Do people copy what they see in films, TV shows and in video games?

It is widely promoted by the media that people, especially young adults and teenagers, tend to be influenced by the types of media they consume and its content and lead to the life choices being affected, such as social circumstances in which actors or characters in games perform certain actions which the audience inadvertedly copies. Typically, these mimics are to do with drug usage or violence, particularly gun violence in America, and this could be due to influences from films, TV shows and in computer games. I believe, however, that it is only the vast minority that are actually affected and are ‘manipulated’ by what they see in these medias, and that most can view things and not be affected or provoked to take a certain action.

Famous films that could be perhaps associated with drug culture and usage would be 8 Mile, a film loosely following the rise of rapper Eminem from a poor teen with a dream to a star, with drug references, as well as cult film “Trainspotting”, renowned for Heroin references amongst many others. It may be argued that people who watch films like this are influenced to take drugs but there is minimal evidence to suggest a direct correlation between people viewing Trainspotting and then turning to hard drugs- although, it also cannot be denied that people who were in similar situations to those depicted in the films may follow a similar path. Wolf of Wall Street (2013), is a true story based on Jordan Belfort’s life as a stock-broker, and the 3-hour long film makes countless references to how cocaine was good for their daily routines, and how other drugs helped them cope with their daily lives. As for TV shows, American show Breaking Bad was regarded as one of the best television series’ of recent times, has Aaron Paul playing student-turned-drug-dealer Jesse Pinkman, and the show makes many references to the drug Methamphetamine, and TV show Skins could be argued to have popularised a large number of drugs. In the video game industry, Grand Theft Auto has famously received negative press for the number of drug references, especially character Trevor’s addiction to drug crystal meth. All of these are quite famous examples of how media has, in a sense, promoted the use of drugs, but that is not to say that every person who views these medias is going to develop a crippling addiction to an illegal substance.

Breaking Bad

No, I believe it is far more likely that one moronic individual is more likely to pretend to be Pac Man and run around a supermarket goi- oh wait, that’s already been done.

Relapse has shipped over 10 Million copies
worldwide - and is all about Marshall's
drug addiction.

Jokes aside, it does seem that people are more likely to perform a publicity stunt based on a video game or famous film than develop a serious drug issue because of something they've seen, stunts like these are quite frequent (the same person has also re-created "real-life" Mario Kart). Of course, it could happen, but examples of drug addictions are rarely picked up on by the media unless it is to do with celebrity, i.e. Lindsay Lohan, Amy Winehouse, and Eminem. Eminem’s “Relapse” album was a direct consequence of his drug addiction, yet still it shipped 608,000 copies in its first week and over 10M worldwide – with the album cover being a mosaic of Marshall in pills. Personally, I am not sure why the vast examples of popularising drugs have not led to clamping down on it and using the media to reduce the amount of drug usage by negatively portraying dangerous drugs instead of the almost positive representation they are given in a lot of films, namely Wolf of Wall Street.

Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio) aka The Wolf of Wall Street - renowned for his addiction to Cocaine and "Ludes."

However, ignoring the extremities, it could be said that when people see their favourite actor/actress smoking in a film, they may think that this is a cool, trendy thing to be doing- hence the rise of smoking in young people towards the end of the 20th Century. Campaign "Truth" (http://thetruth.com/) have been using these statistics to help combat smoking, claiming that when a big celebrity is seen smoking it acts as free advertising for Big Tobacco companies - suggesting that people do in fact copy what they see with regards to this. The campaign also focuses on reducing smoking in the Third World, if you haven't already heard of it, check out the link above and help them Finish smoking. This campaign in itself is an example of where I think this issue may go in the future: with continued pyschological research into why people begin smoking from Truth, people may become more aware of the stigma smoking causes and the dangers it creates for the smoker and those around them. With the campaign gaining more and more support, from influential figures such as Travis from Blink-182, the "free-advertising" for the tobacco companies could be slowed, resulting in less people smoking in the media and hence people no longer copying them. On the other hand, as with the more harmful drugs, not everyone will be instantly indoctrinated at the sight of Leonardo DiCaprio smoking a cigarette- but there is more evidence regarding smoking in films and TV shows and the audiences smoking.

"#267: When people see the celebs they love smoking, they start thinking smoking is a normal, aspirational thing.
Says who? Says science. Lots and lots of science."

Furthermore, the more renowned examples of media stories are not of drug usage or smoking, but are regarding shootings. Almost daily in America someone is killed by gun violence and in some cases the crimes are committed after being exposed to violent video games, again, Grand Theft Auto the main culprit. Here’s the story most people are familiar with:

http://news.sky.com/story/1132826/boy-8-kills-gran-after-playing-video-game

The boy, 8, from Lousiana had “no motive” to kill his 90-year-old grandmother, but allegedly took a firearm after playing Grand Theft Auto and shot her in the back of the head in August 2013. The story sparked up a lot of controversy, whether it is the parents fault for letting a child play a game rated for adults, why the gun was easily accessible for the child or whether the child should face the consequences. Another man in London was reported to have stabbed someone whilst he queuing on the night of the games release, further pressing the issue of the psychology behind these games and virtual reality. Aside from Grand Theft Auto, the Call of Duty series has become increasingly popular amongst younger ages with it being deemed more acceptable for younger people to be playing a 18-rated game. The first person shooter has been held responsible for rising anger levels, violence and other issues regarding language and behaviour in young children, and could also be an influence for gun crimes amongst older players, particularly in America, where more controversy regarding rights to a firearm were created this week with a 9-year-old girl shooting an Uzi at a range, losing control and killing her instructor. I maintain a similar viewpoint as to with the aforementioned topics in that not everybody is affected in this way by these games- I've played Grand Theft Auto and I'm also not (yet) a psychopathic murderer with a lust for blood and drugs.

Guns, girls.. some more guns and girls... Grand Theft Auto!

Call of Duty has been linked to increasing levels of violence and bad language in young children

Nathan Drake, the protagonist in the Uncharted
game series, single handedly kills hundreds of
mercenaries- but that's fine, because he's
 the protagonist! And really cool.

However, as explained in the article, the effects of the violence in-game have an affect on young children who're playing it who develop the idea that this sort of behaviour is acceptable and that action-adventure heroes such as Lara Croft, Nathan Drake from the Uncharted game series and Jack Bauer from 24 are perhaps the "norm" when of course in fact it is a glorified, over-exaggerated character in order to make the media more entertaining to those its designated audience. Which, for those three examples, are all 15, PEGI 16 or M for Mature. I'm no expert, but to me that suggests "do not expose this to children." All games, shows and films come with details on the back of the case or in the description as to what they contain, be it sex and rug references, violence or bad language- and so children who are not mature enough to view these things, shouldn't be, to avoid further incidents like this.

Unfortunately despite my ranting and raving, children will still watch things that aren't intended for them or play violent games, so I'll still have a 12-year-old hurling abuse at me next time I shoot him on Call of Duty. The guidelines are there for a reason, but they are just that- guidelines. Ultimately it's down to parents to decide what they expose their child to, as games such as Grand Theft Auto or Call of Duty most likely won't be banned due to their vast popularity and the money they generate - the latest Grand Theft Auto topped $800 Million in one day. That's a lot of zeros. And a minority of incidents ultimately won't effect the production of future releases.

I feel this can be said for all of the issues I have covered in this essay: yes, a few people are directly affected by what they see in films, TV shows and video games, but the majority acknowledge it as a part of everyday life. The news, in my opinion, uses video games as a scapegoat, especially regarding violence, and there are many negative stories as to how badly games affect people and people are 'manipulated' etc. but films, such as Drive are just as violent (see elevator scene), and TV programmes such as Skins promote drug usage strongly. To conclude, yes, some people copy what they see in the media, but the vast majority are not affected by issues raised in films, TV shows and video games.

Artist Confirmation - Abandoning Sunday

I'm very happy to confirm that I will be working with possibly my favourite unsigned artist, Michael Thomas, who goes by the name of Abandoning Sunday!

Abandoning Sunday was started in 2008 by Michael Thomas. He says that, "The goal is to write simple lyrics that people can relate to at some point in their lives. If I've done that, then I'm content." Abandoning Sunday have released several singles, as well as a full-band album titled "Forget", as well as the "Rest" and "Forgive" acoustic EPs, and the acoustic album "Reflect [Part 1]".

Abandoning Sunday's second album is due for release in August/September 2014 and Michael has said that I can work with any track off of that album or any previous album for the music video, and that he will help however he can. "Reflect [Part 2]" is scheduled for release next year, and this means I could produce some potential artwork for the digipak for this release.

Here is Abandoning Sunday's latest track, a taster of what is to come off of the new album: "In Your Dreams".

And this is the acoustic video for "Miles and States", taken from "Reflect [Part 1]":

Although he is an American act, Abandoning Sunday could be compared to several British acts in different ways. The theme of lyrics and style of the full band tracks could be likened to Irish pop rock group The Script, whereas the calmer tracks and more acoustic side could be compared to Kodaline, You Me At Six, Deaf Havana or Tom Odell. This means I can still carry out audience research effectively without hindering the project. I decided to work with Abandoning Sunday after having immense difficulties with many British acts: Call It Reckless, Hunter & The Bear, The Afterparty and Empire Nights all said they would like to, but couldn't work with me on the project due to schedules, current releases or band difficulties. Speaking In Shadows couldn't due to their location, and I never received a reply from Hours, All At Sea, The Oceans Above, Octavians or Headroom. The management team from Hunter & The Bear proposed the prospect of working with another act they had just taken on, but I never received any additional information after following it up. Hence, when Abandoning Sunday replied to my contact form saying he was happy to work with me, it was decided.

Be sure to listen to more tracks by Abandoning Sunday:
Website
iTunes
Noisetrade
PureVolume

Update on Unsigned Artists

I am still looking to finalise an artist that I can work with for this project. From the original shortlist every band has been contacted and I have had difficulty in getting an artist on board.

Call It Reckless - Although willing to participate, they will not have any material that I could work with until around December, which is too late for this project.

Hours - Contacted the band via E-Mail one month ago, and recieved no response.

The Afterparty - After originally having no response via E-mail, I sent the band a Direct Message via Twitter, where the band told me to forward it to their e-mail, and that they were meeting with their manager shortly which explained the silence, and I have not heard back since.

Hunter & The Bear - Unfortunately the band have such a busy schedule that it just couldn't fit - however, I am still in contact with Lily, their manager, who may be able to provide other artists, such as Rothwell.

Octavians / Headroom - No response. Headroom have just been on tour with Citizen, Octavians are working on a new album.

Empire Nights - I contacted the band, who said unfortunately they wouldn't have anything to work with for this project, and that the band were away. Shortly afterwards, my friend Stokely left the band.

Speaking in Shadows / All At Sea - E-Mail sent, no response. 

I have also contacted Abandoning Sunday and 5 & A Dime from the USA, but am yet to hear a response as of yet, just in case. However, I am confident that by working with Lily I will be able to secure an act in the near future, or I will be able to find alternative acts through my Twitter, such as The Oceans Above, Discovered, Till Tomorrow Ends, Giveittime, Skin Deep and Short Stories (USA).

Music Video Parody // Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up

Yes, that's right, you read that correctly. Enjoy our parody of Rick Astley's famous song and equally famous Dance moves in, "Never Gonna Give You Up".

Planned by: Cesco, Joe, Sean

Filmed by: Cesco, Cameron, Lee

Edited by: Ben, Cameron, Tom, Lee w/assistance from Cesco, Joe & Sean

Starring: Ben as Rick Astley, Tom and Cameron as Dancers, Cesco as Extra and Beth as Dancer.

Enjoy!

Music Video Close Analysis: Deaf Havana // "Hunstanton Pier"

Deaf Havana // Hunstanton Pier

In this close analysis I will be looking at the opening two minutes of the music video to "Hunstanton Pier" by Norfolk band Deaf Havana. The video was directed by Duncan Rice and the single was taken from the band's album "Fools and Worthless Liars" (2011) which also featured the singles "I'm A Bore, Mostly",  "The Past Six Years", and  "I Will Try". The band have are renowned for their dedicated fanbase and have recently gained popularity and attention with the release of their 2013 album "Old Souls". The band come under arguably the broadest of genres at present, Rock, with their styles being likened to that of Mallory Knox, Lower Than Atlantis and Young Guns - bands that do not flaunt generic "rockstars" but instead, down-to-Earth individuals playing meaningful music. This is evident in the track "Hunstanton Pier", as it is sometimes known as "the most beautiful homage" to a hometown, in this case the coastal town of Hunstanton, Norfolk, where lead singer James grew up. Commonly, rock bands, particularly more punk bands, sing about leaving their hometown, and so a tribute as warming as "Hunstanton Pier" truly puts your hair on end. I will be discussing the significance of the videos opening minutes in relation to the visuals and lyrics, as well as other distinctive features of the music video.

The video begins with an establishing shot of a coastal region which, anyone familiar with the region, will recognise as the coastal resort of Hunstanton. Accompanied by the soft acoustic introduction, a series of panning shots follow to depict the region. The shots present pleasant scenery, with bright natural lighting and a variety of colours - the Union Jack allows for setting to be established and the low angle shot also immediately connotes patriotism and being proud of where you are from, a theme that is evident in the lyrics. The left to right panning shot on the beach [0:10] featuring the sunlight glinting off of the sea and the many seagulls flying away is a very picturesque shot that presents themes of warmth, and the general connotations of relaxation by the coast. This opening sequence of establishing shots allows the audience to get a feel for the location and perhaps what the song will be about, and also tells the audience that the video will be narrative based, further enhanced when a fade is used at 0:12 to indicate the beginning of the 'story'.

This notion of narration is enhanced here when the shot introduces James, perched on the porch of a beach hut, looking at the camera- a typical 'storyteller' pose, he is addressing the audience, and the opening lyric, "It was 2004 if I'm not mistaken" creates a very reminiscent tone that James is recalling something from many years ago, but "I'm not mistaken" indicates it is something quite close to his heart. The close up shots of James depict him talking, whereas in the song he is singing, creating a clear contrast and helping to establish the narration in the music video. More shots of the area follow for the rest of this line before the shot returns to James for when he says, "I had friends back then and a PMA to match". This past tense and usage of the acronym PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) indicates how much times have changed since this story, and how much he has changed as a person- people have come and gone and his mentality has changed, which the audience assumes will be explained in the rest of the song. The lyric, "We were young and out of touch, with the things we'd grow to hate so much in time" is James' way of expressing how as you grow up your viewpoint of so many things changes, and things that you used to enjoy as a child are nothing but a distant memory. As he sings this lyric, he is standing on the beach with the other members of the band as they look around, reminiscent of the times they used to spend here.

This theme of memories continues into the next verse, which opens with "Back when my hair was long and Phil was still alive, we spent our days trying to speak to the girls who left us weak." The lyrics here link with the visuals of the video as James is shown walking through an open field filled with flowers, one of which he picks, perhaps a homage to his friend Phil who is remembering or to connote the despairing attempts of love indicated by "the girls who left us weak", as typically the male would give the female flowers as a sign of affection. As in the first verse, a series of close ups of James on the porch are used, which Goodwin's theories suggest are to create a "star image" of the performer, and also helps to portray James as humble. He continues to reflectively sing about how people leave, for one reason or another: "my friends been laid to rest", an intertextual reference to Phil from the previous line, and "the ones who let us in are pushing prams or raising twins" suggests a lot of the people that he used to know from his time in his hometown now have families and are raising children. The continued usage of the filters and other special effects enhance the warm atmosphere and location.

The song then progresses to the chilling pre-chorus, where James sings "to tell you the truth" - in the video, he is looking away from the camera, and this suggests that instead of just addressing the audience through looking at the camera, he is instead telling someone else - this usage of voyeurism is to perhaps show that James is actually addressing anybody and everybody with his monologue, and this shows how strongly he feels about what he is saying. The video then clearly links lyrics with visuals, as it cuts to a zoom out of a night time cityscape as he sings "I'd be lying if I said I didn't hate the city". To some, this expansive shot that captures the illuminations of a city, unknown to the audience but recognisable to most as London (1:24, St. Paul's Cathedral far right, Canary Wharf left), the capital of the country. James then sings, "I need the pier and the fresh sea air of the town that made me [who I am].", as the shot cuts back to images of the sea at Hunstanton. This poignant line indicates how appreciative James is of his hometown and how as he has grown, he has been forced to leave the region that he loved and move to the city which he 'grew to hate in time'. At 1:29, a shot is held in a location by the coast (along a Groyne) as a long period of the day is filmed and then sped up to create a montage effect- interestingly, I feel this image replicates the business of a city that James' says he does not like, but due to it being by the coast, the concept is entirely different, it is where he feels at home.

"To tell you the truth I'd be lying if I said I didn't hate the city, I need the pier and the fresh sea air of the town that made me who I am"

The final section I will be looking at is the renowned passionate chorus that has reduced many a crowd to tears. In the opening section, the chorus is sung over the acoustic backing that has been a constant throughout the opening few minutes, whereas later in the song it becomes an anthemic, powerful piece. The visuals return back to where James is telling his story, showing further usage of Goodwin's ideas about voyeurism and star image motifs, as he sings "In my heart and in my soul", which implies to the audience that he is undoubtedly certain that what he is saying is truthful. In a manner which is warming to the audience, James' soft voice sings "all the people that I've known, and the places I've called home" as the video captures different scenarios in the town and different people - two men enjoying themselves at a pub, a couple at a small stall, and a man smiling into the camera at the park- this creates an atmosphere of community, that everyone here in the town gets along and treats each other as family, and is happy where they are. They could be recollections of James' past, "the people that [he's] known" or it could be further showing the audience what it meant to be living in this community. The music picks up as the kick drum builds the emotion in the lyrics and drives the pace of the editing, as James shows his own emotions to leaving the place he called home, "there all just places that I left behind", showing how much he regrets leaving but perhaps had to, no matter how much he missed the town. This point is enhanced as he goes uses "reminders" to indicate how much things have changed. The last lyric of the chorus is tinted with regret, and yearning to relive the past, as James almost sorrowfully sings on the porch, "[reminders] of the changing times, and these ageing bones of mine". This continued theme of ageing has been observed throughout the opening, with him reflecting on when he was younger and how different things are now. The video goes on to further elaborate on the 'age' aspect, with the band reliving some childhood memories. After this last lyric, the instrumental kicks in, along with shots of stunning scenery and time lapse photography (to perhaps indicate how Hunstanton has always and will always be the same way to James) and concludes the "opening chapter" of Havana's tribute to their hometown.

In my head, and in my mind, they're all just the places that I left behind
Reminders of the changing times, and these ageing bones of mine.

I encourage you to watch the rest of the video, enjoy the amazing music of the band and even to pick up the album, but this concludes my close analysis of the opening two minutes of Deaf Havana's "Hunstanton Pier", a narrative based video that pays tribute to the band's town that shaped them into the individuals that they are today, and how although times change, and along with that people change, some things will always remain the same in people's hearts.

Anna Calvi - Desire // Group Analysis

Cesco, Joe, Tom

Anna Calvi – Desire // Music Video Analysis

0:48-1:36

At the start of this section, there is a shot that has been well balanced to depict equilibrium through use of symmetry. This is a continued theme in the video. There is a skeletal mask central to the shot, with candles symmetrically placed around it, providing a soft eerie lighting, that results in the partial obscuring of the rest of the shot. The skull and candles combined create a religious theme, and relating to the lyrics, death through this deadly Desire (Goodwin).

During the pre-chorus, the editing is in time with the movements and flickering of both the light and the action of objects in frame such as the spoons and holy water, again connoting religious themes. This relates to Goodwins ideas about the visuals matching the sound. Throughout this extract, the colour Red is increasingly prominent, with it being noticeable in almost all shots. It is used in a number of ways to develop different themes, for example, on Calvi’s lips; the Red creates a sexual undertone of desire, whereas with it being used as a lighting technique (1:14), it connotes fear and danger. In each shot, no more than one person is present at any one time, however from the shots the notion of voyeurism is more enhanced, as we as the audience feel that there is another entity present. This contrast between the repetition of “Desire” in the lyrics and the isolation in the shots could link to the contrasts between sex and intimacy, and what religion deems as correct or what is seen as conventional; religion is demonstrated to be very significant and morally correct through mise-en-scene (crucifixes, etc.) and how the temptation is corrupting this.

Secondary Shortlist of Unsigned Artists

Having done some further research I've come across a few other bands to add to the previous shortlist. The original shortlist remains priority and all of them will be contacted soon.

The Original Shortlist is:

Call It Reckless - [In Contact]

Hours - [Contacted]

The Afterparty - [Contacted]
Hunter & The Bear - [In Contact]

Octavians

Headroom

Empire Nights - [Contacted]

Other UK Bands that I have come across that are perhaps on a smaller scale that could be considered are:

Speaking In Shadows - [Contacted]

Genre: Rock // Contact: Twitter: @officialSIS // Location: Nuneaton // Similar To: Deaf Havana, Rise Against, Mallory Knox
Speaking In Shadows are a 5-piece Alternative Rock band from Nuneaton in the Midlands. With their EP coming out in July, and with a well done music video for "Technicolour Trainwreck", and a following of around 7,000 on Twitter, the band are going places.

The Oceans Above

Genre: Rock // Contact: @TheOceansAbove, Bandcamp // Location: Coventry // Similar To: I Divide, Deaf Havana, Lower Than Atlantis
The Oceans Above are a 4-piece rock band from Nuneaton, in the Midlands, and have a slightly larger following than Speaking in Shadows with 9,000 on Twitter. Their single, "I'm Gone", is now available on iTunes and the accompanying music video is well done too.

All At Sea - [Contacted]

Genre: Rock. // Contact: Twitter: @allatseauk // Location: Essex // Similar To: I Divide, Rise Against
A 5-piece rock band from Essex, All At Sea are quite popular amongst their fanbase - with a Twitter following of 13k, their own Big Cartel site and their debut EP on iTunes, the band are making good progress. However, no music video has been found on YouTube.

Small Scale, low quality, but potential:

Give It Time

Genre: Pop Punk // Contact: Twitter: @Wearegiveittime // Location: Midlands, UK // Similar To: Neck Deep, Man Overboard.

Skin Deep

Genre: Pop Punk //Contact: Bandcamp or @skinderp // Location: Shrewsbury // Similar To: Decade.

American Acts
Abandoning Sunday


Genre: Pop Rock, Acoustic // Contact: Twitter: @abandonsunday // Location: Florida, USA.
Abandoning Sunday was started in 2008 by Michael Thomas, who describes the project's goal as "to write simple lyrics that people can relate to at some point in their lives".
Singles: Patience, Example A, Miles and States, Words.
Albums/EPs: Forget, Reflect, Forgive, Rest.
Similar To: Jimmy Eat World, The Icarus Account, Yellowcard
Thomas is a gem of an artist- with a small following of about 2k on Twitter and such talent in his songwriting abilities, it is hard to comprehend why he is not bigger. The second full band album is expected this summer.

5 & A Dime


Genre: EDM // Contact: Email, @fiveandadime // Location: Philadelphia
Albums: As Mash-Up Artist: The Other White Meat, Ear Candy, #BASSMOB Trilogy
Singles: Quest, Swell.
Remixes: Talk Dirty, Details, Bass Cannon, Dancing In The Moonlight, The Recipe, Let the Bass Kick In, Damage Control, Intergalactic.
Music Videos: #BASSMOB
Similar To: 3LAU, The White Panda, Steve Aoki
Having been a member of 5 & A Dime's "#BASSMOB" fanbase for many years, I've followed Greg and his work. With support from many EDM heavyweights, the former Mash-Up Artist is now taking to producing.

Short Stories


Genre: Pop Punk // Location: San Diego // Contact: Bandcamp, Twitter @ShortStoriesSD
Singles: Here's To Hoping
EP: When Love Is Lost
Similar To: Blink-182, Man Overboard, Real Friends
Short Stories are a small 5-piece "Emotional Pop Punk" band hailing from San Diego. Their strong vocal lead makes them unique and with a small following, they are are a typical pop punk band.

Old Again

Genre: Pop Punk // Location: USA // Contact: Bandcamp.

I hope you enjoy this selection, this secondary shortlist gives me much more potential should artists from the original shortlist be unavailable.