Film Industry - Big Talks Productions

This production company produces both film and television productions. There television productions are usually shown on mainstream channels such as BBC one, BBC two, BBC three, itv, channel 4 and comedy central. The majory of the television productions that are produced by Big Talks Productions are comedy sitcoms or dramas and have received BAFTA and RTS award nominations for some of there programmes.

It was established in 1995 by Nira Park and located in London. The current managing director is Matthew Justice, there executive producer is Simon Curtis and there Joint CEO is Kenton Allen. There first production to be released was in 1999 and was a television sitcom called Spaced, written by Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, aired on channel 4.

In October 2008 the BBC worldwide bought 25% stake in Big Talk Productions, the other 75% is independently owned. 

Big Talks Production have made 5 films;

Attack The Block

This was released in 2011 and had an estimated budget of $13,000,000, within 5 months reached a gross revenue of $1,024,175 and has a 6.8star rating. The film was both written and directed by Joe Cornish and the cast included John Boyenga, Jodie Whittaker & Alex Esmail.

Paul

This was released in 2011 and had an estimated budget of $40,000,000, within 2 months reached a gross revenue of $37,371,385 and has a 7.1star rating. The film was directed by Greg Mottola and written by Nick Frost & Simon Pegg. The cast included Nick Frost, Simon Pegg & Seth Rogan.

Scott Pilgrim vs The World

This was released in 2010 and had an estimated budget of $60,000,000, within 10 months reached a gross revenue of $31,494,270 and has a 7.6star rating. The film was directed by Edgar Wright and written by Michael Bacall & Edgar Wright. The cast included Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winsted & Keiran Culkin.

Hot Fuzz

This was released in 2007 and had an estimated budget of $8,000,000, within 3 months reached a gross revenue of $23,618,786 and has a 7.9star rating. The film was directed by Edgar Wright and written by Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg. The cast included Simon Pegg, Nick Frost & Martin Freeman.

Shaun of The Dead

This was released in 2004 and had an estimated budget of $4,000,000, within 2 months reached a gross revenue of $13,464,388 and has an 8star rating. The film was directed by Edgar Wright and written by Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright. The cast included Simon Pegg, Nick Frost & Kate Ashfield.

All films were distributed by Universal Studios, except from the most recent film Attack the Block which was distributed by Optimum Releasing

Diary Of A Call Girl - Sound Analysis

At the beginning of the clip there is no real sound track it just goes straight into dialogue. The reason for having no sound track is because this could make the situation look less awkward than the program wants it to look, therefore at the beginning all the audience hears is dialogue.The dialogue between the three characters is usually unfinished because the subjects they are talking about are to awkward to talk about for long.


The sound of the locking of the door has been enhanced to show the audience how insecure the boy is about having the door locked. The opera music being played from the car is diegetic and is the opposite to how the dad is feeling. The music is a fast happy beat, but the dad is feeling anxious and not so happy. It reminds the audience of how the dad is feeling about his sons disability and the situation he is in in the flat.


The sound bridge between the non diagetic sound track played from the scene of the dad in his van over to the lad in the bedroom with the girl helps create a mood of seduction. When he mentions hes never been touched like that, the music playing makes you feel sympathy towards him. when the sound track is playing when the dad is in the van it too makes you feel sympathy for him and his sons disability. The harmonica is being used to play this sound track as it makes the scene seem sad and gives the clip a much slower pace.

Diary Of A Call Girl - Editing Analysis

The clip from 'Diary of A Call Girl' creates a representation of disability through the editing used. Different techniques cause different reactions and implications for the audience to pick up on.


In the beginning we get an immediate shot-reverse-shot from the main female character and the boy in a wheelchair. The shot-reverse-shot highlights the height difference between the two characters which also emphasizes his disability which causes him to be in the wheelchair. The audience also gets a sense of awkwardness through the shot-reverse-shots which we see on many times and the most effective being when it is between all three characters which are in the scene. This awkwardness is created by the quick pace of shot-reverse-shots between them, this shows how minimal the conversation is and that the atmosphere is awkward as they don't have anything to talk about. This editing is also used when the main female character is alone in the room with the boy, on the bed and shows the whole situation is not natural or smooth but instead silent and awkward. 


When using a match on action as a transition when the father was carrying the disabled boy from the wheelchair to the bed showed continuity which prevents the audience from noticing the cut. This shows the audience where the dad was taking him and also illustrated the fact that he clearly had no use at all of his legs and was incapable of moving out of the chair without the fathers help. When the call girl is removing the boys top, a match on action transition is also used and again shows his incapability to do simple tasks which also makes the whole situation difficult between both characters in the clip. 


Eye-line match transitions are used to highlight the characters feelings in this clip. We see this as she is locking the door after the father has left the room and this allows the audience to see his reaction to what she is doing. The boys reaction is uneasy as the locked door would mean his father could not have open access to the room. We see that this is a scary thought for the boy as he looks like he is breathing heavy and slightly panicking, this shows that he is not independent but instead relies on his father. Shortly after this eye-line match we see another one when the father is outside and looks worried at the window where we believe his son to be. The fathers face looks worried and gives the audience a sense of anxiousness. 


We then see a crosscut which then demonstrates the fathers anxiety through jump-cut transitions when he is in his van, it shows him fiddling around and becoming agitated quickly when trying to amuse himself and pass the time until he is reunited with his son again. 


Throughout the clip continuity is used which determines the pace and in this clip it creates a feeling that everything is happening in the short amount of space in which you are watching the clip. 


The awkward atmosphere is created through the transition within the clip which caused the disabled boy to be the privileged character in this clip and allowing the audience more time to concentrate and notice his disability.

Monarch Of The Glen - Camera Analysis

The scene also creates a representation of age through the camera shot sizes, camera compositions and camera movements.


To begin with there is an opening establishing shot which is reverse tracked to show the older men preparing for hard labour and loading the trucks with heavy tools.
Following this we are showned an over the shoulder medium long shot of a young girl talking to a boy, also using a pan shot as she approaches him. The camera shot size shows us the costume of characters which represents that they are younger in more laid back, youthful clothing. Throughout the conversation we are at a lower leveled shot compared to when the father figured man joins the shot and we see the camera level aim more higher up which highlights the height difference between characters, this is associated with age as older people are generally taller.


The close up of the girl when she gets into the van highlights her young face and emotions as she is scared because she has lied about knowing how to drive. To enhance these emotions and the confusion which represents age through uncertainty, there is a slow dolly shot which allows the audience to concentrate on the girl.


As the girl crashes the car there is a wide shot to enable the audience to see what has happend in the accident, showing that the crash was head on. This suggests that the girl is young as her reaction was not to swerve out the way but just freeze and continue driving straight into the on-comeing vehicle. During the conversation about the crash we see alot of tilt movement between the young girl and older man which once again shows he is higher than her. When the camera is lowered to the young girls level it causes them to feel small as she is with taller figures surrounding her, whereas the audience will feel a sense of power when they are highered to the adults level and people surrounding him are smaller.


When the old and middle aged man enter the room to talk, there is an establishing wide shot which represents age through the surroundings in the room. The audience get a sense of being the young girl as throughout the conversation the camera is at a low angle and we feel small and over powered by the older men, making us feel like its us being talked about and creating the sense of authority.
This is continued as the middle aged man goes and tells the young girl off and throughout we are at her eye level, putting us in the characters position.


When we are shown the girls bedroom there is a tilt which reveals a medium close up of the note she has left, enhancing the immature girly writing and decorations she has added. To support that we are shown a close up of a teddy bear with a pan camera movement. The young girl then walks to the mirror which really shows how she is scared and young, not wanting to leave and before she does there is a zoom which shows us what the girl is looking at. We are shown a picture of the family she is leaving and it demonstrates that she is scared and feels endangered without them around her too take care of her, showing that she is young as she is not confident and independent as a woman would be.

Monarch Of The Glen - Mise-en-Scene

Monarch of the Glen creates representation of age through many mise-en-scene aspects in the short clip. 


Non-Verbal Communication;
The main character is seen in the van looking around the drivers area and trying to work out what is what, her body language represents her age as she looks unsure about driving but does not tell anyone but instead drives to give the impression she is old enough too. Her body language is a huge representation of her immaturity when the cars crash. When she is confronted by the older man who gets out of his car to see the damage, she childishly moves away from the cars and hides behind the fatherly character who makes her feel secure as he is much bigger than her and acts like a shield in this scenario. 
We also see mature representation through non-verbal communication. When the two cars crash the fatherly character is very protective of the younger girl and allows her to hide behind him whilst he stands upfront to fight her battle with the old man. 



Costume;
Throughout the clip we see adults dressed better and more presentable that the younger girl and boy, showing that they are more intelligent and wiser than them with more authority also. We see the main female character talking with a young male character whilst he is sweeping up. The male is wear a hooded jumper which is a stereotype of young peoples clothing, also shown through the girls casual laid back clothing which is the usual presentation of a young teenager. We see an older man who the girl has a car crash with, he had a beard which indicates his older and he is smartly dressed which highlights that he is an adult with maturity and authority. 



Props;
Straight away in the opening shot we are shown a group of males loading tools onto trucks, this instantly symbolizes that they are doing hard labour which is very mature and manly. This representation is contrasted after woods as we see a young boy sweeping the garden which highlights he is younger as he doesn't have such a mature job of helping with muscular tools, illustrating that he still has child like jobs to do. 

We see the middle aged male character and the older man talking in an office which looks very mature as is it an oak paneling room which is very tidy with oak tables, books, pillars and brandy. These props represent that the room is old but in good condition, suggesting that it is not a place that young people are welcome. This is also indicated by the brandy which is openly available on the table which could be a sign of no underage children to be allowed in there. Brandy is also a very mature and masculine drink which symbolizes the two male characters who are in the shot.
In contrast to this scene, we are shown the room of the young girl. We see child like props in the room such as; teddies on her bed and pillow, girly magazines which are colourful and appear to be for young teenagers, notes she leaves that have names which are childishly decorated with a picture of a flower also, pink fairy lights around the mirror and pictures stuck around the edge of the mirror. All these objects clarify the girls young age and lack of maturity which has been hidden through the clip but is now revealed.  


Location;
We see the middle aged male character and the older man talking in an office which looks very mature as is it an oak paneling room which is very tidy with oak tables which showed an older generation which reflected the two characters and books suggested that the persons who office it is was well educated. This is not the type of room that would belong to a younger person or a place in which young teenagers where aloud because of the props which was available within the room. 

AS Media Key Concepts

Media language is one of the four concepts, in an exam we are tested on this through our ability to analyse a 5minute clip. The analysis should be about the following ;

• Cinematography - This is the way that a shot is created using lighting and camera choices. These influence the audiences view of the film, emotions and also how the films overall appearance will be at the end.
• Editing - This is the choice of transitions between shots and also the process of correction, condensation, organization and other modifications to ensure the film is smooth with a constant flow.
• Sound - These are key to a film and include two main catagories which within themselfs create a certain mood and atmosphere for the audience. One catagory is diagetic which means the characters in the shot would be able to hear the sounds aswell as the audience, for example a knock at the door. The other catagory is non-diagetic which means the sound effect is just for the audience like sound affects, for example the opening theme song for james bond as he is walking.
• Mise en Scene - This is everything in a scene which appears infront of the camera from the props and locations to the positioning and make-up of the actors.

Representation is another of the four key concepts. It relates to how people are being portrayed on the screen and this gives us a certain opinion which relates to stereotyping.
We are tested on the ability to analyse how the language builds representions on characters features such as;

• Age
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Sexuality
• Religious identity
• Ability Disability
• Social Class

Audience is another of the four key concepts, these are the people who view the finished product after it has been produced. 


Institution is the last of the key concepts, this refers to the people behind the screen who create the media product,  like directors and editors.