Mediation

Watch this advert about Brits Abroad made for the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Analyse how the representation of Britain has been mediated by each stage of the process.

The average Englishman abroad in this video is represented as being rowdy, disrespectful people. This is also overshadowed by the fact the video was never ever broadcasted in the UK, only abroad. This video was shown in the USA, it doesn't give a good impression of the life of English people abroad and showcases them as always starting, or being in, trouble. With this video, it also tries to play it off as if we'd do our up most to put the blame onto somebody else just because it's abroad. The character, Danny, is showed as a stereotypical 'brit abroad' with his actions and behaviour. He also doesn't talk formally and has the stereotypical voice of a 'london hard-man' similar to the instance of Danny Dyer, ironic how they share the same name.

Media Representation of Mental Health

Mental Health is a large issue presented by the media, it is held with a lot of stereotypical views such as naming people with mental health with references such as: freaks, psychos, sciztzos and many more. The representation of the mental health has as many negatives as it does positives. Such as that there are no sympathy views given by the media and always report it as a type of problem, or a comedy reading for the people looking at the news. This is highlighted through the breakdown of Frank Bruno and how he was labeled as 'Bonkers Bruno' and that he belongs in a 'mental home' these are strong and assertive references to his health when it is not something that can be easily taken by other sufferers.
The positives of people suffering with these types of illnesses and seeing these types of news can advise them and guide them to seek help, such as various helpline numbers; these are normally posted with an article about mental health. This allows people suffering with these mental illnesses to seek help and be able to gain the confidence to allow their illnesses to be treated.

You'll always be able to find positive and negative representations of mental health anf mental illness in the media - keep looking for them and writing about them but remember to make sure your analysis is based within theory.

Here is a little checklist of media theories surrounding representation...

• Stereotyping
• Mediation
• Construction
• Ideologies
• Archetypes

If you find any interesting representations of mental health then please blog it and link or embed videos or images along with your analysis.

Harmful reporting:

• A 2006 German study found that students who read negative articles about mental illness expressed more negative attitudes toward people with a mental illness.
• A 1997 study found that media accounts of mental illness that instil fear have a greater influence on public opinion than direct contact with people who have a mental illness.
• A number of international studies (1983, 1989) demonstrated that exposure to negative stories, both fictional and nonfictional, had a direct effect on attitudes which was not altered by subsequent exposure to positive stories.
• Research undertaken in 2007 by Mindframe found that 10.6% of stories in Australian media about mental illness were stigmatizing and 5.8% of reports used inappropriate or negative language.
• An Australian study (1991) found that electronic and print media coverage often reflects and perpetuates the myths and misunderstandings associated with mental illness
• A survey by SANE Australia from 2005 found that 95% of consumers believed that negative portrayals of mental illness had an effect on them and 80% reported that the effect was negative.

Reporting that can have a negative impact:

• Highlights tragedies involving untreated mental illness, contributing to community fear and isolation for those affected by mental illness
• Does not provide balance. People with a mental illness are not inherently violent, unable to work, unpredictable, untrustworthy, weak or unable to get well
• Implies mental illness is a life sentence that cannot be treated - most people are able to recover with treatment and support
• Exaggerates a person’s illness or the affect mental illness has on their behaviour
• Implies all mental illnesses are the same. The term ‘mental illness’ covers a wide range of symptoms, conditions, and effects on people’s lives
• Mocks or trivialises mental illness by using medical terms (such as bipolar) out of context
• Features negative terms such as ‘mental patient’, ‘nutter’, ‘lunatic’, ‘psycho’, ‘schizo’ and ‘mental institution’, which stigmatise mental illness and perpetuate discrimination.

Responsible reporting:

• A 1999 American study also found that the media is an important source of information about mental health issues.
• SANE research from 2007 found that inaccurate and prejudiced assumptions about people with a mental illness could be reduced through increased accurate and helpful reporting in the media.
• A 2007 study which tracked reporting of suicide and mental illness in the Australian media found the majority of items about mental illness did not stereotype people affected as violent, unpredictable, unable to work, weak, untrustworthy or unlikely to get better.
• The same study found media items about mental health/illness had increased two-and-a-half-fold in volume between 2000/2001 and 2006/7.

Reporting that can have a positive impact:

• Breaks down myths about mental illness and allows people who have experienced mental illness to tell their own stories
• Highlights the complexity of mental illness. The term ‘mental illness’ covers a wide range of symptoms, conditions, and effects on people’s lives
• Highlights stories about successfully managing a mental illness
• Provides accurate information about mental illness and specific mental disorders
• Bases information on reliable sources such as recommended experts
• Encourages people in distress to seek help, for instance by providing helpline numbers
• Uses appropriate language and avoids victimising words such as ‘afflicted’ or ‘suffers’
• Follows media codes of practice on privacy, grief and trauma.

Rihanna Analysis

Rihanna's artwork for the single is a complete sale of sexual references and uses her controversial costumes such as short cut shorts, and a low tank top to reveal cleavage to indicate objectification of desire towards herself to sell the record.
Rihanna uses her body to sell her music asides to actual talented music, there is also a shower of water and a umbrella on the floor. This could indicate that she's washing away the fake persona she was using and indicates herself as going bad, just as her album title confirms. [Good Girl Gone Bad]
She uses herself to sell the record because she needs her name as she wasn't the biggest star during this time, she also uses Jay-Z to hype it up and promote it. This makes records sell depending on who it is by and who else stars in it.

Within the video she is dressed in a provocative manner which doesn't hide herself well and reveals things about her quite a bit, she represents cleavage and legs throughout the video once again objectifying herself as a sexual desire and confidently proves herself to be attractive towards the audience.

Flappy Birds Builds Bad Tempers

Earlier this week a new game populated up on the App Store of many devices such as Samsung, Apple phones, iPads and much more. It’s under the name of Flappy Birds and doesn’t hold back on the addiction scale causing disruption, anger and isolation across many young people.

The creator, Dong Nguyen, didn’t expect this and stated “I didn’t create this game to cause anger and changes, it was supposed to be to pass the time…” he stated “…not in any way did I want this to happen, yeah I wanted it to be big, but not big for the fact it’s changing people mentally.”

There have been many warning and reviews for this game under the comment section of the App, some of the more popular ones stating that he “…was warned…” and that it was so addictive that he “hasn’t slept” and he “hears Flappy Birds taunting him, when he closes his eyes he see’s in” and he “hears them in the people he loves voice.” This is a prime example of this game and goes to prove how very “life-ruiningly” addictive it is.

There have been many cases of violence due to this game, not only to other people but also to their phones and in some cases, themselves. Some of these accounts of violence have included people punching walls, throw shoes and even causes people to bite their own phones. It’s also accountable for screams, isolation and sudden frustration.

Another review stated, “Flappy Bird ruins your life. It takes away all enjoyment and happiness and leaves you paralysed, suffering and starving.” Supposedly, there is also no escape from Flappy Birds and you should not download it unless you “want to sell your soul to the devil” and “not be able to escape, it will stay with you forever.”

In conclusion, there is a strong possibility that it will take over and control you. We warn every reader of this article not to download it, not to fall for it and most definitely stopped loved ones from downloading it. Or you will, inevitably, lose them. We have warned you, be careful. Avoid Flappy Birds.

Written by Paul Scarratt, 30^th January 2014.

Survey Questions Draft

These will be the draft questions for when I create my survey to identify what my audience would expect from my film, this will be me conducting primary research to apply to my script. The questions need to be generated for a close in-depth analysis of how the script and film should be laid out and what to be expected.

Draft Questions

1. What, in your own opinion, are main key factors for an action and crime film and why?
2. Would a bank robbery be a smart way to open the film as it pans out?
3. The film would be set in the late 1940's - 1950's, who would be ideal actors for main roles out of these already selected?
4. In your opinion, would you prefer the characters being highlighted or their actions?
5. Is language a huge part of an action film, is it needed?
6. "http://asmediascarratt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/intertextuality.html" After reading the simple plot analysis, is this good enough for an opening scene? If any, what would you change?

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PXCZVQT

Intertextuality

Intertextuality

• Intertextuality is the way in which texts refer to other media texts that producers assume that their target audiences will recognise. 
• One of pleasures that audiences experience is the joy of recognition. 
• One form of this pleasure comes in recognising the reference in one media text to other media texts. 
• This process of referencing is called intertextuality.

Parody

The word parody means making a joke out of something that takes itself too seriously, or to joke about and mess with a serious film, song, person. 

Parody - 'an imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect.'

Pastiche
Recycling other media texts, using things and putting them together to make something completely new. For example, Kill Bill is a film by Quentin Tarantino which is is a mixture of Japanese samurai, french new wave, Hong Kong kung fu.

Pastiche - 'an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period.'

Task:

• Analyse the following videos and make comparisons. 
• How would you categorise the different features of intertextuality? Pastiche or Parody? 
• Are there any other intertextual considerations? 
• Check out who directed this and what else did he directed?

1. Michael Jackson's Thriller

Thriller is a smart, new modification to the current generation of songs at this time. It tried something completely new by mixing it with other genres, this makes it a pastiche production. It's mixed 80's music with 50's zombie horror and slight comedy. This is a new technique and a smart initiative by the producers to mix these categories together.

It was cleverly directed by John Landis who also directed Blues Brothers, Oscar and An American Werewolf in London. 

Film Plot Research

As a start for my new research I will be investigating plot summaries that are similar to the film script in which I want to write. The type of genre I will be investigating is gangster films which is what I want to base mine around.

Top grossing gangster films:
- Goodfellas*
- The Godfather*
- The Departed
- Scarface (?)
- Once Upon a Time In America
- Reservoir Dogs*
- Carlito's Way
- Inside Man*
- Pulp Fiction*

* = most applicable to my script.

My basic plot summary for the first scenes will be set around a bank robbery, a well known established bank in the middle of New York. The time of year will be around the 1950's but with a modern approach to the film, following the steps of two modern films set in late times such as Lawless and Gangster Squad. It will be a very calm and smart start to the script, with scenic views of a busy New York main street. The group of 5 men will be walking calmly down the street in very smart attire*. They will enter the bank calmly without making any fuss or bother and approach the cashier desks and draw their guns towards the bank workers but keeping control of the situation as two of the men control the security guards. The men keep on top of the situation as the scene ends. - This would be the end if the first scene.

Traditional Gangster Attire*

These are, or similar to, the clothes worn by Ryan Gosling in the film Gangster Squad. A very smart identified Gangster film.

From top left to right: Smartcare traditional Fit Dress Shirt; Vincero Light Gray Three-Piece Suit; Stitch to Size Box Patterned Maroon Tie; Borsalino Cashmere Fedora; Allen Edmonds Strand Cap-toe Lace-up Oxford Men’s Shoes.