What trade unions can you join if you work in the media and film industry?
BECTU, the UK's media and entertainment trade union.
Why is it important to join a trade union, what can they do for you?
People join a union to get the benefits, these are; an independent voice to negotiate with your employer, independent industrial relations and specialist employment law advice, support and representation and for health and safety reasons.
What examples can you find of strikes or other trade union action (look for writers guild strikes in
USA), why did they strike, did it impact any productions?The Writers Guild of America Strike from November 2007 to February 2008. They wanted an increase in funding for the writers in comparison to the profits of the larger studios. They targeted the strike at the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
The WGA won their strike and received a new percentage payment on the distributors gross for digital contribution.
Freelance contracts
What does it mean to be a freelancer in the media?
Someone who isn't employed by one company but get hired by various ones for certain jobs.
What types of freelance contract are there?
Mainly zero hour - they're on call to work when you need them, you don't have to give them work and they don't have to work if you ask them.
What types of film or media contracts (short term/fixed term/ first refusal)
Fixed term - have a definite start and end date, terminated automatically when a particular task has been completed.
Short term - Hired for a short period of time and you don't have to continue work after the short term has ended.
First refusal - Being able to make a decision before others. I.e. you can decide to accept or reject an offer before it's offers to other people.
Editorial guidelines
Explain what an editorial guideline is
Editorial guidelines are the values and standards of a channel - so what they allow/don't allow on all of their content.
Look at the following link and summarise the guidelines for two or three of the subheadings
Religion
The BBC respects everyones right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. They don't discriminate religions but also maintain the freedom of speech/thought/expression aspect. They comply with the 2006 Racial and Religious Hatred Act which forbids a person from using or displaying threatening words or behaviour.
Harm and Offence
The BBC aim to reflect the world as it is whilst being sensitive to certain topics as they have a young audience and they don't want the material shown to impact or affect them. There are "generally accepted standards" that can be shown but this list evolves over time. They broadcast challenging and innovative content that doesn't breach laws or rules but the reaction depends on the judgement of the audience.
Why is it important for a television producer to work under guidelines.
So that the show is in line with any rules and regulations. For examples there are laws about under 18s being on TV and rules to follow as well as copywriting etc. To make sure they don't get into legal trouble they have to comply with the guidelines to protect themselves and the company from getting into any trouble.
BBFC
Who are they and what do they do?
The British Board of Film Classification, they censor films in the UK and rate them.
What can you/can't you show in a PG, 12A and 15?
PG;
Can show - Use of mild bad language, mild violence.
Can't show - Unsettling images for an under 8, focus on drug use, no inappropriate themes, no promotion of smoking or drinking.
12A;
Can show - brief sex scenes, moderate physical and psychological threat.
Can't show - dwelling on drug use, endorsing of anti social behaviour, homophobic or racist terms.
15;
Can show - strong violence, strong language, verbal sex references, drug taking, scenes of discrimination.
Can't show - dwelling of pain or injury, too much gore, focus on drug taking, harm that teenagers could copy e.g. self harm, hanging, suicide.
TV programmes that promote good morals and ethics.
Blackfish - promoting putting an end to animal abuse
Coronation Street - whenever a character does something bad they get what's coming to them
Balamory - promotes racial harmony and friendship
Frozen - teaches us to not exclude people for being different
Bob the Builder - promotes friendship and team work
Paul O'Grady - promotes dogs that are up for adoption and how they should be treated
The majority are kids shows as they're most vulnerable to bad behaviour but you do get good ethics in mature shows.
TV programmes that promote bad morals and ethics.
Game of Thrones
Skins
SouthPark
Should TV and film be more ethical?
No because TV shows are on at certain times depending on their content and the audience who it's targeted at. If parents are so concerned about their kids watching stuff they shouldn't then they should be more strict with them - parental controls are available and if they're really head strong about what they do/don't want their kids to watch then they should use these controls. Everyone has an opinion/view and they shouldn't be so susceptible to change based on what a TV/film show tells you which most often isn't reality.
Can we blame TV and film for the slipping ethics of society.
No because again, everyone has the right to their own opinion and thought. Regardless of where their ethics came from, we have them, personally I can't watch something and have my opinion changed because I believe what I believe and it would take a lot to change that. I think if you don't have a strong enough opinion about something and a TV show or film that has a negative message and it has the ability to change your view - then you shouldn't watch it. A lot of shows now - for example skins use real life topics - teenagers drinking/taking drugs etc - but obviously only a small minority of young people use this behaviour and by the majority of the characters living that lifestyle, it forms other peoples' opinions of young people which isn't true - assuming they're all drug takers and under age drinkers.
I think society can be blamed for bad ethics - just like this article outlines, stereotypes are formed of young people about their clothes and behaviour - "kicking cans down dingy alleyways" which has been formed by closed minded people.
Unless it's a true story, TV and film story-lines are made up or, even if they are true stories certain
events are exaggerated or dramatised because the studios/creators just want the money. I personally don't think we can blame TV and film for any slipping ethics because if it comes down to certain topics - you need to educate yourself before you can form any kind of opinion, whether it's for or against.
Big Brother Argument
The argument between Jade Goody and Shilpa Shetty sparked out-roar that it was racist.
I think Channel 4 made it seem worse than it was, even though i think racism is bad and should not be tolerated. But the channel 4 producers make it out if it was like the whites all congregated together whilst the black ethnics was separate They did this by they only shown images when the white people were together and the black ethnics was in a different room. Also Jade was in the wrong and after the event admitted she was being racist i also think other people in the house should be told off as they just sat there and allowed it to happen without saying anything, the only way they contributed in the argument and not in a helpful way was laughing. Channel 4 breached the code of conduct.
What should and shouldn't be shown
We had a class discussion about what should and shouldn't be shown on TV, the major topics for should were bullying, abortion and religious services. The major ones for what shouldn't be shown were exorcisms and the opinions of racists/homophobics.
In my opinion I think that everything should be shown on TV and parents can decide what their children can see as they have the ability by using parental controls. Shows that use mature topics should be shown at a later time like they mainly are, all topics should be shown on TV but the channel need to take into consideration the content when deciding the time it should be aired and the audience of that show.
BBFC
The British Board of Film Classification was founded in 1912, the video recordings act was introduced in 1984. It was any video recording sold in the UK had to have a classification by someone/an authority. For 72 years video was released to the public without age classifications.
Explain the controversy
The controversy was that the film was too graphic/violent to be shown so wouldn't be rated. The DVD couldn't be legally supplied in the UK and was banned from the cinema as the BBFC wouldn't supply a rating.
The director, Tom Six made a statement saying "It is a f****** MOVIE. It is all fictional. Not real. It is all make believe. It is art." going on to say "Give people their own choice whether to watch it or not". A lot of people disagreed with his statement saying that violence is not art and the content of sexual violence, abuse and obscenity isn't acceptable.
Explain why the BBFC wouldn't rate the film
On the basis that the film is sexually violent and potentially obscene with unacceptable material throughout which cannot be helped out with cuts.
My opinion on the decision
I think the decision not to rate the film is right, there's a line between acceptable horror and what's ethically wrong and just un acceptable. I understand it's fictional but the way we can now illegally download films etc, anyone can get a hold of it and the fact it's banned will attract underage people mainly to watch it so the fact it's not out at all is the right decision. We need rules and regulations and the BBFC have banned other films so why should this one be any different? We use this system to safe guard children which is something we need to carry on with censoring what's available to those who shouldn't be watching certain films.
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