Unit 6 – LO2

Adam McCallion

Adam McCallionUnit 6 – LO2 - Understand how media producers create products for specific audiences

LO2: Understand How Media Producers Create Products for Specific Audiences

IntroductionIn this assignment, I am going to be comprehensively explaining how media producers create products for audiences with elucidated examples and consistently using subject terminology correctly; addressing audiences: selection of content, construction of content, codes and conventions and modes of address Audience feedback.

The media texts I have chosen are ‘Shaun of the Dead’ and ‘Rocky’. I will be discussing how they address their audience through: selection of content, construction of content and codes and conventions. I will also be discussing the audience feedback for these films.

Shaun of the DeadShaun of the Dead is a high budget film production that was released in 2004 directed by Edgar Wright and written by Simon Pegg and cost $6.1 million to make.Its genre is comedy and over the years the film has developed a cult following.

The PlotShaun (Simon Pegg) is a 30-something loser with a dull, facile esse. When he's not working at the electronics store, he lives with his slovenly best friend, Ed (Nick Frost), in a minuscule flat on the outskirts of London.The only capricious element in his life is his girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield), who wishes desperately for Shaun to grow up and be a man. When the town is inexplicably overrun with zombies, Shaun must elevate to the occasion and forfend both Liz and his mother (Penelope Wilton).

Rocky

Rocky is a high budget Hollywood film that was made in 1976 and cost $1.1 million to make. It is classed as Drama/sport.

The PlotRocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), a diminutive-time pugilist from working-class Philadelphia, is arbitrarily opted to take on the reigning world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), when the small-time boxer undefeated fighter's scheduled opponent is injured.While training with feisty former bantamweight contender Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith), Rocky tentatively commences a relationship with Adrian (Talia Shire), the wallflower sister of his meat-packer pal Paulie (Burt Adolescent).

Adam McCallionUnit 6 – LO2 - Understand how media producers create products for specific audiences

Addressing Audiences Selection of Content for ‘Rocky’

Words: The taglines used for Rocky are very inspirational and hold the message of a hero who is determined to win.

This encompasses that American hero theme and each of them pull in the audience as if they are on the edge of their seat.

Adam McCallionUnit 6 – LO2 - Understand how media producers create products for specific audiences

Images The posters for the film were minimalistic and placed emphasis on the two of the main characters. The most well recognised image for the film is of Sylvester Stallone standing with his arms raised up in the air as a sign of victory.

The Trailer This short trailer video made to market the film, effectively uses image, sound, sequence and colour.It uses very de-saturated washed out colours that comes with the aesthetic of rocky. Scenes love, motivation and inspiration are included in this trailer to hold the audience’s attention. It shows what is to be expected in the film.Sound is used very well as the narrator has a very manly voice talking about Rocky as a character and how “his whole life was a million to one shot”Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VUblDwa648

Adam McCallionUnit 6 – LO2 - Understand how media producers create products for specific audiences

Selection of Content for ‘Shaun of the Dead’

Words: The taglines for Shaun of the dead are quirky but informitave, telling the audience that this film is a comedy but also giing insight that the film is about zombies.

These immediately gives the impression that this film is funny, action packed, and that the protagonist that this film follows, is not taken too seriously. Its slight absurdity represents the type of comedy that exists throughout the film with its eccentric characters. Therefore, the words used address the film’s target audience as it gives the clear impression that it is appealing to those who enjoy comedy and thriller films mixed with a little horror.

Adam McCallionUnit 6 – LO2 - Understand how media producers create products for specific audiences

Images The film poster used is an image of Shaun and other characters from the film Photo Shopped onto a poster within the poster surrounded by the sombies that is out to get them.The poster makes the characters look like warriors ready for battle against the zombies from their posture and the weapons they are holding. It uses the color red to represent blood but from the design we can see hands in the background as if zombies are coming up from the dead.The poster serves its purpose in triggering interest in the characters and really targets the sense of humour as Shaun is holding a bunch of flowers. Audiences need to have to enjoy the film essentially. They also included a tagline at the top in red that quotes “A Romantic Comedy with Zombies” and in that, one sentence the audience is able to understand exactly what the film is about.

Adam McCallionUnit 6 – LO2 - Understand how media producers create products for specific audiences

The trailerThe trailer used to address the audience that the media producers hoped to bring in for the film, cleverly uses little sequences from the film with a real feel of the colour palate and simplistic use of sound.The trailer sells the film as a comedy and uses fast paced editing and titles to keep the audience engaged with a narrator talking about Shauns job and as it comes to the end it reveals the zombies.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIfcaZ4pC-4

Construction of Content for ‘Rocky’

Narrative & LayoutThroughout the film a key feature the realistic nature of the film. Music also plays a big part in this film as when rocky is training the “rocky theme” plays with clips of him training. This is an iconic part of rocky and used very well as it tells the audience he is getting better, determined and motivated.The film itself follows a linear narrative structure from start to finish and how Rocky wins constantly unravelling the character’s story as more information is revealed. This linear construction ties into the film’s genre of sport/drama.

Adam McCallionUnit 6 – LO2 - Understand how media producers create products for specific audiences

Codes and conventionsLinguistic- ‘Rocky’ uses quite simple laymen’s terms language so everyone can understand the film. Here are a few quotes from Rocky.

Visual- The film contains graphic imagery of the violent fight scenes. The colour palate throughout the film is also dark, grey and washed out with ominous tones of red.

Adam McCallionUnit 6 – LO2 - Understand how media producers create products for specific audiences

Audience feedback for ‘Rocky’

Positive Review

Negative review

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075148/

Rotten Tomatoes Link: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/franchise/rocky

So overall this film is liked as it has inspired so many people however others did not like it as it was thought to show boxing in a bad or different light.

Construction of content for ‘Shaun of the Dead’

Adam McCallionUnit 6 – LO2 - Understand how media producers create products for specific audiences

Narratives & Layout

The film follows a very basic linear narrative structure which is the most common narrative for a comedy film.With the film beginning with introduction Shaun and the other characters living their normal lives. It then progresses into a horror/action when the zombies are introduced.We then are also introduced to the relationshib between Shaun and his girlfriend which throws this film into the mix as a romance film too.Beginning – Establishing characters and places.Middle – Character development, zombies introduced.End – Shauns best friend gets turned into a zombie, however he doesn’t kill him.

Codes and conventions

Audio- The film’s main soundtrack is atmos and some light soundtracks. However, when more action packed scenes occur foley sounds are added for windows smashing etc.This enhances the experience for the audience.Technical- The film features a variety of shots from close up for comedic effect or to draw the viewers’ attention to detail, moving shots like tracking or panning to establish a scene or to follow a character. Some of the shots are static, depending on the scene and the editing is either slow-paced or fast-paced. These technical decisions reflect the attitudes of the characters and really help to tell a better story in setting the tone of a scene.

Audience feedback for ‘Shaun of the Dead’

Adam McCallionUnit 6 – LO2 - Understand how media producers create products for specific audiences

Positive Review

Negative Review

The film has very mixed reviews on IMDB. The highly scored reviews appreciate the comedy of the film and the lower scored reviews criticize the comedy for being stupid and the film for being boring. Reviews on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365748/reviews?ref_=tt_urv

Conclusion

To conclude, Media Producers create various different products for various different audience, there is no “one for all” niece or genre. There will always be good and bad criticism with any product that is made but it is all intended by the producers target audience goal.

Adam McCallionUnit 6 – LO2 - Understand how media producers create products for specific audiences