Braveheart – the effect of media
2014 marked the 20th anniversary of Gibson starting filming in Scotland, seeing Braveheart get a special relaunch on DVD and Blu Ray.
The “Braveheart effect” earned Scotland £7million to £15million in tourist revenue and encouraged more international film productions to take place in Scotland. Braveheart made over $210,409,000 for the companies involved in the production. It was made to make a profit for the film makers. The “Braveheart effect” was an expected bonus for the tourist industry of Scotland but that was not the objective of the film makers. The Hollywood industry exists to make a profit for Hollywood companies involved in creating the product.
One way the production company saved on production costs was to use the same extras for the wide shots in establishing the battle scenes. These extras played both the English and the Scots in different set ups. Furthermore, most of the battle scenes were shot in Ireland. Production costs were exorbitant however as 900 hours of footage were shot of the Battle of Stirling Bridge alone. Next time you watch the film see how long this battle sequence lasts. 900 hours of footage became…?
The film itself has many inaccuracies such as the fact that Wallace would not have had blue on his face. Woad had not been used for hundreds of years in battle but the imagery is what sticks in people’s heads. Media can manipulate people’s perspectives if they are seeing/experiencing something for the first time through media. An audience might passively accept that Scots used blue on their faces in battle if their only knowledge came from the film. More people have seen the film than have ever opened a history book about the battle. There is a danger in accepting anything you see on screen if you are new to an idea.
A media student questions everything.
Does the media influence you?
Bowling for Columbine – Documentary
Homework – watch this from about 16 minutes in to 22 minutes for the Happiness is a Warm Gun montage sequence.
Michael Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine” won the Oscar for best documentary.
Reviews for the film were overwhelmingly positive but some critics say this is not a documentary. They argue that “it makes its points by deceiving and by misleading the viewer. Statements are made which are false. Moore leads the reader to draw inferences which he must have known were wrong. Indeed, even speeches shown on screen are heavily edited, so that sentences are assembled in the speaker’s voice, but which were not sentences he uttered. Bowling uses deception as its primary tool of persuasion and effect.”
“Happiness is a Warm Gun” montage
About 20 minutes into the film, The Beatles song “Happiness Is a Warm Gun” plays during a montage in which footage of the following is shown:
People buying guns.
Residents of Virgin, Utah, a town that passed a law requiring all residents to own guns.
People firing rifles at carnivals and shooting ranges.
Denise Ames operating a rifle.
Carey McWilliams, a visually impaired gun enthusiast from Fargo, North Dakota.
Gary Plauche killing Jeff Doucet, who had kidnapped and molested Plauche’s son.
The suicide of Budd Dwyer.
A 1993 murder where Emilio Nuñez shot and killed his ex-wife Maritza Martin during an interview on the Telemundo program Ocurrió Asi.
The suicide of Daniel V. Jones, an AIDS/cancer patient who was protesting HMOs.
A man who takes his shirt off and is shot during a riot.
What is Michael Moore hoping to achieve with this montage? Is he pro or anti gun? Should a presenter be obviously on one side or the other? Is this film being made to inform or to make a profit? How can you tell? What is the preferred reading of the film? Who would the original target audience be? How do you know? What differential decoding would a different audience make of the film?
Daily print runs in Scotland
The Herald (Newsquest)
Average daily circulation for the first half of 2014 (source: Audit Bureau of Circulations): 37,728
Weekday price: £1.20
The Scotsman (Johnston Press)
Circulation: 27,208
Price: £1.30
Aberdeen Press & Journal (DC Thomson)
Circulation: 62,177
Price: 70p
Dundee Courier & Advertiser (DC Thomson)
Circulation: 48,955
Price: 70p
Daily Record (Trinity Mirror)
Average daily circulation in October: 204,214
Price: 55p
Scottish Sun (News UK)
Average daily circulation in October: 233,026
Price: 40p
The National
Daily circulation said to be around 50,000 in week 1
Price: 50p
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/nov/27/scotland-national-newspaper-here-to-stay
Perks of Media as a subject – filming
Once you hone your skills, you can be asked to go and film an important event and be treated as an adult. Best work experience you can have! Our seniors today got the chance today to film a red carpet event, then got to sit down and enjoy the hospitality on offer to the guests. Not too shabby!
The LIST to become a free title
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-30209047
What’s on guide, The List, is to become a free title with an increased print run from next year.
The listings and reviews publication will also move from a monthly issue to every two months.
The print run will increase from 18,000 to 25,000 and drop its £2.50 price with costs being covered by an increase in advertising.
The preview and weekly issues during the Edinburgh festival season will continue.
Other print titles including The List’s Eating and Drinking Guide, Edinburgh Festival Guide and Guide to Scotland’s Festivals will remain unchanged.
The List will also move its focus onto its digital publication with “significant new investment” from two digital entrepreneurs in London alongside further investment from existing shareholders.
A new editor, Yasmin Sulaiman, has also been appointed.
New ways
Simon Dessain, executive director of The List said: “The List made a big commitment to building, firstly, a web business and then to make the further investment to deliver highly functional services for mobile users who at certain times of the day represent over 80% of our audience.“Today we take the next step in ensuring that The List remains a technology leader that can capitalise on the opportunities in a fast changing landscape.”
Ms Sulaiman, said: “Having worked across digital media and arts journalism for the past eight years, I think there is substantial potential for covering the arts in new editorial ways.
“I’m looking forward to rolling out new approaches and content that engages with a wide audience, and am pleased to be joining The List as Editor at such an exciting time.”
Robin Hodge, publisher of The List said: “The List was launched in 1985 to celebrate and report on the arts in Scotland.
“We have always encouraged as many people as possible to experience and participate in culture in all its forms and this new investment will enable us to do so for many more people across the UK.”
The publication has offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Scotland’s Media future
Researchers at Abertay University in Dundee look to have given the blockbuster a boost by applying computer games technology to the film industry.
It means the multi-million dollar cost of planning big action sequences can be reduced dramatically.
As Kenneth Macdonald reports, the technique has already given Hollywood a helping hand.
Modern audiences – how do they choose which film to go see in the cinema?
Click to access behind-the-box-office_infographics.pdf
Useful statistics about what influences modern audiences, broken down by genre.
National 5 – Advert
How are they structured? What media techniques are being used?
What is the tone of each one?
What is the preferred reading?
What might a differential decoding be?
What role of media is shown here?
