Beware of Images - A history of visual representation

BEWARE OF IMAGES is a feature-length, animated documentary about the history of visual representation. The movie explores the intricate relationship between the technology, regulation and social effects of media.

From cave paintings to video games, BEWARE OF IMAGES will take its audience on a fascinating journey that is insightful, harrowing and hopeful. 

The film is divided in 14 chapters, which deal with a variety of interconnected subjects such as: the history of visual language and its application to propaganda, gender and cultural stereotypes, media violence, the emergence of broadcasting technologies, the rise of modern advertising, the commercial takeover of the public airwaves, the consolidation and cultural consequences of media conglomerates, the effects of intellectual property on innovation and creativity, the information economy, Net Neutrality and the future of the open Internet.

Reggie Yates Documentaries

Reggie Yates was born on May 31, 1983 in Archway, London, England. He is an actor writer and director, known for The Voice UK (2012), Top Of The Pops (2003 -) and Doctor Who (2007). Reggie is establishing himself as a documentary maker on the BBC and in early 2011 he fronted the leading BBC3 show Autistic Superstars for which he received a prestigious RTS nomination, and a follow up series 'Tourettes: Let Me Entertain You'. Reggie filmed a documentary, 'Inside Teen Gangs' also for BBC3 which was broadcast in 2012 followed by a new three part series shot in South Africa for the BBC.

Banned Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi: 'The necessity to create becomes even more of an urge'

The director of the infamous This Is Not A Movie has filmed features while the Iranian authorities prohibit him from doing so – and has underlined the importance of free speech.

The film-maker Jafar Panahi, currently banned from making films in his native Iran, has issued a statement underlining the spiritual and political importance of free creativity.

He was convicted of spreading anti-government propaganda after the Iranian government took umbrage at the content of his films, and sentenced with a film-making ban, as well as a jail sentence which he has so far managed to avoid. Despite the threat of imprisonment being held over him, he has made three films since: This Is Not A Movie (smuggled to Cannes on a USB hidden in a cake), Closed Curtain, and Taxi, which will debut at the Berlin film festival this year.

Opening up about the ban, Panahi said in a statement:

'Nothing can prevent me from making films since when being pushed to the ultimate corners I connect with my inner-self and, in such private spaces, despite all limitations, the necessity to create becomes even more of an urge. Cinema as an art becomes my main preoccupation. That is the reason why I have to continue making films under any circumstances to pay my respect and feel alive.'

Panahi may no longer be under house arrest, as he documented in This Is Not A Movie, but he is not allowed to leave the country. He therefore won’t be in Berlin for the premiere of Taxi, in which a taxi driver played by Panahi has a series of encounters with passengers in his cab.

Look up!

This short video by Gary Turk is a reminder of the effects of social media on our society. By connecting online, we are disconnecting offline. What are we missing from life as a result? What critical moments do we miss that we didn't even know passed us by? Be sure to watch this entire video, especially the ending.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4132555/

Persuasive Elements

We have been discussing in class the use of 'persuasive elements' used by film-makers to emphasis a point or to illustrate an opinion. Film-makers employ a range of creative and technical techniques to communicate a range of ideas, messages or situations.

A recent text we have been focusing on is the 2004 documentary 'Fahrenheit 911' by Michael Moore. The text is about Michael Moore's view on what happened to the United States after September 11; and how the Bush Administration allegedly used the tragic event to push forward its agenda for unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In this documentary we see Mr Moore use a range of persuasive elements to make his point and influence other. Below I discuss a range of these elements and how Moore used them within his film and what the purpose of this was.

For example.

• Selective Editing - where a cut away will be used to either strengthen a point being made or to act as a juxtaposition to what it being said.

Media Guardian

Turn it over the ads are on!

This is a familiar cry in every household, either that or the commencement of the adverts are a chance to put the kettle on. It's even possible forward past the ads now so you don't have to be bothered with pushy Meerkats or exaggerated Brummies talking enthusiastically about their holidays. But adverts can offer us a moment of brevity or anguish that their big brother programmes can sometimes miss.

Adverts - good ones - are a concentrated burst of film language that can showcase what it is to create a meaningful text in less than a minute. The Media Guardian has highlighted a selection of new ads currently on our TVs that offer us a slice of the bizarre, the dramatic and the though provoking.

www.theguardian.com/media

Eyes Wide Open

If Media studies teaches you anything let teach to always question what you are shown, presented with and even force fed. In my opinion their are always three sides to every story; theirs, yours and the truth. You know yours, you are given theirs but you have to search for the truth.

Below is a link to 'Films for action' website. I am not presenting you with the truth here but I hope you will at least start asking the questions.

www.filmsforaction.org