Sunday 18 May 2014

Analyzing advertisement (The Vauxhall Zafira)

 




The Vauxhall Zafira advertisement is promoting a family car. According to its site, "The Vauxhall Zafira is the original, compact, seven-seater family car that shows what can be achieved with clever thinking. Dynamic driving experience, interior comfort and seven-seater flexibility with sharp styling, cool interior finishes and impressive safety features."


I am going to introduce this advert from demographic, geographic and psychographic aspects.

From demographic aspect, since this advert is selling a seven-seater family car, its target audience are probably adult around 30-45, since at this age range, people are mostly get married, and probably have children. Besides, the target are always the male (the father), which is stereotyped as the driver inside a family. Therefore, I don't think this car will be suitable for people who are single or young couple without children. Moreover, I think the people who get appealed by this advert are mainly from the middle class, since considering this brand, the main selling point is not about its trendy modern appearance, therefore as I guess, it will not be too expensive. However, it is a well-known average rate brand, so it will not be too cheap as well. Therefore, I think the middle class can afford it.

From geographic aspect, this advertisement is using English, therefore it target should probably focus in western countries ' people like Britain. Beside, one of the selling point of the advert is safety, so it is suitable to use in different places for different weather and climate.

From psychographic aspect, the audience may think after buying this car they may get more time stay with their family and having more relax and enjoyable lifestyle in their spare time. They may go picnic in weekend with their families, and bringing food, bicycle etc.(The car has large capacity). With this car, they can getting more time staying together and getting out more convenient.


To analyse this advertisement by Maslow's hierarchy of needs:

Physiological:

The Vauxhall Zafira car fit the people's needs of physiological. People can switch on the window for breathing fresh. With its comfort seat, people who own the car can sit or sleep relaxingly on the leather cover seat. Besides, the driver and the passengers can enjoy CDs or radio inside the car, which makes their journal more relaxing and enjoyable.

Safety:

It also fulfilled the needs of safety of passengers and drivers. The anti-lock braking system (ABS),
Twin, front airbags, Front seat, side-impact airbags will secure and keep the safety of them.

Love/ Belonging

The biggest selling point of the Vauxhall Zafira car is its seven seat and its capacity. As I mentioned, it encourages families having more gathering conveniently in their spare time. They can communicate more and having relaxing holiday together and sharing happiness and sorrels. They will care about each other more.

Esteem:

"Driving experience, interior comfort and seven-seater flexibility with sharp styling, cool interior finishes and impressive safety features." these description increase the self-esteem of the owner, they will feel proud.

Monday 28 April 2014

Brand identity






What is the identity of the brand? 

comfortable, upscale, healthy, happy and effective.


What kind of products do they produce?

Fast food such as Fries, burger, soft drinks, nugget, hot wings, ice-cream, milkshake etc.

How are they positioned in the market (eg luxury, mid-range)?
Its mission is to suit everyone, therefore it is suitable for poor and rich.

Who is the user?

Every customers are users, whatever every age range.


How are the products produced?

We demonstrate our appreciation by providing them with high quality food and superior service in a clean, welcoming environment, at a great value. Our goal is quality, service, cleanliness and value (QSC&V) for each and every customer, each and every time.

What is the customer service and aftersales care like?


There are almost 1200 restaurants to be found in a variety of locations such as traditional high streets; shopping centres; retail parks; roadside locations; leisure centres; railway and airport termini and motorway service areas. We are renowned for being the pioneers of the drive-thru restaurant concept and are the UK and world leader in this sector. This continues to be the key focus for our growth.

What is the history of the brand?

The McDonalds migrated from Manchester, New Hampshire to Hollywood in the late 1920s, where brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald began working as set movers and handymen at motion-picture studios. In 1937, their father Patrick McDonald opened "The Airdrome", a food stand, on Huntington Drive (Route 66) near the Monrovia Airport in Monrovia, California. Hamburgers were ten cents, and all-you-can-drink[citation needed] orange juice was five cents. In 1940, Maurice and Richard ("Mac" and "Dick") moved the entire building 40 miles (64 km) east, to West 14th and 1398 North E Streets in San Bernardino, California. The restaurant was renamed "McDonald's Bar-B-Q" and had twenty-five menu items, mostly barbeque.
In October 1948, after the McDonald brothers realized that most of their profits came from selling hamburgers, they closed down their successful carhop drive-in to establish a streamlined system with a simple menu of just hamburgers, cheeseburgers, french fries, shakes, soft drinks, and apple pie. The carhops were eliminated to make McDonald's a self-service operation. The brothers took great care in setting up their kitchen like an assembly line to ensure maximum efficiency. The restaurant's name was changed again, this time to simply "McDonald's," and reopened on December 12, 1948.
In 1952 the brothers decided they needed an entirely new building in order to achieve two goals: further efficiency improvements, and a more eye-catching appearance. They collected recommendations for an architect and interviewed at least four altogether, finally choosing Stanley Clark Meston, an architect practicing in nearby Fontana, in the fall. The brothers and Meston worked together closely. They achieved the extra efficiencies they needed by, among other things, drawing the actual measurements of every piece of equipment in chalk on a tennis court behind the McDonald house (with Meston's assistant Charles Fish). The design achieved a high level of noticeability thanks to gleaming surfaces of red and white ceramic tile, stainless steel, brightly colored sheet metal, and glass; pulsing red, white, yellow, and green neon; and last but not least, two 25-foot yellow sheet-metal arches trimmed in neon, called "golden arches"even at the design stage. A third, smaller arch sign at the roadside hosted a pudgy character in a chef's hat, known as Speedee, striding across the top, trimmed in animated neon.
In late 1952, with only a rendering of Meston's design in hand, the brothers began seeking franchisees. Their first franchisee was Neil Fox, a distributor for General Petroleum Corporation. Fox's stand, the first with Meston's golden arches design, opened in May 1953 at 4050 North Central Avenue at Indian School Road in Phoenix, Arizona. Their second franchisee was the team of Fox's brother-in-law Roger Williams and Burdette "Bud" Landon, both of whom also worked for General Petroleum. Williams and Landon opened their stand on 18 August 1953 at 10207 Lakewood Boulevard in Downey, California. Today the Downey stand has the distinction of being the oldest surviving McDonald's restaurant.The Downey stand was never required to comply with the McDonald's Corporation's remodeling and updating requests over the years because it was franchised not by the McDonald's Corporation, but by the McDonald brothers themselves to Williams and Landon. (Recognizing its historic and nostalgic value, in 1990 the McDonald's Corporation acquired the stand and rehabilitated it to a modern but nearly original condition, and then built an adjacent museum and gift shop to commemorate the site.)
In 1954, Ray Kroc, a seller of Multimixer milkshake machines, learned that the McDonald brothers were using eight of his machines in their San Bernardino restaurant. His curiosity was piqued, and he went to San Bernardino to take a look at the McDonalds' restaurant. He was joined by good friend Charles Lewis who had suggested to Kroc several improvements to the McDonald's burger recipe.
Believing the McDonalds' formula was a ticket to success, Kroc suggested they franchise their restaurants throughout the country. The brothers were skeptical, however, that the self-service approach could succeed in colder, rainier climates; furthermore, their thriving business in San Bernardino, and franchises already operating or planned, made them reluctant to risk a national venture. Kroc offered to take the major responsibility for setting up the new franchises elsewhere. He returned to his home outside of Chicago with rights to set up McDonald's restaurants throughout the country, except in a handful of territories in California and Arizona already licensed by the McDonald brothers. The brothers were to receive one-half of one percent of gross sales. Kroc's first McDonald's restaurant opened on April 15, 1955, at 400 North Lee Avenue in Des Plaines, Illinois, near Chicago. (It was demolished in 1984 after many remodels.) Kroc incorporated his company as McDonald's Systems, Inc., which he would later rename McDonald's Corporation.

Once the Des Plaines restaurant had become operational, Kroc sought franchisees for his McDonald's chain. The first snag came quickly. In 1956 he discovered that the McDonald brothers had licensed the franchise rights for Cook County, Illinois to the Frejlack Ice Cream Company. Kroc was incensed that the McDonalds had not informed him of this arrangement. He purchased the rights back for $25,000, five times what the Frejlacks had originally paid, and pressed forward. McDonald's grew slowly for its first three years. By 1958, there were 34 restaurants. In 1959, however, Kroc opened 68 new restaurants, bringing the total to 102 locations.


Monday 10 March 2014

3:10 to yuma (2007) Western movie


3:10 to yuma

How does 3:10 to yuma suggest a western genre?

This movie is about a story between two men. A good small-time rancher father- Dan Evans and a captured outlaw Ben Wade who's awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma.




The hero:

Dan Evans is the hero of this movie. He is an impoverished rancher and Civil War veteran. He loves his family. Ben Wade is captured by the law in Bisbee and Evans finds himself one of the escorts who will take Wade to the 3:10 to Yuma train in Contention for the reward of $200. Evans's effort to take Wade to the station is in part an effort to save his land but also part of an inner battle to determine whether he can be more than just a naive rancher in the eyes of his impetuous and gunslinging son William Evans. He is not as the characteristic of the stereotyped cowboy. He is independent and brave, however he is not saving the society but his own family. He isn't a free cowboy, he owns a family.

The villain?

In this story, there isn't Indians villain. But it does have a man who to stop at nothing in doing evil and even escaping from the jail for many times. 



However, during the time of spending with Dan, he found out Dan it the person who know him a lot, he tried to convince Dan to give up getting him to yuma but Dan refuse, He would like to stand a role model to his son.


Dan is shot and killed by the bad guy who comes and willing to help Ben escape.



Ben is will to change and he had promised Dan to follow him to yuma, he feels angry and killed everyone who are trying to help him escape.

He is a villain? It seems like, he did many things wrong and even escape from the jail but he seems not a villain either, he tries to change and follow Dan to the jail.

This movie has a typical western movies' setting. There is a male hero helps to restore law and order-Dan Evans, and there is also bloody struggle between native American and setting for control of the land. Besides,There are lots of Mise en scene which proving this is a western movies, like the props: gun, horse, and the costume: cowboy.



Sunday 9 March 2014

The Hunger Games(2012) vs Casablanca(1942)

The Hunger Games(2012) vs Casablanca(1942)




























Genre


The Hunger Games: Hollywood film, American adventure film

Casablanca:Hollywood film, American romantic film

Characters' relationship


The Hunger Games:Katniss, an expert archer, volunteers to take her place for her younger sister

Casablanca:Rick Blaine and  Ilsa Lund are the main character in the story, they love each other

Lighting 


The Hunger Games:





















The Hunger Games:


Using low key, hard shadow to emphasize the image and characteristic of the character.(using exaggerated lighting effect(fire) to shape her tough and calm image)






















Casablanca:


Bars of shadow across the characters and in the background variously imply imprisonment, the crucifix, the symbol of the Free French Forces and emotional turmoil. Dark film noir and expressionist lighting is used in several scenes, particularly towards the end of the picture.


Make up





























The Hunger Games:


Using exaggerated eye-shadow and lip stick with sharpen color emphasizing the crazy characteristic of this woman.




















Casablanca:

Using light make-up, emphasizing the natural beauty of the character.

Costume


The Hunger games:















The costume are sporty, convenience. Since they have to face different challenge, the design of the clothes should enable them to fight in difficult environment. 


Non - Diegetic Sound


The Hunger Games:



No.TitleLength
1."The Hunger Games"  1:10
2."Katniss Afoot"  1:49
3."Reaping Day"  1:35
4."The Train"  1:27
5."Entering the Capitol"  2:28
6."Preparing the Chariots"  1:05
7."Horn of Plenty"  1:59
8."Penthouse/Training"  3:36
9."Learning the Skills"  1:41
10."The Countdown"  1:58
11."Booby Trap"  2:37
12."Healing Katniss"  3:04
13."Rue's Farewell"  5:00
14."We Could Go Home"  1:15
15."Searching for Peeta"  1:27
16."The Cave"  3:13
17."Muttations"  4:45
18."Tenuous Winners/Returning Home"  3:25



Casablanca:


As time goes by


  • "It Had to Be You", music by Isham Jones, lyrics by Gus Kahn
  • "Shine", music by Ford Dabney, lyrics by Cecil Mack and Lew Brown
  • "Avalon", music and lyrics by Al JolsonBuddy DeSylva and Vincent Rose
  • "Perfidia", by Alberto Dominguez
  • "The Very Thought of You", by Ray Noble, and
  • "Knock on Wood", music by M. K. Jerome, lyrics by Jack Scholl, the only original song.


  • Diegetic Sound

    The Hunger Games:

    Throughout the movie, mainly non-diegetic sounds are used to give dramatic effect. There were scenes where these sounds were vital. An example of this is when the names are being drawn for district three and dramatic music with a loud drum beat is played which leaves the audience in anticipation. The next example is between Katniss and her friend Rue. They have a plan of action, in which they need to separate. Their metaphor and signal for well-being and success is to sing at the mockingjays and hear them repeat the sound.












    The other metaphor in the Hunger Games is the triple finger, when Katniss’s closest young friend dies, Katniss looks towards a camera and raises three fingers and the people in the districts respond with the triple finger, this represents respect and condolence within the tragic Hunger Games. They used their mouth to make a voice like a gird to signified their sadness and the felling of missing Katiniss's friend.

    Casablanca:



















    The departure of the airplane.

    Lighting

    The Hunger Games:




    The most important use of lighting change was between Katniss and Peeta. This was when Peeta was seriously ill and Primrose was at the end of her hope, they both hide in a dark cave. This shows the odds of the Hunger Games are against them and the lighting suggests there is no hope.

    Casablanca:

























    It is using natural lighting and also creating shading to show a mild, moderate atmosphere to show the harmony of two characters.

    Pace

    equilibrium->

    disturb of equilibrium ->

    recognition of disturb -> 

    new equilibrium 


    The Hunger Games and Casablanca are both follow the pace above to create climax and tension.

    Tuesday 18 February 2014

    Stardom research project

    Work in pairs
    Choose a star:
    Steve McQueen
    Audrey Hepburn
    Judy Garland
    John Wayne
    Elizabeth Taylor
    James Dean
    Marlon Brando
    Cary Grant
    Humphrey Bogart
    Paul Newman
    James Stewart
    Gregory Peck
    Bette Davis

    Lesson 1,

    Do some research about their star persona. Questions to consider:

    1. What kinds of roles did they play?

    American actor (The King of cool)

    2. Who did they work with? Are they associated with any studio/director etc?
              
    Movie: The Thomas Crown Affair
    Actor: Faye Dunaway, Paul Burke, Jack Weston,  
    Studio: Solar Production, simkoe
    Director: Norman Jewison


    3. What awards did they win?



    4. What are their most memorable performances?

        The Great Escape (1963), Bullitt (1968)

    5. What notable information do you know about their real lives?

    He was married a actress(1973), McQueen was married three times and had two          children. On November 2, 1956, he married actress Neile Adams,[46] by whom he had a daughter, Terry Leslie (June 5, 1959 – March 19, 1998[47]), and a son, Chad (born December 28, 1960).

    He died from malignant Mesotheliom

    6. In what way do their roles cross over from their real lives?
                 
                
    7. Anything else?

    8. Find some examples of clips/pictures?




    Sunday 26 January 2014

    Inception

    A man in a suit with a gun in his right hand is flanked by five other individuals in the middle of a street which, behind them, is folded upwards. Leonardo DiCaprio's name and those of other cast members are shown above the words "Your Mind Is the Scene of the Crime". The title of the film "INCEPTION", film credits, and theatrical and IMAX release dates are shown at the bottom.
    Theatrical release poster
    Directed byChristopher Nolan
    Produced byChristopher Nolan
    Emma Thomas
    Written byChristopher Nolan
    StarringLeonardo DiCaprio
    Ken Watanabe
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt
    Marion Cotillard
    Ellen Page
    Tom Hardy
    Cillian Murphy
    Tom Berenger
    Michael Caine
    Music byHans Zimmer[1]
    CinematographyWally Pfister
    Editing byLee Smith
    StudioLegendary Pictures
    Syncopy Films
    Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
    Release dates
    • July 8, 2010(London premiere)
    • July 16, 2010(United States)
    Running time148 minutes[2]
    Country
    • United States
    • United Kingdom
    [3]
    LanguageEnglish
    Budget$160  million[4]
    Box office$825,532,764[5]
    Slow motion


    This shot apply slow motion to arouse the attention of the audience. Let the audience to guess will the main character awake from his dream.

    This scene is also another slow motion shot in the movie. This shot is illustrating the dream of the main character.Using slow motion is to create a spectacular, stunning and exaggerated  effect.

    Panning

    And this is also a panning shot, it is used to show clearly what is the whole street happening and also shows the stunning effect to the audience.
    This another panning shot to show the audience the view beside the main character which they are walking by, and shows how large of the world and how small are they.Besides, large angle are used, which can let the audience to see the whole view.

    Birds eye shot

    The birds eye shot is to show a hints to the audience that the scene has been change, and show this is another layer of the dream to avoid the misunderstanding of the audience.

    Canted shot










    The shot is sowing the movement of the character. It shows that the place where they stay are moving, showing the audience that this is a dream of the character and they are not yet arrive to the real world.

    Selective focus & Medium close-up














    This girl is important in this scene, therefore, she is focused and closed up in this scene,and the background is blurred. It is used to arouse the attention of the audience of what the girl are talking.

    Tracking camera















    This scene is tracking the van, since all the character are inside the car, so it is used for focus with happening with the main character in the movie.