Cross Media Study Slide 1 - TDKR

Film Media in Context:

How does the industry promote the film to audiences using:

• Print media?
• Broadcast media (TV/Radio/DVD)?
• E-Media?

TDKR uses billboards, bus-stops and the like to promote through print. They also use interviews and articles to promote the actors/actresses and film. All of this creates awareness and starts the whole synergy process. Promotion through broadcast is done with trailers and teaser clips on youtube and was also shown on t.v. and before movies in the cinema. The audience is also able to purchase the DVD on amazon etc and the official website (http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/dvd/home.php). The DVD contains behind the scenes footage which may also be seen on youtube. TDKR also uses –media to promote the film. The film has official pages on both Facebook and Twitter. This is all so the audience can feel even more involved with the film raising popularity.

Now look at each platform individually:

• What are they key issues and changes taking place in each platform?

-       Print Media is not instant and free like E-Media

Print media in recent years has declined in popularity as it is not instant and is mostly not free compared to the more popular option of e-media. I think this is due to the increase in technology. Although this is the case, the public can read these articles and interviews online, such as on tablets and smart-phones. One disadvantage is information found through print which may be out of date.
Christian Bale Interview EMPIRE MAG
Anne Hathaway Interview EMPIRE MAG

• TV is becoming less dictated by scheduling (Sky+), more and more specialist channels, competition from the likes of YouTube

The increase of ‘On Demand’ and ‘Plus’ services means that audiences don’t have to dedicate a certain period of time to watch the scheduled program. Instead they can record the program and watch it later at the click of a button. This means that audiences are able to skip over advertisements by forwarding them. This means that the audience may not see the advertisement for the film and therefore the film can’t be promoted to this segment of the audience. This also integrates with online features as the on demand features can be used online or on-the-go.

• E-Media is hard to police (piracy); people are bombarded with information; social networking and increasing audience participation (user generated content)

E-media has had a great advantage to the industry as it allows audiences to access information and participate on a much greater scale. This makes the audience feel more involved with the film causing them to go watch it. However, with the increase in e-media, there is shown to be an increase in piracy. Because of this, it is becoming increasingly hard to police this piracy.
Trailer 1
Trailer 2

How is each platform responding and adapting to these issues and changes?

• Focus on how they are adapting to:
• CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES

Through the change in technology, films have become more wildly available through on demand streaming services (Netflix, iPlayer, etc). However, this can cause people to illegally download said films. Print has also adapted with changing technologies by making articles and interviews available on demand online. This means viewers can read on-the-go aswell.

• CHANGING AUDIENCE BEHAVIOURS (all audiences, not just the young!)

A change in audience behaviours has shown that views now access social media to find out about films, but, this is a free means of advertising the film.

GTA V Mock

1. What codes and conventions does the trailer use to establish the text’s genre?

Many different codes and conventions are used in the trailer to establish the text's genre. Some are the use of guns and violence, as well as police chases and physical fighting. We see most of this towards the end of the trailer as Rockstar want us to see the most action in the climax of the trailer.Another convention is the introduction of the 'Rockstar' brand in the first 10 seconds. This allows the audience to make themselves comfortable with the trailer if they are familiar with the brand. The next code seen is the use of dialogue from the game as narration for the trailer. This is a very common convention of game trailers which is often overlooked. The final code/convention I'm going to talk about is sound. The diagetic sound heard is mainly dialogue, gunshots, car/police sounds and explosions. All of this adds a sense of realism as all of these sounds interact in a lifelike manner.

2. How is war represented in the trailer?

War and Crime in general is represented in many different ways throughout the trailer. A dominant representation the audience would see is that, essentially, crime leads to bad consequences. This can be taken with a 'pinch of salt', however, as not many bad repercussions are seen in trailer itself. An alternative representation seen by the audience would be the view of the whole humour side of the game, and that nothing is taken seriously. The characters are shown as pleased with the life they lead which isn't something you would associate with crime and violence. The trailer shows only one woman throughout. This supports the theory of Berger: "Men act, women appear". This could tell us that men are more suited to a life of crime than women.

3. In what ways is the trailer typical of the video game industry?

The trailer is in many ways typical of the video game industry. One way is the use much violence and chaos. This makes the user feel part of this world and that they belong. The trailer also features many action and enigma codes (Barthes), which are represented by such things as the guns, explosions and the cliffhanger at the end. The action codes tell the audience what is about to happen which helps the audience to understand the narrative. The enigma codes create a sense of wanting more, which in turn, causes the watcher to buy the game.

4. Who does this text appeal to and what pleasures does it offer?

I believe the text targets many different audience profiles. A demographic of C1, C2, D and even E have been targeted. This is because the violent nature of the trailer/game may appeal to this demographic. Also, a demographic of A or B may be offended. A psychographic of mainly mainstreamer's would have been targeted as this group always follows trends as this game may become a massive trend. Also, a group of aspirer's may have also been targeted as this group 'aspire's' to better things. This group wants quality, rather than quantity, which the game provides.

Frozen Planet Learner Response

Institution:

I think that by including behind the scenes footage of the documentary, the BBC hope to get across the recognition they want for the producers and cameramen/women of the show, as this is rarely seen in wildlife documentaries where only the animals and presenter are shown. Also, the BBC is seen as a traditional and old fashioned. Showing the behind the scenes footage show that they are trying to innovate through technological change. This shows the BBC is moving with the times so they can meet their consumers needs.

Furthermore, the BBC may have wanted this series to stand out from other successful documentary series. This can be seen as the Frozen Planet series brought in an audience of 7 million strong. Also, The BBC are emphasising the difficulty of filming this series, by including the extra footage, as it took 4 year to film using a vast amount of finance. This all could help improve the image of the public service broadcaster.

Forms:

Pace of editing varies throughout the clip. This is done to achieve many things. Such as when the penguins are shown in slow motion. The change in fluidity provides a change from the norm/faster paced editing style. Also, the narrative provides us with the characters, which links back to Propp's theory. The slow motion shots were only shown when the problem with the camera was resolved. The sound in parts like this helps the audience to know what to feel. When the problem was presented, non-diagetic sound helped the audience feel remorse for the cameraman. When the problem was resolved, the reward was given (the slow motion shots) and a non-diagetic sound was played to make the audience feel happy. There provide action codes from Barthes theory. Also, The diagetic sound of the penguins landing on the cameraman allows the audience to feel like they are part of the scene.

Representations:

I think, through a behind the scenes section, the camera crew come across as people who know what they are doing and are professionals. However, they are seen to be a bit experimental. This can be seen when one cameraman scuba-dives underwater and films under the ice to see thing from the penguins perspective. The theory of Berger can come into play here. Berger says "Men act and women see". This can be seen in the clip as there were only white males operating cameras and no females to be seen. This can support the Levi-Strauss theory of dominant ideology driving stereotyping as this emphasises the 'white, male, middle class nature of the BBC'.

Audience:

The BBC's motto is "to enrich people's lives with programmes and services that inform, educate and entertain". Evidence proving that have achieved this is seen when reading that the program brought in at least 7 million viewers. And that this is the most viewed natural history series in the UK. The have also proven that they can inform and educate alongside entertaining. This can be seen when a penguin belly flops in slow motion. This comical element is only shown after has been educated. Also, Medhurt's theory as stereotypes being used as a type of shorthand is seen as this gives the audience a lot of information in a short space of time.

Extra paragraph practising case study essay

There are many similarities and differences between the codes and conventions of the media products in this case study. One similarity is how Plan B is represented throughout all platforms. In each platform, such as broadcast (Jonathan Ross show); print (Guardian interview article); e-media (Facebook/Twitter/YouTube page), he is seen as the same 'character', answering questions in the same manner with the same 'rehearsed' answers. He is also seen talking about the same topics and simplistic ideals on each platform. This creates a persona about Plan B. This also allows the audience to familiarise themselves with this specific part of the iLL Manors brand. This may coincide with Medhurst's theory of stereotypes being used as a type of shorthand. Plan B may not be a stereotype, but he may be seen as a type of shorthand for the Ill Manors brand.

iLL Manors e-media research

Facebook:

The iLL Manors Facebook page has over 30 thousand likes. The top of the page is directly promoting the film and DVD. These posts appeal to the audience of iLL Manors as it allows them to immerse themselves in opportunities that they may not get on other websites. There is much synergy across the different platforms. Such as the competition to win a copy of iLL Manors through Revolver Entertainment's website. This promotes the film as it is being given away for free and it also promotes the distributor as its their 15th anniversary.

Twitter:

Similarly, The twitter page has 3,930 followers. This shows that the audience for this film may not be vast, but they are dedicated. Hash tags such as "#iLLMANORS" and "#MoreLoveLessHate" are being used to create a campaign to tag London. This creates another part of synergy to promote the iLL Manors brand. This also helps target the youth audience for the film as this audience is most likely to be on twitter too.

Instagram:

 Plan B has used the Instagram platform effectively as he has promoted aspects of his advertising campaign and therefore promoted the film through synergy. Plan B has posted up the front cover of a magazine (Q) in which there is an article about him, this informs the audience about the Plan B brand and therefore the iLL Manors brand.

YouTube:

The PlanBUK YouTube channel promotes the iLL Manors brand by showing the music videos of the films soundtrack. The channel also shows videos relating to the Tag London campaign. In the top right of the homepage there are links to the other social networking sites. This creates synergy as it allows audience members to easily jump between sites.

iLL Manors Print Platform: Advertising

1. What are the key conventions that help you identify the print text?
2. What design features help identify the Ill Manors brand?
3. What examples of synergy can you find with the broadcast platform or other print examples?

1. This is the DVD cover for iLL Manors. It uses the typical prints conventions of having the title as the largest piece of text with the name of the director (Ben Drew) right underneath. The use of quotes from reviews and the such is also typical. Also, The certificate for the film is shown in he bottom left corner. In the bottom right corner, The main production company's (Revolver) symbol is seen. A pose is seen by the main protagonist of the film. Even if it was not know that this is the main protagonist, the use of only his picture tells the audience that he is important and a main character of the film. The use of tag-line "A Ben Drew film" may cause some of the audience to go an research about him as they may only know of Drew as Plan B.

2. The design feature which mainly helps identify the iLL Manors brand is Plan B himself. This is because he is mainly celebrated as an artist, not a director. This allows him to prove that he is of a high level of directing to the audience. Another feature is the way Ill Manors is spelt (iLL Manors). This allows the audience to easily distinguish with the brand. The setting of London helps identify the iLL Manors brand as it is familiar to most of the audience already.

3. The main synergy that can be seen is the use of the same main character(s) on the posters. Also, the use of the same text-type. This allows the audience to become familiar with the brand and to be able distinguish it from other popular brands.

February Mock Learner Response

16/48 E-
WWW: Some reference to media theories.

Learner Response:
Many different original and positive approaches are taken to road safety advertising in the film. One way this is done is by not using shock tactics. This causes the audience to re-evaluate their opinion about the film and is a much more different and original way in which a road safety advertisement can be shown. Another original idea was not using an actual car. This at first causes the audience to think about what they are watching, however, the slow motion zoom's allows the audience time to make their decision on weather they think this text is effective or not. The family are portrayed as saving the father. The daughter and mother are wrapped around the father representing the seatbelt. This goes against Berger's theory of "men act, women appear" because the women are doing the acting and therefore the saving. This also supports parts of Propp's theory of the father being the princess needing to be saved and the mother and daughter are the hero acting as the seatbelt. This all supports the promotion of family values through togetherness. The use of non-diegeitic classical/orchestral music helps to further the fell of the text as it matches the use of physical theatre.

Plan B Print Texts: Interviews Analysis

For each text, identify the target audience (demographics/psychographics). How is it attracted?

Then answer the following questions...

1. Why is this platform being used?
2. Do the articles do more than entertain? How?
3. Does this platform allow the audience to participate/contribute?
4. What codes/conventions of print interviews are apparent in the examples?
5. How is narrative used to tell a story in each text?

Target Audiences:
Men's Health:
Men's Health Magasine: http://www.menshealth.co.uk/living/men/plan-b-interview

The target audience for this interview would be 16-35 males.A demographic of A-C2, maybe as far a D would read this text. Also, a psycographic of aspirer's would read this text as they aspire to be in better health.

Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jun/07/plan-b-love-directing-art-lives

I think an older age range is targeted here. A demographic of A-C1 is targeted.

Shortlist:
http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/music/plan-b-my-songs-are-all-about-real-life

An age range of 15-28 is targeted here. a demographic of B-D is targeted as well as mainstreamers.

1. This platform is being used because it allows the writer to convey a message different to most other platforms. Also, more questions are asked about Drew's background which suggests a different take on interviews.

2. These articles do more than entertain, they also inform a great deal. For example, Men's Health may have asked Drew for an interview as he had to lose a lot of weight for one of his films (The Sweeney). This allowed the magasine to ask mainly about his motivation and regime. These article entertain as well because of the way speech is worded. The articles show what Drew said, word for word, how he said it. This included swear word at points which may entertain the audience.

3. These articles don't allow much participation or contribution in their paper forms. However, if the article is read online through e-media, then the audience can comment on the articles.

4. There are many codes and conventions of print interviews. The ones apparent in these examples are: At the top there is a short few line with a very summarised background of Drew. There is also a short review of his new film iLL Manors. He is then asked about some specific background. Next, a question about his music/ album is asked and what kind of hard work went into that. He is then asked about what is was like to work with certain famous actors. I also found that Drew is asked/talks about the turning point in his life.

5. In Men's Health, narrative is used to tell the story of Drew;s success in losing weight for his role. This hooks in and persuades the reader as they want to know what they can do to lose weight. In the Guardian article, Drew almost tells the reader a story of how he grew up and how he came to success and the turning point in his life. In the Shortlist interview, a more mainstream take is shown. With answers about fans and collaborations.

Plan B Radio 1 Interview

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00pvgb9

In this radio interview many topics are discussed. Many aspects of Plan B's life and his music, new album and film (iLL MANORS) are discussed. Also, what Drew plans to do later on in his career is discussed.

First, Plan B discusses how he is still putting the finishing touches on his film, Ill Manors. He talks about some of the technical side of things, such as the colour grading and sound design. He also talks about before the film was made and when he was trying to raise finance for the film to be made. He goes on the talk about how he loves directing and telling 'stories' and how it allows him to 'Play God, but in a positive way'. This links back to his TEDx lecture about how society, and specifically, the youth are demonised; and how Drew wants to the show the real side of things.

Next, Fearne Cotton plays a snippet of Plan B's new single: Ill Manors from the album of the same name. After this, they discuss how Drew took inspiration from German hip-hop artist Peter Fox. It heavily samples "Alles neu" by Peter Fox, which itself uses elements from the fourth movement of Dmitri Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony. I think the target audience for this interview is an age range of 16-34 more predominantly the youth. A demographic of B-E may be targeted. Also, a psycographic of mainstreamers may also be targeted. Synergy is achieved through many platforms. Cotton regularly says that this is her 'big' track and that she has been playing it everyday. This promotes Plan B himself which, in turn, promotes the film and album.

MEST2 Progress Report - 6th February

Individual:

WWW: Edited about half of production
EBI: Do print work
Next Steps: Do photo-shoot during half-term

Group:

WWW: Filmed most of production
EBI: Do photo-shoot
Next Steps: Do the photo-shoot in half-term

Filming Dates:
Previous: 28/01/14 and 30/01/14
Next: 12/02/14 and a date in the half term (preferably 16th-18th Feb)

iLL MANORS Website and chatshow analysis

http://www.illmanors.com/#scene-0

The key features of the website include: the trailer, synopsis, about Ben Drew, stills from the movie, videos, the DVD to buy now, social media links, quotes labelled 'reactions' and links to buy the album. All of these features are included to add another dimension to the whole film experience. Each feature of the website is designed to persuade the audience into going to the cinema to watch the film or buy the DVD. The website makes use of synergy through many methods. This can be through the social networking websites (Twitter and Facebook); or through links to Ben Drew's own website and vice-versa; through the trailers, videos, stills, etc.

The Jonathan Ross show targets mainly main-streamers. These are people who want to 'go-with-the-flow' and not stand out. I think the demographic for this show is from B to E. The Jonathan Ross show used to be broadcast on BBC1 on Fridays at 10:35. Now it is broadcast ITV on Saturdays varying between 10pm and 10:35pm. This show appeals to a much wider audience as many ranges of celebrities appear on the show.

Soccer AM targets mainly main-streamers, but aspirer's aswell. This is because fans of football aspire to be like the footballer. This may just mean being rich and famous, but may mean actually being a successful footballer. I think a demographic of mainly B to E watches this show. Soccer AM is broadcast on Sky1 on Saturday mornings. It used to be broadcast from 9am to 12pm, but now is broadcast from 10am to 12pm. The main audience appeal comes from the football aspect of the show, however, some watch for the celebrities which appear on the show.

Drew talks mainly about politics and society on the Jonathan Ross show. I think he did this because he wanted to get his message out as this show has a much larger audience than other shows. On Soccer AM, Drew talks more about his music and album. I think this is because this show is more laid back with a smaller audience and Drew feels more comfortable here. On The Jonathan Ross show Drew comes across as a bit more serious but humble at the same time. On Soccer AM, Drew is seen with a more comedic approach with more jokes and 'banter'. On both shows, he tries to get his message across even though it may not be the same message.

Letter to Plan B

To Ben Drew,

For our AS-Level Media Studies exam, at Greenford High School, we've been studying your film iLL MANORS. In addition to this, we've also been studying your music videos, TEDx lecture and your general life. It's really moving to see how you changed your life for the better and how you continue to try and change the lives of underprivileged kids in London. and because of this it would be an absolute honour if you could come to our school to talk to the media students to teach them and us a bit more about your life and what it was like to make and produce your film.

Kind Regards,
Danyaal Bashir

iLL MANORS FIlm Research

Research all the Institutions involved in the production of Ill Manors. List them with a summary of what their contribution to the film was.
The institutions involved were Film London Microwave, BBC Films and Amimage. Its not clear on which institution had the most contribution but production was greenlit as part of the Film London Microwave Scheme. Also, BBC Films are involved in lots of other low-budget films such as Ill Manors.

How much Ill Manors cost to produce (its budget)

The budget was £100,000 and made £453,570 at the box office after a total of 8 weeks.

How was Ill Manors funded?
iLL MANORS was funded by the lottery and also some of Drew's own funding as he had to go on tour to get the funding started.

What is the target audience for Ill Manors?
I think the target audience for iLL MANORS is 16-30 year old's. This is because people of these ages can still relate to parts of the storyline(s).

Who is the main distributor of Ill Manors?
The main distributor of ill manors is revolver entertainment as the rights to the film were sold to them in April 2005.

How was Ill Manors promoted?
iLL MANORS was promoted through Revolver Entertainment but also through the use of Plan B's music videos and such promotions as his TEDx lecture allows different audiences to be informed of the film.

Compare this with a big budget blockbuster. What are the main similarities and differences?
There are many similarities and differences when comparing iLL MANORS to a big budget film. One similarity is that the the main protagonist is the inly one to survive and go on to lead a normal life. A difference is that iLL MANORS is a low budget film. Another difference can be that iLL MANORS used non-professional actors aswell as professional, whereas a big budget film would use only professional actors.
How does the trailer for Ill Manors hook audiences into the narrative and pose questions that the film will answer? Identify 3 ways/techniques.
The trailer is set in the form of a music video. this helps to hook in the lower age demographic as this audience is more likely to watch music videos more often. Another technique is using Ben Drew to rap as narration to the trailer. This helps to hook the audience as a lot can be said in this short amount of time to which questions can be answered in the film itself.

How does the trailer for Ill Manors balance plot and spectacle?
8 different stories and narratives are shown. Each narrative weaves and connects with each other throughout the movie. In each story, there is a fair amount of spectacle, so I would say the balance is quite fair.

Think about the certificate of Ill Manors (18 certificate). Research film certification and outline what is deemed acceptable for this certificate. What is the difference between a 15 certificate and an 18 certificate?
A 15 certificate includes such things as strong language, a lot of scene consisting of violence, strong indications of sexual content as well as discrimination, regular use of drugs, nudity and sexual scenes.
A 18 certificate on the other hand is similar but at a more severe level. It includes such things as extreme strong language and regularity of swear words. A vast use of sexual language as well as sexual intercourse,  blood and gore and much references to ethnicities and discriminatory language.

iLL MANORS Music Video MEST1 Section A style questions

Media Representations: How is gender/ethnicity/age represented in the video?
Gender is represented in many ways. Males are mainly seen as the ones with the power. This can be connoted through the use of violence and guns and rioting. Females are mainly seen as objects who are on the sidelines watching the action happen, but may join in, in the end. This is seen when a young female is filming someone being beaten up by a group of hoodlums, but a few seconds later she joins in on the action. Many stereotypes of different ethnicities are reinforced throughout the music video. One stereotype reinforced is the stereotype of blacks being drug-dealers and overall 'hoodies'. The word 'hoodie' comes with a reputation of being a disturbance to the peace, someone who wants to scare people by mugging them or stabbing them. This links back to the theory of Medhurst. This is when a stereotype is a type of short-hand for the audience. It also links back to the theory of Perkins, who says that some stereotypes can be based off the truth. This has a common theme to what Drew said in his TEDx Lecture about how "Every person is who they are because of how people have treated them and what has happened to them throughout their life". Age is represented quite negatively in the music video. The youth are seen as very negative, but Drew says that the "Media has demonised them".

Media Institutions: In what ways is the video typical of music videos and what values does it promote?

Many aspects of this music video are typical of music videos. One aspect is using low angle shots. This provides a feeling of power upon the subject or person as they are looking down into the camera. The use of lyrics "Keep on believing what you read in the papers / Council estate kids - scum of the earth." This relates back to the hypodermic needle theory. This theory suggests that the mass media has a direct, immediate and powerful effect on its audiences and society. Drew, however, is against this as he explains that the media twists and turns the word of the truth to show what they want us to see.

Media Audiences: Who does this text/artist appeal to and why?
This text appeals to a couple of types of audience. The principal being the youth. Or maybe, more specifically, the misguided youth. Drew explains in his TEDx lecture that his feature length film 'iLL MANORS' and any other text to do with this film portrays a message of what can happen if you dont manage you life successfully. This text will appeal to the socio-demographic of: C1, C2, D and E. This is because the music video may portray aspects of these audiences lives. However, The psycographic of 'Aspirer's' may be part of the wider audience. This is because aspirer's want to be educated about aspects of life foreign to heir own. In this case; the misguided youth.

Plan B TEDx Lecture

I think Plan B's beliefs are to not judge a book by its cover. He also says to think about what a person might have gone through or been brought up through to be the person they are today. He also believes that society and politics have demonised the youth today as the media just want us to know what they choose, and sometimes not the real side to the story. A prime example of this is when Plan B talks about a story from when he was filming iLL Manors. The story was about how a group of drug-dealers were about to beat up Ben Drew and how Drew stood his ground which in turn let another group of drug dealers to come to the aid of Drew. From what Drew tells, the media left out the best, and good, part about standing his ground and just focused of the group of drug-dealers about to "kick [his] head in"

I think the target audience of the lecture is people of the socio-demographic of E, D, C1,C2. This is because Plan B talks mainly about children with backgrounds similar to his. However, I think that mainly the middle class are present at this lecture as The Guardian newspaper organises these lectures and the main readers of this newspaper is the middle class. This group would come under the psycographic of aspirer's as they aspire to know more about situations that are foreign to their own. This is different to the psycographic of Drew's films.

Drew says that the media twist the truth to meet their own gain. He also said that they only tell parts of the whole story as I explained in the above paragraph. This links back to Cohen's theory of 'Folk Devils' and how the media is demonising the youth into a 'Folk Devil' and how the media is stereotyping he youth into being a pain and a disturbance.

MEST2 Progress Report 30/01/2014

Individual:

WWW: Script finalised

EBI: Magazine front cover and double page spread to be started.

Next steps: To start front cover

Group:

WWW: two thirds of filming completed

EBI: photo shoot to be done

Next Steps: Script to be altered to make opening sequence longer - Photo shoot on one of filming days - film opening sequence.

Filming date: We filmed on 28/01/14 and filming will commence today (30/01/14) and 2/02/14 and maybe 3/02/14

iLL MANORS Trailer Analysis

In a film trailer, the general codes and conventions are showing what genre the film is, perhaps through pace of editing (e.g. fast-paced editing for action trailers), and establishing a storyline. The end of a trailer is always the climax, mostly through a montage made up of the most exciting parts of the film itself.

Once the trailer is made, the studio will then distribute said trailer to the public through a variety of platforms. Such platforms can include the films website, YouTube, before movies in the cinema, TV and/or social networking sites.

In iLL MANORS, trailer codes and conventions are used by giving an overall summary of what the film is about. This is seen throughout the trailer (drugs, guns, gang-life, prostitution). Also, A voice-over is used to help explain what is happening on screen. The soundtrack is original and the aggressiveness of the soundtrack helps keep the audience stimulated and it feels very pumped. The title of the film is shown at the end followed by the date of release as well ad quotes from reviews.

I think the movie's target audience is generally young, around 16-30. The social demographic of E, D, C1 and C2 is also part of this target audience. An alternative target audience may be the middle class as this class may want to aspire to knowing about such situations that are explored in the movie. I think the unique selling point of the trailer is the original soundtrack used to narrate the trailer. The trailer is edited together at a relatively fast pace, but the audience can still make out important parts of scenes. The constant showing and use of drugs, guns, gang-life and prostitution allows the audience to put together a narrative. The main protagonist is the first character to be seen in the trailer. This shows to the audience the importance of this character from the off. Other main characters are shown throughout the trailer, even Plan B himself makes a quick appearance. This lets the audience recognise who's film this is and who directed it. The release date is shown at the end of the trailer for "June 6th". The voice-over is actually part of the soundtrack released off the back of the film. It allows a two birds to be killed with one stone. The soundtrack/narration is done by Plan B.

Ill Manors Film Review

Director: Ben Drew (Plan B himself). He has directed a short film called Michelle. He also directed the music video for 'Pieces' (a collaboration with Chase & Status)

Main Stars: 
-Riz Ahmed
-Ed Skrein
-Keith Coggins
-Lee Allen
-Nick Sagar
-Ryan De La Cruz
-Anouska Mond
Most of these stars have acted in other films, but Riz Ahmed is most notable in Four Lions.

Plot: Ill Manors is an Urban Drama that follows the lives of 7/8 main characters. These main characters are split into 6 small stories that intertwine with each other in such a way that it becomes one much larger, bigger story. Each short story is represented by a different hip-hop track and the whole movie is narrated by Ben Drew (Plan B himself)

Characters: 
-Riz Ahmed as Aaron
-Ed Skrein as Ed 
-Keith Coggins as Kirby
-Lee Allen as Chris
-Nick Sagar as Marcel
-Ryan De La Cruz as Jake
-Anouska Mond as Michelle
The quality of acting was very good as the actors knew what to bring to the roles as they may have gone through these same situations.

Genre: The film is a gritty, urban crime drama. My expectations of this kind of film is are definitely met from the off. The constant dark mood with glimmers of light helps to keep the audience in a type of suspense that has you biting your nails, whilst sitting on the edge of your seat.

Soundtrack: I very much enjoyed the soundtrack as it was very original. The story became more believable and realistic with this soundtrack.

Audience: I think this film is aimed mainly to the youth. Perhaps a C2, D or E demographic can be considered as characters from low class areas are shown throughout the film and this lets audiences relate.


Review:

iLL MANORS is a film directed by Ben Drew (Plan B). This was the first time Drew directed a feature length movie. He has, to my knowledge, also directed a short film called 'Michelle'. Drew started out as a young rapper, where he released his first album: Who Needs Actions When You Got Words. He then went on to release his second second: The Defamation of Strickland Banks; which entered the charts at number 1. His third album was released as the soundtrack to the movie in question: iLL MANORS.

The film follows the lives of 7/8 main characters. These main characters are split into 6 small stories that intertwine with each other in such a way that it becomes one much larger, bigger story. Each short story is represented by a different hip-hop track that narrates that particular story.

We have the protagonist, Aaron, played by Fix Ahmed. He is always trying to do the right thing. Next we have Ed played by Ed Skrein; a thug who will do anything to get his phone back. Next, we have Chris played by Lee Allen; a drug dealer seeking revenge on the murder of his little sister. Next is Kirby played by Keith Coggins; an  ex-drug dealer who has just been released from prison. Now we have Anouska Mond who plays Michelle; a drug addict working in prostitution. Jake is played by Ryan Due La Cruz; a young teenager who's found himself dream to the local gang. Lastly, there is Katya who is a prostitute trying to escape her life to save her newborn baby. The quality of acting was very good as the actors knew what to bring to the roles as they may have gone through these same situations.

The film is a gritty, urban crime drama. My expectations of this kind of film are definitely met from the off.  The urban feel is received very well through factors such as language, clothing, locations, etc. The constant dark mood with glimmers of light helps to keep the audience in a type of suspense that has you biting your nails, whilst sitting on the edge of your seat.

I very much enjoyed the soundtrack, especially because it was original. A new sound was used narrate each small story. This stood out for me especially because it allowed a lot to be said in a short amount time. Also, the story became more believable and realistic with the soundtrack as everything was explained to the audience then and there.

I think this film is aimed mainly to the youth. Perhaps a C2, D or E demographic can be considered as characters from low class areas are shown throughout the film and this lets audiences relate. However, audiences from middle to upper classes may watch iLL MANORS to be informed of this kind of lifestyle.

Progress Report 23/01/14

Work completed in last 7 days:
- Script
- Shot list

Next steps:
-Start filming on 26/01/14
- Photo-shoot on 26th or 27th
-Start editing on 28/01/14

Responsibilities:
- Making sure that filming goes ahead on planned days
- Getting the photo-shoot done on planned day

Ill Manors: The Making Of

1) What does this tell us about Plan B's intentions in making the film?

I think Ben Drew wants the world to see the real side of East London and how it isn't all to do with the Olympics. He wants to show that its not all in black and white either; that actions have repercussions, repercussions that can put people in situations they don't want to be in. Lastly, I think Ben Drew wants this film to show the youth what can happen if you make the wrong choices.


2) What do we learn about the production process for Ill Manors?

The film was very low budget and this can be seen throughout the film, but this is also emphasised a lot throughout the making of documentary. I think this film being low budget was a benefit, in terms of only being able to hire semi-professional actors/actresses who have gone through or may be going through what the characters of the film go through. Also, in terms of using real locations, low budget was, again, a benefit. This is because it adds a feel of authenticity to the film.

3) What can you tell about the possible target audience from this short documentary?

I think the main target audience is the youth. This is because I think the youth are the demographic that can relate the most to this film. An alternative target audience could be the middle class, more specifically: reformers. This is because reformers want to change and also want to change the people around them.


4) Does the film successfully do what director Ben Drew (Plan B) set out to achieve? Explain your answer with reference to both the film and the making of documentary.

I think Ben Drew has achieved what he set out to do. He tried to show the real side of East London and the real side of some types of people. Such as when a part of the film is set in a crack den, they actually filmed in a crack den. This adds a realism to the film which helps to cause of showing the real side.

MEST2 Progress Report - 16 January

Work completed since 6 January:

- 1st draft of script

- Basic storyboard done (needs to be altered when final script produced)

- Basic shot list produced

Incomplete pre-production tasks:

- Mise-en-scene

- Produce final script, storyboard and shot list

Next steps/Action plan:

- To have all incomplete pre-production tasks done before first filming date (25th January)

- To start editing by 28th-30th January

- Photo-shoot to be done on 25th January

Date filming will be complete:

- 27th January (if extra filming needs to be done the 3rd of February will be used)

Date editing will be complete:

- 14th February (may be a week or so earlier if no filming to be done on 3rd February)