Luther: Gender Stereotype

In this scene of Luther, the gender stereotype is slightly raised. This is shown by the use of camera angles/shots, the editing, sound and mise en scene.

Firstly, while the shot of Luther and Ian is happening; the cameras are very up close and they use shallow focus to show that they are the only thing the audience should focus on. But, when the women appears on the screen it is not as close up and the man is blocking her slightly. This could represent that she is not as important as the males.

In the editing, while Ian and Luther were debating the cross cutting technique was used. This happened while they were talking and the camera focused on the person talking at the time. But, with the woman it was not continually on her, it went back on the two men even though they did not have much dialogue. This could be used to show that the men have the most power even though they were both injured, and she had possession of a gun.

Although the woman shows up with a gun, she does not use it to her command. She calls in another male and asks for his advice. This could be shown as her not being allowed to use it as she wants to. This should signify that she is the antagonist as she has the gun, but she is asking for advice off the man. This could be a gender stereotype as she is seemed not powerful enough to not to ask.

Throughout this scene, non-diegetic sound is used as music is played in the background. But dialogue is also used. Synchronous sound is used while Ian and Luther are fighting as there is a lot of screaming. But, less of this is heard when Alice enters. This could be interpreted as the men not being afraid of her just because she is a woman.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Facts

Who owns Lucasfilm?

Walt Disney

Who formed Lucasfilm?

George Lucas

What year was Lucasfilm formed?

1971
Who is the president of Lucasfilm?

Kathleen Kennedy 
What other major films have they worked on?

Indiana Jones, Labyrinth and all Star Wars
How much was Lucasfilm sold for?

$4.05 billion
Who wrote Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

George Lucas
Who directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

J.J. Abrams
What other major films is the director responsible for?

Star Trek, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Super 8
How many Star Wars films have there been so far (list them)?

Star Wars (1977)
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Return of the Jedi (1983)
The Phantom Menace (1999)
Attack of the Clones (2002)
Revenge of the Sith (2005)
The Force Awakens (2015)
Episode VIII (2017)

How much money have they all made at the global box office?

Star Wars- $786,598,007

The Empire Strikes Back- $534,171,960

Return of the Jedi- $572,705,079 

The Phantom Menace- $1,027,044,677

Attack of the Clones- $656,695,615

Revenge of the Sith- $848,998,877

The Force Awakens- $2,058,662,225

When was the first Star Wars film released?

May 25th 1977

What does ILM stand for?

Industrial Light & Magic
What do ILM do?

Motion Picture Visual Effects company
Who created ILM?

Lucasfilm (George Lucas)
Why did they create ILM?

To create visual effects that had never been seen on film before.
What do casting directors do?

organise and facilitate the casting of actors for all the roles in a film.

Where were the first scenes for Star Wars: The Force Awakens filmed?

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
What format was Star Wars: The Force Awakens shot on?

65mm film
What types of camera were used to film Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

15 IMAX
What studio was used to film a large portion of the film?

Pinewood Studios
Where is the studio?

Buckinghamshire, England
What major franchise is famously filmed at this studio?

James Bond
How does said franchise link to Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

Daniel Craig makes a cameo as a stormtrooper.
Who was the inspiration for the character Maz Kanata?

Abrams English teacher, Rose Gilbert
What technology was used to create Maz Kanata?

CGI
Who played Maz Kanata & what other roles is she famous for?

Lupita Nyong'o

Patsey in 12 Year's a Slave
Who played General Snoke?

Andy Serkis
What is he renowned for in the movie business?

Gollum in Lord of the Rings
Where was the final scene filmed?
Skellig Michael, County Kerry, Ireland.
Who composed the film score?
John Williams
How many Star wars films has he composed the music for?
All 7
What other famous films has he created the music for?
Indiana Jones, Fiddler on the Roof
How mant times did John Boyega audition for the film (according to JJ Abrams)?

Over what period of time did these auditions occur?

How many people operated B-B8?

What type of technology was the main version of B-B8?
Uses a gyroscope 
What colour suit did the B-B8 operator wear?

Whay did he have to wear such a suit?

What type of special effects (SFX) were employed on Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

How many people were behind the monitor watching the scene when Han and Chewie returned to the Millenium Falcon?

Why was Simon Pegg thanked in the credits for Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

Male Gaze: Music Video

The male gaze is represented in many music videos this year. This means that women are presented as sexual objects to attract men to view the video.

An example is Mr Brightside by The Killers. This song is extremely popular but many people overlook the video. It uses the male gaze by setting the scene in a burlesque show. It is based on the love of a woman but by two men, who are practically fighting over her.

The woman is shown to be dancing with other women and in a revealing manner. They do this by lifting up their dresses towards the men as they observe. Which is linked to teasing the male. The video is also shown to the audience as seducing men and the women being controlled by them.

The close up shots on the women show that they are the main focus. The women also keep close eye contact with the viewer to feel more intimacy with the viewer.

This video is more subtle to others by using the male gaze but it is still there and still aims to attract male viewers. The main focus for everyone is on the curly haired woman but in the background there is more sexual orientated dancing used to seduce men.

The lyrics also link to the male gaze by using 'it started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this?'. This shows that he starts to fall in love with her which is a mistake because she is only interested in the fun. This makes women seem like they 'use' men for sexual attention.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

This is the seventh Star Wars film in the saga. This is also the first film released since the announcement that Disney brought Lucasfilm. It was produced by J.J. Abrams who also wrote it, Kathleen Kennedy and Bryan Burk. 

It was also directed by J.J. Abrams, this is the first Star Wars film he has directed. It has some well known actors and this attracts a lot of the viewers. These include: Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamil and Adam Driver. 

The budget for this film was $306 million (gross) and $245 million (net). But, the box office exceed to $2.068 billion, it was the fastest film to gross $1 billion. The film closely sold over 110 million tickets just in North America. 

The film was filmed across the whole world near enough but the main locations where England, Ireland, Scotland, United Arab Emirates and Iceland. Also, Europe were able to view the film before the United States. Its debut was the 16th December 2015 in Europe.  

On the opening weekend it only previewed on 3900 screens across the world. The reviews are mainly consistent. Rotten Tomatoes scored it 8.2/10 and IMBD also rated it 8.2/10. So, this is quite highly rated. Many critics on Meteoritic scored it highly, giving it the majority score of 81. 

The soundtrack was composed by John Williams. This album was released by Walt Disney Records in 2015. It features 23 pieces and reached the peak of 5 in the US Billboard. The marketing for The Force Awakens was very broad. This is because they released lots of teasers and trailers on the week coming up to the release. They also appealed to all ages by even releasing toys for children and joining with Kraft to incorporate Star Wars in there food items. Merchandising played a large role in the budget to the film. 

A lot of SFX and CGI is integrated into the film. This includes all the sound effects and moving effects. Lots of technology was used including prosthetics and robots to create the characters and make them come to life. They also helped create the droids used in the films. 

Overall the film is a very good blockbuster, but there were some issues just like any other film. Many life long fans were upset with the change in characters and actors as they have not featured in the other films. Such as Luke Skywalker only getting a tiny amount of screenplay. And because he is one of the main aspects of the films, many viewers were not happy. 

Our Girl: Representation of Gender and Ethnicity

In this series on BBC, many stereotypes are shown as it is based on the war in Afghanistan/Kenya. Michelle Keegan plays the role of Georgie Lane, who is a Lance Corporal.


The first major stereotype is gender. This is because in society women are not presented as going out to 'fight' because it is the men's job. She breaks this as being Lance Corporal and is a White British female. But, she is shown out to be a victim to the other men in the army. She is made vulnerable as she is getting held hostage. She is also not able to tell the army that she is a solider because she will get beheaded straight away. This is because it is not acceptable to be a woman and a trained solider. So, she has to lie to them and plead that she is only a trained medic so she has a chance of survival. But she is represented as a counter stereotype as she breaks all of this by being a female solider. This is good for UK television in this day and age because it is different and that is what people want these days. 


Also, the use of moving image and directors show the gender stereotype. The way it is edited shows this because it is very fast paced and sometimes contains three shots in one. This is showing the vulnerability of her as she is a woman and getting attacked by the terrorists. It also contains flashbacks to show her past. The use of camera shots emphasises the fear that she has by creating the effect of a handheld camera. This is a shot which is very shaky and shows the fear that Georgie is feeling through a camera, this shows that she is a vulnerable woman. 


Another camera shot is the close up on her face which really grabs the viewers attention and shows the real fear and panic. It also creates high tension and focuses on every tiny detail. The tracking shot shows Georgie's feet getting dragged along. This goes out of focus and very blurry for her as it moves along with her. But, for the male attacker it is completely smooth. This highlights the stereotype. But, also makes the viewer side with Georgie because you feel sympathy for her.


Sound is another major impact on the gender stereotype. This is because it uses non-diegetic sound which builds up tension for Georgie and shows she is the victim. Synchronous sound is also used by there being lots of noise of shooting and screaming from Georgie but not from any of the men. But, this is what is expected to heard from this war scene. 

Another stereotype is ethnicity stereotypes. This is overcome in 'Our Girl'. Firstly, Jason Raynott AKA Abu who is played by Michael James is a white British male. This is meeting the ethnicity stereotype because typically only Muslims will join the extremist group. He is represented as a counter stereotype because he is going  against the religion by not being Muslim. He is also turning against his own ethnicity by capturing Georgie who is also white and British.

But, this series represents the Military experience and the truth behind it. This is why it focuses on these stereotypes because it is what is happening in the world right now but the public do not realise. It constructs it for the audience in a simple way so it is easy for the viewer to understand. This is also why it is labelled as a 'mainstream' series.

5x5

Favourite Albums

The Libertines - The Libertines.

-14 songs from one of the greatest self titled album of 2004. Doherty and Barat return to make an impressive second record.

Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys.

-The most anticipated album of 2007 which smashed all the way up to number one. This set of unique songs changed the indie industry forever.

Carry on the Grudge - Jamie T.

-Making one of the greatest comebacks of 2014, Jamie T returns with a belter of an album containing real tear-jerkers like 'They Told Me It Rained'.

The Age of the Understatement - The Last Shadow Puppets.

-Alex Turner's and Miles Kane duo join forces to create a sensational bunch of songs. An amazing spinoff; almost topping the Arctic Monkeys.

We'll Live and Die in These Towns - The Enemy.

-Probably the most English album out there. Tom Clarke and crew create the most realistic indie rock album of the reality of growing up in the UK.

Favourite Music Videos


Howl - Biffy Clyro.
-This video of the more indie pop Biffy song will leave you wondering what just happened. You will be left thinking of so many questions but they will never have an answer.

Someday - The Strokes.
-Featuring many guest appearances, this video will put a smile on anyone's face. As the upbeat tune and vocals of Julian Casablancas lead to a fictional game of 'Family Feud' in this video. 

Last Night - The Sherlocks.
- The almost parody music completely matches the lyrics and leaves the viewer completely enthused and engaged for 3 minutes and 14 seconds. It's almost like a short film.

Oxford Comma - Vampire Weekend.
-The catchy tune that even your mother knows. The video tells an interesting story in one long shot inspired by Wes Anderson.

You're My Waterloo - The Libertines.
-My favourite video. With the iconic first verse 'You'll never fumigate the demons, no matter how much you smoke' this video is the most heart-warming and beautiful of 2015.

Favourite Films


Submarine - 2010.
-A story about a misunderstood teen whose life is a rollercoaster. This film is great and has an amazing soundtrack. 

Spike Island - 2012.

-Heavily influenced by the British legends the Stone Roses, this film will have all music fans laughing throughout.

10 Cloverfield Lane - 2016.
-Probably one of the strangest movies released this year. With some unexpected occurings this film leaves the viewer tense throughout and will leave you with the question why?

Shutter Island - 2010.
-I have watched this film more than any other and can never seem to get bored of it. Featuring Leonardo DiCaprio it is a very good interesting thriller. It was directed by Martin Scorsese so it is bound to be good.


  
Toy Story - 1995.
-Everyone's favourite film. This classic film is just the best and will make even the saddest people wear a smile.

Favourite Singles

Sulk - Moose Blood.

-Taken from the most recent album 'Blush' this single contained some emotional lyrics and it one of the best pop punk songs of 2016.

Sally Cinnamon - The Stone Roses.

-1987's most amazing song that never hit number one. The lyrical genius Ian Brown tells a story throughout this song and is still loved to this day.

What Took You So long? - Courteeners.

-Musical master Liam Fray smashes his 3rd single by making it a Courteeners classic. Which has now made tradition to be played at the end of every gig.

Fallout - Catfish and the Bottlemen.
-The rising indie heroes make an entrance to the music world with this great single.

Some Might Say - Oasis.
-The number one song with a very good reason to be so. If you listen to it once you will understand why.

Favourite Frontmen/women

Ellie Rowsell - Wolf Alice.

-The lead singer of the rising rock band. She has an unique voice and is an inspiration to many as she breaks the stereotype of women

 in bands.

Noel Gallagher - Oasis/High Flying Bird's.
-Probably not everybody's cup of tea but he has to be one of my favourite frontmen. Purely for the fact that he is completely himself and doesn't care about what others think of him.

Dan Reynolds - Imagine Dragons.
-The most down to earth frontmen of this era. He speaks openly about mental health issues and shows this in his songs. He teaches people that its ok to be who you are. 

Pete Doherty - Libertines/Peter Doherty/Babyshambles.
-Not being biased but Pete is one of my favourite. Many reasons include his dedication to his fans and all the secret gigs he does for charity. Just shows his is in it for the fans and not the money

Tom Meighan - Kasabian.
-Proud supporter of his own town and obviously his fans. As he frequently does gigs to show is support. The perfect frontman.



Film Production

Writer
-These write the scripts for the film. They have the intention of selling them so they can be produced.
Producer
-They are either employed by a production company or are independent. They plan many aspects of the film such as selecting the best scripts and control the writing, editing and finances.
Casting Director
-They are in charge of the process of production and they assign roles for people in the film. This can be decided by holding auditions.
Director
-They direct and control the way the film is made. They give direction to the cast and crew on what to do.
Film Finance
-This occurs during the development stage prior to pre-production and it can determine the final value of the film.
Camera Operator
-These record the video for the film. They work closely with the director to try and get the best shots. They are also responsible for choosing the correct equipment.
Editor
-They are responsible for assembling the raw footage from the camera operator. They make sure that it is in a logical order and that it looks to the best possible standard and to add special effects if necessary.
Production Designer
-These are in control of the design for certain sets. They also choose the correct lighting, props, costumes and graphics.
Marketing
-This includes advertising such as press releases, campaign's, merchandise and franchising. Also arranged interviews with the directors and cast.
Exhibition
-This is the cinemas they show the film so it is available to the public. This also includes making it available so people can watch it on the TV and other devices.