Section B practice (reasons for media products across a range of platforms)

"consider the reasons why the media products from your case study are present across a range of media platforms?"

Case Study & Peer Assessment

Mohammed's Case Study Assessment.

http://mohamedmedianblog.blogspot.co.uk/

1.) Name of student whose blog you are assessing:
Mohammed Omar


2.) Name of film they have researched:
Fast & Furious


3.) Have they covered all three platforms?
Yes. print, broadcast and e-media have been mentioned.


4.) Examples from ..

- print:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2337495/Fast-And-Furious-6-roars-past-500-million-mark-worldwide-box-office-record-breaking-speed.html

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/video/showbiz/film-trailers/4916359/Fast-Furious-6-Exclusive-clip.html



- broadcast:





- e-media:




5.) What links can you find between this case study and Ill Manors?
There are links in E-media with Fast & Furious (F&F), and ill manors, as they have a Facebook and twitter page, as well as an official website.
Print also links both movies, as reviews are available both on-line and on posters, from places like fast tomatoes and empire, as well as rotten tomatoes.


Reviews were used as a form of promotion, in both of these movies - as articles showed reviews to promote the movie, and Ill Manors had used the poster with quotes, to influence the audience with positive opinions, from well known people - used as opinion leaders, as the two step flow model can be applied to this link.



6.) Is there anything you can learn from this case study? What could you add to your own case study after looking at someone else's work?
Fast and Furious's FAQ were done by the cast. 

5. What institutional issues are raised in the case study?

1.) Who are the key institutions involved in promoting the film and how are they involved?

DISNEY/MARVEL & PARAMOUNT.

The Walt Disney Studios agreed to pay Paramount at least $115 million for the worldwide distribution rights to Iron Man 3. Disney, Marvel, and Paramount announced a May 3, 2013 release date for Iron Man 3.

2.) How do they use each platform to reach their target audience (now fragmented)?

• Print media (Current fans of Marvel and fast food) Synergy is created, by other Marvel/Disney magazines promote Iron Man 3 along with other movies, such as The Avengers.
  

  

  
  

  
• Broadcast media (TV/Radio/DVD) (Juniors- aged 3-10, and young teens, and families/adults) Audi is used to promote on TV, thus meaning that families, and adults in specific are targeted through this. Children and famillies(further) and targeted further by the use of promoting using fast-food chains, such as Burger King & Mc D's. There is both kids menu and the adult 'power meal' available.
• E-Media (Teenagers, and young adults - 20-34) This group is most active with e-media, in specific social media, such as YouTube and Facebook. Facebook page of Iron Man 3 has more male liker than female, and majority are over 18. 

3.) How do they use technological developments to provide new audience experiences?

Iron Man 3 featured over 2,000 visual effects shots and was worked on by 17 studios, including Weta Digital, Digital Domain, Scanline VFX, Trixter, Framestore, Luma Pictures, Fuel VFX ect. It gives the audience to experience action exaggerated, and it allows them to be more engaged with the movie, as they are left stunned with what is being shown in the movie. This provides a new audience experience, as they will receive further entertainment, by the visual effects, such as crashing of a aeroplane, as it is not real, however look very realistic. Iron Man 3's visual effects had taken 4 months of working 7 days a week (12-16 hours everyday), to create in order to provide the outstanding 2000 effects.

4.) Are the institutions affected by economic issues within each media platform? Broadcast : audience from the C2-E may not be able to buy the movie as a DVD, or go to a Cinema with their family to watch it, this means that a great amount of people may not be able to view this movie, or may even have to watch a pirated copy(more info below). In addition, many of those from D and in specific E socio-economic groups will not be able to access internet(E-media) as easily, because they may not have a laptop/computer at home, or may share one in the family - which could lead to them not being able to watch the movie. Print : People may not want to keep buying magazines to stay updated, and due to E-media being cheaper overall, the institutions may not be able to make enough money from selling such merchandise. Overall the institution can be affected, as they may have not been able to get enough money back, if not enough people view the movie. 

5.) Has internet piracy impacted on the construction/distribution of the film/DVD?

Iron Man 3 is available on many websites, such as on Mega share as a pirated copy. This means that the special effects won't visualize as expected by producers, meaning that the audience may not be able to see the effects that they could enjoy in the cinema or by a official DVD.

Now think of how the institutions behind the film are working across the 3 platforms:Analyse how the platforms interactDo some work better together than others?

4. How are representations constructed across the 3 platforms?

How are characters/stars in the film represented in:

• Print media?

: Gender is represented through many Iron Man 3 posters, in specific this one because Robert Downey Jr is holding Gwyneth Paltrow, this connotes her trying to protect her from the danger. This enforces Berger's theory of 'men act and woman appear', as it is the hero that

: People who are from a black(Caribbean/African origin)background, are stereotyped to be second best, and mostly seen negative, however this stereotype has been challenged and enforced too. Don Cheadle who is from a Caribbean background was successfully able to be someone who is friends and associated with those who are white, he has also been shown in some posters of him alone, showing a leading role as a black male in the movie. on the other hand he is shown in the background of most posters, to reinforce that he is not the main star.

• Broadcast media (TV/Radio/DVD)

Robert Downey Jr has been repeatedly shown as a highlight in the movie, as he is the hero, in the first ever TV advert shown in America, it was him who had 'saved the day', with his sidekick Paltrow. The DVD cover (most frequently used one), is of Robert Downey Jr on his own, representing him as a 'one man army', in order to show his heroic status.

• E-Media?
  

         

Robert Downey Jr is shown to be the most dominant character in the movie and as if because he is the 'super-hero', he deserves the 'super-car', no one else has been shown from the cast of Iron Man 3 in this, showing that Tony Stark is the main character and represented as the main highlight of the movie. Tony stark commands 'go', in order to reinforce his dominant role.

the character is represented in most of the adverts on You-tube (E-media), as the saver of the 'world' and is girl friend pepper potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), is shown as the princess according to the narrative theory of Propp, and Iron Man as the protagonist.

 

Now look at what values and ideologies are communicated within these representations

Gywenth Paltrow is presented in the audience in a inferior way, as she is a female - and she is meant to be rescued by the hero, thus shown weaker. she is the one who is the sidekick and appears, so Mulvey's theory of women and appear and men acting applies to this. The audience get a chance to represent them self as a second iron man, as they can purchase merchandise of Iron Man 3, which is available via the MARVEL website - in addition, they are open to meals from fast food chains, such as the power meal.

3. How do audiences access the text across the 3 platforms?

How is the film promoted to its target audience(s) through:

Promotion through Print allows audiences to get loads of quantitative information, such as the release date, cast, location ect. for example, in a news article, audiences will be able to receive information about everything, including follow up links to social-media e.g twitter, as well as release date (3rd), and the budget and casting details. However similarly to broadcast, and E-media, which have be brief, such as a 10 sec trailer or a 45minutes broadcast interview, with director and cast on many topics associated to the movie and an insight. E-Media will provide large and small amounts of information in order to meet the audience's needs, as some people may find the movie appealing after a 30 second youtube trailer, whereas some may want to follow up on facebook and twitter, in order to read reviews as well as see how they can interact with the movie. All three of the platforms give audiences flexibility on the actual content of text as well as the information (amount/type) provided.
Print
Using Print in many ways such as newspapers and billboards, will reach out to the public in general Broadcasting and a lot of the Print is targeted at those of a much younger age, and much older audience i.e. 10/12  and 60+, as they are least likely to access the internet and have social media such as Facebook/Twitter/Instagram accounts. Iron Man 3's text can be accessed through other leading brands, not only through Audi, but McDonald's too.
Mc Donalds decided to collab with Iron Man 3 and began to offer Iron Man 3 'power meal', which was aimed at adults. Mc Donald's is an international franchise, this makes it even more affective
 in addition to having iron man 3 toys in happy meals. 

Iron Man 3 promotion was collaborated with many other big global chains and was very popular to collaborate with for many fastfood chains and this was not only to target the western market, as here is an Iron Man 3 Trailer, leading to the 'Burger King Iron Man meal ', Burger King and Iron Man 3 both promote each other.  

Broadcast

Iron Man Three has been promoted to a certain audience time and time again, as the american channel NBS covers a lot of Iron Man 3's target audience which will be mainly those of males from the age of 12 and upwards, up to 24 to be specific. this is Iron Man's  audience according to age. This mainly appeals to males because of all of the action and violent scenes, which females may not be so appealed by. 
NBS was the first channel to broadcast the Iron Man 3 advert, and this was during Super-bowl, which is viewed by over 112.2 million people, majority fitting into the target audience of Iron man 3 too, as the target audience for NBS is 18-49, and for Super-bowl being the programme in which the commercial was placed between means there will be more men than female watching the channel at time, as this is a football game, which is liked by predominantly males. This was a strategic procedure, as they are promoting the first time on TV and they have been able to target a large market which is their target market (mostly). The ad is shown below, the film is further promoted through the use of synergy at the end of the commercial which is shown below, as the Facebook page name to view the 'extended version' of the trailer is there - the release date is also included in order to make the viewers aware of the releasing date, and the social-media page relates back to the target audience, because those who watch super bowl are most likely to use social media sites, in this case Facebook hence the page name will enable those who are interested to go and find out more.



E-Media

youtube:



This YouTube clip shows behind the scene action of Iron man 3, giving the audience an insight of the movie, and seeing the real personalities of the characters come out so audiences can know the characters for who they are and feel more personal towards them, this will lead to them being more likely to watch Iron Man 3 - as they will feel like they know 'internal' information.

Twitter:

Webpage:

facebook:  

Audience theories you could research and apply to your film case study:

Uses and gratifications, Iron Man 3 targets Mainstreamers because it's promotes on a wide scale, reaching to audiences including: children, adults and families. 

All of the media platforms target an A-E working and middle class social demographic. This is because although the film was a big budget blockbuster ($100 million), it still appeals to people of different status'.
Some audiences may not go to cinema to watch the film(E.g E) they can view promotions, by print, for example the Mc Donalds poster, as well as interviews in the newspaper, such as the Sun. content can also be viewed through e-media such as trailers on Youtube, or the official site as well as social-media i.e facebook/twitter/IG. They maybe able to watch the movie, on free view TV channels, so through the use of broadcast such as on BBC One. 

 Moreover, print magazines for Toy Story 3 narrowcast a niche market of children as they are especially designed to appeal to them. Also, using mode of address, the producer would assume the magazine targets both male and female children, therefore uses multi colours to appeal to this audience. By the use of Broadcast and Print the text has been widened, in order to reach a larger audience - in specific of different ethnicities and demographic areas, for example, being able to create adverts in Arabic, and posters and being on Chinese news, and having Chinese posters in order to promote, allow any language barriers to be overcome so those who don't read/understand english can also find the movie appealing. 

2. How are texts in the three platforms constructed?

Slide2: How are texts in the three platforms constructed? : IRON MAN 3

Print
A review of the film is available on Empire's exclusive interview with Ben Kingsley and Robert Downey Jr, followed by a Chinese trailer of iron man 3.

Denofgeek also offer an interview with Shane Black, the director on the direction of Iron Man 3, along with some exclusive pictures of behind the scene in Iron Man 3 as well as other productions of his such as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Broadcast
Using Broadcast Iron Man 3 & Audi which is a well known car company have promoted each other, clips from the film have been used in order to promote the movie, with the ending shown with character Tony Stark commuting in Audi's E-Tron  - this clip ends with Audi's logo, however makes the audience aware of the Iron Man 3's release date, in just 30 seconds. a link to Iron Man's 

E-Media
On Iron Man's Facebook page many offers are included, in order to attract the audience in further, for example nomination information, pictures of behind the scene and any major interview links, news links and links to Marvel's Iron Man 3 official website are included with nearly every post.

• What are the similarities?

The same pictures have been used across the platforms such as the one where half of IRON MAN’s face is shown. This adds some realism to the movie, and allows any new audiences to understand that a award winning actor is playing main role in the movie, which is a method of attracting the audience. Links to Marvel and Iron Man 3 official website are mentioned, creating synergy. 

Social media links have been included on YouTube(E-Media) clips to promote other E-Media, i.e. Marvel's Iron Man Facebook and Twitter page, as well as Facebook being promoted on via Broadcast, as the first advert released on TV (super-bowl - NBS), had a the Facebook page name mentioned. Links to the webpages are also available on newspaper articles as shown below 
In addition, the release date of the movie has been shown in all of the platforms, including TV adverts, interviews and Facebook/Twitter pages. 

• What are the differences?
  -E-media is mainly targeting the younger audiences, i.e. 12+ - as they are the main consumers of the internet (e-media) and social media. Some TV adverts are promoting Iron Man 3 differently, by the use of product placement, with car companies, such as Audi, on the other hand, some just promote purely the movie with some synergy of social networks, such as the very first TV advert which was shown during Super-bowl, this only mentioned the Facebook page and release date. 

1. Film Media in context

Cross Media Case Study Questions

How does the industry promote the film to audiences using:
Print media? Iron Man 3 posters had been used on many Billboards Globally, including Hong Kong, obviously USA as well as the UK. 


















Broadcast media (TV/Radio/DVD)? Front Rows BBC 4 Radio show for books, musics, performance: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s0df2 - this gives information on the movie to the audience, allowing them to be enticed into watching it.

There were many Q&A articles involving Robert himself on BBC, and radio times, which included a trailer at the end, leading to consumers being able to watch the trailer and potentially be more interested. 

• E-Media? They are promoting on twitter using their hash-tag and by offering competitions and prized to entice their audience.
• Using Facebook they have created their own page in which they have ____ likes on
• YouTube trailers and interviews are present, in order to promote the movie further and allow the audience to build relation with characters. Many interviews which fans would follow have been posted on YouTube. A prime example of this is shown below, where Emmy winner Jake Hamilton sits down with the stars of IRON MAN 3 -- Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Kingsley, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce and Rebecca Hall - you-tube exclusive.
  
  
  
• -Games App - Available App Store & Android, people will play these games, and it is ratr 4.5 stars, meaning more people will play this game. this increases brand recognition of Iron Man as a whole, leading to people being more familiar and attached with the brand, thus wanting to watch the movie
• 

  

Now look at each platform individually:

• What are the key issues and changes taking place in each platform?
• Print Media is not instant and free like E-Media Print media not being free means that people are less likely to buy print like magazines, in addition, it isn't instantly updated like e-media, one will need to buy/own another copy i.e.. new addition. this will mean that those who are able to be targeted via e-media will be the main people who recognize iron man 3.
• TV is becoming less dictated by scheduling (Sky+), more and more specialist channels, competition from the likes of You Tube This means people are able to easily forward adverts, trailers and anything in-between the show, this means that an Iron Man 3 Advert, that has been paid for by the institution has not been viewed by as many possible viewers, meaning that it may not be worth it if the TV scheduling is available to all - as the majority will skip advertisements.
• E-Media is hard to police (piracy); people are bombarded with information; social networking and increasing audience participation (user generated content) This means that any negative feedback can almost instantly be shared with others, and this can lead to the movie or associated companies or people, such as the stars, get bad publicity.

How is each platform responding and adapting to these issues and changes? Technology is increasing in the generation overall thus billboards and other print media, are being used to promote on a smaller scale, in comparison to e-media. However similar things on the movie are promoted, e.g. release date and starring characters however the E-Media uses other resources, i.e. social networking sites e.g. Facebook and Twitter, whereas the print which is decreasing is more traditional. E-media is free for audiences and sometimes for institutions too, therefore it is a win win, in addition some e-media is more easily accessible than print such as magazines, as they would just need to follow/like a Facebook or twitter page in order to get updates, on the other hand via the magazine they'll have to buy it, and get bombarded with Iron Man 3 information.