Common - Letter to the Free blog tasks

1) What other projects has Common been involved in over recent years?
Common has been involved in a variety of other projects. For example, Common wrote the soundtrack for Glory alongside John Legend, and also starred in this film. Common has taken on a role as a musician and icon, that has enabled him to contribute to the diverse political issues in America.


2) What is the 13th Amendment of the American Constitution?
The 13th amendment to the United StatesConstitution provides that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."


3) What were the Black Codes?

Black codes were restrictive laws designed to limit the freedom of African Americans and ensure their availability as a cheap labour force after slavery was abolished during the Civil War

4) Why do people suggest that the legacy of slavery is still a crucial aspect to American culture 150 years after it was abolished by the 13th Amendment?

It is still a crucial aspect to American culture because still in this day and age black people are still prejudiced against by mainly white people just because of their skin colour like how we see in this police shootings, wrong imprisonment of black people and just general violence, this shows how slavery could still be seen as a thing but just in a different way that doesn't go against the constitution. 

5) Why was Ava DuVernay inspired to make the Netflix documentary 13th?

individuals still propose this as it was a colossal piece of their way of life is still there however in different structures as they are not treated a similar still in specific conditions.

6) Focusing on genre, what was the most significant time period for the rise in political hip hop?Hip hop as music and culture formed during the 1970s when block parties became increasingly popular in New York City, particularly among African American youth residing in the Bronx. ... Prior to the 1980s, hip hop music was largely confined within the United States.

7) Common talks about other current artists that have a political or protest element to their music. Who are they? Are there any other hip hop artists that you are aware of that have a strong political element to their work?

Kendrick Lamar. I also think that Chance [the Rapper], though he may not speak in black consciousness, he has a consciousness about him, self-awareness and a spirituality. And I don't want to overlook that, because spirituality was something powerful in hip-hop.

8) What album is Letter to the Free taken from? What was the critical reception for this album? You'll need to research this - the Wikipedia entry for the album is a good place to start.

The song is from the album 'Black American Again' The album received widespread acclaim from critics "Although there's no hit to rival the Selma soundtrack epic, "Glory", and a reunion with its vocalist John Legend is the worst of furrowed-brow, gluten-free beat poetry, this is intelligent, impressive work.

Close-textual analysis and representation

Re-watch the music video several times to complete the following tasks in specific detail:

1) How does the Letter to the Free music video use cinematography to create meanings for the audience? (Camera shots and movement).
A lot of long shots suggests that everything is viewed from a distance also implies that they have no voice.
360 degree shots suggests that time has past however freedom is still needed. Shot of the writing " no excessive" conveys that everything said is meaningful.

2) What is the significance of the constantly moving camera?
The zooming in in  the beginning  emphasises the emotions the black artists are portraying. However in the end the camera starts to move out from the prison implying that black ppl are finally being liberated.  

3) Why is the video in black and white?
The black and white suggests the conflict between the white and black race ; that the white Americans are more superior than Black Americans. The black and white is nostalgic for White Americans as they used to watch slavery videos in black and white and this reflects it. 


4) How is mise-en-scene used to construct meaning for the audience - prison setting, costume, props, lighting, actor placement?
Hybrid hip hop/Jazz, positive black identity- subverts stereotypes. low key lighting which enhances its seriousness. African drums: celebrating afrocentricity- Black culture. 

5) Focusing on the track, what are the key lyrics that suggest the political message of the song?
'Slavery's still alive, check amendment 13' which suggests that although the law was made 150 years ago, slavery still exists in the name of 'criminals' rather than directly referring to it as slavery.   

6) What is the significance of the floating black square motif? Discuss your own interpretations alongside Common's explanation of it in the Billboard feature linked above.
 I think that the floating black motif represents Black ppl are trapped in one square. In one scene you see the black square locked in a jail cell, this implies that black people are all represented in the same way. In contrast, another scene shows the black square motif outside the prison cell. This suggests every black person moves together as a pack and will always be one. 

7) How does the video reference racism, slavery and the oppression of black culture? Make reference to specific shots, scenes or moments in the video.
It references them from 1.25 to 1.45 when the singer mentions how families were separated during slavery and how police still hold black people on suspicion and they get treated like criminals due to their colour.

8) How can Gilroy's idea of black diasporic identity be applied to Common's Letter to the Free?
The Letter to the Free is a great example, as Gilroy suggests that black music articulates diasporic experiences of resistance. Gilroy's theory can be applied to Letter to the Free as it is suggesting the message that black people still don't feel like they fit in due to race issues. to white capitalist culture.

9) What other theories of race and ethnicity can be applied to this video? E.g. Hall, Rose or Dyson.
Stuart Hall suggests audiences often blur race and class which leads to the association of races with certain social classes. Hall also suggests how western cultures are mainly white dominated and that ethnic minorities in the media are misinterpreted due to underlying racist tendencies.

10) What current events in America and worldwide are referenced in the song and video?

• Mass incarceration of blacks/non-white in the United States of America
• Racism within the government and police system
• Underlying tones of racism within contemporary America
• Equality black people face in America.
• racism

Music Video: An Introduction

1) What is the purpose of a music video?
The purpose of a music video is,  to sell products, the most obvious of which is the song featured in the video. However, other connected products are also marketed by a music video. For example, the
album the song is featured on, the film the song is part of the soundtrack for, an upcoming tour by the artist and merchandise like t-shirts.


2) How has the digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos?
Prior to the digital age, allowing the audience full access to the product in the marketing was not too problematic. The song was only available at specified times in places which were approved of by the record company, such as on weekly television chart countdown shows like Top of the Pops (1964 – 2006, BBC). However, the development of new media technologies meant that music videos, and the songs along with them, were more widely available at any time. 


3) Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?
In America three major record companies, Sony music entertainment, Universal music group and Abu Dhabi media have launched VEVO. VEVO is a video hosting site specifically made for music videos. 


4) What are the key conventions of a music video?
Movement
A band or artist
Lip-syncing 
Narratives
Intertextuality

5) How can narrative be used in music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative.
A music video may have a narrative. The storyline may relate to the song’s lyrics and illustrate what is being said or be independent from the song and tell a different story. For example, I Was a Teenage Anarchist by Against Me! features a loose narrative which links to the song’s lyrics. The video features a young man running along Venice Beach trying to avoid the police who are chasing him, indicating that he is a rebel or ‘anarchist’.


6) What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?
 the video for My Chemical Romance’s Teenagers features ‘alternative’ cheerleaders, which is reminiscent of the cheerleaders in the video for Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana. Most fans of My Chemical Romance are likely to be familiar with Nirvana and this iconic video.

7) Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?
References can also be more esoteric and obscure, allowing the audience to feel pleasure when they recognize the reference.


8) Read the music video example analysis on page 3 of the factsheet. Select a music video of your own choice and write your own analysis using the following headings:

• Conventions (movement/narrative/artist)

There isn't really a narrative to this video however its mostly based on a performance element. You see Ed sheeren and Justin Bieber switching to different location and changing costumes to match the setting.  

• Intertextuality

This music video has a lot of reference to a romantic genre since the lyrics describe a a boy not wanting to be a at a party only if a particular girl is invited. 

• Representation

 Artists are white american and white british, this subverts white british and american stereotypes as they are portrayed as heroic however, in this music video we see a  guy highly emotional over a girl .

• Audience

Audience will enjoy this music video as it touches alot on personal identity since a true scenario could be reflected through this. On the whole, audience would be engage since it has a performance element to it. 

• Institution

9) Watch the video for Ice Cube's style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">It Was A Good Day (1993). How did this video set the conventions for later hip-hop music videos?
The typical conventions of what made a hip hop music video were set with this video e.g. a low rider, gang culter, baggy clothes etc.

 

Music video analysis

The music video involves a lot of dancing and singing which contributes as the performance element and uses green screen to transition between location after location. Only one shot is taken place throughout the whole video which is a medium/ long shot. The music video also transitions between animation and real life to target young audiences. This is  done very effectively. The lighting is projected through the background since the green screen uses predominantly vibrant colours. Furthermore, the music video also plays a little narrative and acts as a surveillance to the audience to show them a clear insight of which character is which. The narrative perhaps may be a family that live a life of a mammal and acts as a mammal.

The rise of foreign-language TV: Blog tasks

The rise of foreign-language TV: Blog tasks

1) What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media?
Fifteen years ago, if you'd mentioned to a colleague that you'd spent Saturday night glued to a subtitled European drama, you'd have been quietly declared pretentious, dull and, possibly, a little odd.

2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?
Iuzzolino suggests that the key appeal for his Walter Presents series is the material. He implies that the content of the dramas selected offer the chance for audiences to share stories and unite over their experiences with topics such as: love, death, politics and violence - all of which are considered to be universal themes.

3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?
It claims that the Subtitles are what makes the film so thrilling and intense to watch. It sometimes gives us more meaning than the dialogues ever could. 

4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?
Personal identity is shown in the foreign TV drama shows since the audience are able to relate to the place or character. Also if the foreign TV show is the same language as your mother tongue, you will feel more connected to the show emotionally and physically. Now look at the bonus article - on Sherlock and how viewers are steering their favourite shows.

5) What examples are provided of how TV companies are increasingly using audiences to inform the production process?
There's an example of TV drama Sherlock have been influenced by their Asian fan base. In order to keep their fans entertained they put different  codes and clues to the story line in order to make the drama more relatable for them. 
Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on

Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?
Whilst Deutschland ’83 received significantly fewer viewers in the US than Germany, with its US premiere garnering 0.066 million viewers compared to Germany’s 3.19 million, the series proved more successful in the US than its homeland. 

2) The article contains important statistics on viewing figures in different countries. What were the German viewing figures for the first and last episode? What were Channel's 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83?
As previously mentioned, the German premiere had 3.19 million viewers. Each new episode saw that figure drop, and by the series’ conclusion the figures had fallen down to 1.63 million — it’s lowest figure.

3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October?
After a period of uncertainty surrounding its renewal, SundanceTV and FremantleMedia finally announced in October that there will be a second series of Deutschland 83 (called Deutschland 86, more likely than not followed by the pivotal year of 89). 

4) What does the article suggest was the driving force behind the series being renewed for a new season (and possibly two new seasons)?
With this foreign drama revival spurred on by the series’ foreign viewers, questions surrounding the power of American/UK audiences and critics arise. The spy thriller’a presence in American television signifies that there is not just room for foreign and subtitled drama in an era when TV shows are frequently becoming more daring than feature films, but that audiences both want it and have an impact into whether it comes back.

5) How does Walter Iuzzolino use social media to engage audiences in new international TV dramas? How does he suggest this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK?
"Whilst Sundance TV provides their viewers with numerous foreign dramas, the TV channel and its streaming service also ventures into English language series as well as feature-length films. Like with the foreign dramas and films on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and so on, they are often surrounded by more familiar and/or promoted English-speaking shows."- Film School Rejects  
IndieWire: The rise of international television

Now look at this IndieWire feature on the rise of international television. If the website is blocked, you can access the text from the article here. Answer the questions below:

1) What does the article suggest regarding the difference between TV and film?

2) What cultural differences are highlighted in the article - for example in turning 'Prisoners of War' into 'Homeland' when remade in the US?

3) Why do you think Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences to be successful in the US and UK? Did this inadvertently make the drama fail in Germany?

4) What does the article suggest about subtitling?

5) What does Sopranos actor Steven Van Zandt suggest is the appeal in foreign television drama?


The Guardian: How tech is changing television

Finally, read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:

1) What are the traditional lengths for TV drama and what dictated these programme formats?

2) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?

3) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?

4) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?

5) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?

The impact of new/digital media on TV

1) What does the 'industry' concept in A Level Media Studies refer to?
The ‘industry’ concept refers to the companies that create and distribute media texts, the standard practices of media production, as well as the regulatory and legal frameworks in which the companies operate. 


2) What does David Hesmondhalgh argue with regards to how the creative industries have changed since the 1980s?
in the 21st century. In the 1980s media companies began to see the benefit of synergy (see ‘Synergy rules OK?’, MM 14) at the same time that governments in the west, because of the decline of manufacturing industries, came to appreciate the economic benefits of having a strong ‘cultural’ sector (particularly the film, television and music industries).

3) Choose the three most significant points Hesmondhalgh makes regarding the changing cultural industries. Why are these the most significant in your view?
Cultural industries have moved closer to the centre of economic action there has been an increase in media. Corporations owning companies in different sectors of the industry. Globalisation has meant media texts can circulate more easily across borders reducing North.

4) What is technological convergence? 

Technological convergence; digitisation of media meant every media form could be accessed on computers. It was this that eventually enabled tech companies to compete directly with media companies and, arguably, even become media companies.

5) How are technology companies challenging traditional broadcasters in the TV industry?
For example, Amazon (originally an online book seller) is now producing its own ‘television’ programmes. In doing this it followed Netflix, which began as a postal DVD service, in ‘liberating’ television programmes from broadcasters’ schedules with on-demand viewing.


6) What budgets will Netflix, Amazon and Apple spend on original programming next year according to the article?

Next year Netflix plans to spend $8bn on original material; Amazon’s budget is estimated at $4.5bn. Apple has recently joined the fray with a $1bn spend.

7) How many countries are Netflix and Amazon available in?

 In 2016 Netflix simultaneously launched its service in 130 new countries, bringing its total to 190, and Amazon opened in 200.

8) The global nature of modern television means producers are having to consider international audiences when creating content. What example from Netflix does the article use to explain this?

Going global means they have to pay for the license to broadcast individual shows in different countries so another advantage of creating their own content is that Netflix or Amazon automatically own the copyright for the programmes and don’t have to purchase additional distribution permissions.

9) Do you think technology companies such as Google, Facebook and Amazon will increase their interest in the 
television industry? 
Google, Facebook and amazon will increase their interest in the television industry as it is very profitable due to people starting to binge watch TV show which maximises revenue, For example Netflix is successful due to their audience binge watching; Google, Facebook, Amazon will take the same interest as them.   


10) How do changes in technology influence the creation of TV dramas such as Capital or Deutschland 83? How?
Changes in the tech influences the creation of TV dramas such as Capital and Duecshland 83 because most shows are on demand and can be watched on phones, tablets and computer etc etc This allows the audience to binge watch whatever TV show at whatever time. 

index

1) Introduction to TV Drama
2) Capital: Case study
3) Capital: Marxism and Hegemony
4) Capital: Applying Marxism
5) Deutschland 83: Case study
6) Deutschland 83: Close-textual analysis notes
7) Deutschland 83: Postmodernism
8) Industries: The rise of foreign-language TV dramas
9) Industries: The impact of new/digital media on television
10) TV: 750-word exam question

TV: 750 words exam question

Question 1
“Realism is a vital component of television drama”. To what extent does an analysis of your television close-study products support this view? [25 marks]


Deucschland 83 agrees with this statement that realism is a vital component of television drama as it shows alot hyper reality and pastiche. Pastiche is shown through deucshland 83 having alot of possession of military equipment and speeches on the TV reflecting the cold war from both east and the west side. This allows the audience to relate to the real world as it the items or places used exhibit reference to real life crimes. Deutschland 83 also shows hyperreality as they copy or reenact real situations or location which are better than the original. For example, the Houses used are not really modernized due to their dull and dim colours which connote ancient and outdated. Furthermore, it has a sense of bricolage due to the juxtaposition of old and new places. This is portrayed through the difference Between east and west Germany. The west is the more wealthy and liberated side of Germany therefore, would involve rich source of equipment and luxurious place that the east hasn’t seen.  The audience get a sense of nostalgia of the 1980s culture which is further reinforced through the music used in the east as it fits the the culture perfectly. Moreover, the conflict between Communist and the Capitalist side conveys a sense of realism as it acts as a surveillance for the audience. The audience are taught about the Cold War and how did Germany split into to two nations. This implies some social and historical content as it educations young teenagers about the Cold War.

In addition, the typical stereotypes used also convey a sense of realism due to them stereotypes being able to relate to other texts. For example, Deutschland 83 reinforces typical male stereotypes as they are shown to be robust, brave and courageous. The audience can interpret that in many other film text such as James Bond. Intersexuality plays a key part in agreeing that realism is a vital component of television drama since having reference to non fictional movies can evoke voyeuristc pleasures for the audience as they have more movies to correspond to. Another stereotype that reflects realism is the representation of  family in Dueschland 83, the TV show consists of conflict between states however family plays a big role as well since the main character puts his family before everything. The audience could gain personal identity and relate to the scenarios in real life.

Another television close study product that supports this view is Capital. Capital is a state of nation drama and reflects many stereotypes of the middle class. The characters in Capital take London as granted and a place where they can relax and only provide for their family and not for London. On the other hand, you see the immigration in society, they are more caring and kind heartened than those who lived in London their entire life. For example Quentina, who is an immigrant, serves more love and care for London than London people ever could even though they face a lot of trouble trying to live a good life. Also the Asian family are seen to be kind-hearted and generous which subverts typical Asian stereotypes as they should be depicted as terrorist. However, in capital they are not shown in that type of way as they supply vegetables to Arabella who are in the upper class in the society. This links back to realism since these are raised in Capital but still an ongoing problem in todays society.

Some may argue that capital doesn’t show a sense of realism as its been said that Capital are shown to be using left wing bias, portraying wealthy class people in a negative image. However, Capital have portrayed middle class in such way, in contrast to a positive image representation of multiculturalism and illegal immigrants, which subverts typical TV drama shows.

Overall, Deutschland 83 shows some sense of realism however due to not having the original locations used in the cold war, it doesn't full emphasise the realism since audience may not feel nostalgic enough towards the settings constructed. Therefore, Deutschland 83 doesn't fully represent the cold war but still has some aspects of history which audience may relate to. On the other hand, through the representations and the locations used in Capital show realism as many audience can feel connected to the society in Capital and the society today. London's diversity in capital represents a positive aspect in Capital which is further reinforced in reality.