Advertising and media (Jungle Book)

Aim:  To study media texts in relation to media language, media representations and social and cultural contexts

•       Know:  Recognise how the media language of the jungle book (1967 & 2016) has changed over time
•       Know: Recognise how media representations of the jungle book (1967 & 2016) has changed over time
•       Do: study the social and cultural contexts that influence how media representations are created
•       Do: construct an essay on the Jungle book's film trailer and advertising poster
•        Show: evidence of thee completion of the essay in blogger

4 Aspects of theoretical frame work:

Media Language
Media Industry
Media Audience
Media Representation

Describe how technology has impacted on the way the 2016 version of the Jungle Book is marketed compared to the 1967 version.

The 2016 version uses CGI which makes the animals more realistic and creates a connection between the audience and the character due to the image creating that they are "real'. Both posters use serif font. However,the 2016 version has changed the font to look for sophisticated. 

Jungle Book 1967

• Created by Walt Disney
• Based on Rudyard Kipling’s book THE JUNGLE BOOK (1894)
• Kipling’s narrative contained “darker themes” and content which were judged to be unsuitable for a Disney film.
• Walt wanted a film that was “light, fun, and entertaining with happy song - good stuff, fun stuff.”
• The story was modified by Larry Clemmons, who was given, a copy of Rudyard Kipling’s novel but told him that ‘The first thing I want you to do is not to read it’. To turn the book into a successful film many of the original characters and situations were cut out, creating a clear storyline.
• At a superficial level the cartoon should not be offensive to anyone.

Character representation

Baloo

•         band leader & Comedian-singer Phil Harris was cast for the role Baloo – ‘Harris put the lines of dialogue into his own vernacular, (way of speaking) and brought the role to life’, said Ollie Johnston, one of Disney’s main animators.
•        The director, Wolfgang Reitherman, said that, ‘In The Jungle Book we tried to incorporate the personalities of the actors that do the voices into the cartoon characters, and we came up with something totally different.

Shere Khan

•         Shere Khan was designed to resemble his voice actor, George Sanders, renowned in Hollywood for playing elegant villains, but his movements were based on live action big cats: the animator Milt Kahl based the movements on animals
•        Disney and many American film makers have a tract record of using the English accent to represent villainy see the following link and add the reasons why below

•        George Sander was  an English film and television actor, singer-songwriter, music composer, and author. His career as an actor spanned over forty years. His upper-class English accent and bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous characters.
•        Actors who use Queen’s English are more likely to appear untrustworthy, experts have suggested, as it immediately suggests that they are from the upper classes.
•         They also come across as more intelligent, making it more likely for an audience to believe their complicated revenge plans.

King Louie 

•        played by Italian American Louie band leader Prima
•        the character King Louie, who seems to some viewers to offer a racialized portrait of jazz culture that conflates “swingers” (presumably African American jazz musicians) with monkeys.
•        Louie, the Monkey-People’s, orangutan ruler. wants to learn how to make fire so that he can be like a man. This could easily be interpreted through a racial lens; the monkeys could be depictions of Africans wanting to learn how to be “civilised” equals of the white man.
• The representation is further reinforced through the use of African American accents (however) the role was played by an Italian American
• Social context: America was a segregated society during the 1960’s where Black people were actively fighting for Civil rights (equality)

Describe the intertextual link associated with the Jon Favreau’s representation of King Louie.

"We made him actually kind of like he's Kurtz from "Apocalypse Now", and we're going down the river in 'Apocalypse Now,' going to meet the mysterious character," 

They even lit the ape to mimic Marlon Brando's character in "Apocalypse Now." In the classic film, during Brando's iconic horror speech, the actor enters a dimly lit room, shrouded mostly in darkness. Similarly, King Louie's entrance is shrouded in darkness before unveiling his enormity on screen, as shown below.

Female representation 

• There appears to be no representation of female characters in the 1967 version of the Jungle Book.
• The Director Jon Favreau in the 2016 version chose to caste Scarlett Johannson as Kaa providing a more Seductive/beguiling voice compared to the comedic representation of the 1967 film

Intertextual references

Marketing:

WHAT DOES FILM MARKETING INVOLVE?

•Marketing involves all of the deals done to get the films shown and promoted. 

Give examples of above the line Above The Line

•Above the line (ATL) advertising is where mass media is used to promote brands and reach out to the target consumers.

•These include conventional media as we know it, television and radio advertising, print as well as internet.

•This is communication that is targeted to a wider spread of audience, and is not specific to individual consumers. ATL advertising tries to reach out to the mass as consumer audience.

>>>>FOR EXMPLE, POSTERS AND TRAILERS.<<<<

 Give examples of ‘below the line’

 Below the line (BTL)  advertising is more one to one, and involves the distribution of pamphlets, handbills, stickers, promotions, brochures placed at point of sale, on the roads through banners and placards.

> It could also involve product demos and samplings at busy places like malls and market places or residential complexes.

> For certain markets, like rural markets where the reach of mass media like print or television is limited, BTL marketing with direct consumer outreach programmes do make the most sense. 

Examples of how the Jungle Book was marketed in 1967:

• Disney thought the first version of the script was too dark for family audiences, that the audience wouldn’t be able to identify with the boy, Mowgli, and that the villain, the tiger Shere Khan, would be a cliché; so Disney himself took control and changed the production team. 

•Theatrical run: The Jungle Book was released in October 1967, just 10 months after Walt's death. Some copies were in a double feature with Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar.  Produced on a budget of $4 million, the film was a massive success, finishing 1967 as the fourth highest-grossing movie of the year. The Jungle Book was re-released theatrically in North America three times, 1978, 1984, and 1990, and also in Europe throughout the 1980s. The total gross is $141 million in the United States and $205 million worldwide. The North American total, after adjustments for inflation, is estimated to be the 29th highest-grossing film of all time in the United States. An estimated $108 million alone came from Germany making it the third highest-grossing film of all time there only behind Avatar ($137 million) and Titanic ($125 million). However, it is Germany's highest-grossing film of all time in terms of admissions with 27.3 million tickets sold, nearly 10 million more than Titanic's 18.8 million tickets sold.

• Walt Disney Home Entertainment released it on VHS in 1991 (and the UK in 1993) and on DVD in 2007. It was re-released several times on DVD and on BluRay – with extras or different packaging in order to pick up new buyers (e.g. the Limited Edition DVD released by Buena Vista Home Entertainment in 1999 or the Diamond line combination of Blu Ray and DVD in 2014). Occasionally Disney films are ‘vaulted’ meaning they are not available for purchase, which pushes up the demand – the Diamond edition of JB disappeared to the vault in January 2017, for example. However, the classic edition of the DVD and merchandise relating to JB are still available in Disney Stores and on the Disney website, which is marking the 50th anniversary. The original vinyl soundtrack for JB was also the first record to achieve gold status in the USA from an animated feature film. JB has also been released by Disney as digital downloads via iTunes, Disney Movies Anywhere, Disney Life, Amazon Video, Movies Anywhere, Google Play etc.

•Disney produced a live-action version in 1994 and an animated sequel, The Jungle Book 2, in 2003, which Disney had intended to release direct to video (under Michael Eisner a number of straight to video sequels were produced, which in turn promoted the original films).

Examples of how the Jungle Book was marketed in 2016

All the animals and landscapes etc were created on computers, mostly by the British digital effects house MPC

•Disney made several smart marketing choices during the lead-in to the release of The Jungle Book that helped build hype and buzz for the movie. They combined typical marketing approaches, special opportunities available only to Disney, and a few unique techniques and messaging particular to this film

 Toss Red Meat to the Base:

• In August, Mr. Favreau bounded onto a 7,800-seat arena at a Disney fan convention in Anaheim, Calif and showed sneak-peek footage from his film. He hobnobbed with three “Jungle Book” stars on stage, including Neel Sethi, who plays the man-cub Mowgli. Thousands of movie posters were handed out. This was the first marketing stunt for “The Jungle Book,” which cost roughly $175 million to make. By going to happy, peppy Disneyphiles first, Disney ensured that the movie’s initial blast on social media would be a positive one.

Theme Park Armies, Activate

• Various corners of the Disney empire pitched in to promote “The Jungle Book.” A New Year’s Day stunt on the Disney Channel, for instance, was used to portray the film as one of the year’s first blockbuster offerings for families and children.

•But the synergistic heavy lifting was done by Disney theme parks. During the jam-packed spring break weeks, park theaters in Florida and California offered sneak-peek footage of the movie, with Mr. Favreau providing introductions.

Essay:

Task 2: In studying the presentation there is a wealth of information to help you to construct an essay based on the question.

Part (a)

Comparing the 1967 and 2016 versions of Walt Disney`s Jungle book (posters and film trailers), using media language discuss how the representations of the characters have changed.

You will need to explore the changes in social and cultural contexts and impact of technology as Part of your essay.

In my analysis of the 1967 and 2016 versions of Walt Disney's Jungle Book, i have used media language to explore the changes from the impact of technology and more. 

Firstly the 1967 versions poster has simple writing with classic white writing. The poster overall uses bright colours to draw the attention to the happy storyline which is kid friendly.  The 1967 poster shows every character as happy and comedic through the smiles and 'whacky' faces. This portrays how Walt wanted a film that was “light, fun, and entertaining with happy song - good stuff, fun stuff.”
This is a contrast to the 2016 version. The 2016 version uses CGI which makes the animals more realistic and creates a connection between the audience and the character due to the image creating that they are "real'. It also uses darker tones and creates a more sinister atmosphere to portray how the 2016 version is a darker storyline like the original Rudyard Kipling’s book from 1894.  Unlike the 1967 version, the 2016 posters convey the characters in a serious, dangerous way. This is shown through the facial expressions and the direct mode of address. Another difference between the 1967 and 2016 posters is that the 2016 film has many posters, including posters for every main character. This is done because The whole poster campaign is really meant to sell the lush visuals of the movie in addition to the all-star cast that voices the various animal characters. Even in the main posters, the 2016 film uses bigger and more noticeable text on the names on the actors. Both posters use serif font. However, the 2016 version has changed the font to look for sophisticated. 

Another way the two films have different representations of the characters is through the use of the trailers. The 1967 version portrays the characters is a comedic way. For example, King louie is presented as a jazz swinger that wants to learn how to make fire so that he can be like a man. This could easily be interpreted through a racial lens; the monkeys could be depictions of Africans wanting to learn how to be “civilised” equals of the white man. His joking demeanour and gullible self creates a funny characters that kids love. However In the 2016 trailer the oversized orang-utan is made to look sinister. King Louie's entrance is shrouded in darkness before unveiling his enormity on screen. They did this to mimic Marlon Brando's character in "Apocalypse Now." This is seen in the trailer when his massive arm to shown to grab some fruit behind Mowgli. The Wide Shot above shows an intimidating figure behind Mowgli. The shot portrays Mowgli's frightened emotions. This creates a emotional connection between Mowgli and the audience as they begin to feel fear of the ape. The different representations shows the different targeted audiences. The rating for the 1967 movie is a U. However, the 2016 movie wants to target older children and adults and is rated a PG. 

         Both films present Shere Khan as a villain. In the 1967 version, Shere Khan is played by George Sanders,an English film and television actor. Actors who use Queen’s English are more likely to appear untrustworthy, experts have suggested, as it immediately suggests that they are from the upper classes. They also come across as more intelligent, making it more likely for an audience to believe their complicated revenge plans. George Sanders' english accent also creates a more soothing sound and doesn't sound really scary to kids. This shows Khan as a more 'calm' and 'fun' villain. However in the 2016 version, Shere Khan was played by Idris Elba. He plays in Infinity War, Star Trek and many other action movies. This shows how he’s fit for the role of Shere Khan in the Jungle Book as he can be an intimidating character and has the ability to come across as powerful. He has a flowing tone of voice but can also change it to a very rough tone. The low grumble, the growling, forceful whisper and menacing tone, is all undeniably the character of Shere Khan which is shown in the trailer. The difference of characters in the trailers are shown in the way that the tiger attacks Mowgli. In the 1967 trailer, Shere Khan attacks Mowgli in a clumsy and weak way. Baloo is able to hold Shere Khan back and distracts him as Shere Khan tries to get Baloo off. This differs in the 2016 trailer, where Shere Khan is shown to be more violent. The first full image we see of Shere Khan is of him roaring over all the other animals. The authority he holds is portrayed through the fear throughout the trailer and The technology development, has made the characters look real as you can see the texture of the fur and detailed hair, the helps create a fear of Shere Khan in the audience.

Part (b) 

Discuss how these films were marketed and the value earned by the company.  Using media language discuss the effects of technology on targeting an older audience in the 2016 version

Both the 1967 and the 2016 versions of the Jungle Book were produced, advertised, and distributed all through Disney’s own companies.  This is known as Vertical integration. Disney produced films at its own studios and distributed them via its own wholly owned Buena Vista Distribution Company.

This can be beneficial in maintaining high profitability. For example advertising costs are high, but the company can advertise within its media channels ABC and ESPN to reduce costs. This also means they own all of the rights over their own films and products. From this they take profit from further interests involving their films. For example, Lion King film series became a Broadway play. It later became a musical in the west end in London. In both places the soundtrack for the play and the first film was available but they both also had shirts, cups, and other souvenirs. Disney earns profit over these things, as they own the rights of the musical. This is the same with the Broadway and west end musicals of Aladdin.

      The way we consume media in the 21st century is significantly different to 20 and thirty years ago.

      This simply means we can view films in a multiple number of ways. This has affected the way in

      which the film industry chooses to produce, distribute and circulate films. For example, Disney sell

      their films in digital format to exhibitors, they can also sell the film in the form of Blu Ray and DVD  

      sales. However, they don't sell their films to Netflix as they would lose profit from there sales.

The Jungle Book 2016 was planned by Walt Disney Studios Chairman, Alan Horn, as one of a series of remakes of their classic properties: ‘Hollywood makes lots of films for kids, but the Disney reboots may be one of the few safe bets. They revive classic characters for a new generation of kids, and their already smitten parents may be especially willing to shell out for related merchandise.’ This shows how the remake is also targeting parents who also grew up with the 1967 version as a unit of consumption.

In the 1967 version of the film we can see how it may look very outdated compared to the modern

       day film. In the Film we then see that the setting is very simple, with green leaves and brown trees

       and not much detail. The 1967 version of The Jungle Book was created on transparent ‘cels’. The cels

       were originally fixed onto register pegs and this way various layers of image could be shot at once.

       This process was developed by Disney by using a multiplane camera which photographed a much

       larger number of layers of frames at once to make the process quicker and easier. There are

       usually 24 frames per second in film

The 2016 version uses new technology like Blue screen, Facial mapping, MPC – simulation packages

for fur movement, Pre visualisation techniques and CGI. Not only did these techniques speed up the

process of production, it made the character look real. The animal characters were deliberately

created with a realistic look, and not in a cute and cuddly cartoon-style as with the original animated 

Jungle Book film. It is important to recognise that these features were used to create an believable

production thus making the film relevant to older audiences.Neel Sethi, who plays Mowgli, filmed all
his scenes against blue screens. However, small pieces of the set would be created if he had to
interact with something, like a log. In the production of the 2016 version, around 1,000 remote jungle
locations in India were photographed and used as reference in post-production meaning this version
took a lot longer to make and produce.

The Jungle Book 2016 exists in a strange limbo-world between live action and animation. Favreau-
the director- admits he has no idea which category it falls into: ‘I think it’s considered live action
because people feel like they’re watching a live action film.' This is due to the detailed images of the
animals.

The total budget for the 1967 film was $4,000,000 which is much smaller than the 2016 version,

which was $175,000,000. The film was shown in many countries. However, the film was most

popular in the USA where the film was made. It is also estimated to be the 29th highest grossing film

of all time in the United States meaning it made Disney a lot of money. The film grossed

$141,843,612 in the United States. The 2016 film on the opening weekend made $103,261,464 in

North America, making it one of the biggest April debuts ever at the box office. It grossed over $966

million, making it the fifth highest grossing film of 2016 and the 35th highest grossing film of all

time.