Media Theorists

Hypothermic Syringe: The media is somewhat like a syringe, that injects ideas, values and beliefs into the audience. The audience are a powerless mass and have no choice but to be influenced. Examples of this can be seen in the case of James Bulger and his killers. James Bulger's killers were said to of watched a certificate 18 film (Child's Play 3) which inspired the murder of James. The hypothermic syringe theory is quite plausible in the sense that it supplies the ideas for the audience but some people are more easily influenced to certain types of behaviour. Background, upbringing, among other things would play a huge role in whether a person is influenced to do certain things.

Culmination: The word culmination is from the word acculminate. This is from the sense of gradually acculminating something. After years and years of constantly seeing or being exposed to a certain thing (violence, drugs, nudity, etc) you become desensitised to it. Although in a sense this is quite true, as after seeing something several different times the 'shock' factor is no longer there, it depends on your background and other influences you have. Also constantly watching something is different from actually carrying out an action as you are always disconnected in a sense from the actual action.

Two-Step Flow: The masses will experience the media individually but will then go on to discuss it as a group. Even if the person has their own views they may be influenced during discussion with their social groups or other friends. The fact that they may feel a certain way may change after discussing certain points and bits of it have been explained more for example. This one is slightly more understandable because you are not being just influenced by the media but other people aswell but it would depend on how weak your character was.

This is the theory that I feel relates to our project much more than any other. We understand that some people may be unsure about our film, and will feel the need to discuss it with other people. And therefore the way they see the film will definitely differ from the way someone else sees it. 

Uses & Gratifications: 

"We make choices about what we watch and we also have certain expectations, we expect to be gratified by what we watch." 

Here are five of the main reasons we watch different things.

For:

Information - this is for pure knowledge and information. This includes things such as the news and documentaries.

Entertainment - this is just for enjoyment and entertainment. This can be a rnage of several different things. Loads of different genres fit into this group. Eastenders, CSI, Skins could all be included in this group. Dramas, comedies, soaps all fit into this category aswell.

Personal Identity - personal identity allows us to see examples of behaviour for us to model ourselves on. Reality shows such as Big Brother, Flavor Of Love and are a really good example of this because those show real-life people for us to see. Dramas based on real-life events or dramas that are very realistic may also fit into this category. America's Next Top Model, The Wire is a very good drama that is also realistic. The versatility of the characters as they are not all simply 2-dimensional means it is fits quite well as a personal identity show. Films such as KiDULTHOOD may also fit this.

Social Sympathy/Empathy & Personal Interaction - this is when people watch shows to actually empathise with or sympathise the characters. This is shown in shows such as Big Brother when there is a favourite to win. The sympathy/empathy is very obvious in shows such as X Factor and Britain's Got Talent as there is usually someone that has come from a very hard upbringing or has been through alot and the public always feel very affectionate for these people.

Escapism - this is used to allow the audience to escape reality completely. Video games and iPods are a easy way to do this as are online games such RuneScape. A very good example of escapism video games are RPG or simulation games such as Sims3 or Zoo Tycoon for example. RPG or simulation games allow the player to create their own reality or life (Sims, SecondLife) and make different decisions without actually changing their life in reality.

In terms of genre theory and our project, we have come to the conclusion that a person may watch our short film for social realism, to gain an understanding of the way others have to live there lives. This is because our films storyline could in actual fact be happening to a real person. For example, you always hear in the news about young teenagers getting involved with the wrong people, and getting into drugs, this is exactly what our short film is about.

Criticism of Mass Theory's: An individuals point of view will be swayed by culture, race, age, personality, gender, class, etc. The audience will may all read the same text but males may take it differently to females as different classes and races may also do.

Encoding/Decoding: This theory is one of the only media theorys that don't see audiences as a mass. This theory believes that everyone brings dfferent views to the media.

--Encoding : This theory puts forward the fact the media is theoretically encoded.

--Decoding : This theory believes that the audiences decode the media using whatever views they already have. This theory shows why different people have different views on different shows. For example shows such as Family Guy are decoded differently by different people because of the different circumstances they live in.

Definition of Genre : A set of types/groups which any medium may be classified.

- In each case the acknowledgement of genre depends on the acceptance of generic conventions.

Is Genre timeless?

Genre is not timeless, it is open to historical change.

John Fiske states that " any one programme will bear the main characteristics of its genre, but is likely to include some from others ascribing it to one genre or another, this involves deciding which set of characteristics are most important "

Richard Maltby believes that the success of Hollywood is reliant on the combination of predictable elements with variation.

Auteurs

A group of film makers that were considered to be particularly influential and artistic.

An example of these directors are Tarantino (Kill Bill 1&2) And Bazleumen (Romeo and Juliet)

Edward Buscombe felt that the iconography (typical conventions) was the best way to achieve generic definitions.

An example of this the gangster genre. The iconography is guns, money, mafia and suits.

Rick Altman

-Genre theory presumes that viewer pre read the text.

-Viewers become passive voyeurs.