Unit 27 Assignment 3

Unit 27 Research activity

http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

Read the information: 

• Where does it live? 

The tree octopus, can be found in Temperate Rainforest's  located in Olympic Peninsula (on the west coast of America.) Their specific habitat lies on the Eastern side, of a mountain range, adjacent to Hood Canal.

• What are its natural predators? 

The Bald Eagle and Sasquatch.

• What form of locomotion does it use to move? 

The tree octopus uses Tentaculation (a form of locomotion), to move around. She would reach out, with one of her eight arms, each one covered in suckers to enable herself to grab a branch and pull herself along.

• Find three sources that determine the accuracy and reliability of this website.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tree-octopus-facts.html

http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/treeoctopus.asp 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1352929/Endangered-tree-octopus-proves-students-believe-read-Internet.html 

Unit 27 Factual Programming (Assignment 2)

Write individual proposal on blog post -for your own idea.

INDIVIDUAL:
Documentary Project Proposal
Length of work, format.
5-10 minutes in the format of an observational documentary.

Who is the intended audience?

Our intended audience are teenagers ranging from about 13+, so the documentary will be aimed at an audience similar to our age range so they can relate to the content and it would be a topic that they're interested in.

Goal or intended purpose(s) of the Documentary

The intended purpose of the documentary is to educate students and people of Manchester about the LGBT community by showing them people's stories and asking them what they feel about acceptance in their community. This will hopefully influence their own views and make them more aware of what issues we face in Manchester specifically.

What is new different, interesting, engaging about your approach?
Our approach will focus on opinions and it will be focused on personal issues and statements, there won't be a presenter as such so it will feel a lot more personal and natural. Like a Q&A session making it feel more relaxed even though it's talking about important issues and emotional/hard-hitting topics.

Style (Any key stylistic elements in writing, shooting, audio, editing, etc.)
We won't exactly have a script because documentaries often don't have a script but the things we do script will be formal but not boring, the tone will be friendly when discussing topics and introductions to engage an audience. 

The editing could work with very subtle transitions, using graphics to show facts and names of people we're interviewing and any sources. It could have a title/logo to introduce the documentary and make it more interesting, so it isn't just facts and interviews. We could show some art and style it like a vlogg in some parts by showing posters and pictures as we hear a voice over.

I would like the documentary to be an observational, film style. What I mean by this; is that by using close-ups and mid shots, using a lot of depth of focusing and wrack focusing. To give it cinemalistic feel, showing shots that make it cinemalistic. Putting some filters on it, might give it a similar style which we would do in post-production.

Audio facts and graphics to show the facts.

What about the soundtrack? (Any music, narration, etc.—If so, who? what?)
Narration/voice over from a "presenter" introducing the documentary and what the topic is. No other narration other than facts and figures regarding the LGBT community to make it feel a bit more personal, not exactly cinematic but not an in your face kind of project. 

I think it would be good to have various soundtracks, a happy one whilst asking quick fire questions and one that could spark emotions or one that would set a serious tone when talking about personal stories and instances of homophobia/discrimination that people have suffered to show that it's an emotional/difficult topic that we're addressing.

Who is working on the project?

I am working with Ria Ebert and Leah Carter on this documentary. We plan to interview members of the college, faculty and students and the members of an LGBT youth group. To gain stories, their opinions and the level of acceptance in the college and within the Manchester area.

Historical background or context of the story

http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_home/history_of_lesbian_gay_and_bisexual_equality/default.asp

Unit 27 - Factual Programme Production Techniques for Television

Activity
1) What do we mean by factual programmes?

Factual programming is a genre of non-fiction television programming, something that documents actual events and people. These types of programmes can be called: Documentaries, Observational Documentaries, Docudrama, Fly On The Wall and Reality Television. They are often subjective facts based on someone's opinion making them biased seeing only one point of view.

2) Give some examples of the different types of factual programmes on TV. 

Documentary- a film, television or radio programme that provides a factual report on a particular subject. Using pictures, videos and interviews with people involved in events or subjects to provide a factual report.

Observational Documentary-a documentary maker follows a person around to observe the events that happen in their life. The equipment is usually informal, having them use hand held cameras and long takes. There are never really any interviews or voice overs included. An example of a type of observational documentary is the show MTV's Teen Cribs.

Docudrama- a dramatised television film based on real life events. An example of a Docudrama is Heroes and Villains which was a docudrama series which looked at key moments in the lives of the greatest warriors in history shown on the BBC.

Fly on the wall- A style of documentary making used in filmmaking and television production. The documentary type is seen as how a fly on the wall might see them. Usually the camera works unobtrusively however it is common for participants to be interviewed (often by an off-camera voice). An example of a Fly on the Wall programme is Celebrity Big Brother.

Reality Television- a television programme in which ordinary people are filmed continuously  They are designed to be entertaining rather than informative. An example of Reality Television is The Only Way Is Essex.

3) What is a documentary? 

A film, television or radio programme that provides a factual report on a particular subject. Using pictures, videos and interviews with people involved in events or subjects to provide a factual report. Documentaries try to represent the world in a realistic style. They aren't always the truth they are still constructed products like Big Brother. They focus on truth vs construction and they are based on the creator's opinion and point of view.

4) What are the different types of documentaries? Give examples to demonstrate your points. 

The styles and documentary modes were developed by an American theorist called Bill Nichols. The concept was created because he wanted to distinguish the particular traits and the different conventions used in documentaries. The 6 types are:

• Poetic- a documentary that has a topic which is personal to the people involved, usually the presenter or the interviewees. It emphasises aspects of a person's life presenting them through the use of music, camera shots, camera angles and the editing. It is often quite artistic in the way in which it's presented. Example: Water

• Expository- documentaries in this style are usually non-fiction films. There is direct access to an audience, social issues are assembled into an argumentative frame with a voice-over narrating to emphasise what is happening with argumentative logic. Example: America's Most Wanted

• Observational- a documentary where the filmmaker is a neutral observer (looking from the outside in). They are normally out of shot so as not to influence what is happening. Nothing is rehearsed or staged making the camera work often look shaky due to the camera crew having to rush around. They are commonly wildlife documentaries, very similar to 'Fly On The Wall'. Example: Celebrity Big Brother

• Participatory- a documentary where the events and situations presented are influenced and altered by the presence of a filmmaker. Example: Supersize Me

• Reflexive- a documentary where the audience engages with the documentary content as it's happening, they acknowledge issues of realism and representation. It shows a constructive nature of documentary which isn't necessarily the truth but a reconstruction. The audience are made aware of the process throughout, they are also made aware of the editing, sound and video/sound recordings. Example: Human Trafficking

• Performative- a documentary which acknowledges the emotional and subjective aspects of documentary to present ideas as a part of a context having different meanings for different people and are often an autobiographical nature. Example: Tongues Untied

Activity 2

Watch the YouTube (https://youtu.be/FgcwEfYBZIs)  identify and write down what you think are the conventions of a documentary.

• Elements of balanced views (not just subjective)?

• Lots of wide shots, basic shots nothing too complex or highly thought out

• Interviews/talking heads and archive (real) footage. 

• Hand held camera work. 

• Features experts, professionals and real participants.

• Voice overs 

• Use of texts, titles and graphics (usually showing who someone is or where they are) 

• Use of non-diagetic sounds, music added to the background for example in the documentary 'Supersize Me' they use childish music.  

• Most of the time they have a presenter. (If they're participatory)

• Linear/single strand narrative (follows one structure and focuses on one subject)  

• Features renactments or dramatisations

Activity 3
Watch the YouTube video (https://youtu.be/6JL9j9xv9Ms) identify and write down what you think are the conventions of a news bulletin.

• Archive/actual footage 

• Voice overs (usually by a reporter or a journalist, experts)

• Presenter -the narrative is more scripted, their tone of voice is more serious and formal. They look professional, often wearing suits.

• Graphics, text and titles (showing who someone is and their job or role) 

• Sound limited -only things they are talking about, recapping but no non-diagetic sound. 

• Opening theme tune with the logo of the channel usually or an image/graphic that relates to the world. 

• Multi-camera set up (based in a Studio)

• Outside broadcasting  

• Bulletin Narrative Structure- opening them tune, 1/2 presenters who relay what happens, go to story showing eye witnesses/interviewees or experts and reporters doing voice overs.

Activity 4
What do you think are the three key issues that we need to be thinking about when we are watching documentaries and news programmes? 

• Bias

• Accuracy 

• Representation 

The 3 issues that effect factual programming

Accuracy

• Truth -how true it is.
• If you lie it's NOT factual
• Situations do not just naturally occur for the camera (prior to shooting there us preparation and planning.)
• The invasion of the camera will alter people's reactions (people hide their true selves to give a different representation.)
• Editing (editors will leave out things, they choose certain clips and put things that they think will be entertaining which can make it misrepresented and change accuracy levels)

Bias

• Leaning towards your own opinion
• Very one-sided 
• It has to be unbiased so that you get a fact and not someone's opinion.

Representation

• How its shown -to do with a topic, a person or an issue. 
• These things can be mis-represented.

Positive values of factual programmes

• Entertaining: It has to engage an audience and let them form an emotional response.
• Educate: gives a variety of points of view. Can give you some important information.
• Inform: issues that the public are unaware of. Sheds light on situations and issues.
• Create empathy: urge an audience to help or change something.
• Encourage social/political change: brings the issue to a public arena and encourages people to want to change it somehow.

                                                             

Watch the channel 4 clips on Benefit Street.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/benefits-street

Channel 4 described 'Benefits Street'  as a documentary series which reveals the reality of life on benefits, as the residents of one of Britain's most benefit dependent streets invite cameras into their tight knit community.

Do you agree with Channel 4's description of the programme? List your points under the following headings:

• Accuracy

-Fly On The Wall style -participants are on benefits so it's accurate. 

• Bias

-There has been a selection of clips chosen so it could be seen as one-sided.

-The participants are answering questions by interviewers, always on camera so we only get their views and never any expert opinions. 

• Representation

-Their point of view so it gives them an accurate representation.

-Labelled as scroungers 

Some participants claimed that they were duped -thinking that they were making a program about community spirit. If the makers are going to lie to the participants how can we trust that the program is accurate, unbiased and a true representation?!

Several participants started a petition for Channel 4 to axe the programme 'Benefit Street', one of them said and quote: "These are marginalised people with complicated situations being exploited for entertainment, and the thousands who have signed my petition agree with me."

                                                       

ITV Fake Footage

Read the article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8792315/ITV-Gaddafi-documentary-claimed-videogame-was-terrorist-footage.html

What effect does 'fake footage' or lying to viewers have on the reputation of a programme/channel/ documentary filmmaker?

I think that having 'fake footage' and lying to viewers makes the channel look bad, the programme loses its' accuracy and it is misrepresenting a particular issue or topic. The footage can present an issue in a better or worse light depending on what is shown which makes the programme biased. The filmmaker will be challenged and their reputation could be damaged, audiences will lose trust and they will question future issues of their factual programming. Using 'fake footage' can be insulting to the participants involved in the real footage or the topic at hand. The channel itself might get backlash and they could lose money or funding as people won't want to work with people who lie and mislead their audiences.

ITV Program: Exposure: Gaddafi and The IRA

• Accuracy -people may question accuracy and reliability of future programmes.

• Representation -mis-represented the 1988 Attack (The Event). It could insult the memories of service men and women and it could offend their families.  

                                                         

BBC Programme: Frozen Planet -Polar Bears

Dramatic footage of a polar bear tending to her newborn cubs in the flagship BBC show Frozen Planet was actually filmed in a Dutch zoo using fake snow. 

• Accuracy -people may question accuracy and reliability of future programmes. The public expect more of BBC (and David Attenborough) 
• Representation -mis-representing the natural habitat of polar bears. The whole genre of nature programmes can become untrustworthy.

Below there's an article from The Guardian discussing the controversy this 'fake footage' caused.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/dec/12/frozen-planet-polar-bear-bbc

                                                            

Find an article on factual program that was accused of being Biased.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13767216

This is an article about the documentary 'Choosing To Die' with Terry Pratchett made in 2011. The article brings up the point about bias and critics slated the BBC for their decision to show such a programme calling it "pro-assisted suicide propaganda loosely dressed up as a documentary" 

Michael Nazir Ali (the ex-bishop of Rochester) claimed that the documentary 'glorified suicide'

'Care Not Kill' campaigners claimed that it was the 5th programme on the subject to be produced by the BBC in those past 3 years presented by someone who was a pro-euthanasia campaigner or sympathiser.

• Biased -it only gave one point of view and it didn't show a fair and balanced view on the topic. This is known to create controversy and it can split people who believe that it is favouring a particular belief whilst not showing a correct representation of factual programming rather showing someone's opinion and possibly 'glorifying' issues.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CVs-wxp4hPqtQbJ8ybB8s_Wds1Cu6XJTLmT1LfR_DMg/edit?usp=sharing

                                                                 

The 3 main factors that affect factual programming:

Definition will get you a Pass

Giving examples (screenshots, interviews, clips) will put you up to a Merit

If you discuss the impact you will get a Distinction

                                                                 

News Section:

Explain the codes and conventions of news programmes such as report structures, outside broadcasts or graphics.

Give examples of actual footage by linking to clips, stills or interviews

Explain why they are used, using terminology to explain the examples.

                                                                   

Documentary Section:
Explain what different forms of documentary there are, with examples (clips, stills or interviews) to explain why they are used.

Outline key issues, codes and conventions of documentaries and news.

Give examples of the conventions

Discuss how or why they are used.

                                                                                 

Daniel being gunged

Unit 8 Assignment 3 (Vlogg)

Unit 8 Vlog Script

Vlogg Script as a word document

• Introduce film company and say what they are famous for (the films).

The film company we have chosen is Walt Disney. Walt Disney are famous for creating films such as: Cinderella, Jungle Book, The Lion King and the complete Toy Story saga.

• Explain some of their most successful box office films with stats (how much their successful films made at the box office)

Disney has had a range of successful films, including: 

Frozen which earned over 1.2 billion dollars making it Disney's successful animated feature.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest earned 1.07 billion dollars. 

Toy Story 3 also earned just over 1 billion dollars.

The Lion King fell slightly under a billion with 987.5 million dollars

Finding Nemo fell just below The Lion King with it earning over 936 million dollars. 

• Who are their competition (find a company that finds similar films to them, who are they going up against with these films)

Dreamworks who made successful animated films such as Shrek and Madagascar. The company was founded by Steven Spielberg amongst overs. Dreamworks goes up against Walt Disney with their films, Dreamworks end up trumping Disney in the CGI department but Disney's films also end up on top. Another competitor for Disney is Sony Pictures Animation creating films from the likes of Arthur Christmas, Cloudy With a Chance Of Meatballs and The Smurfs.

• Explain how your film company is structured (you will tell me who the conglomerate is, whether the conglomerate is horizontal or vertical with examples of what other things they own, what companies they have links with)

Walt Disney are the biggest Media Conglomerate in the world. Walt Disney own a range of different companies like: Marvel Entertainment, ESPN, ABC, Pixar Animation Studios, Disney Channel, Disney Nature, Touchstone Pictures and many more! 

So are they Vertical or Horizontal? To be 'vertically integrated' they have to own at least 2 of the following. A production company, a distributing company OR a way if exhibiting their products. Disney ARE vertical! Walt Disney owns several different production companies and they have their own channel to exhibit their films and tv programmes. Despite my hatred of the film High School Musical is a perfect example; it could have gone to the cinema but instead it went straight to the Disney Channel.

To be 'horizontally integrated' they must own a range of different types of company, such as: Websites, Music Labels, Book Publishers or Television Stations. Once again Disney prove just how much money they have: they pay for their own films, Disney owns their own music label, they have several disney websites plus their own theme park. All of their profits go back to Walt Disney. So Disney are both Horizontally and Vertically Integrated! 

• Tell me how much money the conglomerate is worth? Are they successful? (Their Revenue)

Walt Disney Studios are worth around 84 Billion dollars making them the most successful media conglomerate.

• Debate about the power of the few media companies owning so much? What is your opinion?

The power of the media conglomerates is vastly taking over our screens, everything we see nowadays has been made by one of the big six conglomerates and why? because we ask for it! We love seeing these big companies creating visual masterpieces because it's familiar and they have a franchise but then what about the smaller companies? Do they not get a right to own something? Does all the power have to belong to the famous six?! My answer is NO. I hate that these big companies have all of this power, they feed off of the money that constantly gets thrust their way and they grow power hungry. Film directors and writers don't want their film made by some smaller company because they don't have enough power, they constantly get looked down on for not having as much money as these big media conglomerates yet they've made some really good films, studios such as Lionsgate Entertainment who made The Hunger Games films of Film4 Productions who made The Inbetweeners Movie.

• Talk about the new technologies that the film industry have developed.

The film industry is constantly upgrading their technology to create a new and more interesting viewing experience. Some of the best technologies have been made in the past few years things such as: 3D this is used in lots of animated and non animated Walt Disney films. Cinemas have kept with the new technologies changing how they showcase a film so now instead of using film reels, most cinemas are able to show the film digitally. Cinemas continue to develop by introducing things such as the IMAX and an increase in frame rate.

• Then talk about what technological development do you think is next for film.

I think that there might be films made in higher definition in the future. It could be the rise of the IMAX cinemas and more services online will be available for people. I think CGI will grow stronger and that it will become more advanced making films and visual effects look more realistic. I think we should expect to see more 3D appearing in film enhancing our viewing experience.

                                                        

BBC Script

Introduce the BBC as a Public Service Broadcaster and explain

what it is:

It's not just the film industry that has increased, the television industry is still going strong giving us some of our favourite channels. Channels such as the BBC. The BBC is known as a Public Service Broadcaster, this means that the channel has no adverts   and that the public pays to view the channel. 

How are they funded?

The BBC is funded by license fee payers. They are funded by something called the BBC Trust -a governing body that make sure that the BBC deliver their mission of educating, informing and entertaining. The annual cost for the tv license for BBC is: £145.50 This money gets broken down to fund each of the different media outlets that the BBC own. 66% of that money is spent on TV, Radio receives 19% of the money whilst any online services get only 5% of the money. Any other costs are paid with the remaining 10% of the money that the BBC receive from their license fee.

How are they structured? (How are they regulated and managed?)

The BBC is split so that separate operational areas manage the day to day working of the BBC. First off we have the Royal Charter: this is what the BBC was established under. Their current charter came into force in 2007 and is set to run until the end of 2016. The charter recognises the BBC's editorial independence and it sets out its' public purposes. The BBC is governed by the BBC Trust who fall underneath the Royal Charter. The trust works to represent the interests of their target audience aka the licence fee payers. Their job is to set purpose remits, issue service licence. They hold the executive board to account for their performance to deliver BBC services. The BBC Trust is led by Chairman: Rona Fairhead and has 12 other trustees.

How successful are the BBC, have they had complaints about their management of programs, staff or

services (find proof)

The BBC used to be a lot more successful years back when the commercial channels weren't taking charge but now sadly they've become slightly irrelevant and unnecessary. Commercial channels end up offering more. BBC have received a fair few comments about their management of programmes/staff and their services. John Gapper (a financial times associate) made several comments claiming that the BBC tended to lose focus of their original purpose showing programmes which quote: 'could be shown anywhere' and that they are losing their original appeal of catering for a wide range of audiences by focusing on creating 'copycat' programmes that are shown on commercial channels like ITV. In an attempt to stay relevant and successful BBC have made the decision to move their BBC Three channel to a purely online outlet. Following this decision members of the public have campaigned in the hope of saving the channel from moving online, 270,000 people have signed a petition apposing the move, a petition which campaigners presented to The Trust.

What debates are there about the usefulness of the  licence fee?  What alternatives are there? What is
your opinion?

-The BBC has had a lot of backlash for making the public pay £145.50 per year for programs that aren't really

appealing to a wide range of people.They are getting complaints for paying a lot of money for programs like

The Voice to be made, when they are failing to make good viewing numbers, so it's considered a waste of

money.

-The BBC is turning into a commercial channel by just focussing on entertaining. Lord Hall said, “If the BBC

becomes a commercial media company, they must expect to be funded like one”. If the BBC get rid of the TV

licence, they need to think of alternative ways of being funded, such as private funding through sponsorship.

If the BBC becomes a commercial channel, channels such as ITV and Channel 4 won't be happy because it

will be tough competition

- In my opinion I don't think we should continue to fund the BBC through TV licence because they do not seem
to provide a wide range of programs for a wide range of people. In terms of older people, I think they
wouldn't mind the BBC being scrapped because the programs that they watch on there can be shown on other
channels or have very similar ones they could watch somewhere else. The BBC are concentrating on pleasing
younger people more, but younger people won't be paying £145 per year for the TV licence, it will be their
parents and so they should focus more on providing for the older generation.

Who are their competition and what programmes rival theirs?

-The BBC’s competition is channels such as ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. They also have online competition

like ITV player, 4OD, Demand 5.

- ITV believes that at least some of the £3.6 billion a year raised via the licence fee should be made available

as "contestable funding" for rivals to bid for, this is called Top Slicing. ITV says the BBC should stop using the

money to make programs such as The Voice, and concentrate using the money more wisely on other genres of

programs. 

- The BBC have lots of programme rivals. The BBC has Strictly Come Dancing when ITV had Dancing On Ice.

These were considered rivals as they both were about celebrities learning how to dance in particular ways;

they were also shown on the same night.

ITV also has The X Factor where the BBC has The Voice, which are always being compared in terms of

viewing figures. Call the midwife is compared to Downton Abbey a lot also, as well as Eastenders rivalling

Coronation Street at the soap awards etc.

What New technologies have they developed and how have these new technologies changed the way we
watch/use the BBC?

-Over the years technology has developed and gotten better. Now instead of Video plus

recording we have things like sky plus and Freeview. There are over a thousand channels

available, we have online streaming sites and on demand channels to watch programmes.

-BBC made Iplayer, which meant people could watch programs online, on their phones, game
consoles and other television platforms.

Some examples of new technologies we have are:

-Sky Plus

-3D Television

-Curved Television Sets

-Internet Sites like Netflix

-Illegal Streaming

and even voice command to replace remotes!  

What technological development do you think is next for the way we watch television? (the living room
of the future?)

So what's next for the way we watch TV? I think we'll see more Video On Demand. I think we'll see a variety
of different channels and that channels might all become commercial channels being funded through
sponsorship and going private. The TV license could cease to exist due to the possible changes to
commercial channels.

Unit 8 Assignment 2 (part 2)

Why are there certain things that young people shouldn't watch?

I think that young people shouldn't watch things because...

• It could offend or traumatise a younger audience.
• They might not understand something that someone who is older understands.
• They may not form the same emotional response as an older audience, the humour may become inappropriate meaning that they wouldn't find it funny. 

Ethics means the beliefs in what is right and wrong. You have moral views about situations, views that are normally influenced by a parent or guardian. The views aren't always black and white, there can often be a grey area like a sliding scale. Ethics can come from your own personal experiences your culture. It could come from your education or from aspects of the media such as the watching of television programmes of films. 

What programmes teach us good morals?

• Children's programmes such as Teletubbies and Balamory teach kids to be kind, to share and they help to educate children.
• Crime dramas or law programmes that show the wrong doer getting punish or justice.
• Sitcoms like scrubs which has an internal monologue saying what a character things.
• Death Row.
• Arrow and The Flash.

What programmes teach us bad morals?

• Geordie Shore
• 16 and Pregnant
• Teen Mom
• Horrid Henry
• Tracy Beaker
• Shameless

We can see how the media plays a part in shaping our moral views.

Should TV and film be more ethical? Can TV and Film be blamed for the slipping ethics of society?

What is the constant need to scapegoat in our society for the fact that ethics of society are slipping?! Can we not just assume responsibility for our own actions and our wrong doings? Everywhere I look television and film are getting blamed for the fact that a child is naught, 'they've been watching fight scenes' well maybe if parents spent less time allowing their children to run free doing and watching whatever the hell they want then their children wouldn't be so naughty. If you blame the media solely for the slipping of ethics then you mustn't have had good ethics to begin with. Ethics are not bound by law, they are personal to individuals. I watch tv to laugh at people,   however that does not mean that I'm about to go sleep with a million sex crazed teenagers and end up pregnant. 

You can't blame what you watch on your ethics changing, yes I do believe that television and film has an impact on you. For example I get heavily involved in my daily watching of Grey's Anatomy, which does show morals and ethics within the medical profession and the differences on people's ethics to personal relationships but I don't sudden;y want to become a doctor. I know the difference between what's on the screen and reality. Here's an idea if you think something is that bad...don't watch it! No one is forcing you to watch it and let's face it you actually want to watch it just so that you have something to complain about. I'm so sick of people jumping on the bandwagon to target something or someone can't we just accept that ethics are a sliding scale that can't be limited in aid of over-bearing protective parents feeling the need to censor their children from everything.

Not everything is a feminist issue, not everything needs someone to tell them it's wrong. 50 shades of grey is terrible, it's just a terrible idea and it can be offensive but I don't need the constant reminder that people may find it offensive or vulgar. It's there and I don't approve but I don't feel the need to shove my opinion down someone's throat and force blame on a whole community. Be responsible for your own actions instead of blaming anyone but yourself.

Big Brother Clip: Shilpa and Jade

What behaviour raises some questions about moral ethics?

In the clip we see Jade losing it and getting very angry for what doesn't appear to be a valid reason following a small confrontation over some oxo cubes. This isn't really a reason for getting so upset/angry which raises the question of why she did it -was it due to Shilpa's race and whether there were any underlining problems to begin with. The clip raises issues and morals about the acceptance of bullying as the clip made it very clear that Jade is bullying Shilpa. We know this because of the way Jade and her friends are laughing on the sofa as she is incredibly verbally offensive towards Shilpa. This was not brought up or given a consequence for this type of behaviour until the show received complaints which showed that the show was raising questions to peoples' ethics and morals as to whether Channel 4 saw bullying as ethically acceptable. This shows bad morals specifically towards a younger audience as they could copy the behaviour.

Why would Channel 4 show this?

I think that Channel 4 would have chosen to show this to keep their viewers entertained, choosing to air content that would keep viewers interested -to keep them watching. A downside to them doing so meant the potential loss of some viewers who may have gotten offended by the idea that the verbal attack was based solely on Shilpa's race. The channel could have chosen to air this content to gain more recognition and reception for their programme. They would have gained this through news headlines which would create opposing views on the issue from fans of both Jade and Shilpa. Therefore airing this sort of content creates an up raw which gets people talking. This will help Big Brother to have gained more publicity. 

What is your reaction to the clip?

On watching the clip I felt incredibly sorry for Shilpa as I felt that she was being verbally attacked and had been subjected to bullying behaviour from Jade and her friends. I also believe that Shilpa could have stood up for herself and defended herself, the way the situation played out made her seem more vulnerable to viewers and this may not have been the case. I was rather shocked at Big Brother for airing something so vulgar and bullying to the public, making it seem that either Channel 4 didn't pick up on the effect this content could show or that they see this behaviour as being acceptable. This may create impacts with the public who could take the situation personally, a younger audience watching may not fully understand the content making them believe that, that is acceptable behaviour that they can then mimic in their own life. It could have been a good thing to air it as it can raise awareness towards problems with bullying however it also shows viewers bullying which is a bad moral which can lead viewers to believe that it is okay to bully someone.

Activity: Choose what YOU THINK should and shouldn't be shown on television, there is no right or wrong answer it is down to your own ethics.

What SHOULD we be shown?

• Bullying  

•  Abortion

•  Sexual Activity 

•  Euthanasia 

•  Self Harm 

•  Real life crime/violence 

•  Opinions of racist/homophobic people

What SHOULD NOT be shown?

• Executions.

From this activity we learnt that the ethics of television and film are hugely based upon personal moral beliefs of what you deem as acceptable. It is a complex idea, I think it's down to the individual about what they want to watch, if we start censoring everything that could be controversial or offensive to people then we'll be left with very boring subject topics.

The BBFC

What was surprising about what is allowed at certain ages?

I found it funny that you are allowed to hear far more foul language than you can see scenes of a sexual content. Violence appears to be far more acceptable than sexual content which I think is silly because personally I would rather see a sexual scene than a scene depicting graphic violence or gore.

Case Study

Summarise in your own words the problems with each film and what the BBFC did.

Clockwork Orange

Problem: 'that the film displayed a unrelieved diet of vicious violence and hooliganism'

Action: a secretary of the BBFC defended the film stating that they were satisfied by the end of the film that the content could not be classed as exploitation and that it is infact a valuable contribution to the big debate about violence.

Juno

Problem: The makers of the film wanted the film to be a PG but due to the sexual references, language and a horror clip within the film the BBFC rated it as a 12A in cinemas and a 12 for the DVD release.

Action: The BBFC decided on the rating of a 12 and the film was classed as 12 uncut. It has stayed like that ever since. 

Fight Club

Problem: It contained a lot of strong violence, in some cases this violence contained a lot of graphic bloody scenes. This caused arguments within the BBFC as some members believed the film was suitable for an 18 rating in the uncut version however others believed that the films was glamorising violence and that the scenes could be seen as potentially used to persuade bare-fist violence.

Action: The BBFC requested a few scenes to be cut by around 6/7 seconds claiming that they focused on the pleasure of 'beating victims to a bloody mess'. After these changes were made the BBFC reviewed the film again coming to an agreement to rate the film as an 18 for occasional strong violence. In America the uncut version of the film was also classified as an R rating.