of Star Wars.

What do casting directors do?
Casting Directors decide who gets the role of each character and hire the actors.

Where were the first scenes for Star Wars: The Force Awakens filmed?
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

What format was Star Wars: The Force Awakens shot on?
Film.

What types of camera were used to film Star Wars: The Force Awakens?
This Star Wars film was shot on Kodak Film and was filmed on IMAX Cameras
.
What studio was used to film a large proportion of the film?
Pinewood Studios.

Where is the studio?
Iver, Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK.

What major franchise is famously filmed at that studio?
James Bond is also filmed here.

How does said franchise link to Star Wars the Force Awakens?
Daniel Craig is in both movies and both films are also moving to another studio called "Troy Studios"

Who is the inspiration for Maz Kanata?
The inspiration for this character came from J.J. Abrams former high school teacher.

What technology was used to create Maz Kanata?
CGI was used to create this character whilst she wore a motion-capture suit covered in white dots on her face. A tiny camera then captured every move that the actress performed.

Who played Maz Kanata and what other role is she famous for?
Lupita Nyong'o and she has also played Patsy in 12 Years of Slave.

Who played General Snoke?
Andy Serkis.

What is he renowned for in the film business?
He is always used for capturing roles in motion capture acting, animation and voice work.

Where was the final scene filmed?
Skellig Michael, County Kerry, Ireland.

Who composed the final score? How many have they composed for?
John Williams produced all scores in all Star Wars films.

What other famous films has he created the music for?
He has also created music for: Jaws, Indiana Jones, E.T, Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan.

How many times did John Boyega audition for the film (according to J.J. Abrams)
9.

Over what time did these auditions occur?
They occurred over a period of 7 months.

How many people operated B-B8?
1 person operates B-B8 when he is moving but he can also be operated by 3 people with hand controls. It took many people to design and make the model.

What type of technology was the main version of B-B8?
B-B8 was a physical prop although the voice was made through sound effects. Abrams wanted a physical prop instead of using CGI.

What colour suit does the operator of B-B8 wear?
He wore green so that he could be edited out or implanted on a green background.

Why did he have to wear a suit?
He needed to wear this suit so that he could be added to a green background and be edited out easily and a background would be easily added to the picture.

What type of special effects (SFX) were employed on Star Wars The Force Awakens?
Abrams wanted this film to be as much like the original as possible so he used as much CGI as he could to make it relate and connect to the original. He did most of it practically though as he felt this had a better feel and reaction via an audience.

How many people were behind the monitor watching the scene when Han and Chewie returned to the Millennium Falcon?

Over 200 people were behind the monitor as it was such an emotional journey and experience to be seen and watched as this hadn't happened in such a long time and people admired it. That moment will go down in Star Wars history.

Why was Simon Pegg thanked in the credits?

He was credited as he played a role in the film and he came up with numerous ideas surrounding the film and also because him and Abram are friends and he helped Abrams out by playing a role in this film.

JJ Abrams shot parts of Star Wars The Force Awakens in IMAX. What is IMAX?

IMAX is a  widescreen cinematography technique which produces an image 10 times larger than a standard film.

How many IMAX screens was the film available on?

Over 1000 IMAX screens was the height for this Star Wars.

What was the age rating of the film in the UK?

12A.

How much money did the UK Government contribute to this Star Wars?

The UK Government provided the film with £31.6 million to this particular film. This figure was 13% of the whole cost of the film.

How much was Harrison Ford paid to reprise his role of Hans Solo?

Harrison Ford was paid £20 million for his role in this Star Wars as it was a come back for his character.

How much were Daisy Ridley and John Boyega paid?

They earned between $100,000 ad $300,000 for their roles in this film.