Media Regulation Induction Session

To know about the theories and debates surrounding contemporary film regulation

To justify your position supported with theoretical perspectives, and a convincing concluding statement (win the debate)

To argue a given position in a debate on Film Regulation

To examine a range of theories on contemporary film regulation

To know about Film Regulation, the BBFC, Censorship and Restriction and apply to contemporary examples

What Factors do the BBFC has to consider when rating a film

Link to Deadpool 

What regulation would you advise?

A. Certificate - which
B. Censor - Cut or Ban?

Why - justify your reasons on wipeboards

New Info: Be clear on terms:

Regulation
Intervening in the production or consumption. State regulation laws ie (video recordings act). 2 ways to do this...

1) Classification
Restricting access on the grounds of age (BBFC films in cinema or home release)

2) CensorshipThe power to control what we are permitted to access (banning or cuts)

BBFC - Who are they?

Snuff Box BBFC 'by the few, for the masses' https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gytbhgHSENA

1:54 start

Factors the BBFC has to consider when rating a film:

• Imitation - Newson Report  (Jamie Bulger)
• Descrimination 
• Context &Theme - artistic merit
• Tone & impact on its audience
• Violence
• Sex & sexual references, 
• Drugs, 
• Language 

Create Meaning: 
You are the BBFC officer - what certificate?

Batman Dark Knight Rises 

Pulp fiction 

This is England 

Apply: feedback with large image of cert

Apply to demonstrate (Theoretical ways of thinking about censorship)

Task: Ways of thinking about censorship

Discuss the different viewpoints and ideas - what do you think each one means (use your resources to summarise)

Debate

"Is regulation (censorship or classification) still justified in contemporary culture?"

In your Teams Y & N, defend your given point of view with an argument

Yes

• Newson to protect vulnerable audiences young people are impressionable and may imitate or disassociate reality

• Controversial content can lead to desensitisation or a loss of moral norms, capacity for compassion

• Deregulation slippery slope by making content permissible we condone its place in society ie rape

• Film-makers have to keep pushing the boundaries of taste further to be controversial 'hype' HC2

No 

• Adorno who is protecting who from what BBFC 'by the few, for the masses'

• Uses & Gratifications audience watch for a number of reasons ie catharsis

• Stuart Hall oppositional and negotiated readings

• Is regulation and restriction even possible anymore when content is online & global

• The context or intention of the message may justify the content

Recap: Concluding Statement

"Can we still protect the vulnerable in contemporary society, and is it the responsibility of a regulator to do so?"

Contemporary Media Regulation intro from Holly Taylor

Plenary Post it
Who
What from
Why
How
Whose responsibility?

Homework 3.1 for completion next Wednesday 1st July

1. Write up your notes from this week on Semiotics and the Development of Horror into an annotated Timeline using http://timeglider.com/

Include images and video of significant characteristics and films

2. Write up the notes in your workbook. 

3. Prepare a pitch for your Film Idea to be shot and edited over the summer break (you will be storyboarding in class on Weds)

3.1 Lecture Clips Development of Horror Genre and Representation

• Post-modern Horror
• The Genre Cycle - The Experimental Stage, The Classical Stage, The Revisionist Stage, The Self-Reflexive/Parodic Stage
• The Final Girl
• Representation of The Monster

Development of Horror Genre and Representation

1)      What are the 4 stages of Genre over time and what makes them different?

Example of films?

2)      What event led to social fears of the real world in 2000’s

Example of films?

3)      What are 3 characteristics of the Final Girl?

Key Films?

4)      What 2 ways can a Post-Modern Horror be identified?

5)      How have Zombies been used to represent and reflect on about society and humanity?

Key Films?

6)      What decade did the teenager become central to Horror?

Key Films?

7)      How can Horrors be read as social punishment for teens breaking ‘hegemony’ – the dominant ideas in society?

2.1 Prep Work Next Monday

Prepare for your Lecture on Monday and Seminar on Wednesday

Outline and make notes on the following theories:

• Final Girl
• How Genres (conventions) Change over Time
• The Male Gaze
• What Zombies represent
• Post-modern Horror

Final Girl Theory from IzzyTulipParkin

Key Changes in Supernatural Horrors from Georgiapastos

Representation of women in The Cabin in the Woods from Sam Hampshire

Genre research, horror over time from Jamie Evans

Shots and angles in horror films from jesslennon96

Studying zombie films from adamranson

Scream Postmodern from Belinda Raji

Homework 2 AGP - Audience Research 1

Homework

Task 1: Go to this 13 greatest horrors of the past 13 years 

In Pairs, look these films up on imdb, watch and embed the trailers to your blog (8+ = Excellent, 5+ Proficient, 3+ Basic)

Click on User Reviews                Click on User Ratings

Screen-grab the User Ratings Table (Blue and Red)

Look at the breakdown of the audience by Age and Gender. Which groups is this film most popular with?

Look at the synopsis and the User Reviews, what was it that appealed to this audience (violence, choice of characters etc)

Write up your conclusions as a Szoter presentation

Here is an Example

Task 2: Build on your understanding of genre and who your audience is. Interview on your camera phones 10 people from a cross-section sample of your target audience about their expectations and preferences of the Horror.

1. What scares them?
2. What types of Horror do they prefer (9 sub-genres)
3. What iconography do they expect (props, make-up locations, costume)
4. What set pieces/scenes do they find scary or typical?
5. What characters would they expect to see (type of monster/aggressor)
6. Do they enjoy the use of a jump scare?

2.3 Trailer Structural Analysis and Timeline

Examine	How the Trailers are structured around Narrative (Todorov, Binary Opposition, Engima Code)
Deconstruct	Sequence the Structural Elements on the Timeline and consider pace/rhythm etc (ie what and when)
Identify and Outline	Recognise the content (Iconography of the genre, Characters, Titles, Sections of the film, Sound ie what)

Framework 3:

Teaser and Trailers structural analysis of a current campaign looking closely at the conventions of form and narrative (not genre)

Example: Conjuring 2

Starter: What are the differences between a Theatrical Trailer and a Teaser Trailer?

• Establish character (Propp)
• Aggressor vs Victim/Hero (Levi-Strauss)
• Narrative - 3 act structure (Todorov)
• Montage 
• Titles 
• Enigma Code (Barthes)
• Climax eg jump scare, 
• Significant plot moments (5 scenes)
• Pace (calm, build, climax) 

Task 1: Timeline Structure - Teaser Trailer Conjuring 2

Cut up the Teaser Trailer in Final Cut using the Blade tool. Be precise in cutting the start and end of each clip.

Plot out the structure of the Trailer as below by making a Timeline map (see below you can download template here)

• Note down the timings and what you see, in what order including what Title Slates 
• How many Title slates are included and what order do they come in
• Note down any sound effects/soundtrack (such as Booms)
• Split this up into Todorov's 3 Acts structure
• Note which scenes
• What is the Enigma Code
• What do you notice about the Pace of the cuts?
• Which transitions are used?
• Time the average shot duration and note when it begins to change (twice?)

Task 3: YOUR OWN TREATMENT TEASER - Final Assessment for R&P (graded coursework): 

Get video footage Shutterstock (search 'Horror') to re-create a Teaser Trailer - you must ensure it matches the structure of Conjuring 2 EXACTLY

Use the Map Provided (timings) 

Select footage for your own Horror film Treatment you will be pitching next lesson.

Using your Timeline Map, place your new shots and Titles ON TOP of the original ones from the Conjuring in the timeline above in Final Cut 

Create a Trailer - consider where the footage and the Titles ought to go

Homework: 

Complete your trailer and upload to Youtube and embed to your blog

Evaluate your trailer on your blog - make notes on HOW and WHY Trailers are structured in this way

Extension practice using http://www.filmeducation.org/teachingtrailers/secondary/make_a_trailer/

Prepare for terminology test - next lesson

D describe the term

C apply the term to an example

B explain purpose/effect in an example

A justify its role in your trailer

2.1 Semiotic Analysis Lecture

Starter:


Why do Horror films scare us - what fears do they tap into, what are they trying to say?

Analyse	Meaning and semiotics of sub-genres to own examples	Semiotics mini-Crit in booklets
Apply	Meaning & Semiotics to class examples of different sub-genres Source examples of sub-genres based on conventions	Mind Map Thinglink Mood Board Notes on Semiotics
Identify & outline	Sub-genre of horror Conventions of each sub-genre	Mind Map Thinglink Mood Board

Task 3: Lecture Notes: In depth Semiotic Analysis of Horror films

Make notes on the Lecture on the meaning and messages for the different sub-genres in your booklets

Outcome:

D Apply the above to your examples in your Mini-Crit of 3 films (Booklets)

B/C Analyse the meaning behind the films to infer meaning (in your analysis of the films notes)

A Explain in detail the social commentary and meaning of these films, how are they analogies? 

Homework: Analyse Semiotics in your Content Analysis of 3 Trailers (in your Booklets) 

Set separate post "1.1 Homework"

------

number 7 4 min in