1) Type up any feedback or comments from your paper in full (you do not need to write mark/grade if you do not wish to).

-Link to family?
-Lacks question focus
-Not middle class at all
-Very little link to family
-Not enough here: timing!
-Intro too long, just mention films then add detail later
-Need key words in topic sentence: shape, values, attitudes
-Make the platforms more explicit
-Link back to question
-Be wary of repetition
-Need to write of opinions of society
-A good essay but revise to cut out the basic errors
-Make the 3 platforms more explicit 
-You need to cover the other films: Belle would be perfect for this question !

2) Did you succeed in meeting or exceeding your target grade in AS Media? If not, how many additional marks do you need across Section A and Section B to achieve your target grade?

-My target grade was an A and I did not achieve that grade in the exam. I would ove needed an additional 19 marks to achieve my wanted grade. 


3) Read through the mark scheme. Pay particular attention to pages 6-9 that have anticipated content for each of the questions in Section A. How many of these potential points did you make? Did you successfully answer the questions? The original question paper is here if that is useful.

- Media representation, I gained low marks  as I didn't link back to the question about family which obviously lowered my marks. I stated points about family and how they are all a community which goes with the genre of soaps. I think I failed in linking it back to the question and reinforcing my points. 
- Media audiences as I didn't have enough time I was only able to gain 2 marks of my small paragraph. If I was able to write more I should have write about the genders being portrayed, about how the catchy music goes well with the speech almost like a song and also how they are recognisable characters which the audience can identify with.

4) Which was your strongest question in Section A? Why did you do better in that particular question?

-For media institutions, I made points about the regional identity i.e accents, their traits of toughness. Also gaining points on representing working class culture and community but also how it entertains through media and appeals to the audiences.
5) Which was your weakest question in Section A? Again, try and identify why this happened. Did you misinterpret the question? Did you run out of time?

My weakest question would have to be Q.4 as I didn't write enough because of timing and so only gained 2 marks. I was able to state about the informality of the clip and using slang terms will help audiences identify with them. 

6) Rewrite your answer for your weakest question in Section A. This should now be a detailed, three-paragraph, level-4 response.


7) Now look at the mark scheme for Section B. Did you cover all three media platforms? Did you write about three different films in your essay? (If you missed out your independent case study this is clearly an area to revise for the real thing).

- In my section B I looked at only two different case studies as I had yet not looked in depth into my independent case study and so wasn't able to make my platforms more explicit. I repeated a lot of my points and but was able to reinforce most of them. 

9) Choose one paragraph from your Section B essay and re-write it to improve question focus, examples and written English if applicable. Make sure it is answering the question! 

The sequence for the video is very informal and used colloquial slang terms which a large British audience would identify with greatly jhbkjgv  graphsize 500,500
font "arial",10,100
openserial 1, "COM3"
x=250
y=250
dx=0
dy=0
for a = 1 to 90000
n=asc (read(1))
if int (n/10)=1 then dx=-1
if int (n/10)=2 then dx=0
if int (n/10)=3 then dx=1
if int (n/10)=4 then dy=-1
if int (n/10)=5 then dy=0
if int (n/10)=6 then dy=1
x=x-dx
y=y+dy

10) Read the Examiner's Report in full. For each question in Section A, look at whether you included the things the Chief Examiner refers to in the stronger responses. Did any of the problems identified with some answers apply to you? Be specific. 

-Media representations there was no great detail as I didn't link back to question topic which was about family or going into the obvious point of talking about gender representation in my paragraph. 

-Media Forms I specified specific parts of the clip which helped me gain marks such as quoting the people and stating which type of music was used to effect how audiences see the clip. 
-Media Institutions I should have done three different paragraphs for the relevant remit points which would have given my answer more structure and thus more marks. 

-Media Audiences I should of applied media thories, appeal and add specific points which focused on the question. 

11) Now look at the Examiner's Report for your chosen question in Section B. Did your response fit the stronger or weaker examples highlighted by the Chief Examiner? What could you have done differently to improve your mark for Section B?

- Time management, making sure i only spend 15 minutes per question in section A and have 45 minutes for Section B.
-Making sure I have time for exam prep. by doing a paper that isnt in time conditions and then another which is to try and gain full marks in the prep work. 

12) Finally, identify three things you will do differently in the real exam in two weeks. These can refer to preparation, notetaking, Section A or Section B - it is up to you. 

-I think timing my questions well as I kept going over a few minutes with each of my questions and so i wasnt able to finish one of the questions

-Revising more about Institutions to be able to apply it into my exam

-I think be able to time myself to write about my three films as I wasn't able to do so in the mock

- Include theories, where is relevant, at least in 2/3 paragraphs in section A. 

Independent case study

The basics

1) What is the name of the film, the director and notable stars?

The name of the film is Belle and the director was Amma Asante. Notable stars include Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Miranda Richardson, Penelope Wilton, Matthew Goode and Emily Watson. 
2) When was it released?

Release date: 2 May 2014 (United States) 13 June 2014(United Kingdom)

3) What genre is the film? What are the generic conventions that tell you the film belongs to this genre?

It would be a Period Drama film because of the in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Also the theme of racial prejudice is portrayed throughout the film which is a dramatic theme.  The character are dressed in period clothing and the scene are held in old rustic looking castles and manors which would is to make the film more realistic in portraying a certain time period.  

4) What was the critical reception? What is the film rated on IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes?

The film got a great reception of 7.4 out of 10 and on Rotten Tomatoes 83% (Critics 7/1- Audience 4.1/5). The film received recognition for creating an important involvement in the discussion of silence of race, slavery and black people in the construct of British history. 


Broadcast 

1) Write a close-textual analysis of the trailer using the MIGRAIN key concepts of Media Studies.



The trailer for Belle clearly shows the audience the time the movie was set due to the costumes that were worn. It was set in England in the late 1700s were racial attitudes has not completely changed compared today. This would attract the American audience as the film portrays the British culture back in the days and is a more glamorised version of period dramas which would attract a wider audiences other than that of a Britiish one. 
The lighting varies throughout the trailer to give different senses of the atmosphere during different parts. The non-diegetic sound helps to create the setting of an old-fashion British lifestyle and with the diegetic dialogues used accentuates the time period and allows the audience to feel engaged with the film.
The trailer itself helps to promote the film as it would be distributed around social media but also on the trailer, they reveal comments and ratings on the film. The trailer also shows the meaning behind the film, which is to do with racism and it includes the words "I have no idea she would be so black".

2) Find examples of television promotion on YouTube (adverts, chat shows, ‘red carpet’ interviews etc.) and post them to your blog along with an explanation of how these promote the film.

Gives a brief overview of the film along with promoting the new actors of the film.The chat show between most of the characters from Belle gives the audience some behind the scenes information about Belle and themes they want to express to the public are also stated. This helps promote the film because it keeps everyone interested and it helps increase the audience for the film as people would pay more attention to it. 



Shows Amma Asante, the producer's artistic views and goals along with exploring the main actress' perspective on her role in the film. This helps maintain the audiences attention toward the film as they would be intrigued to find out more about the Belle. 

This red carpet interview promotes the film because it helps create a buzz about the film Belle and gives the audience an overview of his character and what it was like on and off set.. This would be posted on YouTube which would interest people and help bring more interest to Belle. 

3) Does the broadcast promotion use stars to create interest in the film?

The broadcast promotion includes a variety of well known actors such as Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson and Penelope Wilton who have filmed many different period films and TV shows. Tom Felton who may be the most well known in the film due to his role as Draco Malfoy in the popular Harry Potter films, is also included in the cast. The female protagonist of Belle, Gugu Mbatha-Raw also sparked a lot of interest as she had never filmed a period film or TV show unlike the other actors, therefore creating curiosity and personal relationship within the audience as they were interested in finding out how her performance would be. 

Print 

1) Read at least THREE reviews of the film and provide a quote from each one.

Screen Daily: 'We are constantly aware that this is a world in which appearances and propriety are everything and where a woman’s status is measured by the fortune and title she might bring to a marriage.'

The Guardian:'Describing her film as a hybrid of "the Jane Austen elements we know so well – the marriage market, the lives of girls growing up into society ladies, the romantic longing – combined with a story about the end of slavery", Asante paints an enthralling portrait of a woman struggling to define her identity, caught between stairs in terms of social custom and protocol.'

The Independent: 'Perhaps today's British film industry has the same closed-minded attitudes about gender and race as the 18th-century high-society London recreated here.'


2) Find examples of print promotion (e.g. film poster, billboard adverts etc.) on Google images and post them to your blog along with an explanation of how these promote the film.


This DVD cover promotes Belle as this would be the cover that people see at DVD shops. The print has a close-up of the main character posing sophisticated which can be seen amongst the majority of the print promotion so it is almost like the film's Brand.  The use of a thin cursive writing used to suit the time period but also for the audience to have brand identification of the film as the same font appears frequently when the film is being promoted. 

This print promotion is a billboard poster which promotes the film to people on the streets by informing them when the film comes and who are the main characters. Also, it shows that people have already watched it and have given a review for the movie which is what the quotes and the different stars represent at the top of the poster.

This magazine cover promotes the film also because the main character is once again posing in a sophisticated manner. The font used to write the title of the film "Belle" is also similar to the font used for the DVD cover. 

As the poster is in a train station, it would reach a wide audience and convey the key points of the film through the poster. The face is takes up most of the left side to show how she is the main character and the other cast placed next to each other at the bottom, the mansion is seen at the back to appeal to the audience, as many people fell a sense of patriotism when seeing old historic British buildings and shows the era of the film. We can see the same text being used in the DVD cover and posters when promoting the film.

3) Choose ONE print advert and write a textual analysis of what it communicates to the audience.

Rolling Out is a magazine provides black celebrity news, entertainment, business and politics. Therefore it helps to increase the film Belle's fan base due to the relatable theme and narrative that Belle provides in the film itself. 

Gugu is seen in the magazine as a strong representation of women and as someone that all women should follow. This is because the posture that Gugu is posing conveys power and strength. The sell line also states the word "empower" which is definitely the theme that the magazine is trying to depict. The pose and the setting around her is usually how important royal people were asked to pose when having their painting drawn. Since she is in olden time costumer, the magazine might bring enigma codes as people will be confused why a mixed race women would be allowed to pose like that especially if the movie was set in the 1700's. This also gives hints about the narrative of the film because it is a true story all based around a picture where two women were drawn with equal standards despite being different races. 

4) How is the film’s brand constructed? What does the brand connote? Does it remind you of any other brands or similar films?

The film brand is constructed around the font of Belle as it is a recognisably way to recognise the film. Also the main character is a big part to the brand because she is always shown on chat shows or print promotions and when she is shown on these print works she is in the costume for the film and is posing in a sophisticated and powerful manner. 

Furthermore, The brand is constructed by giving a black woman positive attributes despite the way they were viewed during that time period; dirty and unworthy of respect. The name 'Belle' has strong connotations of beauty and refinement which Gugu Mbatha-Raw portrays with her acting. Along with her beauty, she also shows the knowledge a black woman can have which overall gives a very positive perspective to them.


E-media

1) Research the film’s presence on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc. How does the film’s social media presence help promote the film?

Twitter: No official Twitter but promotes the film through Amma Asante, the prodeucer's twitter account.

Facebook: Constant updates of the film along with displaying the awards they are nominated for

Instagram: Page for promoting Belle, however, numerous hashtags of users who enjoyed the film was to be seen. Helps promote the film b/c many people will see the hashtag as well as a picture of or from the movie.  Expands the fan base for the film.

2) Analyse the official website for the film. How does it use the film’s brand? What examples of synergy can you find with the other platforms?
-

3) Did the film run any kind of e-media based campaign to generate interest in the film?
-

4) Can you find any examples of the two-step flow theory online – did celebrities or journalists tweet or post about the film in order to promote it to their followers?

OPRAH-On Facebook, Oprah Winfrey stated: I loved the #BelleMovie so much I invited cast to lunch at my house. GuGu Mbatha-Raw is a rising star! Watch tonite on Entertainment Tonight. She then uploaded a picture of her with the stars of Belle.
This is an example of the two-step flow theory because, as a famous person who has millions of fans that look up to her and listen to her advice besides opinion. Oprah has shown her fan base that she loves the movie. This promotes the film because her fans would be interested to watch the movie and perhaps even love it because Oprah did. Also the picture she uploaded helps to promote the film and the stars as people would recognise them after seeing the picture. 


Audience

1) Who is the target audience for this film? Demographics and psychographics.

The target audience for the film is primarily the demographic of ABC1 with target audience ranging from 20 - 50 year olds. This is due to the period drama genre being more popular within older audiences however it might of had a certain extent of popularity within the younger audiences as Amma Asante particularly wanted to focus on the romance aspect rather than making the film a history lesson. 
2) How does the cross-media promotional campaign target this audience?
-


3) What audience pleasures does the film provide? Think about the BFI lecture on audience pleasures in British film.

Due to the use of British accents and olden time costumes that was worn in the 1700s, this would appeal to the British audience but also the American audience as they usually enjoy watching films that provide a historical background on Britain. There is also a sense of personal relationship in the film as the audience would feel sympathy for Dido and would taker her side and view her as the protagonist. It provides a sense of self identity for those who may have been discriminated due to their race. It also creates personal relationships with a few of the characters.

4) What similar films would the target audience enjoy? Justify your suggestions.

Films with a story behind it would greatly appeal to the target audience for example 12 years a slave as they both hold the theme of slavery and the protagonist fighting for their peoples rights . Other films would be those who send a positive message or a film that displays the change form our generation to the earlier generations.

Institution

1) Which film studio produced the film? What other films have they produced? Do they have a track record with this kind of film and this target audience?

DJ Films

Isle of Man Film
BFI

Pinewood Pictures

*Pinewood Pictures- Casino Royale

                                 Sky Fall

                                 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 & 2

                                Sherlock Holmes

Pinewood Pictures does not have a track record with period films for the aimed target audience that Belle has, however, they have a lot of experience with big budget British films, the most well known being some of the James Bond films, therefore, they would try and help Belle reach the success rates that other movies have achieved.  

2) Which company distributed the film in the UK? What other films have they distributed? 

Fox Searchlight Pictures
Slumdog Millionaire , 12 Years a Slave, Black Nativity and Birdman

3) Do they have a track record with this kind of film and this target audience?
They have a track record of similar period films that include black people such as 12 years a slave, which was a particular global success.4) What was the budget for the film?

$10.9m
5) How successful was the film financially? Why do you think this was?

The film was not very successful due to the narrative of Belle, despite it making around million dollars worldwide, The budget for the film was roughly 11million as well, meaning there wasn't much profit made. However, Belle's e-media and print campaign helped promote the film and make it more known. 

6) Was this film more successful in the UK or worldwide/USA? Why do you think this is?

The film was more successful in USA more than the UK and the rest of the world. This is probably due to the topic of racism being very much relevant in America audience more than a UK audience. Also, Americans enjoy watching British heritage films as it gives them a perspective of how Britain was and how modern Britain may be very similar.

7) What certificate was the film given (12A, 18 etc.)? What was the reason for this certificate? Is the certification important for this film in terms of targeting its audience? Why?

The certificate belle recieved for the film was a 12 A. this is due to the small strong language used in the film. Other than that, it is very family friendly and suitable for all ages. 




Representation

1) What representations of people, places or groups can be found in this film?

The representation of black people in the society is very apparent as they are stereotyped to be low and dirty. Also with the representation of white british people is very negative as they have a deep representation of being racist against people of other colours even if they are blood relatives. The representation of black people and white rich people is made here which brings us to what Dyer suggested about people with power stereotype those with less power. Their was representations of the places as their were many big houses and mansions shown which represents wealth and riches.

2) What representation of ‘Britishness’ does the film contain?
The film has a great representation of British heritage to be very sophisticated with class and status.You can see this through the british accents used and the costumes that people in Britain would wear in the 1700's. This also applies to the setting of the film as it is set in the late British times. However it also gives the representation that Britain had and may even still have racist opinions, similarly to the film, on coloured people.

3) How does the representation of Britain differ to Ill Manors? 
Ill Manors represents Britain as 'broken britain' and shows all the drugs and violence that happens on the streets. Their dressing is different as they were worn out, dark casual clothing to show their status as poor people living in Britain.  However, Belle showed the posh and rich side that Britain had with colourful gowns and 'sophisticated' way of speech than that of Ill Manors slang terms. 

4) What values and ideologies can you find in your chosen film? (E.g. The King’s Speech is extremely patriotic, pro-monarchy etc.) 

The main ideology and value shown here is about going against the ideology of everyone not being equal. Also the factor of strength and difference is applied to the film.


Case study comparison

1) What similarities and differences can you find between Ill Manors, A Field In England and your chosen case study film? List all that apply.

The similarities the film holds with Ill Manors and A Field in England is that all the films are filmed and show some sort of British side and also all three films show different representations of Britain during different time periods. Despite being British films, all the films have vastly different genres that give different portrayals of Britain.  They all show some sort of reality  and Belle and Ill Manors are both based on some sort of true story but Ill Manors focuses more on social realism.

MEST1 Section B: Institution research

Current case studies: financial figures

Ill Manors: Funding and production budget

What was the estimated budget for Ill Manors?

The estimated budget for iLL Manors was £100,000

Where did the money come from? List the different organisations and companies that contributed funding to Ill Manors?

Ben Drew refused funding for the film iLL Manors as he was an inexperienced director and wanted to gain the necessary experience. 

How did the Ill Manors budget compare to a Hollywood blockbuster such as Skyfall?

There is a stark contrast to the Hollywood movie Skyfall and iLL Manors as the budget for ill Manors was £100,000 and the budget for Skyfall was ‎$150–200 million.

A Field In England: Funding and production budget

What was the estimated budget for A Field In England?

The estimated budget for the film A Field In England was £300,000

Why did A Field In England manage to secure a higher budget than Ill Manors?

Ben Drew was inexperienced and iLL Manors was his first debut movie .Whereas as, Ben Wheatley was already an established director, which therefore made companies more confident with the film.  

Where did the money come from?  

The film was funded by Film4 Productions and Drafthouse Films. 

Film London and Microwave Film
Ill Manors was created partly thanks to Film London and Microwave Film. Revise the key details from your MEST2 research by answering the following questions:

What is Film London and why does it exist?

 Film London is a non-for-profit agency primarily supported by the national and regional government. It's aim is to support those who are making low budget films.

What is the purpose of Microwave Film?

Microwave film is about funding films, gives development and mentoring support to all films that have been shortlisted.

Choose one film funded by Microwave film and explain how it compares to Ill Manors (similarities and differences)

Shifty is another film which is similar to the film iLL Manors, they are both based in run down urban areas and the common theme which seems to appear is drugs and violence. The main character of the film Shifty is also in iLL Manors. The main difference between both of these films is that with iLL Manors there is more of a individual and his life whereas with Shifty the film is to do with two friends and the storyline is based on both of them. 

Vertigo Films and Warp Films

Your BFI Study Day on UK cinema focused on two important production companies in the British film industry: Vertigo Films and Warp Films. Revise what you learned on the trip by answering the following questions:

What are the most successful films Vertigo Films has been involved in?

Vertigo Films have made The Football Factory, Sweeney, Monsters, Step Up 2 and more

Why do you think those films were successful with their audience?

Vertigo took fresh and original ideas that made the films unique to watch for audiences.

What different film genres has Vertigo Films worked with?

Where did Warp Films start out?

Warp films first started out as Warp Records (the first version of itself) It was created by NESTA who also gave financial support, and had the remit to produce short films. It had set-up head quarters in Sheffield and in London. 

What are the most successful films produced by Warp Films?

This is England, 4 Lions and 71

How have Warp Films helped to develop new talent in the film industry?

They develop new talent by getting new film makers who have the talent to produce a film and make a bigger name for themselves. Also, they produce short films and help were established by Warp Records.

What titles have Vertigo and Warp Films produced that are similar to Ill Manors? Explain the similarities - it could be in terms of audience, location, content or genre.

Warp Films have produced Four Lions, which involves the same protagonist as the one in ill Manors, Riz Ahmed. The audience would be the same as ill Manors too, although the subject matter is different, the younger demographic would be appealed by this also.

Certification: BBFC

One final aspect of institution is the certificate a film is awarded for exhibition. This is decided by the British Board of Film Classification. Revise the key details regarding the BBFC from your MEST2 research by answering the following questions:

How does the certification process work at the BBFC?

The BBFC certification process works through identifying the content of the film and deciding what the rating should be depending on what it is that is being shown and then the age is decided. 'U' is suitable for all audiences, 'PG' is parental guide, '12A' is a Cinema release suitable for 12 years and over, '12' is a video release suitable for 12 years and over, '15'is suitable only for 15 years and over, '18' is suitable for adults only and 'R18' adults works for licensed premises only.

Think about the certificate of Ill Manors (18 certificate). What is deemed acceptable for an 18 certificate? What is the difference between a 15 certificate and an 18 certificate? 

An 18 rating films has a lot more explicit content than a film that is aged for the audience of 15 year olds. An 18 certificate film has more strong language, the violence is not hidden from the audience and will have more use of drugs and sexual content. A 15 rated film may have some of these but will not be as explicit.

Why was Ill Manors given an 18 certificate? How might this have affected the Ill Manors target audience and commercial success?

iLL Manors was given a 18 certificate due to the amount of strong language and the portrayal of sexual activity. This may have affected the iLL Manors target audience as it may have appealed to younger kids starting from the age of 16 and they wouldn't have been able to view the film as it has a 18 certificate. This therefore, could lower the commercial success due to fewer people seeing the film. 

What was the certificate for A Field In England? Why was this certificate awarded?

This was rated 15 as it had only included the use of drugs and hadn't really included adult themes such as criminal activity as the protagonists in the film are seen as escaping the warzone to go on a trip in the field as the title suggests.

What are the advantages and disadvantages for a film in being given an 18 certificate?

The advantages of a film being rated 18 is that audiences may assume the film is going to relate to their life styles because it wouldn't be appropriate for younger people to hear what they do. Also, being awarded an 18 certification would be that the correct audience would be able to see the film in the cinema and the content would not be limited, therefore the rawness and gritty reality can be seen accurately. There are no limits or restrictions, therefore it is more realistic. 

The disadvantage to this is that there would be that less people can watch the film.  Due to the age restriction, not many younger viewers could watch the film unless they are accompanied by an adult aged 18 or older which would make a minor improvement in sales but not a significant . Alos with the high age restriction of the movie and the inability of younger viewers to watch it may lead to illegal streaming and piracy of the movie instead.