Public Information 1.0

Close To The Edge

'Close To The Edge' was created in 1983, it is a public information film by The Green Cross advising the public on how to cross the road:

Key Message:

Informing people to wait away from the edge of the pavement before crossing the road to avoid 'losing your head'. 

Uses visual and verbal cues to stress the message and impact the audience more. The type is informal due to the lower case and inconsistent typesetting which makes it friendly. The animation changes with the beat of the music which adds rhythm and makes the information visually and verbally cohesive. 

Audience

I can tell the video is aimed at young teenagers due to the parody mix of The Message by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. The creators have tried to make the video friendly for a younger audience due to the use of vibrant colour and animation. The subject of the video being the same age as the target audience makes it relatable and when the teens see the subject being criticised in the film and lyrics, it'll have a better impact. 

Tone of Voice

'Jonny was a fool, he didn't act cool,

he walked on out, he broke every rule'

The tone of voice is transferred from the original song which is successful because the target audience will recognise it and listen more intently to the changed lyrics. Having rhyme in the song also makes the information flow which reduces tedium. Informal language such as 'cool' suggest the target audience, however it's still appropriate for the serious content. It's interesting to see how the video wants to show the public what is cool, as many teenagers think acting dangerously is cool. The video is aimed at teens and young adults. 

Key Facts

Compared to other public information films there weren't many facts, it was predominantly made out of imperatives such as 'stop', 'look' and 'don't step out when you're close to the edge'. The visual information shows what happens when you don't comply with this. 

Be careful when crossing the road.

Think Bike
Created in 1978 to create awareness for car drivers to be more aware of motorcyclists. 

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/1964to1979/filmpage_jimmy.htm

Dramatic crash between car and bike is immediate which draws the audiences attention to the film and makes them think just how suddenly a crash can happen. The dramatic slow motion crash isn't censored which makes it honest so that audience can realise the impact. 

Narrator Jimmy Hill is well spoken which influences people to believe he is smart and trustworthy. It also makes him easily interpretable. The tone of voice is clearly for adults because they're the legal age to drive and it is a serious tone. Hill is trying to educate the audience to the dangers of pulling out of a level crossing. The video really helps because his advice is backed up by the mistakes you can see the driver making. 

Key quotes:

'That car driver will be more careful next time. For the motorcyclist, there isn't going to be a next time'

Forces the audience to think of the consequences of driving. 

'Think once, think twice, think BIKE'

Memorable instructions for the audience due to how short and simple it is.

The message of this video is to be aware of bikes at junctions because they can be obscured by other objects such as lamp posts or bushes. It's best to take your time and 'think once, think twice, think BIKE' to avoid crashing.