P2: Industry

 Wednesday 1st November 2023                 Media Industries and Audiences

Paper 2 Section A:

focuses on media industries and audiences and requires learners to consider : How and why media products are constructed across different media forms to reach and address a number of audiences.

The Jungle Book (1967):

Main characters:

Mowgli (boy cub)

Bagheera (panther)

Shere Khan (tiger)

Baloo (bear)

King Louis (orangutan)

Kaa (snake)

Narrative:

• Boy raised in pack of wolves
• Tiger coming to town 
• Panther forces boy to leave - tiger wants to kill
• boy meets bear Baloo and learns how to be a bear 
• boy and Baloo become inseparable 
• monkeys steal boy and take him to king Louis
• boy saved by panther and bear
• baloo tells boy to leave - unsafe for him
• boy meets birds 
• tiger tries to kill boy - bear and birds save him 
• bear gets hurt - think hes dead
• bear alive and everyone happy 
• boy sees girl in human village 
• girl getting water and singing song 
• mowgli chases girl
• bear and panther sad
• the end 

Themes:

Friendship - vultures

Returning to own species 

Representation (groups, individuals, places etc.): 

Age: Mowgli and the baby elephant, representing youth - every other character is adult

Gender: only 3 female characters - mothers(elephant + wolf) , girl at end 

Ethnicity: Shere khan British accent - most Disney villains have a British accent 

The Jungle Book (2016):

Main character differences:

• Mowgli - 
• Bagheera - 
• Shere Khan - 
• Baloo - 
• King Louis - Gigantopithecus instead of Orangutan - made to be scary
• Kaa - female instead of male 
• Elephants do not speak 

Main differences:

• Mowgli stays in the jungle - no girl at the end 
• 'your home is where your people are' is more the point in this movie
• Monkeys are some of the only characters not to speak, if they were humanised they would be seen as cute.
• More female characters. Wolf mother becomes leader of the pack - less misogyny 
• its okay to be yourself - Mowgli creating things and tools and being told off - in the end his creations and tricks are what saved the jungle.
• Brexit and Trump crisis going on at the time 
• Age is not important in this movie - Mowgli is young yet proves himself
• Shere Khan is more menacing - he kills for fun and not for food - other animals don't like him
• casting a black man to voice the villain - subconscious racism.

Friday 17th November 2023                     The 1960s
LO: to research the social context

a big time of change. - values, attitudes (ethnicity, gender, drugs)

what was deemed as unacceptable is now normal ( divorce, graphic representation of violence)

BBFC stated that an A rated film in 1913, would get a PG or U now.

Era of the 60s was a world emerging from a lengthy post WW2 period. -  conservation and tradition into a decade of socio-political revolution.

New and vibrant youth culture moved from a concern with music and fashion of the late 50s and early 60s into a more widely aware generation of political action. 

60s were the age of the flowering of global social activism, with particular emphasis on Black civil rights, anti-war protests and the second-wave of feminism.

challenges to laws on homosexuality, divorce, sexuality, drugs, capital punishment, education, health care, and human rights.

we get impressions of the 60s from movies.

Key global events from 1960-1967:

• vietnam war 
• JFK assassination
• The Beatles
• contraceptive drug introduced 
• Market crash

what life was like in the 1960s:

women began to become independent, getting education and careers. Some women began to wear trousers and cute their hair short whilst men began to grow their hair longer (as an act against the war).

Teenagers began to develop their own fashion sense away from what their parents were wearing, skirts began to grow shorter and shorter and the mini skirt was introduced.

Wednesday 22nd November 2023                     Disney Audience

LO: to compare the different audiences for both Jungle book films and the impact on production

1960s Target Market:

• 4-12 year old boys and girls 
• widely diverse - both very young and near teens - primary target
• primary- they have a big influence over their parents' decision making and are most excited 
• primary- heavy users of the brand in terms of merch and entertainment 
• secondary- parents (35-55) - they are the money makers and make the Disney experience available to their kids - lots of the appeal is nostalgia 

• both the primary and the secondary targets are trusting of the Disney brand due to its longevity and the association with customer service and quality.
• 1967 they offered wide array of products that satisfied both markets needs 
• children felt association with many characters, parents confident in wholesome values of the brand in shifting society
• Disney's politics were conservative - affected representations constructed. JB ignored black civil rights movements of 60s - equating black jazz with apish behaviour of King Louis - reinforces racial stereotypes. 2016 version ignored this.

How can the values, ideologies and key events of the 1960s be seen in The Jungle Book (1967)? what does a lack of some values suggest about Disney and its audiences?

The Jungle Book portrays many different ideologies through all of the characters. Disney's politics were conservative which affected the representations constructed throughout the film. In the 1960's the Black Civil Rights Movement occurred, which due to their political stance they seemingly ignored. We can see this in how they equated black jazz music with the apish behaviour of King Louis thereby, reinforcing racial stereotypes. However, in the 2016 version they ignored this part featured in the original movie, as the times had changed and it would not be socially acceptable anymore.

Who are Disney's target audience now?

 

2016 Target Market:

• 2016 film succeeded in attracting a wide range of age groups - not only under 12 or traditional family audience 
• success is largely due to brands ability to market the product and to value its audience
• reinterpreted the characters and narrative for a more modern age and the new technology appealed to technophiles everywhere
• more adult themes, darker atmosphere, action credentials - appealed male audience
• subtle hints to original, maintained nostalgia and humour for older generation

Disney adapted to the online age with use of social networking to promote the film triggering more audience engagement with marketing strategies.reflects modern age of film making which is dominated by CGI and visual effects.

effective utilisation of the company's massive resources and power created an immersive viral campaign that was consumable by all age ranges when allied with trad marketing strats.

2016 film made $966million globally; it won the academy award for best visual effects. unrivalled success globally.

2016 context: 

• Trump
• Brexit
• Syrian boat refugees 
• ongoing oscarsowhite campaign
• Ferguson riots 2014

Research the key events and issues going on here and in the US during 2014-16:

Friday 24th November 2023                                             Disney
LO: to explore the context of Disney in the 1960s

The big Six:

• Paramount
• WB
• Sony
• Disney
• Universal
• Fox - now belongs to Disney

Jungle Book (1967):

1. 50 years old- however the film grossed $100 billion to date. Cost $4 million to make 
2. Made by Disney Studios under Walt Disney Productions- a Hollywood production company
3. Disney animation - responsible for developing many techniques that became standard practise of traditional cel animation.
4. Production of film involved specialised techniques that are still part of Disneys brand identity

Walt Disney Studios (WDS)

1. During is history, WDS been considered the best animation company in film production and been able to buy up other media companies e.g. Pixar, marvel etc
2. Seen as the leader in animation and art direction as many of the techniques it developed had become standard practise by 60s
3. Specialised animation processes involve highly creative film makers using labour intensive techniques from concept to product. 

Historical Context:

1. landmark film that is one of the best ever written for Disney and includes 2 Oscar-nominated songs.
2. original soundtrack was 1st to achieve gold disc status in US for an animated feature film
3. film credits a notable cast and production team that had been in place and worked together for many years.

Economic Context:

1. when it was released Disney Corporation was already diversifying into theme parks, tv series and merchandising deals through its distribution arm
2. These could be a reaction to the 50s baby boom and the fall in cinema ticket sales in the 60s, due to increasing competition from tv. Younger gen increasingly turning to new trends in music and fashion.
3. released in October '67 grossed nearly $24 million, demonstrates how Disney could generate revenue worldwide.
4. '91 was released as part of Walt Disney Classics collection- illustrating the benefits of back catalogue that can be resold to younger gens 
5. limited edition DVD released in '99 then a release as 2 disc DVD in '07- marketed as platinum edition
6. in 2010 film was released as a blue-ray/DVD/digital copy combo-pack
7. by periodically reviving its assets, Disney gains longevity of sales. Each time it translates a classic into the newest media format, captures the next gen who commit to brand loyalty
8. recently film was released as a digital download via iTunes and available to stream on Amazon & Google, now its on Disney+

Ownership, control and distribution:

Wednesday 29th November 2023             The Film Industry

LO: to explain the process of making a film and changes within the film industry.

• characters shaped around the voice - voice actors highly recognisable    
• dont keep songs in their films that age them - changed the songs in 2016 version
• song at the end with girl is main theme throughout the entire movie 
• Walts death forced others to become the mature animators they were.
• the end of JB Baloo and Bagheera walk off into the sunset together as if to say 'life goes on' - nice way to end Walt's career

Disney operated differently as a film studio compared to other studios - they had a team of around 9 people who worked very closely together, whereas other studios normally had around 30 people.

Walt's own influence was that he didn't like the violence and graphic nature in the original jungle book and so changed that to be more family friendly.

animators got their inspiration from the voices and voice actors. Characters were shaped around the voices.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/nov/28/disney-box-office-wish-the-marvels

Disney became one of the big five and. remain as such by acquiring other companies such as Pixar and Marvel this is Horizontal Integration. They used to re-release their movies in the cinemas every couple decades as there was a new generation of children. They now have a streaming platform called Disney+ which requires a subscription this was launched in 2019. 

Friday 1st December 2023                         The Film Industry
LO: to explain the process of making a film & changes within the film industry.

1. 
   
2. digitalised, easy to get to remote locations    
3. do not get the degradation of film over time. cheaper and less time consuming - transporting to cinemas, watching back, editing
4. 
   
5. 
   

Explain how the production and distribution of major Hollywood films has changed since the 1960s. Refer to the two versions of The Jungle Book to support your answer.

In your answer you must:

• explain how historical and economic contexts influence the production and distribution of major Hollywood films.

There has been masses of change to the way films have been produced and distributed since the 1960s. In the 60s there were no digital cameras so they used rolls of film and in order to edit it they had to cut pieces out and stick them back together manually, this was incredibly time consuming and the film would get degradation over time. To distribute their film to cinemas they had to physically transport it to all the different cinemas around the country which was costly and took time. To produce a film there was usually a team of around 30 people, however in making The Jungle Book (1967) they had a team of only 9 people meaning they spent lots of time together and formed bonds, this helped in the making of the movie 

Wednesday 13th December 2023                     Jungle Book 2016

LO: To explore the production & distribution of JB 2016

Vertical Integration: within the same industry e.g. film

Horizontal Integration: conglomerate being part of different industries 

Vertical: Disney owns many companies within the film industry e.g. distribution, cinemas, filming

Horizontal: Disney owns a music company, theme park - different industries 

Convergence: bringing together

• technical convergence - combine different technology into one -Iphone has camera, maps, film etc.
• digital convergence - 
• standard convergence - multiple products come together to form one product with the advantages of all of them.

Cinema in the 60s:

no multiplexes

dominated by American films

smoking was allowed

called them theatres - it was a production

projectors 

colour

intermission

Jungle Book 2016

Director: Jon Favreau

Production company: Walt Disney Pictures 

Directors previous 2 big CGI successes: Iron man & Iron Man 2 

Production:

Estimated Production Budget: $175 million - 

includes:

• above the line costs ( creative talent, actors, directors, producers etc.)
• below the line costs - pure production costs (crew, technical equipment hire, sets, transport, SFX, accommodation etc.)
• marketing budget

Disney had already two expensive blockbuster flops (John Carter, 2012 & The Lone Ranger, 2013). it made sense to remake a movie with a proven business track record and a secure audience.

Favreau was given room to experiment - they wanted to create a visual spectacle that could easily translate across global markets.

Described as live action/CGI film as it combines the 2 on screen. the animals and landscapes were created on computer by the British digital effects house MPC.

animal characters were deliberately created with a realistic look, and not in a cute and cuddly cartoon style as with the original animated jungle book film, in order to target older movie-goers.

The production processes of JB16 was highly dependant on other companies, such as MPC and so was not fully made in house, as JB had been

Planned by Walt Disney Studios Chairman, Alan Horn, as one of a series of remakes of their classic properties. 'Hollywood makes lots of films for kids, but the Disney reboots may be one of the few safe bets, they revive classic characters for a new generation of kids, and their already smitten parents may be specifically willing to shell out for related merchandise'

The proliferation of digital technology in film had been driving film production (photorealistic rendering, computer-generated technology and motion capture), providing the most fantastical features.

-Helps, action, adventure, sci-fi genres

-films from '10-'15 show this - interstellar, toy story 3, lego movie, avengers, harry potter, tangled 

used original book opening and even shot tit with film to give the same effect as the original.

only live action element is Mowgli, not even the jungle was real

multi-plane camera - created the look of depth and layers within the shots of the jungle 

found voice actors with really recognisable voices 

Disney created an immersive experience, demonstarting Disney willingness to be a ctraetrive market leader with its use of digital technologies across all levels. This is what Dis ney does: its business moidel sees the potential for media synergy and cross-media products

This is one way a studio reduces risks and offers the potential to. maximise profits through the creation of additional non-film revenue streams, such as merchandising

By working alongside  other media companies, the synergistic benefits of cross-promotion are effectively doubled. Disney is able to strike deals to make film and TV spin-offs, from which it gains a substantial share of the profuts

disney chose to use on of its subsidaries to distribute the film - meaning no costs, they granted licences to tohter companies (includiing some of their own) to produce related merchandise 

the 2016 film was distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It handled the theatrical release, marketing and promotion of ilms produced globally 

The film was released from April to July 2016 in 70 countries, opening at different times depending on competition and targeted school holiday dates.

JB16 was produced in 3D (as well as 2D) and was one of the first films to be realeased in Dolby Vision 3D . 10% of US showings were in IMAX

MINECRAFT

Wednesday 17th January 2024                    Minecraft (2011)
LO: to explore Minecraft and the history of gaming.

Terminology:

sandbox game: a video game that provides players a great degree of creativity.

open-source software: software with a source code that anyone can inspect, modify and enhance.

beta version: software made available for testing before its general release.

franchise: a series of one or more related videogame titles, including sequels, that are sold by a loan party.

intellectual property rights: the rights given to persons over the creation of their minds.

what does this cover tell us about the game?

bright colours - kids target audience 

building - the tool that the character is holding and the title

hunting - animals 

MC is male - male target audience 

animation style blocky - aimed at kids, associate with LEGO

Main Game Companies: (consoles and games)

Nintendo - gameboy, wii, switch

Sony - Playstation

Microsoft -XBox

Apple - Iphone

PC

Saga

Pac-Man

Minecraft 

Grand Theft auto

Fortnite

Pokemon 

Super Mario 

Stats:

globally nearly 3.24 billion gamers in 2021

UK gamers spent an average of 7.17 hours weekly on video games in January 2021

User penetration will be 58.03% in 2022

39% of British adults used a mobile phone for gaming 

FIFA 22 is the best selling video game in UK

Research Minecraft:

Released in 2009

Designed by Markus persson and Jens Bergensten

Produced by Mojang Studios

Genre: Sandbox

Wednesday 24th January 2024               LO: understand the production context of                                                                                  Minecraft 

What do you need to develop a game?

• money
• marketing
• technical assistance
• additional crew
• actors
• distribution

The videogames industry had become dominated by the publisher-conglomerate system

• Developers pitch an idea, or Alpha version of a game to a publisher, who may fund its production.
• Often, successful developers cann be bought outright by a publisher conglomerate, who own numerous studios and publishing companies, generating huge profits.
• publishers take responsibility for marketing, selling and distributing the game, but take a massive cut of the profit
• Because they generate such huge profits the games they make tend to be spectacular AAA titles, which cost millions to develop and market, with the goal of generating even greater profits.

How does this system work?

• Hesmondhalgh said that media conglomerates try to maximise audiences and profits by expanding into other cultural industries - this is called horizontal integration
• Conglomerates buy other companies and they become subsidiaries.
• They may also increase profit through vertical integration - meaning they own the necessary companies to fulfill all production stages.

Is this a problem? 

Curran and Seaton:

• Decisions made by the media are about money and power
• The media is now dominated by conglomerates who make media that is likely to make profit rather than artistic results - this is called media saturation.
• This means that creativity in mainstream media is often stunted 
• Other forms of media ownership will often produce more dynamic media texts.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of 'selling out' to a publisher?

Advantages-

Global exposure from publisher-led marketing

Financial backing

QA testing

Disadvantages-

Loss of creative freedom

Loss of profit

Loss of connection with your audience

How Minecraft was made Documentary:

• Markus 'Notch' Persson started creating the game in May of 2009
• He created the game at home on his own in his spare time.
• It was developed using readily available open source software: Java gave it the advantage of being cross-platform: it ran on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
• The first major alpha version was released on 28 June 2010. It was sold for €10.
• It quickly gained popularity online thanks to word of mouth on forums.
• Persson left his job and set up Mojang based on the initial sales of Minecraft.
• Released the alpha version online so people can play, it was constantly being developed so you would continue to get updates for free as you play it.
• December 2010 - Persson announces the game is going Beta.
• 
  

Friday 26th January 2024        Minecraft (2011)

LO: to explore the initial development and features of the game.

Explain how the production and initial development of Minecraft was very different compared to the normal production of a game in the video game industry.

Persson, as an independent producer, wanted the game kept for 'gamers' and as he developed the concept he tried to resist the temptation of large multinational companies. This was quite unusual; in the gaming industry, it is more typical for products to be highly collaborative with many programmers working on a single project.

Without the commercial backing of a mainstream publisher, and no money spent on advertising revenue, the game relied on word of mouth between gamers and featured on sites such as the Penny Arcade web comic to generate interest among gamers. For many media companies this would not have typically have enabled growth or development of the concept.

It was the ability to strike a franchise deal with an existing technology company, Sony, to distribute the game that was a key feature of its success. This commercial deal helped secure Minecraft's place in the video game market. It was packaged as a game brand for a wider global audience and not just gamers; the rapid rise in sales and popularity was a result of having identified markets among both existing gamers and newer phone-savvy digital players.

Wednesday 30th January 2024                 Minecraft (2011)

LO: to explore the distribution and takeover of Minecraft.

Question 1: 

Knowledge and understanding about one of the set texts.

Probably ask to include the influence of media contexts.

25 minutes on this question

Question 2:

knowledge and understanding about one of the set texts 

25 minutes approx on this question

 

Development occurred at a time when gaming went 'online' and was characterised by multi-gaming platforms. This was in part a response to gaming not just for consoles - but on any device.

Opened up the opportunities for games distributors to connect to wider non-traditional gamers to game on media devices like phones and tablets. As well as this, digital distribution allowed easy access to global markets - Persson and Sony took full advantage of this.

It was at this point Minecraft became a media product that could be packaged and distributed across multiple platforms to offer its users creativity via interactivity with its content and educational values, and with apparently limitless boundaries to its gaming.

Research Task:

Why did Microsoft buy it? very popular so provides an enormous new base of potential customers for their products. Broaden its presence in the educational technology market.

How much was it bought for? $2.5 Billion

How has the game changed since corporate ownership? Minecraft expanded the game beyond Xbox, added new features and content and launched an educational version of 'Minecraft' designed for classroom use.

• By 2014, Minecraft, as a PC Java game, had become a globally successful phenomenon across all consoles and hand-held devices, appealing to a wide range of users.

• Mojang had struck dels with both Nintendo (largest game software seller) and Sony (hardware manufacturer and global conglomerate).

• In 2014, Microsoft acquired the intellectual property rights (and Mojang itself) for $2.5 billion. They had a vision for the game that went beyond global distribution and the exploitation of its loyal gaming community: they realised that gamers could be sold 'add-ons' and a whole range of merchandise.

• The takeover cemented Minecraft as a top-brand selling video game; it enabled Microsoft to extend its reach further and secured its distribution to smaller mobile devices like Xperia play. The exchange of the game was made easier and not simply confined to gaming or PC consoles.

Minecraft Merchandise:

• Lego
• Books
• Clothing
• Figurines 
• Stationary

Microsoft sensed an opportunity. With the Bedrock Edition, the company could turn modding into a business–both for itself and for creators–while giving parents a safe way to extend the game for their kids.

“We realised how much friction there was for players to find cool creator content in the Java edition,” says Todd Stevens, the director of Minecraft’s partner program. “A lot of times the websites you found it on had viruses and weren’t that safe. Parents were reluctant to give credit cards to some of these websites they didn’t know. We thought, when looking at this from a Bedrock perspective, if we created this safe marketplace . . . that we’d have a better environment for the player.”

To head off a similar backlash, Microsoft decided to give developers most of the sales revenue after app store processing fees. Creators also get to retain ownership of their work, so they can theoretically reuse their assets and ideas outside of Minecraft.

Friday 2nd February 2024 

Community: 

• Community support is a really valuable trait in any app, especially when changes to the software or game are effected by community feedback.
• That has been the case in MC where updates have been partially crafted based on community demands and, in the case of the recent addition of horses, originate from community-led modifications.
• Integral to the early releases of MC was community feedback where original creator notch was able to shape the game into something the community wanted.

Jenkins:

Fandom: describes communities built around a shared enjoyment of an aspect of pop culture.

Prosumers: fans acting as consumers but also producers and creators.

Participatory culture: fan cultures - fans acting as prosumers.

Spreadable media: active nature of audience involvement.

Fandom in MC:

• Mods
• Let's Play
• Servers 
• Events
• Conventions

Famous Minecraft Youtuber: Dream

Mod Communities: DLC

Minecraft Servers: Mineville, Hypixel

How has MC encouraged participatory culture:

created marketplace

update voting

cosplay competitions 

Q&A with developers 

With detailed reference to Jenkin's theory and real examples, explain how the audience contributed to the success of Minecraft.

• audiences heavily impacted the success of MC
• they interacted with Notch giving him ideas of updates 
• no budget for marketing so people spread the word by blogs and youtube - spreadable media
• created communities and encouraged each other 
• Jenkins: MC players created communities, they act as prosumers- participatory culture 

How was Minecraft used to penetrate VR?

VR support is actually built into the Bedrock Edition. Enabling VR in Minecraft Bedrock Edition depends on where you've purchased Minecraft. If you've purchased Minecraft from the official Oculus Store, Minecraft will natively show up as a VR title in your library. You don't need to do anything further, just launch it.

How was Minecraft used to penetrate education?

When playing Minecraft, children develop complex shapes, tackle geometric problems, and manipulate blocks. All of these are key mathematical concepts that will form part of your child's curriculum.

Friday 9th February 2024                Minecraft 2011
LO: To explore the marketing of MC

Video games consoles are an excellent example of a digitlly convergent device, you can not only play games but access social media, suf the internet, stream films and TV content and upload content into cloud based servers. Cross-media content helps maximise profits and also improve reach to new customers.

Conventional game marketing:

• Trailers on TV
• Teaser posters, game launch posters, billboards
• Magaziine features
• Press marketing 
• Reviews in papers and magazines 
• word of mouth
• merch
• celeb voice or score 
• Fandom - use of wiki sites
• Brand identity

How did Mojang market the game:

released version for Xbox 360

word of mouth

fandom

fans were listened to by Notch

Mojang were able to effectively market Minecraft despite, having no budget. They did this by listening to their fans and using their ideas for improvement, which then led to people talking about the game on online forums and youtube. This method of marketing worked for MC more than it did for other games because

Realms:

Subscription based services that let you play online with friends 

give you access to lots of MC content 

Wednesday 21st February 2024                     Minecraft (2011)

LO: to explore audience appeal and demographic.

Audiences: 

On the basis of a conventional video-game sales leader board, Minecraft is a global product. 

Minecraft sales - 100 million compared to GTA V's - 56 million

Most legal downloads from US, UK and Canada

Report selling an average of 53,000 copies/day since 2016

Massively generalised typical MC player:

Male, geeky, educated, 25-55

Individualist

Explorer/problem solver

Pragmatic and Scientific

Interested in engineering.

Target Audiences: 

An age poll states that 86% of players who were under 30 were made up of:

20% under 15

44% 15-21

22% 22-30

Teens in North America and Europe seem to be the dominating demographic, with the majority being male.

Mass Audience - first/second most successful video game of all time behind Tetris but, a diverse age/gender/ethnic demographic - crossing socio-cultural backgrounds.

'Audience' maybe dependant on console - can you segment the audience by platform? Online/console 'serious' gamers spend more time gaming and are often 'dedicated' to a particular game.

Prosumers play Minecraft e.g. fan made clones of Minecraft, ability to change gameplay mechanics in PC version.

Fan made media: 

active community of gamers who share a common interest linked to MC. Can include groups such as the Yogcast who produce videos with billions of views.

Fan made clones  of the game are now ubiquitous across market place. apps and varous merchandise is available to purchase online.

Audience appeal:

• The ability to play cross platform - casual and serious gamer targeted: Xbox, PS, Switch, iOS and MacOS, Android, Windows.
• Regular updates - constant flow of communication important to fans.
• Merchandising and synergy plus non media tie ins.
• Social engagement, active community - viral marketing e.g. YouTubers as opinion leaders. Massive YouTube presence.
• Utilising latest technology e.g. VR and AR

YouTubers and MC:

• An active community, social engagement 
• An aspirational dimension - challenges/put downs
• Convergent links to social media- 'keeping the game alive'
• Viral marketing via opinion leaders
• Watching gameplay on YouTube is now as popular as playing video games - challenges Gauntlett's audience/player concept.

Past Paper Question: 

Explain how video games target and maintain a range of audiences? Refer to Minecraft to support your answer.

Video games producers target and maintain a range of audiences using a variety of methods for example constantly updating the game so there are new features to discover and using different marketing strategies whether that be by tv advertisements or making new merchandise.

Minecraft has managed to maintain such a large audience, especially through fan involvement and interaction, people who are fans of the game have made YouTube videos on gameplay which is very popular within the gaming community, people can watch these videos and be inspired to play Minecraft so they can identify with their favourite YouTuber - this links to Gauntlett's theory about identities and how people tend to exist within groups who are similar to them. There are many fan-made servers within Minecraft in which fans of the game can play with each other across the whole world, they can create different worlds based on things they like and make friends through this without ever actually meeting them in person.

Friday 23rd February 2024                    Minecraft (2011)
LO: to review key areas and exam style questions.

Need to know:

• media industries
• media audiences 
• economic/social contexts

Unique Selling point:

players explore a blocky, procedurally generated 3D world with virtually infinite terrain, and may discover and extract raw materials, craft tools and items, and build structures or earthworks. depending on game mode, players can fight computer-controlled mobs, as well as cooperate with or compete against other players in the same world.

Game modes include a survival mode, in which players must acquire resources to build the world and maintain health. A creative mode, where players have unlimited resources and access to flight, players an modify the game to create new gameplay mechanics, items and assets.

Independent production:

Traditionally, video games made by teams of developers for a production company. Markus Persson is an example of independent designer developing a game outside of mainstream media.

He enabled the development within the game from a 1st person perspective in a creative and imaginary way.

He wanted the game kept for gamers and resisted takeovers. Highly unusual as most games are massively collaborative 

Development:

When the game was officially released across multiple platforms. It became a franchise. Struck a deal with Sony to release it on Sony Xperia play, then available for Android and iOS - Key feature to its success.

Commercial Deal with Sony was significant:

• multiple platform release increased audience interactivity.
• Packaged as a brand for wider global audience,  not just gamers.

Distribution:

Game exploited media convergence which enabled digital distrivution and global access to markets.

MC developed at a time wen gaming went 'online' - not just for consoles.

Opportunities for distributers to connect to wider non-traditional gamers with phones and other mobile devices.

Microsoft takeover enabled game to extend its reach through offline merchandise and diversification.

Marketing:

The games early community provided the initial growth and adoption through the power of collaboration and connecting with other users - filtering content and. shaping the games development.

Ways that Microsoft market and synergise the brand:

• Website
• MC realms
• Social media feeds 
• Marketplace
• YouTube
• MC Wiki
• Fan sites and forums
• MC for education

Audience Demographic:

12-20 / 25-30

Europe and North America 

Mainly male 

Audience Appeals and fan interactions:

• Game mods 
• MC Wiki
• Fan sites and forums 
• Multiple gameplay modes 
• MC realms 

Fan made media:

The establishment of MC marketplace is a great example of how the industry are listening to their audiences (fans) and allowing the trade of different maps, textures and 'add ons' in a legitimate setting. The nature of the game has also allowed audiences to learn new skills such as programming.

There are several accounts on YouTube and across blogs who have their own dedicated channels discussing MC, offering tutorials or who just want to show off their game play or promote their own maps.

Proliferation of technology:

despite audiences owing more than one device, or a console and handheld device by the same company, there does seem to be a focus for only developing content for the newer devices.

Advantages:

Control - audience have more control more available when they ant it. Audiences in control of scheduling:

So many more ways to watch things e.g. a film, cinema, sky anytime, on demand, blueray, DVD, internet streaming, Itunes, etc.

Disadvantages:

Piracy is easier - bad for institutions

Cost- expecting audiences to keep up to date with latest developments

More chance of technology not working - disrupting viewing experience

Industries have less control

Evaluate how ongoing audience interaction influences the production of video games. Refer to MC in your answer.

Wednesday 28th February 2024                         MC 2011
LO: To review social and economical context.

1:

• mc released beta version which audience gave feedback on to improve 
• The establishment of MC marketplace is a great example of how the industry are listening to their audiences (fans) and allowing the trade of different maps, textures and 'add ons' in a legitimate setting.

2:

• p1 = production
• p2 = distribution
• p3 = consumption

3:

• p1 = target
• p2 = engage 
• 
  

RADIO:

Friday 1st March 2024                     Radio 1 Breakfast Show
LO: To research the background and industry behind the BBC Radio 1 Show

must study one complete episode of the radio one breakfast show - know how the show operates within the media industry and how its audiences are targeted 

Understand how the show has adapted to both technological and cultural change

Understand the nature of production, distribution and consumption

Significance:

On 30/9/17 the show celebrate dits 50th anniversary

when the show launched in '67 it offered a diet of pop music and was described as 'the swinging new radio service'

It was set up as an alternative to the two existing BBC radio channels, radio 2 and radio 4, at a time when there was no breakfast TV and no independent radio stations - established at the request of the government following the banning of pirate stations.,

Radio 1 breakfast is still considered the flagship programme of the radio station, and even a change of presented draws much media attention.

Research:

What is PSB and what does this mean for the BBC?

 refers to broadcasting intended for public benefit rather than to serve purely commercial interests.

How is the BBC funded?

annual licence fee charges to all British households

How many radio stations does the BBC have and how do they differ?

39

What are the BBC's mission, values and public purposes?

public purposes:

• 1. To provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them
• 2. To support learning for people of all ages
• 3. To show the most creative, highest quality and distinctive output and services
• 4. To reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of all of the United Kingdom’s nations and regions and, in doing so, support the creative economy across the United Kingdom
• 5. To reflect the United Kingdom, its culture and values to the world

Mission: "to act in the public interest, serving all audiences through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain".

Values: 

 

• AUDIENCES are at the heart of everything we do
• CREATIVITY is the lifeblood of our organisation
• TRUST is the foundation of the BBC - we’re independent, impartial and truthful
• We RESPECT each other - we’re kind, and we champion inclusivity
• We are ACCOUNTABLE and deliver work of the highest quality
• We are ONE BBC - we collaborate, learn and grow together

What are the main differences between commercial and non-commercial radio?

commercial - relies on ad revenue 

non commercial - may carry ads however main income from subsidies or listener contributions.

Wednesday 6th March 2024                    Radio 1 Breakfast Show 
LO: to research the background and industry behind the BBC radio 1 show.

 PSB:

The BBC, ITV, C4 and C5 are Public service broadcasters

BBC broadcasts under Reithian PSB principles 'to inform, educate and entertain' - link to social integration and empowerment.

Reithian Values:

• a way of educating the masses ( the BBC must broadcast under a Royal. Charter)
• The BBC must be funded by a public license fee
• must always be approachable and accountable e.g. to Ofcom 
• High quality broadcasting with a background of tradition

BBC Radio 1 has a specific remit -  'entertain and engage a broad range of young listeners'

The license fee pays for BBC products like the Breakfast Show 

BBC remit that is the Radio 1 Breakfast Show should 'entertain and engage a broad range of young listeners with a distinctive mix of contemporary music and speech'

Problems with the funding model:

• BBC monopoly - why not subscription model? squeezing out the independent sector.
• Culturally UK Governement less likely to challenge 'traditional' British models 
• Over 75s now pay unless on pension credit
• Digital channel proliferation - no justification for one organisation to be funded by the license fee

What does all this funding mean for production?

• Point - losses can be sustained by the BBC like the significant decline in listeners of the Breakfast Show
• Decline in quality is something different however that effects the brand and the reputation of BBC as institution hence Grimshaw-James switch
• Niche programmes can be broadcast on the back of the 'success' of more mainstream products like the Breakfast Show and Drive Time
• Increasing fragmentation through digitisation however like most media will ultimately lead to further change

1: target audience: age 15-29

2: times: 7-10:30 Presenters: Greg James and previously Nick Grimshaw 

Radio 1 Breakfast Show:

Mainstream, entertainment based flagship BBC show (since Tony Blackburn 1967 - 24 million weekly listeners) Brand was 55 years old in 2022

7am - 10:30am: music, quizzes, chat, guest interviews, phone in and competitions.

Broadcast in comedic 'zoo format' (wacky, zany, personality led - bits and pieces)

Greg James rhetorics of presentation important - audience identification with personality jocks.

Industry and economic factors:

The impact of psb and the license fee as a source of funding is shown by the breadth of output on the show. The show has transmitted outside broadcasts from Glastonbury, Wimbledon and, until recently, the Ibiza weekend. The license fee generates far more funding than advertising and marketing generated by Capital, Kiss, Heart or Virgin, for example. As a result, OB (outside broadcast) features have the potential to be more expensive, creative and developed.

Use of PSB funding to promote new musical talent. For instance:

• transmissions from Glastonbury and The Big Weekend;
• utilising The Live Lounge (Radio 1's in-house live artist recordings)
• a far more expansive playlist than its commercial counterparts
• promoting and developing upcoming artists from a range of genres e.g. Ratboy, Circawaves, Ray BLK, Bearsden
• hosting annual 'sound of the year' poll won in previous years by Adele and Sam Smith
• promoting artists who appear at the Reading and Leeds festivals, Radio 1 stage and the BBC introducing Stage, The Teen Awards and The Brits
• promoting BBC introducing artists from the corporations regional programming

Have a look at all their socials and YouTube channel - what content has been put on from that episode and how does it aim to appeal to their target audience.

Friday 22nd March 2024     LO: understand the key components of a 15 mark essay                                                         and how to successfully structure a response 

AO1a assesses your understanding of the theoretical framework of media studies.

AO1b assesses your knowledge and understanding of the contexts of media and their influence on media products.

Band 3:

a comprehensive response to set question.

A comprehensive demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the question with a sharp focus on the task set.

• comprehensive, detailed and accurate knowledge and understanding of the radio industry 
• answer is supported by detailed and accurate reference to examples from the BBC Radio One Breakfast Show
• comprehensive, detailed and accurate understanding of a range of contexts and their influence on the radio industry.