SuperHumans Context and Media Language

Why was SuperHumans produced?

The advertisement was produced to highlight the sacrifices made and the challenges endured by the athletes in preparation for the 2020 Paralympic Games

Who produced and created SuperHumans? What company? Which person and why is that relevant?

The advertisement was produced for the 2020 Paralympic Games by the Oscar nominated cinematographer Bradford Young who was also the first African-American cinematographer to be nominated. It was created and devised by Channel 4’s inhouse creative agency 4Creative and produced by Serial Pictures and SomeSuch a global production company

What was SuperHumans part of on a bigger scale?

The trailer is the 3rd campaign for the Paralympics undertaken by Channel 4 - who broadcast the event, and was part of a larger campaign including social media and posters.

What do all advertisements employ? What else do they employ which is more specific to the sub-genre?

All adverts employ a recognizable repertoire of elements of the media form as well as a small set of conventions more specific to the sub-genre

What is the aim of charity adverts and how do they hope to achieve that aim? What do some adverts rely on?

The aim of charity advertisements and those designed to raise awareness of issues and events, is have an immediate impact on the audience to make them want to take notice. Therefore, the adverts need to be memorable and hard-hitting. Some adverts rely on audiences feeling guilty.

What is Compassion Fatigue?

When you become desensitised to trauma/ traumatic events due to repetition

What are 7 ways in which the SuperHumans advert uses codes and conventions?

1. Repetitive Motifs and Meanings

2. Muted Aesthetic/mise en scene

3. Personal Narrative

4. Personal address and repeated use of personal pronouns

5. Emotive Langauge

6. Use of shocking and hard-hitting images

7. Emotive use of non-diegetic sound i.e. Music

8. Use of voice-over and use of emotive language

How do advertisers avoid compassion fatigue in the adverts they produce?

The producers of this sub-genre of adverts are very aware of compassion fatigue and so will often aim to make advertisements that offer a different perspective on events and issues - usually one that is more positive and upbeat.

How is positive sound and imagery used in the SuperHuman Advert? - eg soundtrack:

The use of positive sound and imagery is evident in the SuperHumans advertisement through the use of audio codes. The choice of the soundtrack Oh so you want to be a Boxer from Bugsy Malone effectively communicates the struggles of a disabled athlete while giving the advert a positive feel.

How are the more Typical Conventions used and how and why do they change?

The more typical conventions - for example the use of voiceover and dramatic music appear at the start of the video but rapidly change to the alarm and realities of daily lives

How are Sound Effects used in the SuperHumans advert? + example - 

Sound effects underscore the music emphasizing the battle of training - including groan, grunts and tape being applied

What do Advertisers rely on to convey meaning in the short time they have? How is this shown through close-up shots in the advert?

Advertisers only have a short amount of time to convey their message and so rely on technical codes and editing to do this rapidly. This advertisement uses lots of close up shots of expression to engage the audience and to portray an aspect of disability in a non-victim way, emphasizing it as a part of their lives.

How does the advert use a range of shot types in the sequence showing Ellie Simmonds? What does this convey about the athlete.

A range of shots are used to convey the strength and determination of the swimmer Ellie Simmonds, cutting between an establishing shot showing her standing alone at the pool, a close up of her putting on her swimming goggles, a low angle shot creating power and an extreme close-up of her eyes connoting concentration.

What technical codes are used in the cycle track crash?

Slow motion is used in the cycle track crash combined with muting the sound for a more dramatic effect.

How are Visual Codes used in the advert? What are Iconography and Settings related to? How are Settings then juxtaposed and what does this suggest?

Visual codes are also used to communicate meanings - the Iconography and Settings are related to the athlete and their sport - for example Ellie Simonds in the pool or training in the gym. These Settings are juxtaposed with domestic scenes of the everyday lives of disabled athletes - suggesting a normality to their situation.

What can Gestures communicate?

Gestures communicate frustration competition and celebration  visually highlighting the result of the hard work.

What does the Narrative follow?

The narrative follows the everyday lives of the Paralympians through the battles of training. The sequence when the athlete is trying to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to his daughter on the phone whilst training on a bike, reinforces the clash between sport and family and further emphasizes the athletes as real people.

What some examples of more Stylised Sequences in the SuperHumans advert?

There are also some more stylised sequences constructed to convey meaning. The Dream sequence reappears later on in the advert and is edited with a Channel 4 news clip announcing the postponement of the Games. The impact is shown as the athletes fall ‘over the edge’

How is Humour used in the advert to convey information?

The advert also uses humour to convey information, for example, the image of the hamster on the wheel and the ‘puke bucket’ are both visual signifiers of struggle. The animated sequences also insert aspect of comic into what is a gruelling regime.