Film 4 vs Disney // Ethos and Ideology

Film 4 Productions

Disney

Audience Theory

Hypodermic Needle Model

This is when the institution's intended message is entirely accepted by the audience. It assumes that the audience have no role in its interpretation or reading of a media text. The audience is injected with the institutions perception. 

The Lone Ranger

This film would most likely apply to the hypodermic needle model as it is clear it is a fictional story. The institution does not try to challenge audience's views and its representations are not controversial. The institution made this for enjoyment rather than educational purposes or to create a debate. 

The Selfish Giant

The Selfish Giant does not apply to this model as it is informative and realistic for the audience.  The film creates depth and allows the audience to interpret the storyline for themselves. The character's back stories can be created in the audience's own view.  They can also read the story in their own way, some may find the representations over-exaggerated and offensive whereas some may find it accurate. 

Uses and Gratifications

Entertainment/Diversion - media text is enjoyable and escape from a routine, emotional release

Information/Surveillance - media text is a source of information, a form of education 

Social Relationships - media text is part of social life or replacement for social life

Personal Identity - media product reflects your own values, ideals or hopes

The Lone Ranger

Entertainment/Diversion - Most Disney films are watched for enjoyment and this is no exception. It is easy going, with mild action and acts as an escape from reality. The audience would not develop a deep connection with the film, and would most likely learn nothing from it. 

Social Relationships - New Disney films are event films for children as they would often discuss enjoyment. Young boys would ask each other if they had seen The Lone Ranger and share/talk about their experience.

Personal Identity - Boys who would watch The Lone Ranger may aspire to be like characters created in Disney films e.g cowboys and superheroes. Children often dream of being a fictional character from their favourite film. 

The Selfish Giant

Information/Surveillance - This film has the ability to change people's views as it challenges everyday life. The audience would be sympathetic to the themes covered in this film and may feel like they have learnt or took something from it. 

Personal Identity - The audience may relate to themes covered as it is much more realistic than a Disney film. The audience may relate to the location the film is filmed in or for example, the friendship of Arbor and Swifty or the disability that is focused on, ADHD. 

Cultural Commonality

This relates to how the audience understand meanings in a text. It is based on the idea that the more cultural similarities there are between audience member and the creator of a media, the more they would understand as the media creator will produce texts which represent their lives and experiences. 

The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger does not apply to this theory as it is used as a form of escapism by the audience. It is also follows a unrealistic fictional storyline, so there are no meanings to be understood created in the text and does not relate to the current age group audience, to comprehend what life was like in the West that long ago between Cowboys and Indians, they would most likely be raised in a world where discrimination isn't an issue anymore therefore would not look to find cultural commonality. The target audience is also very young so will most likely watch it for enjoyment rather than find meanings. 

The Selfish Giant

The Selfish Giant does apply to this theory. The audience may find cultural commonality through the location the film is set in, e.g Bradford or a Northern area, as it may be where they live or where they have grown up. This can be applied further with the way the characters talk/their dialect/accent. The audience may relate to the childhood experience of Arbor and Swifty or have a similar background as the characters, either the friendship between them, or the difficult lives at home with their families. 

Hall's Preferred Readings

Preferred Reading - how an audience would ideally perceive a representation in a media text

Negotiated Reading - how an audience might be caught in two minds about a representation in the media

Oppositional Reading - how an audience would be completely against a media representation

The Lone Ranger

Preferred Reading - The Lone Ranger will most likely have a preferred reading as the target audience are so young that they will accept the storyline as it is presented to them. The audience would not challenge any meanings that may be created as it is not what the audience are searching for. 

Negotiated Reading - The audience of The Lone Ranger may enjoy the film yet find the representations of the Indians untrue and unfair. 

The Selfish Giant

Preferred Reading - A preferred reading of this film would the audience agreeing with the representation of discrimination issues within genders and also the representation of disability. The audience may see that isolation exists due to differences in income creating segregation. 

Negotiated Reading - A negotiated reading of this film would be the audience enjoying the film, agreeing with some representations but perhaps finding the topic of crime covered too lightly and find that it isn't accurate with real life as Arbor avoids punishment.

Oppositional Reading - The characters are all criminals and do not deserve the audience's sympathy.  They may feel that the characters segregate themselves by committing crimes and causing trouble.

Film 4 Audience vs Disney Audience

The Selfish Giant vs The Lone Ranger

The Selfish Giant
by Clio Barnard

The Selfish Giant is a film based in Bradford which follows the life of thirteen year old Arbor who has ADHD, which causes the outbursts of anger and frustration he experiences. He is living in a broken home, his mother trying to support him and his brother the best she can, but struggling to do so. His brother is involved in illegal activities meaning Arbor lacks a paternal role model, which is why I assume he likes spending so much time with his best friend Swifty. Swifty has a big family meaning they also face financial troubles, and his mother seems to be suffering from depression. Arbor and Swifty are excluded from school, Arbor already being at risk due to behaviour in lesson convinces Swifty to fight another student. This leaves them outcasts in their own area and others there age. Due to his mother's struggle to fund the family, Arbor is in need of money. Arbor believes that by working for a scrap dealer he and Swifty can make a fortune. They meet a man known as Kitten, and start to collect scrap for him. Kitten is also involved in racing horses. Swifty has a natural way with horses causing Arbor to be jealous of Kitten favouring Swifty over him. Arbor tries to impress Kitten but fails causing a wedge between Arbor and Swifty as his jealousy increases. Arbor decides to start selling scrap to two dealers, which ends up backfiring leading to a threat from Kitten to steal an electric transmission wire to make up for his loss. Arbor and Swifty in an attempt to rush due to police nearby they forget about the dangers of electricity and Swifty is electrocuted. Arbor enters a deep sadness and shuts everyone out as a result of the loss of his best friend. He only tries to talk to Swifty's mum but is rejected many times, until finally she lets him grieve with her. Arbor took care of the horse Swifty loved to try and feel in touch with him.

Who is the target audience?

The Selfish Giant is mainly targeting teens to young adults as that is the main age group included in the film, also older people may not appeal to the themes or language used. The film is mainly aimed in the UK, as it is set in Bradford and also people of a white race as it does not explore other cultures. I think the film is aimed at boys or men as there is a predominantly male cast. Their interests would be independent and realist films. They would prefer real life, relatable themes with a more obvious and harsh representation.

The Lone Ranger
by Gore Verbinski

The story follows the story of John Reid and Tonto and their experience trying to avenge John's brother and involves the classic features of a Cowboy and Indian storyline and the building of the transcontinental railway. The Lone Ranger is a film based on Native Americans and Cowboys in Texas. The story follows the story of John Reid and Tonto and their experience trying to avenge John's brother and involves the classic features of a Cowboy and Indian storyline with outlaw characters and the building of the transcontinental railway. The film starts in the 1930s where a young boy dressed like the Lone Ranger, meets Tonto, a Native American who tells him about his experiences with him. It then cuts back in time to 1869 in Colby, Texas. The character is travelling home by train on the developing railroad unaware of outlaw Butch Cavendish an outlaw also travelling on the same train after being caught by John's brother. His gang rescues him, allowing him to escape and John is made a Texas Ranger also to go after Cavendish and his gang. Cavendish kills all the rangers accept for John. The character Tonto buries all the dead bodies. Tonto tells John that he cannot be killed in battle and that one of his brother's Rangers, known as Collins had betrayed him and was working for Butch Cavendish. John is known to be dead by the gang so wears a mask to protect his identity and Tonto gives him a bullet made of the dead Ranger's badges, which he is to kill Cavendish with. Cavendish abducts John's brother's wife and son and Collins attempts to rescue them but is shot. A character called Cole is in charge of the building of railroads and prepares an attack on Native Americans. A tribe captures John and Tonto, and tell John of Tonto's past. Tonto and John escape whilst an attack occurs and finds and captures Cavendish at the silver mine. Returning Cavendish to Cole's custody it is found that Cole is Cavendish's partner and brother. John is taken back to the silver mine to be executed but Tonto rescues him. John's brother's wife and son are rescued and after a chase and fight, Cavendish and Cole are killed. A law enforcement position is offered to John since the town view him as a hero but he declines. It then cuts back to 1933 where the young boy believes the story to be a lie but Tonto gives him the silver bullet and tells him to decide himself.

Who is the target audience?

The Lone Ranger targets a wider audience of most ages, however it has some inappropriate scenes (brothel) but it is not covered explicitly. The film is mainly aimed at males, as again it is a predominantly male cast and younger boys seem to enjoy the themes of cowboys and Indians more than girls. However it is much more suitable for a family audience even though it contains Native American and Cowboy conflicts. Due to the popularity of Disney films among families the film is targeted at all. The target audience's interests consist of mainstream films like other Disney films, Wild West themed films and light-hearted action films. 

Film 4 Factfile

Who is the company? 


Film Four is a British digital television channel available in the UK, it produces, distributes and exhibits films. It is owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. They own and operate other channels too such as Channel 4, 4seven, E4, More4 and 4music. When asked about commissioning priorities, Film Four responded with: 

"We look for range across our subject matter and budgets, though we prioritise stories with contemporary relevance, based around British led talent or content.While we are not prescriptive about the kid of material we are looking for, we are particularly interested in distinctive voices and work that aims to push the boundaries, within any given film genre."

There is advantages for the success of films they produce as they are committed to airing the films they produce on both Film4 and Channel 4 on television.

What do the company produce?

Film 4 aim to fund around ten to twelve feature films a year. "We invest £15 million annually in developing and financing films for theatrical release in cinemas, working collaboratively with filmmakers and usually in partnership with other funders." Film 4 often co-produce with other companies for example the realist film "This is England" was produced by Film Four productions and Warp Films. They traditionally contribute around 15-25% of an independent film's budget. Film Four have built a reputation for producing kitchen sink dramas otherwise known as social realist films. They aim to show the hardships of working class life in Britain in the most realistic light possible. They often use real locations and untrained actors and are often set in regional, heavily accented areas. These types of film deal with some controversial or sensitive themes of the time period the film is set in. Popular social realist films produced by film 4 include, "My Beautiful Launderette," "Rita, Sue and Bob Too" and "Trainspotting." It is clear through researching Film 4 that they are mainly interested in controversial topics in films and innovative ideas instead of particular genres. However they have funded and developed other genres of film, romance, comedy, horror, science fiction and so on.

Where is the company based?

FIlm4 Productions is a British film company who are well-known for backing a large number of films made in the UK. Their main aims is to develop the film industry in Britain but they do not exclude creative, innovative ideas from outside the UK. They fund films internationally, even in America.

Why is the company important to the UK Film Industry? 

Film 4's ethos is to develop British talent and be a leader of innovation in the British Film Industry. They also aim to invest around £500,000 per film at a rate of 20 films a year. Film Four also support international independent film makers by co-investing in interesting foreign film ideas. Film Four offer a platform for British and independent cinema by committing to show each one of Film Four's productions on Channel 4 and FIlm 4. These key values of Film 4 means that they help develop the British film industry, as they do not exclude low budget films or independent directors. In 1992, the film "The Crying Game" produced by Film Four was very successful in America. Also in the 90s films such as "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Shallow Grave" were big successes. In 1996, Film Four had a very successful year with film productions with films such as "Trainspotting," "The Fully Monty" and "Brassed Off" found success at the UK Box Office. All these films were produced by the UK, showing Film Four help develop the UK film industry. Danny Boyle is a director who has worked on five Film 4 Productions, including "127 Hours," "Trainspotting," "28 Days Later," "Sunshine" and "Slumdog Billionaire." He has won the Oscar for "Slumdog Billionaire" in 2008, and works in both film and theatre.