Forms and conventions: Streaming video from the web

It is possible that you will be shown something that was initially broadcast on the web, rather than on TV or in the cinema.  This may still be an advert or a trailer and therefore your revision from the previous posts still applies, but there are certain other considerations that you need to take into account.

Have a look at the latest viral advert from T Mobile:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kav0FEhtLug&feature=aso

It is a parody of another viral video that was passed around on the web a while back (it wasn't advertising anything - just someone having some fun).  Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0

In terms of analysing the T Mobile video, there are a lot of important factors you need to take into account.  The video was first released on the T Mobile wedding page and advertised as a "live event" before being uploaded to YouTube.  It comes in the wake of several other similar "flash mob" stunts from T Mobile such as these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB3NPNM4xgo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orukqxeWmM0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUZrrbgCdYc

The use of camera work, editing and sound on all of these videos has been carefully chosen to create an amateurish feel - as though someone is just recording the event on their phone.  But if you think about how much the Royal Wedding video must have cost to make - the venue, the decor, the costumes, the number of extras, employing look-a-likes etc etc, you realise that this was actually a very expensive stunt. 

I think this type of thing is a fairly likely choice from the exam board - it's using modern technology and it's interesting in terms of how it gets its audience and how it places the product in the marketplace.

If you do get a viral or something a bit "quirky" be sure to read the blurb so you understand exactly what it is, who made it and where it was released.

Here are four questions (so a whole Section A) on the T Mobile Royal Wedding Dance.  Give yourself 1 hour and answer them under exam conditions.  You should find Question 1 fairly straight forward now and I will be looking at the other key concepts in forthcoming blogs but have a go first.

Section A Questions

1.  How does the advert use media language to appear "real"?
2.  How does the advert represent the royal family?
3.  How does the advert encourage the audience to pass it on to their friends?
4.  What does the advert suggest to the audience about the values and ideology of T Mobile?