This is a brief, yet thoroughly informative, document exploring media theory - particularly industry theory - applied to the Blinded by the Light (2019) CSP. It helped me significantly during my Summer 2022 A Level exams, and I'm certain it will help you too!
Curran and Seaton: Power and Media Industries Theory - Blinded by the Light
● Established the notion that media industries are dominated by a small number of
conglomerates, fixating on PROFIT and POWER
● Consequently, this LIMITS creativity and diverse media ownership which results in
tedious exploitation of formulaic content that has proved to be successful - creates
homogenous products/material
● However, Curran and Seaton believe that if there was more independence and
diverse media ownership the culmination would entail more CHOICE, DIVERSITY
and CREATIVITY
How can this theory be applied to Blinded by the Light, 2019?
● From a contextual standpoint, Blinded by the Light was produced by an independent
media company called Bend It Networks. As they lacked both horizontal and
vertical integration they had to seek external financing for both production and
distribution purposes
● On one hand, it can be argued that Curran and Seaton’s theory is CHALLENGED in
the context that since Blinded by the Light was developed by an independent media
company, there was more diversity and creativity
● This is evidenced by the director Gurinder Chadha, who is of diasporic identity and
is reputable for her culturally enlightening content such as Bend It Like Beckham
(2002). In addition, the narrative of the film explores an iteration of a book called
‘Greetings from Bury Park’ which is about how the songs of Bruce Springsteen
provided a safe haven for a Lutonian teenager (Safraz Manzoor) from the
xenophobia and ‘Thatcherism’ of 1980s politics
● As a result, this challenges their exposition because the independence of Bend It
Networks enables formulaic work to be neglected. In turn, they are delivered the
liberty to produce ALTERNATIVE, CREATIVE and UNIQUE products
● On the other hand, Curran and Seaton’s idea can be REINFORCED in this context.
This is because the narrative of Blinded by the Light is similar to Bend It Like
Beckham, which generated over $100 million at it’s global box office, because they
both communicate the same message about culturally suppressed families
preventing younger generations from pursuing an ambition
● In addition, idols are a recurring theme of this narrative structure - Bend It Like
Beckham revolves around the legacy of former football player, David Beckham. And
Blinded by the Light has Bruce Springsteen serving a the protagonist’s idol
● Consequently, as New Line Cinema (a subsidiary of Warner Brothers) secured
global distribution for $15 million at Sundance Festival in 2019, they were aware of
the PROFIT this narrative structure produced which shows the fixation of capital
gain in a conglomerate capacity - spoiler alert: only $18.1 million was made
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