How are the audience positioned by media producers through the lens of Christmas adverts?

I explored 5 different Christmas adverts from 2015, John Lewis, Sainsburys, the Spanish Lottery, Cadburys and Very A theme I noticed throughout all of these adverts was community spirit and joy amongst people. This itself causes the audience to link Christmas to happiness, giving to others and being nice to the people around you. 

What I noticed in the John Lewis, Sainsburys and Spanish Lottery adverts was the trigger of emotion. These three adverts are highly likely to play on the audience's guilty, empathetic and sympathetic conscience, especially the John Lewis and Spanish Lottery. This is done by putting the protagonist of the advert into a situation we as an audience would be upset to be in...loneliness. Further increasing this sympathy we feel for the characters in the adverts is that they use elderly men, who we already as a society already relate to being vulnerable and lonely and therefore feel sorry for them. Playing with the audience's guilty triggers immediately makes the advert more intriguing to watch, resulting in it being memorable and therefore promotes the company more. 

Another thing I noticed when watching these adverts was the constant use of unrealism. For example, a man on the moon without breathing appliances (John Lewis), a cat with human reflects and thoughts (Sainsburys) and the personification of boxes that can move and walk on their own (Very). This could be a representation of miracles, suggesting that Christmas time is when miracles happen. This idea made me think of when people, mainly children, believe in Santa Claus and elves etc. This then brings in the theme of innocence. All of these things, such as miracles, are already related to Christmas so the producers using them in their adverts then makes us vulnerable to watching them and make us feel more connected to Christmas when watching the adverts. 

In my opinion, the reason Christmas adverts are so popular and work well is because of various reasons. Firstly, I imagine that due to the content involving miracles and myths, they take many people back to a time when they had no worries or stress and therefore make them feel peaceful. Secondly, I think they connect with the audience emotionally by using conventions and themes of emotion such as lonely old people who have no one with them at Christmas, typically a time of joy and love shared with the people you are close with. Lastly, these adverts have a strong theme of happy endings, community spirit and hope. This is what most people wish for and it therefore uses the audiences viewpoint of a "perfect world" and exploits it before their eyes, causing them to watch the advert more and remember it.

Christmas adverts have such a big impact on the audience that they go viral. People always then go and speak about or share what they have seen, causing more people to watch it and then pass it on, whether this is done via sharing on social media or word of mouth. This is what makes the Christmas adverts so popular and well known. This then spreads the word of the company, possibly bringing them more customers and sales-exactly what they want.

-Weekly News ep.4-

'Google Self Driving Car Pulled Over By Police'. Before even reading this article frin Sky News, I knew it was going to be bizzare and humerous.

On Thursday 12th November, in Mountain View, California, a police officer stopped a protype vehicle for moving too slowly as it travelled at 25mph on a 35mph road, causing a back up of traffic.

The police department stated that it wasn't untill the officer got closer to the car that he realised it was one of Google's autonomous vehicles. 

Google responded to this news by saying that the cars are made to travel at that maximum speed for safety reasons, to prevent any accidents etc. Furthermore, Google said that they have travelled 1.2 million miles through autonomous driving and have never been ticketed, that is equivilent to 90 years worth of driving for the average human.

Google also hope for these cars to be available to the pulic by 2020!

I find this article ammusing due to a few different reasons, one being the irony of the car moving too slow. We tend to read about caotic fast drivers causing road accidents but this contrasts that. I also find it exciting that Google plan for the cars to be available to the public by 2020. That will be interesting to see them possibly becoming a trend.

-CENSORSHIP-

Censorship has had an important role in media, on TV and in films for a long time. 

It is used in order to protect underage civilians and the vulnerable people in society who may be affected by explicit content. 

There are many ways in which content can get censored. These include water shedding, the ban of explicit scenes being broadcasted on the television before a certain time of the evening. Another example of censorship is beeping out swear words or inappropriate language, this is usually done on radios, especially during the daytime when the likelihood of people sensitive to explicit content is increased. 

There are many more examples of censorship we are protected by everyday. 

Limits and restrictions on what some people can search up and see is all censorship too. 

Censorship is all about deciding on what people can or can not see at certain times, based on opinion of how dangerous it may be, or how sensitive people may be to it. 

Over time, there has been small controversy on whether censorship is a good or bad idea. I personally think it is a good idea because it protects vulnerable members of society and also prevents the risk of them, especially children, being influenced to act a certain way or do a certain thing that they should not be doing or knowing of. In the current era, we are constantly surrounded by media, we live in a digital world full of phones, tablets, televisions and magazines. This itself shows that media plays a big role in our lifestyle and also strongly influenced choices we make on a daily bases, even if it is subconsciously. Because of how much access we have to the internet, the chances of citizens being exposed to material such as pornography, violence, drug use or abuse, gambling etc. is very high. This content can be damaging to children and other vulnerable people of the world. Therefore, censorship allows these people to go online in a good manor, without risk of entering a non safe zone.

Age ratings on films are a type of censorship because they express the level of adult content is in the film and therefore allows the viewer to know what they can expect in the film and know if they are prepared to see it. It also prevents children from viewing films involving content they shouldn't be exposed to at such a young age. This then becomes their parents or guardians responsibility to ensure they do not watch it. Same regards to gaming. Thousands of children across the world play online gaming, whether it be on a playstation, Xbox or PC. All of these can have highly explicit graphics in them including drugs, violence, sex and more, especially violence. Ratings are also put on games for the same reasons as films, and again the responsibility is then down to the parent or guardian to ensure their child is safe with what they are playing. 

Over the years, restrictions and bans on indecent exposure have become stronger. Even books have been banned. A prime example would be the book 'Naked lunch' by William S. Burroughs. It was banned due to the language used in the book and other controversial matters. Although I agree with censorship and the blocking or banning of adult nature, I don't think this book should have been banned. I think it should have just got given a rating the same way films and games are. Furthermore, I think if some books, such as the one I mentioned, are going to banned, others should too. 50 Shades of Grey is a huge seller across the UK and U.S. This book contains the extreme exploration of sex and s&m. 

I think that people who decide to read it should know what kind of nature they are going to be exposed to and therefore make up their own mind if they want to read it or not. It is another case if someone who should not be reading such an explicit book gets hold of it accidentally, but that is where responsibilities get involved. 

I think the most dangerous access to dangerous content is the Internet because although what is searched in can get monitored and certain sites can have blockage on them, it is the most uncontrolled type of media. What is published in a magazine or shown in a programme is completely under control of producers who know what they are publishing and are also careful with it because it could put their company at jeopardy if they produce something involving exploitation without warning or without being careful with it. The Internet does not have this extent of protection because anyone can access, post and publish anything they want. These people can include mentally disturbed or issued people who are trying to influence dangerous messages or disgusting content. 

Although I think the Internet is dangerous and very risky, I know there is nothing that could be done to prevent certain things ever being posted. Therefore I agree with Internet regulations and site blocks on sites with an adult nature.

Overall I agree that censorship is useful and safe option and should be encouraged by all types of media. Certain content can scar some people and therefore we as a community of people who use the Internet, watch TV and watch films on a daily bases should be considerate to what we exploit to certain people. 

-Short Term 12 Analysis-

Short Term 12 is a 96 minute linear drama presenting social realism. It was directed by Denson Daniel Cretton.

It is a touching film which portrays the life of being in care realistically. The film enables the audience to easily connect with the characters and feel personal to them. This is partially done by the camera shots used. We are close up and personal, giving us the sense of involvement in the lives of the characters. 

Alongside with the camera shots, there are other visual codes such as the plain colours throughout the film. This could be a way of expressing the lack of colour and liveliness the under privileged children in the film have. This makes us emphasise and sympathise with the children, further intriguing us into the film. 

There are also a number of audio codes used in the film, these consist of the instrumentals used. I personally noticed the type of music change with the characters feelings, this puts emphasis on the emotion being presented or suggested. Furthermore, there is often a suspenseful feeling in some of the instrumentals, this builds tension which engages the audience. 

Although this film is a drama, there are also strong aspects of romance and sometimes slight comedy. I think the fact that the mood of the film changes drastically so quickly is good because it keeps it interesting and also may be relatable to many watchers who have experienced the realism of the situations in the film. A prime example of a quick switch of mood can be when the two main Characters, Grace and Mason, who are careers and also in love, are sitting on the sofa and go from being happy drawing each other, to having a deep conversation when Mason is feeling distant to Grace, to them kissing, to her panicking and stopping then going to sleep. Another example could be from the scene at Mason's parents anniversary when he proposes to Grace and they are joyful, to the next morning when they get the phone call telling them that her dad is being released from prison in a month. These scenes are not only touching and interesting but they also portray the struggles in a relationship and in life, rather than the typical Hollywood, perfect lifestyle. 

I really liked the film and found it so insightful. One of my favourite scenes was when one of the children, Marcus, was rapping his own lyrics about his mother. The lyrics seemed like they were actually real and like they were actually coming from his heart. It really made me feel close to Marcus and have so much sympathy for him and it allowed me to be understanding to why he may have a short temper. I also found it clever how the film started the same way as it ended, with Mason telling the new member of staff, Nate, a story, and then them all having to chase Sammy. 

Id also like to pick up on the advertising poster for the film, although it is not strictly the film. I think the poster is cleverly misleading. This is because the scenery is so neat looking, for example the trees are perfectly proportioned. This is completely opposite to what the lives of the characters are actually like. I found it amusing and very clever how there could be a hidden metaphor in the poster which could be representing that things may look great on the outside, but inside they are not great at all.

-WEEKLY NEWS ep.3-

"The eldest child is probably smarter than their siblings" 

Being the youngest out of all my siblings, this headline caught my eye immediately. I find the article overall very patronising and not factual. 

The article consists of theories as to why the IQ of siblings usually drops in chronological order. One of the theories was that the elder siblings teach the younger siblings what they know, which improves their understanding and knowledge. As much as I can understand this theory because 'practice makes perfect', I do not agree with it. 

Another theory was that the eldest child gets the parents full, undivided attention when they are an only child, before they have any more children. 

I think the headline was over exaggerated. This is because one of the only statistically proven points in this article was that the difference in IQ amongst the tested children came out an average of 1.5 points drop. This is not as drastic as expected from the headline.  

-Crash-

Crash, a film by Paul Haggis, is a drama based on a real life event. It presents the lives of different ethnicities, races and class to us. It uses stereotypically views to show us how the different categories are viewed. Although there are different groups, I think race was the main focus of the film. 

The film starts by introducing us to all the main individuals of the film. However, the characters are introduced in a representation of their stereotypes. This is to make us view the characters in a certain way and possibly provoke us to agree with the stereotypes. A prime example of this could be the scene where the black men are complaining about stereotypes against them but then hypocritically car-jack the white couple. However, soon we discover the two men are not murderers. This is shown when they do not kill the white man or the Chinese man. 

The plot twist of this film astonished me. Paul Haggis cleverly used the character who wasn't even a suspect and the most trusted character in the film, the young, white policeman to actually be the murderer. I think that was a good idea because it sends the message that we should not judge people based on their race because anyone can commit a crime, regardless of their skin colour. 

I think that message was successfully presented in Crash, especially at the end. The scene that caught my eye was the white woman telling her maid that she is her best friend and how she was there when she needed her most. 

I love how Paul Haggis tried to demolish stereotypes and suggest that all races are capable of the same feelings and actions.

The audio codes used in this film were subtle but very powerful in my opinion. The first audio code I heard was the quiet and suspenseful instrumental at the beginning. The use of this sound was good because it didn't give much away but it was really intriguing and drew me in to listen to the clear voices of the characters. The use of clear voices was great because it allowed the audience to be introduced to them well and actually understand their thoughts at that moment. 

However, I think the most powerful audio code was the soundtrack of "Sense Of Touch". It gave me goosebumps. Although it wasn't in English it was easy to tell the song was meaningful. Regardless of knowing the songs words, it enabled me, and perhaps other people who have watched this film, to look over how discriminating stereotypes are. 

The main visual code I think stood out was how a lot of the film, including the beginning was in the dark. The setting was night-time. This is a dramatic effect which possibly could give a viewer chills. I think darkness adds to the mysterious effect and creates more tension and suspense. 

Overall I think the film was a successful, well put together film. The storyline was interesting and the messages given were powerful. I previously stated how I think race is the central focus of the film. I think that Paul Haggis was very smart with this focus because he didn't only present black and whites people, he also introduced us to other European races. 

Representations Of Children

Children are represented typically by the media as vulnerable and dependent on others, specifically their parents.

 However, recently, there has been numerous videos and pictures plastered over social media which happen to disagree with the typical representation. 

These videos consist of little girls wearing provocative clothing and tons of makeup, talking or singing about boys and only caring about what they look like. Prime examples of these would be Sophia Grace and Honey Boo Boo. There is also an advert where girls dressed as little princesses are swearing talking about gender stereotypes and how women are downgraded. Although I understand and agree with the message of the advert, to have little kids saying what they did appals me. This is done on purpose though. The producers or directors knew that young girls speaking like that is likely to get a large audience. These representations are dangerous because of the increase of young children using social networking. The girls watching these videos are more easily influenced due to their age and therefore may start acting like what they see. 

It is not only young girls that are represented poorly in the media and over social media. Boys are often represented as violent. Even the toys targeted at boys provoke a violent nature, e.g. Guns and swords. This may maintain the stereotype of boys are the dominant ideology and are more empowered, even just amongst children. Furthermore, boys are also recently being shown as "growing up too fast". Again, there are videos of young boys singing or talking about all the girls they get etc. This suggests that being a 'womaniser', 'galis' or 'player' is acceptable so long as you're a boy. This allows boys to grow up disrespectfully. This again is influenced upon them due  to how much access they have to social media now. 

Overall, I think that children are sometimes represented negatively in the media, or in a way that will provoke them to act in a certain nature as they are growing up. However, I do not disagree that children are still represented as pure, innocent and sweet. I do see countless amounts of videos and pictures everywhere where children are acting incredibly adorable. But, although this may be correct, we all know that the children acting in the opposite way, perhaps rebelliously, are more likely to gain a larger audience, therefore it is what we may hear about or see more of. 

-WEEKLY NEWS ep.2-

My immediate thoughts when I saw this article were what anyone would expect. However, after reading the article I became more understanding. 

In the article it is established that this woman has a mental disorder called BIID, which stands for Body Integrity Identity Disorder. This is when someones idea of how they should be does not match their physical form. In this case, Jewel, the woman who the report is about, always had been unsatisfied with the fact she could see. She always felt uncomfortable and had the mindset that she should be blind. This is probably strange to most of us, however, pyschologists have managed to have full understanding of Jewel's situation. 

The 30 year old woman had such a strong desire to be blind that she got a 'sympathetic psycologist' to pour drain cleaner in her eyes. Following this event, which Jewel stated to be extremely painful, she was rushed to hospital, agaisnt her wishes, where doctors strived to save her vision. To Jewel's joy, there was nothing that could be done to save her eyes, which were stated as permanantly damaged. 

Although Jewel's eyes were permanantly damaged, it took 6 months for her to go completely blind. Ms Shuping told an interviewer how every morning she would wake up hopeful but be enraged when she opened her eyes and could still see. Overtime, Jewel started realising the damage was taking effect. She was elaborated the day she woke up and could not see anything. 

However, not all was so good for Jewel Shuping. She had told her family that she had lost her sight accidentally, but they soon learned the truth and disowned her. Although she has lost her family, Jewel has had full support from her husband who is registered legally blind, through natural causes. 

The news headline was very eye catching and is likely to provoke someone to read the full article. The headline could be percieved as misleading due to the fact it did not state that the woman has a mental disorder. This is done on purpose because if it did state the fact she suffered of BIID in the title, readers wouldn't be as shocked or amazed by the event, therefore decreasing the amount of views.

I can bring myself to comprehend why Jewel done what she did and understand her statement of "This is not a choice, it's a need based on a disorder of the brain." I do not think she should be judged too harshly for her actions because I think you cannot fully know what someone is going through untill you live in their shoes, but I do understand why some people would see what she done as outrageous. I'm sure there are plenty of people who think she is ungrateful for the blessing she had of sight, and I undrstand this, however, similarly to my previous point, I think unless you suffer with BIID, you cannot judge her or feel her pain.

-WEEKLY NEWS- 

I read an article headlined "refugees will turn into terrorists". Soon after opening the article and reading it, I realised the heading was completely manipulative and portrayed the content of the article as something it was not. 

The article was in fact against the statement in the title, however the journalist made the reader think it was a dramatic, slating article, which provokes us to be more intrigued and want to read the report. 

Although the title did make me think that the report would be dissing and saying bad things about refugees, it was actually saying that is just some people's perspectives and that there is nothing in history to imply that the refugees will carry out a terrorist attack. It also suggests society are using the "refugees are terrorists" statement as an excuse to turn away innocent, vulnerable people trying to flee from violence. 

When I initially saw this headline, I immediately thought of another news report I read on a different website. However the content was different. The one I saw before insisted that refugees are terrorists and that it has been made official by an actual terrorist group leader. Nonetheless, the report didn't have pure evidence, they were just basing their strong accusations on what the terrorists have said in the past. 

Although the headline of the article is misleading, I can understand why they done it. The likelihood of people reading the article with a far fetched heading such as the one I have looked at is much higher than something we hear a lot such as "refugees accused to be terrorists but that is not true". Therefore, using a scandalous heading would enable the reporters to spread their good word easily. In my opinion, this is because we love drama and scandal and are interested by negative things in regards to positive. 

Overall I think the accusations comparing refugees to terrorists are very callous and regardless of how many past events may be used as evidence, some articles should be more sensitive and give the benefit of the doubt.

This commercial uses a variety of aspects to keep the audience intrigued. Although we find out what the advert is promoting within 5 seconds of the advert, we still want to watch the rest of it. This could be due to all the different features used. 

We are shown an average young man in his room, which is presented as a typical teenager room (messy), this already allows the viewer to relate themselves to the commercial. This boy is narrating the advert, using direct address telling us about him from first person. His voice is clear which allows us to understand what he is saying, keeping us interested in the advert. However, the voice is not the only audio code we hear, we also can hear cheers and bells, perhaps causing the audience to be curious as to what is going to happen or where this boy will end up. 

The surroundings of this boy are not fancy. We are shown an abandoned looking field and old rusty gyms. This can further give the audience a sense of relation to this boy. These surroundings are used initially to present the idea that one does not need to be wealthy or have the best equipment or lifestyle to chase their dreams and try hard. 

Later on in the commercial, we are shown the boy is on Vegas, starting off his dream, which we are still not actually told. Right after this, we are shown a group of different aged people, who are still back in the initial place, not Vegas. These are most likely the boy's family. This emphasises the relation to the audience. This family doesn't look fancy or snobby, just a common family. They are all eating pot noodles, which reminds the viewer of the product being promoted. 

We are lastly shown the TV, which has a boxing ring on it. This suggests the idea that the boy has trained to be a professional boxer, and with help of Pot Noodle, he has been able to accomplish this and have his first fight on national TV. However, seconds later there is a plot twist which defeats gender stereotypes. The young man we have been watching train to be a boxer, has in fact been training to be a ring-man. This is most likely done to add humour into the commercial, making it memorable, therefore making the Pot Noodle product memorable, exactly what the company wants. 

So I just made this super snazzy blog. That is all.