Audience profile research and demographic profile of potential target audience

Human Traffic

Synopsis

Human Traffic is a British independent film written and directed by Welsh film-maker Justin Kerrigan. The film explores themes of coming of age, drug and club cultures, as well as relationships. It includes scenes provoking social commentary and the use of archive footage to provide political commentary. The plot of the film revolves around five twenty-something friends and their wider work and social circle, the latter devotees of the club scene, taking place over the course of a drug-fueled weekend in Cardiff, Wales.
A central feature is the avoidance of moralising about the impact of the 1990's dance lifestyle; instead the film concentrates on recreating the 'vibe, the venues and the mood' of the dance movement from the 1991 'summer of love' to the films release in 1999.


Questions

1. How can Human Traffic be considered a social realist film? 

 Consider how the film makers technically communicate social realism, what issues are raised and how they might affect the audience.
The definition of social realism is the realistic depiction in art of contemporary life, as a means of social or political comment. This applies directly to this film as it follows a real part of British youth culture history. The 90's rave era was something that really happened, and since the film depicts it so accurately it is certifiably a social realist film.

Social realism also can suggest the 'real world' of working class people, as social realist films e.g. the selfish giant often follow the story of those who come across many toils and difficulties in their world of deprivation. This comes across within this film as we witness the characters ongoing struggle against 'the norm' and those more 'upper class' and richer than themselves. However this film offers a complex web of character profiles and backgrounds- although the characters share a love for the weekend and a general opposition of society- they all differ in their social and economic backgrounds, bringing viewpoints of their own to add to the mix of social realism. Despite this complexity I feel it only enhances the effect of social realism, as in real life our society throughout history has and always is mixed.


2. How does the youth culture depicted resist or subvert to mainstream society?

Within the film Human Traffic the characters are all resisting mainstream society. Despite the fact they  have all subverted already to the mainstream drug culture that grew at the time, they feel they must be united against a different culture. The culture of the working adult world. It is clear these characters have a reluctance to grow older and become part of 'the machine' within the world of work and no play. This is highlighted by the characters crave for the weekend which their lives seem to revolve around, and their rejection of their parents. From the audiences point of view we witness one characters process in resistance to this culture- Nina's younger brother .We also see Moff grow to steadily become more frustrated with society and his parents, to the point in which he completely submerges himself in drugs and the weekend, goes too far and ends up reconsidering his actions. Another character who makes a point of actively quitting their small part in the great social cog is Nina, who comes to loathe her awful job in a fast food joint and leaves for a life of unemployment.

The very nature of the characters way of having fun is also opposing against the rest of the world. By taking drugs as they are seen doing throughout the film they are opposing the law- especially since they mostly take 'E's (Ecstasy) which is seen as a class A drug. Although Ecstasy is not one of the most harmful drugs within this class it is still very illegal. It also causes paranoia within the group and for the characters to create a false personality or alter ego that isn't really themselves. This is again crossing the theme of identity, something that internationally young people and youth cultures struggle to come to terms with- hence the desperate need for a sense of fitting in at the same time as standing out. The characters use this sub culture to be different just like each other.



3. What values or morals are present in the film?

The main values for the characters consist again as revolving around having fun with drugs, each other, clubs and the weekend. This is a high priority for each character and a value they treasure within their youth culture. The value of friendship is also seen as a key aspect within the film for the characters. Strong and close relationships are seen throughout especially between Jip and Koop, and Nina and Lulu. Another value that the characters hold within their youth culture has to be the value of music. As we see within Koop's record store scene it is your musical preference that defines you, therefore music and the artists become a large value for the characters. Music is also what helps to fuel their glorified weekends and it unites them together.

  The morals of the film could be seen from certain viewpoints as slightly twisted as the characters use drugs in a recreational way and see them as an entirely positive thing. However within this film I feel the drug of ecstacy is represented fairly, as it shows the high points and the great positives of this drug- but also the consequences of taking it too far in the form of Moff. Therefore the film could be teaching the lesson that recreational use of Ecstacy is allot of fun, but only for those who can use it wisely. The film does also present the important morals to have as being friendship, unity and enjoyment which is a positive representation.

4. How can you consider the film to be British?

This film is British in many ways. The director Justin Kerrigan was born in Cardiff, Wales where the film is also set. The actos are also all British, John Simm who plays Jipp is from Leeds, Lorraine Pilkington is from Dublin, Shaun Parkes who plays Koop is from London, Nicola Reynolds who plays Nina is from Wales and Danny Dyer who plays Moff is from London. Therefore the writer, director, set and cast are all British which I feel makes this film British. The film also follows a period of time and a youth culture/scene that appeared in Britain. The ideas, script, and subject matter are all focused around the British nature. British ideals and political or social attitudes of the time are also shown particularly within the interview in the club scene.

5. Analysis of one scene from the film; Koop's Jungle Record Store

The shot types are something that stood out for me within this scene. The scene revolves around the music savvy character of Koop. Koop is filmed as slightly leaning in to the camera, perhaps with a slight low angle from the camera which gives a point of view from the other character and involves the audience as if the character is speaking directly to them. The director has used camera angles to good effect within the scene to show the different characters also.
He has provided a slight comic aspect to the scene as some of the characters seem to glide across the room and burst into spontaneous dancing. These camera angles allow a playful and involving atmosphere for the audience to connect to and enjoy within the film.

 This scene shows the wider issue within film and the society at the time- one which is carried on throughout time wherever youth cultures develop. This is the distinction of the music creating and carrying different connotations that create an individual. What you like or dislike in the music world decides your youth culture or sub youth culture. As we can see within this scene the different musical preferences create contrasting characters who act, dress, speak and even dance differently. The character of Koop is able to suss out each character and change his persona and record choice to suit them. This again shows the theme of identity cropping up, and how easily members of youth cultures change or manipulate their identity to fit in/rebel.

However this scene also presents a main character as being successful and enjoying the world of work- a representation contrasting to that of other characters such as Nina. Koop is good at his job and is shown to be actively participating within society at the same time as enjoying the music that is so important to him. Therefore this scene portrays youth cultures in a positive light, despite showing the somewhat fickle nature of them .

First rough cut

First review of feedback from screening questionnaires

ROUGH CUT- UNFINISHED MUSIC VIDEO SCREENING- FIRST VIEWING-QUESTIONNARIE RESULTS

I have collected in my questionnaires and read thoroughly through the feedback I have received. Here I have listed each question and given a short summary of the feedback, including any particular likes/dislikes and suggestions for improvements. This has been a very valuable activity as I now have many improvements to make to my music video that will be specifically derived from my audience; I have included the improvements I intend to make below.

1.      Within the opening sequence, should the shots of waves be cut down? Or kept the same with text added?

From this question I received a mix of answers. Most people felt adding text was not a good idea, and though a few suggested cutting down the shots most did not. From this feedback I intend to slightly alter my opening sequence so that the shots are smoother and flow nicely- not dragging out the start.  

2.      Do you feel the cuts are timed correctly to the music?

The majority of answers for this question consisted simply of ‘yes’ or ‘mostly’. However one answer stated that the shots were all of a very similar pace, this I have edited purposely to be in time with the music as the beat is very repetitive- however I may be able to mix up the editing to hold my audience’s attention more.  

3.      Should a filter be applied to scenes to increase the brightness?

For the third question the answers came back as ‘yes for some’. There were also suggestions for certain scenes- for example the scene when my characters emerge from the pinewoods. I am aware that the scene does look murky and dark as this was due to the very poor filming conditions and weather on the day. To work from this feedback I intend to apply a filter to the darker scenes.

4.      Do you think any effects should be added to the video? Any suggestions?

Suggestions for effects to be added include; slow motion, vintage filters, a soft edge/blur, black and white for sections, stop motion and colour overlays. To work from this feedback I will experiment with the filters I can use within the editing software, and perhaps get more feedback from classmates to decide on one.

5.      Is there too much focus on nature and not enough on characters?

From this question I received a combination of answers; however the overall reaction I received was that there was not too much of a focus on nature. However some people did suggest that there was not enough build-up of the characters and that the narrative link to the lyrics did not really make sense. Despite this, my music video has always been set out to be a concept based video which has no real strong narrative or character build up- this could be off putting for my audience if they expect a story.

6.      Do you think the music video is fitting for the genre of the song?

This answer came back as 100% yes definitely. This result I am pleased of as in my target audience survey I asked the question ‘Should a music video be fitting to its genre’ and the answer also came back as yes. This means that ideally my target audience will find my music video fitting to the genre and be attracted by this.

7.      Should there be any transitions added? E.g. crossfades?

The majority of answers for this question came back as ‘no’. Despite this a few answers did suggest soft fades or blends to make the video flow more. I have used allot of blunt cuts in my music video and I think that using a blending transition would improve the flow, therefore I intend to work from this feedback and edit a few transitions in.

8.      The end includes a few clips which are re-winded- should this be edited out or do you think it works well?

For the eighth question I have received feedback that the reverse section does work well to round off the video which I am pleased with as this was the desired effect. However a few answers did suggest that some of these clips could be slowed down to let the audience appreciate the shot. This is something I intend to work on and improve from this feedback.

9.      Do you feel the end of the music and fade to black is too abrupt?

The answer for this question came back as mainly ‘no’ although some people did suggest that the fade could be a little more gradual to encourage the flow of the music video. This I could easily adjust to work from this feedback. I also received the feedback that the audience liked how the music video ended on the final note which was pleasing to see.

10.  Any final improvements?

Final improvements and feedback of suggestion included varying pace of the clips, including more narrative and a colour filter to improve the visuals of the scenes.

 

 

Rough cut and screening

Today I will screen my first rough cut to an audience to gather feedback. To do this I have compiled a questionnaire for the audience to fill out whilst watching. Hopefully this will enable me to edit and change my music video further to comply with my audiences preferences and increase appeal for my target audience.

Human Traffic- glorifying drugs culture

Further updated storyboard; lyrics, tranistions, camera angles, lighting

Lesson Notes: Media and Collective Identity

Youth Culture Movies

Written summary of http://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/aug/18/youth-culture-movies a guardian article titled 'Youth culture movies: how soon is too soon?' by Jane Graham.

Period films are aiming to not simply 'look cool' but to contextualise and analyse, to foster or confront nostalgia and even explain why we became the adults we are now. It's a big task and timing is a crucial factor in the chances of success.  The 90's rave culture was notoriously difficult to pin down, however it has been attempted within 1999's Human Traffic. It depicts Justin Kerrigans portrayl of a group of 'weekenders' whose clubbing E-enhanced nights show the highs and comedowns of early 90's Cardiff nightlife. The difficulty in producing British youth subculture is that they have to be produced and released within a time that is still relevant to the film. This often means that films have to made with certain haste, in which the quality and content or meaning behind it can slip. It has been said however that if the film has a great script and is beautifully executed it will always work.

Any director who attempts a period film focused on something as fleeting and emotive as youth will go through certain difficulties similar to that of Sid and Nancy director Alex Cox who came to resent his film as he was too close personally and temporally to effectively process what it all meant (a mere eight years). According to Stuart Cosgrove a cultural historian and Channel 4's director of creative diversity the ideal time to leave is around thirteen years. This leaves a significant amount of time to pass between the height of the experience you're seeking to capture and the release of the film. The youth have time to grow up and move on with their lives, yet still be young enough to yearn for their past youth. Our own youth reboots when adult milestones such as marriage, parenthood and mortages first hit us and financial and familial responsibility begins to weigh.

Many nostalgia films about youth focus on mythologised movements that are easily identifiable through music, fashion and haircuts. There is an importance of establishing a link between the era covered in the movie and the social concerns nagging at its present-day audience. "This is England did have a clear resonance with the time it came out" "This is England has so much truth and so much wit those kids could have been wearing bin-liners and it would have hit home" - Carlton.

Jobson saw first-hand the undying embers of punk passion by reforming his band The Skids in 2007. He believes a sedentary middle age merely fuels the desire to recapture that brief moment of freedom and invention that youth once provided. he says "It's not the legacy of the music or the work that's important, it's the frienships, the joy that we experienced together when we were really fucking happy, that moment in our lives when we suddenly found out who we were- that's what people want to return to, and you can't blame them for that" As it is in this case, sometimes the film is about the writer or director looking back for meaning to explain or justify the person they are now"

Nostalgia and period films can help us remember both the highs and lows of our history. An example of a particular low would be Good Vibrations a film about the Undertones manager and Northern Irish punk scene. Nostalgia works differently here. No one wants to look back and be fond of that dark tortured time of Belfast in the seventies. But this film shows how youth transcends everything, these bands (The Clash, The Undertones) lived through a terrible time and yet "what did they write about? Girls. Because despite everything they were still young"
 

Representation of youths- London Riots

Giving youths a voice- sky news. These young people have been looting thousands of pounds worth of equipment within the London riots even though they are only 16. They claim it is to try and 'survive in this world' and blame society's preconceptions of them. One of those interviewed claims he stole from an electrical store who had refused his job application. Others within the group also have a strong opinion on society and how their age group are being portrayed in the media and 'unfairly treated' by older generations. I have been studying the different news reports and coverage fro the London Riots of August 2011 and found that this style of news report is rare. It is one of the only I have come across that has actually given the youth a voice and asked for their opinions and views. Most simply cover the destruction and chaos the riots are causing, putting the youth in a entirely negative light that doesn't completely comply to the rules of freedom of speech from both sides.

The London Riots did cause a great deal of devastation for many businesses, homes and innocent Londoners present in August 2011- and the media made sure this as known. Shocking and horrific images were hurriedly splashed around all forms of media communication. A photograph can speak a thousand words and some iconic and powerful images were captured in the few weeks the riots raged within. The use of these images which show a carpet store during and after it was burned down are particularly effective in shocking the viewer.

The BBC is a well known broadcasting service so will be trusted by many to deliver the news 'as it really is'. Many of the older generation have a great deal of belief in what the BBC will tell them is genuine and not blown out of proportion. Here is a link to a panorama BBC broadcast that shows young people being protrayed as a "danger" and a threat to society, there is a real sense of urgency, panic and fear from the older generation towards the younger within the opening scenes.

A representative of the older generation - a white haired gentleman in a suit says "we were witnessing a complete breakdown in law and order in our country" Victims (a young family with young daughter states " we were under siege they were out to murder us" Dramatic music builds tension and the BBC voice informs us they will "reveal just how the police lost control of OUR streets to THE MOB" This quote I find particularly demonstrates the divide between the authority and 'the rest'. The fact that these young people are reffered to as "the mob" clearly demonstrates the attitude towards them and their representation within the media. The referral to the streets as "our streets" also shows the youths as not being part of these streets, as if they have invaded our streets to claim as their own.