Ill Manors broadcast platform: TEDx lecture

Ill Manors raises important questions in terms of ideology, moral panic and the representation of class and youth in mainstream media.

Key notes

What is an ideology?
An ideology is a world view, a system of values, attitudes and beliefs which an individual, group or society holds to be true or important; these are shared by a culture or society about how that society should function.

What is a dominant ideology?
Dominant ideologies are views and beliefs that are accepted by most people in society without thinking – they are seen as common sense.


A good example would be that the characters in Ill Manors are bad – they are criminals or drug users and deserve punishment.

Dominant ideology and moral panic
One key aspect of ideology and the media is that certain issues that might challenge the dominant view become major concerns for society.


Sociologist Stanley Cohen coined the phrase ‘moral panic’ to describe this situation.

Examples of moral panic:

• Violent movies/videogames
• Gangs
• Paedophilia
• Terrorism
• Pornography

Ill Manors: TEDx lecture blog task

Create a new blogpost called Ill Manors: TEDx lecture and complete the following tasks: 




1) Embed the above video in your blogpost and read this Guardian article that accompanied the original event. Remember to also look at the comments below - these can give you a variety of different perspectives and criticisms to the original lecture.

2) Make notes on the lecture: focus on Plan B/Ben Drew's views on the opportunities for young people in London and how these inspired Ill Manors.

3) What are Plan B's beliefs/politics? What are his values/ideologies? Explain your answers.

4) Who is the target audience of the TEDx lecture? Demographics? Psychographics? How do you know? How does this compare to the audience for his music/films? Is there more than one audience for this talk?

5) What does Plan B say about the media? Explain how this can be linked to Cohen's media theory of moral panics? Read this summary of moral panics and the definition from Wikipedia and use them in your answer.


Complete these questions for homework if you don't get them done in the lesson - due for your next double Media lesson.

Ill Manors broadcast: music video analysis

The Ill Manors music video is a great example of cross-promotion and synergy.

The institutions behind Plan B/Ill Manors tapped into Plan B's music fanbase to promote both the film and soundtrack album. Analysing the music video gives you another superb example to discuss in your MEST1 Section B essay and allows you to write about the synergy (links) between the two texts.

Ill Manors: music video

Ill Manors is a hip hop protest song by English singer and songwriter Plan B. The track was released in the United Kingdom in March 2012 through the American company Atlantic Records (a subsidiary of the Warner Music Group conglomerate) as the lead single from the Ill Manors soundtrack, a low budget film which Plan B also directed. The song was written in reaction to the 2011 riots across England, and specifically Plan B's perception of "society's failure to nurture its disadvantaged youth." The song deals with both the causes and the consequences of the riots, concentrating on society's attitude towards the disadvantaged youth population. Drawing upon Plan B's own experiences of being expelled from school the song sarcastically attacks the media view of working class children: "Keep on believing what you read in the papers / Council estate kids — scum of the earth." 

Writing in The Independent, Tim Walker called it "an all-time great protest song." However, Samuel Breen, also writing for The Independent, describes the song as "a cliché riddled attack on politics" and suggests that Plan B is justifying the action taken by the rioters, something Plan B denies.

The music video for "Ill Manors" expands upon the themes of the song, and uses footage from the 2011 riots. David Cameron and Nick Clegg, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, both feature in the video, despite not being mentioned in the lyrics. However, Cameron's "Hug a Hoodie" campaign is alluded to.




Ill Manors music video: blog task

Watch the music video again and analyse it closely, making detailed notes. Use the same skills you are developing for the MEST1 Section A unseen text. 

Answer the following questions on your blog using the minimum three-paragraph structure we have discussed for MEST1 Section A:

Media Forms
How is it typical of a music video? 
(Use this PowerPoint on the key conventions of music videos to help you).

Media Representations
How does it represent the London riots/rioters?

Media Audiences
What audience pleasures does the music video offer?

Media Institutions
How does the music video help to promote the film of the same name?


Ill Manors soundtrack research task

Research the Ill Manors track and soundtrack album - focusing particularly on the institutions and critical reception. Find out:

• the record companies/institutions behind Plan B
• sales/downloads for the soundtrack
• music reviews 
• Plan B's fans' reviews and comments

Post the research on your blog below the music video analysis - minimum of 350 words research (bullet points and sub-headings are fine in terms of structure).

Complete for homework - due next week.

Ill Manors broadcast platform: film trailer analysis

For our MEST1 Section B case study on Ill Manors, we need to study media products linked to the film across three platforms: broadcast, e-media and print.

Our first platform is broadcast and this will involve analysing a variety of moving image texts including the trailer, music video and more.

Ill Manors trailer analysis



Consider the discussion points from analysing the Ill Manors film trailer in class - then watch it again and answer the questions below on your blog:

1. What are the typical codes and conventions of film trailers - what information is usually provided?
2. How are trailers usually distributed? 
3. How does the Ill Manors trailer use film trailer conventions?
4. Watch the trailer carefully and discuss how it might attract an audience. Firstly, think about who the target audience for Ill Manors might include. Does it have a unique selling point or use particular techniques to appeal to the audience? Consider the way the scenes are edited together – does the trailer give away any clues about the narrative? Are the main stars visible in the trailer? Is there information about the director of the film? Is there information about the release date? Is a narrator’s voice-over used? Why?
5. How has the genre of the film been represented through characters, settings, lighting, colour, music/dialogue, camera shots/movements/angles and editing?

The final questions (4 and 5) require you to carry out a detailed analysis like you would for a Section A exam question so make sure you include specific examples from the clip and use correct media terminology. If you are looking for an A grade, try and apply some media theory too. 

If you don't finish in class, finish for homework - due next lesson.

Homework reminder


Don't forget your additional homework: 500 word review of lll Manors. All the details and useful links are here.

Ill Manors: film review

Use the planning sheet we worked on in class to write a 500-word review of Ill Manors.

Look at examples of film reviews and make sure you use the key conventions:

• Name of film, year of release and director
• Optional star rating
• Basic introduction to plot and characters - without giving away the ending!
• Comments on notable elements, strengths or weaknesses
• Your own views on the film (ideally blended with the point above)
• A snappy or memorable ending that sums up the film

You can also use film sites to help you - these contain a mixture of user-written reviews and links to professionally written reviews:

• IMDB
• Rotten Tomatoes

These are good for inspiration but DON'T be tempted to plagiarise. It is painfully obvious when someone cuts and pastes work that is not their own - don't even attempt it.

Homework due date: set by your exam class teacher

MEST2 Print brief

Your MEST2 Print brief is as important as the video work you are currently filming. 

It is crucial that you research, plan and design print work that could comfortably holds its own alongside professional examples. Our AQA MEST2 brief is here, with the key task as follows:

Print
All entrants have been asked to create pages for a promotional booklet which will demonstrate the variety of local film-making talent and provide information on the shortlisted entries. Each entrant is therefore asked to create their own pages for the booklet. You should create two to three A4 pages. You are encouraged to be creative in your approach and try to make your pages distinctive and visually appealing. You should include information about you, your production team and the film itself.


What do you need to produce?

1) A5 Little Picturehouse programme front cover featuring YOUR film
2) A5 Double-page spread contents page
3) A5 Double-page spread feature on YOUR film

Now complete the following tasks to plan and prepare your print work:

Research

1) Key conventions. Look over the magazine cover key conventions notes sheet and ensure you can confidently identify the key aspects that are found on a magazine cover.

2) Write an analysis of this BFI Film Festival programme front cover. How many of the 12 key conventions of magazine covers can you see? In what way does this print product differ from a traditional magazine cover? How have the designers made this programme visually interesting?

3) Find at least 5 arts centre or cinema programmes/brochures aimed at a similar target audience to your project (arthouse cinema). For each one, pick out one design idea that you could use in your own print work.

4) Find at least 5 contents pages from arts programmes or magazines. How are contents pages designed? How do they use a combination of text and images to create an effective design?

Planning and sketching

1) Create a spider diagram or bullet point list of all the things your target audience might be interested in. How can you use this information to create a main feature about your film that will appeal to your target audience?

2) Produce an A5 sketch of your front cover including the key conventions and design tricks you have studied in existing programmes and then planned in planning task 1 above.

3) Produce an A4 sketch of your double-page spread contents page. In terms of the text for your contents page, you will need to find out the names of the films of other groups in your class. The other films in the class will make up the rest of your contents page.

4) Create a spider diagram or bullet point list of ideas for your double-page spread feature. Write a list of potential headlines and sub-headings for the article you choose to go with.

5) Produce an A4 landscape sketch of your double page spread design now you have chosen the subject matter.

Photoshoot

1) Which of your main characters will appear on the front cover of your programme?

2) What image or images do you need for the contents page?

3) What image or images will you use for the double-page spread?

4) Write a shot list for the photoshoot. Make sure you plan a variety of camera shots you will look to capture - medium shots, close-ups etc.

5) What costume, props or make-up will you require for the photoshoot?

Use the lesson to complete these planning tasks but you'll need to finish for homework - due date is your class's photoshoot (confirmed by your coursework teacher). 

Immediate homework
In Microsoft Word, write the text for your double page spread feature. Plan it out carefully then write a headline, sub-heading and around 500 words for the main article (depending on the type of feature you have chosen).

Due date: confirmed by your coursework teacher.

The British film industry: institutional context

To complete our introduction to the British film industry, we need a little more institutional background.

We will be using another Media Factsheet to finish our background research on this exam topic. Complete the following tasks on your blog:

1) Find Media Factsheet #100 on the British film industry. Save it to USB or email it to yourself so you have access to the Factsheet for homework. You can find the Factsheet on the Media Shared drive - M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets.

2) Read the whole of Factsheet #100 British film industry

3) What is the 'cultural test' to see if a film counts as British?

4) Complete the task on the Factsheet, researching the films listed and finding out what they score on the cultural test: Sweeney, Attack The Block, The King's Speech, We Need To Talk About Kevin and Skyfall.

5) What is the main problem for the British film industry?

6) What are three of the strengths of the British film industry?

7) What are the two options for the future of the British film industry?

8) In your opinion, which of these two options would best safeguard the future of the British film industry?

You have a week to complete these tasks for homework as next week's lessons will be used to watch our case study film Ill Manors. Exact due date set by your Exam class teacher.

January assessment: Learner response

The January assessment is a good opportunity to look at the skills we need to develop prior to the real MEST1 exam on Thursday 18 May.

Most students find that the MEST1 Section A unseen is the weakest element of the exam and therefore requires serious practice, revision and preparation. It's important to reflect on the areas to work on and make sure that you improve your performance in future. Particular elements we noticed when marking included:

• Focus on the question: don't write about sound if the question states mise-en-scene
• Paragraphing and organisation: you should be aiming for 3-4 well-developed paragraphs for each question with a clear topic sentence for each paragraph
• Media terminology and theory: revise the key theories, particularly for audience and representation

January assessment: learner response

Your learner response for the January assessment is as follows:

1) Type up your feedback in full in a new blogpost called 'January assessment learner response' (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you don't want to)

2) Read the Mark scheme and Examiners' Report for the Sussex Safer Roads MEST1 exam.

3) Use the information you read in the mark scheme and Examiners' Report to re-write your weakest question into a superb, well-developed answer below your typed up feedback. 

If you have two questions on the same lower mark, choose the one you feel is your weaker area. We want you to use all the links and documents to help you - the objective here is to use all possible resources to write as close to a 12-mark answer as you possibly can.

The Sussex Safer Roads Embrace Life clip is available here:




The question paper you took on is available here.

If you don't finish this in the lesson make sure it is completed for homework - due for your double lesson next week.

British Film History: Social Realism Genre and Sub Genres

The British Film Industry

We have made notes and watched clips from various eras of, the British Film Industry over this week. 

If you have missed notes on any decades, please make sure that you catch up. 

Social Realism

We examined social realism in 1950s/1960s and how this genre has evolved over time. Originally focussing on angry young protagonists, disillusioned with modern society and usually suffering social privation, this movement has evolved into a number of hybrid and sub-genres featuring provocative, authentic and raw human stories. 

Next week we will be screening our case study film: Ill Manors. It was made as a crime drama film in 2012 but has elements of the genre of urban social realism due to its use of urban East London locations, gritty and authentic dialogue, an exploration of social issues and real life influence (Plan B wrote it when he was 21, basing the original concept on an incident of a raid by police on his home.) 

If you are interested in this topic and want to find out more, here are some useful places you can go:

1) Best British Films- Time Out's list of the best of British film 

2) Films that could only have been made in Britain: An interesting article about what it means for a film to be British and how the industry  has flourished and been extremely diverse over the years. 

3) An interesting Guardian article about this year's BAFTA nominated social realist film, 'I, Daniel Blake'. The article discusses the credibility of the film, made in 2016 by celebrated social realist director Ken Loach, which uses authentic docu-drama style to examine and critique the social welfare system in Britain and how it is failing many of its working class.

4) Social Realism - A BFI history- A history of Social Realism in cinema throughout the ages with recommendations of films to watch to gain more insight into the genre and its sub-genres.  

MEST1 Section B: The British film industry

We will be focusing on the British film industry for Section B of your MEST1 exam.

In your lesson, you will have been taken through the rich history of British film from the Second World War to the 2000s. Your blog task is as follows:

1) Use our brilliant Media Factsheet archive on the M: drive Media Shared (M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets)to find Media Factsheet #132 on British Film. 

2) Read the whole of Factsheet #132 British Film

3) Write a one-sentence definition of what makes a film British.

4) What is the difference between a Hollywood production context and production context of a British film?

5) When did the James Bond franchise start?

6) In terms of film censorship and graphic content, what began to change in British film in the 1970s and 1980s?

7) What groups are often represented in British film? Give examples of films these groups feature in.

8) What does the Factsheet suggest might be the audience appeal of British film?

Complete for homework anything you don't finish in the lesson - due date set by your Exam class teacher.

Happy new year!

Welcome back and happy new year for 2017!

We’ve got an incredibly important term coming up – it’s only 11 weeks to Easter and in that time we will be completing all of our coursework and stepping up our exam preparation.

In your exam lessons, you will be focusing on Section B of the MEST1 exam. This will explore the British film industry and particularly the critically acclaimed 2012 London-based social realist drama Ill Manors from director Ben Drew (better known as Plan B). You’ll be researching and discussing the film in real depth across the print, broadcast and e-media platforms looking at how the film was made, marketed and promoted. Towards Easter, you’ll also be choosing a big-budget British film to research independently to give you the second case study you need for Section B of the exam.

In terms of coursework, this is the term when you will shoot and edit your film as well as photographing and designing the print brief. There’s a lot of work and the time will fly by so make sure you’re organised, committed and as creative as you can be.

What can you do to maximise your grade in AS Media Studies?

Now is the time to really step up your consumption of wider issues and debates in the media. If you want an A grade, you need to be doing the following as a minimum:

• Keeping up with the Media Guardian to find out the big stories in the media each week – particularly on a Monday.

• Reading each issue of Media Magazine. Our full archive is available here – the latest issue (MM58) has excellent features on Brexit, streaming and diversity - all incredibly important and relevant topics. 

• Using our incredible NEW archive of Media Factsheets to revise and increase your knowledge of wider media issues and debates. There are over 100 topics covered, many of them highly relevant to our exam preparation and coursework. They are available on our M: Media Shared drive under Resources > A Level. Make the most of the them! 

We made excellent progress last term and have given ourselves the platform to achieve the very top grades in Media. Now, we need to go out and get them. Good luck!