EFFECTS MODEL:
Hypodermic Needle Theory - 1920's
The message the producers wish to present you in their text is directly 'injected' into the audience.- This would make the audience a passive recipient of the message.
- During the 1920's the mass media e.g. newspapers were known as a type of 'authority'.
2 - step flow - 1940's
The 'message' of a film goes from producer via a third party to the audience - the 'third party' doesn't have to be a person e.g. word of mouth, the film itself, a film critic.
According to this theory the audience is yet again a passive recipient.
Uses and gratifications - 1960's
During this period of time the producer is trying to reflect what the audience wants/needs.- What we actually get from the text.
- In this theory the audience is active.
Reception theory - 1980's
- Stuart Hall - Encoding: Producers make decisions that essentially create the 'meaning' Decoding: Audience breaking down the codes to find the 'message'.
- E.g. IF the audience reveal the intended 'message' it is preferred reading.
- Negotiated reading - This is where the audience adapt the preferred meaning to fit what they desire the 'meaning' to be.
Analysis of 4 short films:
Wasp (2003) - Directed and written by Andrea Arnold
Andrea Arnold's 'Wasp', 2003 was the first of the five short films that I watched during the process of independent study:- The plot: Zoë, the central protagonist is a single mother who lives in a grotty, run-down house with her four children ranging in age. The family's financial circumstance is dire, they cannot afford to put food on the table, after a raged argument with another mother from the area in which they are situated Zoë's ex-boyfriend, or so we assume from the interaction they have drives past and eventually asks her out on a date. She proceeds to tell him that the four children she has with her are in fact not hers and that she is only baby-sitting. It soon becomes clear that this will be her first date in a long time. Zoë meets her ex-boyfriend up a local pub, leaving the children outside of the pub. After several events occurring in both the mother's situation and in the children's a wasp flies into the youngest child mouth, at this point the ex-boyfriend finds out that the kids are hers due to her reaction.
- I believe that 'Wasp' is a representation of 'broken Britain', it is meant to create a sense of moral panic through it's presentations of the diabolical state of the lives which the children in the short film are forced to live, through the sense of the numbers of single mothers rising and the concept of children mothering other children. Due to it's subject matter, 'wasp' is a highly unpleasant and to an extent uncomfortable film to watch, to say that 'Zoë' (Natalie Press) doesn't love her children would be untrue but due to her childish irresponsibility and her selfishness her loneliness is presented to the audience. As a viewer it is hard to feel any form of empathy or sympathy towards 'Zoë' as you watch her hungry children eat sugar when there is not food in the house, scrounge a portion of chips off of the floor when someone has dropped them and amuse themselves by playing on the streets.
The Most Beautiful Man In The World (2002) - Directed and written by Alicia Duffy
'The Most Beautiful Man In The World' 2002 written and directed by Alicia Duffy is the second short film I watched.
- The plot: The central protagonist is a young girl of the age of probably around ten years old, her name is 'Lacey'. She is seen on a on a 'normal' day, she watches television, plays with her dog, rides a bike and then leaves her house to explore surrounding fields. Whilst exploring the fields, a man finds her dog, the man then removes a lady-bird off of her shoulder once she has approached him. This is the first dialogue we see 'Lacey' engage in, her mother is then seen to appear at the door, 'Lacey' goes back towards her house with her dog.
- 'In this an innocent or dangerous world? Is Lacey in trouble?' I believe that many people whilst watching this short film would assume that 'Lacey' is in some sort of danger when she meets the man, due to the society of the 21st century people would assume that the man is out to harm the little girl. I personally think that the message of this short film is not revolving around the man atall, infact I would go as far as to say that he is merely a 'catalyst' for the movement of the film. The film could arguably be a representation of the isolation of children; the girl has no interaction with her mother whom we see in several shots and this 'stranger' whom we see is part of the only interaction 'lacey' has throughout the entirity of the film is merely giving the little girl the attention she seeks and craves.
'The Most Beautiful Man In The World' 2002 written and directed by Alicia Duffy is the second short film I watched. - The plot: The central protagonist is a young girl of the age of probably around ten years old, her name is 'Lacey'. She is seen on a on a 'normal' day, she watches television, plays with her dog, rides a bike and then leaves her house to explore surrounding fields. Whilst exploring the fields, a man finds her dog, the man then removes a lady-bird off of her shoulder once she has approached him. This is the first dialogue we see 'Lacey' engage in, her mother is then seen to appear at the door, 'Lacey' goes back towards her house with her dog.
- 'In this an innocent or dangerous world? Is Lacey in trouble?' I believe that many people whilst watching this short film would assume that 'Lacey' is in some sort of danger when she meets the man, due to the society of the 21st century people would assume that the man is out to harm the little girl. I personally think that the message of this short film is not revolving around the man atall, infact I would go as far as to say that he is merely a 'catalyst' for the movement of the film. The film could arguably be a representation of the isolation of children; the girl has no interaction with her mother whom we see in several shots and this 'stranger' whom we see is part of the only interaction 'lacey' has throughout the entirity of the film is merely giving the little girl the attention she seeks and craves.
Spider (2008) - Directed by Nash Edgerton
- The plot: 'It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye.'
'About A Girl' 2001 written by Julie Rutterford is the third short film I watched.
- The plot: The central protagonist is a young girl who's the product of a broken home; living with her mother and younger sibling the nameless 'girl' possesses hopeless dreams of becoming a 'pop star'. In her dysfunctional home life her father plays a very small role in seeing her one day a week and taking her to the football and to the pub. The 'girl' never tells the audience her secret directly but at the end of the film as the audience we realise she has had a baby as she disposes of the child's body in the local canal.
- The plot: The central protagonist is a young girl who's the product of a broken home; living with her mother and younger sibling the nameless 'girl' possesses hopeless dreams of becoming a 'pop star'. In her dysfunctional home life her father plays a very small role in seeing her one day a week and taking her to the football and to the pub. The 'girl' never tells the audience her secret directly but at the end of the film as the audience we realise she has had a baby as she disposes of the child's body in the local canal.
- 'About a girl' winner of a 'best short film' bafta I believe similarly to 'Wasp' revolves around the pivital and controversial issue of the effect of 'Broken Britain' on children. The characterisation of 'the girl' sets her up to be both a lonely and towards the end of the film vulnerable despite her confidence speech and mannerisms. I think that generally the message of the film is about child neglect and this leading to the protagonist having to grow up too quickly this leading her into the teenage mother stereotype.
I guess you realise that this isn't finished! You need to identify what you think are the messages communicated to the audience in these films together with the mode of address. If you need help come and find me, any day except wednesday.
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