Barringtons work: Audience Theory

Hypodermic needle theory(passive):

This is the idea that we are all empty vessiles and we have pumped with what we watch, the lyrics 'we are what we watch' tells us that we have become immune to the prospects of reacting upon what we watching by simply compying it.
'Monkey see, monkey do'
This is is one of the many representations of the this theory.
This man was dressed as the joker(from batman) and went on a rampage of killing innocent people that were in a cinema about to watch the latest batman film.
This demonstrate this theory as it is an act of someone who has clearly not thought about what they are doing, have simply decided to 'mock' a fictional film that they have seen by trying to portray this in real life.

 









Uses and gratification(active): 
This theory has 4 elements and it focuses on the areas in which we relate to what we are watching and how that effects us, the impact is has and what we chose to do with it. It is done in the following way in which we apply it to our lives;

1)Personal identity - this is how we resignate with what we are watching, if we feel something for the characters that may be in common with ourselfes. In that it could be how much we relate to what we are watching. This can also be used as a subsititute for an emotional connection with people that do not exist rather than having to cater that feeling to people in your everyday life to be dissapointed. This creates empathy for a person whether fictional or non and allows the person to be more weary of how they would respond in real life situations.


2)Surveillance - this is combined with the 'reality' shows we watch, how we begin to think that because it is real therefore it must be true. This is what mistakes us into believing that what we are watching is right and that these people whoms life are on display for the sole purpose for our enterntainment are like us.
It is because of this we begin to observe our enviroment acording to what we have seen/watch.

 

 3) Entertainment- this is the form of escapism we can seek by watching a film, it allows the mind to be taken away for a swift moment and in that it is the enjoyment of our diversion in which we indulge in. This monitors your level of engagement if you are enjoying what you are watching and in that what you are watching gives you an adrenaline rush, you are excited to be watching it.


 

 4) Relationships:
When we begin to talk to others about what we watch, it then begins to pass through relationships. Sometimes it is what binds us together, in that this may be all that 2 people could possibly have in comman hence the topic of conversation most of the time.








 Reception study(active):
This relates back to personal identity and how we interepret what we are watching. The impact that is left of what we have watch. This theory allows us to think about what it is we have watched for us to have a perception off it. It is what we do with what we watch and how we allow it to effect ourselfes and state of mind.

dvd process screen grabs

Is the DVD dead?

It can be arugued that the era of the DVD has expired and that the younger generation will no longer have or need any use of the DVD. With many new media platforms as a subsitute to the way we watch films are currently in further league off the dvd, meaning that it can be seen as a suvonior of the film for keeps.

To many peoples dismay, dvd supply stores like Blockbuster and HMV have gone out of service due to lack of sales. With only the bigger branches left open, it can be seen as a struggle for those not living the area to reach dvd hire. With networks like I Love Film Instant, Netflix to peoples availability, there is an instant transaction in watching whatever they may desire. Rather than having to go out of there way, comfort of their own home to purchase a dvd.
The internet plays a massive part in how we watch films too. Not only is it a fast way to process the films instantly but there is a huge variety for avaiblility. You can even connect the laptop to the tv with a hdmi cable, so you can put it on the big screen.
One of the disadvantages for online screening is that the pirated links is it's obviously illegal. Yet this still does not mean to be a issue for many people, as they are even able to download these as files. The postive is just how easily it is accessable and how immediate the response it as opposed to traveling to a bockbusters or dvd rental store.

Having said that there, who is to say that the quality of the online streaming is good? With dvd's there is a guarentee of a high definition, ofcourse you can try to find a good link but it's not exactly in high defintion. With dvd rental you do not need to worry about the definition. Secondly, with dvd you have extra additions, i.e. deleted scenes, bloopers even backstage footage which is something you can not always find online as it's only a dvd feature.
You can also store dvd's to be then be put on when wanting to view, it is also user friendly. So those that are not familiar with the new methods of viewing films, for the older generation the dvd is more approprate, easier to use and not complexed.
You can also collect dvd in boxsetts which is something that caters more to fans of the show to have, the physical copy is something that over time has more value.

In conclusion to this, I believe that the time for dvd's will gradually expire. It will become like video cassettes in the sense that they will only be a rare collectables. With new media platforms coming to peoples ease it will become something that everyone is less familiar with using. I personally feel that the usb will be the new form in which we watch films by this I mean it will be formated on to usb which people will pass around to watch. As long as the film is available on some sort of transitional device we do not need to focus on what carries is.