Design Brief and web page research

Design Brief
Our task was to design, implement and create a recruitment pack for prospective teaching staff. It must include:
A Recruitment DVD, with case and cover, with between 2 and 5 minutes in duration.
A poster, website or other ancillary text.
The piece must show the school, its facilities, the surrounding area and local attractions, whilst attracting a broad spectrum of prospective staff and highlight why Smithdon is different and would be a great experience to teach and work there.

Research
Our research was based primarily on looking at other recruitment websites which included; Army Jobs (http://www.armyjobs.mod.uk/Pages/HomePage.aspx), Tesco Careers (http://www.tesco-careers.com/), and the TDA homepage (http://www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit.aspx).
The simitarities between the web pages were:

1. All opened the page with attractive, well placed and informative photos and page layouts.
2. They all feature links or easy access (search capabilities) to information on how to receive more information, with contact details and potential advancement.
3. A variety of colours are used to highlight different sections, such Tesco Red to highlight important information and purple to visit different sections.
4. They all feature pictures of relevant work, such as the TDA shows a photo of teacher and children, but in an attractive light.

Evaluation Questions 7 and Evaluation of Audience Feedback

7)
My preliminary task was simple. I found that my second artefact required a much more in depth storyline and more advanced camera shots. However both films required awareness of the importance of continuity. The continuity in my second artefact was much more complex, because it also focused on lighting, props and costume. My second artefact required an in depth study of the chosen genre whereas the preliminary task was simply to film obeying the 180 degree rule. An example of continuity in my first artefact was showing the opening of a door and then the closing on the other side. We our selves chose the genre and applied the relevant codes and conventions to our films, where as my first artefact was only filming across a table. The use of Mise en Scene is a major feature of the final artefact to build both the characters, with clothing and props, and the themes of the film, using both props and choosing of its setting. In order to create my genre I learnt how to choose a setting, although I did not achieve the news room style as I intended. Working with multiple characters also made my film much more complicated. The actor and actresses that I worked with were not natural actors, and so this affected the efficiency of my piece, especially in speaking parts.

The comments I received from my audience feedback found that younger viewers, aged below fourteen, did not see the opening as ‘action rich’, but most did say the black and white scenes were exceptionally effective in portraying the murderer as ‘evil’. The mistakes I made however were noticed and did detract from the effect of the film, and also makde some of the transitions disjointed. All of the audience felt that the music suited the film.

Evaluation Question 5 and 6

5)

I attracted my audience by engaging them with action in the first two minutes in the form of a murder. The action will attract the audience because it already makes the scene fast paced, and make the audience want to see the murderer unmasked. I also used hard cuts between the murder and people talking to put the audience on tenterhooks as to what is happening in the other scenes.

The cutting between scenes also introduces them to unknown characters, and engages them further. The lack of speech also intensifies the atmosphere, using dark themed music to hide speech, and also add to the murder scenes.

The overall effect of the first two minutes is to engage the audience by showing a murder and also increase atmosphere with the assumption of what is happening in the scenes, while they are not shown.

6)

I have developed my knowledge of technology, focusing primarily with the use of the recording equipment, i.e. cameras, to achieve the desired effects in my film. I used my camera handheld to record the murder scenes, which I had not done previously, and was unsure whether it would achieve the desired effect, however, if I were to recreate my film professionally I would use a dolly to achieve a less shaky effect. The development of my proficiency in using the video recording equipment has also allowed me to develop the running of the film, although there were some mistakes, The development of my camera skill has allowed the effect of my filming to increase As the majority of our editing was done on IMacs, I have learnt the use the of effects to add atmosphere to scenes. I have also learnt how to add a soundtrack to a film, and how to change the tempo and loudness in the editing software IMovie. I became much more efficient when using IDVD allowing my piece to be burned on to a DVD and then made playable on a DVD player. If I were to create my film using professional recording equipment I would have used a camera dolly to allow me to follow Diana and Louise as they walk down the corridor, instead of having to zoom after them, this may also have been useful while filming scenes one and three as I would be able to move the camera around the desk without cutting or moving by hand. I would also have used a microphone on a crane to pick up the talking I wanted more easily. If I could have used more subtle lighting I would have used two or three dim lights in scenes two, four and six, because even though in black and white it came across quite light in the background, this would also have been useful in scenes two and four because it would have reduced the glare from the window. The use of proper set and the ability to pay for locations would have given my film the realistic feel that it seemed to lack, a budget would also have allowed to me to buy a suit for the news reader screens in the background of the news room that televised news rooms usually contain. To improve the lighting of my film, I could have used either spot lights in order to brighten the scene, or cover the light source to darken the scene.

Evaluation Questions 3 and 4

3)
The representation in my film focused primarily on the middleclass, as the main character was a newsreader. From my research, primarily that of Miss Marple, I found that middle-class characters wore smart suits to distinguish them from the typically manual working-class and the smart, expensively dressed upper-class. Although Miss Marple is set in 1930s England, with smart and delicate clothing for women, and smart suits for men, I took this idea and updated the idea. My main character was dressed smartly, to show her as slightly well-off, to create the effect that her family is upper middle class, I did not dress her in a smart black suit, such as Gucci but instead a more middle class clothing, such as Mark’s and Spencer’s. I did not want my character to be upper-class, as later in the film it would turn out her parents were, because an upper-class character would detract from her appeal, because upper-class characters are portrayed as ‘too’ wealthy and normally slightly heartless, whereas a kind and likeable middle-class character is much easier to create. The murder victim wore scruffy clothing, and although the brother of the main character, I intended for him to come across as lower middle-class, and so I chose for him to be dressed in scruffy jeans and jacket, I did this because I wished the consumer to see that David, the victim, disliked his upper-class heritage and was slightly lazy. The only other character shown in the first two minutes was intended to be a quiet, unremarkable middle-class female, who worked along with the main character in news. I dressed her in smart but obviously, non-uniformed clothing to show her as a slightly boring secretary stereotype, but also a normally sad character, by making her seem slightly unhappy in filming, to make the audience feel slightly sorry for her, and also make them wonder why, as she would feature as a suspect in the murder.
4)
A media institution which may distribute my film could be Columbia Pictures, who have distributed the famous film ‘The Da Vinci Code’ which like my film is a mystery film, the spy film ‘Casino Royale’ and the action film ‘Spider Man’. Columbia would suit my film because it has a broad genre types it publishes, not focusing on any one genre, but also has also distributed some of the most influential films like James Bond Casino Royale and Spider Man 1 and 2. Columbia also does not limit their target market to purely the adult or children market, with Spider Man marketed at both adults, who first experienced Spider Man in 1962, and children, who see super heroes as appealing. As I do not wish for a niche market I think that Columbia’s broad film publishing would not limit my film. Another possibility for my films distributor is 20th Century Fox. 20th Century Fox has distributed films which include: The X-Men series, Star Wars and Die Hard, which crosses over with the crime genre featuring in my film. Although 20th Century Fox has distributed some of the most famous films in circulation, it does not have as many mystery films in their published films as Columbia, but it has developed higher grossing films.
My film would feature under the 15 BBFC classifications, as it already features elements of violence and the presence of blood, which is not to be present in a 12 rated film. While making my film I would have liked my film to be a 12, to appeal to a wider target audience, but a 15 rating would allow my film to have broader themes and more violent elements.

Evaluation Questions 1 and 2

1)
My film ‘Bad News’ was a Mystery genre of film, with themes from crime genres, which is shown by the murder. Some changes were made between my storyboard and my final film, such as the adding effects including cross dissolves and adding rolling credits in the beginning to outline the film name and characters present. This has allowed me to develop my proficiency in the use of effects and camera control.
My film was influenced primarily by the mystery series Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. A similarity between the two is the main character, appears to be a normal person, wearing smart clothing and acting normally. The Mystery genre has become primarily focused with the older age groups, as all of the television programmes feature on day time television and this is also recognisable as all of the characters featured are older. I have challenged this by casting my main character as a younger character, which would lower the target age group of my piece. I have also challenged the typical mystery genre, more predominantly Miss Marple, by adding both music for a major part of the running of my film, also the use of effects which is not present in most mystery genres, and the lack of speech used in the first two minutes. My film does introduce a ‘suspect’ in the first two minutes as the friend of the main character, which is done as a major feature of Miss Marple, as the idea of ‘whodunit’ theme. I did not include the actual murder, like Miss Marple, and instead showed before and after, this is also much easier as an actual murder would be exceptionally difficult to shoot effectively. The use of camera shots conforms to that of Miss Marple, such as the use of the camera to show the vision of the murderer, and showing walking from a distance which is used consistently in the mystery film The Da Vinci Code.
2)
In my research I found that most films and programmes which focus on a murder mystery plotline usually feature, at least as a sub-plot, a story into the main characters life such as they are suffering from alcoholism, split up from their partner or other heartbreaking tragedy in their life to make the consumer connect with this character, feel for the character and also keep them hooked not only on the ‘unmasking’ of the culprit but usually a resumption or improvement of their life. An example of this would be The Da Vinci code, when at the end of the film the main character falls in love again.

How is the Sci-Fi genre conveyed through Doctor Who?

The Sci-Fi genre is affixed in the creation of atmosphere, that of fear in the prescience of a typical monster and the peaceful atmosphere between action. The main tool used to create atmosphere, however, is the use of non-diegetic to create different atmospheres.

The use of Mise en Scene is used primarily to achieve character profiles, and add to the pre-established atmosphere. The interior of the ‘TARDIS’ is coloured in gold and yellow, with messy wires and a glass floor which helps to achieve a futuristic theme, already created by the background music.

When the camera moves outside the scene of the ‘TARDIS’ the camera immediately is met by dark wood, scarlet and whites, which moves from futuristic into a much more expensive and traditional setting, to show the characters to be rich and the scene to seem to be a realistic old-fashioned area. The characters also wear traditional black and white suits, to immediately make the viewer assume the characters are all rich, this is also added to by the table arrangements, which feature champagne and glass flutes, with white table cloths. The use of clothing is also used in order to introduce the less well-off, which is achieved by dressing them in purple, portraying characters as overweight whereas, the rich are thin and good-looking. The table is also arranged differently for the less well-off, as their table is much messier and instead of champagne, their table is covered in various food and empty glasses.

The use of sound, focuses mainly on non- diegetic sound to create atmosphere, whether it is of fear, happiness or to help set the scene. As the clip opens, the music is used to achieve a calm atmosphere, and then the sound of crashing is used to help intensify the feeling of confusion. Piano music is also used to set a futuristic theme, which adds on the already set Mise en Scene. Diegetic sound is used to help set the Christmas scene, by Christmas music playing in the background, over happy speech and champagne corks popping. Sound is also used to make the ship seem authentic, by using fog horn sound and ship bells, which help the ship, seem much more authentic, but this also add to the more futuristic sounds of cogs and computer screens talking.

Camera shots are used to set the futuristic scene. It begins showing a view outside looking in a normal porthole window, and then shows inside the window looking out across a view of the planet, then zooming in though the window, to show the planet closer up and the ship floating, which immediately introduces the sci-fi genre. As the camera moves down into the bowls of the ship, it pans over the machinery to show the distinct trademarks of futuristic genres. The camera shots also help create the façade of an actual ship, whilst also strengthening the ships futuristic properties, showing it move along like an actual ship, shown ‘sailing’ past the planet below.

Editing is used to show the differences between the mock historical themes of the meal and the futuristic themes of the ship, such as showing the bridge and then cutting back to the less futuristic parts. Editing is also used to show ‘teleporting’ back to the ship, moving straight from modern day England to the futuristic ship, this shows both the technological side of the ship, but also allows the viewer to compare modern day England to the futuristic ship.
The edit between looking in through the window and looking out of the window, immediately dispels any thoughts of a typical ‘old-fashioned’ ship, changing it to a view of a futuristic movement of the ship, floating above the planet.

The Science Fiction genre is achieved primarily by Mise en Scene and sound, majorly the use of non-diegetic music, to help create either a positive, cheerful genre by up-beat music and negative or action filled music to make the audience feel either tense or scared. Mise en Scene works with the overlaid music to help increase the futuristic theme that is present in Doctor Who, either placing futuristic objects throughout the supposed old-fashioned ballroom, with computer screens, or placing gold and silver objects in the bridge to bring across a clean, professional and new setting, as most of the audience would predict the future to become this. The use of camera and editing is used to strengthen the genre created by the other factors, such as the use of editing to achieve ‘teleportation’ which was created as a typical science fiction theme from Star Trek which ever consumer symbolises as science fiction. Science Fiction is conveyed through Doctor Who primarily though Mise en Scene and Sound, to create atmosphere, which is related to science fiction, whether it is danger, action or tension.

Emi Present

The music industry, like many industries is in a constant state of flux, the slightest changes in style or technology can bring about a completely new target audience or musician, and like all music industries EMI has to spend billions of pounds to stay at the forefront of new music and in the ‘black’.

EMI traces back to the beginning of recorded sound, developing one of the first gramophones, and so has always been one of the first companies to notice and develop with any changes in technology. When digital music was first developed in the 1990s, unsurprisingly EMI was the first to notice and cash in on the digital phenomena sweeping the globe.
The CD was first developed in 1979, and revolutionised the way the consumer may listen to music, with no more need for large turntables, CD players became much more versatile and so did the ability to personalise the cover with a picture or logo. With digital music the same occurred. Entering the 1990s the ‘era of digital music’ had just begun, with no more need for CD burning, the creation of a track can be made almost immediately via a computer and marketed in seconds of its recording, cutting out the middle-man that is the record store, and moving into the new market of online retailers such as; Amazon and iTunes.
EMI’s first websites went on in 1993 and 1994, and were the first company to stream an entire album, Mezzanine by Massive attack in 1998. The next year EMI was the first company to release a completely digital album to download, David Bowie’s …Hours. They also released the first digital video single, Lenny Kravit’s Dig In, in 2001. In 2002, EMI was found to be the first music company to release all of their newly released tracks digitally to consumers as well as making them available for radio stations. This lead in 2007, to them being the first music company to release all tracks without DRM (Digital Rights Management), giving their tracks a much higher quality than that of their competitors.

In May of 2007, EMI was bought by the private equity firm, Terra Firma for $6200 Million. After the offer was accepted, Terra Firma took control of the company late into 2007, removing EMI’s shares from the London Stock Exchange.

EMI not only has a broad spectrum of physical music, in the form of CDs and Music, they also sell digital music via hundred of retailers world wide, partnering with other companies to find new, constructive ways of helping consumers find and enjoy their music, new initiatives include subscriptions and online radios/Jukeboxes, digital car stereos, mobile phone ringtones and videos. Their ability to synergise with these companies, allows EMI to draw on profits from various areas, whether it be mobile phones or subscriptions to their websites.

EMI’s other recent enterprises include the acquisition of independent music company Mute in 2000, with artists such as Moby and Depeche Mode under their umbrella. They also bought the 45% stake in the Japanese owned Toshiba-EMI held by Toshiba Corporation, giving them the 100% majority.

EMI continues their expansion globally, priding themselves on their catalogue of foreign music including; Utada Hiraku (Japan), Wir Sind Helden (Germany), Cali (France), Bebe (Spain), Thalia (Mexico) and many other artists, on top of that, they hold some of the best artists across America and England.

The audience that EMI caters to is massive, owed to the diversity of their music. They are a world famous label, with world famous artists. The development of music continues, and music industries have to be able to mould new music into something the consumer likes, and wants to go out a buy or download at home, and as a new genre develops EMI always has artists to meet demand, and so keep a profit.

Emi as well as being as a music conglomerate, sees that through music they may affect the lives of people and cultures around the world, and so works to contribute positively on the lives of people, even if they can’t hear the songs they make, by releasing charity singles and funding projects around the world. Emi also has the ethos that they want their company to have a positive impact on the business and through that their employees.

The takeover by Terra Firma, restored Emi’s accounts, as it was saddled with lots of debt previously, and allowed them to expand their back catalogue and regenerate. The music market continues to expand, and Emi and other music companies continue to make a massive profit. The removal of singles from high-street stores has pushed forward download over the internet, on iTunes and other stores, making it easier for the consumer to download, listen and play on their iPhone and other products.

Emi recently signed a lucrative contract with apple to allow their music to feature on games, on their newly released iPhone, which brings their music to a new field, and may lead to the consumer liking the song and downloading it. Emi not only makes profit from track sales, it makes profit from the sale of merchandise, including; DVDs, t-shirts and sheet music. These do not make Emi its’ greatest profit, but it ensure brand loyalty, and for every person who buys and wears a t-shirt they get free advertising.

Going into 2008, EMI announced a series of wide-ranging initiatives within its Recorded Music division to enable the group to become the world’s most innovative, artist friendly and consumer-focused music company. The chairman of Emi, Guy Hands, unveiled various changes which would reshape the business to reflect the rapidly changing nature that the music industry is. These changes included:

• Developing a new partnership between Emi and its artists, based on trust, helping new artists to monetise their work, doing the same to their existing artists. They would do this by opening new branches of income, focusing mainly upon digital services and corporate sponsorship arrangements.


• Bringing all wings of Emi’s key support activities including sales, marketing, manufacture and distribution under one, single division, with a unified global leadership, reducing the gap between artist and the finished music.

The changes were implemented over the next six months, and saw more groups invest in Emi’s A&R [1]branch, both to identify and sign new and promising bands and artists and maximise the roster that Emi already held.
([1] Artists and Repertoire (A&R) is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and the artistic and commercial development of the recording artist. It also acts as a liaison between the artist and the record label.)

The restructuring continued through Terra Firma’s three month consultation of Emi and its takeover, and the measures implemented all come from suggestions by staff, artist or their managers. Terra Firma takes the stance that to develop Emi they have to work with all their branches to make it work and prosper.

The restructuring however came with different reasons other than to recreate Emi. The reduction will enable the group to become more efficient but behind this it cuts costs of over £200 million a year, the restructuring lead to a worldwide headcount reduction of between 1,500 to 2,000 people.

Recently, just into February 09, Emi released new that their digital revenues grew to £102 million since September 08. The 38% rise comes at the end of a year of intense cost-cutting and appears to have shielded the job cuts suggest by Guy Hands.
The profits however of the interim year show a sharp decrease in their profit margins and increase in their outgoings, but the growth in digital media may have increased their overall profit but leaving them a lot less profit to use to develop, especially while still going through a restructure.

Interim report 2008/09 Half Year Maltby Income Statement

[1] EBITDA - Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization

[1] Depreciation is charged before calculation of profit, on the grounds that the use of capital assets is one of the costs of being in business and one of the contributors to profit.

[1] Amortisation - An annual charge made in a company's profit and loss account to reduce the value of an intangible asset to zero over a period of years.