I have created a Prezi presentation to present to the class using my research on this blog post, where I researched the links between different media products, using the case study of the NBC television show, 'Hannibal'. This will help to prepare me for the main task for A2, which also involves linking between different media products to promote one main product.
Sunday 22 June 2014
Monday 16 June 2014
Presentation About Media Text Links
Main product: My main product is the American psychological crime-thriller-horror television series 'Hannibal' developed by Bryan Fuller for NBC, first airing in 2013.
Campaigning products and promotion: The Hannibal Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr and Facebook accounts, as well as the official NBC website distribute above the line, online posters which include a still image from one of the episodes, accompanied by a quote.
They also use these sites to distribute the teaser trailers which they create, which preview the upcoming episodes, creating audience excitement which encourages them to watch the episode when it is aired. These are effective campaigning products as they can be shared by fans to reach wider audiences, and are easily accessible online.
There have also been online and offline articles written about the series, such as http://www.vulture.com/2014/06/vulture-tv-awards-best-episode-hannibal-finale.html which promotes Hannibal as the best television episode of the year.
Conventions met/challenged: It is conventional for media conglomerates such as NBC to use teaser trailers, posters and websites to market films, as they have the funds to create these professionally, and also distribute the shorter teaser trailers to terrestrial television for commercials during and between programming. It is unconventional for such large companies to rely on online promotion through social media; as this is generally a marketing method used by smaller companies as it is cheaper. However due to the increasing popularity of social media, and prominent digital literacy for young audiences, online promotion successfully allows media products to reach larger audiences.
They also use these sites to distribute the teaser trailers which they create, which preview the upcoming episodes, creating audience excitement which encourages them to watch the episode when it is aired. These are effective campaigning products as they can be shared by fans to reach wider audiences, and are easily accessible online.
There have also been online and offline articles written about the series, such as http://www.vulture.com/2014/06/vulture-tv-awards-best-episode-hannibal-finale.html which promotes Hannibal as the best television episode of the year.
Conventions met/challenged: It is conventional for media conglomerates such as NBC to use teaser trailers, posters and websites to market films, as they have the funds to create these professionally, and also distribute the shorter teaser trailers to terrestrial television for commercials during and between programming. It is unconventional for such large companies to rely on online promotion through social media; as this is generally a marketing method used by smaller companies as it is cheaper. However due to the increasing popularity of social media, and prominent digital literacy for young audiences, online promotion successfully allows media products to reach larger audiences.
Target audience: The series is targeted at mature, adult audiences due to the complex and often shocking themes and content, which is identified by their 'viewer discretion advised' warning at the beginning of each episode, and also due to the fact that the Hannibal Lecter film franchise and novels which the series has been adapted from have a reputation of shocking content.
Below the line processes: Below the line marketing processes include fan twitter accounts and hashtags such as @Hannibal_Quotes, encouraging twitter discussions which promote the television series through word-of-mouth advertising. This type of advertisement is often successful for Hannibal, as their shocking and controversial content often raises discussions.
Fan art is also posted on Tumblr and RedBubble (which makes the art into t-shirts), and the official Hannibal Facebook page regularly posts submitted fan art.
Above the line processes: Above the line marketing processes include terrestrial television broadcasts of the teaser trailers and trailers for upcoming episodes between programming on NBC, Sky Living and other similar channels which will reach their target audience, as well as during 'on-demand' television menus. They also use posters online and offline which advertise the series such as on buses, billboards, and also social media.
Fan art is also posted on Tumblr and RedBubble (which makes the art into t-shirts), and the official Hannibal Facebook page regularly posts submitted fan art.
Above the line processes: Above the line marketing processes include terrestrial television broadcasts of the teaser trailers and trailers for upcoming episodes between programming on NBC, Sky Living and other similar channels which will reach their target audience, as well as during 'on-demand' television menus. They also use posters online and offline which advertise the series such as on buses, billboards, and also social media.
Intertextuality and borrowed interest: The series is adapted from the Hannibal Lecter film franchise which includes the popular film 'Silence of the Lambs' 1991, and also the Thomas Harris novels which began with 'Red Dragon' 1981. The 32 year gap between the first Hannibal novel and the Hannibal television series has allowed the Hannibal Lecter franchise to gain lots of borrowed interest through the success of these texts, which could encourage audiences to engage with the series, as it is adapted from texts which they enjoy.
The success of the Hannibal Lecter franchise most notably includes 'Silence of the Lambs', which was critically acclaimed and financially successful, becoming the third film in the history of the Academy Awards to win the 'big five' categories (Best; actor, actress, director, writing, picture), and also winning 1 Golden Globe and 2 BAFTAs in 1992. This promoted the Hannibal Lecter franchise to a wide audience, increasing the borrowed interest for the television series. The cast of NBC's Hannibal could also generate borrowed interest, due to the popular Burberry model Hugh Dancy for the role of 'Will Graham', and also Mads Mikkelsen for the role of 'Hannibal Lecter', who has gained popularity for his roles in 'Casino Royale' 2006 and 'The Hunt' 2012. Fans of these actors could become interested in the media texts which they feature in.
Intertexuality within the television series is very common, as it is an adaption of previous texts, presented in a postmodern way which is suitable for modern audiences. An example of this is the similar masks worn by Hannibal Lecter in 'Silence of the Lambs' and Will Graham in Hannibal.
Another example of is the parallel between the scenes in the television series and 'Hannibal' 2001 film where Mason Verger is sitting in darkness and cutting off his face and feeding it to dogs; however such parallels are very frequent due to the similar narrative which both media texts present in a different way.
Brand identity promotion: The brand identity of the Hannibal Lecter franchise is clearly promoted by the television series as it is a postmodern adaptation of the franchise with recognisable narrative and mise en scene links throughout (e.g. the masks).
Audience theory: The two-step flow concept is used for the marketing of Hannibal, as the television series attracts audiences using below the line marketing processes such as word-of-mouth and social media discussions, which allows audiences to promote the media product to other potential audiences.
Exhibition and distribution: Exhibition and distribution processes include online streaming to Netflix or the NBC Hannibal official website legally, or illegal streaming sites such as VodLocker. Hannibal is also exhibited and distributed to on demand television and terrestrial television on channels such as NBC and Sky.
Conventions of the genres met/challenged: Hannibal breaks the conventions of a crime procedural (individual crimes resolved within each episode) due to the focus of the emotional damage and deterioration which each crime imposes onto the characters, creating a link between the episodes in the series. It is also conventional to the thriller-horror genres due to the violent and shocking content and graphic killings, and the psychological genre due to the manipulative plot events and twists.
Conventions of the genres met/challenged: Hannibal breaks the conventions of a crime procedural (individual crimes resolved within each episode) due to the focus of the emotional damage and deterioration which each crime imposes onto the characters, creating a link between the episodes in the series. It is also conventional to the thriller-horror genres due to the violent and shocking content and graphic killings, and the psychological genre due to the manipulative plot events and twists.
Innovations: The postmodern adaptation of a 1981 text has been innovated by the produce to appeal to a modern audience with the use of attractive cinematography and editing which often juxtaposes the chilling scenes, for example the editing for the opening title sequence to beautifully form the shocking skull of Hannibal Lecter using blood:
and also the cinematographic close-up scenes where Hannibal is preparing dinner alongside classical music, which can be stylistically appreciated by modern audiences, whilst also making them uneasy, as his cannibalism is focused on through the prolonged close-ups.
HANNIBAL S2 DINNER 30s from Sony Africa Networks on Vimeo.
This is innovative when contrasted with the previous media productions for the franchise which use much simpler shots and editing due to the fewer technological developments during the times they were produced.
HANNIBAL S2 DINNER 30s from Sony Africa Networks on Vimeo.
This is innovative when contrasted with the previous media productions for the franchise which use much simpler shots and editing due to the fewer technological developments during the times they were produced.
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