The Kooks and Postmodernism

The Kooks and Postmodernism on Prezi

Hobo with a Shotgun intertextual references

Hobo with a Shotgun evidenced intertextual references to Steampunk and it reminded me of the film Doomsday by Niell Marshal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW3Gvx-WKG4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGA7q9VLfps&feature=related

An example of a Postmodern Film

I think an example of a postmodern film is Jarhead



I think an example of postmodern television is Generation Kill

Detail how your understanding of the importance of good research and planning skills developed throughout the pre-production of your AS and A2 coursework

Detail how your understanding of the importance of good research and planning skills developed throughout the pre-production of your AS and A2 coursework

I learnt that the importance of good research and planning incorporates numerous elements. Research and Planning holds great importance as it can help substantially in the latter parts of the coursework. I learnt this from AS and A2 as I feel that my research and planning improved substantially at A2 standard as thus I realised how it can help later in production.

I did learn that for the most effective research and planning the sources that are used for primary and secondary sources must be analysed to decide whether they are trust worthy to provide reputable research. At AS this was more of a problem considering searching for magazine covers often produced previous students work. At A2 fortunately YouTube made it easier to be certain that they were the official video as they were published on the artist or bands respective channel.

As the ultimate aim of research and planning was to make production easier, the organisation of the work would help with this. AS level was the first time I had used blogger and as the course developed I developed ways to improve my organisation. For example, I learnt the importance of reordering my blog so that the posts grouped together. I also used  labeling so that each post fell into the correct category. This made production significantly easier as I could click on the category and include all the relevant information. I developed into A2 through my better understanding of Blogger and my use of functions provided such as polls and playlists. Alongside this I made better use of guidance given in organising my work, making myself aware of what I needed to do for when, ensuring I completed all work to the appropriate deadlines.

I found at both AS and A2 that the use of a draft is to improve your ideas and receive useful feedback. At AS I produced drafts for my magazine’s front cover, contents page and double page spread and the feedback I received allowed me to make thorough relevant changes to my work and improve it substantially. At A2 I used feedback in the same way, especially that which I received concerning the digipak and magazine adverts. I was again able to rethink my original ideas and allow me to work them into the next stage of production.

At AS my planning wasn’t structured very efficiently, however my planning significantly developed into the A2 course. It was structured via the use of my storyboard which allowed me to be aware of what shots needed doing and where, ensuring that I used my time efficiently. I learnt the importance of structuring my plans and work and thus incorporated this throughout my later work. At AS I used the plans and mocks that I had made loosely, referring to them mainly as guidelines rather than strict structures. This developed significantly into A2 when I found that following the storyboard that had been constructed made production far easier. This is something that I realised as vitally important in Research and Planning as it made production far easier than it had been at AS. 

The presentation of my research and planning was also something which I discovered as important. At AS and A2 it was primarily constructed as Blog Posts, allowing me to place them all together and organise my blog efficiently. At A2 this developed into more creative presentations of my work, such as the use of Prezi on our coursework pitch or embedding YouTube clips. The importance of this was to allow the work to look more creative and in some circumstances, to highlight areas of research and planning which were of particular importance to the production of work.

Research and Planning at both AS and A2 level heavily influenced the work that I created during production. For example, my research into genre at both levels influenced the style of Mise en scene I created, firstly for my photo shoot and secondly in how I filmed and dressed those within the music video. The importance of my research and planning became particularly obvious during in production, when the use of the guidance I had developed became vital. For example, the structured shot list at AS or the storyboard at A2 were vital to the efficient production of my final pieces. 

Presentation of Research and Planning

Presentation of Research and Planning

The majority of my research was presented via blog posts. For my primary research this is especially true. At AS and A2 my research of magazines and music videos all took the form of blog posts with the posts becoming more creative when I added images of the magazines I had analysed and embedded the music videos I had researched from YouTube. We used a variety of means to make the blog more creative. For example our pitch was presented on the blog in the form of Prezi and our animatic was constructed via iMovie and embedded on the blog. Secondary research that we constructed was posted on the blog, but was made more dynamic and creative via the inclusion of links to certain websites of blogs that i had been researching from.

Organisation of Planning Materials

Organisation of Planning Materials

My planning materials mainly consisted of our storyboard, which had been constructed to allow us to be aware of what shots needed doing, when and how to manage our time effectively. I could use the storyboard to number the shots so I could see every shot I had to complete in a certain location ensuring that I used time efficiently. My organisation however, went further than just the practical side of the coursework. I also developed a to do list for the work that had to be completed on the blog, to ensure that I did not miss vital pieces of work.

At AS level I hadn’t used Blogger before and therefore it was a new feature which I did not utilise to the full. For example at AS I wasn’t fully aware of how to add extras alongside the Blog to provide further information about what genre of music I was doing etc. At A2 however, I provided a poll to give a popular vote on which song should be used for the music videos and I feel that I used labels more efficiently and constructively. 

Throughout the construction of my AS coursework I followed my plans loosely in that I used them more as a guideline. Instead I used real features I had researched from real music magazines to add features to my own work. I did this because my mock designs were my original ideas but at the time of their construction my research might have not been in depth enough to ensure I knew what features I should place on it. At A2, our plans on the storyboard were followed far more closely as they had been constructed far more carefully. We followed them closely as they made production far easier than if we had started filming without a true idea of what to do. if changes had to be made they were placed alongside that area of the storyboard so that when we came to it in the shot list, we knew what changes had to be made and how we should do it.

At A2 both me and my partner had a copy of the storyboard. This allowed us to prepare separately for whatever filming we had scheduled but also it meant that we always had a spare copy in case one of us misplaced our work.

At A2 I posted about how progress was going on filming. This was useful when we came to film our second draft as it allowed us to see what shots had caused us particular difficulty. We also blogged about what the weather had been on certain shots and therefore when we came to filming the second draft we could see which ones we might have struggled with weather wise and thus could take the time to film these again.

My research and planning skills were again used in the production of my magazine advert and digipak. I could refer back to the blog and my posts on mise en scene to ensure that I had all the elements correct before taking the photographs which would be used on the designs.

Planning - Pre-production and Requirements

Planning - Pre-production and Requirements

Drafts

At AS I produced one draft for my front cover, contents and double page. This draft was useful in providing feedback which heavily influenced my final design. It allowed feedback in that it was marked by the teacher who then handed it back with useful points upon which I could work to further improve my work. At A2 there were more drafts to produce, for example I had to produce a draft for my music video and for the magazine advert and digipak. Again however this provided useful feedback and eventually led to me redesigning the whole design of my magazine advert and digiak. 

Feedback

At AS and A2 this feedback was taken into account and was collated easily as it was all written on one sheet of paper. Providing the information on what I needed to do. From AS to A2 my ability to take account of feedback improved, whilst at AS I did register what needed to be done, I didn’t act upon it as thoroughly as I did at A2.

Organisation of Research

Organisation of  Research

At as I learnt the importance of organising the work on my blog into a structured order. For example I learnt that I should change the dates and times of posted pieces of work so that they are grouped with other relevant pieces. E.g having all the analysis elements of my research put together. Secondly, at AS I learnt the usefulness of labelling posts on blogger so that they each fell into a correct category. For example on my blog I had numerous labels such as Research or production. As I used various images of front covers I had to ensure that these were referenced. I ensured this was done correctly by placing the images I used within blog posts, ensuring they could be viewed properly.

My skills of organisation did develop from AS to A2, for example at AS level I had no prior experience of Blogger whereas at A2 level I was aware of how the functions worked. At A2 I also developed structured plans and used relevant guidance appropriately, something which I did not do at AS.

Advantages and Disadvantages of sources

Advantages and disadvantages of sources.

Expense/Cost

At AS and A2 I spent very little money on Research and Planning. This is because I found that all the sources I required could be found online free of cost and were open for use by anybody. There are disadvantages to this method of conducting research and planning. One obvious disadvantage is that perhaps I did not have access to as many quality sources as I would have had if I had spent money. For example, this would be the case if I had bought magazines such as NME or Q to help with my research. However instead of buying these magazines I was in the fortunate position of being able to borrow them. Therefore I was at an advantage in that I had the quality sources yet I did not have to spend money on them.

Accessibility

There was varied accessibility of sources at both AS and A2 standard. At AS the sources were harder to find than at A2, yet within AS level there was varied difficulty in acquiring them. For example, it was easier to find magazine front covers to analyse than it was to find magazine double page spreads. This is because most magazine websites such as Q and NME had an archive of magazine front covers to view et they hid the magazines content from view unless money was paid. Therefore to view the contents page and double page spread I had to google search them which often produced sources which were not relevant. Therefore the accessibility of sources online were harder to acquire at AS standard. At A2 level it was easier to acquire sources. For example, it was especially easy to find music videos to research as I had YouTube to use. This was an advantage as it allowed videos to be viewed quickly and free of cost. Digipaks were also accessible as I was in the fortunate position to own numerous digipaks and thus had them on hand to analyse. In reference to these sources I was therefore at an obvious advantage as they were easy to acquire. However, I was at a disadvantage when it came to analyse magazine adverts as I have no direct subscription to any music magazines and at the time I owned none. However I was able to borrow a variety of magazines but this represents an issue with accessibility as I had to go to great lengths to try and acquire them. It was therefore harder to have access to sources at AS than at A2 as at AS level research focused on magazines which were reluctant to reveal content, whereas at A2 there was a variety of features to analyse.

Reliability

At both AS and A2 level I would suggest that the sources I used to conduct research from were reliable. At AS I would argue that this is because my research consisted of reputable music magazines such as NME and Q. I was at the advantage of not having to conduct research from other students work as my own work focussed on primary sources such as the magazines and not secondary sources such as a student’s blog. However it can be seen that there was a disadvantage that during the analysis of magazine front covers search engines would produce the coursework of other students. Therefore time had to be taken to ensure it was reputable work, which could be analysed. At A2 I was fortunate to have reliable sources, for example The music videos I used for analysis were sourced off YouTube and thus were reputable as they were uploaded by the artist. However care had to be taken to ensure the official music video was viewed and not a fan made one. The digipak’s were again reliable as they were the official work with which the album came and were therefore produced by the band and artist. The magazine adverts again came from official magazines and thus were not false productions. Therefore I was at an advantage in that all of my research came from primary sources that were reputable.

Accuracy

At AS level it can be seen that the feedback I received from my peers was more thorough than at A2. This can be seen because at AS my pitch was produced in front of the class and questions were asked and I could gather various opinions on my work. Second, my AS blog was followed by more people than my A2 one and thus more comments were left from my peers at AS than at A2. At A2 however, I was disadvantaged in that less people followed my blog and therefore there was less scope for comments to be left from my peers. Therefore the only feedback I received was from my teachers. One advantage of the feedback that I received at both AS and A2 is that of how my class were all within my target audience and therefore any feedback I received could be considered relevant.

Bias

The textual analysis that I completed for AS can be considered balanced in that I used a variety of magazines from which to conduct analysis and research. However, it could be said that it was not biased as the research I conducted came predominantly from magazines of the same genre. At A2 my research could be considered balanced as I sued a variety of artists and songs from which to conduct research. However the variety could be considered biased as it was all conducted from the same genre. However this could be considered relevant as it was the genre I was using for my own coursework.

Validity

Within the AS coursework it is obvious that numerous elements of the research conducted was included in the final product. For example the feedback from the pitch influenced the final name of the magazine and that the pictures I took for the drafts heavily influenced the style of photography I used for my final product. In the A2 course work it is obvious that certain elements of the research and planning was included during production. For example we used the same apparel that had been mentioned to be fitting with the Mise en scene. Second, the use of storyboard showed how our planning was incorporated into production, with minimal changes. However, there were elements which were not included. For example we did not include a huge number of features from the music videos we had analysed. Instead we used originality in the video.

Comparison of Research and Planning at AS and A2

To what extent have your research and planning skills improved? Explain and support your answer with evidence.

My research skills have improved from AS level to A2 level and I feel that this is obvious via the work which has been posted on my A2 blog. Firstly the extent to which I carried out research and planning increased significantly from AS to A2. For example, at AS I carried out research on 3 magazine covers, magazine contents pages and 3 double page spreads. In comparison, at A2 I carried out I analysis of multiple magazine adverts, multiple digipaks and multiple music videos. This research tended to consist of more than 3 of each. Therefore I feel that with the increased workload, my research skills have improved as there was greater opportunity to practice them.

My planning skills have significantly improved from AS to A2. At AS I had something which represented a time plan but was not in great detail. Work tended to be completed when there was an opportunity. Whereas at A2, I used a storyboard, ensuring I knew what features of the production were being completed when and what places. This storyboard also grouped all the shots at one location in order. This planning made post production easier. The locations were grouped together to help make production as efficient as possible and a separate time plan was constructed to ensure we knew when filming should be completed by. This was done with the aim of ensuring that time wasn’t pressured during filming, to allow production to be maintained at a high standard.

Aspects of secondary research also improved from AS to A2 and this is evidenced by the use of certain theorists. It can be seen that AS standard my research did not include the use of secondary research such as theorists and that there is no reference to them. At A2 standard however, it can be seen that efforts were made to include theory into planning to ensure that my work had key elements within it. This therefore represents improvement from AS to A2 as it can be seen that I recognised the need to include crucial elements of secondary research.

My research and Planning skills improved from AS to A2 due to the frequent referencing to a time plan constructed for the class to follow. Whilst it can be seen that this was constructed by me, it is obvious that it was beneficial in my work and ensured that not only was all of my work completed within the boundaries given, it also ensured that my work included elements that I perhaps would not have noticed if the plan had not existed. This therefore represents improvement in my research and planning from AS to A2 as it can be seen that at AS I did not pay as greater attention to this as I have this year and therefore it could be said that my work wasn’t as structured last year as it could have been.

Research and Planning AS

Primary research AS blog:

Textual analysis was undertaken of different types of music to determine what genre I wanted to use for my magazine.

I analyzed a variety of different magazine front covers, contents pages and double page spreads to better understand what I had to do.

I analyzed a variety of fonts to determine which I wanted to use on the front cover of my magazine.

In my pitch I took a poll of a variety of names to find out which most people would be interested in seeing on top of my magazine.

I gained audience feedbox from my pitch which I used to inspire my work from that point onwards.

Secondary research:


I used the blogs of previous students to help


I used websites during researching magazines to view. I used NME, Q and Rolling Stone to gather ideas to help me in production.

I used websites when trying to determine what font I wanted to use upon my magazine and within it.

I used websites such as YouTube to gain inspiration and to decide what type of music would feature in my magazine. Similarly I used iTunes to help with this.

I used notes I had made in class to help me analyse websites and make sure I recognised features I needed to look out for.

Research and Planning A2

Primary research on A2 blog:

I analyzed four different magazine adverts from prominent music magazines.

I analyzed a variety of websites and their designs

We analyzed a variety of music videos to decided what type of video they were so as to determine what type of video we wanted to create.

We placed a poll on the side of the blog to ask which song we should feature in the video.

Before we began each task we viewed the work of the exemplar students from previous years so as to understand what we had to do.

Our teachers left comment son our blogs on certain posts to tell us what we should do and to point us in the correct direction.  

We created audience profiles so as to decide who we wanted as the target audience for our video.

Secondary research on A2 blog:                      

We used existing theories such as Roland Barthes belief in narrative threads and Laura Mulvay’s belief in the male gaze.

We looked at previous students blogs to get a better idea of what we had to do.

We made notes during class which we then used to give us direction during the write ups at a latter date.

Music and Postmodernism

Pick 'n' Mix culture: the past, or distant and exotic cultures, are a) detached from their

environment and b) used selectively to anchor the chaotic images of modern European

and American life (Elvis Presley's 'It's Now or Never/O Sole Mio'; Gregorian chants in the

Top Ten) A modern example would include artists such as Lady Gaga, MIA, Madeon and

Active Child.

My example of Pick 'N' Mix culture would be Belle by Jack Johnson as it has the style, lyrics and language straight from French culture whilst encompassing the often chaotic problem of relationships.

Intertextuality: The preference for parody, nostalgia, kitsch and pastiche over realism 

My example of a song with a preference for parody and nostalgia over realism would be that of Tim Minchin and his songs, which are based on real occurrences and issues however they play parody and comedy over realism.

The dominance of surface over depth

Surface over depth implies that greater emphasis is based on the image of the singer or song writer whilst the song is made in a style that would is most applicable to the widest audience. In today's society I would say that this is the 'X-factor' audience. My example of a song writers or artists which place surface over depth would be that of One Direction.

No strong sense of history or the future. Alienation is abolished by saying, 'Utopia is now'

as in raves or music festivals.

I think that this is obvious within the club scene. Especially within the newly domination Dub-steb scene and preference of other artists to make there work rave like and seem like the whole thing is made for a club. For example Rihanna.

A new status for art culture. Art does not represent or reflect reality: it is reality Like the

characters in a soap opera, pop stars can seem more 'real' than our own friends.

This has had increasing relevance over time and the development of social networking sites such as twitter and Facebook. The pop stars use of these sites often brings them closer into the lives of many people. Especially when this is coupled with the existence of magazines such as Heat. This is increasingly obvious as normal people use twitter accounts in the name of the famous as a way to spread good wishes and pass statements of wisdom.

Postmodern music

A very interesting aspect of postmodern music theory. This will help you with your next essay.

Media Theorist Jonathan Kramer says "the idea that postmodernism is less a surface style or historical period than an attitude. Kramer goes on to say 16 "characteristics of postmodern music, by which I mean music that is understood in a postmodern manner, or that calls forth postmodern listening strategies, or that provides postmodern listening experiences, or that exhibits postmodern compositional practices."
According to Kramer (Kramer 2002, 16–17), postmodern music":

1. is not simply a repudiation of modernism or its continuation, but has aspects of both a break and an extension
2. is, on some level and in some way, ironic
3. does not respect boundaries between sonorities and procedures of the past and of the present
4. challenges barriers between 'high' and 'low' styles
5. shows disdain for the often unquestioned value of structural unity
6. questions the mutual exclusivity of elitist and populist values
7. avoids totalizing forms (e.g., does not want entire pieces to be tonal or serial or cast in a prescribed formal mold)
8. considers music not as autonomous but as relevant to cultural, social, and political contexts
9. includes quotations of or references to music of many traditions and cultures
10. considers technology not only as a way to preserve and transmit music but also as deeply implicated in the production and essence of music
11. embraces contradictions
12. distrusts binary oppositions
13. includes fragmentations and discontinuities
14. encompasses pluralism and eclecticism
15. presents multiple meanings and multiple temporalities
16. locates meaning and even structure in listeners, more than in scores, performances, or composers

Jonathan Donald Kramer (December 7, 1942, Hartford, Connecticut – June 3, 2004, New York City), was a U.S. composer and music theorist.

Active as a music theorist, Kramer published primarily on theories of musical time and postmodernism. At the time of his death he had just completed a book on postmodern music and a cello composition for the American Holocaust Museum.

Postmodernism and Music

The postmodern sensibility is that anything can be considered cool in an ironic 'I know it's bad, but it's so bad it's good' kind of way.

I think that an example of this would be James Blunt and Your Beautiful. I would say this because it was a large hit yet popular consensus was that it was a terrible song.

Work that is created based (entirely or in part) on older material. This incorporates sampling and will take you from the realms of hip hop culture transporting you finally in today’s modern fragmented musical landscape. You will have to listen to some of the artists to fully appreciate them and their work.


Whilst this was not made by either The Kooks or Kanye it is still examples of sampling as the producer has drawn his work from to separate songs and put them together.

Audiences that are both niche and mainstream. E.g.: Radio 1, 1xtra, BBC6, XFM

I think bands such as the Fleet Foxes, Noah and the Whale or Mumford and Sons fulfil this catergory as whilst they play music that would be considered niche, they now present themselves to a mainstream audience

The ways in which people engage and listen to music e.g.: iPod, DAB, mobile phones etc


The iPhone is a perfect example of this, as it is seemingly universally widespread.

The legal issues surrounding sampling. (Led Zeppelin borrowed heavily from old bluesmen and it took years for the songwriters to be credited and paid royalties. The same group took a hard-line stance initially to be sampled by hip hop groups.)

It has been claimed that Coldplay used Joe Satriani's chord progression in the song Viva la Vida:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/joe-satriani-sues-coldplay-for-viva-la-vida-plagiarism-20081205

The state of the music industry incorporating any recent developments that change how we access/ interact with music e.g.: Spotify, X Factor, iTunes, illegal downloading, free cds with newspapers etc

Matt Cardle made a single out of Biffy Clyro's Many of Horror. Which then becamse a success due to his X-factor performance. Number 1 hits tend to be from X-factor winners.

Pulp Fiction Prezi

Copy of Pulp Fiction on Prezi

In what ways can Inglorious Basterds be considered Postmodern

In what ways can Inglorious Basterds be considered Postmodern?

After the 1960’s it can be said that the film industry moved away from modernism and films with utopian ideals and general, large story lines. Instead it can be argued that there was movement towards a postmodern era, in which films today can still be catagorised, such as Inglorious Basterds. Post Modernism upsets the mainstream conventions of narrative structure and characterisation whilst films which are catergorised as postmodernism often use Hyper-reality as a means to define what is actually real. It can be seen that these characteristics can be seen in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds and this is what makes it an exemplar of PostModern work.

Postmodern elements run throughout the film; through each of the chapters given. Inglorious Basterds can be seen as postmodern due to elements in chapter one.

The first of these elements is that of his use of yellow text. It can be seen that Tarantino’s use of yellow text is Postmodern because it breaks conventions of text on screen, which usually consists of white or black subtitles, very rarely are they a colour; especially yellow. It is this yellow colour which is a second reason that this is an element of Postmodernism. it can be said that the use of yellow text for subtitles is a homage to his other work; for example Kill Bill. This is Postmodern as it reminds us that this is his piece of work and we as an audience are being told that this was created by Tarantino and thus we are reminded it is a text.

A second reason that chapter one of Inglorious Basterds can be defined as Postmodern is because of the Fourth wall. It can be seen that breaking the Fourth Wall is a postmodern element used by Tarantino throughout this chapter of the film. This is exemplified firstly via a birds eye shot of the room revealing the beams and thus the set and secondly by a pan down through the floor to where the Jews are hiding, rather than a normal cut which would have been expected by the audience. Again these are features of Postmodernism as Tarantino has gone to lengths to remind us that we are watching a film and not letting us become enthralled by the narrative.

Intertexual references within the first chapter are the third reason that Inglorious Basterds can be considered Postmodern. The intertextual reference is that of The Sound of Music and in particular the scene links strongly to the famous ‘The Hills are Alive with the sound of music’. This has been done so that the link is as recognisable as possible. This can be considered Postmodern as it adds an element of fantasy into the narrative-this coupled with the fairy tale title at the beginning allows the film to move away from the general story lines of modernist films and create something niche and unreal. To this point the theory of Levi-Strauss can be added. He believes in the theory of ‘bricolage’-that all texts are are constructed from the debris of other, socially recognisable texts.It can be seen that the use of The Sound of music back drop has been added by transposition from one film to another.

The use of music within chapter one is the fourth reason that the film can be considered Postmodern. It can be seen that Tarantino has deliberately taken the music from a Spaghetti Western and re-contextualised it to allow it to fit his own film. It can be seen that this is postmodern as it reveals the directors influence and helps to build drama and tension within the scene.

Elements of Postmodern film continue through chapter two. One element which makes the film Postmodern in chapter two is that of the acting. This links to that of both Brad Pitt and the actor who plays Hitler. In consideration of Pitt it can be seen that his acting is over done and at points it can be hard to take him seriously. This feature is also extended towards Hitler, who is portrayed as sulky and pathetic. This element of acting can be considered Postmodern as it links to hyper reality, presenting these characters to the audience as real when in reality it be hard to find anyone as characteristic. This parody of characters; especially Hitler can be termed hypotexuality as coined by Gerard Genette. This is when the text is a parody or has parody elements to it of a previous film. The portrayal of Hitler within this scene can be seen as a parody of the one portrayed in Downfall.

A second reason that Inglorious Basterds is considered Postmodern is because of how the main scene in the woods is established and written as a Spaghetti Western. It can be seen that the camera angles used and the position of the characters across the hill couple with the music is Postmodern. This can be considered Postmodern because of how it is a direct intertextual link to the penultimate scene in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, allowing the audience to associate the film with another.

A key element in chapter two which makes the film Postmodern is that of the voiceover. It can be seen that by using Samuel L. Jackson as the voice, the film gives direct links to Tarantino himself, whilst when the voice over is coupled with the writing on the screen it can be seen that it is a feature used to remind the audience that they are watching a film. This can be seen as Postmodern as it removes the audience from the narrative and allows Tarantino to present key elements of the film via a cameo role by his friend.

A fourth reason that the film can be considered Postmodern is because of the intertextual links provided to us in chapter two. It can be seen that within the Stiglitz scene there is the use of recontextualised Blaxploitation music which intertextually links to the film Shaft. Whilst within the woods scene there is the link of the scalping to western films and the baseball bat to the USA. This can be considered Postmodern as it allows the audience to be reminded of previous films during Inglorious Basterds and this constantly reminds us of Tarantino’s direction during the making of the film.

A final reason that it can be considered postmodern is because of how elements break the Fourth Wall. It can be seen that this is exemplified during the woods scene when the camera angles are focused upon the faces of the actors, and a high depth of field is used to blur the backgrounds. This is considered Postmodern as it allows the actors to appear to be communicating into the camera and thus through the screen to the audience. This is another medium through which the audience can be reminded that the film is a film.

Within the third chapter there are key Postmodern elements. The first of which is that of the electric guitar track from Blaxploitation films used when we are presented Goebbels. This can be considered Postmodern as it is a motif which is continued through the film several times. This continuation is a feature not often used in modernist films and thus it can be considered Postmodern.

A second element which is Postmodern is that of the public information film. This is a feature which is commentated by Jackson; again a motif which continues through the film. Not only this, but the short clip is British, giving no obvious reason why it should be portrayed to the audience. The Postmodern element of this feature is that of how it is unexpected; but is used as a different medium through which a vital component of the plot can be explained. Whilst there are not as many Postmodern elements within chapter three, those that are presented to us are definitively Postmodern.

Within the chapter Operation Kino the Postmodern elements are centered upon the British. This is exemplified in numerous ways including how the British have perfect accents whilst each British character has a witty retort. The character played by Fassbender is over the top and charming. This is seen as Postmodern not just because it plays upon American stereotypes of the British but it also portrays Hitchcox as a binary opposite to Brad Pitt’s character. Giving opportunity for the audience to compare the two whilst removing the film from modernist counterparts. it does as within a modernist film’s general storyline we would expect characters with binary opposite mannerisms to be enemies; however it Inglorious Basterds they are allies.

A second Postmodern element which again runs as a motif throughout the film is Tarantino’s use of Rod Taylor to play Churchill purely as a Cameo role. This can be viewed as Postmodern as it is a motif which aligns itself alongside Tarantino’s use of Jackson for the voiceovers.

Within the final chapter there is one key element which must be considered Postmodern. It can be seen that this is the projection room scene involving Shoshanna and Frederick Zoller. One reason this can be considered Postmodern is because of the music used. It can be seen that there is a deliberate use of contrapunctual music. This can be viewed as Postmodern as the audience is uplifted by what is romantic and pleasant music whilst we are also privy to a shocking scene in which both the characters die. It can be argued that this is Postmodern as it is a feature not used within previous modernist films.

Secondly, it can be said that there is a intertextual link to Romeo and Juliet within the scene in which both characters die at the hands of the other. This can be considered Postmodern as it allows a tragic ending and links the film towards that of a love story.

A final reason why the film can be considered Postmodern is because of Tarantino’s use of slow motion. Whilst it can be argued that previous modernist films have used slow motion; it can be said that Inglorious Basterds is different because of how the slow motion is used as a means to extend the tragedy of the scene. It extends this tragedy as it allows the audience to focus upon the death of Shoshanna; arguably the main character and gives the audience time with which to reflect upon how despite the fairytale beginning; the ending has no links to a happy ending.

However, aside from this scene, there are numerous postmodern elements. The first of which is that of how a 1980’s David Bowie song is played over the top of the first scene. This goes against what is expected of a specific genre; such as a war film. It can be seen as Postmodern as the audience would be expecting period music or classically scored orchestra music, whereas in Inglorious Basterds the audience is presented with an intertexual link to the 1980’s.

A final element of Postmodernism given in Chapter five is that of a hyper-real ending. It can be seen that the ending cinema scene in which all the top Nazi commanders die can be seen as hyper-real as it goes against what is real, changing what has happened and presents it to the audience as reality. This is Postmodern as it gives direct links to Hitler’s earlier scene in which he is presented as a hyper-real character. plus it can be seen that in traditional war films, there would have been a desire to remain true and stay the course of history.

Therefore it can be seen that Inglorious Basterds is a Postmodern film; one which portrays key elements which define this. 

Baudrillard and Lyotard's Theories Within Inglorious Basterds

Braudrillard's theory his based upon the idea of hyper-reality; something which makes it easily associated with Inglorious Basterds. It can be seen that there are numerous points in which Baudrillard can be associated with Inglorious Basterds.  For example:

• The characters themselves can be classified as hyper-real; especially Aldo Raine and Hitler who are both portrayed as extremes within social boundaries.
• The death of Hitler and the top five within the Nazis party is particular Hyper-real as it alters reality in which none died in a cinema. It is taking this element from the film and warping it into its own reality.
• The portrayal of the British and British characters within the film is another point of hyper-reality. This can be seen due to the perfect nature of their actions and elegance, something from reality but viewed stereotypically to be correct.
• Props within the film can be seen as hyper-real. An example of this includes Hans Landas pipe in the opening scene. This hyper-reality is used to add humour and to break the tense scene. 

The theorist Lyotard believes in the idea that postmodern films are made of micro-narratives, which are unpredictable in nature compared to the grand narratives of of modernist films pre-1960. He believes films which fall under this category are those which are unpredictable to the audience and that reflect diversity in the narrative. There are elements of this in Inglorious Basterds:

• The plot takes a great twist in the projection room scene in the final chapter where Shoshanna and Frederick Zoller both die at the hands of each other. This is unpredictable because Shoshanna is established as arguably the main character-we do not expect her to die.
• There is an unpredictable nature to the tavern scene in 'Operation Kino'. The violent end is unexpected as the dialogue had be running for so long, plus there is the added element that characters defined as 'good' die in the scene.
• There is also the unpredictable nature of Tarantino's choice of music; highlighted by his use of the 1980 David Bowie song over the top of scene where Shoshanna prepares for the cinema evening.

Gerard Gennette

Intertexuality-Quotation, Plagiarism and illusion


There are elements of Intertexuality within Inglorious Basterds for example Tarantino has included music and positioning from the Spaghetti Western The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
Second, the idea of killing SS and Nazis can be seen to have come from the film with Clint Eastwood, Where Eagles Dare. 
The background scene to the opening chapter can be seen to be taken or inspired from the The Sound of Music. In particular the scene in which The Hills are Alive with The Sound Music music.
Along side this is the the opening dark screen where the title is written in the style that would be expected from a fairytale.

Architextuality-Designation of the text as part of a genre by the director or the audience


It can be seen that there aren't elements of the actual film which fit under Architextuality however the film before it was produced was coined as Tarantino's war film and thus became expected by the audience as a film from the war genre.

Metatexuality- Explicit or implicit critical commentary of one text on another


Within Inglorious Basterds it can be seen that there are examples of Metatexuality when Frederick Zoller talks of Charlie Chaplain, his German counter part, Van Johnson and there is commentary on the film Pitz Palu and its director. This can be seen as Metatexuality as Frederick Zoller gives critical commentary on real films from the period in which Inglorious Basterds is set.

Hypotexuality-The relationship between a text and a proceeding hypo-text. A text or genre on which it is based but which transforms, modifies, elaborates or extends (including parody, spoof, sequel, translation)


There are elements of hypo-textuality in that Inglorious Basterds as there are numerous moments of translation throughout the film. For example there is translation of Where Eagles Dare, the Dirty Dozen

Quotes and Creativity

"A process needed for problem solving...not a special gift enjoyed by a few but a common ability possessed by most people" (Jones 1993)

I disagree with this quote. It can be seen that creativity is a process for problem solving and this is demonstrated when challenges are presented. Such as the coursework we completed in our AS year and in our A2 year. However I believe that it is an ability which is possessed by all people, it is just that different people use it in different ways, as there are so many different ways to use creativity. It can be seen that creativity is enjoyed by all people; it may just take time and the right circumstances for it to develop and be used. Thus proving that people possess it.

"The making of the new and the re arranging of the old" (Bentley 1997)

I disagree with the the beginning of this quote. I do not think that creativity is the creating of new things; as having completed my AS and A2 coursework I feel that it is very hard to create anything which is completely original and 'new'. Instead I believe that creativity is contrary to this quote; and that nothing is original, but elements of products are taken from elsewhere and used.

"Creativity results from the interaction of a system composed of three elements: a culture that contains symbolic rules, a person who brings novelty into the symbolic domain, and a field of experts who recognise and validate the innovation." (Csikszentmihalyi 1996)

I think that this quote is saying that for creativity to exist there must be a culture in which it can flourish; and particular elements of creativity already existing. For example in the Renaissance there was a culture in which rules existed. Guiding artists to develop specific pieces of work. The second half of the quote involves people, but these people must creative. The novelty refers to their creativity. By 'a field of experts' I believe this can be referred to in today's society to consist of whether there is a general public consensus in support of the pieces of work which has been created. I agree with the quote in the terms that I have describe. However I do not feel that there needs to be rules involved, but that creativity exists regardless of whether boundaries exist.

"There is no absolute judgement [on creativity] All judgements are comparisons of one thing with another." (Donald Larning)

I believe that this means that nobody can (should) judge a piece of work just by looking at it. Instead I believe that this quotes means all work must be compared to other pieces of work. I agree with this quote. I feel that the principle of this quote lies with the idea that nothing is original.

"Technology has taken all the creativity out of media production"

I believe that this is incorrect and just wrong. I believe that this quote cannot exist when tools and platforms such as Photoshop, iMovie etc etc exist.

"A project that is too well planned lacks opportunities for spontaneity and creativity."

I disagree with this quote. I think that there is need for planning however, I do not feel that this would obstruct creativity. I believe this because within my own A2 coursework, despite planning-we still decided to add effects in post production which were not planned. Other creative mediums are just as spontaneous, for example photography.

"Media producers can learn nothing from studying the conventions of old texts"

I disagree with this quote and this is because I see this quote as insinuating that inspiration cannot be drawn old texts. I would also describe old texts as any media creation which has been made before. I therefore believe that 'nothing is original' and that inspiration can be drawn from anywhere. 




The creation of bringing something new into existence-"this particular understanding of creativity involves the physical making of something, leading to some form of communication, expression or revelation" (David Gauntlett)


I think that this quote means that creation involves the creator making something to communicate or express either their creativity or how they feel. These creations can then lead to revelations from those who view them. I agree with this quote. In particular I agree with the idea that creativity is the physical making of something. I especially believe that this is done to express how one feels.




If creativity is not inherent in human mental powers, and is, in fact, social and situational, then technological developments may well be linked to advances in the creativity of individual users" (Banaji, Burn and Buckingham 2006)


I think that this quote implies that if creativity does not come naturally to some people then it is present due to social situations and the community in which people live. It can be seen that the quote is saying that if creativity does not come naturally to certain people then technology will help advance it. To some extent I agree with this; I believe that all people have creativity and that new technological advances can help develop it in those who struggle to express it.

What is Creativity?

Imagination

-  Within my AS coursework I used my imagination to develop a background story and the article to create around my subject in the magazine. This can be seen as creative as I used my own ideas and creations to develop something which suited the genre I had picked.

Within the A2 coursework we used our imagination as we created a scenario we wanted to develop. This scenario consisted of that of a apocalypse. This can be seen as imaginative as not many music videos consist of such a theme.

Inspiration 

-For my AS work it can be seen that I used inspiration to fill out my contents page. This inspiration came from the music magazine NME and is evidenced by my use of such sub-titles as ‘Radar’.

For the Digipak from my A2 coursework, it can be seen that I used inspiration from the Bombay Bicycle Club Flaws album. This inspiration can be seen in my colour scheme and the use of images across the whole of my digipak. Secondly, inspiration can be seen in my decision to use elements of the XX’s magazine advert to help me use my own images.

Ingenuity

-Within my AS coursework I feel that I used ingenuity in the naming of the piece of work. I merged the two different titles and came to use the creation of both. As I saw that my merging both I could create a link to my genre of music.

Within the A2 piece of work we used ingenuity via the variety of pieces of equipment we used. It can be seen that this was done via ingenuity as often we had very little time and had to adapt to using a different piece of equipment.

Inventiveness

 -In my AS coursework it can be seen that I used inventiveness upon my front cover through the use of black and white on the main image. This was inventive as I had not planned the use of black and white; it can be seen as a spontaneous decision.

Within the A2 coursework it can be seen that we used inventiveness in our use of post production affects. This is evidenced by our used of filters over the top of certain elements of the video. This was inventive as it was something we played with in our first draft. we never planned to use it.

Resourcefulness

-Within my AS coursework it can be seen that I was resourceful through the decisions I made regarding genre. I used the alternative genre as it was the one I listened to and thus knew most about; giving me greater scope to develop a piece of work on it.

In our A2 coursework it can be seen that we used resourcefulness as we owned the equipment we used and thus knew how to use it and had the option to always use it. This applied to the musical instruments we used as well.

Creativeness

-Creativeness can be seen in my AS piece of coursework via the front cover I developed. This is evidenced via how I used colour to fill in the superman emblem on my subjects top and placed a shadow of superman behind him. I did this to develop a link between the two and add depth to the front cover.

Creativeness in my A2 piece of coursework can be seen by the effects I place over the top of the images I used on my digipak and magazine advert. I wanted to create a darker apocalypse feel and thus added vignetting and a filter.

Vision

 -Within the AS coursework I had vision in that I wanted to develop an alternative magazine  via the use of images which created a relaxed atmosphere.  This was done via capturing the relaxed nature of the clothes my subjects wore.

In the A2 coursework  we had an aim  to make a post- apocalyptic video which we managed to carry through. A second reason this was  fulfilled vision was  because of how closely it stuck to the storyboard we drafted in the research and planning; which consisted if images of our original vision.

Innovation

- Within my AS coursework it can be seen that I was innovative in the style of the magazine I created. I looked to develop something different from other magazines and I feel that what I created shows this, particularly via my use of fonts and the different variety of bands I featured on the cover of of my magazine.

In my A2 coursework innovation can be seen in the way that we used more than two locations. It can be seen that the majority of music videos use one or two. However, for ours, we used three. Something which I feel was innovative.

How creative do you think you have been?

Throughout both my AS and A2 coursework I feel I have been creative. I feel that for my AS my creativity was unexplored then the challenge that developing a magazine presents allowed me to develop and explore my creativity via the use of photographs and designs. I would say that by the end of the AS coursework I had been creative and that I felt this was highlighted through what I felt I developed as my personal style; the use of particular colours, style of images and style of fonts.

Continuing from this I feel that my creativity increased from AS to A2. One reason I feel for this is because I knew what I was capable of, and I knew how to use the tools to progress my creativity. A second reason I feel that I have been creative and that i think creativity has increased from AS to A2 is because of how the music video was developed as a partnership. By comparing views and ideas I was capable to act upon advice and criticism and from this develop ideas further. 

What has prevented you from being more creative?

In my AS work I feel that one thing that prevented me being creative was the limited technology that was available for use. I used older pieces of software and the use of equipment not capable of the standard of work I was aiming for.

In my A2 work I would say that one thing that prevented creativity was that of time. The lack of time to develop a 2nd draft can be seen to have stunted creativity as perhaps we lacked opportunity to rethink certain areas of the work, and thus missed an opportunity to develop the work in a fashion that would have allowed more creativity.

Have boundaries prevented you from being creative?

In my AS work I do not feel that boundaries prevented me from being creative as I was unsure of what needed doing and I had not formulated enough ideas to be constricted. It can be seen that knowing the guidelines I had the boundaries provided help me developed ideas that weren't going to be dismissed on the grounds that they were to broad.

In my A2 work I feel boundaries did not restrict my creativity but actually helped in. I would argue this as by being told what we had to develop, creativity could be poured into this one area, helping to develop specific ideas. Instead of being lost over a decision making period on what product I wanted to create.