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Present essay provides the criticism of popular music product based on Adornos discussion of mass culture, and popular music specifically. The analysis of Frankfurt Schools conceptualization of popular music is realized in the first place to find basic notions, concepts and theories used by Adorno to criticize the phenomenon of standardization, which in his view characterizes the production of popular music. Finally, Adornos theory is applied to the analysis of concrete popular song.

Adornos criticisms of popular music 
According to Adorno the basic trait, which distinguishes popular music from classic music is standardization (Adorno, 17). Such standardization, being a product of a popular musics function in social control over feelings, emotions, allowed patterns of behavior and reflection, is reflected both in formal structure of composition and in harmony and melodic development.

Based on experience of so-called Broadway music, Adorno rightly claims that formal structure generally has the rule that the chorus consists of thirty two bars and that the range is limited to one octave and one note (Adorno, 18). However, this rule may have certain exceptions in modern popular music, including its cross-fertilization with such earlier independent styles as blues, jazz and rock it basically characterized the linear and standardized structure of popular music production.

It should be mentioned that such standardization is explained by commercial technique of music production, where financial result is more important than the quality. The practice of sampling music through the use of electronic equipment shows that popular music, notwithstanding style divisions becomes more and more standardized in terms of rhythmic figures, formal structure and arrangement.

Harmonic component of popular music according to Adorno is also increasingly standardized. As he argues, Most important of all, the harmonic cornerstones of each hit  the beginning and the end of each part  must beat out the standard scheme. This scheme emphasizes the most primitive harmonic facts no matter what has harmonically intervened (Adorno, 19). Adorno does not mention that such square technique is borrowed from early blues music such as swing and boogie-woogie, however, he is right in saying that such harmonic simplification is designed to ease the experience of listening, which should be relaxing and meaningless, corresponding to the passive type of listening, welcomed by modern civilization.

All this results in the changing of listening patterns. Popular music produced for the modern listener focuses on effects, embellishments and details, without due attention to the understanding of the whole. In a possibility, all popular musics parts are interchangeable without loosing integrity, because such integrity is merely mechanical, according to Adorno. No catastrophe would happen if one chorus would be changed for another due to the predictability of harmonic and melodic development.

Moreover, it should be noted that under such conditions reflexive listening is subsumed my fan culture, which focuses on musicians image, popularity, lyrics, but not the music itself. The patterns used by popular music does not allow it to move forward towards development of formal, melodic and harmonic structures  its development is paralyzed in the stasis of stone-like forms, melodies and harmonies.

The diversity is only guaranteed by improvisation and listeners lack of professionalism, which is quite natural. According to Adorno, the process of standardization is accompanied by pseudo-individualization, by which one should understand the creation of market diversity of music products, songs, groups from which an ordinary, listener may choose what he likes (Adorno, 19). However, Adorno contends that such choice is only a chimera, because all music production is generally standardized.

To sum it up, according to Adornos analysis, standardization, reflected in form, melody and harmony is the basic feature of modern popular music, distinguishing it from serious music. In what follows we will try to apply Adornos concepts to the analysis of popular music product. We have chosen girl group Atomic Kitten song called Its OK

Standardization in the popular music example of Atomic Kitten song.

All basic traits of standardization and pseudo-individualization discussed by Adorno may be found in Atomic Kittens song called Its Ok. The introduction of the song, which is a melody made in old church mode  presumable Dorian or Lydian is quite functional, because it is not linked with the rest of the song neither harmonically nor thematically. Such types of introduction are used, because it is problematic from the structural point of view to start a song with a direct rhythmic beat and lyrics.

The introduction is interrupted by a rhythmic beat, which continues through the song and plays overt functional role. Its role is to create the rhythmic background of the song which in the other way would be lost because of song melodic fluidity and the lack of structure. Unnecessary and intrusive rhythmical beat, thus, enforces the integrity of the song and is designed to energize listener.

It should be noted that rhythmical beat used is a mere sample, chosen on synthesizer and then layered on the basic text. So, its role is quite mechanical. Moreover, it is utilization is directly caused by songs marketing priorities to become a hit on dance floors. It could be difficult to achieve it without articulating rhythm.
The melody used in song is based on rhythm and blues pattern, however not in its radical reflection. The melody is rather sterile, no harmonic modulations are made. The flow of music has no breakthroughs realized by the change of tonalities and cadences. The distinction between chorus and basic melody is difficult to discern, because they are not formally linked. The chorus could be easily changed for another without losing songs integrity, which is mechanical.

It should be noted that lyrical and dramatic aspects are not used at all, notwithstanding the fact that the song is about broken love, loneliness etc. All these possible elements of musical language are subsumed by functional rhythmic dominance.

The lack of harmonic counter-balance between chorus and other parts is achieved by placing the first note of chorus on the strong beat  so it looks like as it is a mere continuation of the song. This  results in the abandoning of the sense of development in music. The instruments used in the song also play quite functional role. It is basically electric guitar which is used. However, it is difficult to hear it because of intrusive digital beat at the background, guitars function may be described as repeating certain melodic figures (no lengthy than 3 notes) after they were sang by the soloists.

No diversification of guitar use, such as possible guitar solos is applied, because it would break the integrity of rhythmic beat, which dominates the song. If compared to classic rock or heavy metal, such utilization of guitar is quite retrograde and banal. We have basically chosen such example of standardization, because it goes without saying that classic rock music, however, has many flaws can not be even compared with modern examples of popular music total deterioration. Moreover, we think that Adornos concept is not always applicable to such styles of rock as art rock, where standardization is avoided. To return to the described song, one should mention that standardization is reinforced by rather simple lyrics used in the song.
The use of lyrics  is motivated by primitive rhythmic structure of the song, which precludes from dividing long sentences in different melodic lines, while maintaining integrity. That is why short phrases are used mechanically linked with other merely on the ground of rhyme, not integral meaning I believed in you  i remember how you used to say have no fear ull be ok when ya told me everything ya want is possible and we could have it all I believed in you must have been a fool all my dreams were with you....

The chorus is even more simplified with using OK and its synonyms as a basic sense component of lyrics. Standardization of text reaches incredible limits here, bordering with absurdity i said its ok i can promise you its alright you aint keeping me up all night  no more but ur not here but its ok i can promise you its alright you aint keeping me up all night no more but ur not here but its ok.

To sum it up, the analysis of popular song called Its OK showed that Adornos concept of standardization and pseudo-individualization are quite applicable to the analysis of modern popular music. Its basic characteristic today is that it mixes different styles such as Rhythm and Blues, Reggie, Rock to create standardized patterns, where mechanical electronic samples and banal lyrics are used.

From the formal point of view, such music as we have analyzed, lacks integral meaning, dramatics, logical coherences and meaning, which traditionally characterized art. The latter implies that such music is the result of commercialized production and has nothing to do with genuine art, focusing on making sense of divided reality. Genuine art is individual and coherent in all aspects form, harmony, melody, lyrics. Each part is inextricably linked to the whole  delinked from the whole it would lose its meaning and the whole construction would be broken.

However, such problems do not concern modern popular music, which is built on mechanical juxtaposition of parts, each of which may be easily changed. Our analysis of Atomic Kitten song showed that it lack harmonic diversity, literary meaning, development and thematic aspects. Functional arrangements comprised of rhythmic beat and guitar accompaniment dominate the song with far-ranging consequences for its musical quality.

As human beings, we were all given great gifts of intelligence, of wisdom, of courageousness, and even of outwitting others. But it was up to us how these would be utilized, some opted to make the best of it and have become scientists and inventors, professors and physicians. But others have a deeper passion for pursuing greatness, and it is through helping others that they have found this.

The three chosen films, The Constant Gardener, The Last King of Scotland, and Babel, had shown maltreatment, abuse, and oppression of those that are different from the ones who control the political, economic, and social powers of the world. In The Constant Gardener, we are given a birds eye view of how the Africans are being utilized for drug trials that are obviously unknown to them. In The Last King of Scotland, the Ugandan president Idi Amin abuses his power to commit homicide and kill those that are not siding with him. In Babel, we witness how coincidences that put young Moroccan children in peril have been punished in unjust ways. The people in the refugee camps are mistreated and abused they are not being treated like humans and are instead being left to die. In the same way that all humans cannot be treated this way, all of us deserve a life that we can be proud of and we can live with, these people deserve this too. If the circumstances were different and if we were in their shoes and we were the ones suffering from poverty and oppression, maltreatment and abuse, then would we not want the other to exert some effort to come to our aid, to rescue us from what we are experiencing. Surely, the United Nations would come to our aid, but sometimes, even their help cannot suffice. Just like how the wars were fought before and each country came to help each other, then maybe if we were all aware of how dreadful and appalling their situation are, then we would not need these films to encourage us to do something about it and instead, actively participate for their cause.

Each film shows how some people who are in power, which have the guns and the military by their side, abuse this power and use it for their own personal gains. I learned that sometimes, human compassion is overthrown by loyalty to people who can give financial complacency and safety from being caught in issues like this. For example, in The  Constant Gardener, human rights activist Tessa Quayle have stumbled upon the discovery that million dollar drugs are being tested on Africans, and even with their consent for the wrong information, they were not told of the deaths that arise from these drugs. The British are protecting each other because each party gains so much from this illegal drug testing. And this is why I learned that some people would do anything for money and power. It was very courageous of Tessa to pursue her leads with regards to the drug testing, even though she knows that all this might be futile. In the movie The Last King of Scotland, torture and oppression was seen through the eyes of Scottish physician Nicholas Garrigan. At first he did not want to see this and had chosen to be blinded by it, but when he witnesses and slowly realizes that it is happening to him and all those around him. Idi Amins cruelty was even paralled to Hitlers genocide (Dorfman).  But in spite of this, I learned that there are people like the Quayles, the doctors volunteering in Uganda who would have the best intentions, and they would want nothing but justice and peace brought to all people.

Whose map is Britain using when it completely ignores the UN and decides to invade Iraq asserted by Tessa Quayle in The Constant Gardener (Burcher). I believe that each filmmakers intent was to open the eyes of the public to the realities happening all around the world. Some may not be completely aware of these while other might be sheltered by what their government and the money hoarding companies are telling them. When it comes to power and money, people would do anything to get their piece regardless of the consequences and the lives that they take while doing so. I also deem that these filmmakers want the people who witness these dreadful conditions to be active and not passive, participate in whatever cause they believe in. Maybe find their inner Quayle, Garrigan, or Jones and believe in the goodness that mankind has left. Moreover, I also think that they would want to expose some of the symbolism that they think warrants exposure to public. In some ways, the filmmakers are becoming the activists themselves because they want to relay the message of their intention to those who will watch their movies.

I believe that the filmmakers were able to relay their messages to the public. Their intentions of becoming mediums of exposing hidden drug trials, the oppression of the African people, how they are being mistreated, how color affects peoples judgment and their actions towards one another. We have a glimpse of how the internal affairs works in these situations and maybe the filmmakers want us to see that sometimes, these events dont just happen in films, they too happen in real life. Maybe the filmmakers want us to determine for ourselves if people who have the worst intentions deserve all the grandeur that they have and the power bestowed upon them with that title. Maybe the filmmakers wanted us to learn how to act, how to survive in case we are put in the same situation cited in the films. Maybe they are teaching us to be clever, to be proactive, and to want to achieve betterment through helping others and becoming advocates of what we believe in.

When Tessas husband stopped being the constant gardener that he is and tried to find out what really happened to his wife and took matters in his own hands, I pitied him. I pitied him because his own wife did not want to involve him with her work he was kept in dark because maybe his wife believed that her husband would not be able to handle it. But also I admired his courage, because while others may not pursue what their wife has done, he was brave enough to do this not only for his own peace of mind but for his wife as well. As for Nicholas Garrigan, his attempts at an adventure in Uganda made him a great man, a great doctor as well because his cause, while at first may be personal, he learned to interact with his environment and had come to realize his good cause. However, we can see that he would prefer still the sheltered life and lived under the lavish roof of Ugandas president. It showed his character and his weak points, but when he realized that he needed to do something about the abuse of power that the president was imposing on his subjects, he was able to show his courage and gain justice for the people that he has hurt and has caused trouble for. For the film Babel, Mr. Jones was able to forgive and drop the charges for the nanny who took their kids across the border, even though the nanny might have gotten his children killed. He has shown compassionate for the life of the one who took care of his kids and put their lives above hers.

Films like these have always been a medium on how to express the simplest to the most complex messages that these filmmakers want to impart to their watchers. It shows the multitude of characters people around the world have especially when in the face of power, money against compassionate and vindication. It is very rare to witness the heroic acts of the aforementioned protagonists like Tessa Quayle, but it is in these people that we find strength and inspiration to be the change that we would want to see in the world.

Acclaimed as the first true film, the Great Train Robbery 1902 is a tale of a train robbery  a clerk is and left tied up by hour men. They threaten the operator, take the money, and shoot a passenger. A girl witnesses the incident and informs the Sheriff of the whereabouts of the bandits.

Unlike the Melies films which at that time were still a set of theatrical tableaus created as modifying tricks, the film may be considered as the first dramatic work conceived for film. Edwin Porter derived the theme from the offshoot of Western novels  train robbery, gunfight, and seesaw chase. After the gunfight with the guards, the robbers blow the safe apart and steal the money. Now, a girl finds the hostaged fireman and frees him. The fireman then chases the robbers and evidenly kills them. This thematic sensation will become the basis of modern Western films in the next 70 years.

The technique was new to the audiences of Porters time. Porter uses mostly close-up and medium shots to move the audience, making them feel part of the action. Although the edits are choppy, the acting is quite theatrical and conducive with traditional performance. Indeed, the movie has four themes, divided into 12 scenic units.

Almost all scenes in the movie are photographed in full to give the audience unbroken story points. Shooting on location poses a difficulty for Porter. Apparently, the scenes are more inspired by established photography techniques than formal stage scenes. Editing improves since the American Fireman. Porter is able to create a more cinematic, lively, and parallel story. Succeeding films follow this format.

The traditional, aristocratic audience accept the film without a sense of doubt. Indeed, the film was a sensation that all over the nation even empty stores became theaters to show it. The film is the new fulfillment of an art form. The movie industry, is at last moving in a fast pace. The motion picture is, indeed, the new spirit of the age.

Suppose that the movie is recreated thirty years after its conception in 1902, the audience can expect three things. First, the thematic arrangement of the movie will be similar from the 1903 release. Second, editing will improve dramatically. Choppy scenes will give way to clear, impartial scenic imaging (like in the film Gone With the Wind). And lastly, imaging and sound techniques are expected to improve. This will add sensation to the cinematic power of persuasion or in this case of dramatism. The case is the same if the movie is recreated today, although its overarching theme would be outdated.

Combining photographic scenes is undoubtedly a very difficult task in those days. This task must be done in lieu of the thematic message of the film, as well as the arrangements of scenes. Indeed, viewing the film from a historical perspectivem, the film is the first of its kind  an edited, imaged arranged, and thematically organized film. Porter is the first filmmaker to realize the dual aspect of imaging-theme arrangement into a clear juxtaposition of cinematic ordering.

Giving cinematic life to Lionel Whites novel obsession, Jean-Luc Godards Pierrot le Fou is an interesting example of film as a visual art representing the artistic and social developments of its time, pop art. There are numerous cultural and social references which was essential in establishing the significance of pop culture to the story. Together with the vivid imagery of film, creates a high degree of accessibility and popular appeal. Ferdinand Griffon, one of the films main characters, for example represent asocial clich of a man who after suffering a sudden professional crisis, abandons his family to pursue his baby-sitter and ex-girlfriend, Marianne Renoir.  Many of the key events in the story are accentuated by cartoon comedic references scenes cutting into fireworks when a pie is thrown or in the finale of the film when Ferdinand is blown up by the dynamite ne lighted. In peppering the film with vibrant imagery and often fantastical, even farcial, situations, Godard suggests that Ferdinands moral and psychological descent stemmed from his removal from reality because of being too immersed with triviality. Without creating such visual sequences, Godard would not have been able to communicate effectively the growing internal conflict the Ferdinand was experiencing. In a similar manner, the almost lurid colors used in the film, particularly the clothing of the characters, creates a significant reaction in audiences which evolves in the course of the film.  Ultimately, there is need to consider that the cinematography of the film is critical in the films narrative not just for entertainment value, but most importantly, but also for developing artistic relevance of the work of artists.

Star Trek is considered one of the most popular science-fiction shows in the world which is probably rivaled by the Star Wars saga of George Lucas.  It is so popular as a TV series that it evolved to become a sort of a cult as the storys principal characters, along with the actors who portrayed them, became cultural icons.  Star Trek was the brainchild of a visionary named Gene Roddenbury.  Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry would forever be intertwined and can never be separated.  Gene Roddenbury through his creative writing on Star Trek has bridged generations by transporting his audience into the future and satisfying the curiosity for space exploration.  Like French novelist Jules Verne, Roddenberry boldly took us where no one has gone before  into a future no one thought was possibly and was only a fantasy.  He believed and was not afraid of what the future would bring and in the end, he had been right all along.

After a distinguished career in the military and police force, Roddenberry took to writing which he developed while serving in the military.  His writing also reflected his personality of being a futurist.  It was through futuristic writing that Roddenberry wanted to open our eyes to a brighter future than ever before where techno-miracles can be real and anything is possible (Jennings).  Through Star Trek, he created a future for the human race that is full of adventure though limited only by our imagination, such as seeing what benefits technology can bring rather than the harm it can cause.  Roddenberrys greatest legacy was perhaps his ability to get  people to overcome their fears by embracing the future as opposed to hiding from it or fearing it (Gene Roddenberry).

If there was one thing Star Trek prepared people for about the future, it is the technology.  The Original Series, first aired in 1966, featured technology that was then considered impossible to create and use.  Although these were mere props on the set, the idea that these would become real-life gadgetry in use by people in their everyday lives is not far-fetched.  Today, personal computers are becoming a staple of every household, thanks in part to user-friendly software developed to make them more accessible and available to the common folk.  The communicators the crew of the Enterprise used would eventually be manifested in the present as cellular or even satellite phones.  Like the props on Star Trek, they are small enough to be put in ones pocket they can be flipped open and one can reach out and touch someone anywhere.  Uhuras trademark earpiece has become more than a prop for Nichelle Nichols, the actress who played the iconic communications officer.  Modern technology made the wireless earpiece a partner of the cell phone thanks in part to Bluetooth technology which enables cell phone users to communicate with anyone without having to reach for their phones which has become convenient when one is driving or preoccupied with something that requires the use of both hands (Gerson Lehrman Group).  Modern medicine joined forces with computer technology as the latter helped create devices such as the MRI or Sonogram which enables expectant couples to see what the gender of their unborn child would be.  The CAT Scan resembles the same apparatuses Dr, McCoy uses in the Enterprises sick bay to conduct non-intrusive check-ups and diagnosis to determine ones ailments. The ubiquitous phaser has proven that the weapons used by the Entrprise crew were not necessarily lethal as evidenced by its ability to be set for stun.  Today, police and military forces, concerned with minimizing the use of force and in keeping for the respect for human rights, now make use of non-lethal weapons.  There is the hand-held stun device used by women to defend themselves against rapists.  There is also the tazer gun used by police men to subdue an aggressive suspect without the need to inflict severe physical injury or even use their guns which would lead to needless deaths (Evangelista).

Besides the space-age technology, Star Trek also has social and political undertones that also reflect Roddenberrys views on the social and political issues of his time which still has relevance to this day.  From the cast to the plots of each episodes, Star Trek tends to serve as an allegory to real-life social and political issues.  For one, the crew of the Enterprise is diverse, one in terms of race (and gender), as evidenced by the inclusion of Nichols (African-American woman) and George Takei (Asian-American) who plays Hikaru Sulu, the Enterprises swashbuckling helmsman, not to mention the inclusion of an alien in Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy (Alexander, 370  Fern, 7).  It also has political undertones as well with the casting  of Walter Koenig who played the Russian securityweapons system officer Pavel Chekov since the 1960s was the time of the Cold War when the United States and the Soviet Union were the two competing superpowers then.  The interracial and political issues were also evident whenever the crew of the Enterprise would interact with other alien races.  Even in later spinoffs of Star Trek, the social and political ideals Roddenberry showed in the Original Series still remains.  Roddenberry wanted to show people what the future had in store for them besides technology. He used the series to show that it is possible for people of different backgrounds to get along and there would come a time when their political and even racial conflict would come to an end.  The bridge of the Enterprise would serve as a model of the kind of world Roddenberry saw where people of diverse backgrounds and personalities would come together.  This was evidenced in one scene when Kirk, played by William Shatner and Uhura kissed (Alexander, 317).  There is also the balance of personalities when Kirks maverick streak is tempered by Spocks calculating logical approach in dealing with problems, not to mention being level-headed as opposed to Dr. McCoys cantankerous and crabby personality (Fern, 80).  This would be repeated in The Next Generation in the relationship between Captain Jean-Luc Picard, played by Patrick Stewart, who is Kirs opposite being methodical and level-headed and his Number One, William Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes who appears to be more like Kirk.  There is also the United Federation of Planets adherence to the Prime Directive which called for non-interference as Roddenberrys answer in addressing imperialism in the real world.

Through the Prime Directive Roddenberry wanted to teach the world about respecting and appreciating ones culture without trying to impose ones own upon others. The mission of the Enterprise in the Original Series was mainly scientific as stated in the voiceover at the beginning of every show, to explore strange new worldsto seek out new life and new civilizations  Despite being a military vessel, the crew of the Enterprise conducts scientific research and sometimes performs diplomatic and peacekeeping missions and none of the shows ever depicted acts of aggression committed by the Enterprise in behalf of the Federation.  As shown by the diversity of the crew, Roddenberry also tried to promote a sense of ecumenism and community as the principal characters are essentially altruists and in the world they live in, the pervading attitude is the betterment of ones self instead of the acquisition of wealth or assertion of ones supremacy over the other in many ways.  As Roddenberry once put it, (By creating) a new world with new rules, I could make statements about sex, religion, Vietnam, politics, and intercontinental missiles. Indeed, we did make them on Star Trek we were sending messages and fortunately they all got by the network (Alexander, 329  Fern, 163).

In conclusion, Gene Roddenberry was not afraid of the future and enjoined others to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Questions for Production design application
Please write in your own words

1. What are your reasons for applying for this postgraduate course Please refer to career and personal reasons as appropriate. Indicate how you intend to manage your studies with your other commitments.

I am very adamant about pursuing a Masters degree in the same area as my Bachelors degree. Combining my already strong volume of knowledge, encompassed from my digital art and design experience, with even more academic discipline and advanced technical expertise. For me, creative art has always been an obvious choice for my future career, having achieved my first degree and being able to accumulate both practical and theoretical experience as an art design student. I firmly believe, studying at Kingston University will serve me well in offering me a future in this field of design, and even help me make connections that would later provide useful by helping me enter the film industry in the future. Therefore, I am taking this opportunity and am applying for a spot in your course for full time study, having no other commitments. I am looking forward to face upcoming challenges, even more confident due to experience gained from life and education.

2. How will you benefit from a postgraduate course at this time

I wish to pursue a Masters Program in the design production team for Film and Television, thus improving and sharpening my technical skills along with my artistic skills. I consider this course to be the best choice to help me boost my career prospects. Becoming a masterful production designer on the set will give me competitive advantages and will augment with much more visual aesthetics onto the screen as a contributor to the production team. It has always been a dream of mine, working as a member on a movie set, and my chances of this happening will certainly increase dramatically if I have taken this course. My strong passion for film and desire for knowledge will surely help in my quest for practical experience.

3. How might this postgraduate course fit in with your career plan over the next 5 years

My ultimate career goal is becoming a conceptual designer in the film and animation industry. I will make great use of my professional skills and imagination, which I am sure will be a great asset for the industry, progressing greatly over time. This course will reflect my skills relating to cinematic art and associated studio design modules will expand my knowledge horizon even more. The investment will become evident in the coming semester.

Questions for Reference
(Please answer the each question with not more that 200 words)

1. How do you rate his academic ability Please relate your comments to the candidates class of degree (for example is of 22 standards, or is of higher ability than the class of degree achieved), please give a realistic prediction.

Simon is dedicated and has successfully demonstrated his leadership, and in particular, his documentary video project under his own initiative. He is a confident and generous contributor who is able to motivate group activity and has gained the respect of his peers. With a keen interest in art and design, and an ambition to progress into the field of filmmaking, I believe that this course would be ideal for him. He will prove to be an exceptional candidate and possibly an asset as well as a valid contributor to your course work.
During his duration as a student at UWS, Simon has demonstrated motivation and commitment to his work and academic studies. Over and above what has been formally required of his artistic skills, there is an impressive track-record of art and design projects which he has proposed, developed and completed.

2. Taking an overall view, what do you consider to be his major talents and most significant weakness Please relate this to the specific course for which the candidate is applying.

His work benefited from his willingness, imagination and pursuit of his studies manifesting in his personal style. His language skills have progressed quickly to reveal a sharp wit and a lively mind. He is very confident in himself and what he wishes to acomplish. There is no visible weakness in his work performance, he always satisfies with his progress and effort put into his work.

3. Please comment on the applicants ability to sustain his motivation for study. Has the applicant previously shown an interest in the proposed area of study

Unlike many students who are unsure which discipline to pursue, Simon is very clear in his ambition of filmmaking and cinematography and realistic in the challenges this discipline invokes. To this end he has worked very hard to gain the knowledge and skills required referencing books and related material to gather experience out with University time.

4. Please feel free, either in the following space or in a separate letter, to make any further comments which you feel will be helpful (for example, relevant industrial or other experience).

I vehementey recommend S. Simon Shen for admission to your graduate programme. Being his studio tutor for a period of over 2 years, I have seen this young man develop academically and personaly into a mature individual who knows what he wants and is ready to commit to this graduate programme in order to obtain the future he envisions for himself. I am certain that Simon will successfully complete his chosen programme and I wholeheartedly believe that the applicant is suitable for this level of study.

The medium of the artist, James Cameron, is film as represented by the 2009 movie Avatar. However, since Cameron also wrote the films screenplay, then literature, in particular drama, can also be considered as one of his medium. As a film director, his choice of film is not surprising however, considering the importance of visual imagery to convey the story of Avatar, film was a necessary choice. In fact, Cameron opted to wait more than ten years for the development of the necessary technology that he believed was necessary to create the visual effects and animation he envisioned for his work.

Story  Narrative Content Is there a central theme, idea or subject to the work you are studying What seems to be the story (if there is one) and how does the artist attempt to convey the ideas

The central theme of the story is the need for socio-cultural tolerance and protection. Set in the 22nd century in a moon named Pandora which is located in the Alpha Centauri system inhabited by a humanoid sentient race called Navi, Cameron points out that the conflict developed from the objective to mine a valuable mineral resource unobtanium. The film ends with Selfridges fores being expelled from Pandora Jake and surviving avatars and scientists remain on Pandora. Jake is permanently transferred into his Navi body and becomes the new chief of the Omaticaya. There are thematic parallelisms with movies like Dances with Wolves and The Last Samurai wherein a foreigner  becomes the messiah to their bid to preserve their culture or their home. Though this may imply that the plot of the movie is not original or even worse, trite, Camerons ability to create, build and sustain drama in the course of the film is sufficient to make audiences emphatic to the story and the struggles of its characters .

Colour How is colour used How does it contribute to the work Give examples of how colour (or the lack thereof) relates to the ability to tell a story or share a message.

Cameron had developed the film story in the late 1990s but held off production of the film to wait for the availability of the digital animation technology to bring to life his vision of the story. Though the main targets of the film are science fiction enthusiast, it has been very successful in attracting a wider due to the early interest in the film which even caused a crash of its official website due to the traffic of people who wanted to see early previews of the film.  To highlight the alien world of Pandora, Cameron created character that though were very human like had very distinctively blue skin tone. At the same time, the flora and fauna in Pandora has a very different scheme from the areas associated to humans. The former is represented by richness and an almost primordial quality while the latter can be described as stark and technocratic. This was critical in delineating the difference between humans and Navi which was also critical in building the conflict between the two of them.

TextureBalanceCraft How does the artist use elements of texture and compositional balance in the work Is the craft of the artist evident Is craft intentionally downplayed or disregarded Does it contribute to message  How does this relate to what the work is telling you

Texture and balance were all critical in the overall effect and story of the film. However, they were not distinct and was utilize more in a compositional sense. The film is an example of Camerons craft as a compelling dramatic story teller. As in his earlier work, Titanic, Cameron is very adept in eliciting emotional response. There is no denying the technical competence that went into the film. nor Camerons ability to create a story that is both compelling and socially relevant and effectively communicate these perspectives to his audience. The latter is a reflection of Camerons involvement in environmental and social issues The films concerns can easily be paralleled to real difficulties in balancing development and environmental protection modernization and preserving culture and spirituality over technology. Thus, the Avatar is good example of how developing technologies can open new perspectives in film, animation, art and how media can highlight social concerns and issues to promote global sensitivity and responsiveness.