Marriott International: An Analysis

Marriott International: An Analysis Marriott International has culture and tradition of innovation, service and leading performance. Marriott International has achieved competitive advantage over the other competitors through three conceptual frameworks: Porters Five Forces approaches, the resources based approaches and the rational approach. Through this approaches Marriott International has identified the source of competitive advantage. This report is primarily based on explaining how the Marriot International Inc. has successfully managed the strategic moves and competing with the strong rivals in the hospitality sector. This report also critically evaluates the strategic moves, competitive strength, internal and external environment of the company. Introduction Marriott International is a leading operator, franchisor, and licensor of hotels, corporate housing properties, and timeshare properties under numerous brand names at different price and service points. It has more than 3700 properties worldwide. It is expanded to 73 countries and have 18 brands. Innovation, service and leading performance is always the key priority of Marriott International. Fortune ® magazine has included Marriott International in the most admired company in lodging industry and also as one of the best places to work. This report critically evaluates the Marriott Internationals strategic profile. (Marriott International Inc., 2012) History Marriott International has categorized its glowing history in 4 groups; period between 1927 to 1956 is known as early years, growth years are between 1957 to 1985, modern years are between 1986 to 2011 and the years ahead is 2012 and onwards. Marriott was founded in 1927 by J. Willard Marriott and his wife in Washington D.C. as a root beer stand. Due to the humid summer of Washington D.C. the Hot Shoppe gradually became the popular place to get cool drinks to quench the thirst. For winter season hot Mexican dishes like tamales, chili, and tacos were the profitable items. In 1929 Hot Shoppes was incorporated in Delaware as Hot Shoppes Inc. Hot Shoppes went public in 1953 by opening its first hotel, the Twin Bridges Marriott in Arlington, Virginia. Marriot did its first international expansion in 1966 by acquiring an airline catering kitchen in Caracas, Venezuela. Marriott became Marriott Corporation in 1967. Cruise lines were added to Marriott Corporation in 1971 and in 1972 J. W. Marriott, Jr. the son of JW Marriot Became the CEO. Farrells ice cream parlors became the part of Marriott Corporation in 1972 and also two theme parks near Chicago and San Francisco came to operation in 1976. In 1977 Marriot Corporation became a billion dollar company. In 1982 the company acquired Host International and opened first Courtyard hotel in 1983. In next year company entered in the vacation timeshare and senior-living market. In 1987 Marriott entered in the lower-moderate lodging segment by acquiring Fairfield Inn and Residence Inn. Again in 1993 the company once again broke down into Marriott International and Host International. In the year of 1995 Marriott International acquired Ritz Carlton Hotel Company. Marriott International introduced Marriott Executive Residence, Towneplace Suites and Fairfield Suites in 1997 by acquiring Renaissance Hotel Group. In 2006 Marriott International announced that all Marriott establishments in US and Canada are non-smoking zone. Marriott has very colorful past and it grew old with innovation and on the other hand it focused more on mergers and acquisitions. In the modern years Marriott International opened the first Bulgari Hotels Resort property in Milan, Italy. In the year of 2008 The Edition brand was introduced. Marriott International continued its growth in 2009 as well. In this year company launched Autograph Collection, which is a luxury and upscale independen t brand hotels. In the year of 2012 Marriott International got its third CEO, Arne Sorenson in the companys history. Strategy Management According to the Bill Marriott, Sustainability means being good corporate citizen and environmentally steward and promoting economic growth, diversity and inclusion in our communities worldwide. Marriott International is growing bigger every day. Marriott International is focusing more on Asia, Africa and Middle East in these days. Marriott International has well planned strategies like New Generation Travelers, Brand Distinction, Portfolio Power, Technology Leadership, Owner Preference and Global Growth. These strategies are formulated to compete with the rival chains. Beside these strategies Marriott International has CSR strategy known as Spirit to serve our communities, which is social approach to stay ahead from the competition. Company has strategic management program to catch up with latest trend and development in the marketplace. Marriott International developed great room lobby experience for the Next Generation Travelers in 2007 and is expanded to 190 countries of the more than 500 Marriott hotels and resorts. Company has planned to expand this program to more than 80% of Marriott properties worldwide with in 2015. Marriott International is also trying to minimize its labor costs in its corporate offices despite the greater expansion of the company itself. There will be altogether 100 hotel in India alone within 2016. In china Marriott planning to open new hotels in faster pace than the rival hotel chains. The economies of China and India are somewhat slowing down but the travel and tourism industry is still growing in the positive speed and Marriott International wants to capture the growing market travel and tourism by adding new rooms. MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT Marriott International does not have a mission statement; rather, it has a vision statement which is To be the #1 hospitality company in the world. (Marriott International Inc., 2012) INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT: SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Large Expansion of Brands Peoples business Geographic Presence Global leader More franchise Website and Social Network Focused divestiture Efforts Attract and retain employees Culture retention against the identities of the brands Brand Equity Strong Internet presence Adequate IT solutions Over-reliance on US market Over dependence on luxury brands Lack of low-cost lifestyle brands targeted by fundamentalists or extremists Opportunities Threats Emerging Asian Travel and Tourism Markets Trend of low-cost market Distinction amongst hotel service offered Environmentally and Family Oriented Decrease of cost of real estate in the USA Eco-tourism Timeshare not popular anymore Economic Recession = lower consumer spending Boom of Economy Hotel Brand Political instability Terrorism PEST Analysis External environment needs to be analyzed in timely manner in order to be competitive on todays market place. The environment is changing all the time and company must be responsive to the changing environment. To take effective actions. PEST is the effective tool to analyze external environment of the organization. Marriott International is the leading hospitality management company. Its political, economic, social and technological environment analysis are as follows: Political Environment Marriott International has recognized the value of laws and regulations of the individual nation and acted accordingly in the past and present. The political scenario in each country is different and must be addressed properly. Marriott has followed protocol designed by the individual nation like; no smoking policy, non-fat food, low calorie diet etc. Economic Environment The growing economy of the Asia and other developing region is motivating Marriott International to invest more in these areas. On the other hand, the increasing price of gasoline is encouraging Marriott International to focus on clean energy and to be more environment friendly by decreasing the use of synthetic fuels, which also helps in controlling the cost of the operations Social Environment People today like to travel and explore new places. Marriott is extending travel network in America, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa. Visiting friends and family abroad today is very easy due to the advancement in transportation system. Marriot International must recognize this market and develop plan to attract these markets. Technological Environment The world today is like global village. Technology is connecting the world and gathering the people in one place. People travel today more frequently than in the past. Reservation, payment, check in and check out can be done seamlessly. Marriott International has adopted technological innovation in faster pace than the competitors. Technological and innovation is the key priority of Marriott International. 3) FORCES OF FRAME WORK Buyer Power The buyer power in the Hospitality industry is moderate. As the Marriott International has strong brand recognition, it can attract new guest easily with little effort of marketing and promotions. The company can also keep its repeat business because the switching cost or risk for the guest is uncertain. Marriott International is providing quality service consistently and giving the best experience to its guest at all level. Supplier Power The supplier power is moderate for Marriott International as the supplier power in Hospitality Industry is fragmented. Property owners, developers, architects, real estate companies, marketing firms, law firms and information technology service and equipment suppliers are some example of supplier in the industry. Suppliers are in different shapes and sizes. Food and beverage supplier, utility supplier and labor supplier are also key player, as they are major stakeholder in minimizing operational cost of operation. Threat of New Entrants Threat of new Entrants for Marriot International is considerably high due to the substantial growth in hospitality industry in past few years. The unfavorable economic condition of some European countries also have lowered the value of land and real estate and it is very likely to attract new entrepreneur in the hospitality industry. The economic growth in South Asia and Asia Pacific is also maximizing the threat of new entrants. Threat of Substitution Threat of substitution for Marriott International is low in the developed nations and premium market place. In developing nations, the threat of substitution is high due to the innovative concepts in travel and tourism industry like; homestay campaign, camping, informal visit to friends and family. There is a threat of substitution but we cannot compare the service level provided in the informal sector with the Marriott level of service. Degree of Rivalry The threat of rivalry in the hospitality industry is moderate for Marriott International. In hospitality industry, key players are large branded chains. Marriott is facing strong competition from the other same sized chain brands but it is gaining its competitive advantage through the diversification of business in specialized segments. Marriott is expanded in 73 countries and has 18 brands which is the main reason that Marriott is ahead from its competitor. Beside this, Marriotts strong brand equity, strong commitment for guest satisfaction, consistent and quality service is helping Marriott to stay ahead from its rivals. RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES Marriott International has a strong presence in the hospitality market due to its efficient operation, effective marketing, specific market segmentation by diversification of revenue and economies of scale on operations. Marriott is capable of managing all of its operations on its own. Strong commitment to service and guest satisfaction is Marriotts priority. Satisfied investor and shareholders, motivated employees in all level, strong corporate culture is driving Marriott International in the right track of its journey to more satisfied guest, motivated employees and prosperous owners and shareholders. DECISION MAKING CRITICAL THEMES CONCLUSION Are you Thirsty? Analysis of Pepsi Advert Are you Thirsty? Analysis of Pepsi Advert Briauna McGrew You wake up in the middle of the night and youre standing in front of your refrigerator with your eyes squinted because of the bright light trying to decide what you want to drink. Then you finally see it, even with your squinted eyes, the exact thing you had been craving since you went to sleep and then dreamed about until the moment you woke up, a Pepsi. So, you grab that glorious Pepsi excited to take a drink and feel the bubbly delicious drink run down your dry throat. Once you take a drink you start to think back to what first got you started drinking this yummy, bubbly, delicious pop. Then you remember the ad that you saw in a magazine that made you laugh out loud so you just had to try the pop. In this ad they used one of Americas famous holidays to get peoples attention and they also made it funny which is something that everyone loves, if someone sees something funny and they are a fun person, more than likely they are going to look into whatever it is that made them laugh, I know I do. When I first looked at this ad the very first thing that I notice is the Pepsi can wearing a Coca-Cola cape. So it is obviously a Pepsi ad trying to get people to drink Pepsi. They are trying to send out a message that Coke is scary and Pepsi is just a normal pop. The only saying on this ad is We wish you a scary Halloween!. This is a big part of them saying that Coke is scary because when you dress up for Halloween you try to be scary, so the Pepsi can is trying to be scary by dressing up as a Coke can. I also got the feeling that when they say We wish you a scary Halloween they are saying that it would be scary if Pepsi turned into Coke When you think of scary things you want to stay away from them, such as shark infested water, if you had to choose between swimming in water that had no living things in it and swimming in water that was infested with sharks I am almost certain you would choose the one with no living things. I think thats what Pepsi is getting at with this ad. Pepsi is a very hip company because they try to appeal to the younger people so they talk their parents into buying it so they can drink it. The colors are key in this ad because if they didnt get the colors just right this could very easily become helpful to Coke and not Pepsi, but because they are professionals at advertisements they used the exact colors needed. In the back ground of the picture are rocks on a hill or a mountain but when you look at it you can see kind of a blue undertone in these rocks, almost like they put a very faint blue tint to the entire picture. If you look at the Coke cape the colors are very dull and aggressive and the shadows on the cape have hints of blue in them which is the main color of a Pepsi can. They made sure that the red on the Pepsi can was a different and more bright red than the red on the Coke cape. They kind of have light coming from the top of the picture and the bottom of the picture so the can just looks so bold. The Pepsi can itself is more bright even though it is under a Coke cape it still pops out. The white on the Pepsi can is a brighter white and the white on the cape is a little more dull. The Pepsi can has some reflecting light on it to make it pop out even more. The top of the Pepsi can has a very bright sun reflection so it makes the can catches the readers eye and makes them look. The whole picture is more of a dark picture but they made sure to make the Pepsi logo very very bright so that it would stand out so that people would know for sure what the ad was for. They made sure to place the sunlight in the perfect place to make the Pepsi can stick out the most. They made the can in general very bold so that your eye is just drawn straight to the can. The colors are very important but the position the can in is important as well. When you look at it it looks like the can is standing tall and is a dominate thing. They make it look like there is a gentle breeze because the Coke cape is open and just looks like it is blowing in the wind, kind of like at the end of a super hero movie when the hero stands on a high mountain top and overlooks the city that he takes care of and they make sure there is a gentle breeze blowing through making their cape blow around and they just look so dominate, thats the feel that I get from this, because they are making this cape blow in the wind it is kind of making the Coca-Cola in this picture a lot less dominate because the word is all wrinkled up and you cant see it as well, you cant see the whole Pepsi word but they have the most important letters of the name in there, the whole name is Pepsi and they have the eps in there so pretty much all of the letters that make up the word Pepi are included, s o people just know what they are looking at. The can is standing right between 2 boulders that kind of make a V or an arrow that kind of points right to the can that also helps with drawing your eyes straight to the can. Also the moss that is throughout the entire picture is isnt a strong point but I can feel the moss kind of guiding your eyes right to the can. To sum everything up, it doesnt seem like this Pepsi ad used a lot of things to try to sell their product but they did. They didnt use a lot of wording but they didnt need to, they kind of came off as a the can speaks for itself kind of thing. They made the colors all hit in the perfect spot and they made all the high lights and low lights perfect. They made the can seem dominate without even saying anything. They made everything in the picture just point straight at the can but they didnt make the pointing too harsh they just kind of slowly guided your eye straight to the can. In my opinion they did an amazing job in this ad just because they didnt use many words but they still got what they wanted to get into everyone that sees this ad head.   So what do you think? Are you going to begin drinking Pepsi? http://www.emlii.com/images/article/2014/02/5300bef02e394.jpeg

Film and Tv Essay

Film and TV Essay (U31, U33) Unit 31 â€Å"Film editing is now something almost everyone can do at a simple level and enjoy it, but to take it to a higher level require teh dedication and persistence that any art form does. † Walter Murch[1] The History Of Editing (L. O. 1. 1. , L. O. 1. 2. ) Editing in early cinema was very basic and linear yet despite this it must have been one of the most exciting times in the film industry. Filmmakers had all the creative freedom at their finger tips as no one had created any rules or knew how to shoot a movie.The pioneers of film are the Lumiere brothers who were the first people to ever record moving images from a camera in 1895. The simplicity of their first movie was incredible with a camera set outside a factory and workers streaming out of the front door. It was in black and white, had no sound and had no cuts and yet thousands of people flooded to the cinema to see these images. However from this one simple film came every single mo tion picture and television show so their innovation should never be forgotten.In the years to follow came the birth of the first genres with â€Å"A Trip To The Moon†, the first Sc-Fi shot in 1902 and directed by Georges Melies. It was based on H. G. Wells â€Å"The First Men In The Moon† . It was followed in 1903 by Edwin S. Porter’s â€Å"The Great Train Robbery† , the first Western. Even in this short time period cinema had evolved significantly to include cuts, animation, visual effects and even colour in certain frames although this had to be achieved by manually painting on to the actual film strip.At this stage film was becoming rapidly more popular with the general public and by the 1930’s Hollywood started creating some of the first â€Å"Classic Hollywood† motion pictures we know today, such as Howard Hawks’ 1932 â€Å"Scarface†. The introduction of Hollywood cinema dramatically increased the size that a film product ion could be and with increased investment it meant more actors, bigger production teams and more distribution to the rest of the world. If you look back at the timeline of cinema from 1895-present (2013) and find the halfway point you could argue that cinema had reached its peak in the form of AlfredHitchcock. Alfred Hitchcock is arguably the most famous and influential directors of all time. His masterpiece, the 1960 â€Å"Psycho†, created the first movie that used editing to truly terrify people, using long tracking shots with ominous music to draw the audience into the scene before using quick cuts at the peak of suspense to send movie goers running out of the cinema in terror. After this came the post modernist era. This saw directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Ridley Scott and Martin Scorsese break onto to the scene. However another leviathan of cinema emerged in this period in the form of Steven Spielberg.The advances in technology meant that cinema was becoming more d igital so CGI started to play a big factor in all mainstream Hollywood editing and Spielberg utilized this in his films such as â€Å"Jurassic Park† (1993) â€Å"Saving Private Ryan† (1998) and â€Å"Indiana Jones Temple Of Doom† (1984) with millions of dollars spent in post production effects. Finally we have everything in the present day. Editing in modern cinema is playing a bigger and bigger factor in films with many of todays blockbusters seeing quick cuts with multiple cameras and a larger amount of footage being shot in-front of a green screen.The Development Of Genre Specific Editing (L. O. 1. 2. , L. O. 1. 3. ) Why is it every genre has a different feel to it? How can you tell that you are watching a western and not a comedy? The main answer is editing. Editing is the most crucial factor in deciding the pace of the film. Different techniques and styles are used in the editing of each individual genre. This is because each genre brings with it different audiences who want different forms of entertainment.For example people who enjoy Romantic Comedies tend to be teenagers want to be filled with a sense of happiness and probably just want a film that is not too intense and is easy to follow yet thoroughly enjoyable. So with this knowledge it is not surprising that Romantic Comedies are famous for young glamorous actors, having a soundtrack with current music fresh from the charts, shooting in non treating locations and having basic cuts that are neither too long or too short. It is interesting to compare this to a Thriller. Thrillers tend to attract males from 15 years and over.People who watch Thrillers want to be entertained by a hero protagonist fighting against some sort of evil enemy in exotic countries with lots of violence and action. So editors of thrillers will know to include quick cuts using multiple cameras, using an exciting, usually orchestral, soundtrack and putting in multiple sound and visual effects of explosions an d car chases. Having an editor with a very clear grasp of how to change their style of editing depending upon the genre of the film is vital in any production crew. Unit 33 â€Å"The essence of cinema is editing.It’s the combination of what can be extraordinary images of people during emotional moments’ or images in a general sense, put together in a kind of alchemy† Francis Ford Coppola[2] TV Production Editing (L. O. 1. 1. , L. O. 1. 2. ) Breaking Bad †This is the first day of the rest of your life, but what kind of life will it be, huh? Will it be a life of fear, of â€Å"Oh, no no no I can't do this†? Of never once believing in yourself? † Walter White[3] Walter White is a ordinary High School Chemistry teacher that has been diagnosed with lung cancer and wants something to leave for his family.This and the want to live on the wild side makes him a meth drug lord. †Breaking bad has been hailed by critics as one of the best TV series' ever created. â€Å"Breaking Bad† increases that cognitive dissonance, turning some viewers into not merely fans but enablers. † Emily Nussbaum[4]. Breaking Bad blurs the lines between what you feel is just and good and breaks the conventions of a TV show based round a family where it it is clear to see that no one is perfect and everyone has individual flaws that create their character. This is a very deliberate decision that Executive Producer and creator Vince Gilligan made.Watching Breaking Bad you rarely feel that you are looking at famous Hollywood actors but instead real people that have found themselves in terrible situations. This is something that also comes off often in the editing as during scenes of character development or scenes with deep emotions there is no score playing in the background no real sound coming from anywhere apart from the space that the character is occupying with very few cuts with little camera movement so the audience can capture the real emotion of the situation. This ‘lack’ of editing can be more effective than having many different camera angles.This editing technique fits well into the Crime Drama genre well as it does not distract from the plot which is often complicated which means the audience has a much better chance of following the and therefore enjoying the storyline more. However throughout the episodes we also see evidence of very creative and artist editing and camera work. this is most effective in the montage sequences were meth is being cooked. This way the audience gets a brief glimpse into how complex the method is and get a good feel of the time it takes to make the meth without having to sit through each individual stage and watch the whole process.There is no doubt in my mind that Breaking Bad will go down in history as one of the greatest TV Programs of all time. The absence of obvious editing makes it feel like you are actually in the scenes with the characters living their emotions. Vince Gilligan's style of storytelling fits perfectly with the way he has chosen to edit this production. He has brought a new feel to the Crime Drama. One that makes you feel that even the most ordinary person can become extraordinary if they believe in what they have and they have a plan to back it up. The Wire â€Å"A life, Jimmy, you know what that is?It's the s**t that happens while you're waiting for moments that never come. † Freamon[5] The plot and storyline of The Wire is so clever and captivating that you can actually do a degree in it. Many who claim to be The Wire fans will argue that there has never been nor ever will be a better TV program made. And with the captivating storyline, emotionally complex yet lovable characters it is hard to argue otherwise. Like Breaking Bad, The Wire is a Crime Drama so similarly there is a lot of intricate dialogue which focuses heavily on character development and plot development.However unlike Vince Gilligan David Sim on has decided to edit his clips more heavily. There are scenes that defiantly have few cut so the audience can understand the emotions that are occurring in the scene. How it differs from Breaking Bad by also looking closely at the complex relationships that many of the characters have whether they be in the work place, in the pub or at home. To edit these scenes David Simon decided to cut between over the shoulder MCU’s. I feel this was a better way to edit these clips then just long uncut shots as it gives the feel that the people in the scene are interacting with each other more.Also it fits well with some of the witty comebacks that have been written into the script as people retort to any allegations being made against them. As the series progresses we see how relationships are made and broken down by the pressure that the characters find themselves in. it is interesting to see how the strength of the relationship that the characters have with each other on screen effec ts the editing. For example if a characters relationship is good we see less cuts between cameras. This helps the audience feel the comfort the two have with each other and how it is a very unthreatening scene.If the two characters on screen have a poor or hostile relationship you will notice that more cuts are brought in to show the anger or disgust on each characters face. However having quick cuts between cameras does not always mean that the relationship that the two characters have is poor, it can be quite the opposite as quick cuts accompanied with quirky or cheery music in the background can show that the characters are having a good time. As far as the sound in The Wire goes its again pretty minimal with not too many special sound effects and no unnecessary score.What it does do how ever is use a very clever diversity of Jazz and Rock songs throughout the entirety of each episode. David Simon chose very specific songs to try and create the feel that you were in the Baltimore area. Giving a very realistic and authentic feel to the footage you were seeing. This technique really puts the audience in the scene as they can relate the music playing to what is happening in the scene. The Wires success lies in showing how the relationships between people and institutions develop and David Simon has done a fantastic job of showing that through his editing. Film Production Editing (L. O. . 1. , L. O. 1. 2. ) Reservoir Dogs †I don't wanna kill anybody. But if I gotta get out that door, and you're standing in my way, one way or the other, you're gettin' outta my way. † Mr. White[6] In my mind Reservoir Dogs is Tarantino’s masterpiece. It is one of my all time favorite films and a large part of its popularity is the control of its pace. Reservoir Dogs was edited by Sally Menke who was famous for working along side Quentin Tarantino to create some of his great motion pictures including Inglorious Bastards and Pulp Fiction. When you compare these t hree films together it is obvious they have the same editor.We see the same long uncut tracking and panning shots in all three of these films. As far as genre specific-editing, Sally Menke has tried to use editing techniques to utilize the great and enjoyable aspects of a gangster film. For example to draw the audiences attention to the intricate dialogue and complex plot we see long uncut shots so we don’t get distracted by too many different camera angles. This is a technique used across may genres but perhaps used most effectively in the gangster genre as the long uncut shots gives the audience time to read the expressions seen across the faces of all the characters as their story unfolds.Reservoir Dogs like many other gangsters have very long and wordy scripts. This means that the main audio focus will be on the dialogue between characters as the audience explores the mind set of these gangsters. However an editing technique that we find in all of Tarintino’s movie s is associating characters to songs and how it makes the audience think more deeply about what they think these criminals often showing a more human side to them that people can relate to. This is most evident in the torture scene between Mr.Blonde and the police officer when just before we see Mr. Blonde about to mutilate and then set fire to the police officer he puts on the radio and starts to dance. I think Reservoir Dogs is such a great film as unlike many films today Tarintino understands that over editing takes away from the enjoyment of the cinema experience. I feel that directors over edit because they don’t trust the look and substance of the material they already have so they feel the need to add cheap effects and try to came up with as many cuts between artistic shots as possible.However it may be this reason that so many gangsters have been edited successfully as the characters, emotion and narrative is usually so interesting that it could captivate an audience even if there was no visuals whatsoever. Alien â€Å"Final report of the commercial starship Nostromo, third officer reporting. The other members of the crew, Kane, Lambert, Parker, Brett, Ash and Captain Dallas, are dead. Cargo and ship destroyed. I should reach the frontier in about six weeks. With a little luck, the network will pick me up.This is Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo, signing off. † Ripley[7] Like Quentin Tarantino, Ridley Scott used the same editor (Terry Rawlings) in his early career and it was with the assistance of Terry Rawlings that he was able to create some of his great masterpieces such as Bladerunner, Legend and arguably most famously Alien. Looking at Terry’s career we can see that he a real specialist in editing tense movies full of suspense. It is probably because of this that Ridley Scott chose him to be editor of Alien.Alien’s success must be put down partly to how masterfully it was edited, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats and making sure their hearts never left their mouths. It was a challenge to edit Alien as due to the lack of Effective CGI at the time it had to be shot using real props and costumes. However this meant that showing too much of the Alien for an extended length of time would reveal to the audience how fake the costume looked. For suspense and tension to reach their peak only brief glimpses of the Alien could be seen at any one time.This is a very deliberate editing technique as if the audience can not see the creature they have no idea how gruesome or horrifying it really could be mean their imaginations will run wild and they will create their own monster in their mind which is a much more terrifying thought than simply it being shown within the first 20 minutes of the film. Another Element which is interesting to note in Alien is the use of sound and music to create the suspense that you feel the whole way through the movie.One of the most important things you can reme mber when editing a movie is that its not always how much sound you use but when you chose to use it. Alien is a prime example of this as Ridley deliberately just had the diagetic sound that you saw through the camera in the background instead of adding a score and multiple sound effects. This isa very clever editing technique as he recognized that humans are most uncomorftanble when they are bathed in silence. This lack of sound means that the audience tension reaches a peak just before the Alien appears when the human fear of loud noises kicks in.Upon the reveal of the Alien there would be a sudden burst of sound and music. We hear the screech from the Alien the screams for the crew and a large orchestra starting to play in the background. The combination of these two things is one of the most used editing techniques in the horror genre. It is used to disorientate the audience to make the feel as vulnerable as possible to create maximum terror. Alien is the perfect template of how to edit a Sc-Fi Horror. The combination of the visual and audio techniques combine to make one of the most watched horrors of all time.Conclusion In investigating I have discovered how editing has played such a vital role in the creation of some of the greatest TV and Film Productions ever made. Being an editor may not be the most glamorous job in Hollywood but after writing this essay I now understand that it is one of the most important. ———————– [1] Walter Murch – 1983 [2] Francis Ford Coppola – 1983 [3] A No-Rough-Stuff Type Deal Season 1 Episode 7 [4] Emily Nussbaum – The New Yorker August 27th 2012 [5] The Wire Season 1 Episode 8 [6] Reservoir Dogs 1992 [7] Alien 1979

Important Advice †Do Not Deceive Essay

Humanity is facing many problems like poverty, diseases, violence, homicide, economic recession, and many other miseries, which cause fear in a blissful soul. Since money buys the means that give comfort and happiness to a human, the people are striving either to sustain the basic needs of livelihood, or to expand their existing financial kingdom. However, during their struggle for earning money, some people try to deceive others, and cause sorrow to the bereaved persons. In doing so, although they might have gained more money, but their act of deceit reverts to them, and they also suffer some kind of loss- money, health, happiness, or peace of mind. It is the law of nature that we reap what we sow. If somebody causes pain to a fellow human, then the same pain will return to the miscreant. Can anybody get happiness by snatching happiness from others? Can anybody prosper by cheating somebody through cunning means? It can be seen from the ongoing economic recession that big businesses, who had committed fraud and deception, collapsed eventually. It is true that deceptive acts lead to disaster, foreclosures, layoffs, and suffering. The manipulations in the account statements, which were done by well-paid executives, not only deceived the investors, but also caused grief to the fraudsters, who lost billions of dollars during the slump. Hence, my advice to humanity is that one should never deceive somebody. Relations and economy prosper on mutual faith, and they perish if deception becomes the means of attaining them. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba preaches â€Å"Love all, serve all,† and â€Å"Help ever, hurt never. † Since we all are humans, and we are liable to commit errors, we should forgive others for their unintentional mistakes, and always encourage them to improve their performances. In a positive work environment, workers are motivated to produce the best results, and they try to excel through their sincerity and diligence. Please do not deceive anybody for your own benefit.

Preparing an Argument Essay Exploring Both Sides of an Issue

What are the hot issues now being debated among your friends online or at your school: a new course requirement? a revision of the honor code? a proposal to construct a new recreation center or shut down a notorious nightspot? As you think about possible topics for your argument assignment, consider issues being discussed by columnists in the local newspaper or by your classmates in the snack bar. Then prepare to explore one of these issues, examining both sides of the argument before you outline your own position. Discovering an Issue to Argue About Probably the best way to get started on an argumentative essay, whether youre working on your own or with others, is to list several possible topics for this project. Jot down as many current issues that you can think of, even if you havent yet formed strong opinions about them. Just make sure that they are issues--matters open to discussion and debate. For example, Cheating on Exams is hardly an issue: few would dispute that cheating is wrong. More controversial, however, would be a proposal that students caught cheating should automatically be dismissed from school. As you list possible topics, keep in mind that your eventual goal is not simply to vent your feelings on an issue but to support your views with valid information. For this reason, you might want to steer clear of topics that are highly charged with emotion or just too complicated to be dealt with in a short essay--topics such as capital punishment, for instance, or the war in Afghanistan. Of course, this doesnt mean that you have to restrict yourself to trivial issues or to ones that you care nothing about. Rather, it means that you should consider topics you know something about and are prepared to deal with thoughtfully in a short essay of 500 or 600 words. A well-supported argument on the need for a campus child-care center, for instance, would probably be more effective than a collection of unsupported opinions on the need for free, universal child-care services in the United States. Finally, if you still find yourself at a loss for what to argue about, check out this list of 40 Writing Topics: Argument and Persuasion. Exploring an Issue Once you have listed several possible topics, select one that appeals to you, and freewrite on this issue for ten or fifteen minutes. Put down some background information, your own views on the subject, and any opinions you have heard from others. You might then want to join a few other students in a brainstorming session: invite ideas on both sides of each issue you consider, and list them in separate columns. As an example, the table below contains notes taken during a brainstorming session on a proposal that students should not be required to take physical-education courses. As you can see, some of the points are repetitious, and some may appear more convincing than others. As in any good brainstorming session, ideas have been proposed, not judged (that comes later). By first exploring your topic in this way, considering both sides of the issue, you should find it easier to focus and plan your argument in succeeding stages of the writing process. Proposal: Physical Education Courses Should Not Be Required PRO (Support Proposal) CON (Oppose Proposal) PE grades unfairly lower the GPAs of some good students Physical fitness is a critical part of education: "A sound mind in a sound body." Students should exercise on their own time, not for credit. Students need an occasional break from lectures, textbook, and exams. School is for study, not play. A few hours of PE courses never hurt anybody. One gym course can't turn a poor athlete into a good one. What good is improving your mind if your body is going to pieces? Do taxpayers realize that they are paying for students to bowl and play badminton? PE courses teach some valuable social skills. PE courses can be dangerous. Most students enjoy taking PE courses. Â   Focusing an Argument Focusing an argument begins with taking a clear stand on the issue. See if you can express your point of view in a one-sentence proposal, such as the following: Students should (or should not) be required to pay for a campus parking permit.U.S. citizens should (or should not) be allowed to cast their ballots online in all local, state, and national elections.Cell phones should (or should not) be banned in all classrooms. Of course, as you gather more information and develop your argument, youre quite likely to reword your proposal or even change your position on the issue. For now, though, this simple proposal statement will guide you in planning your approach. Planning an Argument Planning the argument means deciding on the three or four points that best support your proposal. You may find these points in the lists you have already drawn up, or you may combine certain points from these lists to form new ones. Compare the points below with the ones given earlier on the issue of required physical-education courses: Proposal: Students should not be required to take physical-education courses. Although physical fitness is important for everyone, it can be achieved better through extracurricular activities than in required physical-education courses.Grades in physical-education courses may have a harmful effect on the GPAs of students who are academically strong but physically challenged.For students who are not athletically inclined, physical-education courses can be humiliating and even dangerous. Notice how the writer has drawn on both of his original lists, pro and con, to develop this three-point plan. Likewise, you may support a proposal by arguing against an opposing view as well as by arguing for your own. As you draw up your list of key arguments, start thinking ahead to the next step, in which you must support each of these observations with specific facts and examples. In other words, you must be prepared to prove your points. If youre not ready to do that, you should explore your topic further, perhaps in a follow-up brainstorming session, before researching your topic online or in the library. Remember that feeling strongly about an issue does not automatically enable you to argue about it effectively. You need to be able to back up your points clearly and convincingly with up-to-date, accurate information. Practice: Exploring Both Sides of the Issue Either on your own or in a brainstorming session with others, explore at least five of the following issues. Jot down as many supporting points as you can, both in favor of the proposal and in opposition to it. Final grades should be eliminated in all courses and replaced by grades of pass or fail.A year of national service with minimum-wage pay should be required of all 18-year-olds in the United States.States should be allowed to collect taxes on all items sold over the Internet.The production and sale of cigarettes should be made illegal.People should be allowed the freedom to exchange music files online without having to pay fees to a subscription service.To encourage people to maintain healthy eating habits, foods with a high-fat content and little nutritional value should carry a special junk tax.Parents should discourage their young children from watching television on weekdays.Students should have complete freedom to select their own courses.