Half Term work on Critical Investigation

Critical Investigation title- The traditional representation of the male gangster has changed from the typical Italian mafia family, to a more modern emotional gangster.


Throughout the critical investigation, many references to media language will be made, for example connotation, which will be used when a word or object could suggest something, likewise with denotation, as this suggests a definite meaning of a word. As a result, i will be able to demonstrate my knowledge and understanding of key media concepts and terminology, which will help me achieve the highest the grade possible. This is because, i am illustrating to the examiner my knowledge of the subject, which covers AO1 of the objectives.


From looking at particular institutions for example Universal Pictures, we can analyze that the gangster films they produce for example public Enemy, American Gangster and Smoking Aces all promote a "new and improved" gangster, that is different from the stereotypical gangster. For instance, alter in race, age and social background.


The genre being investigated is gangster/crime, as most gangster films do contain elements of crime and violence.


The representation of these characters is fairly positive, depending on the way you choose to view it. For example, it is positive as the characters are shown to be strong and emotional representing males in society today.


The ideologies arising from these films does promote negative ideologies, but also shows a changing society which is reflected through the type of gangster illustrated in the film. As a result, the audience can relate to the characters presented in the film and can use this a of form of identification.


The narrative follow similar patterns, as the gangster or the protagonist has to go against the current or rivalry gangster in order to run his operation in the city. Along the way he is faced with many obstacles, like the loss of someone close to him or a love story, that leaves him to make a tough choice.


SHEP


Social- Because the gangster or protagonist is shown to be fairly young, encourages young teenagers to aspire to the protagonist. This means they could be motivated to get involved with criminal activity. However not all teenagers will act in same way, but a moral panic is created.


Historical- Historically , gangsters are represented through their three piece suits, top hats and come from a traditional Italian family, with strong values. The family is shown to be very well known to the local and throughout the whole city.


Economical- Certain areas are not represented in a positive way, which results in less people wanting to purchase land and houses in that area. Therefore, the area results in being de-valued and people already living the area lose a great deal of money.


Political- All politicians must really disagree with gangster films shot in urban areas, as they de-value certain areas. Also, not in all cases but they do encourage children to go get involved in criminal activity. This is more so the case, in english or British gangster movies. For example, the james Bulger case, where a child who was murdered by two minors after watching violent imagery.

This study fits into the compemtoary media landscape becuase the representation of gangsters in society today, has adpated and changed from the typical representation of gangster, which is the wealthy, well known Italian mafia family. Now, more people can indentify with the new gangster, as the demographics have been changed.

Summarized Research on Semiotics

10 Key words 

• Signs
• Cultural meanings
• Greek "Semeios"
• Roland Barthes
• Levis Strauss
• Structuralism
• Postmodernity
• Aestheticization
• connotations
  
• Denotations

 Red Herrings

• Semioticism
• Ugean Desus 
  
• Post-semiotic
• Ferdinand De-Saussure 
• Biosemiotics 

Semiotics, also called semitic studies or semiology, is the study of sin processes, or signification and communication, signs and symbols, into three branches: 

• Semantics: Relations between signs and the things to which they refer 
• Syntactics: Relations of signs to each other in formal structures
• Pragmatics: Relations of signs to their impacts on those who use them

Semiotics is frequently seen as having important anthropological dimensions. In general, semiotics theories takesigns or sign systems as their object of study: the communication of information in living organisms is covered in Biosemiotics or zoosemiosis. 

Research for Reality TV and News Values

Reality TV

• Genre of Television programming that show cases unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, actual events and usually features people who are not professional actors.
• Documentaries and nonfictional programming such as news and sports shows are usually not classified as reality shows.  
• The shows portray a modified and highly influenced form of reality and sensationalize the text to attract more of an audience.
• Participants are often placed abnormal situations and some times staged to create an illusion of reality, through editing and other post production techniques.

News values

• Term used by researchers to describe the various criteria involved in the selection of news by broadcasters and journalists
• First identified by Galtung and Ruge 
• Frequency: news has to be daily and frequent basis to meet schedules
• Cultural Proximity; news to be close to home or related to home issues
• Thresholds; news needs to be sufficient enough to generate attention
• Negativity ; bad news has priority over good news 
• Predictability; news tends to anticipate and justify expected outcomes
• Unexpectedness; news has to seem unexpected, even though is may take place in predicted patterns
• Continuity; follow-up elements of a big story are seen as newsworthy
• Unambiguity; Events need to be clear enough for the audience to understand 

Critical Investigation and Linked Production

For the critical investigation the student chose to explore the representations of women in black comedy films, this can be demonstrated through binary oppositions and stereotypical views towards black women, for example being fairly masculine and Feisty. 

The linked production is a sitcom trailer showing the representations of black women, that will be aired on Channel 4 . This is because the proposed show and Channel 4 both are aimed at the people with similar audience profiles, for instance young, female and male audiences. The language used will aim to its primary audience, as colloquial language will be featured in the trailer and sitcom. This will appeal to is audience, as they can use this as a form of identification. 

Self Evaluation- Crash

        WWW                                                                                               EBI

                                                                                                    

- Good opening slide                                            - More images on slides

- Used media keywords                                       - Sometimes reading of screen             

- Examples from text                                           - Proof read slides

- Good presence                                                    - Need a conclusion 

- Good Analysis 

- Fluent

- All key concepts covered in detail

- Timing and pace

- Eye contact, good voice

- Confident about text, background detail

      Significance = 2

Structure = 3

 Simplicity = 3

Rehearsal = 2

    Final Grade = 10

Over all i feel as if  my presentation went well due to me being confident which is because of my knowledge and understanding of my text. Even though, at times i read of the board i elaborated on each point quite thoroughly, which seem to get my audiences attention. However, my presentation could have contained more pictures which could have made it a lot better. 

Crash Reviews

BBC Reviewer's Rating    User Rating

Crash (2005)

Reviewed by Andy Jacobs  Updated 12 August 2005	Contains strong language and moderate violence

It's hard to describe Crash without it sounding earnest. But while this provocative drama tackles racism, class and looking beyond appearances, it's anything but worthy or dull. Following several lives as they, yes, crash together during one day in LA, it's fuelled by powerhouse performances from an outstanding cast. Sandra Bullock is startling as a bitchy housewife, Don Cheadle brings beaten-down grace to the role of a weary detective and, as a racist cop, Matt Dillon's steely presence holds everything together.

Some critics have criticised Crash for its reliance on coincidence. Which, given it's a deliberately structured modern parable, is a bit like damning War Of The Worlds for having aliens. Writer/director Paul Haggis (who scripted Clint Eastwood's Oscar-winner Million Dollar Baby) sets out to address difficult issues: why middle-class whites are afraid of working-class blacks, why being racist doesn't necessarily mean being inhuman, and how politics confuses the truth ("What are you, the ****ing defender of all things white?" yells William Fichtner's scheming internal affairs officer at Cheadle).

"FEW FILMS ARE AS DARING"

It perhaps isn't as accomplished as Magnolia (a great film, which revels in its absurdity) or Short Cuts (another LA story dominated by a twisted cop). But Crash's problems (a self-important score and overwrought finale) pale next to its emotional impact. Few films feature scenes as powerful as the contrasting car clashes between Dillon and Thandie Newton (both moments heart-in-mouth horrifying in different ways ). Few films are as daring. Few films this year are as deserving of your attention.

End Credits

Director: Paul Haggis Writer: Paul Haggis, Robert Moresco Stars: Matt Dillon, Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock,Jennifer Esposito, Terrence Howard, Brendan Fraser, Chris Bridges, Larenz Tate, Thandi Newton, Ryan Phillippe, William Fichtner The freshsite: Film reviews Crash (2004)  Director: Paul Haggis COUNTRY USA/Germany GENRE Drama/Action NORWEGIAN TITLE Crash RUNNING TIME 113 minutes Producer: Don Cheadle Paul Haggis Mark R. Harris Roberto Moresco Cathy Schulman Bob Yari Screenwriter: Paul Haggis Cast includes: CHARACTER ACTOR/ACTRESS RATING Anthony Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges ½ Jean Sandra Bullock Graham Don Cheadle ½ Officer Ryan Matt Dillon ½ Ria Jennifer Esposito Flanagan William Fichtner ½ Rick Brendan Fraser Cameron Terrence Howard ½ Christine Thandie Newton ½ Daniel Michael Peña Officer Hanson Ryan Phillipe Peter Larenz Tate ½   Review Paul Haggis, penner of last season's Oscar-winner, Million Dollar Baby, combines two of the structurally most tricky approaches to film narrative in his second cinematic feature, Crash: ensemble casting and quilt-storytelling. At its best, this can be remarkably rewarding (notably Todd Solondz' Happiness), but it can also become too daunting and heavy (as with P. T. Anderson'sMagnolia). Haggis, however, manages the trick to both give his characters time and at the same time keep his film tight, largely due to the brilliant editing by Hughes Winborne (who'll be a big Oscar-favourite).  That being said, Crash isn't only about structure. This is a movie with an agenda. Not a particularly well-hidden one, but definitely a very well discussed one, as Haggis takes a look at L.A.'s many ethnicities and the clashes between them (at times one might wonder if the entire lives of these people concerns racial issues, but then again, I guess that during a day in a society as multi-cultural as Los Angeles, you do find yourself in quite a few situations). What is remarkable withCrash is how open-minded, examining and multi-layered approach the film takes to this problem. I can't think of a single movie that goes deeper than Haggis does here when it comes to the issue of racism (or any other issue, for that matter). Haggis' script conveys complexity without ever being in pursuit of problems. It is thus one of the most intelligent of the year.  At times, Crash is on the verge of overkill, and there are situations in which the characters border on overreacting (which was a more prominent problem with the before-mentioned Million Dollar Baby), but these are only minor details compared to the potency and relevance of this terminally thought-provoking film. The acting is fine all over with particularly wonderful performances by Don Cheadle (who is about to establish himself as Hollywood's leading African-American actor), Terrence Howard, Thandie Newton and Matt Dillon. The latter two enjoy two of the films most memorable scenes together. These, and a couple more isolated scenes are arguable the most dramatically powerful you'll see this year

Genre: Thriller, Drama Length: 113 minutes Cinema: 12 August 2005 Country: USA