Webisodes

'Take Me Back' the web series would be appealing as it offers a non professional alternative to retro TV soaps. The positives would be the appeal to those whose interests lie in creating their own features, and the negatives would be that it does lack professional input, some of the acting i pretty poor.
The show can be bought on DVD, and there is a blog, and comments page for each webisode which open weekly as new chapters of the story. You can join the shows mailing list so you can be updated with news. Its created by two students who live in Montreal, i expect they have a higher budget than some other web shows as the camera work is a lot more clear and steady. You can also contact each creator individually.
This particular web show is of good quality, the creators obviously have the budget and materials to make their show look professional. Convergence has effected this show clearly its shown on the internet, and the producers would have needed to know it would have been watched and had interest shown. The feedback you can give on the site is another form of convergence as the audience feedback would be crucial on the influences of the show.

'Filmfest' Life after Lisa.

The appeal of the show is that because its on the internet its easily accessible which means you can catch up at any time. Also because its on the internet it means its easily produced and allows a more experimental style. However this also has some disadvantages, This program is quite clearly low budget and this has effected the quality negatively.

The program is updated frequently and new episodes are added when as they are made.

Kate Modern

Kate Modern is in a way a documentary about this women who seems to talk about her life about her boyfriend whilst a bebo original video shows it to be a video of the death of kate who is then shown to be alive. The videos shown are very strange with not showing episode 1 but episode 2 was a blog with episode 3 being some really freaky clips showing satelite dishes and gorbals grey scaled and flipping vertically constantly with a very very creepy soundtrack.

Online TV Dramas are a good way also to get a free audience and one who demand your work. It is especially as well a nice way to a company such as the BBC to pick you up for directing or acting.

Life After Lisa

With reference to Life After Lisa, the following explains how convergence is used in online TV shows. Disadvantages of this TV show is that some audiences without internet access cannot access the material. The show can appeal to some audiences who are familiar with internet catch up TV, when viewers miss episodes they can use websites such as 4od and bbc iplayer to view repeats of the show, this is similar to Life After Lisa. Convergence is utilized in this TV show as it incorporates the internet with daytime TV, advantages of this include the synergy of programmes with downloadable website content.
The show benefits from having a 'VIMEO' page, similar to twitter and facebook, where the maker can comment and upload material; this is where television lacks. Viewers can easily contact the creator with feedback on the uploaded videos.

The quality of this product is suprisingly good considering the unfinanced, low budget production.

Click On This

1. The Appeal Of The Show.

The appeal of the show is the varied interviews the hosts conduct. They are quite varied, in that they interview music people and technological people for example. The audience gained from this show would be people who are interested in one to one interviews, and learning more from the select people.

The interviews are quite informal and 'on the go' meaning that they are sometimes short and inadequate for what the viewer might be expecting. This would generally be a negative, however some audience members may like the quick informal talk.

2. How The Show Works.

The show works in they way that the hosts attend popular places and events.

The show can be seen through youtube, their website and twitter etc. This gives a variety of places for the audience to watch it.

The audiences can give feedback, contributions and more through their twitter page, which could inflict the decisions of the hosts on where to go and who to interview.

3. Is It Good Quality

The show itself has a quality that would appeal to an audience who prefer informal talk and also sometimes quick snippets of interviews. The hosts are also quite fun and make the show more interesting, making the overall show more interesting and can make it funnier to watch.

Click On This

1. What is the appeal of the show?
PROS
-> 'rock star' lifestyle
-> interviews about variety of media. TV + Radio, technology
-> learn + see things that aren't advertised on television
-> promotes products to audience.

CONS
-> too much of a laid back approach
-> cheesy
-> not serious enough,
-> doesn't bring point across

2. How does the show work?
-> video-based lifestyle inerview series
-> webisodes, internet based

3. Do you think its good quality?
-> poorly edited
-> cheap looking footage
-> very low budget
-> no structure

Convergence is evident as the TV show is being streamed over the internet in the form of webisodes. There is a blog for producers to post their thoughts and idea to consumers however these blogs are empty. HA. There is no evidence of consumers watching, liking or taking part in the show as there are no hits, comments or opportunities on the website for consumers to post their ideas.

Click on This

The appeal of the show is the many different lifestyle interviews hosted by a male called Jonny Aloso. They guests in the previews i watched were music people and technological people who explain more about what they do. The interviews seem like the host makes it up whilst he is there, making it seemed unorganised which could be seen as a downfall to this show as its not what the audience is expecting to see. This also may be seen as a good thing as its different and they may enjoy it.

This program is all about the audience and promoting different, unknown things such as bands, movies and dance routines etc and then they put it on the blog. It has a link in which you can then contact the producers and give them your ideas for an upcoming episode. It is also be seen through sites as youtube so you can catch up on what you have seen. The audience can also give feedback on what they have seen, commenting on what they liked and disliked.

It seems like its a low budget program so its not as good quality as it could be but its in a quality in which you are able to watch it with ease. The quick snaps also suggest this but worked well with what they are doing.

Convergence - Dubplate Drama

What is the appeal of the show?

The show is aimed at teenagers. This is because it focuses on the underground scene of London where lives of ''hooded gangsters'' revolves around sex, drugs and violence. The uniqueness of the show is that the audience can interact with the show by choosing the alternative solution to the problems faced with the characters within the show.
The positives is that the audience can choose to see the non violent solution as if they were in the situation themselves so they can see what other options they have and what the best one is.
The negative however, highlights the problems that teenagers are faced with today. It's highlighting that stereotypically teenagers would automatically choose the bad option that would lead to suffering consequences. Another negative would be that you could only text in if you are watching the show at the right time so therefore if you are watching a repeat you can't particpate in the outcome.

How does the show work?

The show depends on the viewers texting in to make the show possible to continue.

Do you think its good quality?

Considering the low budget of dubplate we feel that the location of the London drama is competely necessary in the genre of the tv drama.

Click on This - Convergence

Click on this is an independent lifestyle TV show that is broadcast on the web. The show features media convergence by the way that it uses independent tv combined with the internet to reach an audience without the high cost of producing and broadcasting the show.

The show's appeal consists of the ability to give people an inside view of the life of events and people. They interview them to get a real life view of what is going on. The show we viewed was a Las Vegas Preview, which featured a look at the latest technology and having an interview with the people showing the products. This gives a unique inside look to the show, that mainstream channels wouldn't necessarily go around and share with the public. It also allows the audience to ask the producers to do a show on them, which gains an audience who are automatically directed to the company, increasing their fanbase.

The show is quite restricted on its viewing as it is stuck to being watched on the web on their website and youtube, rather than having a larger audience reach like the large broadcasting companies.

The show works through the single notion of promoting. This single notion allows the audience to play a part in saying what is featured. All the audience do, is if they have something to promote, is to email the producers and they do a feature on the product that is being promoted, and any audience are direct to the company or individual. This can be a show, gadget, website, band, personality, etc.

I think the way that the product is filmed, produced and edited is high quality, but the way of broadcasting isn't as they don't yet have their own website. This means it is more tricky to find. Reducing their audience reach. But the actual program itself has lots of interesting information and they don't have the program lasting too long, with it taking around 5 minutes, which is enough time to broadcast the information and keep the audience interested. It is in a similar style to the small 'Click' preview program that is produced by the BBC.

Convergence

We looked at 'Click On This'

1. The show gives a quick look at the new products being released and what to to look out for, though it doesn't give a detailed description and any comparisons to any other products. The website has a blogger, where you can post your comments, it is also linked to twitter. It has several episodes and links to more, so easy access and understandable. Its also linked to Youtube. However it doesn't look to appealing to the eye and unless your interested in technology, its rather boring.

2. It is a lifestyle interview video series, cheap and easy way to hear about new technology. It's done by 3 presenters, quite ameturist. Appear to only be cast for their looks to draw in a certain audience.

3. Very ameture filming and editing and really cheesy. Filmed on a basic handheld small camera, low quality and shaky video. Not enough information in the video, we are only aware that we are in vegas but not sure where, only the info underneath the video tells us its the NAB show.

Online TV Dramas

http://www.lg15.com/katemodern/?p=378
http://www.promqueen.tv/
http://www.filmfest.com
http://www.mydamnchannel.com/Wainy_Days/Season
http://www.tmbthseries.com/index.php?m=1
http://www.eqal.coharpers-globe/

Also look up Dubplate Tv Series.

How can you interact with the MisFits website

On the E4 website there is a page which is devoted to Misfits. The main ways you can interact with this page is through the links to Twitter and Facebook pages for each character which are positioned down the left hand side of the page. The pages have information on the chaacters which they add them selves, as well as this the actor also adds posts about their day to day life on set and in general.

There are also links to episode guides, pictures, behind the scenes videos and a blog on the current series.

A game has also been made where the user can play as the characters and complete levels which are similar to that of the ones shown in the episodes.

Internet
Youtube (10minutes parts)
surfthechannel.com

iPlayer / 4OD
Borrowing DVDs from friends
Love film (20 day trial)
Steal the film from the shop
Pirate DVDs
Second hand deals

Ways to view media without paying

Internet:

• BBC iplayer
• 4Od
• ITV player
• Youtube
• Seesaw.co.uk
• iTunes

Phones:

• iphone - internet (smart phones)

TV

modern ways to watch films...

Pirate DVDs
Youtube
iPlayer
4OD
Surf The Channel
iPod
Itunes
Laptop
Borrowing DVDs from friends
Renting from LRC
On Demand
Sky Box Office

How Film, Tv is accessable

• Televison
• Computers (Internet)
  
• Ipods
• Mobile Phones with internet.
• Dvds/Videos
• Youtube/Google video
• Illegal Download sites
• BBC Iplayer/ ITVplayer/ 4OD.
• Watch-Movies.com
• Blockbusters/DVD/Video rental
• Freeview/Virgin/Sky - SkyMovies, Film4, etc.
• Cinemas
• LoveFilm.com
• Pirate films
  

Rose and Jodie's work.

Tasks: How the key scene we have chosen represents the time period and the location.
The key scene we have chosen is where the Police dragged the journalist out of the hospital without establishing the problem first and whether he had actually committed a crime.
During this time period (The 1970's) the police force tended to be more corrupt and could be influenced by many things. This scene represents how the police force act during this time as the innocent journalist was brutally dragged out of hospital without investigation on the police's behalf. This would show an active audience that living in the 70's wouldn't have been great considering the people in society put their trust in the police and they are not fulfilling their roles of investigating a serious situation. They appear to be heavily influenced by things such as money, (bribes), journalists, property developers and so on. Instead of finding out who has murdered these young girls , a journalist is gathering all the information towards helping find the murderer, whilst the police concentrate on violence towards less of a crime. They way they deal with the situation is unfair. They seem very uncaring and unprofessional compared to the police in society these days.

Fish Tank Review

Using Rotten Tomatoes to review a film

Fish Tank Review

We felt that the film did not have clear storyline to it and it didn't hold the audiences interest. However, we thought that it gave quite a good representation of modern day families in certain areas of England. The film is set in Barking, London at a block of council flats. The area is not wealthy and it seems as though there is a high risk of crime as during the film we see smashed windows, graffiti and vandalism.
Fish Tank is based around Mia and her family. She lives with her mum and younger sister in a small and cluttered flat. Throughout the film we begin to see Mia's feelings develop. At the start of the film she is represented as a stereotypical teenager who smokes, drinks, is violent and doesn't seem to care about her education or the way she affects people around her. The film makes it clear that she wants to become a professional dancer and when she dances she forgets about all of her worries and fears. It is evident in the film that Mia is lonely, her mum doesn't have any time for her and her sister is too young to understand. When Connor comes into the equation Mia befriends him as she feels comfort in his father figure. However they get too close and feelings develop between them giving the film a slightly disturbing twist.
When Connor walks out on the family Mia feels as if she is in a worse position than she was before he entered their lives. We see her go on a major downfall when her audition turns out to be nothing like she expected. This shows us that dancing was the one thing she enjoyed and was the only thing she turned to when feeling shut out form the world.

Fish tank review

This film follows 15yr old Mia and how her life changes when her mum brings home her new boyfriend. There is a big contrast between his style of living compared to their style but his actions drag him down to their standards of living.

They live on a council estate full of "chavs" in tracksuits and drug addicts and alcoholics. Mia's mum treats both her children badly and tells Mia she didn't want her.

Connor, however, lives in a posh house with a wife and child who are unknown to Mia and her family. They have a decent house and money which is shown by the nicely furnished inside.
His actions make him lower himself to someone who would live on a council estate like Mia and her family. He cheats on his wife with Mia's mum and then has the nerve to cheat on her with Mia!

He ends up leaving the whole family the next morning and disrupting the whole "happy family" feel. Mia takes her revenge by turning up to his house and stealing away his daughter and taking her on a wild goose chase in which the daughter falls in water. This is a wake up call for Mia who finally takes her back. Connor tracks her down and ends up hitting Mia across the face.

At the end of the film, Mia takes off to Wales with her friend from the gypsy trailer. There is a nice, heart warming feeling before she goes when her sister, mum and Mia are all dancing together. This is their way of saying sorry and making up.

Review of Fish tank

The film didn't keep its edge or interest as it progressed and began to become very dull, with random events which tried to liven things up. The stereotype of this class of people can be seen as only true to an extent, and can make the audience believe that all people from this area are exactly as those in the film. It portrays uncaring mothers who ALL drink, smoke and take drugs, which is a strong stereotype which is just loosely based. The films plot was very strung out and at times odd and unclear. The ending for example was very uninteresting and quite blunt, with her simply driving away..... It is unclear as to where she was going. In short the film could easily make the audience uninterested and bored.

Rotten Tomatoes, Our review on fish tank:

Mia (played by Katie Jarvis) from Fish Tank.



Rotten tomatoes is a website that is used by critics and members of the general public to express their opinions and review media that is on the market. The staff of rotten tomato then determine for each review whether it is positive ("fresh", marked by a small icon of a red tomato) or negative ("rotten", marked by a small icon of a green splatted tomato). At the end of the year one film will receive the "Golden Tomato", meaning it is the highest rating film that year.

Our review for the Film, Fish Tank is as follows, we have uploaded this review on the website:
Andrea Arnold's Fish Tank is a contemporary film that has been produced in a lower, working class, poverty driven area in Essex. The film is set in your stereotypical council estate block of flats, where the lack of support and fundings for a teenagers upbringing is evident.
We are seeing the world from 16 year old Mia's eyes. Her performance in this film successfully reflected the producers aim as it portrays her desperation to pursue her dream of dancing without the support from anybody. Living with her younger sister and young, party animal, mother we are able to see there are distinct barriers between them and Mia clearly receives no support or love at home. Along with this we see the lack of education that Mia receives and thus the lack of support from there. The representation of a British working class family, i feel is inaccurate as within the film we see the working class family represented as a unsupported lazy and rude culture with a lack of direction in life. We see no effort from the characters to succeed seeing as Mia a 16 year old girl not in education instead she is drinking and smoking with her younger siblings. I believe this isnt true to all working families in Britain but does represent the minority, we see Mia's mother sleeping around with her other men until she finds a man, Connor (Michael Fassbender) who promises to bring love and support to the family. He offers the possibility of hope to Mia as he supports her love of dancing, providing a video camera for her to film an audition for a dance competition. Unfortunately Connor deems to be bad news for the family as he sleeps with the naive 16 year old. Mia's neglectant alcoholic mother is ignorant to the fact that any of this has occured and falls into the self pity mode. Mia is given a tiny opportunity to escape this viscous, continuous cycle that surrounds her when a male friend she has made offers to take her away.
Although this film captured us and allowed us to try and relate to Mia, warming to her lost, lonely character in the meantime I believe the storyline is quite vague and the leads within the story aren't followed up. It doesn't ever seem to get anywhere and we are left saying to ourselves, What was the point in that?

Youtube...

Sky News - Major news company. It shows small and big news around the world, it is done by proper cameras and narratives over the top, sometimes they use the audience's videos as they are there on the seen or it is more clear. There are no comments on this particular video (Doctors Remove Boy's 11 Extra Digits On His Hands And Feet).

How Youtube Documents Events

Who created the information?

There are videos about the budget created by many different people using very different formats for example there is one official video by Alistair Darling which has been posted on the HM Treasury Youtube Channel. There are also people who have posted their and response and views to the budget in a documentary style. To add to this there are also clips taken from national news channels which are about the area.

Why do you think the they created it?

The official HM Treasury video was created to appeal to a different type of person (someone who is on the go or who couldn't watch it on the TV at the times it was broadcasted.

Document events 'We Media' - News

Who Created the infomation? Rick Laytham.
Why? trying to slide down a hill in a canoe and thought that they were going to talk to him about that but sledged down hill & told him they didn't mind him filming.
How is information presented? Original information was taken off a mobile phone & just uploaded onto youtube, whereas this was presented in a news report with a voiceover over the top telling people about it and what happened to the officers

Example Questions

What difference has the internet made to media production and consumption? refer to at least two media types in your answer.

The internet has changed the way media products are produced and consumed in a variety of ways. One of the changes is that people are able to view the product before it is released, for example in the video game industry some companies produce demos of the game or mini feature films/ trailers of the game displaying some of the story line which enables the user to understand the format of the game and its characters before they buy the game. This idea can be seen in the GTA 4 advertising campaign.

One of the many GTA 4 trailers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO25p4JdB1U

This type of advertising also allows the viewers to start there own types of advertising through the use of peer two peer blogs and remixes of the trailers created by fans and posted on free internet broadcasting sites such as youtube.

Another way the internet has changed the way media products are consumed and produced is through a wider

An Education Question

What was the Distribution and production company?

Distribution company in the USA - Sony Pictures Classics
Distribution company in the UK - E1 Entertainment

Production Company - BBC Films, Wildgaze Films, Finola Dwyer Production, Endgame Entertainment

What was the budget?

$7.5 million

Was it released in different countries at different times - why?

Yes, because it was released first in larger companies where the profit would be greater and the home countries of the production companies.

Can you find different ways which it was marketed?

newspapers, trailers, films of the same general and bbfc classifcation.

Alfie

The clip where Alfie walks into the Church and sees Gilda with her new husband, getting a new baby christened shows family values, that Alfie failed to recognize. Gilda does what society expects of her, be a loving christian mother whilst the father takes care of the up-keeping of the family. This is a stereotypical view of the family identity of the time. The Scene conforms to Strykers Theory agrees with the family group being represented as a collective which constitutes to the behavior and expectations. If we take Marcuse's Theory into consideration, all we would be seeing is a males representation of the 60's and it would take more than a passive audience to read into the family values that are portrayed.
Althussers theory would require us to recognize that having a baby outside of marriage is unaccepted in society.