The reforms of the Liberals

THE ELDERLY Old age was the single most important cause of poverty. The Liberal Reforms affected the elderly very much. Before the reforms old people were living on an income of £21 a year. Disease was spreading and the elderly could not afford health care so consequently came death. The pensions act was introduced in 1908. * 5 shillings per week to single people over 70 * Full amounts were only paid to those earning less than £21 per year. * The first pensions were paid in January 1909 and were very popular among the public. * The level of benefit was deliberately set low to encourage workers to also make their own provision for retirement. In order to be eligible, they had to be earning less than £31.50 per year, and had to pass a 'character test'; only those with a 'good character' could receive the pensions. These acts were not that effective, yes it insured that senior citizens got the pensions and the extra money which they needed for food and clothing. However only half a million old people qualified for old age pensions. Others could also argue that the entire pension came out of taxation, so there fore the wealthy peoples hard earned money was going towards people who just relied on government handouts, they also argued that this would discourage people from saving up for their retirement, and make people reliant on the governments' generosity. Another

  • Word count: 1076
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Media Studies
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Experiments in different medias.

Experiments in different medias. The horse in paper I found this very hard media to use as is was very hard to add detail of contrast to the sculpture. I found it quite good for adding texture to the sculpture as I could rip the paper to give a rough effect of I could scrunch the paper to obtain the same effect. I could also leave the paper and mould the sculpture using folds, as this would enable me to create a smooth surface. I thought that my horse was to abstract compared to my other models. I found the paper useful for making the model sturdy, as the paper is light it does not need any support. The horse in wire This was a great media to use for the model I was making because it is easy to sculpt into shape it produces an effect where the sculpture is transparent but strong. And the wire is fairly light so it is straightforward to support. The horse in clay I found this media the most useful to use as when using it I was able to obtain a great amount of detail and distinction. It would be my preferred media because it also has many tools which enable my to make the horse more lifelike. The horse needed a base to support the model, as the clay is quite heavy. One problem with using clay is that it dries very quickly if not kept wet. The experiment with mode rock With this media I decided not to make a horse but to cover a bottle with it, as it was the first time in

  • Word count: 340
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Media Studies
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How are good and evil characters presented in The Fellowship of the Ring?

How are good and evil characters presented in the Lord of the Rings? The Lord of the Rings, written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in the 1950s, is regarded widely throughout the world as one of the most imaginative pieces of the fiction in the 20th century, if not the whole of English literature, and a masterpiece of epic high fantasy. Tolkien almost created a whole new genre, greatly influencing popular culture for decades, and inspiring books and video games. One of the main themes of the Lord of the Rings is the epic war between good and evil, the characters in LOTR were originally written by Tolkien to be easily distinguishable from each other in terms of their goodness and capacity for love in the view of the reader. Tolkien mainly achieved by constructing the characters to possess very archetypical characteristics, in such a way that many characters and races described in LOTR wouldn't look out of place in a classic fairytales. In the film The Fellowship of the Ring, a cinematic depiction of the first volume of the LOTR trilogy, Peter Jackson (the director) along with his film crew accurately portrays the races of Middle-Earth through a mixture of various techniques such as music, clothing, camera angles and much more. Hobbits It is the spectacular personality of Hobbits that makes them probably the most loved characters of Tolkien's massive legendarium, and

  • Word count: 5134
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Media Studies
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Analyse the methods used to make the opening battle sequence of Saving Private Ryan both shocking and realistic, and say how effective you find it as an introduction to the film.

Analyse the methods used to make the opening battle sequence of 'Saving Private Ryan' both shocking and realistic, and say how effective you find it as an introduction to the film. Films depicting true stories are often far less factual and realistic than they set out to be. Steven Spielberg took a brave approach towards the war film genre, a genre not receiving too much great press pre-1998. They were said to be only showing the glory of war and having a typical underdog plot-line. Spielberg certainly turned that typicality on its head. The film he directed in 1998, 'Saving Private Ryan' was hugely successful, the highest-grossing film of the year (around $480 million) and critically acclaimed as 'a true classic and all-time great' by many famous reviewers such as The New York Times and the BBC, winning a total of 5 Academy Awards (including Best Director) whilst being nominated for 11. Saving Private Ryan shocked audiences worldwide with the extreme horrors and realism of World War II, portraying the extent of violence during those 6 years yet focusing initially on the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach. The film is mainly remembered for the horrific opening 24-minutes (Omaha Beach Landings), a scene which is regarded as one of the greatest opening scenes to any film of all time. Seen through the eyes of a squad of American soldiers, the story begins with World War II's

  • Word count: 3557
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Media Studies
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An analysis of Baz Luhrmanns film versions treatment of William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Act3 Scene 1

An analysis of Baz Luhrmann's film version's treatment of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet Act3 Scene 1 Act 3 Scene 1 is one of the climaxes of Romeo and Juliet, written by Shakespeare in the 16th Century. Romeo and Juliet is a tragic story and Act 3 Scene 1 highlights the problems faced by the characters during this play. In this scene Tybalt plans to kill Romeo but he is unwilling to fight. Mercutio includes himself in the quarrel resulting in his death. The tragic accident angers Romeo who then in response kills Tybalt. Shakespeare's use of dramatic devices include the use of puns, irony and the setting of the scene on Verona's Streets. Baz Luhrmann's techniques in this scene to create tension are the use of sound, costume, camera angles and visual interpretation. During Act 3 Scene 1, Baz Luhrmann's Techniques make a big impact on the tension of the production. The location of Act 3 Scene 1 was originally on Verona's streets in Italy but Luhrmann changes the location the location to Verona Beach with some aspects of Mexico. This is a very useful and practical use of location because of the change of atmosphere synchronising with the characters moods. The use of the beach also includes contradiction which makes the angered action seem more powerful; a beach is a place where people go to have fun and enjoy themselves. But when the setting of the scene moves to

  • Word count: 1292
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Media Studies
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How does Dreamworks represent RJ in Over The Hedge?

How does Dreamworks represent RJ in 'Over The Hedge'? In this essay, the way DreamWorks represents RJ as a stereotypical hero will be explored. The meaning of the word hero will be explained, further backed up by how RJ is shown as the principal character , and testified by camera angles, sound use and effects, signs and signifiers, and generally how the film 'Over The Hedge' is produced. The word hero comes from the Greek term 'heros' meaning 'a very strong or brave man, whom the Gods love'. This can relate back to the story in 'Over The Hedge', as we, the audience, could say that the other animals are a different interpretation of these God like figures. RJ, in their eyes, comes from nowhere and acts as this new hero, that most of them seem to almost worship; straight away the porcupines calling him Uncle RJ. Although, in modern terms the word 'hero' means 'the chief male character in a story'; such as the little Racoon, RJ. However, heroes are stereotypically seen upon as being able to fly, or to be extremely strong; which children commonly try to imitate; these heroes are role models. In 'Over The Hedge' though, the viewers meet RJ; a somewhat greedy, arrogant but intelligent figure in the story. We also recognise that he appears to have no family or friends, and is greedy and selfish also. This is first known when he tries to steal food from Vincent the bear, and then

  • Word count: 1593
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Media Studies
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To what extent do stereotypes of gay men as "sissies" and lesbians as "butch" still influence representations of homosexuality?

To what extent do stereotypes of gay men as "sissies" and lesbians as "butch" still influence representations of homosexuality? In this essay I plan to discuss the stereotypes of homosexuality in times of when it was deemed unacceptable and now in the 21st century when it is main stream. I shall be looking at a wide variety of both films and television programs from the United States and the United Kingdom; titles include Brokeback Mountain - film, Transamerica - film, Shameless - television, Will & Grace - television and many more. Throughout the history of film, gay men were portrayed as sissies while lesbian women were portrayed as butch. If it were not for these portrayals we would not know if someone was gay and as there is of course no physical markings for them to stand out and people would not know if they were gay or straight. Using this, an American television company created a reality show called Playing it Straight. A woman dates X number of men and has to eliminate one a week to find her true love, but then whilst doing that also has to figure out who is gay and who is not. If at the end she picks a gay guy then he will walk away with the money. The show sounds easy to do but when watching it, which is far from the truth as they all act what mainstream calls "normal". Homosexuality was condemned until it became legalised, even then people still condemned it.

  • Word count: 2234
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Media Studies
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How does the director, Ridley Scott, make the audience aware that Maximus is the hero of the film and the Romans are the superior force? Refer to the opening (the battle) in your answer.

How does the director, Ridley Scott, make the audience aware that Maximus is the hero of the film and the Romans are the superior force? Refer to the opening (the battle) in your answer. Loyalty to the emperor doesn't benefit Maximus as this becomes the cause of his family's death. Murdering his own father Marcus Aurelius; Commodus becomes the new emperor ordering Maximus and his family to death. Escaping the clutches of the past and his death, Maximus ends up as a slave. Destiny brings Maximus back to Rome to Commodus where the slave is entitled 'Gladiator'. Seeking revenge from his past he faces Commodus in a brutal and violent battle. The very first shot of 'Gladiator' shows a hand swiftly touching maize in a warm inviting place this sort of suggests that someone has pride over their crops and wants to show them off. As soon as the first shot finishes, all of a sudden Maximus's face is shown looking depressed in a cold, uninviting place. The opening of the film is about the war in Germania between the Barbarians and the Romans. Fighting an endless battle the Romans win after much blood has been shed. The General Maximus is still respected and untouchable. When Maximus imagines himself at home in his farmland lot of calm, bright colours are shown such as yellow, beige and peach. The colour yellow is mainly used in the first shot, which shows warmth, happiness and being

  • Word count: 1553
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Media Studies
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ENGLISH MEDIA - ANALYSING TWO POSTERS OF DIFFERENT GENRES

Analysing two posters of different genres. In this essay, I am going to analyse the two posters Pleasantville and Pirates of the Caribbean, individually. I will be analysing the gesture codes of the actors, the clothes, location, mise-en-scene, the use of objects and colour. The tag lines any written information about the director/cast or studio, as well as many other things. On the whole I will explain how the posters convey meaning to the audience and how they attract interest in the film. Analysis of Pleasantville In Pleasantville the film poster has connotations that represent the genre of the film, also gesture codes of the actors' shows the genre too. For example, they are standing in an embrace, showing their feelings. This denotes they are showing each other their feelings of desire and it tells me that the film is going to be romantic and affectionate. The gesture codes symbolises the era of the film. The characters appear to be standing in an old fashioned street, which is in black and white. This symbolises the period of time that the film is in by the old fashioned barbershops which have canopies/ornings over them and the old style cars. Also there are old fashioned oil lamps which give off the impression that the film is set in the 1950s. In addition the era of film is also shown by, the way the man and the woman are standing, the man is bigger than the woman

  • Word count: 2426
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Media Studies
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Discuss how the events in New York on September 11th 2001 have been adapted into the opening of the movie World Trade Centre.

GCSE English: Media Assignment Discuss how the events in New York on September 11th 2001 have been adapted into the opening of the movie World Trade Centre. For this media assignment we looked at the first 25 minutes of the film World Trade Centre (WTC). WTC was a 2006 American disaster film directed by Oliver stone and was based on the September 11 attacks on the WTC towers of New York City. Oliver Stone in this film mainly focused on the heroism and bravery involved in the rescue men and two Port Authority officers; Jon McGlocklin played by Nicholas Cage and Will Jimeno played by Michael Peña. I believe the reason Oliver stone chose this story from over thousands of stories to choose from because at those times bravery and heroism was what was the biggest matter to the Americans. Every American citizen wanted to see the pictures of rescuers and helpers not the picture of the towers collapsing or anything that reminds them about the event in a decadent way. Hence it was a positive way to look at the attacks; to know that America fought back not just plummet into destruction. The public want to hear and see the never-give-up spirit showed by them in that ghastly day that everyone hates to remember. The September 11 attacks especially the ones on the WTC had massive effects and impacts on the future of the world. In that day of the WTC attacks 2,605 people died; 200 of

  • Word count: 2899
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Media Studies
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