Music Consumption

In the 21st Century there are various methods people use to purchase or listen to music, buy merchandise or book a concert; one of the most popular, easily done and cheaper methods is via the internet. Unlike only a few years ago when the internet was only hitting its stride people where very limited in their options for going about these various tasks, usually these were the purchasing of the vinyl track or CD. These were made available either in store or at various music specialists. These types of shops were more commonly found back then than they are now as a direct result of the internet.

            Nowadays with easy access to the internet and with an extra abundance of spending money, people can more easily purchase these various items via the internet. This along with a newly adapted "Techy" attitude; that our society has been developing has led to many of these providers to make their primary chain of supply via the online web rather than in store. Many large companies such as iTunes have heavily profited from this due to their easy accessibility and user friendly nature have built up a credible reputation (as opposed to the likes of "Napster" and so on) over the years and has become possibly the most used supplier for music and the like.

            Although we do have this degree of ease of access etc. we have developed this attitude that even though downloading (in particular) has been made comparably easier and cheaper that as a direct result we expect to receive this content without paying for it. This way of obtaining content 'pirating' has been made extremely easy to conduct and is free, yet illegal. Because of this it has almost become the social norm to use pirating sites such as 'the pirate bay' and torrenting sites such as 'bit torrent'. People appear to be impatient and would rather easily and without cost obtain this content maybe without even thinking of the consequences... and some who do disregard any chance of legal action being taken against them for downloading this content.

           On the other hand some still believe in buying these various items and pieces of content legally with or without the use of the internet; whether this be for what ever reason. Many may feel obliged to pay for the content legally, others may just want the merchandise in person rather than a digital download. It is essentially this divide between accessibility an morality that dictates societies attitude towards the consumption of music, this has changed greatly changed over time and I have no doubt that it will continue to do the same.

Production Design

My interpretation of Production Design is essentially the overall aesthetic of a film that is illustrated by set Design, Location, Correct Lighting, visual design/style, properties (props), Costume and makeup and also the the mood, flow, colour and atmosphere of the show.

The overall production design is conducted by various members of the film crew who organise and carry out various elements which all tie together to improve the aesthetics of the show/scene.

Colour Design

My interpretation of Colour design is when the particular selection of a colour, various colours, texture or material to communicate an emotion, mood, idea, atmosphere, tone or time period i.e Red can be used to represent red or passion, combined with other materials such as silk to create robes, these can be used to portray royalty or power, similarly red lighting can be used to communicate a romantic atmosphere if used appropriately.

In the above clip the overall theme is that of a western, as a result a lot of almost stereotypical western cliches have been used most often being the inclusion of dust dirt and the overall orange, brown and yellow tint and excess of colour. The use of this small range of colour automatically sets the location and atmosphere for each scene as anyone can recognised where the scene appears to be set (in). It also makes the scene more aesthetically pleasing.

Properties (Props)

My interpretation of Properties/ Props is the (careful) selection of items and accessories to accompany the characters and the set design. These are usually time period specific i.e their presence is historically correct in the fact that it would have been possible for the item to have existed during the time period the show/film is set but this is not always true as the inclusion of many props is not historically accurate and is therefore a flaw in the production design and selection.

The above shots show the range of props used in this particular scene  ranging from the realistic and period correct horse to the futuristic gun. These are used once again to add realism and immersion into the scene and overall increase their entertainment.

Set Design

My interpretation of of Set Design is basically the make up of a set (the place where the scene is shot) to either make it more visually attractive/ aesthetically pleasing or to covey the correct time period or overall meaning/ concept to a particular scene i.e if a scene is meant to be western styled, the set will be made up to look fairly vintage through the use of lighting colours and set props and often these stereotypical scenes include similar locations and a similar set design basis i.e the saloon, a dusty road or a gold mine.

Similar to the scene from location  the above shots shows a western styled set, with correct era props (bar a few tweaks which are core to the plot i.e the modern street lamps), buildings and climate. This adds to the immersion into the scene and the overall enjoyment of the shot.

Costume & Make-up

My interpretation of Costume and Make-Up is essentially the selection and use of various clothing, time period specific costumes, fashion accessories and the likes of face paint. This is often used to make a scene more visually attractive or to adhere more to the time period for further historical accuracy.

 The above scene shows many of the cast in their western era attire, These characters are dressed in these costumes to add some realism to the scene, by almost attempting to make it period specific and historically accurate. Often because many costumes used are so outrageous and outlandish it can also be used for a more humorous, entertaining effect.

Location

My interpretation of Location is simply the place in which the film/ show is shot. Although the location in reality my be different from the location apparently portraying in the film, e.g. a film may be shot in a woodland area in New Zealand or the UK (in reality) but in the movie this may be used to portray a heavily forested remote island or a dangerous jungle, the audience being submerged in this fake reality by the overall production design.

The above Scene (Behind the scenes) from Doctor Who was filmed in Spain, but used as the location of a western set. The dry arid ground and spectres of dust sparsely blowing about add further to the false sense of realism that this scene is trying to convey to the audience.

Lighting (Available, Artificial, Key, Fill, Back, Set)

My interpretation of lighting is the lighting arrangement used in any particular scene, whether this be the brightness, colour or contrast of the lighting or the appropriate positioning of it. Available light is light that is present when filming it is also not supplied by the photographer i.e the natural light cast by the sun. Artificial light is the last cast essentially from a man made object i.e a lamp rather than a naturally luminous object such as the sun. Key lighting appears to be the main or primary source of lighting in a scene. Back lighting is when an object or subject is illuminated from behind i.e both the subject and light source are pointed towards the audience. Back Light also can be used to give the illusion of three dimensional space on a two dimensional screen. Set lighting on the other hand is when a light source is used to highlight parts or the whole set.

I believe any and all these lighting techniques are used to highlight specific points of interest, detail of the set, a certain character, a particular action in a scene, as well as attempt to convey a particular mood or atmosphere to the audience.

In the above pictures : artificial, available and back lighting are used respectively each to add an extra visual appealing element to the scene. The addition of artificial lights and effects gives it a more sy-fi feel while the available light gives it a sense of realism. Finally the back light further adds another aesthetic element to the image making it more entertaining to watch.

Studio

The studio is essentially the space/ indoor location in which many scenes are shot i.e scenes which require a green screen etc. Often some parts of post production are done here, this is evident by the many "the making of" videos. A film studio on the other hand is a company that produces films.

As evident by the above clip, a studio is often used with various pieces of equipment; most commonly the green screen. This is essentially a backdrop that is later animated to look like more lifelike scenery whether it is realistic or not. The result is a more entertaining, often more high tech looking, smoother experience in which the audience enjoy the scene more.

Themes And Stings

My interpretation of Stings is when a short musical phrase or piece is used as punctuation, often used to introduce a certain part of a show or for comic relief (ba dum tss).

Theme on the other hand is similar in that respect to Score, except the piece may not have been written directly for the show or be part of its soundtrack. is usually another musical phrase associated with an action, event, show or character. Essentially its the shows theme song e.g. Doctor who's Theme.

The above musical piece is used to dramatise certain events throughout the series involving the doctors character, it is directly tied to his character. As a result of the catch action styled piece of music it emphasises his strength as a character and this as a result is more engaging for the audience to watch.

Ambient Sound

My interpretation of Ambient Sound is essentially background noise used often either to fill noiseless gaps between and during scenes or to create an atmospheric tone or mood for the scene.

The use of the mellow almost comic elevator styled music in the background grants almost a lighthearted warm atmosphere to the scene, giving a false sense of security and calmness, this almost foreshadows a future event. This meakes the scene more atmospheric and therefore enjoyable for the audience to watch.

Score & Incidental music

My interpretation of Score is when a piece(s) of music is written specifically for a show or film, it is usually part of the film's soundtrack and may include dialogue and or sound effects. This usually consists of orchestral or instrumental pieces.

Incidental music on the other hand is more usually associated with plays and the like, essentially it is background music used to set a scenes atmosphere or mood or signify the end of an act etc.

I think this was used in this show to give it a memorable factor, its catchy tune is well known and as its direct correlation is with Doctor Who people will therefor think of Doctor Who when they hear this theme. It's use therefore results in a more entertaining and engaging start to the show.