LEGO MOVIE POSTER REPRESENTATION

 PREP You all have a handout with the individual character posters and the ensemble poster.

Analyse how gender has been represented in The Lego Movie poster campaign. Use the written handout to help you answer this exam question (10 marks)

The Lego Movie is an action move and like most action movies it is quite male dominated. This is portrayed in the poster campaign which consists of almost all male characters, Wyldstyle being the only exception. This really plays into stereotypical male attributes of dominating, strong and violent while women are seen as having more shy, quiet and small attributes.

 This is really shown in Lord Business' poster where he is portrayed as angry and violent by his angry eye brows, rage filled shout and angry red teeth-like helmet taking up most of the poster. This also portrays him as a very stereotypical villain, filled with rage and hatred, desperate to get what he wants no matter what. 

 However, Wyldstyle does not fit any of these stereotypically feminine attributes, she is shown as a confident, powerful woman who knows exactly what she's doing, this is really well portrayed in the poster campaign as she is smirking confidently at the camera and showing off her very anti-stereotypical dark, funky hair style. But she is still shown as feminine and beautiful by her heart -shaped lips and long eyelashes, making her desirable and painting her not as a damsel in distress but still a damsel and the perfect love interest for the hero.

Emmet, like Wyldstyle, doesn't fit into a stereotypical roles. He is portrayed as scared, confused and unsure of himself, the opposite of the expected characteristics for a man and a hero. This is shown amazingly in the poster campaign where we see Emmet with wide, afraid eyes and a fear-filled scream overtaking his facial features. His boring and ordinary hairstyle is also on show, further proving what an anti-stereotypical hero he is, not at all special or different in any way but instead very able and happy to fit in and follow the crowd. 

Vitruvius is not shown with typically male or female attributes, he is not strong and violent but he isn't shy and quiet either. He is portrayed as a wise, old wizard, filled with knowledge that he is ready to share with the hero when he is in need of guidance. This is shown in the poster campaign by his long white hair and beard, which is very stereotypical for a wise old man, and his bright shinning eyes showing his magical and wise attributes off perfectly. 

In conclusion, The Lego Movie is stereotypical as it is very male dominated and has a stereotypical evil, hateful and rage-filled persona and stereotypical wise old wizard, there for knowledge and guidance for the hero. But it also has an anti-stereotypical hero and female main role, the hero being scared, confused and ordinary and the female lead being confident and powerful but still beautiful and desirable. 

LEGO REGULATION

 Task 3: Go to the BBFC site and research age ratings. Why was The Lego Movie (2014) given a U rating? You need to click on the Ratings info

  

Go to the PEGI site and research what age ratings are about. Why is The Lego Movie video game classification 7+?

The Lego Movie was given a U rating because of it's very mild bad language, no swear words were used instead words such as "bum" "darn" and "heck" were used, and  fight scenes were not at all gruesome with hits that were only implied instead of shown. 

LEGO INDUSTRY

 franchise - A collection of media products (films, TV programmes and videogames) all based on one piece of work e.g. THE LEGO MOVIE, LEGO MOVIE 2 and THE LEG MOVIE VIDEOGAME 

synergy - Different areas of the media industry working together to promote the same product e.g. THE LEGO MOVIE uses linked products such as the DC superheroes and Lego figurines  

 tent-pole -  A film that expects to make vast profits and can use these profits to fund other projects 

 production - Making or manufacturing something e.g. the making of LEO MOVIE

 ensemble cast -  A cast composed of multiple characters that relate to everyone e.g. the large cast of LEGO MOVIE

 conglomerate - A large business organization that owns many companies  e.g. Warner Bros is a conglomerate, it owns LEGO MOVIE as well as DC Comics 

 vertical integration - A single company owns controls the production and the supply of a product e.g. TT Fusion, owned by Warner Bros, makes the video game while Warner Bros distributes it 

LEGO MOVIE TRAILER

 Task 1: how does Emmet come across? How effective would this trailer be in promoting the film?

Emmet comes across as the opposite of what you'd expect your hero to be, he is an ordinary guy. An ordinary guy who is pushed into a situation where he can't be ordinary, where he has to become his better, stronger self. Emmet is not strong- at the start of the trailer he struggles to do a few jumping jacks-, he is not assertive- he happily pays for very overpriced coffee even though he knows its unfair-, he is not agile- he falls down a hole and straight into danger-, he is not brave- when he finds himself on the back of a motorbike he is terrified-, and he is not special- he is just like every other person and just wants to fit in. Emmet is everything a hero is not, until he is. Until he finds himself being forced to step in a hero's shoes that he does not fit in, so he makes his own shoes and becomes his own hero, different to any hero we've seen before. 

The trailer is effective in promoting the film by showing comedic, exciting elements such as Bar Mans comedic hero complex and the exhilarating car chase. The trailer also gives us an  insight into Emmet as a character, a very relatable character that we can all somehow relate to, engaging us in the story straight away.