https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/11483 2026-06-04T08:22:45Z 2026-06-04T08:22:45Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/29529 2018-04-26T01:22:46Z 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: A thematic-content comparison of the 1974 and 2013 ‘The Great Gatsby’ film adaptations in the light of contemporary film adaptation theory Abstract: With many books being transformed into movies, film adaptation theorists try to explain the process of adaptation while attempting to observe how adaptations can be faithful to their source text. This research analysis goes through adaptation studies and fidelity theories seeking to analyze and discuss how fidelity is impracticable as intertextuality, like adaptation, seeks to reinvent the familiar into a new work of art. I chose two different versions of The Great Gatsby to be analyzed and compared examining how the director’s chose to depict the novel’s main themes. Furthermore, I compared these two versions to show their dissimilarities in terms of Form, Context and Style. Whereas Form explores cinematographic features of the cinema like the mise-en-scene, sound, camera work, editing and narration, Style examines the director’s personal mode of expression in film and how his/her style influence the final version and the narrative content too. The shift from literature to film demands that all aspects of the filmed novel are analyzed in order to examine how the director and screenwriter transform a literary work into film. All results were presented highlighting the directors’ respective approaches and how they fail or succeed in capturing the following themes: the American Dream, Social Stratification and Morality and Spirituality. In an attempt to see if the two versions are faithful to the novel, the concept of intertextuality was reviewed and finally combined with the study of adaptation, bringing to light the aesthetic limitations of fidelity studies. Description: B.COMMS.(HONS)

2014-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/29527 2020-05-03T19:47:57Z 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Investigating needs in banks’ newspaper advertisements on ‘The Sunday Times of Malta’ in 2002 and 2012 Abstract: This dissertation seeks to identify which needs based on Dr. Abraham Maslow’s theory of motivation are frequently depicted in local and foreign banks’ print advertisements in relation to their verbal and visual contents. The research centres on the banks’ print advertisements found in The Sunday Times of Malta of the two respective years 2002 and 2012. The reason for using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in this study is that marketers find Maslow’s theory useful in creating ideas for their advertising messages (Rice, 1997). The research method used is content analysis. In order to facilitate the research process, and to have a less complex explanation of results, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is categorised as follows. The first basic needs of physiology, security and safety are represented by ‘survival’. The needs of belongingness and social are represented by ‘social’. Meanwhile ‘achievement’ represents the growth needs of self-esteem and self-actualisation. The coding units in this study were constructed in order to carry out the analysis on advertisements’ needs. The construction of the coding units builds on the verbal and the visual dominant elements present in the advertisements. Both verbal and visual coding units’ definitions are found by the use of an online graphical dictionary. Each coding unit’s meaning is coded numerically in the coding frame with their definitions associated to survival, social and achievement. The findings demonstrate that there is not a change in both the verbal and the visual contents of the banks’ print advertisements in 2002 and in 2012, given that the concept of achievement that represents self-esteem and self-actualisation needs have the highest amount both verbally and visually for both years compared to survival and social. Description: B.COMMS.(HONS)

2014-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/29522 2018-04-26T01:22:27Z 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: A study of personality characteristics in relation to web-based brands Abstract: Brand personality is one of the most crucial aspects of brand identity that has been of great interest to marketers, therefore virtual, web-based brand personalities have been investigated in relation to human personalities. The Big Five model devised by Costa and McCrae (1986); extraversion, neuroticism, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness, and brand personality scale; sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication and ruggedness as per Aaker (1997), were investigated by means of online questionnaires, distributed amongst University of Malta students. Results were analysed using SPSS in order to research the main hypotheses - personality traits have a positive relationship with brand personalities, particularly to those which are web-based; and brand preference and brand symbolisation are correlated with the consumer‟s self-concept as per Aaker‟s (1997) theory of brand personality. A slight positive relationship was found amongst the brands Asos, Amazon, eBay, Boohoo, Net-a-Porter and their consumers, i.e. sophistication and extraversion are positively correlated, whilst excitement and competence are negatively correlated with neuroticism. In addition, consumers did not feel that their personality is mirrored in their preferred brand, but rather prefer to purchase items/ services online from a particular brand simply because they like it, are accustomed to it, or the trend to make purchases from a particular virtual brand are popular at the time. Description: B.COMMS.(HONS)

2014-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/29521 2018-04-26T01:22:26Z 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: ‘In scarlett she wore’ : lighting techniques and colour perception in a neo-noir music video Abstract: The aim of this dissertation is to explore the lighting techniques used in the film noir era as well as that of neo-noir productions being produced to date. It also dives into colour psychology as to get an insight on the impact of colour on the audience. The final neo-noir music video will be colour corrected as to manipulate the emotions of the audience as well as to tell a better story using visuals. An analysis is also implemented as to explore whether light and colour has helped to create a film noir look and to manipulate the emotions of the audience, respectively. This analysis is achieved through a focus group. Description: B.COMMS.(HONS)

2014-01-01T00:00:00Z