Radio Essay

Hi all,

Bit off topic concerning Unit 7 but thought this might help you with your radio drama essays, this will also coming in handy with your scriptwriting work and also are just very important to know as creative media professionals - which you all are! 

Here are three key theories relating to narrative and character development which is as I understand was your primary concern so I put together a very short description of each to help you get started! 

Todorov: 

Todorov stated that all films/programmes etc should begin with an 'equilibrium' (a state of calm), then an 'agent of disruption' come along and causes a disequilibrium (a period of distress). This problem should then be resolved by the protagonist and therefore causes a brand new equilibrium. This is narrative theory and can sometimes be classed as 'The Hollywood Narrative' as it is the most common.

Strauss: 

Strauss suggested that the main focus in a narrative is conflict and he stated that this can be caused mainly by binary opposites clashing. A few examples of this are 'hell and heaven', 'good and bad', 'black and white' and 'fire and water', but these are often represented through actual characters.

Propp:

Vladimir Propp conducted a theory in the twentieth century about narrative and character representation. He stated that their are eight key characters and these are he hero, the villain, the donor, the dispatcher, the false hero, the helper, the princess and her father. A character can often have a few of these traits in a drama.

Hope this helps a bit! 

Homework task!

As mentioned in the lesson today, I would like you all to pick two films of your own choice and by using the BBFC website to determine the rating it was given and WHY it was given. I want you all to become a bit more familiar with the BBFC and their importance within the film sector so this homework task will hopefully help you all out by getting familiar with their website! The website you need to use is www.bbfc.co.uk 

Either comment below with your two examples or bring them in to Monday's lesson!

p/s) Here are my two examples for you! The Rocky Horror Picture Show was certificated by the BBFC as a 15 due to strong language and sex references and all known versions of this film were passed by the BBFC uncut.



Dawn of the Dead was certificated by the BBFC as an 18 due to strong bloody violence and gore. Two versions of this film had to be cut down to be approved by the BBFC. 

British Board of Film Classification

I think we perhaps need to go over the BBFC as a case-study so you guys are clearer on their importance within the media industry. Not just in terms of regulation, but also legal and ethical constraints. The BBFC is an important part of your Unit 7: Understanding the Creative Media Sector so I've put together this little revision guide for you to help you understand in more detail. Hope this helps and will help for your assignment! :) 

Firstly, here is a link to their website. It's very useful and you will find absolutely TONS of interesting information on there. Please do use this! http://www.bbfc.co.uk/ 

History of the BBFC: 

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is an independent, non-governmental body, which has exercised responsibilities over cinema for a hundred years, and over video and subsequently DVD since 1985. 

Cinema: 

The British Board of Film Censors was established in 1912 by the film industry when local authorities started to impose their own, widely varying, censorship standards on films. 

The BBFC was set up in order to bring a degree of uniformity to those standards. The object was to create a body which could make judgements that were acceptable nationally. To this end the BBFC has needed to earn the trust of the local authorities, Parliament, the press and the public. It must not only be independent, but be seen to be so, taking care, for example, that the film industry does not influence its decisions, and that, similarly, pressure groups and the media do not determine its standards.

Statutory powers on film remain with the local councils, which may overrule any of the BBFC’s decisions on appeal, passing films we reject, banning films we have passed, and even waiving cuts, instituting new ones, or altering categories for films exhibited under their own licensing jurisdiction. However, by the mid-1920s it had become general practice for local authorities to accept the decisions of the BBFC.

Video:

In 1984 Parliament passed the Video Recordings Act. This act stated that, subject to certain exemptions, video recordings offered for sale or hire in the UK must be classified by an authority designated by the Secretary of State. The following year the President and Vice Presidents of the BBFC were so designated, and charged with applying the new test of ‘suitability for viewing in the home’. At this point the BBFC’s title was changed to the British Board of Film Classification to reflect the fact that classification plays a far larger part in the Board’s work than censorship.

Hopefully this should joy your memory!

Pulp Fiction and The Revenant trailers

Here are the two trailers we watched and analysed in the lesson. Congratulations, I think you all faired well at being BBFC regulators!

Remember:

Pulp Fiction was certificated at an 18 by the BBFC due to containing strong violence, sex references and hard drug use.

The Revenant was certificated as a 15 by the BBFC due to containing strong violence, bloody injury detail and strong language.

Do you still agree with these certifications after some of you have now seen both of these films? 

Zoom Festival 2016

Hi all,

I'm sure you haven't forgotten but  the countdown is on to the next Zoom Young Filmmaker Awards (The ZYFAs) - a glitzy ceremony taking place in Bridgend, South Wales on 18th March 2016 - the final night of the Zoom International Film Festival. 

It's a great chance for showcasing the work of young people aged 8-25 who have made short films and want to see them on the big screen! 

It's been so great seeing you all participate and put all your creative ideas and hard work into this! So just a reminder - 18th March is the big day! Put it in your diaries! 

:)

Homework task!

Here are the homework questions for next Monday on Contemporary Media Regulation that we looked at today. Please prepare your answers and we will go through these next lesson. 

Thank you! :) 

Homework task!

REMINDER: Here are the six homework questions that we looked at for the Legal and Ethical Constraints lesson today. If you haven't already completed them, please complete them for next Monday and we shall go through the answers together! 

1) Define ethics. How are they different to morals and law? 

2) Why are ethics important in the media industries? Use examples from TWO different media sectors to substantiate your point. 

3) What existing social issues and sensitivities currently exist in Britain, and might therefore be contentious if explored within the media? 

4) Find an example of a media product that is ethically challenging (Think about representation of gender, religious beliefs etc). Why is it ethically challenging?

5) List the legal constraints within the media industry that media professionals must adhere to that we looked at.

6) Pick one of these legal constraints and describe the purpose of this law within the media industry.