Learner response

1) Section A: Lacks question focus, reference to clip. Needs to be in more depth.
Section B: Loses question focus and lacks theory

2) I did not succeed in meeting my target grade, I would need ___ marks to achieve my target grade

3) 
Media Forms: I have made 3 of the anticipated points, I did not successfully answer the question as I also talked about editing which I have lost marks on. 
Media Institutions: I have made 3 of these points, I did not successfully answer the question as it was not in depth and also did not explain how it promoted COD
Media Audiences: I made 4 of these points, I successfully answered the question but could have explained my points more.
Media Representations: I made 2 of these points, I did not successfully answer the question as I did not explain these points properly and did not stay focused on the question. 


4) I done better in that particular question because I went into depth with my explanations and included some theories

5)The question on media institutions was my weakest question. It lacked depth and examples, and I did not answer the question as I have misinterpreted it. 

6) 
Links between other brands and media products have been used in the trailer to promote call of duty while also promoting other brands and targeting similar audiences.

For example, the use of the iconic Las vegas sign at the beginning of the trailer promotes COD as this edition will now be related to Las Vegas by the audience as it is the location of the game.Las Vegas itself as a brand is associated with drugs, sex and violence, which is an image that COD wants to create as it will attract their target audience of males. This image is reinforced through the narrative of the advert, as violence is shown throughout and celebrity Megan Fox who is considered as appealing to males is placed in the advert. This can be linked back to Laura Mulveys male gaze theory, as Megan Fox carries appeal towards the male audience. The use of a cameo appearance to promote Call of Duty also allows existing Megan Fox fans who have a personal relationship (Uses and gratifications theory) with her to be encouraged to play call of duty because of the link created between the two brands.

The COD trailer also carries the typical brand image of a sci-fi aspect of films, as there is a scene where the characters are shown in space. This can be linked back to the film Gravity, as the scene is almost identical to the scenes in the Gravity trailers. This gives the audience the pleasure of being rewarded for being aware of and noticing the reference to gravity, while also promoting gravity and the game itself. The sci-fi genre is also more popular amongst the male target audience, which is also the target audience of COD therefore the use of gravity to promote COD is quite important in bringing in a larger audience. The COD advert also aspires to have an action thriller hence the tension and moments of violence. By creating this image, COD is able to convey the idea of it being a game that has quite a lot of action going on, which is exciting for the audience and a form of pleasure as the audience get to divert from everyday life (uses and gratifications)

7) I covered all three media platforms in my section B essay, and wrote about 3 different films. However, my answer lost the question focus.

8) I used the key words in the question in every paragraph for section B, however I did not create a solid link between the two which would have helped answer the question.

9) 
Media Forms: I included some of the things the Chief Examiner referred to in the stronger responses, but I also moved away from the question focus as the examiner has stated i.e. by talking about editing. 
Media Institutions: My answer fitted the weaker examples as I was able to highlight the brands but unable to explain how they created a positive association with the game. This was my weakest answer
Media Audiences: I have included the things the chief examiner referred to in the stronger responses, however I could have explained them more
Media Representations: I made some of the potential points the examiner has stated, but I did not provide any evidence which lowered my marks or go into depth with the theories to prove my points. 

Section B: I have included the points the examiner mentions as I had some detailed analysis, however I could have gone more in depth on explaining how and to what extent it could be linked to audience enjoyment. 

10) Need to revise more on the theories/case study notes and go over them, practise more papers and write more in depth and answer the question rather than losing the question focus. 

Section B exam question no.2

Consider how imaginative techniques are used by media products from your cross-media study to attract and maintain audiences (32 marks)

Imaginative techniques are very important in ensuring a media product attracts and maintains its audience. I will be using my case studies Ill Manors, A Field in England and Spectre which are based on the British Film industry to demonstrate how effective the use of imaginative techniques is. 

Ill Manors is a good example in demonstrating how imaginative techniques are used by media products in terms of their social media campaign 'Tag-London'. This campaign was based on social media and gave the Ill Manors audience on twitter the opportunity to ‘tweet’ their opinions on the current political climate in London, as the Ill Manors film is based around during the period of the London riots. These tweets were then projected across London to present the voices of society, while also promoting the Ill Manors film. This marketing technique was quite successful in attracting the audience as it allowed the audience to engage with the film and other members of the audience, and this can be linked back to the idea of personal identity (Uses and Gratifications) as the audience can find themselves reflected in the views of other members of the audience and Ben Drew, the director himself who has created this preferred reading (Stuart Hall) of the London riots. The user-generated campaign also maintains the audience as the Ill Manors twitter page and also their Facebook page is constantly updated with behind the scenes and clips that link back to the film, which is something the audience would look forward to. By using a UGC campaign, which is an imaginative technique, and social media, the audience are attracted to the film and also maintained as they are constantly engaged with while the film is also being promoted.

In terms of broadcast, Ill manors also took an imaginative approach in attracting and maintain their audience. Several videos were posted on YouTube such as a music video which contained cameo appearances of the characters in Ill Manors. This created synergy between the film and the music video and gave the audience a sense of being rewarded for their knowledge on the film. Synergy between Plan B’s already existing fan base is also created, and this attracts the audience as Plan B himself is another institution that may appeal to those who enjoyed Ill Manors, and this will maintain the audience as they become fans. 

Distribution strategies can also be constructed to be imaginative, as demonstrated through the film A Field in England. A Field in England was distributed on all platforms i.e. Cinemas, VOD, DVD and on Film 4 (TV) on the 5th of July 2013 which has gained it widespread attention in the media industry as this defies the typical distribution technique of films being distributed on platforms over the course of several months. This technique proved to be successful as shown through the opening weekend box office figures reaching £21,399. The audience were indeed attracted to the film as benefits were provided with each product i.e. DVDS contained extracts on the making of the film while cinema’s hosted Q&A’s. This allowed the audience to choose whichever platform they found suitable to watch the film on while also gaining benefits and putting each product to its best advantage therefore boosting the revenue. However, there was a disadvantage through this imaginative technique as the audience were not maintained as the interest in the film product eventually died out because of all the releases on the same day. If the distributers followed the typical distribution technique and released a product over the course of several months it would have been more likely for the audience to be maintained as there would have been something to look forward to.

Despite the fact of print being a dying media, it could still be taken advantage of as done by Ill Manors director Ben Drew (Plan B), who has had several newspaper interviews to promote Ill Manors and to attract an audience. By doing so Ben Drew could widen his audience range and attract the higher/middle class, older audience and the lower class, younger audience. Ben Drew has had several interviews with newspapers such as The Observer and Men’s Health, which create this image of Ben Drew being one of a higher class as several images of him in formal attire are in the articles. This would attract aspirers and the explorers in terms of psychographics (Young and Rubicam) as they may want to find out more and watch the social realism film, and also make the audience to aspire to be successful such as Ben Drew. The NME article however creates an anti-authority image of Ben Drew, where he gives his opinions on the political climate in London (the riots that took place). This would attract to the younger audience, who can personally identify with Ben Drew (Uses and Gratifications). Overall, the use of different newspaper institutions to promote a film is quite imaginative as it can attract a wider audience including the ABC1 margin i.e. Men’s Health and The Observer readers while also attracting a younger and lower class audience i.e. NME readers, however it does not necessarily maintain them as it is a dying platform.

In terms of a mainstream film, Spectre also demonstrates the use of imaginative techniques. Spectre’s social media campaigns on Snapchat and Heineken were quite effective in attracting and maintaining an audience. For example, the Snapchat campaign features a channel solely based on promoting the Spectre film, and a filter that could be used for several weeks that also promoted the film as it carried on the theme of Spectre. This would attract and maintain the younger audience of the James Bond franchise as it would allow them to engage with the film product. The Heineken campaign featured a change in packaging and advantages for the target audience such as the opportunity to see behind the scene extracts, this would attract an older audience who have been part of the James Bond fanbase for several years as it has been around for many decades. By using these two separate campaigns, two different audiences can be attracted to Spectre and also maintained as they gain benefits from using these products.

In conclusion, the Imaginative techniques that are used very important in ensuring a media product can attract and maintain its audience.

Section B exam question

How far does the platform on which they are consumed determine the construction of media products in your cross-media study? Support your answer with reference to a range of products from three media platforms (32 marks)

The platform on which media products are consumed in is very important in determining the construction of these products. My case studies Ill Manors, A Field in England and Spectre demonstrate the importance of how the platform on which a product is consumed determines its structure.

The Ill Manors tag-london campaign for example, was specifically constructed for audience consumption  on social media. The tag-london campaign is a user generated twitter campaign in which fans of Plan B and his film were prompted to tweet the hashtag #ILLMANORS and write their opinions on the current climate in the UK. By aiming the campaign at the online market, a further audience would be attracted towards the film as information is spread quite quickly .i.e. trending which engages the users on social media, which is widely used in todays society while also promoting the film. It was an effective campaign as it allowed the users to identify with the film personally, and with event such as the London riots being in synergy with the film Ill Manors it became more likely for the users to want to watch the film as they could once again identify with the film personally and also gain social awareness.The fact that the campaign was constructed in this manner allows for the target audience (16-25 year olds) to be reached, as the majority of the audience are active on the e-media platform itself.

Broadcast texts for Ill Manors were overwhelmingly consumed online, therefore the texts were constructed with an online audience in mind. For example, the music video for Ill Manors and the trailer were posted on Plan B's channel on the social media site Youtube where the audience could easily access while also sharing it online. Synergy between the two products was created through the trailer using the same music from the music video. An SBTV interview was also made available on youtube, which promoted the film aswell. By posting these videos on Youtube it is likely for the audience to share it and look forward to watching the film.

A Field in England is another good example of how the construction of media products can determine the consumption of a product. A Field in England was constructed on a cross-media strategy where the film was distributed during July 2013 through all platforms i.e. VOD, DVD, Cinema, and on Film 4. This experimental technique was quite successful, as shown through statistics where it generated £21,399 just only over the weekend. With each platform there was an additional benefit added towards it therefore the audience could consume the film in whichever form they find beneficial and conventional. The fact that A Field in England was constructed in this manner meant that the audience were able to consume the product in whichever form they preferred, and this allowed each platform to reach its greatest potential.

The construction of print as a platform was once vital, but is no longer as important as it is not consumed as much anymore and is a dying media. Nevertheless, several films do carry print as a form of creating synergy between their products and this can be presented through Ill Manors where billboards and posters were put around which contained iconography i.e. tower blocks  and weapons that link back to the theme of gang violence, dark colours that carry the connotations of danger and this would link back to other elements of the film such as its logo and the films website. Despite the fact that print is a dying media it is still important in creating synergy between products and it does have to be constructed in a specific manner that appeals to the audience and attracts their attention.

In terms of a mainstream multiplex cinema aimed film, Spectre also demonstrates how the consumption of a product is based around its construction. Spectre was quite present on social media, with it being its main form of promoting the film. Spectre had an intergrated campaign with Heinekan and fans were given access to exclusive behind-the-scenes content. There was also a snapchat campaign where a discovery channel was created specifically for the film, and spectre was quite active on sites such as Facebook and Instagram. The use of Snapchat and Heinakan as forms of promotion would bring in both audiences, the younger audience (snapchat users) and the older audience who have probably watched previous films of the James Bond franchise. The use of cross-media platforms creates synergy which is quite effective as shown through the Ill Manors campaign as it brings out the potential of all platforms. The construction of Spectre is also shown through its certification, the fact that distributors sought to advice on how to secure a 12 certificate suggests that this certification was a form of targeting a larger audience to consume their product. 

In conclusion, the platform on which a product is consumed is very important in determining the construction of a product as it can allow for there to be a specific target audience and promoting the film as shown through my case studies. 

MEST1 Section B: Independent case study

Case study research tasks

The basics
1)

Name: Spectre
Director: Sam Mendes
Notable stars: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz

2) Spectre was released on October 26 2015

3) The genre of this film is Action/Thriller and part of the James Bond franchise. The generic conventions of these genres are shown through the trailer i.e. the explosions and violence, modernity (quite classy, with wealth also being shown through props such as the cars and costumes such as the suits) while also having an element of thriller such as plot twists, suspense and murder

4) The critical reception was overall positive, however there were quite a few criticisms such as it being unexciting.

64% Rotten Tomatoes
6.9/10 IMDb
60% Metacritic

Broadcast

1) MIGRAINE Analysis 

In terms of institution, Spectre had a budget of $240-250 million which makes it a high budget film which is aimed at the mainstream audience.  Eon Productions had the dominant involvement as they have also produced the rest of the James Bond films. Several other institutions were involved in the making of this film such as Columbia Pictures who helped to distribute the film and create appeal by putting it forward towards the larger audiences through posters, advertisements and social media. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures also had an involvement. In terms of genre, Spectre is an action film with a thriller element. This is clear through the trailer as there are several explosions etc. Which are clear connotations towards action films. Spectre follows the typical representations of action films, where the protagonist is from a ‘first world’ country and the antagonists are foreigners. In terms of ideologies, Spectre perceives England as a powerful country hence the great secret intelligence skills. This is all represented through the protagonist as shown through the trailer. The location of England itself also follows an ideological thinking of England being quite upper class and wealthy hence the several scenes of the mansions and the luxury clothing people are wearing. Through the narrative, the audience can pick up several details such as the protagonists past creeping up on him hence the villain being someone who he knows. Small sections of the film are placed in the trailer which allows the story to flow without there being too many spoilers. 

2) 

This promotes the film in several ways. The language used by the reporter such as "epic" and "commercially successful" creates a positive impression of the film and emphasises on the   success of the film. By interviewing the protagonist himself, the audience can get an idea of what he is like. 

3)The broadcast promotion does use stars to create interest in the film as the audience can get an idea of their views and possibly exclusive information such as the filming process

Print

1) Review 1: Unfortunately, Spectre is to Skyfall what Quantum of Solace was to Casino Royale; that is to say: less inspired in just about every way.
Review 2: “Spectre” is full of not-good things, and some oppressively bad things that may come to feel like drill bits twirling in your skull.
Review 3: At times clunky, Spectre is still utterly gorgeous, always compelling and the ultimate proof that Daniel Craig is the best James Bond of all time.

2) Examples of film promotion 




This TV advert is useful in promoting the film because it was most likely shown at a prime time where a majority of people would view it. The trailer also has a lot of tension and suspense which leads to people wanting to watch it to find out what will happen next



This billboard promotes the film because it is eye-catching and it has been placed where a majority of people will see it therefore awareness of the film is created.



This poster promotes the film as it gives the viewer an idea of who the protagonist and antagonist of the films are. This speculates interest in the film especially with the "coming soon" text underneath the film.

3) 



The design of this print advert is quite simplistic, with colours such as black and white being predominantly used. This gives it a classier look as using bold colours and a lot of images would distract the audience. It allows the audience to focus on the protagonist, who is seen holding a gun. The gun has connotations of danger and violence, which can be linked back to the conventions of an action film. Bond's serious facial expression creates an image of power and suggests that he is should be taken seriously. The use of the logo links it back to the franchise, and by using upper case for the title 'spectre' immediately captures the view of the audience. 

4) The film brand links back to the James Bond franchise and is similar to other bond films which are usually constructed from high action (car chases etc), exotic locations, modern technology (gadgets), villains and beautiful women. 



E-media

1) Spectre is quite present on Facebook, which helps to promote the film through the regular posts about facts, behind the scenes and posters which the audience can engage with by commenting etc. Spectre is also present on Instagram where photos of several scenes are uploaded. By having social media sites awareness of the film will be raised and the audience can be more engaged. 

2) The official website of the film has syngergy with the other James Bond films as they all share the website, with spectre having a specific category of its own. The website uses the films brand through the official logo for the franchise and through other elements such as the fonts used and the black/white colour scheme which give the website a classier look. 

3) Spectre had an intergrated campaign with Heinekan. Fans were given access to exclusive behind-the-scenes Spectre content, classic Bond films to download, in-store promotions, and local market activations. The new TV commercial also featured Daniel Craig as James Bond. There was also a snapchat campaign where a discovery channel was created specifically for the film, which can reel in a younger audience.

4) Can you find any examples of the two-step flow theory online – did celebrities or journalists tweet or post about the film in order to promote it to their followers? 



Audience

1) The main target audience are young males who are in the 16-30 year old range. However Bond is popular with both males and females (the female gaze theory can be applied to this) in the 16-30 range. The fact that many 39-50 year olds grew up during the period of the original bond movies in the 60's/70's also makes it possible for those in that age group to watch the film. In terms of psychographics, the mainstream and the aspirers are most likely to want to watch spectre.

2) The use of snapchat to promote the film will bring in a younger audience as the majority of snapchat users are quite young. The use of the Heinekan campaign will bring in the older audience.

3) The film provides several audience pleasures such as entertainment i.e. the action for both a British and worldwide audience. For a worldwide audience there would be an informational element to their pleasures, as they get an idea of what London is like in a positive light, which is also quite historical.

4) Films such as Skyfall and Quantum of Solace would be similar films because of the similar context and characters, making the film more enjoyable. However an alternative could be Kingsman: The secret service as it is a similar genre to Spectre. i.e. the agents with a twist, as it has younger characters especially the protagonist who comes from a lower class society.

Institution

1) Eon Productions, they have also produced the rest of the James Bond films and other films back in the 1960's such as Dr.No. and Call Me Bwana. They mainly only focus on the James Bond franchise which targets predominately males in the 16-30 category and alternatively a much older audience who may have watched the first James Bond movies. 

2) Columbia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, they have distributed other major films such as 21 Jump Street, Skyfall, The Vow

3)They both have a track record with producing high budget films and distributing them, which are aimed at the mainstream audience

4) Budget of the film: $245-250 million

6) The film was very successful in the UK, where it has broken UK box office records by having his the most successful opening week. Spectre has also set records in European countries. Overall Spectre had a large global gross, which is not surprising as the Bond franchise had a worldwide appeal.

5) The film was quite successful financially as it had a box office of $880.7 million. This was most likely because of the fact that Spectre is part of the James Bond franchise which quite popular and well known, while also having an appeal worldwide

7) The certificate given to Spectre was 12. The reason for this certificate is because of the lack of violence etc. The fact that the distributors sought and were given advice on how to secure the desired classification suggests that this certification was vital to target a larger audience which will therefore bring in a larger box office. 

Representation

1) The representation of the antagonists are quite typical as they are foreigners. The protagonist whereas is from a 'first world' country hence his intelligence and skills. London is represented as a wealthy and powerful city

2) The film as an element of 'Britishness', which is represented through the protagonist James Bond through his English accent etc. The typical agent film is also often set in England.

3) Britain is represented as a country with great wealth and authority as the film is shown through the eyes of one who is in the upper-class, whereas to Ill Manors which is a social realism film the audience get to see an alternative representation of Britain where many of the lower class live in poverty and crime is rife. 

4) Spectre perceives England as a powerful country hence the great secret intelligence skills. This is all represented through the protagonist as shown through the trailer. The location of England itself also follows an ideological thinking of England being quite upper class and wealthy hence the several scenes of the mansions and the luxury clothing people are wearing. Several landmarks are also shown to give London its historical element and setting the context of the film.

Case study comparison

Similarites:

·         They are all British films

·         All have British characters

Differences:

·    A Field in England and Ill Manors have a lower budget compared to Spectre

·         Arthouse cinema vs. Multiplex cinemas

·         More experimental, Spectre follows the lines of a typical action film

·         Aimed at niche markets whereas Spectre is aimed at the mainstream audience

·         Ill Manors is a social realism film, and shows a different perspective towards England compared to Spectre which shows the upper class view and A Field in England which shows England in the past

·         Different genres

March PPE: learner response task

1) Feedback: Need more depth + focus on Q 

2) I have used some of the potential points that were made in the mark scheme, however I could have used up to 2 more points for each question and gone more in depth which would have given me a higher grade

3)My strongest question was Media Forms, where I got 7 marks. I went slightly more in depth with this questions and explained the effects of the techniques that have been used.

4) My weakest question was Media Audience where I got 6 marks. The reason for this is because I did not have many points to elaborate on, and kept on repeating myself. I also wasted time on an introduction that wasn't even good enough. 

5)

• Media Institutions: Least successful, as I went off track with my points therefore it was not in depth. However did make some of the successful points mentioned in the examiners report. 
• Media Forms: More successful, as I have used appropriate theories etc, however did not go into much depth 
• Media Audiences: Least successful, focused on the general aspects of the trailer
• Media Representation: Least successful, as I did not focus on certain points such as the structure etc. and rather focus on simply the representation of disabled athletes and still did not go into much depth with the effects of these representations

6) Media Representations 

The Paralympic Games are represented in the trailer as a much anticipated sporting through the several shots/images and other techniques that have been used. 

Strong images of the athletes are constantly used which gives the audience an insight of their training which eventually leads to a build up. This build up creates anticipation, which makes the product more appealing (Gillian Dyer) and this makes the audience look up and aspire to these athletes who represent self-importance and pride, and also successful careers. The effect of this is that a positive image is created of the athletes, while also making the audience look forward to the Paralympics as a major sporting event, 

By using these images, an alternative representation is also created of the Paralympics of it being exciting and exhilarating which defies the typical stereotypes of the Paralympics being boring and dull when compared to the Olympics. Positive stereotypes (Perkins theory) are instead reinforced as the Paralympics are instead represented in a more positive light i.e. edgy and gritty with determined athletes.

Several other techniques such as shots of the crowd and music also create excitement, and it allows the audience to create some form of self identification (Uses and Gratifications) as they are technically the audience of the Paralympics and it could potentially be them who are cheering on the athletes when the games take place. The use of titles such as "meet the superhumans" makes the athletes seem out of this world and this creates an image of them having exceptional powers and abilities, which makes the audience want to look forward to the Paralympics. 

Institution Research

Ill Manors: Funding and production budget

1. The estimated budget for Ill Manors was £100,000 
2.  Ill Manors was supported and funded by 3 different organisations: Film London, Microwave Films and BBC Films
3. Skyfalls budget was £140,9082/2 million dollars

A Field In England: Funding and production budget

1. The estimated budget for A Field in England is £316,000
2.  A Field In England managed to secure a higher budget than Ill Manors because Ben Wheatley is a renowned arthouse film director therefore he has a larger following in the British film industry whereas Plan B is an amateur director. Despite this Ill Manors was still a success. 
3.  A Field In England was funded by Film4 therefore this is where they got their money from 

Film London and Microwave Film
Ill Manors was created partly thanks to Film London and Microwave Film. Revise the key details from your MEST2 research by answering the following questions:

1. Film London is an organistation that owns nine of the regional screen agencies throughout the UK, and has the aims of sustaining and developing the London film industry
2. The purpose of microwave film is to fund film makers through their funding scheme. However they also give development and mentoring support to all of the shortlisted projects, as well as production finance and distribution support to the final commissioned films.
3. There are several similarities between Shifty and Ill Manors such as their target audience, their story line in terms of drugs and the fact that they are both based on a social issue. However there also are some differences such as the fact that they both have different certifications, and that Ill Manors has a more serious tone while Shifty is quite humorous despite its storyline.

Vertigo Films and Warp Films

1. Some of the most successful films Vertigo Films has been involved in include: Streetdance 3D, Spring Breakers, Pudsey the Dog: The Movie, 
2. These films have been successful with their audience as the films that Vertigo have been involved in are quite diverse in terms of their concepts therefore they are more appealing to different target audiences
3.  Some of the film genres that Vertigo Films have worked with include drama and sports-drama, comedy, and crime. 
4.  Warp Films originally started off as an electric music record label
5. Some of the most successful films produced by warp films include This is England, 71',  and The Last Panthers 
6.  Warp Films has helped to develop new talent in the film industry because they look out for amateur film directors to fund and help out
7.  A film that is similar to Ill Manors could be The Sweeney as it has elements of violence and action such as Ill Manors, the audience of both films are also 18 and the location of both films is in the UK. However, there are some differences in terms of the concepts as Ill Manors is a social realism film whereas Sweeney is more of an entertainment film 

Certification: BBFC

1.  The certification process work at the BBFC  takes place through a process where examiners watch a film at a BBFC cinema. The examiners are specialised in certain cases i.e. if it is a foreign film. Examiners log details of what they watch, including:
   • general context - plot, characters, outline of individual scenes
   • timings of key moments, including camera angles, type of shots, on- and off-screen moments
   • bad language, sex and drug references and so on
2.  The guidelines for a 15 certificate is that no theme is prohibited, provided that it is appropriate for 15 year olds. The content of a 15 certificate of film may include any of the following:

• strong violence
• frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***').
• portrayals of sexual activity
• strong verbal references to sex
• sexual nudity
• brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence
• discriminatory language or behavior
• drug taking

Whereas for a 18 certificate the rules are more relaxed, No theme is prohibited at 18. Adults are free to choose their own entertainment provided the material is not illegal or potentially harmful, so it is possible some themes tackled at 18 may be offensive even to some adult viewers. 18 works are for adults and can contain strong issues such as:

• very strong violence
• frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***') and / or very strong language (e.g. ‘c***’)
• strong portrayals of sexual activity
• scenes of sexual violence
• strong horror
• strong blood and gore
• real sex (in some circumstances)
• discriminatory language and behaviour

When compared, it is quite clear that an 18 certificate is more relaxed than a 15 certificate, and that a 15 certificate has more limitations however strong language and violence as allowed to only a certain extent. 

1. According to the BBFC Ill Manors got an 18 certificate because "The film contains over 25 uses of very strong language, many of which are delivered with aggression or accompanied by violence. This exceeds the terms of the BBFC's Guidelines at '15' which state 'Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable'" This may have an effect on the Ill Manors commercial success because a majority of their target audience (15-24 year olds) wouldn't be able to watch it.
2. According to the BBFC A Field In England got an 18 certificate because "There are over 30 uses of strong language ('f**k'), as well as a single use of very strong language ('c**t').The film contains scenes of fighting, including shootings with historical pistols. The film also contains scenes depicting the hallucinatory experiences of characters who have eaten 'magic' mushrooms. There are also some crude sex references and male genital nudity in a non-sexual and comic context"
3.  An advantage of an 18 certificate film is that a younger audience won't be as exposed to violence and profanity, which can have an effect on them especially if they are pre-teens. However, a disadvantage of an 18 certificate could be the fact that the target audience of the film wouldn't be able to watch it. This can be shown through the issue of Ill Manors having a 15-24 target audience yet those who are 15-17 are unable to go to the cinema to watch it because they will be denied entrance. It could be argued that a 15-17 year old is maturer therefore portrayals of violence shouldn't have such a negative effect on them as it would on a 12 year old. 

MEST1 Section B: index

1) The British film industry: Media Factsheet questions
2) Institutional context of the British film industry: Factsheet questions
3) Ill Manors: film review
4) Ill Manors: trailer analysis
5) Ill Manors: music video
6) Ill Manors: TEDx lecture
7) Ill Manors: broadcast platform concluded
8) Ill Manors: print platform (newspaper interviews)
9) Ill Manors: print branding
10) Ill Manors: e-media Tag London campaign
11) Ill Manors: e-media social networking research
12) Ill Manors: official website analysis
13) A Field In England: reading, research and questions
14) Ill Manors & A Field In England: institution research