Intertextuality of The Bourne Legacy

Identify how media products from your case study make links with other media platforms. What are the reasons for these links?

The films in which I have researched for my case study are The Bourne Legacy and Source Code. Both of these films use a range of media platforms to try and advertise to their target audience by any means possible.

The Bourne Legacy broadcasts over e-media, and has its own official website. This tells us that it is a large institution that wants their audience to interact more with the film. The website has a section showing us the films presence on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and many more social networking sites - and this is also to show people the extent of the fan base (It has nearly 2 million 'likes' on Facebook so far!).  This is also to encourage social interaction, as this acts as a form of advertising for the film. There are also many fan-made Facebook pages in which in itself provides advertising and helps the institution spread the word. According to the uses and gratifications theory, the audience would use this website for surveillance and to personally identify with the actors. It includes things such as video clips, constant movie image in the background showing the most well-known scenes, and to go along with that; non-diegetic intense music over the top. This website uses iconic moving images from the film  as a background, this links with print media as most of the images are featured on advertisements and posters. The institution made this link so that the audience can identify the film immediately and so that if someone happens to notice a poster for the film, they could access the official website easily.

Source Code is a film in which was produced by Summit Entertainment. It had more of a budget and a low advertising revenue compared to The Bourne Legacy, and we can already tell this because it doesn’t have its own official website- it’s only featured on the Summit website. It includes links on the feature page such as how to buy the DVD online, a brief description of what the film is about, and a video of the trailer. The background is a sweeping green colour; with the typical ‘Source Code’ font over the top of it. This links to print media, as all the Source Code posters feature the same font and colour scheme as this. This is effective because it allows the audience to recognise the film more easily.  The Source Code website page itself doesn’t feature any social networking links, as the film does not have official social networking sites because of the fact that Summit Entertainment tends to group up the more ‘underrated’ films and have them all under their name.  However, there are many fan pages and youtube videos that have been created that have promoted the film in some ways by encouraging people to talk about the film. Audiences would likely visit the Source Code page according to the uses and gratifications theory, if they wanted to gain a limited amount of surveillance about the film but that is really all there is to offer. 

THE BOURNE LEGACY

The Bourne Legacy has two official sites, and this is the website in which you would most likely visit first.It has a typical layout of a website, with the navigation bar at the top including 'product features, photo gallery, synopsis, cast' and finally a link directing you to the second movie site. All of these buttons link you to seperate sections further down the page, there are no seperate pages. It includes the movie trailer directly in the middle of the page, in which (according to the uses and gratifications theory) the audience would use to gain surveillance; to learn about the film. There are more videos in which you can access underneath it, showing you separate scenes and interviews.

Right at the top of the webpage there is a black background in which contrasts with the white font (the same block font is used on all print media also to allow the audience to identify the film), And they also use a quote right underneath the title from a popular movie review site, which is placed there to make sure it's noticed; to tell the people who perhaps have not watched the film that it's worth it. On the left side of the page we see the images of the DVDs, and it also tells us how we can get the film on different devices. This is to ensure that the audience knows what the DVD looks like and easily spot it if they see it in the shops. Also, it uses an image in which is seen on print media posters and that would allow the audience to idenitfy it too.

It ensures that the audience can interact with the website by adding a 'sign up for offers & sneak peeks' which also benefits the institution, as if more people have signed up to their website then they can contact and inform people easily if they release a new film.

Identify how media products from your case study make links with other media platforms.
What are the reasons for these links?

In your answer you should:
● consider possible links such as targeting audiences, promotion and revenue
generation
● support your answer with reference to a range of examples from three media
platforms.
(32 marks)

Twitter and facebook pages that allow them to target audiences and engage opinions and communicate with fans. Beneficial for institution and audince. (EXAMPLE)
Fan made Twitter pages about characters (EXAMPLE)

3. official website that can be used for surveillence or social interaction.(EXAMPLE)

4) films need to be brands and the website can help out with this.

1. Videos that fans make can help the institution to advertise the film.(EXAMPLE)
2. Fan made websites (EXAMPLE)
3. Film reviews - beneificial to A and to I so they can have feedback. Range of opinions. Website (EXAMPLE) Magazines (EXAMPLE)
4. Some websites might have character profiles (EXAMPLE)
5. Links within broadcast too, for example podcasts (EXAMPLE) 

Google Chrome Advert

Jemal Google Chrome Advert

How does the advert engage the audience?

The adverts first technique used to engage the audience is non-diegetic upbeat music and sounds such as the small clicking noises which immediately tells us that this advert is all based around computers. It engages the audience by (according to the uses and gratifications theory) using personal identification, as teenagers could relate to the boy whom is the main focus of the advert. It also engages the audience by using very well-known celebrities, such as Dappy and Jessie J. This is to make the audience take notice of how Jemal has become extremely popular using Google Chrome as the main driving force. The advert uses the technique of quick editing shots, which are used to compress time to show how the whole story progressed and how the band came together.

It also is there to inspire the audience to use Google Chrome for vlogging/music purposes and potentially change their lives. They use shock factors more than anything in the advert, as we see a very small idea of rapping in the street to the making of an entire band whom become very successful and manage to get published in newspapers and magazines pictured with huge celebrities. This would engage the audience because we wouldn't expect such a small idea to broaden out into such success.

What is communicated about Google Chrome?

The advert tells us that Google Chrome allows you to post your own content publicly and mould it to be your own. It uses the motto at the end of “the web is what you make of it” followed by the Google Chrome symbol with lots of popular website icons circling it. This tells us that this web browser gives us the best possible opportunity to get somewhere on the internet.

It also tells us that Google Chrome is a big institution; the advert is well designed and includes some graphics. Also, it has its own video site, which tells us that they have quite a high budget.

The advert suggests that using Google Chrome is the best way to be successful in whatever you want to do online, it’s the best browser to use that allows you to ‘make the web what you want’.

How is the internet represented?

The internet is represented as very current, public and user friendly. The advert omits any bad points about the internet and focuses on all of the good comments in the videos and the amounts of views increasing on each video. The advert suggests that the internet is more for the younger generation rather than for everyone; as it only shows teenagers in the videos rather than older people, but this may be because Google Chrome wants to target the younger generation more than the older.

The internet is represented as a source that can be easily used to entertain us (watching videos for escapism) and also can be used for professional reasons, showing how diverse the internet can be.

Specsavers Advert

SOURCE CODE REVIEW

Starring:  Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Russell Peters, and Jeffrey Wright.
Director: Duncan Jones

The plot: After just a week of its release; heat entusiasically welcomes Source Code into our reviewing mix. We could never of dreamt the type of response that the film recieved, it's become a huge deal for sci-fi thriller fans across the UK. So, we made it our priority to review it for you (Thank us later). The main character, Colter Stephens (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) is sent on a quite literally out-of-body experience. He wakes up on a (what seems to be) perfectly average train and quickly realises that he has the intentity of a different man named Sean. He doesn't, however, realise the emotion-wrenching mission that he has to complete within those 8 minutes!

What's right with it?: Every action movie needs a bit of romance mixed in. heat enjoyed how cleverly the relationship was builtup between Colter and Christina, along with the life-threatening action taking place. We also liked the repeatative beginning of the film, the subtle differences in each shot didn't bore us and it doesn't give too much away - we won't spoil it by saying how.

What's wrong with it?: The beginning may of worked well; but the ending seemed a bit too confusing - you'd have to watch Source Code a fair few times to take in what is actually happening. Perhaps it would've been a good idea to stretch the film into two parts?

TWILIGHT REVIEW: HEAT MAGAZINE

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Michael Sheen
Director: Bill Condon (CERT 12A, 115 minutes)

The plot: Can it be only four years ago that heat excitedly welcomed the first Twilight movie to our collective embrace, celebrating “swooning romance” and “sizzling chemistry”? Even we didn’t quite imagine what a huge deal the Twilight film franchise would eventually become. But all good things must come to an end. As fans of the book know all too well, the Cullens provoke the wrath of the Volturi overlords when Bella and Edward’s fast-maturing offspring Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy) is mistaken for an immortal child – a human infant that has been turned into a vampire. As the family prepares for the big showdown, it gathers witnesses from all corners of the globe to persuade Aro (Sheen) that no transgression has occurred.

What's right with it? Every fantasy franchise needs a strong villain – think Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter – but the Volturi have been a relatively tentative presence in Twilight. Now Aro really comes into his own, with guard Jane (Dakota Fanning), who has the psychic ability to inflict pain on opponents, also registering as a strong presence. The final showdown departs from the book with a shockingly brutal battle that is both satisfying and cinematic, and yet cleverly also manages to be simultaneously more or less faithful to Stephenie Meyer’s text. We won’t spoil it by saying how.

What’s wrong with it? It may work spread across the pages of the book, but within the confines of a film it’s hard to gain much purchase on the bewildering array of new vampire characters rounded up from all corners of the globe. The story also feels a tad stretched: the witnesses arrive; the Volturi are battled; the end. Did Breaking Dawn really deserve to be split into two separate movies?

Verdict: Respect to the filmmaking team for coming up with a spectacular ending that makes sense on the screen, a fitting finale to our emotional investment over the course of five films. And the final credits, giving appropriate respect to the talented acting ensemble that has given life to these films, left us gooey inside. Twilight, we’ll miss you. HHHH @charlesgant

Shirtless scenes: 2
One each from R-Pattz and Tay-Laut. Well, it wouldn’t be the same without them

How far have improvements in technology made a difference to the quality of audience experience?

There has been many improvements that have adapted technology to make the audience receive more enjoyment from the product or experience.
One way in which technology has improved dramatically is in the cinema; and general advertising of films. The cinema now has developed so that many films can now be shown in 3D, to allow more interaction with the audience. Also; you can see films in specialized Imax which is to engage the audience more in the film and  to offer an entirely new experience.
Another way is through the internet. Social networking sites have developed dramatically, and billions of people use them daily. This allows audiences to interact with each other and share their opinions on films; bringing the group who are interested in the same things together. Linking to my case study for example; both Source Code and the Bourne Legacy have an obvious presence on Facebook and Twitter. For example; Source Code has reached well over 200 thousand fans on Facebook. This shows the vast amounts of the audience whom want to (according to the uses and gratifications theory) socially interact and personally identify with the celebrities featured in the film on social networking websites. There are many fan-created accounts which act as a form of easy advertising for the films. There are also many review forums for films; which allow audiences to post and get their opinion across and this would influence someone into deciding whether they'd like the film or not.
Technology has also improved through television; as more and more TV's are being fitted with HD and 3D technology at quite a low price. This helps audiences as it gives them an almost cinema-like experience at their fingertips.
Lastly; technology is much less expensive and has grown must more portable - phones, TV's and cameras  are constantly improving making it easier for people to obtain high standard equipment on a budget; and therefore allowing people to easily post content online (such as videos on YouTube). This advertising helps the film industry dramatically; as the more people who see review content on websites like YouTube the more likely they are to be interested in the film.

Bourne legacy review

REVIEW

Source Code trailer analysis.

Source Code is an 2011 action thriller movie that was directed by Duncan Jones and released by Summit Entertainment.

According to the uses and gratifications theory, the audience would watch this trailer both to personally identify with the celebrities featured in the film and to gain surveillance- to gain information on what the film is actually about and if they want to go and see it or not.
The trailer starts off with distorted images and close ups of his watch, the train tracks, the woman's mouth and the main characters eyes. It contains very quick editing cuts within the first few seconds, along with a non-diegetic, high pitched sound and a woman saying "hey, Sean?" and her voice also gets distorted. This is used to bring in the whole idea of confusion, to get the audience questioning about what is happening. There is then a long shot of the train to tell us the location; and we then get a close up of the main character to show his emotions and that it's him going through all this confusion;then a medium shot inside the train to show us the woman that is sat in front of him and to introduce her to the scene.
There is non-diegetic sound the whole way through; suddenly getting louder as little, seemingly non-important things happen (such as the boy who opens a can of pop, and the coffee spilled on his shoe.) This reveals to the audience that this isn't right; that something abnormal. We then get a black screen with the font over top "This is not his life" which is purely to provide information for the viewer and to help them understand the situation. To back this point up, we immediately have a close up of the main character as he looks into a mirror, and the camera spins round to show that the reflection is in fact not his.
Within the first 40 seconds, we see the trains collide and the huge explosion engulf the trains. This reveals to us the main storyline of the film, and also suggests that the institution had an extremely high budget to conduct highly realistic special effects such as this.After the explosion, the trailer turns onto the slightly more sci-fi side. It introduces the audience into what the 'Source Code' actually is; using non-diegetic voice overs and sound bridges (such as, at 1:05 we see an extreme long shot of a motorway and the surroundings; and then it jumps to the woman who is explaining about Source Code)
In the trailer; women are presented in different ways. For example; the main female character whom we see at the start is presented as feminine, sensible and perfect. The females whom work on the Source Code project are presented as highly efficient, strong willed and highly intelligent.