Convergence and synergy

Synergy -  Synergy is the simultaneous (at the same time) release of different products to boost both. Synergy can be used most often by bigger companies as the different elements  (often a media conglomerate) work together to promote linked products across different media.


Convergence- the fact that ​newspapers, ​television, radio, and the ​internet are becoming less ​separate as ​technology develops: Media convergence ​means that we can now watch a newspaper's ​video ​report on our cellphone via the ​internet.

Class & Status

Social Class is a set of concepts in the social sciences and political theory centered around models of social stratification in which people are grouped into a set of hierarchical social categories. 

Status - the position of an individual in relation to another or others, especially in regard to social or professional standing.

Rewrite

Production

Jurassic World had been stuck in development hell as it was supposed to begin production in 2004 with a summer 2005 release but while the script went through revisions. Previous director Joe Johnson and actors from the last films such as Sam Neill had turned down doing another film. In 2002 William Monahan was announced as screenwriter, with Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy as producers of the supposed summer 2005 release.The original story would involve the characters devising a solution to restrict the spread of dinosaurs and prevent a ecological disaster. However from a suggestion from Spielberg, writers Rick Raffa and Amanda Silver explored the idea of a functional dinosaur park which is a main premise of the current film.Jurassic World being shot in 3D was announced in 2013 and its expected release to be in the June of the following year. Kathleen Kennedy stepped down from producing whose role was given to Frank Marshall. The final director for the film - Colin Trevorrow, was suggested in March 2013, with him ending up as the director during March 14th. The idea of a fully functional dinosaur park was the main plot used later on.Those who were involved in the previous films, signed up for the new film, with Richard Attenborough saying he would reprise his role as John Hammond and paleontologist Jack Horner also returning to the franchise.Actors such as Keira Knightley, Emmy Rossum and David Boreanaz were originally considered but later written out of the script or were not wanted by the films producers.The production companies involved are Amblin Entertainment- which was founded by Spielberg along with Legendary Productions, while Universal handled the distributions.In 2005 the idea which would be loosely used in the final film of using inspiration from the book ‘The Lost World’ which inspired the scene involving raptors and motorbikes. The movie had been with Universal Studios as they intended to begin production in 2004.On September 10th 2013, Universal Pictures confirmed that the film would be called ‘Jurassic World’ with a release date of June 12th 2015. In January 2014 the main roles would go to Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard
The film was chosen to be presented in 2.00:1 aspect ratio for it to be shown in IMAX screens. On February 7th Legendary Pictures agreed to co-finance the film providing 20% of the film budget.Cinematographer John Schwartzman used Panavision camera shooting on Kodak 35mm and 65mm film. Film Stock was also used in ‘effort to match the visual aesthetic’ of the previous films as well as gaining a greater dynamic range of light for the jungle scenes.Ex Machina was influenced by the director, Alex Garland's later ideas came from years of discussions he had been having with a friend with an expertise in neuroscience, who claimed machines could never become sentient. Trying to find an answer on his own he started reading books on the topic. Other inspirations came from films like Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.​​ The film was shot like ordinary live action. There were no special effects, green screen, or tracking markers used during filming. All effects were done in post-production. To create Ava's robotic features, they filmed the scenes both with and without actress Alicia Vikander's presence, which allowed them to capture the background behind her.  Camera- and body-tracking systems transferred Vikander's performance to the CGI robot's movements. In total, there were about 800 VFX shots, of which 350 or so were robot shots.​​Filming Principal photography rolled from April to August 2014, primarily in Louisiana while also using the original Jurassic Park filming locations in Hawaii.Animatronics were handled by Legacy Effects while CGI was handled by Industrial Light & Magic which was used thoroughly throughout the movie.Filming took place in Honolulu Zoo in Hawaii, Hawaii Convention Center, Six Flag theme park in New Orleans as well as Louis Armstrong International Airport, Slidell, Louisiana and inside Big Easy Studios.Filming was concluded on August 5th 2014. Ex Machina was shot over four weeks in 2013 at Pinewood Studios and two weeks at Juvet Landscape Hotel in Valldalen, Norway. It was filmed in digital at 4K resolution.15,000 mini-tungsten pea bulb lights were installed into the sets to avoid the fluorescent light often used in science fiction films.The opening office scene is filmed at the Bloomberg Head Office in Finsbury Square, London.Exhibition and Distribution Jurassic World was officially released on June 12th 2015, while the first public premiere was held on may 29th 2015. The movie was shot in 3D much like successful, high grossing films, with it also  being shown across the world in 809 IMAX theatres.The film was re-launched as IMAX 3D on August 28th 2015 by Universal with the company spending a total of $34.9 million on TV advertisements.The film later released in October 2015 on DVD, Blu-Ray, and 3D Blu-Ray.Ex Machina was released in the United Kingdom on 21 January 2015 through Universal Pictures. The film screened on 14 March 2015 at the South by South west festival prior to a theatrical release in the United States on 10 April 2015 by A24 Films.

Games such as that of Lego Jurassic World as well as an application ‘Jurassic World: The Game were released in 2015.A theme park in Italy in collaboration with Universal opened a new area called Dinoland which featured 54 reproductions of dinosaurs and six attractions. The film was a commercial success as it is currently at $1.669 billion on a budget of $150 million currently making it the third highest grossing film of all time. It was nominated for 5 Teen Choice awards, one Hollywood Visual Effects award, as well as three Peoples Choice awards, including favourite movie and actor.On a budget of $15 million, Ex Machina grossed over $36 million worldwide and received critical acclaim for its writing and acting. The National Board of Review recognized it as one of the ten best independent films of the year, and Vikander received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. Synergy & Convergence In social media, Jurassic World had a total of 1,6,0.406 mentions with majority of which coming from Europe and North American Countries and 73% being positive. Online interactive websites were created in order to give of a real movie theme park experience to the viewers of the film so that it can also market the filmAll digital and physical formats were used in its distribution with it generating $82.6 million in its first week and $3 million copies of blue-ray and DVD being sold also in its first week.Ex Machina was released on DVD and Blu-ray with combined sales of $7,009,294.
Using the dating app Tinder, a profile was created for Ava with the image of Alicia Vikander. At the South by South west Festival where the film was screened, "Ava" was matched with other Tinder users, where in a text conversation occurred that lead users to the Instagram handle promoting the film. Audience & InstitutionThe film had a rating of 12A in the UK due to how it had mild violence, and use of language.The film and its team included various different features which would have appealed and increased the popularity from the audience of it.These included that of special effects and fast pace action sequences which would cater well to the audience as well as the likeness and homages of the previous films which helped welcome the old fans as well. The film used a range of effects including animatronics, CGI and performance capture in order to create realistic looking dinosaurs and other features including explosions.The first Jurassic Park was an innovation in film while Jurassic World incorporates modern technology along with returning animatronic dinosaurs so that the production value make the film more visually impressive.Ex Machina received a 15 in the UK for strong language, bloody violence, sex references. The film did not have a reliance of CGI also due to the budget however this also gave more focus to the acting and characters in which the performances were well received. On website Rotten Tomatoes, The site's critical consensus reads: "Ex Machina leans heavier on ideas than effects, but it's still a visually polished piece of work—and an uncommonly engaging sci-fi feature.When compared, Jurassic World and Ex Machina are very different movies both through production and themes. The blockbuster with an existing fan-base and larger budget succeed in what it does as it is currently the third highest grossing film of all time. The marketing was also a big help as it expanded the film's word of mouth as it was marketed on a variety of media such as games, social media, toys etc. Obviously you would expect a big name blockbuster to perform more successfully commercially. While Ex Machina itself was more of an independent film which was however distributed by Universal Pictures (including Jurassic World).Marketing was also a lot more underwhelming as it didn't have extensive use of selling products or making games. This decreased it's word of mouth as less people would know about it during release however due to being a critically acclaimed film after release, it would increase interest overtime as it is an independent film. One thing that Ex Machina achieved better than Jurassic World is through positive feedback as 92% on rotten tomatoes compared to 71%.  

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Audience and Institutions

Dr Who

 Mid shot of female character, Martha Jones framed with two security guards behind, signifying imprisonment, or that she is held captive. In a mid shot, Martha glances to the left creating the impression that she is looking at something or someone.  Cut to a tracking shot left to right shot of three ‘servants’ apparently under arrest, signified by the uniformed guard who is holding an armed rifle. Cut back to the framing of Martha Jones who is looking nervously ahead, the camera shot is taken from a high angle, creating a perspective of fear or not knowing.

 Cut to a mid shot of the Master, from a low angle, this suited character has a menacing appearance to him, the camera cut back to the female as she then looks right, signify continual awareness of what is around her. Cut to an a blackened faced man who is also held captive (Captain Jack) who has ‘been in the wars’.

There is the use of gradual zooms in this sequence of shots to signify the movement of the character as slow, meaningful, perhaps hesitant? This is anchored by the atmosphere of the music as is the Martha Jones who is on parade or about to bow/ become subservient to the Master. • In contrast, earth is represented by the shots of the female character, who is on a journey informing the people of the crucial name they all need to chant: Doctor. Earth is represented as gloomy and in danger. Earth’s inhabitants appear dull and dressed in mundane rags.

 In metamorphosis the doctor is surrounded by a radiant blue light as he changes from a fragile old man to the his real self. The dominance of the field of light is a part of the special effect, which signifies an empowered Doctor. This can clearly be contrasted to the feeble old man who was caged by the Master. A rejuvenated doctor is strong, confident and at the top of his powers, signified by the ineffectiveness of the Master’s ray gun in trying to kill the Doctor.

 The use of costume and performance is important to the extract. The humans are represented by the ‘ordinariness’ of their costume and actions. In contrast, the Master is bold smart and well presented, he is surrounded by armed guards with weapons, the woman to his right in a red dress, is represented as an object as she stands by his side, as do his uniformed male helpers to his left.

 For most of the extract the Master is positioned powerfully in the frame whilst he controls the interior of the spaceship and the characters, the Doctor undergoes a transformation when the Doctor becomes a man again, he is reborn and becomes a powerful challenger to the Master’s powers, which have evaded him by the end of the extract.

 The exposure of the Master’s weapon ‘rings’ and the zap of the laser gun at the end of the sequence, signifies weapon like qualities. These sounds are diegetic and apart of the world of the drama. The pulses of music are used to signify moments of flashback and function as signposts for these narrative changes.

 The wind is harrowing as Martha Jones walks the earth and the metallic jingle, which accompanies the Doctor’s metamorphosis signifies the magic of the transformation.

  Confidence is exuded by the Master’s voice and the dialogue is important in the function of the narrative, for example in his glee and oratory in destroying earth. The voice of the Martha Jones is important and significantly develops and becomes more pronounced, when the extract reveals her role as the messenger, this voice changes from the timid to be more confident and louder as she explains her role in the Master’s downfall.

 The editing is characterised by the use of cut transitions and the use of transitional flash effects to signpost past events. The pacing of the extract is important at the beginning of the sequence it is slow and orchestrated as the female character slowly marches towards the Master – this slowness in the sequence of shots signifies her attention, to what is happening around her.

 The editing is more dramatic and faster paced when the prime minister is controlling the technology and in conversation, where editing provides continuity through the use of character perspective and functions to carry the narrative forward.

 There is plenty evidence of the use of shot reverse shots, for example in dialogue between Martha Jones and the Master. The use of the 180-degree rule is evidenced in the dialogue led drama, these are combined with the shot selections outlined above. The use of the shot reverse shot provides continuity in the narrative as the plot is revealed and develops specific points of view for the audience, particularly in relation to the conversation between Martha Jones and the Doctor. Representation

Martha Jones is shown to be strong woman who acts independently and is a central character of the narrative and is a messenger. She is a confident woman and she who helps the Doctor defeat the Master. She is articulate and confident, yet calm under pressure. The Doctor’s victory was due to Martha spreading the message about the doctor thus helping him and thus sealing their victory.

Film promo research

Jurassic park from Darrel990

Editing

ACTION MATCH When following a single character (e.g. Billy Elliot dancing) this is a purely technical device. However, when an action match is used for intercutting, it can heighten the parallels/contrasts between two different characters in two different situations and offers an
opportunity for juxtaposition.

 

EYELINE MATCH Eyeline match usually provides insight to a character's private thoughts.

FINAL SHOT In any scene, which character or characters are shown in the final shot of the sequence? This is often the character with which the audience is expected to identify.
INTERCUTTING: JUXTAPOSITION Although typically a narrative device, intercutting can set up juxtaposition between parallel storylines, exaggerating the impact or meaning of each by highlighting a point of difference

 INTERCUTTING: TENSION When intercutting is used to draw two storylines together, this can be structured to create tension, and therefore heighten the audience’s identification with a particular character.

 JUMP CUTS These are rarely used in TV or film; when they are, they tend to suggest either a) chaos and disorder, b) self-conscious ellipsis (drawing attention to the rapid pace of the action) or c) a director who likes to break the rules!

 MOTIVATION A motivated edit is any transition forced on the editor by the development of the action, narrative or character. Whenever shot (a) refers to the existence of an event outside the frame, and we then cut to (b) which shows that event, that’s a motivated edit. We can sometimes judge a character’s worth or importance by the number of cuts they motivate.

 PACE OF EDITING This can imply character qualities, especially if only one or two characters are in the sequence. A fast pace might suggest energy or panic (depending on context) while infrequent cuts (long takes) might suggest calm, a casual attitude, or provide documentary-style realism (as in Cast Offs). Similar effects can be achieved with speed ramping and slow-motion.

 PREVALENCE How much screen time does a character get? The more time we see them on screen, the more important their role. This can develop during a scene to change character’s status. 

SELECTION: to show or not to show As film-makers yourselves, it can sometimes be interesting to ask what information has been included or omitted in an edit.

 SHOT / REVERSE SHOTS and REACTION SHOTS S/RS indicates the relationship between two characters: it signifies and sometimes exaggerates their closeness or their opposition (depending on the context). The amount of time given to a character’s reaction shots can convey their status in the scene. For example, if two characters are in S/RS conversation, do they get equal screen time, or do we spend more time looking at one character, speaking and reacting? Equally (though this is also a function of camera, are the two characters framed equally?)