Free Choice

Ratatouille DVD

http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/ratatouille/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382932/

The DVD has come to replace the video, with almost all films being produced only onto DVD (digital signal) rather than videos (analogue signal). The DVD and Blu-ray disc for ‘Ratatouille’ was released in 2008 after the film’s original release in 2007. The film is a Disney/Pixar animation that became the 3rd highest grossing Pixar film of all time.

The DVD contains two discs, one showing the main film, an animated short film, a behind-the-scenes feature and “Lifted”, which was shown before the film in cinemas. Disc two contains features on the creation of Paris for the film, character profiles, a documentary and three unseen clips. All of these extra features gives more to the viewer than the original experience in the cinema and is only possible because of technology developments. The film is designed for the whole family with extras that will also appeal to a variety of ages, from young child to adult. This leads to the product being used as a way of spending valuable time as a family and finding something that everyone would enjoy as the BBFC have declared that the film is a U therefore suitable for all.

The institutions are able to use the advanced technology to create a CGI film as well as more basic techniques which included an employee jumping into a swimming pool wearing a chef’s uniform in order to make the animation of the same event look realistic. Techniques such as light scattering were used to create a realistic effect on the animated food whilst 2D, 3D, live action and stop motion animation were all used as part of the production process.

The DVDs added extras included mean that an interactive experience is made possible for all who watch the film’s extras as well as a sense of personalization through they way in which each person will have an individual response to the content. The format itself is a miniaturisation of a video tape, with a DVD being a lot smaller and easier to store. The higher quality of the end product is allowed through the digital signals used to show the film as opposed to the previous analogue that was used for videos. However Blu-Ray is gaining in popularity and if that should become the dominant force in the market, the DVD would then be obsolete.

Newly Released NMT

Wii Fit

http://e3nin.nintendo.com/wii_fit.html

The Wii Fit is part of the Nintendo Wii range that’s designed to be used with the Wii Balance Board. The new technology has replaced the traditional idea of simply using controllers to play a game, you can now do it in a more interactive style, and it is like a modern version of the dance mat in some ways, as well as replacing traditional methods of exercise. The technology involved is sophisticated enough to calculate the players BMI, weight and centre of gravity whilst keeping track of a user’s “Wii Fitness Age”, increasing the loyalty and adding competition to the game. The game is able to appeal to all ages creating a wide reach through the variety of activities offered on the Wii Fit game. It also provides an easier option to going to the gym as you can exercise in your own home allowing a time-shift for the user.

The game itself has over forty different exercises to do which are divided into four different categories which the player can pick from: aerobic exercise, muscle conditioning, yoga poses and balance games, all of which provide something for every member of the family throughout the generations. Alongside participation is the concept of interactivity as a user is able to pick their own personal route through playing the exercises also adding the concept of the game being non-linear. One limitation to the game is that it cannot calculate any data from quick movements which would have to be improved before further games (that are currently under development) are released.

For Nintendo, the Wii Fit has again put the company ahead of its closet rivals who haven’t, as yet, unveiled a rivaling product (with the exception of the PS2’s Eye Toy, which is now obsolete after the release of the PS3) which in turn has bettered the company’s image and increased profits, for example despite being released only in Japan, sales figures are nearing 1.2million copies. As the game and board can only be used with the Nintendo Wii, it is an example of vertical integration which again adds loyalty to the brand whilst the design of the product is an example of miniaturisation as it is smaller than past consoles.

Converged, Portable Technology

Samsung SGH-G600

Released in August 2007 in the UK, the Samsung SGH-G600 is one of Samsung’s most popular phones in recent times. Replacing several previous models, it contains several converged features including a 5.0 mega pixel camera (only the 4th phone to do so) with flash and digital zoom, a video camera, MP3 player, digital radio, voice recorder and Java games. This convergence has reduced the need to carry so many different forms of technology, it’s replaced a video camera, digital camera, MP3 player and voice recorder to name just a few. The phone has been praised as Samsung’s best ever phone, making it more appealing to audiences.

The phone is able to appeal across audiences, it is easy to use and unlike many competitors it involves no fiddly buttons that may alienate areas of the consumer industry. Its sleek and stylish looks make it stand out and is currently available in four different colours (black, pink, purple and silver - a range that will appeal to a wide audience) which means that anyone who buys it is able to personalise the colour to their own preference. The enhanced experience they get with the G600 may lead to greater loyalty with consumers staying with Samsung to upgrade their phones in the future. This would also be one of Samsung’s aim’s – to attract a loyal customer base with such a converged phone. The wide range of abilities contained on the phone makes it easy to market to the audience that it’s most relevant to for example the camera may be marketed at teenagers whilst the document viewer may be targeted at business people. The higher cost of producing such converged technologies is reflected in the price of the phone, it is one of Samsung’s most expensive phones, but audiences are willing to pay for such a good product. However, there is a newer model due for release that features an optical zoom on the camera rather than digital (as the G600 has).

The G600 offers a distinct amount of miniaturisation of several forms of technology, leading to greater portability. There is also an improvement in quality of the technology with the phone being only the 4th to offer a 5.0 mega pixel camera. However there is an element of vertical integration with the phone as you have to buy specifically Samsung accessories (such as chargers if you needed a spare) as well as extras (such as larger memory cards)

Leisure Time Activity

Online Shopping – Topshop
Website: http://www.topshop.com/

The Topshop website allows customers to browns images of clothes on sale in the shops as well as having the facility to buy clothes online. This is replacing the need to visit the shops as products can be returned if they are the wrong size as well as often having a wider range of products offered in one store. This convenience is being exploited by many online shopping sites because they are now able to receive custom 24/7 anywhere around the world. However shopping online does have some drawbacks, the cost may be higher due to delivery costs as well as many shops not offering all of their instore deals on products.

Topshop’s website isn’t just about clothing though, there is the facility for users to subscribe to a podcasting service, an example of convergence between Apple and Arcadia benefiting both institutions and audiences who are able to exploit this to keep them up to date with fashion. Alongside this there is increased interactivity through the option of downloading a “Daily Fix Widget” to deliver “fashion ideas straight to your desktop”. This free service is an attractive prospect for the buyers who may save time by using this service. As well as this interactivity, there is the option to sign up to Style Notes, a weekly newsletter sent out to those who subscribe and there is the option of an RSS feed that allows immediate access to fashion news, keeping audiences up to date.

This development in shopping is frequently used by young people, which fits with Topshop’s main demographic of young people who follow fashion because it can be fitted around their life as they want in a time-shift not seen until quite recently. This also allows an element of portability as the web page can be accessed through any device with an Internet connection (e.g. Blackberry or iPhone) allowing portability through the convergence of technologies. This change in lifestyle has led to shops having to become more competitive to keep custom as it is far easier to access stores online than to travel to the shops. One way in which shops attempt to increase spending is through online surveillance, Topshop’s “other items you might like…” facility, to generate interest in other items that the shopper my buy, again adding a personal touch to their experience (almost like an online personal shopper).

Another import aspect of the personalisation is the “Shopping Bag” and the ability to create your own account so that your buying habits can be tracked and you are able to save items that you would like to buy rather than having to remember individual items, providing an individual experience for everyone. The easy navigation of the website is appealing to the audience as it allows fast and easy access. This is supported by the search box application which allows you to search by product name or code.

Indepenent Or Fan Site

The Onion - America's Finest News Source

www.theonion.com

The Onion is an American based fake news/parody website founded in 1988 that features satirical articles on a wide variety of news stories that is predominantly popular with 18 to 44 year olds.

The style of the website is very much like a professional news page such as CNN which provides a sense of familiarity to those who may be interested in the satirical nature of the news, with the target audience of the site being educated, politically interested individuals who would be able to understand and appreciate the content. The audience will use the stories for the comical content to fill their spare time. The audience is very narrow as The Onion is an example of narrowcasting and within this the audience is further broken down by the categories on the page, an example of audience fragmentation. The institution has taken this to their advantage, using this hugely fragmented audience to have very specific stories. For example within the ‘Election 08’ category, there is one story titled ‘Black Guy Asks Nation For Change’ whilst another is titled ‘Hillary Receives 3am Phone Call From Drunken Bill Clinton’, appealing to both sides of the Democratic voters in different ways.

The website itself contains written, video and radio links as well as Photoshopped images and an online store as different medias for the audiences to use. This also increases the ways in which the distributors of The Onion are able to reach the audiences. There is a sense that the team behind the satires are actually benefiting just as much as the audience as they are able to comically portray often serious or controversial issues. The improved technology has also led to better quality production, newer Photoshop programmes have better tools that allow for a better outcome when editing pictures for example.

The Onion is an example of narrowcasting and fragmentation of audiences as it has a very specific appeal and therefore quite a small reach – an estimated 710,000 readers a month – however there is a high quality of reporting used. The fact that everything is posted online allows a time-shift for users, they can access the content at a time convenient to them as well as looking at archived stories if they wished to.

Podcasts

Broadcaster: BBC Radio 2
Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/brand/
Podcasts: Russell Brand

Russell Brand's weekly podcasts are around an hour long and contain the highlights of the show that he has presented on Radio 2 on Saturday nights. A new one is released every Tuesday for fans to download to their iPod. Currently, Brand's podcast is the second most popular on iTunes behind Stephen Fry's PODGRAMS.

The concept of a podcasts allows listeners to listen to the show anywhere they want, using the concept of portability to allow a time-shift in the listening pattern. Each podcast contains certain regular things for example a chat with Noel Gallagher based upon the contact that listeners have had with the show.

The podcast forms part of a much bigger concept, that of vertical integration. The podcast can be downloaded via Apple's iTunes which can then only be played on an iPod that has been made and bought at an Apple store or retailer. The BBC have also exploited this concept, Russell Brand uses his radio show to encourage the downloading of his podcast in order to reach the number 1 spot on the iTunes chart, as well as a note on the web page saying "join our campaign to keep Russell at Number One of the podcast charts where he belongs. Tell your friends". This is encouraging interactivity from listeners who can help to spread the word about the podcasts as well as increasing the reach of the podcast.

Podcasts can be used by the industry to replace the conventional radio shows in the future, with the shows being broadcast in a miniature form on iPods rather than through a conventional radio.

Youtube Video

Sims 2 Music Videos – Sk8er Boi by Avril Lavigne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeZIIgbPzzI&feature=related

These music videos have been created using the Sims 2 with the video closely mirroring either the song lyrics or what happened in the original video (if there was one made) by YouTube users. YouTube itself is “a free online video streaming service that allows anyone to view and share videos that have been uploaded by our members". Using YouTube you can upload videos that are up to 10 minutes long to share in a horizontal network. This is replacing the conventional method of having to email a video or having to have people round to view it on TV; you can simply upload it to YouTube.

This ability to stream videos around the world has allowed the biggest reach possible, often making stars out of the people behind the videos. The site allows the greatest access to those viewing with easy navigation and the ability to search the videos to speed up the process. There is a greater choice every day as more people upload their videos. The service is able to provide immediate satisfaction to the viewer who has to wait only a matter of seconds for the page to load and video to start. This satisfaction is vital for a user to return to YouTube again.

The audience for YouTube is huge, each using it for a different purpose, some to catch up on TV shows, some to watch comedy clips and some just to pass the time of day. The time-shift element involved with YouTube allows the videos to be watched at a viewer’s convenience as well as allowing democratisation with anyone being able to become involved. The diverse nature of YouTube’s content allows a large reach however within this scope there are many niche audiences which leads to narrowcasting and then fragmentation of the audience. There is also an element of online surveillance with YouTube, there is a list of similar videos or other related links to the video you have chosen to watch which may also introduce the viewer to a new are of interest.

Innovative Blog

Stephen Fry’s Blog

http://stephenfry.com/blog/

Stephen Fry’s blog came into existence in October 2007 on his official website, replacing the need for his fans to find individual updates from around the web or in the news, they are instead able to log onto his website and read his regular updates. Stephen Fry has quite a large fan base and his blogs reflect the changing technologies. There is the ability to subscribe to an RSS feed, link to a social networking site and subscribe to Stephen Fry’s PODGRAMS. The blogs are quite interactive in this sense, as well as these options of interactivity there is also a facility to comment each blog. This allows each reader to post an individual response to what has been blogged and have some sort of contact with Stephen Fry. The blogs contain a search application which allows immediacy, instead of reading all of the blogs they are able find what they want straight away.

The blog is used by the industry behind it (Stephen Fry and his management team) to sell their brand. By advertising PODGRAMS in the blog and Fry’s newspaper column to ensure that they are targeting people who would genuinely be interested. This is a free was of distributing the media and production is quick. There is a gain for both audiences and institutions either enjoyment (audience) or promotion (institution). The narrowcasting involved in Fry’s blogs does however mean that the only people being reached are already Fry’s fans.

Radio Station Show

Radio Station: Capital radio

Website: http://www.capitalradio.co.uk/

Specific Show: Hit 40 UK

Website: http://www.hit40uk.com/

Hit40UK is the chart show is presented by Lucio Buffone and aired on stations across the UK every Sunday between 4pm and 7pm counting down the country’s top 40 singles based on sales and airplay in the chart as well as celebrity interviews and competitions.

The website for the radio show is very bright and packed full of features. On the home page there’s Lucio’s Blog, “Hot New Hits” and the “Hot Album” as well as the week’s current Superfan and chances to “play and win”. Alongside this there is the week’s top 10 singles. Above the main section is the change to listen again, sign up for email updates and see who’s on next week’s show. The content is very easy to access and the bands are obvious to anyone looking. The songs and albums featured are all by popular artists that are instantly recognisable to audiences of Hit40UK including Westlife, The Kooks and Kylie Minogue. There is also an advert for ‘The Diploma’, an area that may interest some of the Hit40UK fans.

The show appeals to a wide audience due to the nature of the music it plays – popular music. However this also leads to many expectations from different generations, younger listeners will expect an interactive, portable experience whereas the older generation may not be so up-to-date with technology in which case would want an easy to use service that isn’t too complicated. This is reflected in the simple layout and futuristic graphics which satisfies both needs. These graphics and moving blog images are all possible to feature because of the advances in technology including Flash Player which is used for the main ads on the page.

The website for Hit40UK demonstrates high levels or interactivity through the ability to pick colour scheme of the page (orange or blue), becoming a Superfan, playing games and finding out whom was number one on any day since the charts began (an example of personalisation as well). There is also proliferation through the choice of listening to songs, watching videos and the platforms upon which they can be played on also providing an immediate service, which is again shown through the podcast and listen again facilities. The listen again facilities demonstrate the ability to time-shift the listening patterns to a convenient time for the listener. All of this provides a non-linear experience as the sections can be enjoyed in any order by the viewer.

TV Show Webpage

Programme: Skins
Website: http://www.e4.com/skins/

‘Skins’ is a drama broadcast on E4 (Monday at 10pm)and repeated on C4 (Thursday at 10:35pm) weekly with the opportunity to watch it again on E4+1 or on 4OD, Channel 4’s online on-demand service. It was broadcast as part of the drive to bring more British programmes to our TV screens, with ‘Skins’ being described as E4’s “flagship” show.

The cast of the show are all appealing to the desired audience for ‘Skins’, all being able to act their parts and make them seem like an everyday occurrence in a teenager’s life. Shot in Bristol, the show has eight main characters; Tony (Nicholas Hoult), Michelle (April Perason), Sid (Mike Bailey), Maxxie (Mitch Hewer), Cassie (Hannah Murray), Chris (Joe Dempsie), Jal (Larissa Wilson) and Amwar (Dev Patel). Each is meant to represent a typical teen in society to appeal to the audience:
Tony – popular yet manipulative and arrogant ring-leader
Michelle – pretty yet subservient girlfriend of Tony
Sid – in love with Cassie, a genuinely nice guy with low self-esteem
Maxxie – openly gay tap-dancer
Cassie – suffers from an eating disorder, drug addictions, low self esteem and suicidal thoughts although very intelligent
Chris – loves to party and take drugs, was once in love with a teacher
Jal – intelligent and from a privileged background
Amwar – rebellious Muslim (takes drugs, drinks alcohol and has pre-marital sex) who feels he has no choice in his faith

The ‘Skins’ site opens with a warning that it contains “adult content” and users “must be 18 to proceed”, instantly setting itself up as something more mature and exclusive than other websites for shows aimed at the same age group. This supports the idea that ‘Skins’ is for an exclusive club with the original airing on E4 in a late time slot and the repeat shown on C4, whereas it is usually the other way round for other dramas shown by Channel 4.

The website is reflective of the self-contained nature of the episodes (each character has their own episodes) with all of the photos, blogs, videos etc. being split up in this way too as well as by series. As well as offering catch-ups there is the chance to win both series on DVD, visit the social networking sites set up for the show, receive updates on mobiles and much more. This is increasing the reach that ‘Skins’ has to its audience, entering even more aspects of their increasingly technology base lives. This is again demonstrated by the advertising for the Skinscast, a podcast released after each episode, which was featured in the last ad break of each episode. There are also mini and secret episodes between episodes and series that can only be access online, designed to attract fans to the website.

The ‘Skins’ website offers vast amounts of interactivity between viewer and broadcaster. There is the comment board down the side of the home page in which members are able to make comments about ‘Skins’, as well as the ability to add comments and questions to the weekly updated blog. There had previously been chances to win tickets to secret ‘Skins’ parties as well as the chances to submit pictures taken at these events. As well as this, fans can vote in polls including the character that they will miss the most whilst joining the broadcaster in saying goodbye to the original cast and there was also the chance to design a new ‘Skins’ logo, an example of democratisation.

In a clever marketing ploy, you are able to share the pages with friends via email or link them to your own personal networking page, and add the ‘Skins’ MySpace, all of which provide free advertising for the programme and providing a wider reach.

The page is deigned to be viewed in a non-linear, personal way, fans are encouraged to move between what they want to see. For example the side menu displays the picture galleries in an order that doesn’t follow the broadcast or times that the events happened. There is also the ability for immediate updates via the blog, podcasts and secret episodes, with the podcasts being an example of the miniaturisation of ‘Skins’ onto an iPod. This also allows a time shift, the fan is able to watch or listen to these at their leisure, not when dictated to by the broadcaster.

Mainstream Broadcaster Website

Broadcaster: Channel 4
Website: http://www.channel4.com/

Genre: Drama
Website: http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/drama/

The technology involved with C4 and it's drama website is broadband, without it the images wouldn't load and the links may cause the page to freeze if accessed via dial-up. The site itself is removing the need for recordings on the TV and paper programme guides with episodes being screened online via 4OD and there being a TV schedule available on the site. It is an extension of Channel 4 rather than a replacement for its drama services.

The texts on the website itself are very simple and easy to navigate. The content is minimal; there are features on the four most popular TV shows on the cover page, as well as link to each of the dramas shown on the channel and a drama forum.

The page for C4's dramas has a blue colour theme to it, which I think has been designed to compliment the main image that's promoting one of C4's highest rated shows, 'Desperate Housewives', which features all five women wearing blue dresses. Below this image is a "What's Hot..." section where 'Hollyoaks', 'Ugly Betty' and 'Shameless' are featured alongside their airing times (with the exception of 'Ugly Betty' which isn't currently airing). As well as promotion for programmes, there is a link to the 'Hollyoaks Hunks and Babes' galleries alongside 'Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack' news, although these are smaller, less prominent links showing that they are less popular with the main audience for C4's dramas.

The variety in the shows on C4's drama page allows the broadcaster to attract a wide audience with shows such as 'Skins' that's aimed predominantly at young adults all the way to shows such as 'Without A Trace' which attracts a more mature audience. However the shows that are dominating on the page itself are those aimed at the younger audience, which ties in with C4's recent rebranding as the channel for the younger generation.

The groups that use the website will most likely be using it for extra information about the show or the extras that are offered with some individual shows on their own areas within the site rather than to watch the shows themselves, they would use 4OD for that. However everyone that accesses the site will be looking for different shows and different purposes. For example, they could be looking for character information, plot summaries or information about broadcasting times. This is often easier for the audience as the alternative is doing a general internet search which could provide inaccurate information.

The website is being used by the industry as promotion. The clear lay out and easy navigation will continue to attract viewers over more complicated pages. The search bar allows easy searches if what the audience wants isn’t displayed as well as links to ‘Desperate Housewives’ on 4OD at the top of the page.

The website offers an interactive, personalised experience that is individual for each user due to the non-linear structure of the pages. The time-shifting nature of the Channel 4 website allows audiences to use the services offered around their lifestyles.