Richard Curtis / Working Title case study for collective identity.

Who are the target audience for the film?
There are a number of target audiences for The boat that rocked, but i think a significant one would be people who actually listened to the pirate radios similar 'Radio Rock' that are depicted in the film. For example after talking to my Dad i discovered that he was interested in seeing the film too. This surprised me as it's not really the type of film he would go and see, but it interested him because he used to listen to pirate radios regulary and remembers the incidence of them being made illegal vividly. For people like him this film offers a sense of nostalgia and past times, that would draw them into watching it.

Along with this it appeals to people interested in watching well known comedians are actors, both British and American, come together. It has a sense of silliness to it and rebellious attitude towards conventional society that many teenagers and children can relate to, including them in the target audience too.


How does the film rely on stereotypes?
The film relies on stereotypical, out going rebbellious 'pirates' of the sixties. These characters are , of course, exaggerated; depicting them as daily alcohol and drug abusers, yet some able to keep a well organised radio station running. These characters are larger than life, outgoing people who hate the rules. They are oppositional to the governament MPs that are represented in the film. These characters appose the pirates in everyway, their dress sense, jobs, families and friends, all contibute to the tradional and oppressing attitudes to freedom that hey hold.

In what ways can they be said to be quintessentially British?
Sir Alistair Dormandy is incredibly stereotypically british. His suits and dress code are shown as very upperclass along with his accent, which is overly well spoken and stern.

How has the advent of Cool Britannia enabled the production of this film? Cool Britannia is a media term that was used during the mid-to-late 20th century to describe the contemporary culture of the United Kingdom.
"Cool Britannia" referred to the transient fashionable London scene, 1990s bands, fashion designers, the Young British Artists and magazines. There was a sudden influx of lively British rock and pop music from bands such as Oasis, Blur, Suede, Supergrass, Pulp and The Verve, as well as the Spice Girls. The movement saw a renewal in British pride.

Although not the same time period, there are similarities, such as the interest of new music, the kind of music that was hardly played on the radio at the time.

Dominant Discourses

-By two important theorists of communication-- Michel Foucault and Stuart Hall.
-A "discourse" is a particular way of talking about a subject by groups of people, it contains particular ideological beliefs.
-Dicourse analysis identifies the cultrally and socially produced sets of ideas and values that stucture texts and representations.

We are looking at dominant dicourses in British indentity, shown in the media. I shall update this post with some examples.