80s Film Research

The Duffer Brothers created Stranger Things as a homage to 1980s films.

1. Ghostbusters 1984



Stranger Things salutes Ghostbusters with their use of the supernatural. The GB's wear big 'boiler suit' style outfits to fight the ghosts, similar to the men in hazmat suits in the first episode and official poster of Stranger Things. The outfits create a sense of purpose and intent to fight the forces that have put up a fight against the world in Stranger Things and Ghost Busters. Ghost busters also include 4 men working together to fight the ghosts similarly to Stranger Things, which starts off with 4 boys, before Will gets taken. GB uses intense music to create atmosphere and a sense of adventure. Music is also used heavily in ST to build tension and position the audience to expect something scary to happen, thus putting them on edge. The film includes 4 ghostbusters who appear to be the only ones capable of fighting the ghosts, as they are seen walking towards the camera in a line. ST also appears to have 4 boys who are working together to fight the demogorgon in their games of D&D.

2. The Goonies 1985



Old-fashioned yarn about a band of adventurous kids who take on the might of a property developing company which plans to destroy their home to build a country club. When the children discover an old pirate map in the attic, they follow it into an underground cavern in search of lost treasure but come up against plenty of dangerous obstacles along the way. This is very similar to that of ST. The Goonies follows children who are in the fight to help, just like ST, which includes children of a similar age, trying to get involved in a situation that would deem only acceptable to be tackled by adults. The Goonies is also adventure/romance genre which are themes both portrayed in ST, and we get to see the journey of how the children help out and take charge. 

3. Sixteen Candles 1984



Sixteen candles' romantic story line is similar to that for characters Nancy and Steve. The outfits worn by both Nancy Wheeler and Samantha Baker are very similar, along with their hairstyle and innocent nature compared to their love interest. Both the young teen girls are pining for older boys that appear to have laddish tendencies as they explore through chastity and romance. SC includes Jake Ryan who is a 23 year old athlete which is a larger difference than Nancy and Steve, who only differ in one year, yet the relationship that they share still appears to have a contrast, since the male in both SC and ST are 'experienced' compared to the 16-year-old girls who are not.

LFTVD Vocab

VOD = Viewing on demand

SVOD = Streaming 

Easter eggs = cross references so super-fans notice

DVR = Digital video recording 

Binge-watch = to watch multiple episodes of (a television programme) in rapid succession, typically by means of DVDs or digital streaming

State of the nation = whats going on at the moment of release that could have an effect on how the programme is received

Cultural Zeitgeist =  Zeitgeist is defined as the spirit of a generation or a period of time. An example of zeitgeist is the free love and progressive thinking of the 1960s, this time period can resonate with the current day for a programme to sell e.g. Stranger Things is set in the 80s which people of today enjoy viewing

Constructed realism = the way in which it's media product uses the technical elements and what we see/media language to make the audience feel a certain way

Dominant ideology = a system or structure of beliefs/values/ideas about the way in which we should live, behave and think in any given society 

Long Form TV Drama

Each episode lasts from 45 minutes to an hour.
American Network broadcasters must satisfy their advertisers and hold a market share- this is the equivalent of Freeview
American Cable TV, HBO was the first US national subscription cable TV channel in 1970s - can take more risks. This is the equivalent of Sky or Virgin.

Trouble with UK TV drama - failed to meet the challenge of US cable channels to move to long-form, with their risk-taking content and style.

ABC1 audience means higher paid advertising

Subscription VOD (Viewing on demand)

-Content viewing via a TV still dominates in UK
-Growth of SVOD (streaming) web based channels such as Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and Now TV is considerable.

Audiences
-Rise of binge watching started with DVD in late 90s/early c21
-US long form drama often uses EASTER EGGS and mid season breaks to generate fan intensity and maintain media profile

Easter eggs - cross refernces so super fans notice

Why do audiences love LFTVD?

• High quality drama
• Multiple episodes/hours/years
• Content can be dark/difficult but innovative
• Now attracts some of the best/innovative writers/actors
• Time shifting (record and watch another time-control when you watch DVR)
• Easily accessible
• Keeps people invested
• Creativity 
• Characters change in ways that are surprising
• It allows to shows to play with theme and character development in unique ways

Subscription - Sky, Virgin
Streaming - Netflix, Amazon Prime

LFTVD can be any genre from crime to romance to comedy and mystery, narratives can be on any subject and themes can be hard-hitting like racism and grief but can also be inclusive of love and family.

Production values: $3-4million per episode

Top 3 ways of watching TV

Terrestrial: First 5 channels (more regulation, follow a PSB)
Cable: Sky, Virgin
Streaming: Netflix, Amazon Prime

Exam: Paper 2

30 marks - 45 minutes
10 marks - 15 minutes

TV drama needs:

• Location (various)
• Stock characters
• Multiple narratives
• 1 hour episodes
• Cliff hangers
• High production value 
• Has a number of episodes to help create narrative

Year 13 Summer Work

Task 3: Social Contexts 

DISABILITY:

-The Para-Olympics was covered by the media the most it ever has been in the 2016 Rio Olympics. It was shown on the BBC and also on Channel 4. This shows that the Para-Olympics is just as important as the Olympics. 

-Coronation Street, they showed a storyline about a child getting sepsis and having to have his leg amputated. This highlights to parents and carers the importance of ensuring your child is safe and healthy. The media, especially newspapers and magazines covered this as it is a common thing that happens but a lot of people are unaware of it.

REGIONALISM:

-Made in Chelsea stars typically are portrayed in the media as rich, posh and stuck up. However, when Made in Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo entered the I'm A Celebrity Jungle, she became the nations sweetheart, and shortly after she appeared on Celebs Go Dating. She stopped the stereotype of Made In Chelsea Stars being stuck up.

-TOWIE stars used to be seen as stupid, vein and fake. However, especially on social media, Tommy Mallet, Pete Wicks and Chloe Sims have made successful businesses which all have been publicised positively, and cuts down the stereotype of a typical 'stupid' Essex person. 

-Geordie Shore stars tend to have a lot of bad publicity. They are known for getting drunk, having sex on tv, and a lot of swearing. The media, tend to criticise them for everything they do, however they are all quite successful as they all have a brand they own or represent. 

CLASS:

-In the media, especially newspapers, 'chavs' are known for being rude, of low social class and not very clever. They are stereotyped as wearing tracksuits, carrying knives and doing drugs. They are represented in a negative way, and recently, have had a lot of criticism due to the increase of knife crime in London. 

-ABC1 is typically upper class / middle class people. A is doctors, lawyers, bankers. B is teachers, nurses, computer programmers. Finally, C1 is shop managers, office managers and social workers.

-Beyoncé and Jay-Z's recent album 'The Carters' has been publicised both positively and negatively in the media. The positive of it was that they are a family unit, they have brought together their solo careers to create a new album. However, the negatives were that they are presenting themselves as being severely upper class, making it hard for normal people to relate. The media has criticised them as they have made themselves look above everyone, however they are actually no better than an average family, as Jay-Z cheated on her -  showing they're not untouchable.

AGE:

-Following recent stories in the news, e.g. knife crime, bullying on social media and grime and drill music,  have shone a negative light on the younger generation. They are being publicised as negative people, as they are causing reality stars to commit suicide due to commit suicide and also knife and gang crimes have increased dramatically. However, the stereotype is unfair and incorrect as it is only a small portion of people like this. 

-Elderly people are represented in the news as vulnerable and poor. There have been lots of recent stories about abuse in care homes for the elderly. This makes it seem as though all elderly people are vulnerable and incapable.

GENDER:

-#metoo is a movement against sexual harassment and assault. It spread virally in October 2017 as a hashtag used on social media in an attempt to demonstrate the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment, especially in the workplace.

-LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. After India Willoughby and Courtney Act entered the Big Brother house at the beginning of 2018, it caused an uproar in the media, especially social media, as people were unclear on gender types and identities.

ETHNICITY:

-Following the release of the song 'This is America', the media went crazy about the music video and its hidden messages. Childish Gambino plays America himself, using violence and the use of entertainment as a distraction. As he says 'This Is America' he shoots a black man, this represents the use of gun crime in America. The video highlights black lives, and their history in the US, Childish Gambino's dance movements represent those of Jim Crow who was commonly used for minstrel shows. His dancing is a way to take the audiences eyes of what is happening in the background (the crimes). He is hinting that this is happening in America today, and that it needs to change.

-The Carters recent song and music video 'Apes**t' shows them as being of high importance, regardless of their ethnicity. They are stood in front of the Mona Lisa, which could be because 'they' are similar to the Mona Lisa in the way that people come from all over to see them. Later on in the video, during Jay-Z's verse, he is stood in front of a painting of a French tragedy, where a naval boat crashed - it symbolises where Beyoncé and Jay-Z are in their relationship right now, after he cheated on her.

SEXUALITY:

-NETFLIX: Sophia Burset (Laverne Cox) in Orange Is the New Black is transgender woman. The show is increasingly popular, and her story line grabbed the media as she took the change from male to female, and her journey was very heart felt and emotional.

-TV DRAMA: Sonia Fowler - Eastenders - became a lesbian, after being straight and having a child. The show, took this as a chance to publicise how this does happen, and how people who do this are normal, also showing you are allowed to be true to yourself.

-TV DRAMA: Rana - Coronation Street. Her change from heterosexual to lesbian took the nation by surprise as she is a Muslim. In the show, her parents disowned her but others accepted it and the media took this as an opportunity to show that this can happen and although Muslim guidelines are strict about adultery and sexual relationships, she should be allowed to be her own person.

Media Assessment Dirt 3B

The Big Issue Class Presentation

Component 1 Section B

Exam OCR

Corinne Bailey Rae Exam Practise

LIST A : CORINNE BAILEY RAE- STOP WHERE YOU ARE
LIST B : DAVID GUETTA - TITANIUM

Singers use music videos in order to promote their music and allows them to advertise themselves so consumers listen to their previous tracks. Corinne Bailey Rae (CBR) released a song called Stop Where You Are. It was written on her website about the song that “sometimes we hold our happiness away from yourself because were waiting for the perfect moment and we say ‘When I get this job, I’ll be happy. When I lose this weight, I will be happy. When I get a partner, I’ll be happy. So I really wanted to write this song, which is about being present, and stopping and ritualising the moment, celebrating it. I love the image of being in darkness and lighting a fire and saying ‘Here we are together. This is life with all its pain, all its agony, all its beauty, all of its joy. This is it, this is what we have, this is the world that we’ve made”. This is the main message of the song and saying that whatever walk of life that people are from, they all deserve the same amount respect and gratitude and we should bring light to those in the darkness. This is portrayed through the use of lighting and editing within the music video to help eliminate the representations that we have of people.

Young teenage girls are represented through the use of lighting and camera shots. 20 seconds into the video it shows a seemingly gender-less/ faceless person in a blue hoodie. The person is to the left of the shot which could show how he/she is not seen as important. They are facing away from the camera which shows her lack of identity which Bailey Rae highlighted as a problem and we should stop ignoring minorities. The shot then has a jump cut to almost force the viewer to notice the vulnerable teenage and represents the teenager as lonely which should be rectified as her face is then shown, thus revealing her gender.  

The characters in the video, are from a range of ethnicities, cultures and backgrounds. Corrine Bailey Rae uses this to promote her as an artist, as the representation of everyone being different is done through the cast and people watching the video could also relate to this as they may have felt different to everyone else due to their ethnicity, culture etc. She promotes herself through this as it makes her seem caring, loving and kind as she helps all the different people to find themselves and cheer up. Using the dark lighting at the beginning then, going to brighter lighting at the end really stands out as darkness often connotes as sadness, whereas once Corrine has walked past them, or two different people come together, it often gets lighter. For example, when the business man goes to talk to the homeless girl, the shot pans round and zooms in as the lighting gets brighter to show how she gets happier.

In conclusion, Corinne Bailey Rae's use of ethnicity, gender, age etc. promotes her as an artist as it shows how she is trying to be an inclusive, friendly artist which is appealing to her target audience. 

Titanium by David Guetta ft Sia

Stop Where You Are- Corinne Bailey Rae