Unit 6 (Diploma), 1.2 - "Outline key hazards and risks in own workplace, describing safe working practices."

Unit 6 (Diploma), 1.2 - "Outline key hazards and risks in own workplace, describing safe working practices."

My work place, like all the other apprentices on this course,  is situated in an office. And like a few other apprentices, too, my office is a very small, production-based set-up, so, in a way, it is more down to me to deal with all the possible health and safety risks, and then hazards that may arise on the job.

Because the office is small, there is a lot of wiring crossing the floor, which, before I intervened, could have easily been a tripping hazard. A lot of plugs remained near things like our water cooler and fridge, for example. 

To keep the wiring contained, I used cable protectors that we have in the office. This automatically reduces the risk of anyone tripping over the wiring we have in the office as it is a tool that has been specifically designed for such things, but also, protects the wires from being damaged, too.

In order to keep the plugs away from substances that could be a serious hazard, particularly for electrical substances (water), I organised the plugs, added many extension leads, and specifically made sure that as many plugs as possible were kept well away from the water cooler and fridge without being another risk in itself. 

We also have a section of the office, far away from our eating area (where the fridge, microwave, kettle, water cooler and cutlery) is, were all our chemicals are, which includes cleaning equipment and cleaning utensils.

Though a lot of people forget this, it is very important to keep dangerous chemicals away from food, as, even spraying a bottle of something in the area of where you are eating can be room for concern. It is always good to remain alert to these things, not just health and safety risks that may seem more obvious at first (like the wiring).

18.1, 3.1 - "Produce a website with some assistance."

18.1, 3.1 - "Produce a website with some assistance."

The blog you are now reading this post on, Cherokee Media, was created at the beginning of my course back in April, and I have been updating it with my units ever since.

I also, in May of this year, created a sort-of accompanying 'website' in the shape of Feminising Film.

The assistance I had in for these sites was to get one of my friends to design both of the headers I have used, and also suggest the kind of layout and HTML style I should have on the blog, which I have edited. 

Unit 2 (Certificate), 3.1 - "Outline ways in which a media product might be understood by its audience."

Unit 2, 3.1 "Outline ways in which a media product might be understood by its audience."

An audience can respond to media products in completely different ways, and a good example of this is when the e4 hit show, Skins, aired a couple of years back, followed by the American version this year. While one was embraced with open arms, benefiting from it's 'controversial' status, the other was on the receiving end of a massive backlash from the media , parents, and the like.

The original Skins tapped into an audience that had originally been neglected on TV for American imports such as One Tree Hill and The O.C. Rather than being insanely-rich white teens, those cast in Skins - who also were, and looked their age - could be the person down the street, someone you knew, or even you. (Heightened for entertainment sake, of course.)

This is what made Skins such a success when it managed to clock up to 1.5 million viewers on the opening episode for the first series. The show found an audience that hadn't been expressed on TV before (especially on British television), and sold them a life style that could, and has been read, as being 'cool'.

Take a look at the first teaser trailer for series one. This advertising, to me, screams of - and plugs into - the teeange-cool that, when we're younger, aspire to on some level. The same 'cool' advertising has gone on for the last few years, causing a few complaints across the board. Being a teenager myself, and knowing how complaints of things such as the series 3 teaser trailer  introducing the new cast members isn't going to make people my age not watch the show - they'll be more intrigued because of it - thus contributing to this 'cool' factor, that even adults will agree with. This is one key way that Skins has been understood by its young audience who are at an important transitional stage in their life where they are finding out who they are, and are a lot more caring to trends/being cool than adults usually are.

Another point to make would be the fact that, you, the average Skins watcher, can go to open casting calls and attempt to live that life yourself, albeit fictionally, but as a main cast member; not just an extra.

Keeping on the line of Skins transcending off our TV screens and into real life, the 'must be cool' outlook has gone on to be adopted by fans of the show, who have hosted now-notorious 'Skins' parties, not including ones designed for the promotion of the series through those that make the show.

One thing that is interesting about the Skins format, is that, when the American remake aired earlier this year, audiences across the pond 'just didn't get it'.

MTV's own version of Skins was set out to rival the UK's, and hopefully tap into an audience they believed existed in the States, too.

However, the opposite happened when the US Skins aired. It had good viewing figures on its opening, but quickly turned into a travesty, thanks to much negative press. Yes, the show itself was even worse than e4's creation, but, the thing is, there just weren't enough people interested in the American version of the show, among another number of reasons causing it to be cancelled after one season. . It also caused a fair amount of controversy for a short-lived TV programme, too, which clearly contributed to it getting plugged. If advertisers  for the show didn't even support it, why should MTV?

The US Skins tried to attract an audience that just wasn't there. And, if it did have an audience, the controversy surrounding the programme didn't help it in anyway, unlike the UK counterpart. The saying 'all publicity is good publicity' may have worked in the UK, but it didn't in the US.

Oddly, the original Skins has done quite well on BBC America, but why? What is the difference between the two audiences?

We sometimes forget about culture divides when it comes to media products, especially with film, tv, and music, but there have been plenty of times when shows, films and music have been banned from certain countries due to their 'content' and the way they those audiences can look at something that may be, in most cases, too open when it comes to sex, drugs, violence etc.

I think this is one of the reasons why BBCAmerica continue to show the UK Skins, but the US Skins is no more. The American culture are a lot more happy to see another country, another culture, engage in the same acts as those in the US Skins did, but, if it comes down to portraying the lives of their own countries kids, it'll

As a British culture, we are a lot more open to those kind of topics (sex, drugs and violence), whereas Americans are - dare I say - more closeted. Here is a good example of one of the many people angered by Skins US, but more so to campaign against one of their advertisers, Clearasil, featuring on the ad breaks.

Many good points have been raised in this article that I have mentioned here in my own post (about the culture divide), but also the fact that, while UK audiences - which include parents - have come to realise that these kind of things go on with teenagers (they were once that age themselves), the US are almost trying to deny it, and would prefer their kids to be watching the likes of Jersey Shore, or something completely not-based in reality.

So, overall, and in answer to the question "Outline ways in which a media product might be understood by its audience", in this example, there are two main ways that an audience may understand a media product:

1) The UK Skins was understood by its young audience to be the new cool programme that depicted, realistically, the lives of British teenagers. The evidence of its success can be seen through the Skins parties, books, casting calls, and competitions.

2) The US Skins remake wasn't understood by the same audience the original was. Instead of being the realistic portrayal of American teenagers lives, the programme faced serious backlash and, clearly, not enough research went into thinking how US audiences would react to the UK's way of thinking teenagers acted in their day-to-day lives.

The audience the programme reached, instead, were angry media outlets and parents, and not the cool, young, fashionable youth that the UK Skins has attracted.  

Unit 5 (Certificate), 3.1 "Use appropriate research methods and techniques to carry out research for a proposed media production" and 4.1 "Present research results."

The proposed media production that I am going to carry out research for is an idea for a film that I thought up a couple of years ago, using Google (search engine) and Youtube (website) as my main sources of research.

In the vain of David Lynch's surrealist vibe, the film, Someone to Watch Over me (named after an Ella Fitzgerald song), takes place in the 1930s, with a noir/ Femme Fatale feel running through it. The story centres around a woman and dancer, Frances, who witnesses the murder of a man at the beginning of the film. We then are guided through the story of how she ended up at that place, where the man was murdered, (a hotel in New York City), which turns out, it was a place she had been performing nightly with her dancing troupe. However, things are, as always, not what it seems, and the question remains in our minds whether what she is telling us is the truth (we get two versions of the film and the events that took place).

As a part of my research for this proposed media production (my film idea) I have listed a couple of actors, style of locations, costumes and music that could be used for the film. 

Actors:

                                                               Joseph Gordon-Levitt 

                                                                   Carrie-Anne Moss

Naomi Watts 

The reason for the selection of these particular actors boils down to what they have previously starred in, and the audience that would be attracted to a film like this.

Firstly, when thinking about the audience for the film, though it would be geared towards the independent cinema-goers who are more used to non-straight forward narratives, the success of films such as Black Swan over the past year have made a gateway to independent cinema that can branch out and make money, albeit not on a Hollywood level, but to make a decent profit. 

Having actors that are recognisable to both the mainstream and independent audience would also help the film's profile, which is something I thought about when conducting the research for the actors I have listed. 

Joseph Gordon Levitt has starred in the crime/noir thriller Brick, while also playing a major role in the trippy-Hollywood blockbuster, Inception. Both of these kind of genres are themes that I had been intending to try and evoke with Someone to Watch Over Me, and, for audiences, he would be recognisble from not only a commercial level, but an independent one too. 

Carrie Anne-Moss hasn't been anything notable of recent times, but she was a lead character in the game-changer (and one of the many films that inspired Inception) The Matrix, and the surreal mind-bender Memento. Like Joseph Gordon Levitt, her appearance in the film would benefit it on a commercial and independent level as she is not an unknown to audiences. 

For David Lynch fans, Naomi Watts will be remembered for her performance in Mulholland Drive back in 2001. She has been in many high profiled films since then such as King Kong, and has worked for prolific directors like Woody Allen and Clint Eastwood. Out of all the other actors listed here, because the film is going straight for a David Lynch-inspired vibe, Naomi Watts would be the perfect gateway into getting the audience that this film would attract. 

Costumes:

Music:

Setting:
Why the period setting? Well, we're all aware that period films, particularly in the British film industry, is something that we are notoriously good at. Take The King's Speech for example, a period film that became a blockbuster smash. Though Someone to Watch Over Me wouldn't tap into the wide audience that The King's Speech did, the period setting, I believe, would definitely cause intrigue for the audience that I am trying to attract, and would also benefit the story on a stylistic level, too. 

Box office takings:
The one thing that a lot of independent films struggle to do is make their money back. Over recent years, though, independent cinema has proved to break through the mainstream.
See a list of independent films I have made below, that, even with similar themes to Someone to Watch Over Me, have been able to make their money  back at the box office. 

Black Swan
Year: 2011 (UK release)
Star power: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbra Hershey and Winona Ryder
Themes: Psychological, Surreal
Budget: $13 million
Gross (worldwide): $329, 398, 046
Reference: Box Office Mojo

Requiem for a Dream
Year: 2000 (UK release)
Star power: Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Ellen Burstyn and Marlon Wayans
Themes: Psychological
Budget: $4.5 million
Gross (worldwide): $,7,390,108
Reference: Box Office Mojo and Wikipedia 

Mulholland Drive
Year: 2002 (UK release)
Star Power: Naomi Watts, Laura Harring and Justin Theroux
Themes: Psychological, Surreal, Non-linear narrative
Budget: $15 million
Gross (worldwide): $20,117,339
Reference: Box Office Mojo and Wikipedia


The Tree of Life
Year: 2011 (UK release)
Star power: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain
Themes: Non-linear narrative, surreal 
Budget: $32 million 
Gross (worldwide): $54,303,319
Reference: Box Office Mojo

Winters Bone
Year: 2010 (UK release)
Star power: Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes
Themes: Crime, Neo-noir
Budget: $2 million
Gross (worldwide): $13,831,503
Reference: Box Office Mojo 




So, to round up Unit 5 3.1 and 4.1, I believe I have been able to demonstrate that I can use appropriate research methods (the internet) and techniques (searching key words such as Mulholland Drive box office gross into Google) to gather my research. 
On top of this, I have been able to present my findings through a detailed list of actors, music, costumes, settings for the proposed production, and to back up how I believe the film would be able to earn its budget back, have selected successful (money wise, and critical) independent films over the past 12 years that deal with similar themes. 

Unit 5 (Certificate), 1.1 "Outline research methods and techniques."

Unit 5 (Certificate), 1.1 - "Outline research methods and techniques."

There are many researching methods and techniques that can be used when you are trying to source something out. These can range from using what you are probably reading this on now (the internet) to the old fashioned non-digital ways.

I have outlined some ways that you can go about researching whatever you need to find information on:

Internet search engines:

There are a number of search engines we have the choice of using. Yahoo and Bing are two of the competing engines to the internet world. The one search engine that I know I use on a daily basis, and one that the majority of the internet-using world have on their computer is Google *stats here.

Social networking sites: 

Social networking sites are a great tool for researching, too. I have found many things through our work Twitter feed (particularly when it came to London riot bulletins), and, of course, Facebook.

The problem with social networking is, that, it is a lot like Chinese whispers, and you can't take everything that is said seriously.

An example of this is when both Justin Bieber and Kanye West  were apart of a hoax, trending over Twitter, saying that the two artists were dead. 

Publications:

The internet isn't the only way you can get information, though. Magazines, books, and so forth are other great ways to research something. Though very few people go to libraries now, the option to read up on topic when it comes to research is always there, whether that be in a physical book-type format, or on the computer screen.

Websites:

Depending on what you are researching, there are many specialist websites dedicated to all kinds of things. The one website that springs to mind when I think of anything and everything to do with film is imdb. IMDb is the home to all things related to film (and also TV). There, you have things that can be useful for someone researching a film (budget, cast, producers, etc). IMDbpro is the 'real' industry website, though. The differences between the pro version of IMDb are extremely significant. Where on the free version of IMDb you can't find out agents of actors for example, on PRO you have that option, along with contact details and more. IMDBPro, especially in my work place, is used quite a lot, particularly when it comes to adding credits and new projects on the site, which cannot be done on the free version.

People:


People are an excellent source of research, something that we seriously take for granted. Experience, in most cases, can equal knowledge - invaluable knowledge.  In terms of knowing about the film industry, people that have lived and breathed it would probably be able to tell you a lot more than you could read online or in a magazine, and it also comes from a place of experience, too. 

Unit 5 (Certificate), 2.1 "Use appropriate research methods and techniques to carry out research into an existing media product."

Unit 5 (Certificate), 2.1 - "Use appropriate research methods and techniques to carry out research on an existing media product."

All the research methods and techniques that I previously spoke about in 1.1 of this unit, I am going to put into practice, and try and find out all I possibly can about an existing media product - the iPod.

The first port of call on the internet for me is usually Wikipedia, and that goes for mostly everything I end up researching. Even though it is a website that is edited by your everyday user, the site has become a lot more reliable over the last few years as more and more people begin to use it. Really, it has become an encyclopedia for the internet generation.

The next place that I visit is Apple's site. Here, in terms of getting information about the actual products that Apple sell, and the kinds of things they can do, it is probably the best website to retrieve all the technological details that are needed.

Because Apple are such a well known company, there are many websites dedicated to their products, and of course, that includes the iPod, so, for my next task in order to find out as much as possible about the iPod, I start with a search engine, Google, and carry out my last part of the research this way.

Here are the list of websites and search engines that I used to carry out my research:


Wikipedia 

Apple

Google

iPodHistory (google search)

Crave.cnet (google search)


And here is the important information, using these techniques and methods, that I have found out about the ipod:

• Ordered by Steve Jobs to create a music player that wasn't "big and clunky and small and useless", the Apple CEO assigned his engineering chief, Jon Rubinstein, and the team of his choice, to create the iPod 
• It took just over a year to invent the iPod. 
• The iPod name was invented by a man who was asked to help Apple market the product, Vinnie Chieco. 
• The name for the iPod came from the the quote in 2001: A Space Odyssey "Open the pod door, Hal!"
• 23rd October 2001 was the date, month, and year, that Apple introduced their first generation of the iPod.
• The first Apple iPod was priced at a steep £300, and had the storage capacity of either 5 or 10GB.
• Since 2004, Apple has dominated the sales in digital music players, with 90% of the market for hard-drive based players, and 70% for all types of players. 
• To date, there have been six generations of the 'Classic' iPod, the MP3 that is notoriously known for holding the most amount of data, two generations of the Mini iPod, six for the Nano and four for the Shuffle and Touch. 
• The current generations of the iPod, fourth for the Touch and Shuffle, sixth for the Nano and Classic, and second for the Mini, have all have progressed from their former versions significantly in terms of the amount of GB's of data they can hold. 
• The classic iPod now can hold either 80GB, 120GB or 160GB of music, photos, videos, etc.  
• As of October 2011, Apple have sold 300 million different types of iPods worldwide since it's inception (2001).

There is so much information out there to do with the iPod and its different generations, but, I believe, I have put into bullet points the most vital and valuable details about the infamous MP3 player out there. 

Unit 2 (Certificate), 1.1 "Outline ways in which a media industry identifies audiences with its products"

Unit 2 Certificate, 1.1 - "Outline ways in which a media industry identifies audiences for its products."

Creative Media industries couldn't exist without us, the audience, consuming their products. But how do they know what kind of products to sell to certain demographics? From age, to race, to gender, to sexual orientation, we are pigeon holed into certain sections in society when it comes to what attracts buyers unfortunately, and this is the basis of most media industries. If they know the kinds of formula that works for a certain age for example, and it makes them a profit, they'll follow this formula while it is still producing revenue.


A perfect example of a way in which the media industry can identify its audience is through television. Audience measurement keeps an eye on all kinds of things when it comes to TV and who is watching what. The most interesting thing about measuring the kinds of viewers watching specific programmes is the demographic that is used (pasted as follows):

• P2+ = Persons aged 2 or more
• P12-34 = Persons aged 12 to 34
• P18-49 = Persons aged 18 to 49
• A18-34 = Adults aged 18 to 34
• Men 18-34
• Women 18-34

Another example of a way of identifying an audience for a product can come in the form of sales. Let's take the phenomenon that is Twilight, predominately, a book that has been read/is still read by pre-teen or teenage girls. Knowing this was the demographic for the saga, when the film versions of the books were released, the marketing for these adaptations were blatantly directed at this group. (See said poster below):

Sales of certain products, especially when it comes to considering adapting something for the big screen is important. On creative terms, you still want to attract that audience (because, at first, the fans are the ones who will be seeing the film), and on a commercial level, you want to attract those followers of the book/comic/whatever it is but still garner people who may not have necessarily heard of the original source material. 


Before social networking got to where it is today (something I am going to speak about in a minute), getting feedback through consumer questionaries was another way in which a media industry could identify an audience. 

These questionaries would take place usually face-to-face, but now, they can be done online as well.

Social networking is also another main aspect to how media industries identify audiences. Twitter and Facebook have become prominent in setting 'trends' and things that people 'like'. The more something is tweeted the higher it moves up the ranking on Twitter and becomes a 'trending topic'. The same method is used for 'liking' something on Facebook, too. 


All kinds of companies involved in different media industries are going to be searching these websites, seeing what is the 'hot' discussion topic, because they'll know that if something has become a trend, that is in fashion, it is a perfect thing to cash-in on because it is a free, easy way to find out what people are 'in to' at the moment.  


The thing about fashion is, it only sustains itself for a certain period of time before we end up moving onto something else. That is why companies such as those that work in advertising and so forth, will be checking these sites, seeing what kinds of people will buy into these things that they are speaking about, and figure out how to play this into a profitable product. 

Unit 2 Certificate, 2.1 - "Outline ways in which a media product is constructed for a specific audience."

Unit 2 Certificate, 2.1 - "Outline ways in which a media product is constructed for a specific audience."

When thinking of a product, the first thing that should pop into your head - even if the money side/making profit doesn't cross your mind - should be, 'Who is this for?'. Even if something is meant for you and only you, if you want the chance to get it out there in the world, you'll have to find your market and that audience, even if it only consists of one person. 

There are a fair few ways in which a media product is constructed for a specific audience. Because there are so many different things that can affect a product (from gender, to age, to nationality), no matter how much I dislike that industries carve out a particular product to sell to a market that will include a certain 'type' of person, it happens. 

I'm going to hone in on an audience in particular, one, I believe, I know a little bit about - teenage girls.

Before I speak about a certain media product that has been shaped for this age group, a person that has, without doubt, been moulded for this target market is Justin Bieber. Love him, hate him, or don't really care about him, he has been around for a while now, and though he himself can't be considered a media product (only a product of the media), there are a fair few things that his name has been attached to that screams of targeting his girl-filled audience.

Excuse the nail varnish line, weird perfume, and his selection of dolls, Justin Bieber, to me, is mostly known for releasing puppy-dog radio-and-mother-friendly music, putting him in the position of being seen as a tad cooler than the Disney kids, but not quite. 


Though he is only a few albums into his career (most of which are remixes), the media frenzy around him has already been in full swing for the last few years, and doesn't look like it is calming down any time soon. 

So what does Justin Bieber have to do with the construction of a media product? Well, his most recent album release, Under the Mistletoe, is the perfect example of a product aimed straight at a specific audience, and I shall tell you why.

I think we're all in the know about the Christmas season being heavy on the spending, and  the time when parents will fork out a fair bit of money to buy presents for the kids. Justin Bieber has been molded for the pre-teen and early teenaged girl age bracket, the age group that don't have their own money coming their way, but instead, are at the disposal of their parents much-bigger income.

What is the clincher for me when it comes to this release is that Bieber is donating 'some' of the proceeds to a charity. Yes, the kid that is worth nearly a $100 million could have gone all out and donated all of the earnings of the album to a charity of his choice (with some, naturally, going to his record company because they couldn't possibly need more money than they already have) - but no. Still, the ringing of 'charity' along with 'Christmas' in any mother's ears will make it even more of an easy sell for the album.

No matter the cheap cash-in that some have mentioned this album obviously is, the perfectly-pitched marketing from Team Bieber is too good to ignore. 

Though others - i.e fans - may disagree with the statement I am about to give, it all seems even more obvious than usual that Bieber is practically a musical cash-cow. So, the teen-sensation releases an album around the time, in terms of money, people are more 'giving', and parents are willing to adhere to this because it is all in the vain of Christmas, and more so for a festive-themed album, and people don't bat an eyelash? Even if  family, parents, friends etc. aren't willing to fork out the cash before December, the fact that the album is shoved full of Christmas songs makes it a kind of must-buy for the 25th. Plus, on top of this, it has been a while (for the patience of teenage girls anyway) when Bieber last released new music, leaving more anticipation for anything music-related from the 17 year old. Thinking about Under the Mistletoe now, there isn't that much difference from when the remix album of Bieber's documentary Never Say Never stormed the box office. Seeing a pattern here?

Christmas-themed albums have always done well in the charts, particularly for publicised pop-artists, and Bieber is one of the many who have lined up on the success that comes with season albums, managing to shift over 210,000 units (copies) of Under the Mistletoe in its first week of release. I'm sure the album will be selling plenty more copies come December. 

Unit 6 & Unit 10 - Health & Safety Video

Diploma Unit 6, 1.1 - "Define hazards and risks."

Unit 10, 1.1 - "Describe key elements of health and safety regulations, relevant to working in the Creative Media sector."


1.3 "Describe the main employer responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act."

2.1 "Describe the differences between hazards and risks."

Unit 3, 3.1 "Describe the changing expectations of audiences and consumers in a specific creative industry."

Unit 3, 3.1 "Describe the changing expectations of audiences and consumers in a specific creative industry."

Having spoken about the TV industry before in Unit 8, it seemed suiting to speak about it here again, as it is a creative industry that has been heavily affected by the expectations of audiences and consumers.

Because those that consume and watch TV expect that everything is going to be instant, as mentioned in my Literary/TV essay, television companies had to re-think the way that they broadcasted their shows, and how, for people that wanted easy access to shows whenever they would like, could have an option.

This option came in the form of online, legal, streaming and downloading in the shape of BBCiPlayer, 4oD - and so forth - for internet users. And for those that prefer to watch their programmes on a bigger screen, you now have the choice, with a Sky+ box, to pause and rewind live TV, while recording shows to watch at a later date without using a DVD/Video recorder.

Of course we can’t battle illegal downloading/streaming, as that is something that has risen considerably over the past few years or so, but there are ways that TV networks have tried to counter that part of the industry, which can be seen with these stats of how many people are watching on-demand television.

Unit 3, 2.1 "Explain what is meant by 'converging technology."

Unit 3, 2.1 - "Explain what is meant by 'converging technology."

Converging technology is when you take two or more technological products that were previously used separately for different tasks, and merge them to make one, ultimate, product.

Examples of converged technological products can range from everything and anything that we use now, including smart phones (which can surf the internet, download music/films/games, instant message people, and more) and game consoles (which can, like smart phones, surf the internet, download music/films/games, play music and films).

The one key converging technological product that I can think of is what I am using now – a computer.

The computer is probably the ultimate converged technological product; one that most of us use on a day-to-day basis, whether that be at home or on the job. 

I have given two examples of what a computer can do that were things other media products did before.

Playing music, films and games were things that, previously, were all down to CD and vinyl players/walkmans (music), DVD players (film) and game consoles (games). Now, we can happily watch films, listen to music, and play games on the comfort of our own computers (though the latter, PC gaming, has been around for some time now, longer than the other two.)

Conversing with family, friends, work colleagues, and sometimes, complete strangers, would usually be done by phone, or, in some cases, snail mail. Now, on a computer, we have the option to instant message anyone we would like with messaging systems such as Skype and MSN (the former being able to ring people on their mobile phones, too). Emailing is another aspect to communicating via the computer, something that didn't exist not so many years ago. 

There are many other things that computers can do that were previously one technology. Even a calculator in the accessories section of a computer is considered as a converging technology because a calculator was formally its own product and not associated with anything else. 

Unit 1, 3.3 "Describe and pitch a creative idea to an employer or commissioner."

Unit 1, 3.3 "Describe and pitch a creative idea to an employer or commissioner."


*Reprinted from Unit 6


Here is the following pitch that I did back in July for the DiVA viral marketing campaign. 

DiVA Viral Media Campaign Pitch

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Unit 2, 2.1 "Describe examples of effective presentation techniques" and 2.2 "Select and justify appropriate presentation techniques for a specific media idea"

Because, as usual, I had a lot to say on one particular subheading of a unit, I've made a power point presentation for Unit 2, 2.1 and 2.2.


Watch below!


Unit 2, 2.1 and 2.2

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Unit 2, 1.1 "Describe several communication techniques and their appropriate application."

Unit 2, 1.1 "Describe several communication techniques and their appropriate application."


There are many techniques you can use when it comes to communication, more so than ever now thanks to this 21st Century technology boom. 


I am going to describe certain communication techniques and their appropriate application,  through the use of technological tools that I and a lot of people use.

Someone on a webcam 

Webcam: 


While 'webcaming' may be used for websites such as Chatroulette, Omegle and other talking-to-random-stranger sites, webcams have become a very useful tool in communication. 


When talking about his company, Livenation, Jemel mentioned that he and his team use Skype frequently to communicate with one another. 


Appropriately applying the webcam in a conversation is very simple. Webcams are used when you are in a completely different place from someone. If you need to show a work colleague something, for example, and they are abroad, using a webcam is the quickest way to get in contact with them and present what you need to.

Faxing:

Faxing is a communication technique that is still practiced today. Yes, it seems like no one faxes anything through anymore, but it does still happen. Though scanners have made it a lot more easier to send anything over to someone that doesn't have a fax machine, in an office environment, faxing is still a day-to-day necessity. 


Like webcams, appropriately applying the use of a fax machine when needed is pretty simple. Companies are particularly heavy on faxing rather than scanning, so if asked to fax something through from someone it would usually mean that A) It's easier for them to get the document or B) They don't have a scanner. 

Emailing: 


Apart from when I didn't have a working computer/laptop at work (and even then I was still on my phone), I can't remember a time at work when I hadn't at least sent out one email during the day.


Emailing has become such a basic part of life, that it's hard to imagine what it was like without it. I first started using the internet when I was 8, thus having my first ever AOL account, too. That's more than half of my life with the internet around, and it does take me a while to remember what it was like without it.


Depending on who you are speaking to, the appropriate application of emailing can vary. If it is a colleague that you are fairly familiar with, and likes a good joke, then it can be a little more informal (unless you're talking about something extremely seriously). Most of the time, you'll be communicating with someone you are not familiar with, so it is always good to keep a formal, but inviting tone, when it comes to the style of your emails. 

Texting: 


Applying texting in day-to-day life is pretty much the same as when emailing. It all depends on what the situation is, who you are speaking to, and so on. Some texts may start out like an email (Hi Sarah), while other texts may ignore those emailing basics, and just go straight into what the person sending the text is trying to say. When texting, a lot of the time, acronyms such as LOL (laughing out loud), WTH (what the hell), and TBH (to be honest) are used, whereas in most emails, people stick to straight-forward English vocabulary. 

Instant Messaging: 


I mentioned in the webcam section of this post about sites such as Chatroulette and Omegle. For those kind of websites, they are mostly used to joke around, rarely does anyone take them seriously. 


Skype is another instant messaging service I named. Unlike Chatroulette and Omegle, you need an account on Skype to speak to people. You would add contacts on Skype in the way you'd add them on your phone, or on Facebook. 


Speaking of Facebook, Facebook Chat is another widely used instant messaging application used. It is a lot more simple than the likes of Skype, as it reads more as a text message than anything else, and, in my experience at work, you would rarely - if ever - speak to colleagues on Facebook's chatting system, it is more a friend based tool.  


Overall, it all depends on whom you are speaking to, what the situation is (whether it is serious or not), and so on, when it comes to applying these communication techniques appropriately. 

Unit 1, 1.3 "Explain the main implications of each employment status in relation to jobs security, flexibility and working patterns."

Unit 1, 1.3 - "Explain the main implications of each employment status in relation to job security, flexibility and working patterns."

The employment statuses in the Creative Media sector that I have spoken about in Unit 1, 1.1 all have their own perks when it comes to job security, flexibility and working patterns. But with perks also comes the lowlights. Here, I am going to explain the main implications of job security, flexibility and working patterns for each employment status.

Full-time/Part-time:

Job security - Out of all the types of employment, full-time/part-time employment has the most job security, especially when it comes to contracts. Usually, you will sign a 12 month contract for a job, and, considering that most of the other employment statuses within the creative industry are for a certain, short period of time, being a full-time/part-time employee is the best option when it comes to security within your job. 

Flexibility - Flexibility, as I will speak about in the working patterns, is all dependent on what is in your contract. If your working hours are 9 - 5, with extra hours needed to be put in on some days, there is little room to be flexible in your job. It can depend on your employer, though. Some employees may be a lot more flexible to time off/holidays and so forth, while others may be more strict and require a certain amount of time for you to let them know when you would like to book annual leave, and if you will be able to get that holiday.

Working patterns - Your working patterns are very regimented when it comes to full-time/part-time work. You have signed a contract which requires you to work a certain amount of hours, though it isn't common in the creative industry to have to work later than your typical 9 to 5 job. 

Contracted employee:

Job security - Unlike being a full-time or part-time employee, as someone who is self-employed, your job security depends on yourself, really (as you are your own employee). When 

Flexibility - Being a contracted employee, unlike another employment status I am going to speak about below, you are required to be on a job for a certain amount of time, and usually, this would mean that you don't have the flexibility to do jobs on the side.

Working patterns - Your working patterns are very scattered if you're a contracted employee. Because there may not be any jobs going around at a certain time, it all matters when the work comes your way. It isn't common for the self-employed to be out of work for weeks, even months. 

Freelancer:

Job security - Again, a freelancer is self-employed, so your job security (when it comes to employing yourself) is fine, but on an actual job you are being paid for, because you'll be selling your services or a product, this will only last a certain amount 

Flexibility - You have the most flexibility out of all the employment statuses on the list (while getting paid) because you can work on more than one job at a time, which freelancers, due to money and other commitments, do. 

Working for yourself also gives you a lot more flexibility than you usually would if you were holding out a 9 - 5 job. You are your own boss, so as long as you're paying your way, you can pretty much do anything you want.

Working patterns - Working patterns are, again, very scattered, just like being a contracted employee. You don't know when the work will come round that you would put yourself forward too, and when work does come round, you have to grab it as quickly as you can. 

Volunteering/work experience/intern (unpaid):

Job security - Your job security as either one of the employees under this header is very much like being self-employed. You have job security when it comes to being your own boss, but on a specific job you are doing, it'll be for a very short period of time (particularly volunteering).

Flexibility - Like freelancing, you have a lot of flexibility as a volunteer/intern or someone carrying out work experience. The worst thing about it is though, while you're gaining more experience by the day, freelancers get paid. 

Working patterns - Another employment status where the working patterns are up-and-down. When it comes to volunteering/interning/work experience, there are indeed more jobs to go around at times because there isn't a pay cheque at the end of the day. 

Apprentice/Intern: 

Job security - Your job security is closest to being a full-time/part-time employee as you are signed up to a contract of 10 months as an apprentice. For interns (this goes for paid ones), the contract may be for a shorter time. 

Flexibility - Flexibility wise, as said about full-time/part-time employees, you will be required to work a number of hours that is listed in your contract, and maybe more if it is required of you. Because being an apprentice and a paid intern is more closer to being a full-time/part-time employee as you're doing a lot of the same work they would do, you are treated like one, too. You may end up with an employee who is more relaxed to holiday/time off, as I mentioned about full-time/part-time work. Others may not be so lenient.

Working Patterns - Working patterns for an apprentice would be from Monday to Thursday, with college on Friday (that is for me, anyway). It is very much like having a full-time job as the hours that I work are those that someone in full-time employment would (long hours!) with a college day on the side. As for interns, they are seen as being full-time/part-time employees too, so depending on what has been signed in their contract, they will be required to be in for 5 days a week if that was the deal that had been made. 


Bear in mind, though, some employers don't all follow these rules. There can be employers, as I mentioned, that are a lot more relaxed and easy going then others, and may not follow your typical 9 -5 rules.

Unit 1, 1.2 "Describe the key legal and taxation differences between main types of employment status."

Unit 1, 1.2 "Describe the key legal and taxation differences between main types of employment."


With the different type of employment statues that you have (described in Unit 1, 1.1), when it comes to the legal side of things (i.e pay), there are many differences for all those types of employees I spoke about before. 


Here are the following descriptions of these differences:


Full-time/ part-time employee: As a full-time or part-time employee, you are required to pay income tax, which is dependent on how much you earn a year. If your yearly income is more than £7,745  you will have to pay tax. Your employer will work out how much tax needs to be deducted - dependent on this income - using your HM Revenue and Customs tax code. 


Contracted employee/Freelancer: Being self-employed is very different to being a full-time employee. One of the major differences is that you have to pay your own tax and national insurance income, something that your employer would do. 


If you set up a limited company, this is another legal and taxation difference from the other types of employments I have spoken about.


As a limited company, you are seen as a person, so, like you would do if you were just freelancing yourself, to get paid, you send out invoices to whoever you worked for.


One of the main differences between a limited company and someone who is working full-time/part-time or is a contracted/freelance employee, is that, instead of paying income tax, you pay corporation tax. 


Unpaid worker: If you are working on a voluntary basis  you're not getting paid, and therefore won't need to pay tax or national insurance. 


Apprentice/Intern (if paid): As an apprentice, because I am earning under the minimum taxable yearly wage, I don't need to pay any tax/national insurance. The same would go for internships that are paid, as most likely, the said intern wouldn't be earning more than £7,745.