CI- An investigation in the use of Public Information Films (will be narrowed down)

In 1946, The Central Office (COI) had emerged from the ‘Old Ministry of Information’ and has since been
serving the government. They produce and distribute influential public information films (PIF) and campaigns
to inform audiences of issues that affect their daily lives. The COI's work includes dealing with the issues of
post-war Britain right up to the innovative and powerful films of today. They commonly vary between welfare
and safety messages that include abuse, education, citizen rights and environmental issues and use techniques
of humour, shock, animation and celebrities of the day to engage their audiences. Many of these films were
aimed at children and young adults and were first shown in cinemas. They are now distributed to over 120
Terrestrial and Digital stations and also the emerging Outdoor Media Sector (such as screens in shopping malls
and GP surgeries.) I will touch upon the comparisons and trends of PFI’s across the years and explore how
influential and successful they really are...

All public information films are well suited for the time of when they are shown, some films are based on
issues that are very current and contemporary of that time. For example in 2008 a series of films were
launched warning young adults about the consequences of binge-drinking, these are still shown today. In
addition during 2008 alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom not only increased by over 300 from the
previous year, but have also almost doubled per 100,000 since 1992. A report also shows how 44% of 18 to 24-
year-olds are regular binge drinkers and The Institute of Alcohol Studies adds how young people in the UK are
the third worst binge drinkers in the EU. These facts and figures show a worrying concern and increase
whether or not it has been sensationalised, therefore PIF’s such as this influential advert addresses the
concerns. The series consists of two adverts, one for a ‘Girls Night Out’ and the other for a ‘Boys Night Out’,
the images show how a night of binge-drinking can end by the characters preparing to go out by ironically
behaving and looking the way they would coming in from a horrendously drunken night. The slogan reads ‘You
wouldn't start a night like this, so why end it that way?’ The girls night out starts off with the main character in
her house getting ready for her night out, the conventional close-ups of a girl getting dressed is shocking by her
deliberate actions to damage and rip these pretty and normally admirable clothing . She then continues to
smear her own vomit and make-up over her face, common for a PIF the shocking images don’t end there as
she pulls her ‘wet accident’ stained skirt on. This particular part of the narrative is very informative towards
the audience in suggesting its link to alcohol-abuse as vomiting and wetting oneself is common to the majority
of explicitly intoxicated people. Many of these shots are close-ups/mid-shots to demonstrate how she is using
her own hands to do these absurd things. This signifies her responsibility to what is happening, hence her
responsibility to what will happen when you binge drink. We also see many shots of her awkwardly smiling
throughout her more appropriately frowning behaviour, this could also connote how she isn’t in full control of
herself which is what happens when too much alcohol is consumed. She then leaves her house in this awful
state. Throughout the ad the character is being complimented by the non-diegetic music/song by Paloma Faith
(who had also recently emerged for her singer/songwriter skills at that time). The music tends to narrate her
actions for example when she sings “jump down off the step” the young lady is stepping down towards the
bathroom or “twinkle in her eyes” - when she is smearing her eye-make up and “watching your silhouette” -
whilst she is changing. The use of this particular song is deliberate as many people may have heard of this
current artist and immediately engage with it, also the slow and awkward music as well as the lyrics go
perfectly in synchronising with the ad.

In comparison, the female take shows her doing stereotypically girly roles by getting dressed and looking
pretty and this is reinforced by the use of props – makeup, heels, clothing and mirrors. On the other hand, in
the ‘Boys night out’ we see much more physical and aggressive activity for example he kicks the stereo, rips
out his earring and smashes his face on the cupboard, all this shocking and rough behaviour fit well with this
‘masculine’ image. Although in contemporary society gender roles have become more diluted they are still
commonly used to recognise the different sexes and are generally accepted as the norm for the public. Most
reactions from the YouTube comments are dismissals and mockery, for example a user named ‘hamcheeks’
added that all he learnt from this ad was that you shouldn’t bother “getting dressed up if you're gonna get
wankered anyway.” Comments like these question the success of these films, are the target audience actually
being passive to the hegemony or just feeling patronized? As we all know the UK economic climate is changing
due to the UK budget deficit and the London based magazine ‘Marketing Week ’ explains how the VAT increase
may not have effected alcohol but ‘measures may be taken on alchol pricing to discourage binge and underage
drinking later this year.’ This mention of a possible pricing change reinforces the fear of binge drinking and
establishes it as a problem.
 
In contrast to the contemporary PIF, the trend of using current issues is also demonstrated in this next film.
During 1945 and 1951 after WW2 the new Labour government introduced a programme of reform and
reconstruction so one of the problems they addressed was the importance of Education. Halas and Batchelor
directed an animated PIF during this time in 1949 called ‘Charley Junior’s School Days,’ which follows the
narrative of a nursemaid telling a boy (Charley Junior) about his future school days. In this she explains the new
Education Acts introduced of the increase in schools and training and the offer of further education by
explaining to Charley how he will be in school for longer than his father. The first perception she is giving of
primary school is very positive, as many fun props like toys and sand are shown, also the camera follows a
chalk drawing a smile on a picture which connotes his happiness and joy that comes within the environment of
schooling. This sends off a positive influence to the audience about education. The main audience would be
children as the whole concept is based on their new future they will experience and it also includes a child as
the main character. Similarly, the non-diegetic music as well as the animation used is much more appealing for
children as colour is available in animation which wasn’t common for audio-visuals in that time. Furthermore
she then explains the further education regimes of three separate options for school, two of which are
segregated by gender and the final grammar school option. Gender roles are explicitly shown in the first two
schools as the female characters in their institution are shown working with clothes, cooking, drawing and
playing music which puts the film in its historical context as in that age this was very common. Also in
comparison the other school for boys, curriculum included manual labour and writing. We are also reinforced
upon these gender roles as all the characters professions in the film like nurses and teachers are played by
females in comparison to the male doctors and lawyers. These representations are much more concentrated
and incredulous to look at compared to the previous more contemporary film on binge drinking, as even
though the stereotypical roles are somewhat existent and touched upon, gender ruled professions and
segregation have nearly been evidently demolished. This is seen through many audio-visuals like ‘The F Word’
which is a cookery show presented by the well known chef Gordon Ramsay, other shows include the BAFTA
winning ‘The Apprentice’ where females are not only competing against men for a £100,000 salary job but
some have also won the entire show. This represents the emergence of equality within professions,
disregarding their gender.

PIF’s were much more discussed and prominent in its peak time of the 1970's, is this because they are just not
as successful anymore or have the viewing public simply become desensitized over time.

...PIF’s about AIDS and STI’s have been produced multiple times. AIDS was first reported in 5 homosexual men
in LA during 1981 and had become a disease isolated to homosexuals as well as other specific groups. In the UK
homosexuality was a huge crime, in earlier times acts against Sodomy had consequences such as death
penalties up until 1967 but the stigma attached to the matter remained which is also arguably still seen in
today’s society. 20 years later the ‘Don't Die of Ignorance Monolith’ PIF addressed the life threatening disease
AIDS in 1987. The short film followed the conventions and trends of shock to scare the audience by using an
explosion, a monolith and loud dramatic diegetic sounds. The film starts with an establishing shot of a great
explosion in a mountain that quickly zooms in to emphasize on the damage and then other shots of explosions
are shown, this would immediately engage audiences. We then see a man working with the stones using a
variety of tools to make a monolith , this monolith is seen in a close up shot showing the word ‘AIDS’ which had
been carved into it which implies it suggesting a gravestone, this then drops to the ground. The voice-over
simultaneously informs the audience of how AIDs are transmitted and other relevant information. At one point
the transcript informs whom the disease may be applicable to “so far it has been confined to small groups” this
could possibly be related to homosexuals without being obvious. If this is true then the mention seems quite
awkward as it would never be seen in today’s society in case of being targeted for isolation and discrimination.
Furthermore towards the end after the monolith of doom drops in a deathly manner the voice-over reads the
slogan “don’t die of ignorance” whilst the bunch of flowers are dropped on the stone. This prop is used to
imitate the behaviour of a death, reinforcing the concept of a gravestone. This PIF is very effective in the sense
of engaging its audience and exposing its severity, however this PIF compared to a more contemporary one is
of great difference.
Globalisation- Aids in Africa

The next PIF is the ‘NHS Condom’ - essential wear campaign for STI's (2006). One critical debate is the increase
in STI's and teenage pregnancies, (PUT IN STATS)

The advert starts in the location of a party, this immediately informs the audience of this teen genre as they
tend to be associated with the party life, the first shot is of a girl and guy whispering on the left, the girl is
dressed quite provocatively and unlike the guy we see her expression of smiling and laughing. Then the camera
pans to show other couples being intimate, they specifically focus on these two people being intimate, and
once again the girls expression is more exposed than his, we then see a close-up of her necklace and his jacket,
the copy on them read different names of STI's to imply where these couples are leading and this reminds the
audience of the precautions they must take.

We then see three other couples doing similar things, being intimate and then we are reminded again with the
STI's on their items of clothing. The second couple is being led by the girl and the STI is written on her belt. The
third couple are in a back alley, the girl is shown quite dominant as she is taking his clothes off as well as hers,
this emphasizes her control. Finally the fourth couple are shown in the bedroom, we hear the diegetic sound
of the girl giggling, and then we finally see a close up of her undies with 'gonorrhea' written on them.

I notice that the girls are more exposed through their clothing, actions and their expressions, this implies how
they are possibly more in control and enjoying it, the guys tend to be more faded and less focused on. This
represents teenage girls as being arguably quite promiscuous and behaving quite provocatively.

- Refine analysis and comment on the huge difference between this and the AIDS ad, why is this so?

NEED TO ADD THEORY AND STRUCTURE!