LO1: Task 4 Cross-Media Product Case Study

LO1: Task 4 Cross-Media Product Case Study

How has the Cyberpunk Franchise been cross-promoted across different platforms?

Cyberpunk Edgerunners is an animated series produced by Studio Trigger which is an adaptation of the video game developed & published by CD Project Red, Cyberpunk 2077 (which is also based on the tabletop series of the same name by Mike Pondsmith). This series was created to increase interest in the video game and this was done through distributing Edgerunners onto Netflix to reach an audience of digital natives within the same target demographics as the game (men & women between 17-30) . This spurred a significant increase in the game's player base and therefore, highly increased profits toward CDPR as a media conglomerate, with an increase of 'one million active players following the Netflix anime'. A Netflix series also meant that audiences could access and watch the series at any time, anywhere (provided with an internet connection) via the Netflix app on blackbox devices. This was a direct benefit of cross-promotion and adaptation as CD Project Red utilised horizontal integration to distribute one of their products onto an audio visual platform to increase audience engagement. 

How has the Cyberpunk brand been distributed & advertised?

To further promote the franchise and appeal to the digital native audience, CDPR created official 'Cyberpunk' social media accounts on sites like YouTube and Netflix. This allowed them to post trailers and screenshots for the upcoming production and any subsequent updates/merchandise (for additional profit) for both Cyberpunk 2077 and Edgerunners. The effect this had creates instant advertising/viral marketing, meaning interested audiences would be automatically shown the post via Instagram and YouTube's algorithms & hashtags. These posts/videos could then be immediately shared to a friend or commented on (giving feedback or conveying audience engagement/social interaction as gratifications of Web 2.0. This method of above the line advertising would therefore, inform audiences what platforms the products would be distributed on whilst building intrigue. Cyberpunk 2077 releasing on PlayStation and X-Box 7th & 8th gen consoles as well as PC; likewise Edgerunners would debut on Netflix. 

Who is the target demographic?

Cyberpunk Edgerunners is targeted toward an ABC1 demographic of men and women aged between 17-30; the reason for this is a requirement of disposable income to afford a Netflix subscription and the prevalence of mature themes throughout the series such as graphic violence and political commentary. Furthermore, key representations within the show are between ages 17 to late 30's; particularly the protagonists David and Lucy who can act as ideal selves (Carl Rogers 1980) for the male and female sides of the target demographic. Likewise, Cyberpunk 2077 is targeted towards the same audience but with a further emphasis on an ABC1 audience who require the disposable income to not only afford the game but also a platform to play it on. Furthermore, recognisable actors: Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba both play main characters within the game's story; the characters designed to look like them (much like a movie) which furthers audience engagement by creating a secondary audience of fans of their films/series, likely men aged above 30. CDPR uses them to give audiences an understanding to what they can expect through the kind of people involved with the product (Branston & Stafford 1999). Furthermore, ideal selves are made even more abundant in the custom character creation which allows audiences to immerse themselves in the world through their own character that represents them.

How can audiences access the Cyberpunk franchise following Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 has significantly broadened the access of content, as exemplified by Cyberpunk, to consumers and has subsequently made the gap in that accessibility between an ABC1 and C2DE audience more benign. Anyone with a blackbox device can pay a monthly £4.99 fee (or £10 with adverts) to stream Cyberpunk Edgerunners and then access it on any other (blackbox) device at anytime, anywhere. The benefit of this is evident in the uses and gratifications (Blumler & Katz 1972) this series provides. One such gratification which is emphasised by Web 2.0 is social interaction and the ease at which social media provides it. Cyberpunk, both as an animated series and game, provides societal commentary which parallels and is influenced by real world events or structures. Characters in Edgerunners like Faraday exemplify a corrupt, capitalist centred, but ultimately, corporate slave who entirely juxtaposes the protagonist, David Martinez, who comes from an impoverished background and is forced into a criminal lifestyle. These would therefore reflect the difference in class and what opportunities people have available to them by birth right in a form of the gratification, surveillance. After watching an episode from their blackbox device, an active audience member can go into online

discussions with others to discuss their own opinions and collaborate regardless of geographical location; allowing people to act globally (Wikinomics, Tapscott & Williams). Popular sites where an audience can do this include: Instagram, Discord, Reddit and Twitter/X. Additionally, a prosumer can now create their own art, animations or concepts related to Cyberpunk and post them in these discussions. This directly benefits both CD Project Red and prosumers on social media which can be seen in an illustration contest for Cyberpunk which was held in 2020 where artists would have their work featured on the Cyberpunk official social media pages. This encouraged prosumers to interact with the product and therefore, benefit CDPR. 

Was the adaptation of Cyberpunk successful?

Cyberpunk Edgerunners was a pivotal point in the sales career of Cyberpunk as a franchise due to the immense precedent it set for

video game A/V adaptations; later inspiring other animated series like Dead Cells & The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, also produced by CD Project Red. Cyberpunk 2077 also struggled with a poor reputation due to its unfinished state during exhibition however, Edgerunners assisted by shining a positive light on the franchise and increasing the game's player base dramatically therefore, allowing CDPR to gain the additional funding to update the game further and create another animated series for Cyberpunk which they teased on YouTube during a Netflix presentation. Furthermore, the social media presence which Edgerunners has made created an entire community of its own as one of the best animated series to release in the last decade. This is with thousands of likes on each post from CDPR related to Cyberpunk; with almost 200k followers on the Edgerunners Instagram account and millions of views on the official Cyberpunk Edgerunners (YouTube) videos (e.g. the opening credits). Prosumers have also created many pieces of fan content from art to short animations featuring the characters from the series, furthering social interaction (Blumler & Katz 1972). 

Bibliography

Edgerunners information

CDPR Instagram

LO1: Task 3 Technological Convergence, Advertising and Distribution

 LO1: Task 3 Technological Convergence, Advertising and Distribution

Social Media Advertising

Elden Ring was developed by Fromsoftware and published by Bandai Namco with a heavy presence within social media advertising; an example of this being the official Elden Ring account on social media sites like Instagram and Twitter. The effect of this allowed anyone with a blackbox device (i.e any device with a connection to the internet) to follow and receive immediate updates on the game before and after its release in February 2022. 

However, the extent of social media advertising for Elden Ring went further than just its social media accounts due to its developer and publisher; evident in Branson and Stafford's theory (1999) that with the reputation and pre-existing status of these companies, synergy could be created between them and Elden Ring. This evident in cross-promotion of the game on Fromsoftware and Bandai Namco's social media accounts meaning anyone who was already following their accounts would be informed about the game's status through trailers, screenshots and posters without needing to follow the dedicated Elden Ring social media account. This would positively affect the producers as they can reach their target audience (16-25) easily through advertising on an app that they are likely to use as digital natives via instant advertising. This therefore, benefits the audience as they can naturally be informed about the state of the game without having to actively look for updates, vicariously through Elden Ring's Instagram (or Twitter) posts on their feed. 

This would further benefit the audience as they don't need to follow one social media account (that they may never have found) to be informed about the game and they aren't limited to one social platform with updates across sites like Instagram, Twitter and YouTube (that each appeal to different audiences i.e. YouTube with in-depth trailers and short-form-content in Instagram with simple screenshots and posters). This combined with the ease of access to this promotional material via blackbox devices makes it as accessible to an audience as possible (primarily digital natives due to the social media presence). In addition, the different forms of promotional content specific to their respective sites allows each psychographic (e.g. people who have more or less time than others to consume/be informed about Elden Ring) to be appealed to and understand through instant/viral advertising that comes via social media marketing. This would also allow them to quickly understand what they're being advertised; through targeted advertising (that is in most social media platforms) that audience can understand if it's something that appeals to them (i.e. Fantasy, 3rd Person RPG). This is evident in Patrick Philips 1996 theory that genres (and their iconography/conventions being conveyed) reassure audiences to what they can expect of a product. 

Advantages of Video on Demand Distribution

An example of a current video on demand/streaming would be Amazon Prime which allows anyone with a blackbox device to stream or download content to watch any time on any device with an internet connection. This would stand as a benefit for a prosumer, accessing content whenever, wherever on whatever however, Sonia Livingstone's 1999 theory, 'The Death of The Schedule' audiences have become more disconnected from each other because of the ease of access to audio/visual media. Before Web 2.0, audiences would rely on programmed, televised content which required for the viewer to be watching at the time of broadcast; any subsequent viewing would be done either through physical copies of films and series via DVD and VHS or via a Sunday Omnibus which some PSB's like the BBC offered. However, whilst this made accessing or watching a certain piece of media difficult, it encouraged social groups to watch together and subsequently made watching TV a social event; now with the ease of access to content through streaming services like Amazon Prime and blackbox devices such as phones, audiences are no longer required to watch content at a specific time on one television. This would therefore, also stand against Blumler and Katz's theory that as a gratification, audiences can socialise and discuss the content they've just watched together due to the schedule. 

However, this same theory is also proved as the gratification of social interaction is now also possible online via social media services available on blackbox devices such as Instagram and Snapchat. Unfortunately the ease of access to media now in comparison to its difficulty before Web 2.0 has made the regulation of media more difficult. An example on Amazon Prime would be its mature series (intended for 18+ audiences by the BBFC) The Boys. This series contains several scenes of graphic violence and depictions of mature themes. This is as theorized by Tim O'Sullivan 1998 (any theme or ideology can appear in any media) with the portrayal of themes like racism or sexism; that also convey Alvarado's theory of misrepresentation of cultures in media. This would be evident in a plot point in which a fictional (in universe) film is created to depict the life of a person of colour and uses the stereotype of this character coming from a dangerous, poor neighbourhood as a stereotype. In this example is where a disadvantage of VOD comes from in the negative effects these representations of stereotypes and visceral imagery can have on an unintended, passive audience. Gerbner and Gross' 1979 theory is evidence that audiences will believe the representations they see in media products to be real life; the effect of this being to believe this misrepresented stereotype regarding a person of colour is an accurate representation. Likewise, Craig Anderson theorized in 2007 that audiences have become desensitized to violence; seeing such an extent of it (like Homelander incinerating a crowd of protesters) would have that effect. Effects like these are attributed to streaming services as without parental locks (that do exist to filter and adapt content - Gauntlett 1995) anyone with an internet connection can access these scenes. 

Alternatively, these negative effects can also be argued against within the same example as the same audiences that have access to this content so easily can also use it for positive gratifications such as social interaction, surveillance or entertainment (Blumler and Katz 1972). The Boys with examples such as Starlight who fights against misogynistic male gaze (Laura Mulvey 1975) provocative beauty standards can create an ideal self for a young female audience (Carl Rogers 1980) of digital natives that are the most likely to stream this content. This would also allow audiences to question stereotypes in media (and subsequently real-life) and therefore, proves that the ease of access toward VOD services like Amazon Prime and their series' like The Boys have more advantages than just their availability to a prosumer. Additionally, The Boys as a series is created with stereotypes in mind and plays on them to satirise the incorrect or offensive stereotypes that people believe and would therefore, necessitate a more active audience that would use technological convergence to learn more about the world via the internet or news.

Video on demand distribution benefits the producer/Amazon as they can maximise memberships through having many prosumer ways that an audience can access the content they're interested in; no longer risking audiences missing their shows due to timed schedules. Therefore, the benefits to a prosumer benefit the producer: the content the audience wants to watch has become more accessible as they can stream it through blackbox devices; they're then more likely to purchase an Amazon Prime subscription which benefits the producer. This would also apply to the subsidiary producer of The Boys (Eric Kripke) as The Boys has become accessible for audiences to watch, increasing its popularity and increasing its income. 

With radio, the example of simulcast is evidence of technological convergence as it allows audiences to virtually 'watch radio'. An example of this would be Radio 1's Live Lounge where artists like Fontaine's D.C. (covering their song 'Favourite') play live, playing through BBC Radio 1 and simulcasted to Radio 1 Live Lounge's website where audiences can watch a stream of them playing. This is also evident of time shifting where audiences can watch this broadcast following it's upload to YouTube afterwards. Other examples like LBC achieve a similar goal through uploading 'best moments' or highlights of shows like the 10-1 James O'Brien broadcast which is filmed and later uploaded to the LBC YouTube channel. 

How Technological Convergence Has Impacted How Audiences Access Products

Technological convergence has ultimately expanded the ways in which audiences can access media however, this has also forced the industry to remove or limit the other ways they distribute their products for audiences to access. An example of distribution that has impacted moving image accessibility the most is in online streaming services and subscriptions. These would include examples like Netflix or Amazon Prime for TV and film where anyone with a blackbox device can access content that would otherwise be restricted to a TV schedule or cinema; this also proves Sonia Livingstone's 1999 theory regarding the death of the schedule. This subsequently diversified the way audiences access these products, no longer needing to go out and pay for a cinema ticket or watch a single TV at a certain time to watch what they want to; they can now access what they want to anywhere at any time with a mobile blackbox device. This has also decreased the requirement to purchase a DVD or VHS copy of a TV series or film after their initial broadcast as now on streaming sites, this content can be accessed alongside everything else within the service for an overall cheaper cost therefore, being more prosumer. Examples would include The (Marvel) Avengers films which can now all be accessed via Disney + without the need to separately buy DVD copies of the films past their initial premiere in cinemas. Furthermore, TV series or films on streaming sites like Netflix can be downloaded onto a blackbox device so that audiences can watch them anywhere (at any time) even without an internet connection (such as on a long flight).

This diversification in the way audiences can access media is also prevalent within radio. The best example would be BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge which allows its listeners to watch radio via simulcast. The effect of this is that Live Lounge will be playing simultaneously on traditional radio, purely in audio, and can be played online (via blackbox device) on their website or app (BBC Sounds) to watch the live performances visually at the same time. This therefore, diversifies the ways in which audiences can access radio content through giving them multiple platforms and ways to stream/listen to radio. 

Technological convergence benefits the producers of Live Lounge (the BBC) as they've created spectacle through simulcast which increases audience engagement and therefore, popularity, increasing income and listeners for Live Lounge. This also benefits BBC as they can reach a wider audience of digital natives (that are the target audience of Live Lounge) therefore, appealing to them. This would subsequently benefit that audience as they have more ways to interact with radio and access it via blackbox device rather than just a radio. Likewise, in the case of TV and Film, audiences are no longer restricted to one device (cinema or TV) or time to watch what content they want to.

Bibliography

Elden Ring Instagram

Elden Ring Twitter

Radio 1 Live Lounge

LO1 Task 2: Technological Convergence and Production Techniques

LO1 Task 2: Technological Convergence and Production Techniques

Convergent Technologies:

Technological convergence and the introduction of Web 2.0 has (mostly) positively impacted the media industry as now prosumers can access media products through blackbox devices (Henry Jenkins 2008) which allow audiences to access multiple different forms of media through the internet. This could include a phone which can have Netflix for film and TV, make calls,  read magazines online etc. This benefits general consumers as they can access multiple kinds of media from one device. However, this creates a disconnect between audiences, as proven by Sonia Livingstone through the 'death of the schedule' where the social events like a family gathering to watch a TV series together due to those series airing at only a specific time. Now audiences can watch whatever they want, whenever. 

Furthermore, this also benefits producers as they can distribute their products onto different platforms; furthering synergy and horizontal integration as a benefit as conglomerates can also advertise or adapt their products into differing media types/platforms. 

Audiences/prosumers are able to produce their own media easily after the introduction of Web 2.0 due to the accessibility of free online software which audiences can use to gain experience in game development for themselves. Team Cherry are an example of this with their first full title game Hollow Knight which benefitted from new technologies introduced in Web 2.0

Pre-Production:

An example within the interactive industry for how the pre-production stage has been improved due to web 2.0 would be Hollow Knight. Team Cherry (the creators of the game) were able to communicate ideas and planning documents online without having to be physically near each other through software like Microsoft Teams; hosting meetings to discuss ideas for the game. Additionally, pre-production documents like storyboards and scripts which due to cloud technology, could be worked on and seen by multiple developers at once (the co-producers William Pellen and Ari Gibson editing each others work at once). Additionally, due to these technologies and cloud software, Team Cherry would have been able to view and edit updates via black box devices such as a home computer or mobile phone. Team Cherry as an independent studio were able to take advantage to these technologies therefore, companies with lower budgets (i.e. a conglomerate's budget is not necessary to take advantage of these pre-production applications). Furthermore, web 2.0 is prosumer with free software like Ibis Paint that can be used to create planning documents like a storyboard or site-map which other developers can take advantage of. This software is accessible to a prosumer due to Ibis Paint's distribution across blackbox devices, i.e. anyone with a device that can connect to the internet is able to use this free software.

Team Cherry especially benefited from web 2.0 during their production stage due to their main source of funding from the game through a 'Kickstarter' campaign (crowd-funding) which allowed the team to gain a source of income online and share ideas/developments from the project with those who were funding it therefore, gaining interest from an audience to guarantee sales. Due to this, their funding goals for Hollow Knight were eventually met; the effect of this on development allowed for stretch goals to be met which meant adding more content to the game therefore, extending the time of pre-production and production for the content to be made (e.g. The White Palace as a stretch goal to be added). The team was therefore, directly benefitted by Web 2.0 as crowd-funding in this way would not be possible, meaning production was able to be easily funded and the game could be developed smoothly.

Production: 

During the production of the game, Web 2.0 furthered the ease of development for Team Cherry via online software like garage band which can be easily accessed for free by the composer Christopher Larkin. Due to the ease of access and online platform within Apple blackbox devices, Christopher was easily able to share his music with his colleagues for peer-review. Communication with his colleagues is also greatly assisted by built in software in Apple devices like 'Mail' or 'Apple Messages' however, platforms like Microsoft Teams or Outlook are also available on those same blackbox devices as a means of sharing his work with others in production.  

Hollow Knight's development was within the Unity engine which is a free software that is accessible via computer or laptop therefore, anyone with this hardware is able to use the same equipment which Team Cherry used to develop their own games. This would make the software accessible to prosumers within the ABC1 bracket due to the requirement of a laptop or personal computer, not being accessible via mobile phone but other specific blackbox devices. An alternative however, would be RPG maker which is accessible via a phone or most other blackbox device. 

Post-Production:

Post-production is the stage in which interactive media benefits more from than any other kind of media and that's due to the ability to update products online after they've already been released and adding additional content afterwards through downloadable content (DLC). An example of this benefit of Web 2.0 in the post-production of Hollow Knight would be in the Gods and Glory DLC which released in 2018 (one year after the release of the original game) and included additional content to keep audiences engaged as well as gaining a new audience members through a fresh way to advertise the game and get other people who don't already own the game interested. This content included some tweaks to the original game and new levels for players to engage with. The benefit of Web 2.0 allowed Team Cherry to update the game to improve it but also gain income through advertising the new content on social media platforms like YouTube through trailers which will appeal to the audience of digital natives due to the platforms the game is advertised and distributed on (i.e. Playstation, X-Box and Nintendo consoles and Steam) therefore, increasing profit. The ability to update after launch is also evidence of technological convergence as before Web 2.0, games, after being published and distributed, would not be able to be updated as they are now through code changes and version controls (e.g. Elden Ring's Shadow of The Erdtree update moving the game to ver. 1.14).

Another benefit of Web 2.0 on interactive products would be the Unity Engine which Hollow uses to run that Team Cherry can use to edit parts of the game (as well as active audiences through modding the game for fan generated content) after development. This allows for issues like bugs to fixed and parts of the game like levels and characters; this can create a blend between production and post-production in development. Alternatively, free development software like Game Maker is available which allows you to do these same things, including production and post-production. This would be accessible via blackbox devices and is therefore, prosumer, anyone with an internet connection who has developed their game can update it. 

Unit 24 LO1: Task 1 - Media Products in the Interactive Industry

Unit 24 LO1: Task 1 - Media Products in the Interactive Industry

Ownership: In comparison, indie and conglomerate based productions within the interactive industry operate very differently in ownership. An example of a conglomerate would be Sony who operate their interactive industry through Sony Interactive. What follows this is other game studios which they purchase through vertical integration such as Guerrilla Games or Naughty Dog. Due to this, Sony can benefit from the vertical integration to produce different interactive products from their subsidiaries (I.e. Guerrilla Games with Horizon Zero Dawn and Naughty Dog with The Last of Us). Due to this, Sony owns the rights to these products. Furthermore, this allows Sony to benefit from horizontal integration meaning they can distribute their products on different platforms such as the PlayStation 5 and advertise the product in a Sony Pictures film like Spiderman: Across the Spider-verse did with advertising the Spiderman game on PlayStation. Synergy is also created here as Spiderman: Across the Spider-verse is then also advertised by the Sony game Spiderman: Miles Morales. 

Independent companies however, don't get the same benefits of vertical integration and all that comes with it due to the prevalence of a joint venture in the industry. An example which would apply, linking to Sony, would be BluePoint Studios (before they were bought by Sony) which distributed their games on PlayStation as Sony controlled their distribution, whilst they produced the game. An example of this being Demon's Souls which was developed by Bluepoint and distributed on PlayStation.

Adaptation: An adaptation which came from a book into a game, produced by a conglomerate is The Witcher which eventually became a game series owned by conglomerate CD Project Red. This benefitted CD Project Red as they already had interest from the audiences which enjoyed the Witcher book series as likely audience members to the Witcher game series and likewise, this benefits the audience as they now have a different platform to interact with the series now as an active audience rather than passive. This proved successful as The Witcher 3 (the most recent entry) grossed $1,302,872,280 with 50 million copies sold. The Witcher games appeal to the fans of the books through (in the case of The Witcher 3) expanding on the narrative of the books so that the audience can engage interactively as Geralt, a character they may find an ideal self/partner in (Carl Rogers 1980) and experience stories they've read in a visual and interactive manner. The Witcher 3 expanding on this with content such as Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine which use characters and locations from throughout the books in a new narrative that previous audiences can gain further enjoyment from the series out of. Seeing locations like Toussaint or Oxenfurt realised and be free to explore; meeting characters like Regis in a brand new story that fans of the books and games will enjoy.  

Brands: Red Dead Redemption uses cross-media promotion in traditional and viral marketing methods to sell itself as a brand to different audiences. An example of traditional advertisement would be billboards on buses which appeal to an older demographic on their daily commute (digital immigrants who are intrigued by the classic Western genre) and social media advertisements like trailers on YouTube that appeal to a younger, digital native audience due to the developer's reputation (Rockstar, a conglomerate) with games like the Grand Theft Auto series, that are mainly played by a younger (mature teenage) audience. The game's genre as an action RPG allows audiences to become more attached to the characters like John Marston and Arthur Morgan as they role-play as them in expanses of the Old West. The audience gaining entertainment through the presentation of playing as an outlaw on the run from the law as they engage in heated shootouts for a visceral pleasure (Rick Altman 1999). 

Another brand would be Crash Bandicoot (owned by Activision) which appeals to a different, younger (7-15) audience compared to Red Dead Redemption's 18+ audience. An example entry in the series recently would be Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time which used cross-media-promotion in being advertised on social media through trailers and screenshots on sites like YouTube and Instagram for instant. Another example being (similar to Red Dead Redemption) billboards to reach audiences whilst they're on daily commutes for mass advertisement. Examples why the game appeals to its audience also in its advertising as a long awaited sequel to the Crash Bandicoot series following its latest (new) entry back in 2008 with Crash Bandicoot: Mind Over Mutant. This means that long time fans of the series (beyond the 7-15 primary demographic) gain gratification to finally experiencing a new entry; references to the older games like subtle posters in the game's levels featuring characters like Pinstripe Potoroo, Megamix and Fake Crash.  

Audience Pleasures: A brand which contains various audience pleasures within the interactive industry would be Red Dead Redemption 2 from Rockstar Studios. An Example of this would be ideal self which can be made from characters like Arthur Morgan for men due to his dominant and masculine but sensitive presentation in the game which can appeal to a male audience as an ideal self (Carl Rogers 1980). Likewise for a female audience with Sadie Adler who acts as a strong female character in the narrative the audience can relate to (with her and Arthur also acting as ideal partners). Surveillance (Blumler and Katz 1972) is also present in the game due to the historical influence of the late 1800's America where issues like racism and sexism were prevalent which the game talks about, informing and also educating an audience. Due to this social interaction (Blumler and Katz 1972) is also possible due to the ways that these issues are presented to the audience where people can debate whether they're effective or not and if they relate to the modern world. Entertainment (Blumler and Katz 1972) also present in the gameplay which uses Western conventions like train heists and running from the law to allow the audience to further their immersion into the world as they role-play as characters like Arthur to further the ideal self. This also creates a visceral pleasure as you fight other people in shootouts in the gameplay. This is furthered with emotional pleasures (Rick Altman 1999) due to the grounded story and relatable characters like Arthur and Dutch in which emotional scenes take place like when Dutch leaves Arthur. 

Crash Bandicoot offers its own pleasures, primarily being entertainment due to the audience demographic through the platforming gameplay, vibrantly and varyingly designed levels and worlds with colourful characters that the audience can find easily likeable, understanding their role in the story quickly by how they act through clear connotations, in comparison to red dead redemption where everyone is like a real human being. Due to this there is less of an ideal self however, in examples of juxtaposing designs (Crash being high key-coloured against someone like N.Gin who is low-key coloured in costume therefore, creating villain connotations). This allows a younger audience to connect to the characters quickly therefore, entertaining them (Blumler and Katz 1972). 

LO2: Task 4 - Professional Etiquette

LO2: Task 4 - Professional Etiquette

Professional Etiquette as a screen/script-writer:

Professional etiquette is your ability to remain cordial and meet the requirements that others expect of you within your job role. This would include meeting deadlines and being able to communicate appropriately based on your role. The effect of professional etiquette is that production and interactions with other team members can run as smoothly as possible. 

As a screen/script-writer the pre-production and production team are dependent on your work as it's your role to create the narrative the project, the characters to be played by the cast, their personalities, the events in the story, its structure and the content/genre that will be shown. Ultimately your work determines the actions of the rest of your team for the project such as casting directors that will find suitable actors to play your characters, storyboard artists who you'll need to explain your vision to, the director and producer who you'll need to justify it to as well as how it relates to the brief you've been given. This also relating to regulation with the content that you write being fitting for the target audience therefore, its essential your script is as understandable and fitting to what you've been asked as possible so that everyone else involved can work off the script as smoothly as possible. 

You would need to maintain a professional relationship with those above you in production such as the director and producer, taking their feedback professionally and adapting it as they're the ones who your work is most vital to and is made for/needs to be appealed to. Due to this, professional etiquette is essential as you meet deadlines and communicate professionally with your fellow production members. 

Hierarchy Diagram

Position in Hierarchy and effect on other job roles:

The writer is positioned above the line in the hierarchy therefore, has an influential position that affects the rest of the team involved in the production. This is including a script supervisor who acts as the editor for the script produced by the writer; talking through it with the writer so that it relates to their brief as suitably as possible and will be understandable to the rest of the team so everyone understands what their role is in creating/planning the production. This is also inclusive of fine-tuning the content to be as effective and engaging as possible. Another role which is close to the writer is the director (beneath the producer) who the writer needs to communicate their ideas within the script to so that the director can relay that information to the rest of the crew. Examples including setting for set designers and costume for costume designers; these being part of the art department (storyboard artists too with the events of the narrative which the director can relay information like shot types to). This could also affect the casting director who needs to base their casting around the characters you have created. A role this affects too is the assistant director who your communication with the director will impact; their understanding of what you've communicated to the director also affecting everyone under their supervision like the art department, effects artists and cast.  

Failing to accommodate the other team members through either not completing your script by the deadline, poorly communicating your ideas or failing to meet the brief would prove problematic for almost everyone involved due to the writer's position in the hierarchy table, above the line meaning a high responsibility due to the importance of the script in a media production.

These include: 

• The director (who can't communicate to the cast or director of photography regarding effective shot types that signify certain events or character types in the product).

• The casting director (who doesn't understand what characters they need and therefore, what cast is suitable).

• The locations manager (who doesn't know what settings will be fitting).

• The assistant director (who doesn't know what they need to communicate to the art department, cast, effects artists, sound artists or stuntmen). 

LO2: Task 3: Career Pathways

 LO2: Task 3 - Career Pathways 

Independent: This work would involve self-employment (freelance) which would therefore, require organizational and communication skills so that you can interact and negotiate with your employer as well as selling your services to them; this is in conjunction with managing multiple projects with different employers at the same time. An example of a freelance employer for screen/script-writing that is currently available would be on Upwork (Looking for Film/TV screenwriter to write short form scripts for YouTube – Freelance job in Content Writing – US$300.00 Fixed price, posted 8 March 2024 - Contract to hire – Upwork) to write short (1500-3000 word) scripts for a YouTube channel which will culminate into 10 scripts total for a fixed payout of $300. Due to the lower payout as a freelancer within the pay to work ratio, multiple contracts with other employers would have to be sought out for extra earnings and further experience therefore, requiring organizational skills to balance those projects and the workload required to meet their individual deadlines. 

Voluntary Sector: Volunteering as a screen/script-writer would provide valuable work experience to get your foot in the door of the media industry and work with other companies to produce work with well-known names in the industry. An example of a volunteering for script-writing would be with Industrial Scripts (Volunteering Opportunities | Industrial Scripts | Film & Editing) who have worked with producers such as Robert Jones (The Usual Suspects) and Caryn Mandabach (Peaky Blinders). Volunteering with Industrial Scripts would require communication skills to keep in contact with the company to understand what work they're requesting and to give feedback on what script work you create for them. This would also therefore, require the skills needed to be a screen/script writer such as media knowledge and awareness as well as English/writing skills. 

Employment: Employment would be the gateway into working as a screen/script-writer: working with an established employer under a salary and contract, likely working on similar media content such as type (i.e. film) and genre. An example of employment that could get you into the industry and gain experience would be as a junior copywriter in Manchester (40 content writer jobs in Manchester, England, April 2024 | Glassdoor). This work would require (as is consistent with script-writing jobs) organizational, creative and communication skills as well as being able to meet deadlines and manage vast workloads which include researching the topic your copywrite is based on. 

Work Based Training (Apprenticeship): An apprenticeship (similarly to voluntary work) is a method of introducing yourself to working in the media industry under the guidance of an employer however, alternatively, this work is paid. An example of work experience for script writing would be within the application for 'content creatives' in Manchester (Content Creatives - Greater Manchester - 2024 for Channel 4 (248580) (getmyfirstjob.co.uk). This work (as with most other media apprenticeships) contains a variety of media related work, involving script/content-writing however, due to this, skills required involve more than media and English capabilities such as art, photography and graphic design. This is also including research ability, pitching (communication) and handling your own tax and accounts as this involves freelance work. 

Further Education (College): College (as part of further education) allows for script/screen-writing skills to be developed through creative media coursework and A-level English language and literature courses to further writing capabilities, understand more about the writing and development seen within other literature and media, gaining the skills to disect, understand and be influenced by it. An example for this would be the Creative Digital Media Diploma at UTC Sheffield (Creative and Digital Media - UTC Sheffield City Centre) which allows for media skills, including script-writing, to be developed. This is in addition with other features of the course such as advertising for a real client which can develop communication and organizational skills which are vital as a freelance (or employed) screen/script-writer.  

Higher Education (University): University (similarly to college/further education) allows for further study into the media industry to refine your skills within a media sector you take interest in and for script/screen-writing this would be the English and film course at Salford University in Manchester (BA (Hons) English and Film | University of Salford). Similarly to college, the same skills will be required however, this is in a focused course of study which means English, creative and media knowledge/analysis skills are essential. This course includes understanding literature and film in critical analysis of their creative and contextual creation; this including the writing of the media analysed. This allows for influence from understanding studied media to shed light on your own writing so that it can be refined and taken into employment or freelance.

LO2: Task 2

LO2 Task 2: Investigating a Job Role

Investigated Job Role: Screen Writer

I have decided to investigate the job role of a screen-writer as I take interest in both media and English therefore, I can combine the two to create my own original vision and creative pieces of writing that can be translated into audio/visual media. 

Practical and Technical Skills

Skills required as a screen-writer  include capabilities within media and English academically, being able to understand the conventions of the format in which your writing will take place so that actors, directors and producers can visualize your scripts so that they can be used to give creative direction to those staff members. This furthered by the adaptations to audio visual and interactive meaning that these directions have to be specific to the media the script is created for therefore, requiring an understanding of conventions and capability to write narratives as well as dialogue. A practical skill required would be to be able to meet strict deadlines which require vast amounts of work to be presented within, requiring organizational skills. Another skill that would be necessary would be software knowledge including Microsoft word and excel for planning. Furthermore, a general understanding of arts and historical contexts which may become prevalent within your work if it's based on a piece of history or is being used as a method of surveillance to make the audience aware of the world around them in conjunction with creative abilities like writing and understanding how your scenes will play out. 

Specific Industry Knowledge

Required industry knowledge would be the ability to research related subject matter to the media in which a script is needed to be written to understand the conventions and styles of it; this is inclusive of adapting those conventions to the form the media will take such as a tv series, film or game. This would require knowledge of research methods such as focus groups in which further communication is necessary alongside an understanding of target audiences. This would then extend to communicating this to other crew members so they can plan what will be needed to fulfill certain parts of the script such as necessary props and their uses. An example of this would be a fantasy series in which a lute is needed for a bard therefore, it would be necessary to communicate the need to have a lute on set and for someone to have the capability to play it. 

Communication Skills  - Oral and Written

Communication skills are highly needed as a screen-writer; this is evident within the strict deadlines in which you will have to exchange between the director, producer, actors and development producers to communicate your drafts to so that they can be in an agreed upon finished state before the deadline's end in which the script will need to be presented to everyone (that is necessary). Additionally, screen-writer's are often assisted by researchers who will assist in understanding what they're writing. Furthermore, you will need freelancing skills which comes with presentation capabilities to be able to pitch yourself and potential screen-plays to a producer so they can pick up your work. Screen-writers are also joined by script editors who will read through their work as the two communicate ideas and edits to each other, requiring creativity. Lastly they will have to communicate with the development producer to get the screen-play/script ready for production. Furthermore, online meetings such as Teams or Zoom allow for everyone needed/involved with the script to give feedback so everyone can create an agreed upon draft and understand their roles in relation to the screen-play. You can further this through an online table read where actors can read their roles and the director (and yourself) can give guidance during the read.

Organization

Due to strict and tight deadlines, extensive planning is needed to have your screen-play in a finished state and be ready to communicate it with other crew members like the development producer. Software that can assist in this including excel in which you can create a production schedule to plan out your work load. Furthermore, the various drafts of the screenplays need to be organized and sent to the right people at the right times with instructions or guidance for feedback given to each dependent on their significance to the script (e.g. a script editor with the dialogue or an actor with the directions). 

Creativity

Creative skills as a screen-writer are vital in creating fluid and natural dialogue exchanges between characters which progress the story. This is especially true if in your role you're the one creating the narrative and story, I.E your own original story rather than what a client or employer has requested of you, being able to define personality traits in setting and character and using historical or social contexts effectively and morally if relevant to the narrative. This is in addition to deciding how each scene will play out, character's roles within it, the setting, props and actions within; this including discussions with the director regarding potential shot types and angles within the scene. 

Problem Solving

Potential issues could be the strict deadlines which can be remedied through using excel to produce a production schedule for yourself (or following one made by your employer) to manage the time and amount of work needed to be completed before the deadline; furthering this with planning documents to gather potential ideas for either the narrative or certain scenes or characters such as a mind map or a mood-board to get visual representations you can present to your team to give them a clearer/visual idea for your screen-play. This therefore, assists with dealing with deadlines due to getting your ideas clear and developed early. Possible contingencies for software like Microsoft Word could be pen and paper which can then be physically given to the production crew; this also eliminates any reliance on E-Mail.

Working as Part of a Team

Communication is an essential aspect of screen-writing as you'll need to work alongside the script editor before passing your work onto the developmental producer; this means creating multiple drafts and exchanging feedback and guidance between yourself, the editor, director, developmental producer and actors so that everyone understands what role they play in (and in creating) the narrative. 

Wider Responsibilities

• Communicating with staff involved. - involves director, producer, crew/actors and script-editor; telling them what they need to understand about the screenplay (character roles, personalities, settings, props and directions in conjunction with director).

• Meeting Deadlines - Planning to have all your work ready is vital as the entire production depends on it (i.e actors, director, producer).

• Organisational Skills - Having all your work in one easily accessible place; including panning materials which will influence what you write and so that colleagues can see what you've written/planned so they can give feedback.

• Giving and receiving feedback - involves director, producer, and script-editor

• Understanding Characters/settings in your research so that the cultures and contexts/points of history are accurate and well represented.

• Understanding client/producer requirements so that you and your producer's thoughts align to create a narrative that they are happy with.