TASK 3

TASK 3 – Regulation and Employment in the Media Sector

Audrey Muanza

Regulatory bodies are put in place by the government in order to monitor and guide various industry sectors and they are created to protect the public. It is a legal requirement for them to enforce specific laws. In the film industry there are numerous regulatory bodies that film companies and distributors need to obey. The main regulatory bodies in the UK and US are BBFC(British Board Film Classification), FDA (Film Distributors Association) and MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America). I think the regulatory bodies are very effective because they protect consumers from unsuitable films and inappropriate subjects if they weren’t put in place then children would be exposed to a lot of unsuitable images and scenes.

In the film industry there are constraints that film companies need to take into consideration in terms of regulation and censorship. For instance, the BBFC have enforced that several words (spaz, moron and retard) were cut of out of rated PG and U films as these did not have the same light hearted meaning in the UK as they do in the USA and were words that caused offense and were discriminative. The film ‘Fred’ used these words in the final cut and the BBFC had to rate it a 12A in order to obey the guidelines. Film companies and distributors often have to compromise and cut out scenes in order to avoid unwanted film ratings. A great example of this is the Batman films, the first Batman film was rated a 15 and then when the sequel came out they rated it a 12A so that they could gain a wider audience. The 12A rating meant that anyone under the age of 12 could view the film as long as they were with an adult, which led to a larger children audience and helped with the success of the film.

As time has gone by and the film industry grown and developed there are still films that are seen as controversial hitting the cinemas. The most recent being ‘Fifty Shade of Grey’, the film was developed from a novel and was very popular that Universal Pictures picked it up and made it into a film. The film was not as popular as the film because of lot people felt that the relationship between Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele was uncomfortable to watch as it felt as if Grey was being manipulative and emotionally abusing. The BBFC give the film an 18 rating and the reason behind their decision was “strong sex and nudity, along with the portrayal of erotic role play based on domination, submission and sado-masochistic practices”.  The outcome of the film was that ratings were low (2 stars out of 5) and that the film didn’t live up to it’s expectations but they earned $500 million which means that it was the most profitable film of 2015. The earnings means that the directors and distributor will continue with the trilogy and make the other two films.

Another controversial film that was released in 1978 in the US was ‘I spit on your grave/Day of the woman’. This film was controversial because of it’s graphic nature and inappropriate sexual scenes. Because this the film was banned in most European countries and also censored immediately before release. It was a film that was disliked very much and film critic Roger Elbert said that "Attending it was one of the most depressing experiences of my life."and how it was a "a vile bag of garbage". The film was lucky enough to survive a banned and was able to still be sold until 1997, when Austrila then decided to ban the film as well. The film was controversial also unpopular but that didn't stop Steven R. Monroe from remaking the film in 2010. 

In the film industry there are numerous job roles available in London; Internship:

• Production & Production Management Disney Channel's, 2016 - £18,000 a year
• Production Assistant £25,000 a year
• Multimedia Digital Content Manager - Film & Photography Assistant £25,000 a year.  
• Junior Campaign Manager £25,000 a year.
• Graduate Videographer £18,000 - £22,400 a year.
• Media Officer £25,816 a year.

In all the jobs that I've stated above there are opportunities to grow and get better positions. For instance, the Junior Campaign Manager role is a stepping stone into being a leading campaign manager as well as develop and gain skills doing the role. The Production Assistant job role can be a great platform to start at and in the future the Production Management role could be something that they can work their way up to, a lot media jobs are like that because they mainly look for experience in the same field.

                

In the media industry it is common for the jobs to overlap and interconnect as it widens the employees experience, for instance, someone who is a camera operator could possibly become an art editor in the future because they've worked their way up. A job that can overlap is a runner and an catering assistant, this job role can be very unpredictable because everyday is different in terms of activities and events happening.

It’s important to make sure that you are knowledgeable in the field and keeping up with the times as technology is continuously evolving and changing. That is why short and long courses are introduced in order to teach individual the latest software such as Photoshop courses, Camera Techniques classes etc. The courses can be expensive but at the end of the day is also benefical as it can help cave the way of a long term career, for example, a videographer. With these courses in your experience and CV is makes employers consider you more because they know that you are knowledgeable in that area but also it saves them money because they don’t have to train someone else for that job position.

Cover Letter

Dear Pulse Search & Selection Limited,

I am applying for the job as the catering assistant/runner as I think that I am very suitable for the position. I have attached my CV in this email as requested.

As I have stated in my CV, I am able to work independently as well as in a team environment that I have developed on NCS The Challenge which means I am very adaptable in any possible situations. In all the employment that I've previously had, I've gained skills and knowledge in different areas which I can bring together in this job role. For instance, I have experience in administration and stock replenishment, two duties that have been written in the skills required for this job position. Being useful and trusted is an accomplishment for me as I like to believe that I am an hard-working individual who makes an impact in the working environment.

I am a very reliable person who works hard and pays attention to detail. I am flexible and eager to learn and work in such a respected business such as your own. I also have a lot of ideas and enthusiasm and believe that it will show in the work I produce.

I have great references that can be found on my CV and I would love to discuss this possibility of the job position with you anytime that you request.

My showreel is also attached in this email showing the work I have produced over the years.

Thank you for taking the time to read my application, hope to hear from you soon.

Yours Sincerely,

Audrey Muanza

CV

Audrey Muanza

Tel: 02032530016

Mobile: 07932573845

D.O.B: 04.08.98

audreymuanza@gmail.com

Personal Profile

I am a hard worker who is always looking for challenges and experiences. In any working environment I am committed and am able to adapt to new things. Over the years, I’ve found out that I am not only a strong worker individually but also in a team and have no problem taking lead in group situations.

Education/Qualifications

Shirley High School,

Shirley Church Road

CR0 5EF

020 8656 9755

2009-2014

7 GCSEs Including English and Math (A*- C grades)

Coulsdon College

Place house Lane,

Coulsdon, Surrey

CR5 1YA

01737 551176

2014- Present

BTEC Media and Business

Work Experience/Employment History

Age UK Croydon

1st July- 12th July 2013

2 Katharine Street,

Croydon,

Cr0 1NX

and

81 Brigstock Road,

Thornton Heath,

CR7 7JH  

Duties: Cooperated in a range of tasks. I went from making calls and photocopying to assisting colleagues on activities for the elderly.

NCS The Challenge

14th July- 21st July

I participated in various activities from a personal challenge that pushed physical barriers such as a 16k hike through Guilford and team challenges such as building a catapult. NCS was somewhere I developed skills but also gained skills such as teamwork and patience.

Next

13th December 2014 – 3rd January 2015

I worked at Next throughout their sales period. Working at Next every day, except for Christmas Day, allowed me to gain skills such as working on the tills and learning brilliant customer service as well as learning how to register and deal with the deliveries.

Havaianas - Gatwick Airport

1st August – 27 September

Through my agency One Resourcing Ltd, I was lucky enough to work at Gatwick Airport as a retail assistant in Havaianas in the summer. My duties were sales and replenishment. Working in such a fast paced environment meant that I worked under pressure to ensure customers were given quality customer service as well as fast service just in case their flights were boarding.

Kidspace Croydon

April 2015

I started working at Kidspace Croydon in April 2015 and currently still work there on a zero hour contract. At Kidspace Croydon my roles are Party Desk, Play Team and Parties. These roles allowed me to learn and develop skills such as money management and till work. For instance, the party desk position means that I have to deal with money on every shift and by the end of the day make sure it is cashed up correctly, which is a huge responsibility. As part of the party team I have to make sure that every child that comes in for party has a great experience by getting them excited before they play.

References:

Michael O'Raghailligh

One Resourcing Ltd

13 The Broadway, Crawley RH10 1DX

0845 521 8650

John D’Cruze

Assistant General Manager

Kidspace Croydon

619 Purley Way,

Croydon

CR0 4RQ

john@kidspaceadventures.com

020 8686 0040

Sound Production Evaluation - Unit 38

Family Guy & The Simpsons Car Wash

My first task was to create a clip with music imported in the background. I spent ages looking for the right clip as I was aware that I was not experience nor talented in Sound Production, so I tried to make it easier on myself but also fun. I found a humorous clip of Peter Griffin from Family Guy and Homer Simpson from The Simpsons dancing in tank tops and very short shorts whilst doing a car wash. My next task was to find music to go with it, as this was a funny clip I knew that the music had to match the humour as well. I chose to use 'Big Butts' as I think it fitted to mood of the clip and liked how it worked together. The next step was to put it together, so I dragged the clip into Garageband and muted the sound from the actual clip so that it didn't overpower the music I was about to put into the clip. I dragged the music clip from my desktop into Garageband on a new track, this way I was able to control where the music started and finished or when the music faded in and out.

The finishing product I thought was ok, although I found the process really stressful and not enjoyable as I didn't realise how technical it was. It was really hard getting the timing right and making everything fit accordingly. At first it seemed to simple but later came to the realisation that it really wasn't. I am not entirely happy with the overall outcome of this short clip but I don't think it is terrible. If I was to do it again I would take my time and get the timing right.

JAWS: Get Out off the Water

The next task was to create a clip with my own music composition to match the mood of the clip. I chose the clip Jaws: Get out off the water as I found the clip dramatic and interesting to watch. This enabled me to work around it and create a composition to fit the clip perfectly. I really liked this scene as it had a build up and I used that as inspiration and made the music I composed have a build up that matches the scene. The first step was to drag the clip into Garageband and create a new track for the music. When I found the keyboard piano I played around at first in order to get the keys right and get used to the notes I was playing. Once I done that I started creating the music that was to go with my clip, I found this to be easier when actually watching the clip because I was able to get the timing perfectly.

Overall I am happy with the outcome of this clip although if I was to go back and do it again, I would've made it more interesting instead of making it predictable as it was. The build up was fun to create as I found that part of the clip and sound the be the best part of the whole thing.

Mean Girls: Meeting Cady Heron

                                 

The final task of the workshop was to create a clip with voice dubbing. This was my favourite part of the workshop as I feel that you could be more creative with the dubbing. for example, the clip could be serious but the dubbing could be humorous. Aimee and I partnered up and started looking for clips that we could use. At first we chose a scene from Sister Act 2 but then changed our mind and chose the Mean Girls clip as it was more fun. We then had to make a decision on whether we should create our own script or stick to one already used. Aimee and I decided to keep the script that was used as there were a lot close ups in the scene and it would look unrealistic if we created our own script. After our decision we had to write out the script and read and learn it, this was fun as we both loved the movie and already knew parts of it. I dragged the clip into Garageband after I downloaded it off YouTube Converter and created a new track for the dialogue. Later on we discovered that it wasn't as easy as it looked because we had to get the timing right and there were a few mishaps and mistakes from both of us.In the end we got to two recordings that we really liked so we had to pick which one we liked and we chose the one imported above.

I really love the end product as I had fun with it and I am impressed at our timing, although it is not perfect I don't think it is noticeable at all. I loved the chosen clip and task as it really tested my patience and developed my skills.

Overall this workshop was really insightful as it was nothing I expected, I honestly thought it was going to be easier than it was and I underestimated the work that goes into sound production. Sound production is very precise and time consuming, my favourite part was the dubbing because it was fun to work with Aimee and create a great piece of work. 

Task 2 - Ethical and Legal Constraints in the Creative Media Sectors

Task 2 - Ethical and Legal Constraints in the Creative Media Sectors

Audrey Muanza

The film sector is governed by a number of regulatory bodies and acts such as the film act, the Human Rights Act 1998 and Films Act 1985 etc.  When creating their products companies need to think about ethical and legal issues as they may cause problems long term. When it comes to Ethical sides of the film industry it’s about social issues, representation of gender, sexuality and religious beliefs and so on.

What are social issues? A social issue is something that can affect a small or large group within society. An example of a social issue is violent crimes, drugs and abortion etc. If a film company choses to produce a film with a social issue then they need to be careful on how they portray the issue as it can cause problems because it is an ethical constraint. Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom was a film about social change and it was greatly told but if they made the scene more violent than the regulatory board would have to revise and consider the film. The film industry also need to be careful when it comes to representation of gender. The representation of gender is the way that genders are portrayed. What does a typical girl act like? What does a typical boy act like?  the way that the film industry portray gender can cause offense and be a constraint. For years girls and women have been portrayed in films as weak and vulnerable especially in the rom-com genre but in recent years female representation has been improving and the article linked below explains the evolution. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/movies/fall-arts-preview-representation-of-female-characters-in-movies-is-improving.html

The representation of religion is carefully used in the film industry as it is a sensitive subject. Many films show the good side of religion but others can show the ugly and bad side of religion. For instance, the Islamic faith is often victim of stereotyping and linked to terrorism. A great example of this is the television programme Family Guy, Family Guy is a animated comedy show and is known for it’s comical offensive humour. Jokes on terrorism are often shown in Family Guy and other jokes about muslims, especially in a particular episode where Peter Griffin, the main character, wants to convert to the religion after getting over his discriminative thoughts. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/altmuslim/2013/04/family-guy-skewers-islam-but-misses-its-comedic-mark/

The same goes with Christianity, there are things often associated with the religion that isn’t always positive. For instance, in the film Shawshank Redemption the Warden quotes bible verses whilst mistreating inmates and stealing money and this caused offense as it was like they were trying to imply that was what christianity was about. Hollywood are improving on the way they portray religious beliefs as in the past it hasn’t always been great and has caused offense.

The professional body codes of practice is issued by a professional body or association and set for their members to comply ethical standards. The code of practice is usually a set of written guidelines agreed on with the members of the media profession, for example the BBFC, British Board Film Classification, could write a set guidelines that film companies need to comply by.

The Broadcasting Act 1990 (and later amendments) is a brief summary of regulations for  British Television and Radio. The aim of the act was to reform British Broadcasting in British television. Margaret Thatcher, a member of the parliament, was the one who initiated the act. One of the points from the act was that “the Channel 4 should be able to sell its own advertising.” This act does not comply with the film industry but it could relate when films are broadcasted on television.

Another act that relates to the film industry is ‘Obscene Publications 1959 (and later amendments). The ‘Obscene Publications 1959’ act makes it illegal to publish any content that is corrupt or insensitive such as rape, necrophilia, torture and bestiality etc that will effect people likely to read, see or hear the matter. In the film industry this needs to be considered because if they ignored the act and showed some of the things that i’ve previously stated, then it would cause huge problems and the film wouldn’t be able to be distributed as it is against the law.

https://www.iwf.org.uk/hotline/the-laws/criminally-obscene-adult-content/obscene-publications-act-1959-and-1964

The Video Recordings Act 1984 states that video recordings that are up for sale or up for hire in the UK must have age classification on it that has been agreed upon by an authority that the Home Office have designated. For instance, the British Board of Film Classification. If the film companies do not comply by this act than the films that are produced will not be able to be legally sold in the UK or supplied to anyone of any age unless the recording is educational and it also must not have sport, religion and does not describe violence and sex etc.

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/education-resources/student-guide/legislation/video-recordings-act

The Human Rights Acts 1998 is a UK law stating that you’re entitled to defend your rights in the UK courts as well as the public organisations such as the Police, the Government and local councils, are required to treat everyone fair and equally and with dignity and respect. In the film industry, employees may feel that they are not being treated fairly or respectfully in their workplace and if is serious enough are able to settle it in court. Things like this can be avoided by contracts being drawn up and signed prior to employment explaining what is required of the employee and the contracted hours.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/contents

The Licensing Act 2003(and later amendments) is created by the UK Parliament and require that licensing premises that are used to sale or supply alcohol, to provide entertainment or to provide late night refreshment etc to have permission in order to carry out some or all of these activities.  In terms of the film industry, it is required that cinemas or theatres are given permission and the licensing rights to sale tickets for the films that they are showing. Having the license can avoid legal issues in the future.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/17/pdfs/ukpga_20030017_en.pdf

The ‘Privacy Law’ is the law that deals with how individuals personal information is controlled and this information can be collected by the governments and other public organisations as well as private organisations. It’s up to them on how they store and use this information. If film companies were do biographical films than they wouldn’t be able to invade the famous person's privacy. For example, if Universal Pictures had released the film ‘Unbroken’ in 2014 without the permission from the athlete Louis Zamperini, the focus of the film, then they could have a legal issue in their hands as they invaded his privacy.

The copyright and intellectual property law is a law that refers to a creative law. The intellectual property falls into four main parts, one being Copyright. Copyright is when the legal right to make copies, reproduce, publish, sell or distribute any form of music, film, artistic work etc is given. In this day and age, a lot of things are protected by this copyright law including films. One of the most known copyright cases was Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica. The filmmakers of Battlestar Galactica were accused of “borrowing” too much from the Star Wars plot. This case involved a lot of money and in the end resulted in the original Battlestar Galactica being cancelled. Copyright is a serious issues and this case proved that there are consequences if caught.

http://realbusiness.co.uk/article/27412-6-famous-copyright-cases

Above: The Article of the most famous copyright cases.

The ‘Libel Law’ is more related to the print based industry but it’s the law protects individuals from damaging the reputation of others through written communication such as email, notes, magazines, newspapers and websites etc.

HUMAN CENTIPEDE 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX8fKLjC__c

Many films are unable to be publically viewed on things such as TV and cinema because of ethical constraints. The Human Centipede 2 was banned in the UK by the British Broadcasting Film Classification (BBFC) for being ‘sexually violent and potentially obscene’, this is an ethical issues because of it’s sensitivities. The Human Centipede 2 was released in 2011 and immediately classified as an rated 18 and banned until cuts were made to the film, and these cuts were requested by the BBFC.

I personally agree with the press and the BBFC guidelines for the film as I believe that the director, producers and writers pushed boundaries and was not expected. I think that they incorporated issues that were not suitable for audiences and so inappropriate.

Director: Tom Six

Production Company: Six Entertainment Company

Budget: $1.5 million

Banned in: The UK and Australia.

The Guardian wrote an article about the release and details of the film.

http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2011/nov/07/human-centipede-2-censorship-bbfc

A lot of people expressed their concerns on the film and I found a link of a man explaining the reasoning behind the film not being given a certificate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUtCKOKfIEg

7.1 Structure and Ownership of the Media Sector

Audrey Muanza

The media industry is a huge business and within it has seven main media sectors. These media sectors are; music,film,television,animation,publishing and the gaming industry. In this guide I will be focusing on the Film Industry.

The music industry is a mixture of companies and individuals that create and sell live performances,sound recordings and more music related things for money. An example of a music company is The Universal Music Group who own a number of music labels and brands such as Def Jam Records. The film industry includes film production companies,film studios,screenwriting, film festivals, actors, film directors etc. Meaning that the film industry definition are those involved in the process, end product and distribution of the films. For instance, Leonardo DiCaprio is part of the film industry as he is an actor in some of the films produced in Hollywood such as Wolf of Wall Street distributed by film company Paramount Pictures. The television industry is another popular sector, the television industry is

The animation industry is a rapid growing industry as popularity has been increased over the last few years. Animation is not only children's entertainment and cartoons but growing in the film industry as well. Blockbuster movies such as Shrek and Ice Age are examples of adult animations. The publishing industry the preparation of  products being distributed for sale, examples of print based products are magazines and books. For instance, cosmopolitan magazine is a print based product disturbed by Hearst Magazine around the world for sale.  The gaming industry is the sector involved with the production, marketing and sales of video games. The video game industry is popular amongst all ages and is continuously evolving and developing. The video gaming industry is everyone involved in the creative process such as the writers, animators, directors etc. An example of a big game is Grand Theft Auto certified an 18 but loved by everyone. Over the years changes and different games have been made under Grand Theft Auto and even to this day is still popular.

In the film industry there are a number of sectors that the industry is split into. The sectors are public ownership, private ownership, multinationals, public service media, independents and conglomerates. Private ownerships are companies that are owned by individuals, families or shareholders etc. For instance, Kevin Hart, a comedian, created his production company called 'Hartbeat Productions'. Kevin Hart owns his production company and was able to produce his own stand up comedy film and later give it to Summit Entertainment to distribute. Public ownership is completely different to private ownership, public ownership is when a company is run by the public e.g. the government. For instance, Film4 are under the Channel Four Television Corporation who are a publicly owned. The Channel Four Television Corporation fund their films and documentaries through advertisements broadcasted on their channels. Being publicly owned means that they rely on feedback from their audiences in order to know what they're doing right but also make any improvements. Where as Independent companies have to finance and create their own films as they are not being backed by larger companies. For example, Focus Features are a known company that distributes independent films, the most recent being 'The Walk Of Shame' starring Elizabeth Banks.

Conglomerate are large organisations that own multiple companies. A great and popular example of this is The Walt Disney Company. The Walt Disney Company are a multinational mass media and conglomerate company, they have five sectors Internet, Toys/Gaming, Television, Radio and Film. Being a multinational business means that specific company have a number of offices in different countries other than their home country. Disney are based in Paris, America and other countries.

The Channel Four Television Corporation is also a cross-media diversification as they distribute and produce Television shows and films. They have their own channel where they can prepare and distribute their films as well as show other films and shows. The channel Four Television Corporation are known for their product diversity as they produce and distribute documentaries, films and TV shows. Whereas Focus Features, an independent film distributor, rely on the money they earn from investing in their own products and creating other films. This is their source of income. Focus Features have to compete with other film distributors who are bigger and better and are proving to step up as they have released a lot of films other the years, for instance, One Day featuring Anne Hathaway. One Day earnt $56,71 million, a huge success.

In 2014, it was reported that Twenty First Century Fox tried to take over their rival Time Warner but Time Warner rejected the offer. Mergers and Takeovers often happen when one company goes bankrupt or in financial difficulty or they want to join forces to make a bigger,better company. This year Focus Features are set to merge with Universal Pictures as Universal Pictures are a distribution company where as Focus Features are a production company, so both companies can work together to produce and distribute their own films.

The Walt Disney Company are a large business and have a number of franchises. The most recent and popular being Frozen, Frozen was loved all other world and grew so much popularity over a short amount of time. It was so popular that Disney sold games, clothing, a soundtrack, merchandise and even incorporated it into the Disney Theme Park. The Walt Disney Company are a great example of cross media diversification as they branch out in every media division. The Walt Disney Company are a huge global company which means that they have many competitors such as Time Warner Inc and Twenty First Century Fox.