Media Industries and Audiences

Tuesday 3rd November 

LO: To explore the content of the unit

The Jungle Book (1967)

Main Characters:

• Mowgli - An orphaned boy, who is commonly referred to as 'man-cub' throughout the film. He is being forced to return back to the 'man village'.
• Baloo - A sloth bear who leads a carefree life and helps Mowgli to reach the 'man village' after wanting to keep him as his own.
• Bagheera - A serious black panther who is determined to help Mowgli reach the 'man village'.
• King Louie - An orangutan who wants to be a human and wants Mowgli to teach him how to make fire.
  
• Shere Khan - An intelligent Bengal tiger who wants to kill Mowgli due to his association with the 'man village'. He has a fear of guns and fire.
• Kaa - An Indian python who seeks Mowgli as prey, but always comically fails.
  

Narrative:

Mowgli is a small boy who has been brought up by a wolf pack in the middle of the jungle. One night, Shere Khan, a tiger with a fear of humans due to gun and fire, returns to the jungle. He is on a mission to kill Mowgli due to being human. Bagheera and the wolf pack council meet at council rock and have learned of Shere Khan's return to the jungle. They decide it is best if Mowgli is returned to the 'man village'. Bagheera begins the journey with Mowgli, meeting Baloo along the way. After several encounters with Kaa, King Louie and his tribe and the elephant tribe he Mowgli meets Shere Khan along with group of friendly vultures. Mowgli defeats Shere Khan with his own fear, fire. Baloo and Bagheera eventually manage to return Mowgli to the village. He retrieves a water pot for a girl who 'accidentally' dropped it in the river, following her in afterwards. 

Themes:

• Loyalty and family
• Importance of rules and laws
• Courage
• Coming of age
  

Representation (groups, individuals, places, etc):

• Gender - Mowgli has to decision whether to be a male that fits into society's norms (in the man village) or be his natural self in the jungle.

Disney Research

• Disney was founded on the 16th October 1923, by Roy.O and Walt Disney. The company's official name is the Walt Disney Company. As a whole Disney is a publicly traded company with many stockholders, the most notable stockholders are Bob Iger (CEO of Disney), Christine McCarthy (Vice President) and Alan Braverman (Secretary). 
• The company is a diversified global entertainment company that operates theme parks, resorts, a cruise line, broadcast TV networks and related products. The company makes most of it's revenue from it's media networks, with it costing the most to operate as well. Roughly $2 Billion dollars to operate and $6 Billion revenue. However, diversification is one of Disney's strong points, with the other half of their revenue coming from other forms of entertainment.
• Walt Disney began his career in animation in Kansas in 1920. In 1922 Disney and one of friends founded a film company called 'Laugh O Gram' producing tales on fairy tales and fables. In 1923 they produced a short called 'Alice in Cartoonland', yet soon they had to file for bankruptcy and Disney moved to California to establish himself as a cinematographer. However, the short turned out to be a massive hit, and the other members of his previous film company moved with him and re established the company. They continued to produced more films throughout the 20th Century, eventually becoming so big to be able to open two theme parks in America and France.
• The highest grossing (animated) films Disney have made are:

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ($1.8 Billion)
2. Frozen ($1.287 Billion)
3. Toy Story 3 ($1.067 Billion)
4. Finding Dory (1.028 Billion)
5. Zootopia ($1.023 Billion)

• Disney's core values are:

"Make everyone's dreams come true, you better believe it, never a customer always a guest, all for one and one for all, share the spotlight, dare to dare, practice practice practice"

• They aim to create a work environment where everyone feels wanted, secure and motivated to give their all.
  

Tuesday 10th November

LO: To explore the content of the unit

The Jungle Book (2016)

What changes have been made?

• The film is live action with the animals being CGI.
• The songs are much shorter compared to the 1967 version.
• They relationship between Baboo and Mawgli appears to be much weaker.
  

Tuesday 17th November

LO: To research the social context

• You will be asked to make a comparative study of the two film texts.
• The question may be linked to production, distribution and/or consumption

The Jungle Book (19670 is a historically significant media product, it has taken over 100 Billion US Dollars. It is one of the most successful films of all time.

The 1960s

As times change, so do cultures and their values. What was once acceptable is now no longer tolerated. For example attitudes to ethnicity, gender. smoking and drugs. 

The era of 1960s was one of a world emerging from a lengthy post WW2 period of conservatism and tradition into a decade that would usher in a vast socio political revolution. The sixties was the age of the flowering of global social activism, with particular emphasis on black civil rights, anti war protests and the second wave of feminism.

5 Key Events:

• Vietnam War/Cold War
• JFK was assassinated 
• Moon landing
• UK abolishes death penalty 
• Martin Luther King was assassinated
• Grosvenor Square Protest
• Strikes and Unions
• Legalisation of homosexuality
• Second wave of feminism
• Contraception became legal
• Youth Culture: Mods and Rockers, Beatles/Rolling Stones, Hippies and Drug culture.

5 Key People:

• JFK
• Martin Luther King and Malcolm X
• Nelson Mandela
• The Beatles
• Muhammad Ali

How can the values, ideologies and key events of the 1960s be seen in The Jungle Book (1967)? What does a lack of some values suggest about Disney and its audiences?

Consider:

• Representation
• Themes
• Narrative

Throughout the Jungle Book (1967), certain values, ideologies and key events are reflected in throughout the film.

Firstly, we can see the older generation's values towards black people being reflected in the character of King Louie. Firstly, King Louie's song 'I wanna be like you' reflects a genre of music, jazz and swing, that is very popular within black culture. It's growth in popularity is also associated with black people, who developed the music and genre throughout civil rights movements. Also, Disney have recreated the voice of the famous black trumpeter Louis Armstrong for the character of King Louie. It is essentially connoting that black people are a race who act in a similar way to monkeys, being nuisances and causing havoc, and in the case of the Jungle Book towards Mawgli. King Louie's desire to be able to create fire also suggests that they are willing to creating destruction, again representing black people in a similar manner. 

Again we can see the values held by the older generation through the narrative of the film. The synopsis is that Mawgli needs to be returned to the 'man village' due to animals not being accepting of who he is. This again reflects certain values held by the older generation, they hold a xenophobic view towards ethnic minorities, this idea that races should not mix, similar to how Mawgli should not be mixing with the animals in the Jungle. Another thing the narrative could be influenced by is the Cold war, the Western world's attitude towards espionage and spying. Shere Khan has a negative attitude towards Mawgli due to human's ability to create fire, similar to how people in the real world would have a xenophobic attitude towards foreigners due to the possibilities of them being spies. 

Lastly, we can see how popular music artists and developing cultures in the 1960s has influenced certain scenes in the film. Firstly, the character of Baloo has been directly influenced by popular Hippy culture in the 1960s. He believes in living this carefree life without any worries, living with the 'bare necessities' similar to how Hippies believed in living. We can also see how extremely popular artists the Beatles have influenced certain characters in the film. The four eagles in at the end represent the Beatles, with two of them being animated to represent certain members of the band. They are portrayed as lonely and irrelevant, which is ironic as in their peak they were the most popular band in the world.

Tuesday 24th November

LO: To explore the contexts of Disney in the 1960s

Overview

• Despite being over 50 years old, the film's grossed over $100 billion dollars, costing only $4 million to make.
• It was made by Disney Studios under Walt Disney productions - a Hollywood production company specialising in animated films.
• Disney's animation studios had been responsible for developing many of the techniques and ways of working that became standard practices.
• They developed the multiplane camera.
• These standardised techniques are still part of Disney's brand identity today.

Walt Disney Studios

• During its history, they have been considered the best animation company in film production and, due to its success, has been able to but up other media companies which allows them to be the most successful. For example Marvel and Pixar.
• Its specialised animation processes involve highly creative film makers using labour intensive techniques.

Historical Context

• The film is important to the studio's history - its a landmark film that had two songs nominated for Oscar's.
• The original soundtrack was the first to achieve gold disc status in the US for an animated film.
• The film credits a notable cast and production team.

Economic Context

• When the film was released, the company was already diversifying into theme parks, television series and merchandising deals.
• These could be a reaction to the 1950s baby boom and the fall in cinema ticket sales in the 1960s, due to the increasing competition from TV. The younger generation were more involved within current trends.
• It was released in October 1967 and grossed nearly $24 million, demonstrating how spectacularly Disney could generate revenue. It was the fourth highest grossing film of 1967.
• It was re released in 1978, 1984 and 1990 (unlike other TV Studios, Disney refused to sell TV rights). It had many European screenings throughout the 1980s.
• The film's success exemplifies how Hollywood conquers all - the home market and the global one.
• In 1991, it was released as part of the Walt Disney Classics collection. In 2007 there was a special edition to celebrate the 40th anniversary, and then in 2010 the film was released on blu ray.
• More recently, it was available to stream on Amazon and Google. Now, it is only on Disney Plus.

Ownership, distribution and control

• Media companies practise vertical integration in order to control and maximise efficiency of the supply.
• The Jungle Book shows the importance of synergy and merchandising is to a media conglomerate.
• Disney was and early master of synergy, persuading companies to tie in with their film's release, running a character merchandising department.
• Disney promotes their products within their other products.

What were the differences between how Disney operated as a film studio and how other film studios operated at the time?

He created the film in a backwards motion, he created characters and then the narrative afterwards. This meant the narrative was quite simple, without a great ending. They also used high profile actors to voice act the characters.

What was Walt Disney's own influence on the production?

Disney wanted something more fun and light hearted. He got rid of the main producer and employed another. He took the premise of the Jungle Book and turned it into what he visioned.

Where did the animators get their influence from?

They got a lot of their influence from Walt Disney himself. 

How has Disney become and stayed one of the Big Six for so long?

The conglomerate Disney has used a range of techniques to stay as one of the 'Big Six' for such a long period of time.

One of the main ways is through the ownership, distribution and control of their films once they have been released, with the Jungle Book being a great example of this. They invested a lot of time into the production of the Jungle Book, ensuring it's status as a classic film. Upon it's release, rather than releasing the film in cinemas and then allowing TV rights, they pulled the film from the cinemas and re released it several times into cinemas before selling TV rights and DVD copies. This meant that every single time they released it, the showing was just as successful as the last, due to it's status as a 'classic'. Disney's profits from the film skyrocketed, and up to the modern day, it has grossed over $100 Billion. This technique Disney uses has ensured that their films stay at the top of the market, making the most money and being the most successful film company. Also, as the market turns it's attention to streaming services over DVDs and cinema visits, Disney has taken advantage by releasing Disney Plus, a streaming service which holds Disney only products, which some can only be found here if not on DVD. For example the 'Marvel' films which are hugely popular.

Another way Disney have maintained this status as a 'Big Six', is by asserting it's strong grip on being the number one film company. They tactically buy out any popular film companies that could possibly challenge their status. For example, they bought out 'Marvel' in 2009 after the successful release of Iron Man. More examples include Pixar and more recently Lucasfilm with the release of the new Star Wars movies. This tactic ensures that they are not challenged in the market, and are the only company to access the revenue of some of the biggest films of the modern era. 

In conclusion, the way Disney stay at the top of the market is by being the first to adapt to it and ensuring that their products stay as 'classics'.

How was the Jungle Book different in terms of production and technology at the Disney Studios?

The 1967 Jungle Book by Disney, is a film that pioneered several different techniques and tactics towards the production of creating an animated film, making it one of the first of its kind. Even during and before production of the film, Disney head developed techniques that were already standard in the industry

Firstly, developments in technology allowed Disney to implement more detail into the film. The first example is the use of the 'multiplane' camera, it allowed to create a sort of 3D effect for the film. Although not pioneered in the production of the Jungle Book, it was still one of the first major films to use it. The camera was created by Disney themselves. As well as this, Disney pioneered storyboarding, allowing them to create more detailed scenes with more complicated animation. In addition, the film pioneered the use of labour intensive development. As well as this, Disney employed the extremely creative film makers which helped to ensure the film's concept became of product.

Another way that the Jungle Book is considered different is it's development of the characters and narrative. At first, the film was looking likely to be a quite dark film with a lot of complicated subtext, similar to the original book by Kipling. Walt Disney himself did not like this, firing the lead director and hiring a new one. He stated that he wanted a film full of life with a positive aura. To help achieve this, the company took a complicated approach by developing the characters before the narrative to help achieve this goal. It resulted in a simple story and a somewhat disappointing ending, but the film as a whole achieved it's goal and was a major success. This differs to how many companies would have developed their narrative's and characters, developing the narrative first to ensure a good story.

In conclusion, Disney used several different techniques in the production of the Jungle Book which helped it to become one of the first of it's kind.

Tuesday 1st December

LO: To explain the process of making a film and changes within the film industry

What was the process of making films?

• At first, films would be filmed on 'film cameras'. They would capture separate images which would be developed and able to see the next day.

How has it changed in the past 20 years?

• Film changed massively with the introduction of digital cameras. This camera meant you were able to see what you had filmed directly after you filmed it. 
• By the 1980s, Sony were releasing digital handheld cameras.
• Films have become cheaper to make, as digital cameras are much cheaper and more efficient to film and edit.

What impact has digitalisation had on the industry?

• It has allowed films to be made quicker and to a higher standard.
• It also meant films were cheaper to make, as the cameras are cheaper.
• Editing digital film was a massive change, yet once learned was much easier to do.

How has changing technology effected the industry?

• VFX have been in the industry for some time, yet have become easier and more efficient. This is especially with the introduction of CGI.
• As digitalisation progressed, the resolution of the digital film got better. Attack of the Clone (2002) was the first film to be shot fully in HD.
• These developing technologies meant film has developed to not only be more impressive through changes in VFX and CGI, but look better in resolution terms.
• With the introduction of digital colour correction, it meant that the colours in the films can be adjusted to create a certain look.

How can we see the impact of digitalisation of and technical convergence in the production of the 2016 Jungle Book?

Digitalisation over cameras over the late 20th Century and early 21st Century and technical convergence massively impacted how the 2016 Jungle Book was produced.

Firslty, it affected how quickly the whole production of the film. The film was announced in 2013, with the release being in 2016. This is a whole year quicker compared to the 1967 version, with production starting in 1963 meaning it took 4 years to produce. This is down to the technical convergence of digital cameras. Rather than producing the film, then having to wait to see it a day later, digital cameras meant you could see what you had filmed instantly. This meant filming became more efficient, any adjustments needed to be made could be made there on the spot rather than having to wait to see if it was correct. Digital cameras merged the technology needed to see what you have filmed. 

Furthermore, digitalisation has affected how impressive the film is. With the development of digital cameras came developments in VFX and the introduction of CGI. Although VFX have been in place for a while before digitalisation, they were developed to become more impressive, looking smoother and more realistic. This meant throughout the production of the Jungle Book, all of the people working on the film could be more creative with mise en scene. They could animate extremely impressive animals, for example, the jungle patrol and create impressive action scenes like the final scene between Mawgli and Shere Khan.

Lastly, another way of how technical convergence has impacted the production of the Jungle Book is by how audiences now watch films released. With the introduction of streaming services, more people have access to films meaning that whoever is producing the film will have to cater for a larger audience. For example, rather than just the film being released in cinemas, like in 1967, the film was released on DVD and eventually released onto streaming service Disney Plus. 

In conclusion, digitalisation and technical convergence extremely impacted the production of the 2016 Jungle Book.

Tuesday 8th December

LO: To explore the production and distribution of the 2016 Jungle Book

Vertical Integration - When one media conglomerate owns all of the companies to make and release a product.

Horizontal Integration - Where an organisation develops by buying up competitors in the same section of the market.

Standard Convergence - The merging of different forms of technology into one, e.g. iPhone.

Technical Convergence - The growing interactive use of digital technology in the film industry and media which enables people to share, consume and produce media that was difficult or impossible just a few years earlier.

The processes of making a film - Pre production, production, distribution, exhibition and exchange.

Director - Jon Favreau  

Production Company - Walt Disney Pictures

Director's two previous big CGI based successes as a producer? - Iron Man and Iron Man 2

Main difference to the original film? It is much darker due to more being based on the book

Production

• Estimated budget - $175 million.
• Disney had already two expensive blockbuster flops (John Carter and The Lone Ranger), it made sense to remake a movie with a proven record.
• Disney gave Favreau room to experiment as they wanted to create a visual spectacle.
• It is a live action/CGI film.
• The animals and landscape were create on a computer by British company MPC
• The animal character were deliberately created with a realistic look in order to target older movie goers.
• The production process of the film was highly dependant on other companies, such as MPC, and so was not fully made in house.
• They revive classic characters for a new generation of kids.
• The proliferation of digital technology in film had been driving film production. This benefits genres such as action and fantasy. Examples close before the release of the Jungle Book include the Avengers, the Lego Movie and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.
• Disney wanted to create an immersive experience, demonstrating Disney's willingness to be a creative market leader with its use of digital technologies across all levels. Its business model sees the potential for media synergy and cross media products.
• This is one way a studio reduces risks and offers the potential to maximise profits. 
• By working alongside other media companies the synergistic benefits of cross promotion are effectively doubled.
• Disney chose to use one of its subsidiaries to distribute the film - meaning no costs.

Distribution

• The 2016 film was distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
• The film was released from April to July 2016 in 70 different countries, targeting school holiday dates.
• One of the first films to be released in Dolby Vision 3D.
• It grossed over $966 million making it the fifth highest grossing film of 2016 and the 35th highest grossing film of all time.
• It has been released on DVD and Blu Ray and various different forms as well.
• The current trend for making theatrical release windows shorter between different countries is fuelled by the growing importance of non theatrical revenue sources.
• At present, DVD sales account for almost twice the profit earned by theatrical exhibition.
• Historically, cinema has been the source of the highest revenue in the shortest time. 

Explain how the production and distribution of Hollywood films have changed since the 1960s. Refer to the two version of the Jungle Book to support your answer. In your answer, explain how historical and economics contexts influenced this.

Production and distribution of major Hollywood films has changed drastically since the 1960s. This shift in changes is due to proliferation of new technologies, substitutability for how audiences access film and changes to ownership and integration.

Firstly, there has been a proliferation in new technologies since the 1960s which have impacted how films are now mainly produced. Already by the 1980s, Sony were releasing handheld digital cameras which meant anyone could easily be able to record film and watch it back instantly. Digitalisation meant the production side of films has become much more efficient. VFX have also been developed to a much higher standard and CGI was also pioneered in the 1970s, become much more impressive in the early 21st Century. We can see the impacts of this proliferation when comparing the two Jungle Book movies. The majority of the 2016 version was shot using CGI, with little parts being live action. They developed all of the animals and mise en scene using CGI, with Mawgli being the only live action character. The 1967 version was fully animated using through the use of storyboards and the multi plane camera. This technique took much longer, however in the 1960s it was the most effective form of animation. The efficiency of production due to digitalisation can be seen by the fact that the 2016 version took 3 years to produce whereas the 1967 version took 4 years. However, economic factors have to still be taken into account, the budget for the 1967 version was $4 million and the budget for the 2016 version was $175 million. Taking inflation into account, the budget for the 2016 version is still six times as much meaning that the efficiency of production may also be due to a restricted budget compared to the 2016 version.

Furthermore, distribution of major Hollywood films has been effected by substitiutability for how audience access films. In the 1960s, the only way audiences could access film was by going to the cinema, or waiting for it to appear on TV. This meant if you wanted to watch the film as soon as possible, you had to go the the cinema. On the other hand, in the modern era, there are various ways audiences can access film. Cinemas, TV, streaming services, DVD and blu ray as well as simply searching them up on the internet. There is much more competition for major Hollywood releases into cinemas nowadays then in the 1960s. When the 1967 Jungle Book was released, Disney simply refused to give TV rights, re-distributing the film at three later dates: 1978, 1984 and 1990. This meant the only competition from TV was erased, as if audiences wanted to watch the film, they had to go to the cinema. There was an 11 year gap until audiences could watch the film again. They released a DVD version 1991, by which time the film was a classic. The 2016 version was different, to fend off the extra competition, they released an extremely impressive marketing campaign, making use of social media for poster and trailer releases and new technologies, like impressive campaigns at their theme-parks and CGI filters on social media. Also, at a Disney fan conventions, they played clips of the movie. Building extreme excitement among audiences meant that people wanted to see the film as soon as possible. It smashed box office grossing $966 million, and the DVD release has grossed over double the box office to date. This new impressive campaign is due proliferation of new technologies, meaning that unlike the 1967 version, they didn't have to refuse TV rights to make sure people came to the cinemas to watch it. They simply made the marketing impressive.

Lastly, another way production and distribution of Hollywood majors has changed since the 1960s is through the two different types of integration that are practiced. In the 1960s, film industries practiced mostly either vertical or horizontal integration, meaning they either had one in each sector of film development. Or they had multiple industries in one sector of development. In the modern era major film studios tend to practice both to remain at the top of the industry. The Jungle Book 1967 is an example of when Disney practiced only vertical integration. The produced the film through Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed their film through their distribution company Buena Vista. However in the modern era, Disney now have a collective film studios called 'Walt Disney Studios' which has several subsidiaries, including Marvel Studios, LucasFilm and Walt Disney Animation Studios which the Jungle Book 2016 was developed by. They also own the same distribution company, however it is renamed to Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The 2016 Jungle Book was distributed by this company. This shows that Disney now practice both types of integration. They have the options to produce multiple films at once, being able to distribute them at no extra cost.

In conclusion, production and distribution of major Hollywood releases has changed since the 1960s. This is through the proliferation of new technologies, changes to how audiences access film and changes to ownership and integration.

Tuesday 15th December 

LO: To explore the marketing techniques used in 2016

Film distributors are involved with a film before production, advising on its marketability.

A distribution agreement will also cover:

• The promotion in all media before and after release.
• Different cuts necessary for different cultures.
• How to income for the release will be apportioned.
• How far the distribution licence extends into other markets such as TV and home entertainment.

The objective is to create visibility for an individual film and engage the audience's interests. Because of the proliferation of films, interest needs to be built to a peak just before the film opens at cinemas.

Early release windows can create issues with substitutability (when a film is released in cinemas then made available in other forms) but then benefit from the buzz it creates. This is why theatrical releases are now less profitable than subsequent release formats - this was not the case with the Jungle Book 2016.

The most effective methods of film promotion are word of mouth, posters, trailers and social media 

What did Disney do to promote and advertise the release of the Jungle Book 2016?

• Disney packed the first trailer full of action packed moments to appeal to an older and male target audience.
• Favreau showed clips from the film at a Disney fan convention, with three of the main actors on stage.
• Disney teamed with Univision, to bring the Jungle Book to telenovelas and talk shows to appeal to a Hispanic audience, who stereotypically buy tickets in large groups.
• They promoted the film on Disney Channel and in Disney theme parks through merchandise and offering sneak peaks in park theatres. 
• They released three sets of posters. The first was in a Jungle setting, with silhouettes of Bagheera and Mawgli. The second poster was of all of the animals in a Jungle. The third set were 7 individual character posters in the setting you would expect them to be in.
• They produced a website for the movie, showcasing some of the technology used to produce the movie and general stuff about the movie. It was very interactive
• They premiered the trailer during halftime of the Superbowl.
• They repeatedly appealed to a male target audience. They created an illusion that this film was made by the studio who released Pirates of the Caribbean and not Cinderella. For example, they showcased the trailer during the halftime of the Superbowl and showings of Star Wars.
• There were special promotions at IMAX cinemas.
• https://www.waxmarketing.com/imc-campaign-month-jungle-book/: "Disney made several smart choices in the lead up to the release of the Jungle Book".

Explain how the marketing of major Hollywood films has changed since the 1960s. Refer to the two versions of the Jungle Book to support your answer

Comparing marketing in the 1960s to marketing now, there have been massive changes. This is due to proliferation in the development of technology and how audiences choose to watch movies in the modern era compared to the 1960s.

Firstly, movie studios have a much larger range of possible marketing options compared to the 1960s due to proliferation in the development of technology. There is now social media, easier use of TV and the internet. The 2016 Jungle Book took advantage of this, Disney created a website which showcased the impressive technologies they used when producing the film, as well as including a synopsis of the film. They showed the trailer during halftime of the Superbowl as well as before showings of Star Wars the Force Awakens. This trailer was uploaded on social media as well. Due to social media's reach being global, audiences all around the world were able to watch the trailer. Also, they created a 360 experience in Facebook showcasing Kaa the snake and like most films included poster campaigns. In the 1967 Jungle Book, marketing options were limited compared to the modern era. They released posters for the release of the film, as well as releasing a trailer for the film. Two more ways the film was marketed was through promotion in Disney's theme-parks and word of mouth. The 2016 version took advantage of these marketing methods as well as the others. This limited range is due to less developments in technology compare to the modern era. In the 1960s, social media didn't exist, VFX were limited and CGI did not even exist. The Jungle Book 2016 took advantage of these developments, marketing the film in many more ways compared to 1967 version. 

Furthermore, marketing of major Hollywood films has changed due to the ways audiences choose to watch movies. Modern audiences take advantage of substitutability. Platforms such as Netflix and now Disney Plus, as well and DVD players and TV are easily accessible for audiences. In the 1960s, films had to market a film with the mission to attract the audience to the cinema, and nowhere else. Marketing strategies in the modern era have had to adapt in an attempt to attract more audiences to the cinemas. This can be seen with the marketing of the 2016 Jungle Book. Jon Favreau showed clips of the film before it's release at a Disney fan conventions, with the three main actors/voice actors on stage. They also repeatedly appealed to a wider target audience in an attempt to attract a larger audience to the cinema, packing the trailer with action packed moments to attract a male/older target audience. Disney embedded extreme excitement for the film within the audience, making sure they want to see it as soon as possible. In the 1960s however, the only competition that Disney had was from TV showings at a later date. To combat this, they simply refused to give TV rights, re-marketing the film and re-releasing it a further three times in 1978, 1984 and 1990. This made sure that audiences came to the cinemas to see the film rather than just waiting for it to be shown on TV, as they would not be able to watch for 9 years.

Tuesday 5th January

LO: To refine and analysis and exam structure

Explain how the marketing of major Hollywood films has changed since the 1960s. Refer to the two versions of the Jungle Book to support your answer.

• This question is asking for similarities and differences between how films in the 1960s and the modern era have been marketed, using the Jungle Book to support points made.
• We need to show the understanding of how film marketing has changed since the 1960s.

Three example answers:

Explain how the production and distribution of major Hollywood films have changed since the 1960s. Refer to the two versions of the Jungle Book to support your answer. In your answer, explain how historical and economic contexts influenced this.

• This question is asking for an answer on how production and distribution of Hollywood in the modern era has changed since the 1960s, using the Jungle Book as proof referring to certain contexts.
• It is asking us to show an understanding of production and distribution in Hollywood films due to certain contexts.

Mark Scheme:

Example answer:

This answer would fit into the Level 2 criteria:

• Adequate and generally accurate knowledge and understanding of the production and distribution of major Hollywood films.
• Answer is supported by generally accurate reference to the set films. Although accurate, there isn't much reference to the set films and little use of terminology such as 'globalisation'
• Mostly accurate knowledge and understanding of one or more contexts and their influence on the production and distribution of major Hollywood films.
• The answer only covers one of the two contexts, historical.

Biggest changes in production and distribution:

• Technology 
• Integration
• Marketing
• Globalisation
• Role of Disney himself (Set text specific)

Certain historical or economic contexts:

• Dominance of Hollywood majors: release strategies reflect changes.
• Sources of income: Merchandising and additional revenue sources.
• Proliferation of technology: audience expectations.
• Disney's personal role is a thing of the past.

What did examiners say about the second question?

• It was clear that some candidates only looked at films texts, rather than the industry as a whole.
• This resulted in a simple comparison between the two films, when they are there to support the answer.
• Candidates also did not focus enough on historical or economic contexts.
• The weakest responses were limited in their use of terminology.
• They also used facts inaccurately using a lot of guesswork.
• Answers that fitted into the top band were fluent in their discussion of production and distribution.
• When it came to distribution, most candidates were able to contextualise the 2016 version, with immersive experiences, multiplex cinemas and IMAX however most did not discuss context for the 1967 version. There was little reference to competition from TV and the need break technological boundaries for a film to be extremely popular.

Tuesday 12th January 

LO: To analyse the target audience for Disney

Who were Disney's target audience in the 1960s?

• Disney's primary target market of 4 - 12 year old boys and girls had been unchanging for decades.
• It is widely diverse as it includes both the very young and those that are nearly teens.
• These two segments are considered primary because they have the greatest influence over their parents' decision making and are most excited about the brand.
• They are also heavy users of the brand in terms of merchandise and as a source of entertainment.
• The secondary target market is therefore parents (35 - 55) as they are money makers and make the Disney experience available to their children. Much of the appeal to them is based on nostalgia.

How can we see that the 1967 film was aimed primarily at a family audience?

The production of the film shows that it was primarily targeted at a family audience. The narrative is very basic. all of the characters are animated to look friendly (apart from Shere Khan, but he is the villain), the main character is a young child and there are catchy songs throughout the whole movie.

 1960s Target Market

• Both the primary and secondary target markets are very trusting of the Disney brand due to its longevity and the association with customer service and quality.
• In 1967, the brand offered a wide array of products (TV shows, movies, theme parks, toys etc) that satisfied both segments needs and desires.
• Children felt a strong association with the many characters; parents were confident in the wholesome values of the brand in a shifting society context.

Who are Disney's target audience now?

• The 2016 film succeeded in attracting a wide range of age groups to see the film, not just the under 12s or traditional family audience.
• The success is largely due to the brand's ability to market and distribute the product and to value its audience.
• The 2016 film reinterpreted the characters and narrative for a more modern age and the new technology appealed to technophiles everywhere.
• The more adult themes, the darker atmosphere, the action credentials of the studio and director and the other action conventions followed appealed far more to a predominantly male audience.
• The subtle hints to the original maintained the sense of nostalgia and humour for the older generation.
• Moreover, Disney adapted to the online age with the use of social networking to promote the film triggering even more audience engagement and interaction with its marketing strategies. This reflects the modern age of film making which is dominated by CGI and visual effects technology.
• This effective use of the company's massive resources and power created and immersive viral campaign that could be accessed by all ages.
• The Jungle Book 2016 made $966 million globally, winning the Academy Award for best visual effects.

How can we see that the 2016 film was aimed at a much broader audience?

We can see this change is target audience through production and marketing strategies of the movie. This movie was produced with a much darker atmosphere with adult like themes appealing to adults. The action credentials of the studio and director appealed to a more older male audience. However, the subtle hints to original maintained nostalgia for the older generation. The marketing also conveys this change, the company used their mass resources to create a viral movie campaign including impressive CGI experiences just on social media. It was consumed by all age ranges.

Social Context (2014 - 2016)

Politics

• Trump was elected as President of the US in 2016.
• The UK voted to leave the EU.
• North Korea started testing nuclear missiles, violating UN treaties.
• Leaders from across Europe agree on a ceasefire in Ukraine,, however days later Ukrainian rebels claimed that it was broken and fighting continued.
• Ireland legalised same sex marriage.
• There were multiple terrorist attacks in Paris by the Islamic State.
• Obama announced the resumption of normal relations between the US and Cuba

Key Figures

• Barack Obama
• David Cameron
• Donald Trump
• Hilary Clinton
• Francois Hollande
• Theresa May
• Kim Jong Un 
• Vladimir Putin

Social Media Storms

• Fake news
• Live videos were introduced
• #oscarssowhite
• #blm

Key Events

• Syrian Refugee Crisis, with Russia intervening in Syria.
• Terrorist attacks on Paris.
• North Korea conducting missile tests.
• Britain votes to leave the EU.
• Donald Trump becomes US president
• The world deal on climate change.
• Charlie Hebdo shootings.
• Terrorist attacks in Tunisia.
• British general election in 2015.
• Malaysia Airline flight 370 disappears.
• Scotland votes to remain part of the UK.
• Ebola strikes West Africa.

How can these be linked to the 2016 film?

A rise in the use of hashtags due to world affairs and introduction of live video aided the marketing of the film. They used the ability to market on social very well. The narrative took a much darker tone, aligning with some of the negative affairs happening in the world.

Minecraft

Friday 15th January 

LO: To explore Minecraft and the history of gaming

Evolving Media (Component 2):

• "Develop knowledge and understanding of media contexts, media industries and audiences through the study of radio, video games and film"

Video Games

• The specification requires you to study Minecraft as an example of video gaming. When discussing the production of a video game, game design and construction will be considered. This is especially for Minecraft. Then after this, examine how Minecraft's success is dependent upon how the distribution and game production is circulated online across a variety of platforms and how it is marketed by the users themselves.
• Video games are a significant media industry, with the mobile gaming market taking $38 billion in revenue, the console market taking $6 billion and $33 billion for computer gaming.

Terminology

• Sandbox game - A game that gives the player great creativity to complete the tasks towards a goal within the game.
• Open-Source Software - It is released through a specific licence that makes the source code available to the user. It can then be redistributed as a new program based on it.
• Beta Version - A version of the software that is available for testing, it is usually limited to a certain number of users however.
• Franchise - A business opportunity that allows the franchisees to legally use someone else's expertise, ideas or processes.
• Intellectual property rights - They give the creator an exclusive right over the user of their creation/product for a certain period of time.

Cover Analysis

• The cover connotes that the game is an exploration game. There are different animals and landscapes within the cover for the user to discover or explore. 
• Themes that can be taken from the cover is exploration and fighting (the skeleton in the background)
• It is connoted that the target audience is children, this is due to the bright colours, basics looking animals and lack of violence and blood on the cover.

Video Games Timeline

• 1972 - Pong, the first proper arcade game, was invented.
• 1977 - Atari releases the video computer system, known as the Atari 2600. It featured a joystick, interchangeable cartridges, games in colour and difficulty switches.
• 1978 - Space Invaders is made in Japan.
• 1980 - Pacman is available on the Atari 2600 and in arcade form.
• 1981 - Nintendo's Donkey Kong is released, featuring Mario.
• 1984 - Tetris is developed. 5 years later is released on the GameBoy.
• 1985 - The NES is released in the US.
• 1987 - The Legend of Zelda is released for the NES.
• 1989 - Nintendo's GameBoy is released.
• 1990 - Microsoft bundles Solitaire with every version of Microsoft 3.0.
• 1991 - Sega develops Sonic.
• 1995 - Sony releases the Playstation (PS1).
• 1996 - Tomb Raider is debuted.
• 2000 - The PS2 is released, as well as the first version of the Sims.
• 2001 - Microsoft releases the Xbox.
• 2003 - Steam is released.
• 2004 - Nintendo releases the DS.
• 2005 - Xbox 360 is released.
• 2006 - Nintendo Wii and PS3 are released.
• 2009 - Angry Birds and Farmville is released for the iPhone.
• 2011 - Minecraft is released.
• 2013 - PS4/Xbox One are both released.
• 2016 - Pokemon Go takes the world by storm.
• 2017 - Fortnite becomes an extremely popular F2P game, the Nintendo Switch is released.
• 2020 - PS5 and Xbox Series X are released.

There are now various forms of different games consoles available. At first, arcade games were the only form of games available. Now we have consoles like the Xbox, PS and Nintendo Switch to handheld devices like the DS. We also have the ability to play games on mobile phones as well. The main game companies now are Sony (Playstation), Microsoft (Xbox) and Nintendo (Wii, Wii U, Switch and all of the DS').

Video games are also no longer a hobby enjoyed by young people. 38% of people who game are aged 18-34, with even 6% being aged 65+.

Minecraft Research

• It was released on the 18th November 2011, it was created by Markus Persson, with Jans Bergensten taking over development upon release. It was published by Mojang.
• The premise of the game is to explore a 3D generated world with infinite terrain. The player can discover, mobs and bosses to kill, gaining more power and materials along the way.
• Minecraft was originally aimed at kids aged 5-15, however has a much wider appeal of different ages. The gender is mainly male however.
• Minecraft is critically acclaimed to be one the best game of all time due to it's sales. Different game versions have been released, Java was the original, with Bedrock being released with Windows 10 in 2015. There are also versions for Mobile, PS and Xbox. Bedrock is also available on the console versions allowing users to play with other bedrock users on other platforms through Xbox Live.
• Mojang was purchased in 2014 for $2.5 billion.

Tuesday 19th January

LO: To explore the game features and initial development

Genre and Format

• It is best described in terms of its genre: it is a Sandbox game with a key focus on building and surviving.
• A sandbox game relates to a format in which minimal limitations are placed on the gamer, allowing them to roam and change the virtual world at will.
• It is sometimes often referred to as an open world game or free roaming game.

Modding and Extensions

• Too many games have suffered from only being able to be played on one or two platforms.
• Minecraft made sure it was available on most platforms.
• Minecraft is home to a vibrant 'modding' community, with thousands of available mods to change the gameplay.
• Some mods have allowed players to add brand new items and gameplay dynamics while others have allowed multiplayer Minecraft worlds to have their own economy.
• By supporting Modding, Mojang have provided and endless supply of extension strategies for when players get bored of the original gameplay.
• This is a valuable trait to have in a game, as it enables the player to stay interested in the game.

"Minecraft is a form of artistic expression"

I agree with this statement. Players can express ideas and build impressive structures and builds in the creative mode, as well as building them in survival for an extra challenge. There is also something called pixel art which users can create. 

Initial Development

• Minecraft's creator, Markus 'Notch' Persson created and developed the concept in 2009.
• The original inspiration sprang from RPG's. He was inspired by other games. For example 'Dwarf Fortress' which is a single player construction game. 
• He wanted to produce an RPG version, taking the inspiration for the visuals from Sandbox game Infiniminer.
• The production of a video game refers to the designing and developing for a intended market.
• Persson is an example of an independent producer developing the game outside of the mainstream market.
• He enabled the development within the game of a role from a first person perspective. He did this in a imaginative and creative way.
• He wanted to keep the game for 'gamers' and resisted selling the game to large multinational companies. This was unusual, as in the gaming industry it is common for the game to be worked on in a collaborative manner.
• It's initial reception was not commercially viable, it was seen as more of a niche project for players with expert computer and programming knowledge.
• However by 2011, with Minecraft being developed among the gaming community, Persson and his company had a game concept with exponential growth without commercial backing.
• Without the backing of a mainstream publisher, and no money spent on advertising, the game relied on word of mouth between gamers. 
• For many media companies, this would not have been viable not enabling growth or development, however Persson relied on the internet and gaming community essentially spreading the message virally. 
• It paid off, by January 2011 the game reached 1 million purchases in just a month and by April Persson estimated that it had passed $33 million of revenue.
• In November 2011, prior to the game's official release, Minecraft had over 4 million purchases and 16 million registered users. It was released on multiple platforms, even on mobile.
• The ability to strike a deal with Sony helped kickstart the success, securing it's place in the media market. It was also packaged as a game for a wider global audience, and not just the intended niche market.

To sum it up, Persson wanted to spread Minecraft's concept and ethos within the control of genuine gamers. He also understood, that the game's success would grow with the backing of the technology companies as they could provide multiple platforms to distribute the game. This helped reached all of the non gamers on mobile.

Which developments in gaming do you think have transformed gaming technology and influenced the development of Minecraft?

The ability to play games now on mobile as well has enabled an extra market for game developers to appeal to. This helped Minecraft significantly, as the deal with Sony meant they could release the game onto their phones. This led to a major increase in popularity. It was also developed for Andrioid and IOS alongside consoles.

Explain how the production and initial development of Minecraft is an example of a concept developed among a game community independently of the video game industry.

Most games are developed among the video game industry, being either developed or bought by major video game companies. Minecraft is an example of a game that was developed independent from the industry.

Markus 'Notch' Persson developed the game taking inspiration from RPG's, building game 'Dwarf Fortress' and Infiniminer, which he took visual inspiration from. He started development with the idea that it was aimed at a niche audience who were experts in the computing and programming industry. Without the commercial backing, it's initial reception reflected this and Persson relied on word of mouth and the internet to spread word of the game. It's lack of commercial backing also meant that the community drove the development of the game, with Persson and Mojang listening to what the community wants. Due to the online age, this consequently worked and by January 2011 the beta version of the game had 1 million sales and by April made $33 million in revenue. Prior to the game's release in November 2011 it had 16 million registered users and 4 million purchases. Independent from any major commercial or video game outfit word had spread of the game.

Soon, Mojang managed to strike a deal with technology company Sony allowing release of a mobile version onto their phones. The game grew exponentially after this, with Android, IOS and console versions developed soon after.

Friday 22nd January

LO: To explore the distribution and takeover of Minecraft

• The development of Minecraft happened at a time when gaming became 'online' being characterised by multi gaming platforms. This was in part a response to gaming not just for consoles but on any device.
• This opened up the opportunities for game distributors to connect to wider non-traditional gamers to play games on devices like mobile phones and tablets. As well as this it digital distribution allowed easy access to global markets which Sony and Persson took advantage of.
• It was at this point that Minecraft became a media product that could be packaged and distributed across multiple platforms to offer its users creativity via interactivity with its content and educational values, and with apparently limitless possibilities.
• Advantages of distributing cross media content include the ability for the content to promote itself. For example, the PS4 version of the game promote the Xbox version, as if the individual owns both consoles they might want to buy both. It also allows them distributer more options for making profit, as releasing the game onto 5 platforms will clearly make more money than releasing it on 1.

Timeline of Minecraft's success

Availability on different consoles:

• The Original Java version was released in November 2011, alongside Minecraft Pocket Edition for Sony phones. Soon after it was developed for IOS and Android.
• The game was released for Xbox 360 in May 2012. A version for the Xbox One was released in September 2014.
• The game was released for PS3 in December 2013 and the PS4 version was released a day before the Xbox One's.
• It was released for the Wii U in June 2016, and the Nintendo Switch May 2017.
• The Raspberry Pi version was released February 2013.
• In December 2018, the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U versions received their last updates.
• A year later, the bedrock version was released for PS4, allowing cross platform play across all Bedrock versions.

Copies Sold:

• As of May 2020, 200 Million copies have been sold. It is the best selling game of all time.

Takeover:

• In 2014, Microsoft bought Mojang for $2.5 Billion. At the time, it had sold 54 million copies, it came a year after they bought phones off of Nokia.

Popularity:

• Minecraft's popularity peaked around the time of the takeover by Microsoft, since then it declined. However recently it has almost hit it's peak again.

Microsoft Takeover

• Minecraft inspired videos were key in the early marketing of the game by Mojang. Minecraft swiftly gained popularity on YouTube which generated hype for the game.
• It was marketed to audience's as an online version as Lego, although there was no actual connection.
• The block cell graphics and its well published 'maverick' origins created interest and made the game far more desirable in appearing to be outside the direction and creative control of most major distributors.
• By 2012 there were millions of YouTube videos based around the game.
• And by 2014 the Java version of the game had become a globally successful phenomenon, with Mojang striking deals with Nintendo and Sony.
• Microsoft acquired Mojang for $2.5 Billion, they had a vision for the game that went beyond global distribution and the exploitation of its loyal gaming community.
• This takeover cemented Minecraft as a top brand selling video game enabling Minecraft to extend its reach further and secured its distribution to smaller platforms. The game was not confined to certain platforms.
• There is now a wide range of merchandise available as well. For example, basic merchandise like clothing, pillows and stationary. As well as this, Microsoft developed a marketplace for the game, where users can buy content like skins, maps and mods created by other users.

Takeover Reception

• Most Minecraft fans were not happy. Mojang however assured fans that it would okay.
• Some analysts speculated that it was an attempt to attract more user's to the Windows phone, which Microsoft acquired from Nokia and year earlier.
• Some fans said on a forum that: "It would kill the gaming community".
• Another said: "Not only will it cost more money to play the game it will cost people their jobs too. Many people play Minecraft and upload it to YouTube as their career, but if Microsoft takes over there will for sure be copyright issues".
• Microsoft said it would maintain Minecraft on all of it's platforms.
• Mojang said there were only a handful of companies that have the resources to help Minecraft grow.
• Notch said: "I've become a symbol. I don't want to be a symbol, responsible for something huge that I don't understand, that I don't want to work on, that keeps coming back to me. I'm not an entrepreneur. I'm not a CEO."
• An example of a Microsoft introduction is an official marketplace, where users can buy other's user's content like maps, skins and mods. An example is Stefan Panic and Joe Arsenault's stories. They both worked normal daytime jobs, and as a hobby collectively producing Minecraft content. When the marketplace was introduced, they started to make money from it, which they were able to start full time. They turned their hobby into a full time job developing content for the market place.

Tuesday 26th January

LO: To consolidate the takeover and its implications

Updates

• Ever since the game's official launch in 2011, the game has received many major updates. The most recent is 1.16 (nether update).
• This update changed the way the the nether worked completely, adding in new biomes in the nether and mobs.
• All of the updates are provided free of charge as long as you own Minecraft, with no expansion packs or DLC's needed.

Updates being provided free of charge is a great thing. When Microsoft took over Minecraft, the community was worried that game would simply be ruined, with micro-transactions for updates being in place alongside the updates not being as good as updates from Mojang. Microsoft did not implement this, and some of the updates they have released since the takeover have moved the game in a positive direction.

Community

• Community support is a really valuable trait in any app, especially when change to the software or game are effected by community feedback.
• Many recent updates have been influenced by community ideas or what the community wants.
• It was integral to the early releases of Minecraft as the community fed back to the original creators and they helped shape the game into something the community enjoyed.

The community in Minecraft is extremely important as the owners shape the game into something they want to play. It was also extremely important to the original development of the game, as the community helped promote the game through platforms such as YouTube. Some Minecraft videos achieve millions of views still to this day.

In less than year, Microsoft had taken Minecraft and injected it into two additional industries. These were education and VR. 

An Education version of Minecraft was developed and released on the 1st November 2016. The Education version of the game is based on Bedrock and contains features that make the game more accessible in a classroom setting. This includes an entire classroom size world where up to 30 users can join at once. There is no seperate server required. The version is accessible via a yearly subscription of $5 per user. 

With Windows 10 came the ability to play Minecraft in a virtual reality experience. It is compatible with Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality and Gear VR. They update to be compatible with VR is completely free, like all other updates made to the game. As well as this, Minecraft now support Playstation VR headsets. For this you need a Playstation, PS VR headset and controller. Again, it is a free update.

What impact did the acquisition of Mojang by Microsoft have on Minecraft?

In 2014, Microsoft purchased the company who developed Minecraft, Mojang for $2.5 Billion. At the time of purchased, Minecraft had sold 54 million copies, already making it one of the most purchased games of all time. There is speculation over why Microsoft decided to purchase Mojang. Many believe it is to help promote Microsoft phones developed by Nokia, who Microsoft bought a year earlier. Many thought that Minecraft being available on Microsoft phones would boost sales of them, as one of the first platforms Minecraft was released on was mobile.

The acquisition was received negatively by Minecraft's community. Mojang was not a very commercialised company, there were no micro transactions in the game and every update was available free of charge. On the other hand, Microsoft was already extremely commercialised, creating Xbox and Windows for PC, as well as other platforms like Microsoft office. The community thought Minecraft would end up going down a negative route, requiring extra money after purchasing the game to access certain updates. Microsoft did in fact impact the game by installing extra payment methods, but in a way not many predicted.

In 2017, Microsoft added a marketplace to Minecraft. However it was different to most marketplaces available on most games. The first reason is because all of the content on the marketplace is user created, it allows other users to buy skins, maps and expansion mods created by other users. You can sell your creations on the marketplace as well through a registration process. The second reason is that the majority of the revenue goes to the user, rather than Microsoft. Most game developers reap the profits created by micro transactions, however Minecraft's marketplace makes sure that the user gets the majority of profits. Some creators have even been able to make full time jobs out of creating content. Overall this impacted the game in a positive manner, it allowed users to create a community where content created is shared among it and people can make money out of it as well. It was the complete opposite to what the community expected Microsoft to install.

Another way Microsoft impacted Minecraft is through the different versions available for the game and the ways users can play the game. In November 2016, Microsoft released an education edition of the game. The main difference between this and the normal game is the server size. The server was changed so that up to 30 users can join at once making it ideal for educational purposes in a classroom setting. The version can purchased through a yearly subscription of $5 per user.  As as this, alongside the release of Windows 10 in 2015, Microsoft made the Java version of the game compatible with VR. The headsets included in this were Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality and Gear VR. Also with the release of PS VR Minecraft was compatible with it. Both of these VR updates were free of charge, the only payment required was for the actual PS VR headset and to have already purchased Minecraft. Again, this impacted Minecraft positively as it allowed access of different ways the play the game free of charge. It also gave children who may not have the technology required to play the game at home the ability to play it in an educational setting.

In conclusion, the Microsoft takeover of Mojang impacted Minecraft in a positive way. Two examples of this is the unique release of the Minecraft marketplace and useful releases of versions of the game and different ways to play.

Tuesday 2nd February

LO: To explore the marketing of Minecraft

Conventional game marketing includes:

• Trailers on TV.
• Teaser pre launch posters.
• Magazine features.
• Press Marketing
• Reviews
• Word of Mouth
• Merchandise
• Fandom
• Brand identity/reliability

Mojang effectively marketed the game without most these and no commercial backing. Instead they relied on word of mouth and community to help market the game. Due to the internet age, this was much easier. Videos of the game created by the community went viral, giving the game much exposure to audiences without commercial backing. The game was mostly aimed at a niche audience to begin with, people who were expert in computing or coding.

The Minecraft Website

Now that Minecraft has been subject to global success and management by its technology partners, it is sold as a leading video game brand. This is evident from a quick internet search in examples that both market and synergise the product.

• On the website, there is the ability to purchase the three different games (Minecraft, Minecraft Dungeons and Minecraft Earth) promoting each of the different games.
• There is a massive button enabling the user to get Minecraft. 
• There are tabs in the navigation bar promoting the community and merchandise as well. 
• Scrolling down further on the page there are news sections and then the community sections. 
• This helps to target the audience as they have access to purchase Minecraft directly from the website.

Minecraft Realms

The introduction of the Realms service in 2013 was an attempt to give the producers more control.

• Realms is an official subscription based server hosting service that allows players to create and manage their own private Minecraft servers. 
• Realms provide an easy way to play Minecraft in a multiplayer way, allowing each user access the world at any time they like, rather than waiting for the host to be online and active on the world. 
• They are not intended for large servers, but rather a family or a group of friends. The player must also have a working Mojang account. 
• The monthly charge is $7.99 and there is access to a 30 day free trial. 
• There is also access to replace Realm worlds with pre-made maps or mini-games.

Social Media: Twitter

Any successful media product requires a marketing strategy and, in the online age, a symbiotic relationship with social media. Minecraft's Twitter feed exemplifies its highly developed use of online technology and has 4.3 million followers.

• The whole account showcases features from the game with the profile picture and banner photos of mobs from the game. Regular tweets include new additions to the game and the marketplace.
• It has a bio which reads: "Survive the night, or build a work of art". There are links to the website and the location of the Mojang headquarters.
• On most of their tweets, they provide links to other twitters accounts associated with the game. For example, when they post about the marketplace, they include the marketplace's account.
• Due to the account's popularity, they receive thousands of likes alongside retweets on most tweets.

Social Media: YouTube and Wiki

• On YouTube. Minecraft videos receive millions of views and are have extremely popular for decades. Regular videos include lets play videos, showcases, minigame videos and role playing videos.
• There is a big prosumer culture, especially on YouTube and Minecraft Wiki. Users develop content for others to be entertained by, and the community develop the Minecraft Wiki.
• YouTube allows for community interaction, the comment section allows users to comment on videos made alongside sharing or liking the video.
• Viral videos also help market the game, with some videos having received hundreds of millions of views.
• They have an official YouTube channel, with 6.5 million subcribers. Their update videos receive millions of views, with regular community videos receiving views in and around 500000.

Friday 5th February

LO: To explore audience appeal and demographic

Audiences

On the basis of a conventional video game sales leaderboard, Minecraft is a global product. Minecraft has sold 200 million copies compared to GTA V's 135 million. The US, UK and Canada register the most legal downloads of the game from the 112 copies on the list. Minecraft report selling on average 53,000 copies a day since 2016.

Target Audience

An age poll recently, states that 86% of players who were under 30 were made up of the following:

• 20% under 15
• 44% aged 15-21
• 22% aged 22-30
• 14% aged 30+

Teenagers in North America and Europe seem to be the dominating demographic, with the majority being male.

The age appeal does not surprise me, the game itself is very popular among younger audiences, especially 15-21 as they grew up playing the game. It's wide rang e of popularity is reflected in the game due to it's endless amount of possibilities available.

Fan Made Media

• There is a continued development of fan made media across social media platforms and dedicated fan sites.
• There is an active community of gamers who share a common interest linked to Minecraft.
• This include groups like the Yogcast who regularly produce videos that collectively have billions of views.
• Fan made clones of the game are now available across market place apps.
• Merchandise is also available (Both fan made and official) online.
• A series of books and magazines have also begun to appear after a deal with the Egmont group.
• Further applications of the game in the fields of computer aided design has seen an impact on education with the development of Minecraft Education.
• There have also been partnerships with global charity projects such as the UN's block by block project.

What is the universal appeal of Minecraft?

Minecraft is a game that has been produced, marketed and distributed so that it has a universal appeal to various audiences. It is a game that has a huge community, with fans actively interacting with the producers.

The game has been produced so that it offers endless possibilities for the average user. In the original development, the original developer Markus 'Notch' Persson took had the idea to create and Sandbox RPG style game, taking inspiration from building game Dwarf Fortress and visual inspiration from Sandbox game Infiniminer. He produced an extremely basic version of the game in 2009 aimed at a niche audience who were expert in computing. However the game grew exponentially, they fed back to Persson and Mojang with ideas for the game. In the game's current state, even after Mojang's takeover by Microsoft, it offers endless possibilities all being inspired by it's community. This appeal to a universal audience as you can whatever you want to do. Building and using imagination is available for younger audience alongside action and exploration for an older audience. These are just two examples. You can do what you want to do in the game, with no strict story to follow, appealing to a wide audience.

The marketing of the game in it's production and up to it's current point appeals to a wider audience simply because it uses the audience. When Persson and Mojang first developed the game, they had no commercial backing for a marketing strategy. They relied on word of mouth between users and it's own audience to promote the game. It worked, and before it was even officially released in November 2011 the game had 4 million purchases alongside 16 million users. The way it Mojang used their audience was through users promoting the games themselves on the internet through YouTube videos and social media posts. Minecraft videos on YouTube still gain millions of views to date. The game's unique style and community involvement in production and marketing of the game appealed to a wide range of people. It was new and impressive. Eventually Mojang managed to strike a deal with Sony, who put the game onto their phones which then skyrocketed sales of the game, due to mobile users being able to play as well as PC.

This leads on to the extremely wide range of platforms the game is available on helping the appeal to a universal audience. Anyone can the play the game, there are no restrictions. The game originally available on PC, and after the deal with Sony soon after release on mobile. After Sony phones it was developed for Android and IOS. It was released for Xbox 360 in 2012, and PS3 a year later. It was made available for the PS4 and Xbox One a year after their release in 2014. It is also available for Nintendo Wii and Switch and Raspberry Pi. To put it simply, the game's availability on all major consoles and gaming platforms contributes significantly to it's universal appeal. 

As well as being available on many major platforms, the game has other uses than just for gaming as well to appeal to a wide audience. For example, there is an education edition of the game which was made available for schools in 2015. This was made available by Mojang after being taken over by Microsoft. The game allowed for server to be up to 30 users large for a classroom setting, available on a monthly subscription basis. The Java edition of the game was made compatible with VR that same year and the PS4 edition compatible with VR upon the PS VR's release. The game also has a Marketplace introduced in 2017 for people to earn money from their in game creations. It's wide range of uses for other than simply a game help to appeal to a universal audience.

Lastly, the game's wide appeal is also helped by Mojang and now Microsoft's interactive nature with their community. The current producers develop the game to suit the user's needs. Mojang listen to high profile figures who make a living off of the game, community fandoms, Minecraft videos and social media to help develop the game to appeal to the user's. This was also evident in the production of the game, when Persson and Mojang listened to community feedback to develop the game to a high standard upon it's release. It's different, most game companies nowadays don't listen to their community as much. Involving the community will build a stronger appeal to the game for any user, as they can shape the game into one they want to play.

Tuesday 9th February

LO: To review key areas and exam style questions

Bullet Point Plans

Evaluate how ongoing audience interaction influences the production of video game. Refer specifically to Minecraft in your answer.

Introduction:

• Audience interaction can influence the production of a video game - can suggest what they want in they game as an example.
• Target audience of Minecraft: mainly males, dominated by ages up to 30. European and North American dominance.
• Different ways of audience interaction: Game Mods/Marketplace, Social Media/Forums and Minecon.

Game Mods:

• Fans of the game develop individual mods seperate from the game development that can be downloaded for others to use - express their want in a game.
• Mojang have allowed these to be used throughout the entirety of Minecraft's existence - expresses their want for community/fan involvement.
• After Microsoft takeover, introduced a marketplace in 2017 for mods/skin and texture packs/maps to be sold - Again expressing their want for community involvement, if a feature in a mod is popular and in demand it can be added to the game.
• Context - Many gamers object to paying for new features in game, considering they have already payed for the game. Mojang distribute any updates they add to the game for completely free, however mods and skin packs from the marketplace are not free.

Social Media/Forums:

• Fans can express their desires in a game through social media platforms/forums - Mojang can take inspiration if the idea is popular and desired.
• On platforms like YouTube Minecraft videos gain millions of views - if a popular video contains development ideas Mojang may take inspiration.
• Forums and websites like Minecraft wiki and Reddit show a passion for the game where the community comes together to share knowledge and celebrate the game - Reddit forums can become extremely popular, r/minecraft has millions of followers which Mojang will likely see.
• Context - Most gamers do not rely on traditional advertising for games. Instead they can use platforms like social media for news on updates etc.

Minecon

• Minecon is an convention held yearly where users come together to celebrate Minecraft with it's developers.
• It is a large convention - Mojang can listen to community ideas at the event.
• In 2017 they went online for Minecon, meaning anyone around the world could attend - much more inspiration to take for Mojang.
• Context - There is a gamer subculture where some people who play games identify as 'gamers' and some just fans of specific games. Minecraft has a huge fanbase made up of both.

Evaluation/Conclusion

• Ongoing audiences consistently influence the development of the game they play. 
• Can be seen in Minecraft with the three sections just discussed.

Explain the impact of digitally convergent media platforms on video game production, distribution and consumption. Refer to Minecraft to support your answer.

Introduction

• Digitally convergent media platforms have significantly impacted the production, distribution and consumption of video games.
• Can be seen in Minecraft.

Production

• The online age and social media allowed for the community to feedback to Persson and Mojang throughout production. It still influences the game's development to this point.
• Consistent release of many new consoles means that the game keeps on getting developed to be adapted to each different one.
• Rise of mobile gaming meant the game had to be adapted for the mobile user. It's development for mobile devices after a deal with Sony contributed significantly to it's success.
• Context - Most of the gaming community do not rely on traditional marketing for gaming, instead using platforms like social media for news on production.

Distribution

• Minecraft was developed when mobile gaming became popular - allowed Mojang to reach a much wider audience.
• It's development for many platforms allowed Mojang to distribute to a wider range of audience.
• Cross platform releases meant that the game marketed and distributed itself. The Xbox version promotes the PS version and vice versa, especially if the user owns both.
• Context - Proliferation of technology and the fall in cost of computing has impacted the proliferation of new technologies. New consoles provide a whole new audience for Mojang to target.

Consumption

• Digital convergence meant the game was easy to buy - available on it's website, stores on the Xbox and PS and on disc.
• It also introduced social media and forums where users can interact with others - they can share ideas, builds, mods, texture/skin packs and maps.
• Development of VR and developments in Computer technology allowed for Minecraft VR and Minecraft Education to be released.
• Context - Different social attitudes towards gaming can effect the consumption of games. Fears of violence, addiction and isolation especially considering a lot of gamers are younger. Minecraft dodges these issues by creating a non violent, unique and imagination fueled game.

Conclusion

• Digitally convergent media platforms have a great influence on the production, distribution and consumption of a game.
• Can be seen in Minecraft.

Explain how producers target, reach and engage audiences for video games through content and marketing. Refer to Minecraft to support answer. In your answer you must explain how social and economic contexts influence this.

Introduction

• Producers of video games target, reach and engage audience in many different ways.
• Minecraft is a great example of this, through social media, minecon and game development.

Social Media

• Minecraft targeted their wide audience before commercial backing by using social media to market the game. Younger kids can watch the viral Youtube videos and older people can explore the popular forums.
• Reached audiences by creating their own social media accounts to keep the audience updated about news features in the game and marketplace.
• Engage the audience by taking inspiration from the ideas in the viral videos and forums.
• Context - Social Media was in high development around the release of Minecraft. YouTube was pioneered in 2005 and Twitter in 2006.

Minecon

• Targets audiences as it brings together the whole community around the game.
• It reaches the audience as well - in 2017 there was a digital version which anyone from around the world could access and stream.
• Engages the audience as Mojang can be inspired by community ideas and frequently reveal new game features at the event.
• Context - Minecon is the largest singular game conventions ever. The 2015 event in London sold 10000 tickets priced at 129 pounds. This is just in person, there were livestreams of the event as well.

Game Development

• Targets wide audience as there are limitless possibilities.
• The game reaches an audience as the audience are always up to date with new developments. Frequent social media posts about development.
• The development engages the audience as it is inspired by audience ideas for the developments. 
• Context - The game is in constant development due to proliferation in technology. New consoles are frequently being released which the game has to adapt to to be released on. Xbox One and PS4 were released the same year the game was adapted for Xbox 360 and PS3.

Conclusion

• Producers target, reach and engage audience. Minecraft a good examples through it's use of social media, conventions and game development.

Radio 1 Breakfast Show

Friday 12th February

Show Information

• Radio 1 Breakfast Show is a radio show broadcast across the UK on Radio 1. 
• It is hosted by Greg James who took over from Nick Grimshaw in 2018.
• It runs five days a week from Monday to Friday.
• Roisin Hastie reads the bulletins for Newsbeat every half an hour, except 9:00. It is 3 and half hours long, running from 7am to 10:30am.
• The current cover presenters are Matt Edmonson/Mollie King, Jordan North and Scott Mills.

Greg James

• James is a radio DJ, TV presenter, narrator and author. He is currently the presenter of the Radio 1 Breakfast show and co presenter on the cricket podcast Tailenders.
• He has had various jobs working in Radio for the BBC. Prior to presenting the Breakfast show, he presented the evening's Drivetime show between 4pm and 7pm swapping with Nick Grimshaw.

Regular Features

• Yesterday's quiz - A regular quiz where winners get to play songs of their choice.
• Ten Minute Takeover - The show is taken over by a featuring person for ten minutes.
• Unpopular Opinions
• Game of 'Phones' - A listener gets the chance to talk to a celebrity if they guess part of their phone number.

Playlists/Songs

• The songs featured are usually charting songs, typically pop or from high profile artists. Radio 1 is the largest UK Radio station.
• On the website tracklists are featured, with links to the songs on Spotify or Apple Music.

Content

• The content mainly consists of music, news, talking to listeners and games.

Friday 26th February

LO: To research the background behind the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show

• On the 30th September 2017, the show celebrated it's 50th anniversary. When it was launched in 1967, it was described as "the swinging new radio service".
• It was set up as an alternative to the two existing BBC Radio channels, Radio 2 and 4. At the time there was no breakfast TV or independent radio stations.
• It was established as an alternative after the ban of pirate radio stations.
• Radio 1 breakfast show is considered the flagship programme of the radio station. 

BBC Research

• The BBC is a public service broadcasting company. This means it has a duty to provide non commercial broadcasting for the public. It cannot express any personalised opinions.
• It is funded mainly through an annual TV licence which is charged to all British households, companies or organisations receiving live television broadcasts. Essentially it is funded by the public.
• The BBC run eleven national radio stations, six of which are only available in digital format. They have 39 local radio stations covering specific areas across England, and the Channel Islands. The main differences between them all is the format you can access them in, where you can access them and the target audience/content of each station.
• The BBC's mission is: "To act in the public interest, serving all audiences through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain".
• They have five main public purposes:

• The main difference between commercial and non commercial radio is that commercial is solely not for profit, whereas commercial radio is privately owned aimed at making profits. The main ways that radios make money is through advertisements, which do not feature on the BBC.

Radio 1 Research

• The target audience of Radio 1 is people aged 15 - 29. It provides contemporary and pop music with combination of speech, like talk and game shows
• The breakfast show lasts 3 and half hours between 7am and 10:30am. It is hosted by Greg James. As of late 2019, the show had roughly 10 million active listeners.
• The show can of course be accessed live on the radio. It can also be accessed live on the BBC website. It can also be accessed after the show on BBC sounds and the BBC website.
• It's remit is to: "to entertain and engage a broad range of young listeners with a distinctive mix of contemporary music and speech".
• It's main competition is the Christ Evans Breakfast show on Virgin Radio show and Dave Berry breakfast show on Absolute Radio.

Breakfast Show Website

• It is a modern looking website, basic looking fonts and simple layout. The modern look appeals to a younger audience.
• It is easy to navigate. The search bar at the top of page allows users to access other parts of the BBC. The navigation bar further down the page allows users to access different features of that page. For example previous shows and information about the presenter, Greg James. There is also a link in the top right to listen to the live show.
• Greg James is a younger presenter. Providing information on the website may interest a younger audience.
• The search bar allows the audience to search for what they want to access.

Tuesday 2nd March

LO: To make notes on a specific episode

Radio 1 Breakfast Show - 1/3/21

• Key talking points and news - Sports news from the weekend, arguments on Sky Sports. People who would've celebrated their birthday on the 29th February. Children returning to school after another lockdown. England vs Wales in the six nations. Covid vaccine rollout and new Brazilian variant being in the UK. New request system of the vaccine. 2/3 years ago there was snow across the UK. Radio 1 team 3 years ago climbed mountains in Scotland.
• Special Feature - Early morning quiz, the 'fact' controller where people discuss facts they should've known sooner, promotion of Annie Mac's new podcast, 10 minute takeover where someone takes over the show, a feature celebrating someone receiving the vaccine,
• Hosts, guests and interviews - Lauren, a teacher taking part in the morning quiz, Ariell Free, Annie Mac, various members of the public involved in the 'fact' controller and suggesting songs to play, Adele Roberts. Clara Amfo, host of the live lounge.
• News stories - A good mix between hard news and soft news especially on newsbeat. Main talking points were Covid and football.
• Examples of how the shows 'informs, educates and entertains' - The format of the show fits the BBC's remit. Regular features of newsbeat informs and educates listeners. Regular features of popular songs entertains.
• Examples of the show being challenging, original and nurturing UK talent - The tracklist features a lot of UK artists, for example KSI and Anne Marie's 'Don't play', Catfish and the Bottlemen's 'Longshot', George Ezra 'Paradise', Dua Lipa and Dave. Raising awareness of mental health, particularly among children having to stay at home. Greg James plays songs from lesser known bands he enjoys, for example "Wolf Alice". Mostly pop/UK based rap music. 
• Key ways the show targets it's audience - Playing modern and popular music. For example, massive artists like Justin Bieber and Dua Lipa. The main talking point is Covid which appeals to everyone, and a big focus of Newsbeat.
• Fun stuff, games, quizzes - Early morning quiz, the 'fact' controller, Annie Mac's new comedic podcast.

"There were some arguments on Sky Sports yesterday, for the first time in a year I didn't miss the pub"

"Yesterday would have been lots of people's birthdays"

"I was watching the rugby with my dad, over Zoom"

"Annie Mac's new podcast"

"Children are returning to school next week"

"Worry over the new Brazilian variant of Covid-19"

Tuesday 4th May

LO: To explore the exam format