The Hunger Games Cross Promotion

The film version of The Hunger Games came on March 23rd 2012. Since then, there has been many products come out to support the franchise. An product I thought was interesting was a nail polish line by O.P.I. In  The Hunger Games everyone in the Capitol is dressed extravagantly in bold outfits, bold makeup, and bright colours that stand out. In the districts, everything is different for every district. So the line of nail polish has some bright colours displayed by Effie, and then there are 12 other colours (one per district).
I think this relates to key concepts  5 and 8.

Media Concept #5:
The fact that there is a nail polish for each district, as well as the Capitol, says people are allowed to choose which part of The Hunger Games they want to wear. This allows for people to connect with each part of the story, and depending on which part they choose could say something about who they are as a person. (Eg.  if someone chose the District One colour, they may feel they are very successful, and resourceful, OR people could read into the colour and the person and make an assumption that they could be successful and resourceful.)

Media Concept #8
Nail polish is definitely it's own unique aesthetic form of media. It's not media in what people would normally think of media, but it's associated with the franchise, the name is attached, so people are going to enjoy their favourite new franchise in literally every way possible.O.P.I nail polish isn't typically sold in the local pharmacy, it's more in salons, or beauty stores, so people who are going into salons whether it's for a hair cut, or to buy new shampoo, you wouldn't expect to see The Hunger Games name, or poster around you. The idea of the nail polish really extends the story, makes it more realistic for their fans, lifts the story off the pages, and off the screen as well as widens the fan base.

Todorov's Structure of Conventional Narratives

Film: Spider-Man

Stage 1: A State of Equilibrium at the Outset

• In the beginning, Peter Parker is a normal high school kid. He's very gifted in the sciences and is a photographer for the school newspaper. He has a nerdy side, and very quietly has a big crush on Mary Jane- who he lives beside with his aunt and uncle. Peter is bullied, and picked on, but he still seems generally happy person. Peter Parker lives what we would consider "normal". Peter has a friend Harry, who's father owns a big successful company.

Stage 2: A Disruption of the Equilibrium by Some Action

• Peter goes on school trip and on his trip they are looking at many different kinds of spiders. There is a spider above head that he does not see and on it's web lowers itself to Peter and bites him. Peter feels the bite, looks up, but just moves on. There's a screen that has DNA spirals on it with pieces missing, after the spider bites Peter, the missing pieces are filled.

Stage 3: A Recognition that there has been a Disruption

• As soon as the spiders bites him, Peter realizes it because he feels it, but his symptoms don't set in until later that day/night. When Peter gets home, he goes right to bed. He has the sweats, and is dizzy. When he wakes up in the morning he's perfectly fine. Peter goes to put his glasses on, but, when he does, everything is blurry-he can't see. He takes them off and realizes the change. Then he notices he's suddenly very lean- a sculpted body. As he's walking down the stairs, instead of walking around the corner, he climbs up the wall and jumps down. When Peter gets to school,at lunch time, Peter is eating, and Mary Jane comes to walk by him, but she slips. Mary Jane is behind Peter, but he has this peripheral sense she's going to fall. He then catches Mary Jane and her tray of food. After helping Mary Jane, Peter's fork is sticking to his hand, when he tries to shake it off, a web comes flying out of his wrist and to his tray. He tries to pull his tray too him, but it flies past him and hits the school bully Flash. Because of this, Flash tries to beat Peter up. But, when Flash comes up behind Peter he has the peripheral sense kick in again and dodges his first punch. The rest of the fight continues like this- with all Peter's new found senses. On top of Peter getting spider powers, Harry's dad was experimenting with an idea and tried to use it on himself. This turns Harry's dad into the villain- the Green Goblin.

Stage 4: An Attempt to Repair the Disruption

• Now that the Green Goblin lives, and Peter Parker is "Your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man" the film follows the two as the Green Goblin reeks havoc upon the city, and Spider- Man follows him to try and clean up his mess.

Stage 5: A Reinstatement of the Equilibrium

• At the end of the film, Spider- Man defeats the Green Goblin, and that chapter is over- the city is safe from harm. 

Hays Code

Back in the 1920s, there was a code put in place when Hollywood movies first became popular. The code was called the Hays Code. The purpose of the Hays Code was to create viewer friendly and appropriate movies. The code included everything from criminal crimes to the title of the movie. If this code was still used today, there is a good chance many movies today would not be released.
I understand why this code was put in place, because, like anything new and popular, movies could have been  anything... Anything filmmakers (ie. writers, producers, directors etc.) wanted them to be, so there had to be some kind of limit put on this. I personally think it was better for today's movies and movie industry that the code was placed back in the 20th century rather than now. The reason for my opinion is because some of the parts of the code seem very unrealistic, and rather ridiculous. My opinion could be ( and more than likely is) biased because I haven't been exposed to a time where the Hays Code was in action.
Some of the points in the code I think are not necessarily strange but unnecessary are:

• Crimes Against the Law
• Sex
• Vulgarity 
• Repellent Subjects
• Profanity

In the list above, all of these occur in real life. I'm not saying all of them are necessarily right, but they do happen. People commit crime of all serveries, sex (yes, the physical act  of, but also)- adultery, seduction, rape, etc, and the act of swearing all happen. By taking all of those things away, makes/made the movies unrealistic. But, it's double edged sword I suppose, because, by seeing these happen in the movies people are watching may sent the message that these acts are acceptable. To me, I think these things would happen regardless if they were in movies or not.
Some points in the code I think should still be kept are

• Obscenity
• Religion
• National Feelings

In this list, these things still do happen in real life, which proves the statement I previously stated, but these are the things that should be completely left out. These things happen in the world, but they shouldn't. Ridiculing religions, and disrespecting a country's flag is very unacceptable, with no exceptions.
Personally, I'm really glad this code is not implemented  in movies today, because I think they (eventually) they would all become the same. Even though to a certain point today they have... I think it would happen soon, and be even worse than today.

Masculinity in the Media

One Last Hope is scene from the Disney movie Hercules. This Disney movie is a favourite among many, but has specific stereotypes and implications about masculinity.
Everyone knows Disney's iterpretation of the story of Hercules. A newborn God to Zeus is stolen by Hades' minions Pain and Panic who turn Hercules into a demigod. Hercules then grows up on Earth with god-like strength, and has to become a hero on Earth to return home to Mount Olympus. To become this "hero" Hercules seeks out Philoctetes who taught all the greats everything they knew. One last hope shows Hercules' transformation from a scrawny boy, to a manly, muscular, "hero".
The real Greek myth of Hercules is similar, but not the same as Disney's interpretation. In the real story, Hercules is a demigod, who is very strong, but to offset his strength, he is rather unintelligent. With his strength, came an ego, which bruised easily, and a large appetite for food, wine, and women.
If you put the two stories together, we have the media's construction of what masculinity is. The "tough guise".
Similar to the Dove commercial, and the idea the public doesn't want to look at "ugly" or unattractive people, the media has made it so people think when they see men in the media, if they aren't strong, tough- showing the "tough guise"- they are weak, not real men.

Key Concept #5: Media Ideological and Value Messages

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qm8PH4xAss&ob=av2e

Above is the song "In Da Club" by rapper 50 Cent. This is one of those popular songs everyone knows. It is like a "standard" in pop/rap music. To me, I really don't think that's a good thing. Everything about this from the song, to the album name, to the music video is giving off wrong value messages.
I think there are three components to the message of this song. The first is, the name of the album this song is on is called "Get Rich, or Die Tryin'" Already this is implying that if you're not rich, you're going to be unhappy. So, we should all become rich, or we won't be happy, won't have a good life, so we should work until we become rich. This message is all over the media- television shows, music, movies, all types of media. This also goes back to media concepts number one and two that this idea is constructed.
 The second component is of course the song.The song itself, just completely throws away any kind of values that are learned. Not saying listeners throw those values away, but 50 Cent makes it sound okay to do so. The essence of the song if having a good time: going out and mindlessly getting drunk, doing drugs, and having sex. The line "I got the X if you're into taking drugs, I'm into havin' sex, I ain't into makin' love" says a few things in itself about the whole song. There's the drug use occurring with the "X" , and then there's the disrespectful use of women. This one line sums up the whole song of living "the good life". Partying without a care in the world. The complete opposite of what is reality and what parents want to instill in their children.
The third component is the music video. 50 Cent is being showed in some kind of surgery to enhance him, and then the rest of the video is flashing between him in a club surrounded by women, and working out. The main reason for working out should be for health reasons, but here it is used for vanity reasons. Another step towards that "good life".
The song overall, how constructed media is, and how the values within the constructed media are completely mixed up, and wrong. 

Key Concept #4- Media gave Commercial Implications

To me, I don't think corporate sponsorship has a place in schools. Yes, it gives school substantial monetary benefit, but why does a school need  Pepsi, or Coca Cola stamped in a its hallways? I agree with the students that protested saying they were pawns of a big business.

Corporate sponsorship wouldn't such a bad thing if they didn't come with a catch. They're beneficial because in order to get the schools to agree, they "sweeten the deal" offering money, and other perks such as equipment for classrooms and contests. I think corporate sponsorship is good for those reasons, they keep students interested  their school community, keeps learning up to date and innovative, and gives schools a little more money for the things they may need. But in return the schools have to sell the company's products, advertise that they have a big name company sponsoring them. School is an educational institution, not a television commercial, and it should stay that way.

Friday February 10th: Does the idea of test screening mean that we, as audience are getting the kinds of movies we want to see? Embed a video clip or trailer of a movie you did not enjoy. Explain what you would have changed if you could have been part of the test screening audience.

Yes, I would say test screening gives us the kind of movies we want to see, or at least the idea tries very hard too. Test screening is having an audience view the movie before it is released, so film makers can see if it has the effect they want the film to have. The most effective way to do this would be to do a screen test with it's targeted audience. If the desired reaction occurs from the audience, film makers have succeed in their job, if not, they regroup and make changes. By doing this, the public is getting movies they would like to see,  (generally, this is putting aside the fact that not everyone likes every movie, even if they think from commercials and previews they might enjoy it.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1qZ7r8Z_SI

The movie "Four Christmases" with Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn is a movie that I really did not enjoy. To me, this movie shouldn't even exist. It's too much like the 2004 Christmas comedy "Christmas with the Kranks". The plots are similar, but "Four Christmases" did not succeed as a Christmas movie, or a comedy. So, to me, the whole project of the movie should have been rethought. At Christmas, people usually don't run away  from their loved ones, they want to be with them. So, I think that's a personal thing, not liking the story, but still, if it was going to become something, it should have been seriously rethought. 

Given the movie obviously materialized, I would have changed the pairing of the main characters. Both Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn are good actors, but they're not good together. To me, they didn't have on screen chemistry- they just didn't mesh well as an on screen couple.

I also feel, this shouldn't have had a Christmas theme. It may have been funnier if it hadn't been Christmas related. Having a raunchy, humorous movie at Christmas doesn't fit the category of Christmas movies to me. 

All around, it was just an unfortunate movie.