Ethnicity on TV

Can I identify what ethnicities people are?

Throughout the film there are many different ethnicities that are portrayed. The first one that I saw was a white woman who was standing behind a counter, and the stereotypes that were inputted were that she was wearing white, had blonde hair and was acting as the hero.

The next ethnicity was the woman who was at her desk. The stereotypes played were that she was typing on the computer, she was quite quiet and she was saying 'thank you' quite a lot.

There was also someone who was cleaning and he had a locker which had 'tribal' pictures in it. The man who was helping the diabetic woman had an African accent as well that he had put on. This was to make it easier for the audience to understand.

Are people from different ethnic backgrounds shown as having different interests, personalities, attitudes, behaviours? If so, how?

All ethnic backgrounds have stereotypes of their behaviours. For example, Asian people are portrayed as being very intelligent, submissive and nerdy. Indian people are portrayed as often being poor, living in large families, very traditional and working in corner shops. White people are portrayed as good, pure, heroes, strong and sometimes racist. These stereotypes are all seen in some films and TV shows, it is very negative and generic. However, in real life, these stereotypes are not all lived out, for example, white people are not all good, many bad things have happened because of white people. Black people are not all poor and tribal as there are many successful black people, such as Will Smith.

Is their ethnicity represented as being important in their life?

Their ethnicity is not represented as being important in their life, in the programme, because it is shown as getting in the way of them living their life as the immigration officers were coming to get them. However, it could be represented as important because the staff member who got took away had tribal pictures in his locker, this could convey that his ethnicity is important to him which is why he is keeping it with him when he is working.

Are people from particular ethnicities portrayed as being better or more powerful than others?

In the show, the white people are shown as being better as they are the ones doing the ‘higher’ classed jobs such as the receptionist or the people in charge as the people from other ethnicities have the worse jobs, which are the cleaners and the chefs. Also, it is white people who are from the immigration office and this shows that they have power over them as they can easily take them away.

Are people from particular ethnicities portrayed as being abnormal/weaker/more pathetic than others?

Yes, the people of the different ethnicities are hiding away from the immigrant officers which shows that they are weaker as they are not wanting confrontation and will most likely not be able to stand up against them as they so easily took away one of the cleaners who didn’t get to hide. 

How do other characters in the clip treat the characters from different ethnic backgrounds? 

The people from different ethnic groups treat each other with respect and are nice to each other. In the programme, all of the staff work together to get the people from different ethnicities to the staff only room where the immigration offices can’t get them. However, it could be portrayed that the staff have been given jobs which are meant for their ethnicities, such as the ‘Asian woman’ on the computer as she is stereo-typically ‘interested in technology’ and the ‘black people’ are the cleaners which is most likely the job which gets least paid. This shows that the staff who employed them are quite stereotypical and don’t treat them as if everyone is equal.

What is the message the clip is trying to portray about ethnicity?

I think that the clip is portraying that each of the ethnicities have ‘their own job’ and are only set to do that job which is very stereotypical. It also shows that the different ethnicities like Black people, Asian people and Indian people are being told that they are immigrants and they are being taken out against their will, which is showing that a lot of places are being taken over by the immigration officers and this conveys that people do not think that the ethnicities are equal.  

Film Research

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Producers/Production company: 
There were three producers, they are; J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy and Bryan Burk. It had two production companies, these were; Lucasfilm Ltd. and Bad Robot Productions.

Director:
The director is J.J.Abrams.

Screen Writer:
It was written by three people, they were; J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt.

Actors:
The main actors that starred in it were: Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO and Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca.

Budget: 
$306 million

Locations:
There were 10 main filming locations, these were; Ireland (Skellig Michael), Iceland, England (Greenham common), England (Cumbria, Lake District), Scotland, Abu Dhabi, New Mexico, England (Buckinghamshire), England (Gloucestershire) and USA (California).

Screens shown on: 
There were many screens that Star Wars: The Force Awakens appeared on.

Critical reactions: 
The critics consensus was: 'Packed with action and populated by both familiar faces and fresh blood, The Force Awakens successfully recalls the series' former glory while injecting it with renewed energy.' 89% of the audience liked it.

Box Office figures: 
$2.068 billion

Music Composer:
John Williams. He has produced music in all of the Star Wars films. With John Williams music, the film will of had more viewers because other music may not have drawn them in.

Marketing: 
Some of the ways that they did marketing was; teaser trailers, Normal trailers, Posters that were put on the sides of bus stops for example and it was put all over social media which will have attracted a lot of attention as many people use social media.

Tie-in products:
There were a lot of products that were made during the Star Wars franchise, these included; Figurines that range in different sizes, magazines, comics, a lot of lego was made that was in the Star Wars theme, many games were made for XBOX, PC and PS1/2/3  and Star Wars images on top of food packaging.

SFX:
The producers used CGI for a lot of the characters in it. Without it, Star Wars may not have had the same amount of viewers because CGI is very realistic and used in a lot of films which have a high budget, this shows that the film should be good.

Film Production

Writer-
Definition- The writer is responsible for writing the script. Once the script has been written, that is the end of their job, unless, if the director does not like some of the script, they can ask for a re-write. The writer has one of the main significant jobs as, without the script, there is no film. They will also have to make sure that all the scenes fold into each other and that the sequence of events is correct. 

Producer-
Definition- The producer is responsible for making the film happen. They develop the film from its initial idea, deal with financing and marketing and makes sure that the script is finalised. The producer also has to be in charge of buying anything that is needed, such as cameras or props, however, it is not usually them who decide what it is they want, the producer just has to try and buy the things and negotiate with businesses for the prices whilst making sure that they don't overspend.

Casting director-
Definition- Casting directors work with the producer and the director to help cast people for the film. They are responsible for matching the ideal actor to each role in the movie and base it on a number of factors such as experience, ability, reputation, availability and box office appeal. They organise interviews and auditions for each part and are also in charge of offering an appropriate fee for the actor.

Director-
Definition- The director is in charge of making sure that the script is perfect and if it isn't, they are allowed to ask for changes to be made so that it fits in with reality. They choose the locations of the set, colour schemes, costumes and many other elements. Whilst filming, they work with the crew and the actors in performing a perfect film and to make sure that it is going to sell well. After the film is finished filming, they work with the post-production team by having an input on the decisions made for the editing.

Film finance-
Definition- Film finance occurs during the production of the film, to determine what may possibly be the potential value of the film. It often requires an elaborate team effort of investors, banks, tax credits and in-kind services. One factor of the industry which can often make film financing hard is the risks involved in making the film which can end in very little tangible value.

Camera operator-
Definition- A Camera Operator usually carries out the instructions from the director about the lighting and adjustments of the camera. They also have to decide on what lenses to use and the supporting equipment. Camera operators have to ensure that all the equipment is prepared for the required set-ups and are ready for any last-minute changes. They liaise closely with the director, fine-tuning the exact details of each shot, suggesting creative improvements or alternatives.

Editor-
Definition- The editor starts to organise footage and arranges individual shots into one continuous sequence. In just one scene, loads of different shots have to be chosen and assembled. The editor's choices about which shots to use, and the order in which to place them, have a profound effect on the appearance of the final film. Editors check the technical standards as well as the emerging sense of story, and the actors' performances. They select the best takes and edits them together to create scenes.

Production designer-
Definition- The Production designer translates the script into a visual form. They also create a series of story boards that are used as the first films draft. With these story boards, he/she and the director discuss the best way to produce the film. They also have to consider whether design elements may give more depth to the film and if CGI should be used. As well as the producer, the production designer calculates the budget and decides how the money should be spent. After all this, there is an intense period of researching where they look in books/internet etc to get ideas. They then deliver their designs to the art directors. Production designers manage a lot of people and prioritise the work schedules.

Marketing-
Definition- Marketing is vital in the film production business. There are mainly two areas to marketing; for-profit and not-for-profit. For the for-profit, it is responsible for most tasks that bring revenue and it should profit to an organisation. Yet, for the not-for-profit, marketing is responsible for attracting customers that are needed to support the not-for-profit mission. It has a direct effect on profitability and sales. The marketing functions entail: Research, communications and brand management. There is an end-to-end view of functioning; strategy planning, product management, demand generation and customer marketing.

Exhibition-
Definition- Exhibition is where a film production shows their film in a cinema or put it on DVD. There are also premieres which bring in attention from the public as a lot of famous people go to the premieres. It is also how the public can view the film, such as through; Cinema, DVD, downloads and TV. After the film has been shown a lot, there are chances for the film to have awards such as the BAFTA award or the Oscars.

5X5

TV Shows

• The Vampire Diaries- Recommendation from a friend. It is classed as a thriller and is a really good show. The cast are right for their parts and perform at their best. Has many cliffhangers which makes the audience want to view more. The series is also written very well.
• Friends- Classed as a comedy and is very funny. It shows real life situations in the viewpoint of a group of friends. Has been directed well and has good cast who play their parts right.
• Skins- Recommended from a friend. A group of teenagers who are going through sixth form, which means it is relatable to students.
• Fresh Prince of Bel Air- A really good show that has a big audience. It includes Will Smith, who, I think, is a good actor.
• The Originals- Follows on from the vampire diaries, which is why I like it. The people who are ‘the originals’ are the same actors who played them in the vampire diaries. It has also got a storyline which has been directed from the same person; Julie Plec.

Apps

• Snapchat- This app is an easy way of communicating and is also quick. You can also view people's story from a certain day and you can add celebrities who have snapchat and you can see what they are doing on a day to day basis.
• Instagram- This app is good because it shows your life in pictures and you can follow other people to see what they are up to. I like it because it is quite a creative social media app.
• Facebook- Facebook allows you to see what people are doing and look at pictures that they have put up. I like it because it is also an easy way to communicate.
• Messenger- With messenger, you can easily speak to your friends and it is also another app which is quick for messaging other people.
• Twitter- You can follow celebrities and see what they are doing, or you can follow your friends and tweet them.

Films

• The Hunger Games- This film has a lot of cliffhangers and keeps the audience on edge. It is a trilogy which keeps the storyline well written and doesn’t become boring after the first film. The characters are well played and it includes famous actors such as Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson. I really like the film because it is kept in suspense and is played well.
• If I stay- This film is a romance and is quite confusing at first but after the first time of watching it, you get it. It includes a famous actress; Chloe Grace Moretz and she plays her character very well. There is two books but only one film. I really like this film because the actors in it play their parts very well and it has a good script.
• Bad neighbours- I like this film because it has Zac Efron in and he is quite a famous actor and plays his part in the movie very well. It is a comedy and has two movies to it.
• Warm Bodies- This film has a really good storyline and shows the life of Zombies. It has Nicholas Hoult in and he is the main zombie in it and plays it very well. Jonathan Levine had directed the film excellently.
• The Maze runner- I really liked this film because it has an amazing storyline and it was a well-made adventure that was always putting you on edge.

Actors/Actresses

• Zac Efron- He is an amazing actor with many awards and he mainly started his career off when he starred in High School Musical.
• Will Smith- Another great actor who has been in a lot of films. His son also stars is a few films.
• Emma Watson- One of the best female actors, came famous from Harry Potter and acted amazingly in the franchise.
• Jennifer Anniston- She started off in Friends which became successful and from since then, she has become more and more famous. She acts great and has been in a lot of films too with many different famous actors.
• Ryan Reynolds- An actor who has been in a lot of films also and he also has a lot of awards, such as MTV and Saturn awards.

Songs

• Closer- The Chainsmokers- This song has a good beat to it and is very catchy, it also reminds me of Summer which is why I like it.
• This Girl- Kungs- It was in the top charts and it also has a good beat to it.
• Don’t Let Me Down- The Chainsmokers- It has a good drop in the middle of the song and it also has a good beat.
• Raindrops- SNBRN- It is very catchy and has a good beat to it.
• Alarm- Anne-Marie- A really good song and is also reminiscent of the Summer.

Tribes

Group: Leading edge

Sub-group: Creatives

Why do you belong to this group?

I think I belong to this group because I am creative in the fact that I play the guitar and this is a factor in the ‘creatives’ as they produce music. I am always wanting to learn new songs, therefore, I am wanting to make more content.

What media figures do you consider similar to you? In what way are they similar to you/ are you similar to them?

I don’t think that there are any media figures that are similar to me as most people who are creative that play guitar, usually sing as well, but I don’t sing, so therefore, I’m not similar to anyone.

Do you consciously model yourself on any of these media figures? Why is that?

The only time that I usually copy someone’s clothes or dress style is when I am looking on Instagram as you can see everyone’s outfits or there are accounts that are dedicated to celebrities outfits or just random outfits from clothes shops, such as New Look or Topshop which I will look at and perhaps buy.