Assessment 2 Research - Game Industry - Ethical And Legal Constraints Research

This is the research that I have found for the ethical and legal side for the Games Industry.

Ethical Elements:
Ethical: Social issues and sensitivities. For example representation of gender, the representation of religious beliefs, linguistic usages and accessibility such as Professional body codes of practice. For example BBC producers' guidelines.

Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C) accessibility standards.

Ethics of The Game Industry:
Depiction of Elements in Games:- Just like in films the way that strong language, sex and violence is portrayed could be an issue if the game isn't given the correct age rating this could effect the way certain age ranges could be. An example would be Grand Theft Auto using all of the previously mentioned things and not having the correct age ratings which would be bad.

Product Placement:- The product placement in games could be an issue if the company with their product in the game isn't being paid for. Also, like the film industry, if a product is used in a bad way the people who play the games may do the same wrong things due to the game influencing people.

Stereotypes:- People in games may be given a bad appearance causing some issues and having the same opinions as characters in games even though these are wrong. An example of this would be the way that certain women are portrayed in Grand Theft Auto.

Taboo:- In games the people who make them need to be careful in order to not have the game having an inappropriate side to it. An example would be that if a game needed to have a certain scene for the story to continue then the game should be given the correct rating.

Legal Elements:

Legal: Content, interpretation and application of laws relating to media, For example Broadcasting act 1990 (and later amendments),

• Official Secrets Act 1989:- The Official Secrets Act of 1989 makes it a criminal offence to obtain or publish any information from a serving or former member of the security and intelligence services or from certain categories of civil servants or public contractors where that disclosure would be damaging. There is no public interest defense. If it is anticipated that a project will stray into this complex area of law, referral to your commissioning editor and programme lawyer should be made immediately. 
• If a film or game steals information to use in their film it is illegal.

http://www.channel4.com/producers-handbook/media-law/other-laws-affecting-broadcasting/official-secrets-act

• Obscene Publications Act 1959:- a series of obscenity laws known as the Obscene Publications Acts have governed what can be published in England and Wales.

• This law stops certain things being published in certain areas of the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscene_Publications_Acts

• Films Act 1985:- The Films Act of 1985 dissolved the British Film Fund Agency, ending the Eady levy system established in 1951. The Act also abolished the Cinematography Film Council and dissolved the National Film Finance Corporation, transferring its assets to British Screen Finance Limited. This act made it so that certain industries lost money and had to deal with the money it was given in order to make the product. This made it more difficult to make expensive things and easier for other things outside of the industry to be made with more money.

• Videos Recording Act 1984:- The Video Recordings Act of 1984 requires videos in physical formats such as DVDs and Blu-ray discs to be classified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) before they can be sold in the UK. It is an offence to sell products rated BBFC ’12’ or higher to anyone not meeting the age requirement.

• Race Relations Act 1976 (And later amendments):- An Act to make fresh provision with respect to discrimination on racial grounds and relations between people of different racial groups; and to make in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 amendments for bringing provisions in that Act relating to its administration and enforcement into conformity with the corresponding provisions in this Act.

• Human Rights Act 1998:- The Human Rights Act 1998 came into force in the United Kingdom in October 2000. It is composed of a series of sections that have the effect of codifying the protections in the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. All public bodies (such as courts, police, local governments, hospitals, publicly funded schools, and others) and other bodies carrying out public functions have to comply with the Convention rights. This means, among other things, that individuals can take human rights cases in domestic courts; they no longer have to go to Strasbourg to argue their case in the European Court of Human Rights. The Act sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that individuals in the UK have access to.

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/your-rights/human-rights/what-are-human-rights/human-rights-act

• Licensing Act 2003 (And later amendments):- The Licensing Act 2003 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act establishes a single integrated scheme for licensing premises which are used for the sale or supply of  entertainment purposes in this case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licensing_Act_2003

• Privacy laws:- Privacy law refers to the laws which deal with the regulation of personal information about individuals which can be collected by governments and other public as well as private organizations and its storage and use

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy_law

• Copyright:- Copyright is a legal right created by the law of a country, that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights to its use and distribution, usually for a limited time, with the intention of enabling the creator to receive compensation for their intellectual effort.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright

• Intellectual Property Law:- Intellectual Property is protected in law by, for example, patents, copyright and trademarks, which enable people to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they invent or create. By striking the right balance between the interests of innovators and the wider public interest, the IP system aims to foster an environment in which creativity and innovation can flourish.

http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en

• Libel law:- Libel is defined as defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or in any form other than by spoken words or gestures.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamation

Assessment 2 Research - Film Industry - Ethical And Legal Constraints Research

Here is the research that I have found for the film industry side of ethical and legal constraints.

Ethical Elements:
Ethical: Social issues and sensitivities. For example representation of gender, the representation of religious beliefs, linguistic usages and accessibility such as Professional body codes of practice. For example BBC producers' guidelines.

Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C) accessibility standards.

Ethics Of The Film Industry Issues:
Depiction of Elements In Films:- In film strong language, violence and the way sex is used in film is an ethical issue. The way they are in films should clearly reflect the rating of the movie. An example of this would be when a boy killed someone in the style of the TV Show 'Dexter'.

Product Placement:- Product placement in the film industry should only be used if the company has given the rights and is being given money for being featured in the film. An ethical issue with this would be if a certain character would be drinking a Coke and influence children to do this leading to an unhealthy lifestyle.

Stereotypes:- Stereotyping in movies is a huge thing. The issue with this is that people will be influenced by the characters in a film and then have the same opinions that they shouldn't have. An example of this would be if a blonde lady is made to look stupid in a film, then people will start to stereotype blondes as if they are like this.

Taboo:- This issue revolves around somethings that should not be allowed to be shown in a film unless there is a reason behind it. An example of this would be to show a character using drugs in a movie. This will be inappropriate to show and would have a rating of 18 but would be allowed to be shown as the story may need this element.

Legal Elements:

Legal: Content, interpretation and application of laws relating to media, For example Broadcasting act 1990 (and later amendments),

• Official Secrets Act 1989:- The Official Secrets Act of 1989 makes it a criminal offence to obtain or publish any information from a serving or former member of the security and intelligence services or from certain categories of civil servants or public contractors where that disclosure would be damaging. There is no public interest defense. If it is anticipated that a project will stray into this complex area of law, referral to your commissioning editor and programme lawyer should be made immediately. 
• If a film or game steals information to use in their film it is illegal.

http://www.channel4.com/producers-handbook/media-law/other-laws-affecting-broadcasting/official-secrets-act

• Obscene Publications Act 1959:- a series of obscenity laws known as the Obscene Publications Acts have governed what can be published in England and Wales.

• This law stops certain things being published in certain areas of the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscene_Publications_Acts

• Films Act 1985:- The Films Act of 1985 dissolved the British Film Fund Agency, ending the Eady levy system established in 1951. The Act also abolished the Cinematography Film Council and dissolved the National Film Finance Corporation, transferring its assets to British Screen Finance Limited. This act made it so that certain industries lost money and had to deal with the money it was given in order to make the product. This made it more difficult to make expensive things and easier for other things outside of the industry to be made with more money.

• Videos Recording Act 1984:- The Video Recordings Act of 1984 requires videos in physical formats such as DVDs and Blu-ray discs to be classified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) before they can be sold in the UK. It is an offence to sell products rated BBFC ’12’ or higher to anyone not meeting the age requirement.

• Race Relations Act 1976 (And later amendments):- An Act to make fresh provision with respect to discrimination on racial grounds and relations between people of different racial groups; and to make in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 amendments for bringing provisions in that Act relating to its administration and enforcement into conformity with the corresponding provisions in this Act.

• Human Rights Act 1998:- The Human Rights Act 1998 came into force in the United Kingdom in October 2000. It is composed of a series of sections that have the effect of codifying the protections in the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. All public bodies (such as courts, police, local governments, hospitals, publicly funded schools, and others) and other bodies carrying out public functions have to comply with the Convention rights. This means, among other things, that individuals can take human rights cases in domestic courts; they no longer have to go to Strasbourg to argue their case in the European Court of Human Rights. The Act sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that individuals in the UK have access to.

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/your-rights/human-rights/what-are-human-rights/human-rights-act

• Licensing Act 2003 (And later amendments):- The Licensing Act 2003 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act establishes a single integrated scheme for licensing premises which are used for the sale or supply of  entertainment purposes in this case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licensing_Act_2003

• Privacy laws:- Privacy law refers to the laws which deal with the regulation of personal information about individuals which can be collected by governments and other public as well as private organizations and its storage and use

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy_law

• Copyright:- Copyright is a legal right created by the law of a country, that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights to its use and distribution, usually for a limited time, with the intention of enabling the creator to receive compensation for their intellectual effort.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright

• Intellectual Property Law:- Intellectual Property is protected in law by, for example, patents, copyright and trademarks, which enable people to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they invent or create. By striking the right balance between the interests of innovators and the wider public interest, the IP system aims to foster an environment in which creativity and innovation can flourish.

http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en

• Libel law:- Libel is defined as defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or in any form other than by spoken words or gestures.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamation

Game Industry - Ethical and Legal Constraints

Game Rating Classification:
I again researched the game industry and looked up the classification system for video games. For video games the age rating and what is involved in the game is classified by the company, PEGI. Depending on the game that is being released, PEGI will either give the game a rating of 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18.
Also, included when classifying the game, the key parts are shown on the game in order to give the person buying the game a general idea of what can be seen and heard in the game. These are: Bad Language, Discrimination, Drugs, Fear, Gambling, Sex, Violence and if the game features online content. Depending on what is in the game these symbols may be seen on the games box.


PEGI:
The PEGI age ratings are systems used to ensure the entertainment content and video games are rated by the content that is featured within the game. PEGI Stands for Pan European Game Information

PEGI 3:-
This symbol means that the game is considerable for all ages and only shows mild violence on a small comical level.

Here is an example of a PEGI 3 game.

PEGI 7:-
This symbol means that any game that would be usually rated 3 but includes some scenes that may be frightening for children.
Here is an example for a PEGI 7 game.

PEGI 12:-
 This symbol stands for violence on a slightly more graphic level. Also if there is any bad language used in the game. These games have more of a twelve plus audience.
Portal 2 is an example of a 12 game.


PEGI 16:-
This symbol is for a game that is for audiences 16 plus. This symbol is used for when violence and other things are seen as though they would be seen in real life.
An example of a PEGI 16 game.

PEGI 18:-
This age rating is for a game that is only for people aged 18 plus. This is used when the violence is on such a high level that it is inappropriate for people aged under 18.
Here is an example of a PEGI 18 game.

The other symbols are for the content that may feature in the games.

Violence:- 
:  This symbol shows that there is strong violence in the video game and this is a warning that should be considered.

Discrimination:-
: This symbol shows discrimination in video games. Games with this can sometimes include racism or sexism.

Drugs:-
: This symbol warns that drugs may be used in the game in a bad way.

Fear:-
: This symbol shows any fear that may be in the game. This can range from fantasy elements that may be scary or real life elements.

Sex:- 
: This symbol shows that inappropriate content will be featured in the game.

Bad Language:-
: This symbol shows that bad language will be featured in the game.

Gambling:-
: This symbol means that money will and can be used in a bad way to influence people badly.

Online:-
: This is a warning for a game that has online content that could put people in harms way by going online.


Legal Elements:
For the game industry I looked at the same laws and acts that I researched for the film industry.

Official Secrets Act 1989:
The first one that I looked at is the Official Secrets Act of 1989. This law means that no information from any services can be used in a game if taken without permission to use it. This relates to the game industry as any information that has been used by a game needs to have permission to use it otherwise it is not following this law. An example of this would be if the game had a spy type feel to it, the game should not relate to any actual spy company or happenings otherwise this would be breaking the law.


Obscene Publications Act 1959:
I next looked at The Obscene Publications Act of 1959. This act suggests that any inappropriate content should not be featured in a game, film and other areas. This law is only put into place across areas of the UK. This relates to video games as if there is any content deemed too inappropriate then the game should have some censorship and or have the content removed. It is important that this law is followed in order to have the game safe for the public. An example of this in a game would be if a game was given a rating that didn't reflect what was involved in the game then the law would be broken. On the game cover the symbol should be given for what is involved.


Videos Recording Act 1984:
This act states that it is illegal to sell a film of a 12+ rating to someone who is younger than 12. This law can also relate to the games industry because a game should be correctly rated and then not sold to anyone younger than the age rating that the game has been given. The role of the classification in this case would be done by PEGI. An example of this in gaming is games that are sold to people who are not old enough to buy the game and a shop sells the game then they are breaking the law.

Race Relations Act 1976 (And later amendments):
This act means that people of different races and sexuality should be presented equally to other people and that they should be shown in a good way that isn't too impolite. This relates to the game industry because it would be wrong if certain characters were portrayed in a bad way due to their race. An example of this would be of a video game that had the main character of a different ethnic background in order to show that the characters in the games are equal.

Human Rights Act 1998:
The Human Rights Act means that the people working behind the product in the industry should be treated the same way as their peers otherwise it is unfair. This relates to this industry as people should be treated equally in the industry. An example of this would be if a woman is being treated differently to a man then the act should be put into place.


Licensing Act 2003 (And later amendments):
The Licensing Act of 2003 is an act that created a system for selling products to certain people so that someone doesn't buy a video game that they are too young to buy or play. This act made it so that certain shops could only sell the games to people of the correct age. An example of this would be if a child wanted to buy a game with the age rating of a 16+ the shop would have to not let the child buy the game. Another way that this act worked was so that the shops would only be available when children would not be around so that they can sell the games that children should not buy.

 Privacy laws: 
The Privacy Law is the law that deals with private information about people that stops other organisations using the information that is shared. This can relate to the game industry as certain games and consoles require the user to agree to certain terms and conditions and this give the option to keep all information privately. An example of this would be an update for a game or games console that asks to use some information for the update, the terms and conditions allow the user to keep this information private.


Copyright Law:
 The copyright law states that the work created by the creator is their own work and this should not be distributed and copied in any way unless the creator has given permissions. This relates to the game industry as the creators of the games would not want their hard work to be copied and sold elsewhere under different names. An example would be a game created by a certain company not bing given and used to another company.

Intellectual property law:
 The Intellectual Property Law is the law that the property made by the games company is their own and other companies cannot use these things otherwise the law is broken. This relates to the game industry due to companies making the game and owning the rights.
 

Libel Law: 
Libel law is the law of things being copied and used without permission if these things will cause issues with individuals or companies. This relates to the game industry as if things are copied then another company could have an issue with this. An example would be a game company using elements from another game without any permission.

Ethics of The Game Industry:
I then looked at the ethical issues in games such as taboos, product placement, stereotypes and the way certain elements are viewed in games.

Taboo: 
Firstly, I researched taboos in games. When making a game, the game makers need to be careful in order to not have the game having an inappropriate side to it so as to not offend those who are playing it by showing inappropriate things. An example would be that if a game needed to have a certain scene for the story to continue then the game should be given the correct rating.

Product Placement: 
Secondly, I looked at product placements used in videogames. The product placement in games could be an issue if the company with their product in the game isn't being paid for. Also, like the film industry, if a product is used in a bad way the people who play the games may do the same wrong things.

Stereotypes: 
I then looked at stereotyping in videogames. This is when people in games may be given a bad appearance causing some issues in real life with people having the same opinions as characters in games even though these are wrong.An example of this would be in Call of Duty games showing certain races to be bad people leading to people playing the games having racial stereotypes.

Depiction of Elements in Games:
Finally, I looked at the way certain things are shown in video games and just like in films the way that strong language, sex and violence is portrayed could be an issue if the game isn't given the correct age rating. This could effect the way certain age ranges could be. An example would be Grand Theft Auto using all of the previously mentioned things and not having the correct age ratings so younger people play it and get influenced into doing the wrong things.

Film Industry - Ethical and Legal Constraints

Film Rating Classification System
I researched the film industry for the ethical and legal constraints. I looked at how the films ratings are classified and what needs to be in a film so that it is given a certain rating.

For the classifying of the films, the company known as the BBFC decides what rating a film is given.


BBFC:-
BBFC stands for British Board of Film Classification. They are a trusted guide to knowing what content is in a movie. The BBFC work as an independent, self-financing and non-profit media content regulator which means that they do the work for the benefit of other people. The BBFC operates transparent, consistent and trusted co-regulatory and self-regulatory classification and labeling systems in the UK. This means that they work alongside movies in order to classify the film, they sometimes also do this without help from the film company.

As a highly experienced company, their mission is to: Protect the public and especially children, from content which might raise harm and risks. They also empower the public, especially parents, to make more informed viewing choices. They recognize and respect adult freedom of choice within the law. They also respond to and reflect changing social attitudes towards media content through proactive public consultation and research. Provide a cost-effective, efficient classification service within the statutory address. Work in partnership with the industry to develop innovative service models to provide content advice without support emerging media delivery systems and They provide an effective service to enforcement agencies in the film industry.


These are the classification symbols used for films.


Definitions of the Age Ratings:
 : The U symbol stands for Universal. This type of film is suitable for audiences aged 4 years old and over and does not show any violence or anything inappropriate and has clean language that will not offend.

 : PG Stands for Parental Guidance. This means that a general audience is allowed to view the movie. This rating for film can have an audience of 8 years plus as long as the younger audience has adult consent or is with an adult when viewing the film. This rating of film may include some light violence.

: This is a film that enables someone 12 years or older to watch the film as long as they are accompanied by an adult when watching the movie. A movie like this may have some violence and perhaps a small amount of bad language.

: This is similar to a 12A except when a film is released on DVD or Blu-Ray someone 12 and up may not be accompanied by an adult. This also means that if a child is under 12 and not accompanied by an adult then they cannot purchase the film. This type of film, like a 12A may have some violence and a frequent use of bad language.

: This symbol means that no one under the age of 15 can see this movie or purchase one. A movie with this rating will have a lot of violence, a lot of bad language and may have some brief nudity.

: Films that have the rating 18 are for adults and must not be viewed by anyone under the age of 18. This type of film will have a frequent use of strong language, a large amount of realistic violence and more nudity than a 15 rated film.

: This is a special and legally restricted rating that has content that only adults over 18 should watch. This means that a child under 18 should most certainly not view this film. The R Stands for Restricted.


I then looked at the film industry and its legal elements.




Legal Elements:
For the legal elements of the film industry I looked at several laws and acts that have something to do with the film.

Official Secrets Act 1989:
The first one that I looked at was the Official Secrets Act of 1989. This is an act that makes it illegal to gain and publish any information that has been taken from a member of security and intelligence services. Another thing that this may be is the use of hacking into peoples phones without police permission. This relates to the film industry as it would be illegal if the film company stole any information about any secret services and then put it into the movie itself. Or if a film company stole something from a different film. An example of this is when News of the World hacked into Millie Dowler's phone as a police hunt was taking place.

Obscene Publications Act 1959:
I then looked at Obscene Publications Act of 1959. This law stops certain information and inappropriate content being shown by having the elements removed or censored. This will be included in the film industry because if something is too inappropriate for a film then it is breaking this law. An example would be if a film had the wrong rating for what was included in the film as this would be illegal, so the film should have the correct rating.


Films Act 1985:
The next act I looked at was the Films Act of 1985. This act involves the film industry being given certain amounts of money but then this law stopped amounts of money being given to the industries leading to the industry having less money to make movies.  An example of this would be simply a film that has been given a low budget as this would stop them from making a good film due to money being taken from them.

Videos Recording Act 1984:
The Video Recording Act of 1984 needs to be a DVD or Blu-Ray that has been approved by the BBFC and has been given the correct age classification for its movie before they can be sold to an audience. This law states that it is illegal to sell or rent a DVD or Blu-Ray that is rated 12 or higher to someone who is younger. This relates to the the film industry as a film should be correctly classified before it can be sold.

Race Relations Act 1976 (And later amendments):
The Race Relations Act of 1976 relates to how people of different races are viewed in certain industries like the film and game industry. This law makes it so that people are all treated equally no matter their race or sexuality. This relates to the film industry by giving rights to people in the film industry and portraying characters in a way that isn't offensive to anyone. An example would be that if someone in the movie is being treated unfairly then the movie will have to show this in a way that would not offend people.



 Human Rights Act 1998:
The Human Rights Act means that in certain industries, the people involved need to be treated equally otherwise there will be some issues as to how people are being treated. This relates to the film industry due to the people working behind the films, if a woman isn't being treated the same way as a man then the human rights act should be put into place. This example would be similar to the Race Relations Act as the film would have to show the human rights in a specific way so as to not offend anyone.

Licensing Act 2003 (And later amendments):
The Licensing Act simply states that only certain films should be sold at certain times and to a certain audience so that someone who isn't old enough for a movie isn't able to purchase the film. An example of this would be a shop that opens after hours in order to make it almost impossible for a child to go and purchase the game.

Privacy laws:
The Privacy law is the law that keeps certain pieces of information carefully secure so that other people will not be able to gain the information that people may not want to be shared with others. This relates to the film industry as the company that produces a film may not want certain information being given out to people so. An example would be for a film to not be copied over to certain formats without permission as this may ruin the privacy of the film company as they may not want this to happen.

Copyright:
This law includes the legal right that is created by the law of a country. This law means that any work by a creator is their original property and that it cannot be distributed without the creators permission and the product cannot be copied. This relates to the film industry as a movie company is allowed to keep the work that they have made without anyone stealing it, as this would break the law. An example of copyright would be a film that has been made by a specific company having the rights to the film(s).



Intellectual property law:
The Intellectual Property Law protects certain products through patents, trademarks and copyright. This allows companies to have the recognition that the product is their own because the proof of them making it is in the symbols for the copyright and trademarks. This law relates to the film industry as it allows the creators to keep their own work or product as they have made it and so it should be there own. The example is similar to the copyright as the company that made the game also owns the rights to the game.


Libel law:
Libel Law is the law in which if anything is published which can have the possible cause of a disruption in a trade. It is also the law that means that there should be no freedom of speech. This relates to the film industry due to certain information and products being copied or used in order to make a new product without the permission of the original creators. An example would be a film story that has been copied but changed without permission and being sold.
















I then looked at the Ethics of the film industry.

Ethics Of The Film Industry Issues:
For the next part of the film industry I researched the issues with the ethics that may occur within the film industry.

Depiction of Elements In Films:
The first ethical issue that I looked at was how certain elements are shown in films. In films strong language, violence and the way sex is used in film is an ethical issue. The way they are in films should clearly reflect the rating of the movie. An example of this would be when a boy who killed someone in the style of the TV Show 'Dexter'. This could have been stopped if the boy had not watched the show with the higher rating than his actual age.

Product Placement:
The next ethical issue that I researched was the use of product placement in films. Product placement in the film industry should only be used if the company has been given the rights and is giving money to the original company for being featured in the film. An ethical issue with this would be if a certain character would be drinking a Coke and influence children to do this leading to an unhealthy lifestyle which could be stopped if the character was seen drinking something more healthy.



Stereotypes:
I then looked at stereotyping as an ethical issue. Stereotyping in movies is a huge thing. The issue with this is that people are influenced by characters in a film and then choose to have the same opinions that they shouldn't have about other people due to what a chracter has said. An example of this would be if a blonde woman is made to look stupid in a film, then people will start to stereotype blondes as if they are like this.

Taboo:
The last one that I looked at was taboo. This issue revolves around somethings that should not be allowed to be shown in a film unless there is a reason behind it. An example of this would be to show a character using drugs in a movie. This will be inappropriate to show and would have a rating of 18 but would be allowed to be shown as the story made need this element for the film to work well or have the plot advance.

Assessment 2 - All Research

Assessment 2 Scenario:
My new media company has asked me to write a series of blog entries detailing the Ethical and Legal Constraints within 2 different media sectors. This blog posts should have relevant information as well as a selection of clips, images and diagrams.

Again, I will need to produce a series of blogs looking into these two industries, this time focusing on the legal and ethical constraints. Each blog should feature information on both parts.

By the end I will have four blog entries:

1. Film Industry- Ethical and legal constraints research
2. Game industry- Ethical and legal constraints research
3. Film Industry- Ethical and legal constraints (Final and in my own words)
4. Game industry- Ethical and legal constraints (Final and in my own words)

Legal Constraints: Legal constraints are laws that control the media sector and it's extremely important that these laws are followed.

Ethical Elements:
Ethical: Social issues and sensitivities. For example representation of gender, the representation of religious beliefs, linguistic usages and accessibility such as Professional body codes of practice. For example BBC producers' guidelines.

Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C) accessibility standards.

Ethics Of The Film Industry Issues:
Depiction of Elements In Films:- In film strong language, violence and the way sex is used in film is an ethical issue. The way they are in films should clearly reflect the rating of the movie. An example of this would be when a boy killed someone in the style of the TV Show 'Dexter'.

Product Placement:- Product placement in the film industry should only be used if the company has given the rights and is being given money for being featured in the film. An ethical issue with this would be if a certain character would be drinking a Coke and influence children to do this leading to an unhealthy lifestyle.

Stereotypes:- Stereotyping in movies is a huge thing. The issue with this is that people will be influenced by the characters in a film and then have the same opinions that they shouldn't have. An example of this would be if a blonde lady is made to look stupid in a film, then people will start to stereotype blondes as if they are like this.

Taboo:- This issue revolves around somethings that should not be allowed to be shown in a film unless there is a reason behind it. An example of this would be to show a character using drugs in a movie. This will be inappropriate to show and would have a rating of 18 but would be allowed to be shown as the story may need this element.


Ethics of The Game Industry:
Depiction of Elements in Games:- Just like in films the way that strong language, sex and violence is portrayed could be an issue if the game isn't given the correct age rating this could effect the way certain age ranges could be. An example would be Grand Theft Auto using all of the previously mentioned things and not having the correct age ratings which would be bad.

Product Placement:- The product placement in games could be an issue if the company with their product in the game isn't being paid for. Also, like the film industry, if a product is used in a bad way the people who play the games may do the same wrong things due to the game influencing people.

Stereotypes:- People in games may be given a bad appearance causing some issues and having the same opinions as characters in games even though these are wrong. An example of this would be the way that certain women are portrayed in Grand Theft Auto.

Taboo:- In games the people who make them need to be careful in order to not have the game having an inappropriate side to it. An example would be that if a game needed to have a certain scene for the story to continue then the game should be given the correct rating.

Legal Elements:

Legal: Content, interpretation and application of laws relating to media, For example Broadcasting act 1990 (and later amendments),

• Official Secrets Act 1989:- The Official Secrets Act of 1989 makes it a criminal offence to obtain or publish any information from a serving or former member of the security and intelligence services or from certain categories of civil servants or public contractors where that disclosure would be damaging. There is no public interest defense. If it is anticipated that a project will stray into this complex area of law, referral to your commissioning editor and programme lawyer should be made immediately. 
• If a film or game steals information to use in their film it is illegal.

http://www.channel4.com/producers-handbook/media-law/other-laws-affecting-broadcasting/official-secrets-act

• Obscene Publications Act 1959:- a series of obscenity laws known as the Obscene Publications Acts have governed what can be published in England and Wales.

• This law stops certain things being published in certain areas of the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscene_Publications_Acts

• Films Act 1985:- The Films Act of 1985 dissolved the British Film Fund Agency, ending the Eady levy system established in 1951. The Act also abolished the Cinematography Film Council and dissolved the National Film Finance Corporation, transferring its assets to British Screen Finance Limited. This act made it so that certain industries lost money and had to deal with the money it was given in order to make the product. This made it more difficult to make expensive things and easier for other things outside of the industry to be made with more money.

• Videos Recording Act 1984:- The Video Recordings Act of 1984 requires videos in physical formats such as DVDs and Blu-ray discs to be classified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) before they can be sold in the UK. It is an offence to sell products rated BBFC ’12’ or higher to anyone not meeting the age requirement.

• Race Relations Act 1976 (And later amendments):- An Act to make fresh provision with respect to discrimination on racial grounds and relations between people of different racial groups; and to make in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 amendments for bringing provisions in that Act relating to its administration and enforcement into conformity with the corresponding provisions in this Act.

• Human Rights Act 1998:- The Human Rights Act 1998 came into force in the United Kingdom in October 2000. It is composed of a series of sections that have the effect of codifying the protections in the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. All public bodies (such as courts, police, local governments, hospitals, publicly funded schools, and others) and other bodies carrying out public functions have to comply with the Convention rights. This means, among other things, that individuals can take human rights cases in domestic courts; they no longer have to go to Strasbourg to argue their case in the European Court of Human Rights. The Act sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that individuals in the UK have access to.

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/your-rights/human-rights/what-are-human-rights/human-rights-act

• Licensing Act 2003 (And later amendments):- The Licensing Act 2003 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act establishes a single integrated scheme for licensing premises which are used for the sale or supply of  entertainment purposes in this case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licensing_Act_2003

• Privacy laws:- Privacy law refers to the laws which deal with the regulation of personal information about individuals which can be collected by governments and other public as well as private organizations and its storage and use

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy_law

• Copyright:- Copyright is a legal right created by the law of a country, that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights to its use and distribution, usually for a limited time, with the intention of enabling the creator to receive compensation for their intellectual effort.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright

• Intellectual Property Law:- Intellectual Property is protected in law by, for example, patents, copyright and trademarks, which enable people to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they invent or create. By striking the right balance between the interests of innovators and the wider public interest, the IP system aims to foster an environment in which creativity and innovation can flourish.

http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en

• Libel law:- Libel is defined as defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or in any form other than by spoken words or gestures.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamation

Assignment 1: Task 2: Partner's Research

The video game industry starts off with the creators, who think of the ideas that go into the games. They then pass on those ideas to the designers, who make the game according to how the creators want it to be made, putting in their own 2 cents along the way. After the game is made, it will go onto the testers, who test the game and make sure there are no bugs or glitches in the game so when it goes on sale to the public, they can play the game according to how the creators intended.

The players are able to interact whilst playing some games. They will be able to take turns, play split screen on the same console, or play online in other houses and communicate using a wired/wireless headset.

The players are able to play on a wide range of consoles, all with their own accessories. If the player favours Xbox (made by Microsoft) they will be able to purchase the Xbox One, which comes with the Kinect motion sensor, which allows the player to play without using the controller (IE they are the controller). If the player favours PlayStation (made by Sony) they will be able to use the PlayStation Move feature, which allows the player to control what goes on the screen with a remote by pointing to the screen and guiding around. If the player prefers the Wii (made by Nintendo) they will have endless accessories such as the Wii U, Wii Fit, Dance Mat, Sing star microphones and the nunchuku add on…

Assignment 1: Task 3 - Game Industry Structure and Ownership

Game Industry: Structure & Ownership

For the second media industry, I decided to look at the structure and ownership of the games industry. This research involved looking for the big main companies that make the games and the teams and people that are behind the processes of creating these games. As well as these things I also looked at many other areas.

Nowadays, to develop top of the range computer games titles large teams of people are needed and this can cost a lot of money as not only does the game need a large budget but because of the large amount of workers more money is needed for the people who do these jobs. Developing games begins by researching a specific market and then the development of the game in national and international operations. Teams of people will then work to produce documents involving game designs from which all the of key points are included that make up the final game. These are then drawn and  the developing team set down all possible paths the games can take players and any of the mechanics of actual game play that are relevant. If the game has story or narrative elements scripting and story-boarding will also take place.

The video game industry, also referred to as Interactive Entertainment Industry,  has grown since the mid-1970's from focused markets to now being involved in mainstream markets. The name 'interactive entertainment' refers to the producing and distributing of the products and services, of which the outcomes can be influenced by users through feedback. The interactive media sector is worth several billion pounds, and employs over 34,000 people. Thus interactive media is increasingly becoming a part of everyday life.

Game Industry Value Chain:

Within the structure of the game industry a game value chain was made. This chain is made up of six layers that are connected together. Chains one and two are involved in the capital & publishing Layers and this part of the chain is involved in paying for the development of new game titles. The second is the Product & Talent this includes the developers, designers and the artists of the games who may have an individual contract or are part of an in-house development team. Parts three and four of the chain are the Production & Tools Layer that focuses on the generation of production tools, game development, custom game engines and production management tools. And the fourth is the Distribution Layer which, is involved in the generating and marketing of games for retail and online distribution. The fifth part of the chain is the Hardware Layer that is the providers of the underlining platform. And finally the End Users Layer which is the user buying and playing the game.

The diagram shows the main structure of all the game industry and and where all the parts lead to after all the areas have finished what they are doing for the game.

Practices In The UK:
In the United Kingdom the game industry is now the third largest industry that can be found in the world. However, like in other industry areas, companies in the UK have been bought out by other, larger companies. Before the tax relief was introduced there was many fears that the UK would fall behind on other leading games companies which, would cause a major drop in the economy in the UK.

Video Game Companies
Just like in the film industry (and many other industries) There are five main game companies that are involved in the developing and selling of the games. The main five companies are: Activision, Electronic Arts (EA), Nintendo, Sony and Capcom.

The first company, Activision, is an American video game publishing company which was founded October 1st 1979 and became the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for games consoles. Secondly, Electronic Art, which is located at the headquarters in Redwood City, California. EA is the world's largest interactive entertainment software company that was founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for PCs and consoles. Next, Nintendo which is a very popular company. This is a Japanese consumer electronics company that sells games all around the world and is headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. Nintendo is the world's largest video game company by revenue. Nintendo was founded on September 23, 1889. After this is Sony. Its diversified business is primarily focused on the electronics, game, entertainment and financial services sectors. This company is one of the many leading games manufacturers of electronic products for not only the consumer but for professional markets. Finally, Capcom which is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games and is known for creating multi-million pounds worth on many game series'.

Video Game Development:
 I then researched the area of video game development. This is the process of creating a video game. The development of a game is undertaken by the person with the role of game developer, this could be the role of one person or even a large business. Around the 1990's, video games systems became modernised and even simpler to use. This also meant that games became more complex and more realistic looking because there was an increase of better graphics technology.
Video games then became more popular with a younger audience and in the early 2000's, video games reached a very high popularity range and people became more interested in this area. This then lead to many games series' becoming more popular cultural icons with a similar approach to TV shows. The games that became most popular were the Halo series and the Grand Theft Auto series.

Large companies have become bigger due to buying the smaller companies. This has given people the impression that the game industry is one of the most important and largest sectors in media, some popular computer games that have been made, have been recorded to have broken records in sales for entertainment products. The computer game industry is a securely formed business as a major part in the UK’s modern-day media landscape. This industry has just under 9,000 employees, with about 220 businesses classed as game developers. There are many different areas in the gaming industry and a lot of job roles within these sections. In modern times games have been developed in a new way that allows players to feel as though they are part of the games and give them more of an enjoyable experience.

Conclusion
To conclude, from my research I have discovered that the game industry is one of the largest and most important industry areas as it offers up more jobs and makes a lot of money through the many businesses that it owns. The game industry also uses elements like conglomerates and integration in order to also build up each company and gain more money. This also means that companies can use music, visuals and more in their own games as long as they own the original company. This also means that the larger companies can save money. Also, in more modern times there is now a convergence with technology in games as more things can be purchased for games and even versions of a game on a mobile device. And through other technologies people can get important information and codes for games.

Partner's Research
I was then given the research of my partner who researched briefly the different job roles and how there is a convergence with new technologies for new games and games consoles.

 We both researched the areas in which a games development takes place and we compared these things very well. The similarities in this part of the research was that we included the same roles that are used when a game is being created and who then gets the game after these parts are completed. However, a difference is that they have included information about the people who then go on to test the game, including information about what to do if there are any glitches or bugs within the game. They have then mentioned that when the issues with the game have been resolved, the game will be given to the public.

For the next part of my partner's research they have found out the interactivity that people can now have with the games. This information includes many examples of how the games have been developed to do certain things. For example, some games now utilise split screen so that people can work together or do versus modes in which they can play their favourite games with friends. This shows a large development in how games have changed from just passing on the controller to the next person who wants to play. They have also shown that people can now play games online with the world and how this change has effected people playing games and the social activities that can now be included when young people play games. This is expressed through the use of a wireless or wired headset.

Some of the other research also talks about how games have come to a new level and how this advantage can make games more interesting for the people playing them. Some examples included are: Xbox One having Kinect motion sensor, which gives the player the ability to play the game without needing to use a controller. Another example is that PlayStation uses a 'move' feature which allows the user to control what is on the screen by moving the controller itself. This research also mentions how the Wii uses endless accessories like the Wii U, Wii Fit, Dance Mat, Sing Star Microphones and a Nun chuck. This allows the user to feel more involved in the game.

To conclude, most of the research form my partner was research that I had not looked up and this allowed me to find out more about the subject and led me to find out information about how people can be integrated and used for the game. However, some information I have also gathered and so this can be used in order to have a wide range of knowledge.