Call Of Duty WWII - interesting article on gaming culture.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/apr/27/call-of-duty-wwii-activision-realism-killing

Struggling for examples for NDM and Wider contexts...?  Then look no further than this Guardian article/video about audiences killing in the virtual world for fun.

A great video for MEST 3 - Identities and the Media!

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2017/apr/05/have-our-complex-identities-destroyed-politics-as-usual-video 

Identity is more complex today than it has ever been, says Randeep Ramesh. He argues that with class lines blurring, and factors like race, gender and sexuality coming to the fore, political methods are shifting. This, he says, has led mainstream parties to the extremes of public debate 

A new view on representations

People are used to being put into boxes or groups; but this video really does highlight the different labels for different people - we are more alike than you can ever imagine!

https://www.facebook.com/JayShettyIW/videos/1748936578754133/

La La Land!

It's a shame that this truly visually beautiful film didn't win best picture at the Oscars!  however, in terms of cinematography and mise-en-scene, it is very well put together.  The conscious decisions make it nostalgic of 1950s melodrama and shows a postmodern approach to the composition of cinema.

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/02/la-la-land-production-design

Gaming culture and most influentials consoles!

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gallery/2017/feb/24/10-most-influential-games-consoles-in-pictures

This article really links in with the growth of new technology and shows us how influential gaming is and has become.  It's a great thing to just browse through to ever reminisce, or to just look at how games consoles have physically changed!

Asian identities on TV

Meera Syal discusses interesting issues about the portrayal of Asian characters and people on TV. She also claims that TV needs to change quicker to keep up with these ever-changing and more complex representations.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-39185147

Best video games of 2016

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/dec/04/simon-parkin-best-video-games-2016-witcher-watch-dogs-2-dishonored-2-the-last-guardian

The best video games of 2016 have been released here!

"Fiction may be unable to compete with reality when it comes to whiplash-inflicting narrative twists, but it can provide a sanctuary into which the embattled and anxious may retreat. Video games in particular provide a comforting framework for the human mind."

Documentary and Bias

A truly gripping 10 part documentary series about US man, Steven Avery from Manitowoc County, who was wrongly convicted of a rape and was jailed for 18 years before DNA evidence proved him to be innocent.  The documentary then takes a turn when Steven is accused of sexually assaulting and killing Theresa Hollbach; the state, who were involved int he first case, are on the trial and prosecute him.  The documentary is carefully crafted and the audience has no where to be positioned but on the side of Steven, his family, and his nephew Brendan Dassey.  We do not see much from the defending side, even the evidence that is presented seems made up, too obvious, or misconstrued.  The editing is effective and really makes the audience side with Avery; we feel everything he feels and can do nothing but helplessly sympathise.  The clever use of editing and cliffhangers (or break bumpers) between episodes means that you go nowhere, but continue watching!

13th, Representation and black identity

A Netflix original documentary, 13th, is absolutely fascinating and is a must watch for anyone studying Representation or Identities in the media - particularly of black people.  It accuses the US state of essentially 'turning' slaves into criminals so that they could be re-locked up, undertaking menial tasks and essentially being subordinate to the bourgeoisie/ruling class.  The documentary explores how presidents including Nixon, Regan and Clinton essentially making up figures, creating moral panics, devising stupid initiatives (Just say no to drugs campaign) that essentially framed criminals.  The amount of prison inmates from ethnic backgrounds drastically increases over time, to the extent where the US state are able to make money out of them as their prison system is privatised.

The 13th amendment states: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."  This is obviously ironic and the state essentially turns slaves into criminals to force them to become slaves, just with a different name, again.

FAKE NEWS!

Fake News seems to be something that is dominating newsfeeds on social media; it is sooooo easy to concoct a story, lie and post it on the internet.  Due to the lack of regulation of the internet, not only journalists, but Joe Public can post anything.  One journalist said classed these stories to be fake news, and not lies - but is there a difference?  Journalists are governed by IPSO (used to be PCC) which states that they cannot just make up news - this would be dematory, libelous and slanderous.  Since the phone hacking scandal, many victims now take out high court injunctions to escape being victims of sometimes, their own actions.  However, has this move now meant that journalists and users of social media alike are able to post anything they like?

A good read:  Facebook, fake news and the meaning of truth:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38106131

Guerrilla Advertising - the lengths institutions go to to get noticed!

http://justsomething.co/street-advertising/

Guerrilla Advertising just screams creativity - the link above just shows the lengths advertisers get to to get their brands noticed.  The way in which audiences interact with these scenarios, displays, exhibitions, whatever you want to call them, is vital and pivotal for them to remember the concept in the hope to buy and part with their cash!

Class, race, wealth: Britain is a nation blighted by divisions

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/29/britain-blighted-by-divisions-theresa-may-integration-casey-report

For those of you studying Identities in the Media for Mest 4, AQA, may like to choose an identity such as British identity, class or even racial identities in Britain.

This article proves to be an interesting starting point, particularly looking at the impact of Theresa May's new government/cabinet and whether social integration is taking place; especially after a report showed this week that it was down to schools to monitor immigration when May was the Home Secretary.

Tech Tent - great new BBC podcast!

Have an interest in technological development and change?  Want to know how things will look int he future?

Subscribe to the BBC podcast here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04dctsn

What if gender roles were reversed in advertising....?

https://www.good.is/articles/intermission-what-if-gender-roles-in-advertising-were-reversed

I stumbled across this on Facebook as one of these 'You might be interested in....' suggestions - I usually skip over them, but this caught my eye.  It definitely puts a refreshing spin on what if gender roles in advertising were reversed, but also makes you realise the extent of objectification in the media that already exists.  Get applying your male gaze theory to these examples!

There's also a follow up video called Hunkvertising which is equally interesting!

www.adweek.com/news/.../hunkvertising-objectification-men-advertising-152925

Film noir.... or modern noir?

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/28/after-the-maltese-falcon-how-film-noir-took-flight

This is a great article to read on the popularity of the noir genre - especially as so many Year 12s have picked the noir coursework film brief!  Something to get into your coursework research or evaluations!

And who said Media Studies wasn't an exciting subject....!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/37896253/media-student-confuses-the-internet-with-his-john-lewis-inspired-christmas-advert

This is a clear example that Media Studies students do posses amazing skills such as creativity, animation, independent learning skills etc etc etc - what a great piece of coursework!

Film director gets the recognition he deserves!

Steve McQueen has recently been honoured by the BFI, and rightly so.  The film industry has always largely been run by white middle class and middle aged men - these sorts of directors are breaking the mould and as a result, better quality, more controversial, exciting and experimental films are being made.

Well done to y Kelly Reichardt and Julia Ducournau too who won awards respectively for their films; again people breaking the mould (women this time!).

#BFIismulticultural  #oscarssonotwhitenextyear!

What the media doesn't tell you......

It may be because I live the other side of 'The Pond', but I thought that there were only 2 presidential candidates for the US vote; the repulsive, inexperienced, inappropriate Trump, and then Hilary Clinton; apparently not!

There are other candidates in the running, but they don't seem to get any of our air time - I wonder how much they actually get int he US?

You can see a full list of the candidates here:  http://www.politics1.com/p2016.htm

It just goes to show how much the media does;t show us; think about what else they're hiding from us....

Stop calling disabled people inspirational!

Guardian video on stop calling disabled people inspirational startled me - but Dr Frances Ryan has got a good point!  Have representations of disabled people now gone the other way and are too positive, especially since the increased reporting and acceptance of the paralympic games.

Distortion of British values?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2016/oct/05/akala-the-propaganda-of-british-values-is-a-distortion-of-history-video

An interesting video from rapper Akala; are our British values based on propaganda and hegemonic views impressed upon us from history and politics?