Media Coursework - 'The Cow Advert' Primary Research (INTERVIEW)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0LCmStIw9E

I asked my Dad questions after watching the advert based on what he thought about it and what he found effective. I chose this advert because it was banned from television after being described as "too graphic" and "inapropriate".

Question 1 - In one word, how do you feel right now after watching this?

Response 1 - Shocked. I heard that advert was quite a bad one.

Question 2 - Which parts do you think are most effective?

Response 2 - Probably the fact that it actually shows the car accident and doesn't cut it like they normally do in adverts. Also, the fact that the girl in the back thinks that she is alive and fine and then a car comes and crashes into her side too. I think that it's good that they show briefly what happens after the crash too with her getting airlifted and the look on her face when it's all happened. They should do that more often to get the reality across. If people could see what really happens it might make people think twice.

Question 3 - So do you think that these broadcasts aren't as effective as they could be?

Response 3 - No way! They could really be effective if they just showed footage of what really happens. People should be exposed to stuff like that to get the full understanding. The adverts on television at the moment - even the ones that get complaints - are pathetic compared to real life situations. I understand that some aren't suitable for children but they could show them later on at night when children are supposed to be in bed and adults are still awake. Its not like children can drive anyway so it’s not going to affect them by not watching it.

Question 4 - So what sorts of things would you like to see in public service broadcasts that isn't already in them?

Response 4 - Well just making sure that real footage appears in all of them. Stop wrapping the situation up in cotton wool and let people see those serious situations for what they are. The idea is to make people aware, but it's not is it? It's showing them a fraction of what really happens.

Question 5 - What sort of topic -if you could choose- would you choose to do a PSA  based on if you could do it as graphic as 'The cow advert'?

Response 5 - The effects of drug taking. Adverts make them look not all that serious. Of course everyone is going to say they are marvellous and fun but it doesn't show long term effects. All they do is go on about the biological effects like in that advert... what was it? Talk to Frank? With all of the different effects of Cannabis. Everyone knows that by now - especially if you’re smoking it. It's like people smoking cigarettes, everyone knows the biological effects but loads of people are still smoking! They need to make them more graphic about lives being ruined through it - and that’s not necessarily the drug-taker's life. Prison sentences for not even being the main guy behind all their drug runs and stuff. It's so easy to get lost into that kind of life and yet drug using is still happening everywhere when to me; it's just as serious as texting when driving. It still kills you, and you can be held responsible for killing others but the difference is young adults and adults drive and everyone can take drugs... but doesn't that tell you something? What the law considers as 'children' are taking drugs these days too with no idea what it could do to their lives. 

Media Coursework - 'Fire Kills' Primary Research

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57XocAzLs34

The muffling of the mixed noises at the beginning makes the audience try and piece together what has happened because of the close-up shot of the man's grey looking face and the muffled sounds. Anyone watching would assume that whatever has happened isn't good. The main suggestions that came to mind that either he had been hit by a car and was coming out of conciousness, or was dead and it was just what was going on around him.
When the camera zooms out, the man gasps deeply, as if he has just came into realisation of what has happened to him and begins to hysterically cry. There is a bandage on his arm, indicating that actually he isn't dead because the hospital wouldn't have just bandaged a mans arm up if he was dead.
As the camera zooms out even more it allows the audience to take note of the setting. The setting is presumed to be the man's house which is brown and worn with crispy wall paper, stained floors and melted toys etc. This suggest that his house has been burned down in a house-fire. As this is happening the voice of what sounds like a young girl saying "daddy" echoes throughout the house and throughout the man's head. It is implied that there was a housefire and the man lost his family due to it.
A voice-over then goes on to say that "a fire doesn't have to kill you to take your life". It offers a help-line for if their are any questions or if you would like a handbook on the matter.

I found this advert very effective as it's not like the usual advert which involves a criminal offence and what that could do to your life - this advert is something that everybody can benefit from in day-to-day life. It's aim to to raise awareness to have your smoke alarm batteries checked regularly to avoid losing your family. The fact that a child is involved injects valnerability into the advert because it makes the audience think 'poor innocent child' because the advert isn't indicating that it was the child's fault. The man looks very distraught and from the beginning when you think back to it - very ill. The whole situation looks as though it has caused the man some psychological damage due to the beginning where it looks as though he doesn't really know what's going on and looks lost. I would assume that the target audience would be anybody who has a family because the advert would make them think that they don't want that situation to apply to them.

From this advert, i would like to take using children into consideration so that it will really tug the heart-strings of the audience. You don't need a family to create a reaction of sympathy for children because people without children can sympathise for others with children. Children are considered vaulnerable so it can make the p/s/a more impacting. Also, the use of the muffling music leaves the advert to the audiences imagination at parts which i think can be very effective if you can't get across the intensity. I would like to consider using this too.

Public Service Announcements/Broadcasts - Katherine's Homework

Analysis:

The public service announcement i will be analysing is an announcement from 'Think!' to raise awareness about the effects of drink driving.
I personally think that this advert is very impacting, it shows the decisions that he is making and the consequences all in one short 30 second scene. It shows to the audience that a careless decision will resolve into something serious and deadly.

There are some effective signifiers used such as the crashing sound. Signified, it means that there has been a car accident. The sound is a signifier because there is no car present on screen when the audio starts. This is effective to the audience and also impacting because the image isn't there of the cars, which leaves it up to the imagination of the audience.

The crutial part of the advert is to raise awareness that car crashes do happen when people are under the influence of alcohol and put people in danger and not necessarily you that is going to get hurt just because your the driver and the one under the influence. The advert shows the girl being thrown about in a violent manner, with her face smashing on glass on the table which could symbolise the car wind-screen smashing onto her face. Her body is left crippled and bent, clearly indicating that she is in fact dead.

The man begins to panic and look upset and scared about what he has done which also could influence the audience to panic with him and feel a small amount of what he is feeling. This is designed to stop the audience of the public broadcast to be frightened by what they felt and not to drink drive themselves in order to avoid that emotion. The emotions they feel only last for a couple of seconds and after a while they will fade away. This made me feel grateful for the fact that the emotion can go away after a few seconds and i know that if i were to drink and drive and put somebody in danger i wouldn't be able to get rid of that emotion and would have to live with it for the rest of my life. I think other people watching the announcement would feel that way to, and it subconciously persuades the public not to commit this serious crime.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsY_Co-p8Bw

Development of my magazine front cover

Decided central image: I chose the cental image because it is a classic ford car, which relates to the theme of classic cars and also because it's racing which makes it look more interesting. Also, the car is a bright colour (orange) which attracts the attention of the audience.

Decided captions: The captions that i have chosen to be featured on the front page are "We have gone Cortina Crazy!" because it's catchy due to the alliteration technique, and it also implies that there is a selection of pages in the magazine with many Ford Cortina cars inside, and their features which would attract the target audience. " The definitive test of the supercars you can afford!" to advertise the selection of different cars to be featured in the magazine that you would expect to be a lot of money but it says that you can afford them, so this would attract the target audience of the magazine and people who might be looking to buy either a Lotus, or  a Ferrari which are known to be expensive cars that many desire but cannot afford. Also tips on how to get your car really shiney and competitions to win a classic Mk2 Ford Cortina is featured. "The MG group are back on tour!" is a completely made up group that i thought of, but some car fans follow their interest in cars and go to shows etc, so it's advertising the kind of thing the target audience would enjoy doing in their day to day life.

I have also made the magazine in partnership with Classic Ford magazine which is an existing magazine with the same purpose as mine but only focusing on Ford cars. I did this because it makes the magazine cover seem more beliveable and realistic.

 

Orsan Wells - War of the worlds

'War of the Worlds’ panic!

However, on this particular evening they were shocked to hear another station carrying news alerts warning of an invasion of Martians attacking Earth. Not hearing the introduction of the play and listening to the authoritative and real sounding commentary and interviews, many believed it to be real.

All across the United States, listeners reacted. Thousands of people called radio stations, police and newspapers. Many in the New England area loaded up their cars and fled their homes. In other areas, people went to churches to pray. People improvised gas masks. Miscarriages and early births were reported. Deaths, too, were reported but never confirmed. Many people were hysterical. They thought the end was near.

Hours after the program had ended and listeners had realized that the Martian invasion was not real, the public was outraged that Orson Welles had tried to fool them. Many people sued. Others wondered if Welles had caused the panic on purpose.

The power of radio had fooled the listeners. They had become accustomed to believing everything they heard on the radio, without questioning it. Now they had learned - the hard way.

Still Image

Mise-En-Scene

Costume: Black hair, black dress, black shoes, this makes her appear mysterious and like a troublemaker. She is wearing red lipstick as well which also adds to the idea of mystery, as the colour red usually represents danger or lust. The fact she is wearing black heels also adds to the idea of her being quite promiscuous. She also has red nailvarnish and is led on a red bed which makes her look quite sexual.

Props: She has a cigarette in her hand, and a cigarette packet and lighter in front of her on the bed. She also has a gun in front of her which again creates the idea that she is dangerous. She has a book in the other hand which makes her appear smart, as if she would be quite a clever villain.

The light next to the bed is tilted which looks like she doesn't care about keeping her house tidy, or that somebody else has been in the house and messed it up.

Lighting: The lighting on her face is quite bright, making her stand out against the dark background, which puts emphasis on the fact she is the main character.

Location: The fact she is on a bed in a dark room also makes her appear quite sexual, it also makes her appear quite hidden away and sly as she has a gun in front of her.

Visual Codes

Shot Type: Mid-shot, making Uma Therman the central feature.

Composition: The composition is laid out as though it is a theatre(film) advert. The way the gun, the cigarettes and the books are all in front of her appear as though they are her protection, you can't get to her without getting past all her armour first. It also appears as though she has laid her personality out in front of her, which makes the audience get a feel of who she is and what she is like before watching the film. The title of the film is headed at the top of the advert, which allows for the image to be the main focus. Also the fact her heels are coming over the bottom of the title adds emphasis on the fact they are important to her character, and also draws the readers eye down to the picture.
Captioning: Above the title, it reads "From the creator of 'True Romance' and 'Reservoir Dogs' which will appeal to an audience who have seen the above films.  It then says the title "Pulp Fiction" which is in a bright font meaning it stands out, and the font is quite scribbly.

FINAL DECISION - Car magazine for 40-65 year olds.

I have decided to design a magazine front cover for 40-65 year old males because i think that it would be more of a challenge for me to try and target it at an audience that is umfamiliar to me.

 Name ideas : Auto Classic, Classic MG,

(in partnership with Classic Ford)

Target Audience: 40-45 year old males.

Genre: Cars/Motorbikes

Main Focus: Cars/Motorbikes sold/made in the UK.

Captions on the front:

Ideas for a main image on the front: