Zoella and Attitude Exam Question

Clay Shirky argues that audiences in today’s online age are no longer passive consumers of media content. Evaluate this ‘end of audience’ theory.

Refer to Zoella ( blog /youtube/other channels ) and  the Attitude website to support your answer. [30]

Shirky's theory states that modern online audiences no longer passively consume media sectors but rather, they actively engage with them. consumers can have one of three views; active, interactive and individual "prosumers".

We can debate this through Attitudes online website. Attitude is a print based magazine that has recently launched a website. This was used to produce more consumerism and to encourage the demographic ( gay , middle aged males) to be more of an active audience. this was because there was a lack of feedback and interaction from readers as there was no way for them to

Televison in the global age - life on mars

Audience targeting;

Marketing-

Voice over helps explain the trailer.
Music is upbeat, mood is upbeat.
Immigrant song; Led Zeppelin, link to the 70's which lures in a demographic who listened to them.

Shows main character;
-direct address
- Familiar face to the BBC
-White, young male actor.

Sidekick was previously in "Doctor Who"- Sci-fi link.
Genre is explicit to in the trailer. (ICONOGRAPHY)
Fandom : Life on Mars had and still has  a cult following among TV fans .

Life on Mars is a British television series broadcast on BBC One between 9 January 2006 and 10 April 2007. The series combines elements of speculative fiction and police procedural, featuring a police officer from the Greater Manchester Police(played by John Simm) from the year 2006 who wakes up in 1973 after being involved in a road accident. The title is a reference to David Bowie's 1973 single Life on Mars?, with its lyrics "Take a look at the law man, beating up the wrong guy".

An American adaptation of the series was produced by ABC and ran for one season from October 2008 to April 2009. A Spanish adaptation of the series was broadcast from April to June 2009. A Russian adaptation of the series entitled The Dark Side of the Moon was broadcast in November 2012. Czech adaptation World under the Head was broadcast by Czech Television from January to March 2017. The South Korean adaptation began broadcasting in June 2018. A Chinese remake is currently being produced set in 1990s.A sequel to the series, Ashes to Ashes, referencing another David Bowie song, aired on BBC One from February 2008 to May 2010.

Audience;

Critical reaction to the first series of Life on Mars was extremely positive. Steve O'Brien, writing for SFX, declared, "It looks like BBC One has ... a monster hit on its hands ... It's funny ... and dramatic and exciting, and we're really not getting paid for saying this".Alison Graham, television editor for the Radio Times, described the series as "a genuinely innovative and imaginative take on an old genre". James Walton of The Daily Telegraph commented, "Theoretically, this should add up to a right old mess. In practice, it makes for a thumpingly enjoyable piece of television — not least because everybody involved was obviously having such a great time". Sam Wollaston of The Guardian wrote: "Life on Mars was more than just a jolly, tongue-in-cheek romp into the past ... Once there, in 1973, we find ourselves immersed in a reasonably gripping police drama — yes, The Sweeney, perhaps, with better production values ... Or put another — undeniably laboured — way, as poor Sam Tyler walks through his sunken dream, I'm hooked to the silver screen".Although Peter Paterson of the Daily Mail reflected the views of many other commentators on the first episode when he wondered, "Can its intriguing conceit be sustained over eight one-hour episodes?", Critical reaction remained generally positive throughout the programme's run. Of the second series, Alison Graham believed that "Sam Tyler and Gene Hunt are shaping up nicely as one of the great TV detective partnerships ... It's vastly enjoyable and manages to stay just about believable thanks to some strong writing and, of course, the two marvellous central performances".

Nancy Banks-Smith, in The Guardian, felt that the time-paradox aspect of the programme had become somewhat confusing. Banks-Smith summed up the programme's success as "an inspired take on the usual formula of Gruff Copper of the old school, who solves cases by examining the entrails of a chicken, and Sensitive Sidekick, who has a degree in detection.".

Two days after the final episode's transmission, Life on Mars was attacked in the British press by the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, who claimed that Gene Hunt's use of homophobic insults in the programme could encourage copycat bullying in schools.The BBC stated that Life on Mars was targeted at an adult audience, and argued that Hunt's characterisation was "extreme and tongue-in-cheek".

In 2019 the Guardian ranked it 99th in the top 100 TV shows of the 21st Century. 

Postmodernism

Postmodernism

Intertextuality; explicit specific reference to another media product or genre 

Parody and pastiche ; whole scene or settings in the style of another media product or genre

Bricolage; the idea that the entire meaning of a media text is  totally created by  the fragments and references that make it up

Irony; less serious in tone, moral/social issues not explicitly discussed in text

Ambiguity; no single meaning or message 

Fragmented narrative; nonlinear or confusing narrative elements and structure

Reflexivity; drawing attention to itself as a media text , deliberately artificial, breaking the fourth wall

Hyper reality; an artificial reality made up of layers of media representations that Baudrillard claimed we are all now  living in 

Simulacra ; the artificial objects, people and  settings that make up an artificial hyperreality 

In Life on Mars, the protagonist lives in a hyperreality through narrative, rather than the audience experiencing it . This is portrayed through the use of mise-en-scene, iconography and costume. When the protagonist first time travels to the 1970's one of the first things we see as change is the IPOD which is playing "Life on mars' by David Bowie change to a cassette of the song, this is because the car has also changed through the time travelling. Another major thing we establish as the demographic, is the change of clothes that the protagonist is wearing. He swaps from a suit and shirt, to a brown blazer, flared jeans and cowboy boots (which is another staple from the 1970's). As the main character ventures out of the car and into the street, the camera uses a lot of tracking shots to follow his journey in discovering where he is. This means that the narrative is restricted as nothing is revealed to the audience before he discovers it for himself and we take the journey with him. The narrative also isn't fragmented as it follows the story in a linear manner, however the events that take place are confusing for him as he only learns fragments of information along the way. In a scene from the episode, Sam ( the protagonist) , is sitting in his room and is watching TV, Sam then starts speaking to the tv presenter, through the television and he starts to reply, this is deemed as breaking the fourth wall between them both BUT the fourth wall is not broken focus, the audience as the program specifically doesn't draw attention to itself as a media product.

Case Study; Riptide

Genre and audience:

Indie genre- 'indie' means 'independent', therefore the conventions of this genre are films that aren't produced by blockbuster companies, music record labels that don't sign global superstars...
, audience,

Vance Joy fits in the category due to similarities with shots of directors like Wes Anderson and David Lynch, two film directors which have deeply influenced the indie-genre with popular films (also influences).

Narrative and iconography:

No linear, clear narrative, as it's meant to be an interpretative video e.g. "Cowboy running from himself"- sounds meaningful but the shot literally plays out the line. It's more like a fragmented montage e.g. symbolic objects like guns which could signify crime motifs

Representation:

There's a negative representation of women in the video. For instance, they are objectified through the initial image of a woman taking off her swimsuit, without showing her face, mirrored by following shots of women facing away from the camera. They are also portrayed as the victims and the damsels in distress through the repetitive "taken away to the dark side".
However, it could be argued there's also positive glimpses as the repetitive shots of women running away could represent freedom, and the low-angle shot which positions the woman in 1.15 as greater. 


Postmodernism:
References to specific film directors like Wes Anderson and David Lynch, with similar shots and lightning and colour. For example, Anderson's iconic symmetrical shots like the opening of a case are copied in the video (1.57.: case for a holiday vacation), as well as his quick pans with 0.30.: the change of focus from the woman the other two people. Furthermore, the overall aesthetic through choice of colour-palette is mirrored throughout the music video. Lynch's dark undertones to his narrative seem to inspire the continued shots of the performer who becomes more visibly upset as the video goes on, with her makeup being smudged and her being shot in the neck. This part of the video links to Lynch's Blue Velvet as the same lightning and mood is created.
More postmodernist techniques are employed, such as intertextuality and parody+pastiche with references to horror films, (shots of women as damsels in distress). Also the pastiche is utilised, as this media text appears to have been done in the style of the previously mentioned indie directors. There's also reflexivity, as the media text is aware of itself, proved by the subtitles included as the woman sings, and the pan shot of the video being shot.
Overall, there's no grand single message, and it is up to the audience to reflect on the music video as the collage-style symbols included have to be deciphered due to the multi-layered nature of the text.

Case Study; Water Aid

Effective as it doesn't comply with the general conventions of charity ads (e.g. creating guilt and shame on the audience)- Gerbner's theory of cultivation 
How does this charity advert use technical codes to provoke responses, emotions and connections with its target audience?

 -DIRECT- the typical voiceover of a man (part of target audience) is replaced with a song sung by the actual person the money is going to- stronger connection with audience as it is a 70s/80s melody.
Link to target audience: western middle-class
the wealthy- bleak connotations of establishing shot (cramped plant pot and radio + drizzle) is juxtaposed with the warm shot of the water that dominates the frame, shining as there's sunlight on the background (water for good)- Binary depositions
 -PERSONALISATION- "Claudia". Several close-ups of her, she's placed in the middle of the frame, turning her indirect mode of address into a more direct one. Shaky camera-shots- creates a more realistic and personal insight into her life, supported by the background ambiance (audio codes) with sound effects of grasshoppers.
-POSITIVE- overall warm lighting and colour, an affectionate tone continued with the clothing and the body expressions- upbeat
iconography- crops growing represents health and growth, similar to water- Semiotics
Song- message of hope, evoking a heartening tone. Sound bridge- connection between both worlds
It does stick to some techniques in charity ads with the statistic "650 million people still don't have access to clean drinking water", however as it is not accompanied with negative visual elements it stands out. 

How is Africa represented in the advert?
The representations in the charity advert AVOIDS CLICHES like pessimistic close-ups of sad children, melancholic stringed music... Instead, the positiveness is carried out through the clothing as there's a quick shot of a child running in a school uniform, indicating they are healthy and being educated.
In the end they're smiling, and the shot is blurred out by the sunlight (motif), so the positive theme is continued smoothly throughout - Semiotics
Active audience- it's up to them to imagine how the lives of the children would be without their donations

Case Study; Kiss of the Vampire

Using the technical codes, explain how the film poster creates meaning about the following elements for its audience:

Genre conventions (horror and vampire sub-genre)
Representations of gender
Cultural contexts (e.g. social change, equality, 1960s pop culture)

Make sure you analyse the poster as it would appear to its 1960s audience and research the era carefully.

The poster for Kiss the Vampire is a product from the era, that acknowledges the 2nd wave feminism being developed through the main image. The woman at the middle of the frame is the only active one, mimicking a heroine due to her posture, (fighting off the bats). She's a direct juxtaposition from the woman at the left, representing the 'desired woman' of the early 1960s, submissive due to her body language and facial expressions. However they have a similarity, their clothing is the same, a dress, a symbol of tradition still ruling over the conventions of gender roles.
This poster may not be challenging the circumstances of equality in the 1960s society, but rather be evoking the fear of the loss of power by the males. This is conveyed through the binary oppositions of the brave woman and the weak male, indicated by the posture (kneeling) and the ripped shirt. It could be the poster's illustrator's way of representing theirs and the main audience's fear: social change.
The audience would be interested in the genre of horror, specifically the sub-genre of vampires and the supernatural. The poster effectively targets them due to the iconography of bats, a castle, blood... that is generally associated with vampires as they're linked to the darkness. The mis-en-scene in the background contains a bleak colour palette, with mostly greys and blacks along with some red. Furthermore there's more straightforward links like the lexis of "vampire", which immediately establishes the eerie mood the film will probably have. The formal clothing of the vampire, a black cape with buttoned shirt is very telling of the time, as in the 1960 vampires were conveyed that way, as wealthy supernaturally unreachable beings, not necessarily attractive (i.e. the "scary vampire" is scared himself). This is a representation which has evolved along with pop culture, with vampires being automatically linked to beauty and charm e.g. Twilight, The Vampire Diaries... Nevertheless, the myth has always been linked to sex, romance and desire, proved by the poster's predominance of red, colour imagery that symbolises those conventions.

Case Study; The Bridge

Character Archetypes;

Investigator-

 Saga, she complies with the main traits of a crime drama protagonist: good at her job (methodical, committed) yet bad at relationships (apathetic? unfiltered?)

 

Sidekick- In the episode, the Danish woman, Hanne, follows the archetype of the sidekick. For instance, when Saga is about to show the victim's wife a picture of the crime scene she has to stop her.

 

Boss-above investigator, so imposing, but  high regard for the investigator

 

Villain- criminals, suspects, etc

Crime TV tends to use enigma codes (mysteries to be solved by the investigator/ audience). Explain what enigmas are used in the episode and if any are resolved. What questions does the audience have at the end of the episode? 

The main enigma is the actual case and finding who is responsible for the murder of Helle Anker. Various characters are presented as suspects such as the victim's son, a Danish vlogger, etc. This enigma isn't resolved at the end of the episode and such open ending means the audience is left to question. Therefore Barthes' action and enigma codes are actively engaged with; there are further questions raised e.g. will Saga's Danish partner survive? Why does the Danish policeman want to partner with Saga? etc.
Another enigma code is presented through the array of newly- introduced characters as we don't know their backstory or their possible influence in the story.

What is Nordic Noir? Summarise its key elements and texts. 

A sub-genre of crime fiction, often written from a police POV (character-led) and set in Scandinavian/ Nordic countries. Characterised by a dark mood, as well as complex morality (social issues and Scandi identity)

• Bleak landscapes, dimly-lit aesthetic, slow melancholic pace (Scandinavian climate)
• "realistic, simple and precise... and stripped of unnecessary words"— Direct writing style, without metaphors; often morose detectives/ worn down and far from heroic
• Often a murder mystery linked with several storylines and themes analysing modern society
• Hidden profound social issues themes, national anxieties- shows the hidden underbelly of society which contrasts with the outside image of Sweden/ Denmark as perfect, prosperous and wealthy

Neale's genre theory plays a major role in displaying the conventions of Nordic Noir to the audience so that the elements convey the expectations of the genre to the viewers in order to appeal, they also set the genre so that when conventions are subverted it is clear in what way they are doing so.

The Bridge follows the usual conventions of Nordic Noir within the crime genre, as for instance, the establishing shot not only simply follows the dark aspect of the sub-genre with the dim lighting, but also, according to Barthes' semiotics, hints at the Denmark-Sweden relations through the bridge that connects them. Furthermore, the opening murder scene follows the conventions of stylised murder that characterise the dark sub-genre of Nordic Noir.

Women in the crime genre are often represented as victims, and in the drama, women tend to be represented as overly emotional and family-orientated.
How does this episode of The Bridge follow or subvert the stereotypical representation of women?

This episode of The Bridge subverts the stereotypical representation of women. Significantly, the protagonist is a female investigator, demonstrating women in power, enhanced by her straightforward personality, far from overly emotional. On the other hand, the victim of the crime being investigated is a woman, therefore there's a sense of compliance with the stereotype. There are elements of the family-orientated stereotype, as the victim's wife is represented as family-orientated.
Butler's gender performativity theory supports the depiction of Saga as not empathetic or emotionally-led, as usual with female characters, as she states gender has an element of performance due to gender stereotypes e.g. men- cold women- emotional. Furthermore, The Bridge subverts any kind of sexualisation of the women in this episode and thus, Van Zoonen's feminist theory, as for instance, Saga changes her top at work without being bothered, and the mid-shot without any kind of 'seductive' audio except the dialogue being exchanged, reinforces the fact the scene isn't coded to sexualise her character.

Identify some examples of how the narrative and themes of the episode are highlighted for the audience through technical codes (e.g. lighting, camera shots such as close-ups, use of sounds...)

As usual with Nordic Noir, the bleak lightning and dimly-lit aesthetic suggest the dark mood and narrative of the TV series. 

Sounds are utilised to imply ominousness, for instance when Saga and her Danish partner come to question the victim's son and sinister music starts to play on the background.
Levi- Strauss' binary opposites theory applies to the Saga and her work partners as the importance of work-life balance is brought up, and binary opposition of the prioritisation of work against personal life is indicated through the narrative of Saga staying up the whole night to attempt to uncover the case, as opposed to her co-worker who arrives late because he's been with his wife