PAPER 2 QUESTION 1s

Question 1

Explain how changes in production and/or distribution methods have affected the film industry.

Refer to Disney’s 1967 and 2016 versions of The Jungle Book to support your answer.

In your answer you must consider how historical and economic contexts influence the production and/or distribution of mainstream films.

Answer 1

• changes and developments in productions processes/technology; JB67 used technology which was seen as cutting-edge and advanced AT THE TIME (xerography, multiplane camera, hand-draw stop-frame animation, celluloid analogue film) but now is seen as OUTDATED COMPARED TO JB16’s advanced technology (CGI, VFX, bluescreen, previz)
• live-action remakes are popular in the 2010s, expected to generate more profit and attract a wide range of audiences (older gen nostalgic for 1967, younger gen excited for action-packed film) e.g. Lion King remake
• Disney has tried to make more profit off JB67 with modern distribution tactics (DVD, VHS, streaming sites, re-released, Bluray)
• developments of the Internet in the 21st century means film industry can make better advertisement campaigns e.g. pre-Internet JB67 could only reach audiences with hand-drawn posters and trailers shown in cinemas but Internet-era JB16 had Snapchat interactive movie poster, Kaa the Snake filter, Facebook/Instagram accounts posting behind-the-scenes, trailers and teasers which appealed to modern tech-savvy audiences, JB16 marketing influenced by intertextual references to JB67
• both films produced by Disney, large conglomerate, big 6/5 company, make profit through vertical integration of production and distribution companies
• in 2016 streaming services and digital distribution were popular meaning it was easier for audiences to access JB16 and for the film to make more revenue (DVDs, buy/rent on Sky, now on Disney+), trailer was shown on YouTube and during the Superbowl
• changes in audience demands means films are now more expensive to produce; JB67 budget $4 million due to relatively cheap production processes but JB16 modern audiences were more interested in films with lots of action and visual effects, budget of $175-177 million due to very expensive CGI, VFX and previz technology, outsourcing production help from MPC in London (famous for their CGI work in Marvel)
• developments in globalisation means film industries can make more profit by releasing films in more countries, JB16 able to be released in 70+ countries at strategic times e.g. 8th of April in India on the same day as Indian New Year, public holiday meant more people were free to go to the cinema

Question 2

Explain how video game producers can affect the video game industry.

Refer to Minecraft to support your answer.

In your answer you must also consider how social contexts influence the video gaming industry.

Answer 2

• Minecraft produced by Markus “Notch” Persson (Swedish game dev), Mojang Studios, now owned by Microsoft since Sept 2014 for $2.5billion
• in general, production of popular video game leads to a “boom” in the industry, other producers follow suit, create games on the back of the success of the previous one
• production and popularity of video games influenced Xbox Live, Twitch, YouTube etc to create services tailored to live-streaming games such as Minecraft (ability to use face cam and show gameplay at the same time for commentary gaming YouTubers such as DanTDM), the popularity and success of Minecraft influenced the success of online streaming video games, many fans enjoyed watching their fav YouTubers playing the game “Let’s Play”, videos served as promotion for the game and for producers to see what players liked/disliked
• “prosumers” Shirky’s End of Audience theory, line between producers and audience is blurred, audiences can produce unique in-game content e.g. Minecraft mod
• developments in Internet and digital technology, producers use this to distribute and circulate video games on online platforms e.g. Steam, Origin (Sims 4), Epic (Fortnite)
• developments in Internet and social media means producers and audience are less separated, audiences can interact with producers on social media which influences the production of the game, SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP between fans and Mojang e.g. Minecraft Live Mob Vote 2020, Minecraft’s official Twitter/X account posted a poll for users to vote for which mob they wanted to be added into the game (Moobloom, Iceologer and Glow Squid), the poll received over 800,000 votes; Glow Squid won and was added to the game

e.g. early beta testing, fans would test early versions of the game and then make YouTube videos to tell Mojang about any bugs/glitches; Mojang took an UNTRADITIONAL approach when gathering suggestions, they consulted fans directly rather than doing polls or secondary research groups, other games after Minecraft such as Fortnite have done this too, taking fan suggestions directly into consideration by adding specific characters such as Ariana Grande

e.g. Minecraft gaming YouTubers such as DanTDM or Ali A, create Minecraft videos, express how something could be changed/added about the game, Mojang sees this and implements suggestions into the game; MC has a thriving online community

• Minecraft is inspirational to the video game industry/other producers because it was developed by a small company (Mojang) using an open-source software (Java, a multi-platform programming language), the development and initial success of Minecraft (before Microsoft took over in Sept 2014) showed that producers didn’t need a large budget or the backing of a conglomerate to produce an extremely popular and successful video game
• cultural impact of video games led to spin offs to capitalise on the popularity (e.g. Minecraft Story Mode, Minecraft Dungeons) and synergy with merchandise e.g. toys, clothes, books
• Minecraft Education; the game reached a wider audience of teachers who used the game in the classroom to teach, MC has a educational appeal
• Minecraft appeals to a wide audience demographic: young people (child-friendly simple block graphics), teens/adults (the popularity of Minecraft made gaming a more acceptable hobby, even made gaming into a job, elements of combat that older audiences enjoy); Minecraft gives younger audiences a space in the video game industry that is saturated by mature games e.g. GTA, COD etc

Question 3

Explain how audiences can use video games in different ways.

Refer to Minecraft to support your answer.

In your answer you must also consider how economic and social contexts can influence the consumption of video games.

Answer 3

USES AND GRATIFICATION THEORY!

• escapism, playing Minecraft (alone or with friends) allows players to feel immersed in their own online world and to forget about the negativities in real life
• social interaction, players can play with a wide range of people across different consoles/platforms (cross-platform play, Better Together update 2017), they can play on their own servers exploring the world, mining, fighting boss battles, on Minecraft Realms (private servers hosted by Mojang, players can invite others via invite only, costs around $6.99 a month), on public servers with minigames e.g. Hypixel, Mineplex, players also use YouTube, Twitch etc for social interaction as they can interact with their fav creators in live chat/comments
• identity, players can see themselves and feel represented within the customisation of skins (how your in-game character looks), they can purchase skin packs or even create their own skins online (Minecraft Skin Editor) to fully represent themselves and how they want to present in the game, default Steve and Alex skins provide male and female representation but not different races (both characters are white) so players can create their own skins to feel better represented, audiences are influenced by video game influencers and want to identify themselves with these celebs; Minecraft YouTubers serve a free promotion for the game and influences their audience to also purchase the game to have “as much fun as they are” or “to be like them”
• entertainment, players play Minecraft for fun and entertainment value, there are many things to do in the game which make the player feel accomplished e.g. killing the Wither, killing the Ender Dragon, finding diamonds, finding a mineshaft with good loot, finding a village, getting a dog/cat, building a house or even a whole city –> possibilities are endless within the game which brings back players, Minecraft YouTubers also provide entertainment and fans can be entertained by the game without even having to own/play it themselves, DanTDM mod showcases and Let’s Plays, Dream SMP storylines
• consumption of games is influenced by economic contexts (e.g. price, online multiplayer subscriptions, cross-platform play may require money); Minecraft costs around £20 for consoles/PC and around £5 on mobile/iPad/tablet, Minecraft Realms costs £6.99, cross-platform play is free with the Better Together update but users have to own the same version (Java for PC only, Bedrock for PC/mobile/console)
• consumptions of games is influenced by social contexts e.g. rise of active audiences and prosumers (Shirky End of Audience) means more audiences enjoy interacting with producers of video games in order to get their suggestions into the game (social media, Minecraft Twitter mob vote), players can use their own creativity to make mods using Java programming language e.g. Lucky Blocks mod which takes the lucky blocks from Mario and puts them into Minecraft, when broken they can have a good or bad item inside e.g. Roblox, users can create their own games from scratch
• PEGI ratings influence how audiences interact with video games; Minecraft has a PEGI 7 rating meaning a wide range of audiences can play, however mature games such as COD or GTA have PEGI 18 rating meaning it is only allowed for 18+, however due to lack of and difficulty of regulation, younger audiences can access these games (e.g. if someone else in the house owns it, if they purchase it online where their age doesn’t have to be verified etc)
• developments of cross-platform play (Better Together update 2017) and developments in digitally convergent technology (mobile phones) means players can now play Minecraft on their phones (Pocket Edition) and consume the game in a easier, compact handheld form
• in 2022 gaming industry worth over $200 billion, with the film industry only worth around $90 billion and music worth around $30 billion; gaming industry is taking over due to audiences using video games for a variety of reasons
• Minecraft is inspirational to the audience because it was developed by a small company (Mojang) using an open-source software (Java, a multi-platform programming language), Notch is a video game fan himself, the development and initial success of Minecraft (before Microsoft took over in Sept 2014) showed that you didn’t need a large budget or the backing of a conglomerate to produce an extremely popular and successful video game