Month: October 2016

REFERENCES

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Please note that  the below reference list is for all the previous posts.

ETHICS

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Online or cyber culture is something that has emerged very rapidly into the world. Once the Internet was linked and people were able to connect to cyberspace there was no stopping online culture.

Within online culture there are many subcultures that can be identified. I belong to the ‘text’ culture of the Internet which allows people to be in contact with other people twenty four hours a day. The implications of this is that I am constantly feeling the need to check my phone or laptop to see if there is any messages that I need to attend to, instead of focusing on the people around me and interacting with them.

Another culture that has emerged from online culture is the ‘culture’ of illegally downloading movies, music and books. Due to easy access millions of people in the world download these things and never pay the artist, actors, authors and editors that take time and money to produce this. This is a very common culture and almost any teenager and young adult has been a part of this.

This is where ethical issues are prevalent in online culture. If these products were not so easily accessible, people would be forced to pay for them, and most people are very aware of this. The ethical issue is whether or not to download the products for free or to pay for them.

Another way of describing this issue is if a child is in a shopping centre and is told that they may leave with the toy that they want for free, no consequences for them, however the person that created the toy will have to suffer by not being paid. The child will want to pay for the product to help the person who created it, but will be very tempted by the idea of walking away with the toy for free.

Most people in the world will download the music for free and not feel guilty, and this is due to cyber or online culture.

TACTICAL MEDIA RESPONSE

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Globalisation is the process whereby all the cultures of the world merge together to become one unified culture. This process has been sped up through mass media.

I have responded to globalisation by ensuring that I do not allow other people, of my own culture or otherwise, affect my belief system. No matter what is told to me by other people, or the new trend of “atheism”, I will always remain Christian. There are many people who have converted from the religion they were born into, into something else that they have discovered through their lives. This is not a negative thing and people should be able to make their own choices but globalisation seems to push people into believing in more scientific descriptions of how the earth was created and less into having a faith. I truly believe that having a faith, whatever faith it is, is beneficial to a person’s life.

I have also responded to globalisation by ensuring, when I can, that I buy local products. This not only slows down the process of global convergence and globalisation but also helps the South African economy.  It is important to maintain the South African economy as many of the products and services offered in the country are from other countries and do not possess the same heritage as those products made here. This concept is the same for every country. All countries people should try their hardest to purchase products and services made in that country as this will slow down globalisation and maintain the culture and heritage that is so important to every country.

PROFILE ANALYSIS

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TAYLOR SWIFT

TAYLOR SWIFT.jpg

Source: Vogue. 2015

Taylor Swift is an American singer who has won numerous awards for her music. She is world famous and idolised by many. The image above is a snapshot from her music video Bad Blood 2014.

FRIENDS

In the image Taylor Swifts ‘squad’ or group of friends is shown. This is one of the ideologies that Swift holds. She is known for being surrounded by family and friends. This is an ideology that is desired by most people.

FAME

One of the most appealing aspects or ideologies held by Swift is her immense fame. People look up to her and wish to be her as they desire being famous. People want to be known, and Swift has managed to make herself known.

WEALTH

There is not a person in the world that does not, to some degree, want to be wealthy. Swift embodies a wealthy, young, and seemingly happy person. Forbes (2016) estimated Swifts worth to be $250 million (International Business Times. 2016).

YOUTH

Being twenty-six years old, Swift embodies the ideal age and body type of most women. The majority of cultures on the earth desire youth, it is seen as the ideal stage of life.

BODY TYPE

Many women idolise Swift as she has the ‘ideal’ body type that is praised in today’s society. She is tall and has a small frame. She body is skinny. This is desired by media today.

IMAGE

The image above is used as a visual representation of most of the arguments stated in this section.

  1. Friends: In the music video ‘Bad Blood’, swift included her closest friends. The image depicts half of the women in the video and shows how Swift has a large variety of people in her ‘squad’.
  2. Fame: The image is taken from her music video for ‘Bad Blood’ which was seen on Youtube over 960 387 534 views (Youtube. 2016). This shows how famous Swift is.
  3. Youth: All the women in the picture above are at the ‘ideal’ age for media today. All the women are below 30 years of age.
  4. Body Type: In the image above Swifts body type is put on display. The majority of women in the world wish to look like her.

FILMIC ANALYSIS

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FILM – INTO THE WOODS (Rob Marshal) 

Into The Woods is a 2015 movie that puts together various fairy-tails to make a complete story. The fairy-tales used to make the plot of this movie include:

  • Cinderella (Anna Kendrick)
  • The Baker (James Cordon)
  • Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford)
  • Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone)
  • Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy)

Other actors in the film include:

  • Meryl Streep (The Witch)
  • Emily Blunt (The Bakers Wife)
  • Johnny Depp (Big Bad Wolf)
  • Chris Pine (The Prince)
  • Tracey Ullman (Jack’s Mother)
  • Billy Magnussen (Rapunzel’s prince)
  • Christine Baranski (Stepmother)

The film begins with a quick shot of each of the main characters singing for what they most wish for. Once this is over the viewer is shown a scene that include The Witch (Streep) telling the Bakers (Cordon and Blunt) that if they are to get her certain items, then she will lift the curse that has been put on their family that prevents them from having children.

The aspects of the film that will be used for analysis include the

  • Title of the movie;
  • An analysis of the music
  • Choice of characters
  • And overall movie success

ANALYSIS OF FILM TITLE

The title of the film is very appropriate as the main song of the film is “Into the Woods” and each of the characters needs to venture into the woods in order to complete their mission of the film.

The title also implies some mystery to the film. This is very appropriate as within the film there is a sense of darkness and mystery.

The ‘woods’ may also be referring to the fears within each character. The characters in the film are all required to face a fear they have to complete their mission, or the reason that they venture into the woods.

Below is a list of the various fears of the main characters that the title of the movie may be referring to:

  • Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) – Being an orphan her whole life and not finding her true love (The Prince)
  • The Baker (James Cordon) – Not being able to have the curse placed on his family lifted and being able to give his wife a child
  • Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone) – Losing his best friend ‘Milky White’, the cow
  • Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy) – Never being able to leave the tower and travel the world and meet people
  • Meryl Streep (The Witch) – Losing the child that she stole from the Bakers parents, her only reason for living
  • Emily Blunt (The Bakers Wife) – Being stuck in a regular life and not feeling like a princess

MUSIC AND SOUND ANALYSIS

Into the Woods (2015) is a musical and each song is placed within the scene at the appropriate time to show the viewer how a character is feeling and what their plan for the rest of the film will be.

There are various other songs used throughout the movie that indicate the emotions and the intensions of each character.

Below is a list of the songs used in the movie to direct the emotions of the audience, to either feel in favour of a character or against a character or situation:

Prologue: Into The Woods – Company (Into The Woods Cast)
Cinderella at the Grave – Joanna Riding
Hello, Little Girl – Johnny Depp, Lilla Crawford
I Know Things Now – Lilla Crawford
A Very Nice Prince – Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt
Giants in the Sky – Daniel Huttlestone
Agony – Billy Magnussen, Chris Pine
It Takes Two – Emily Blunt, James Crawford
Stay With Me – Meryl Streep
On the Steps of the Palace – Anna Kendrick
Careful My Toe – Christine Baranski, Lucy Punch
Ever After – Stephen Sondheim
Witch’s Lament – Meryl Streep
Any Moment – Emily Blunt, Chris Pine
Moments in the Woods – Emily Blunt
Your Fault – Anna Kendrick, James Cordon, Meryl Streep
Last Midnight – Meryl Streep
No One is Alone – Anna Kendrick, James Cordon, Lilla Crawford
Finale/Children Will Listen (Part 1) – Emily Blunt, James Cordon, Meryl Streep
Finale/Children Will Listen (Part 2) – Company (Into The Woods Cast)

All music and lyrics were written by Stephen Sondheim.

The theme song of the movie plays at the very beginning and forms a perfect introduction of the main characters for the movie. Through this first song it is clear what each character desires to happen in their lives.

Below is a list of the desires of each character, as identified by the theme song ‘Into the Woods’:

  • Cinderella: To go to the festival that the King is holding for the Prince to select a bride to be his princess
  • Jack: His cow would give milk and he would not have to give her away
  • Baker and Wife: To have a child
  • Little Red Riding Hood: To take her granny in the woods some bread and treats

AWARDS

Over all the movie was a success, becoming a Disney “holiday hit” for 2015 (The Wrap. 2015). Through the use of cinematography, music and a star filled cast, the movie went on to win the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain, the Motion Pictures Award for Best Cast  and the Costume Designers Guide Award for Excellence in Fantasy Film (Google. 2015).