Media Theory
Wednesday 9th September 2020
Media Theory: Music As Protest
Key Terms:
Media Language:
The meaning of a media text is conveyed to the audience.
Media representation:
The ways in which the media portrays particular groups from a particular ideology or value perspective.
Media Industries:
A varied collection of organisations that share the production, publication and distribution of media texts.
Media Audiences:
How media forms target, reach and address audiences.
Plato's Dialogue on poetry and music
'rhythm and harmony are regulated by the words and not the words by them'
'We would not have our guardians grow up amid images of moral deformity... little by little until they silently gather a festering mass of corruption in their own soul.'
This would mean that he doesn't want music that will change what is currently going on and only wants perfect behaviour and doesn't want poetry or music that may change the morals of the people so they wont become someone who try to fight for what they believe in.
Sidran, B. 1975. Black talk. Black music as protest over time.
Sidran says about how slaves were only able to express themselves through the act of music. 'Thus each man developed his own 'cry' and his personal sound' The Work songs were the only form of social act that was permitted at the time.
'Musicians composed their own songs, based, for the first time, on the secular problems of the black individual.' Sidran, 1975.
Research Task
Song:
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Artist:
U2
Lyrics:
Yeah
I can't believe the news today
Oh, I can't close my eyes
And make it go away
How long?
How long must we sing this song?
How long, how long?
'Cause tonight, we can be as one
Tonight
Broken bottles under children's feet
Bodies strewn across the dead end street
But I won't heed the battle call
It puts my back up
Puts my back up against the wall
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday, Sunday, Bloody Sunday (alright)
And the battle's just begun
There's many lost, but tell me who has won
The trench is dug within our hearts
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
How long?
How long must we sing this song?
How long, how long?
'Cause tonight, we can be as one
Tonight, tonight
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
(Tonight, tonight) Sunday, Bloody Sunday (let's go)
Wipe the tears from your eyes
Wipe your tears away
Oh, wipe your tears away
I'll, wipe your tears away (Sunday, Bloody Sunday)
I'll, wipe your blood shot eyes (Sunday, Bloody Sunday)
Sunday, Bloody Sunday (Sunday, Bloody Sunday)
Sunday, Bloody Sunday (Sunday, Bloody Sunday)
And it's true we are immune
When fact is fiction and TV reality
And today the millions cry
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die
the real battle just begun
(Sunday, Bloody Sunday) to claim the victory Jesus won
On
Sunday Bloody Sunday, yeah
Sunday Bloody Sunday
What is it about:
In Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 13 unarmed civil rights demonstrators are shot dead by British Army paratroopers in an event that becomes known as āBloody Sunday.ā The protesters, all Northern Catholics, were marching in protest of the British policy of internment of suspected Irish nationalists.
How does Plato's theory apply?
Plato's theory applies as Sunday Bloody Sunday suggests that people within this world do not always do the right thing and that through music this could make people want to stand up for what is wrong by showing what has been done and what is wrong.
Monday 14th September 2020
Music Theory: Music As Protest Hip Hop And Beyond
L/O: to investigate the principles behind theories, to discuss various theories, to critically apply theory to texts.
What is representation?
Representation is the way that the media portrays particular groups from a particular ideology or value perspective.
How are these people represented? (about image above)
The people have been presented to be in a negative way. There posture and facial expressions show that they don't seem like the nicest people overall. They are also presented to look as part of a gang and all look very similar. The chains make them look as if they produce and come from a hip hop group.
Public Enemy- Fight The Power
What representations does the music video create?
Low income areas with racial inequality.
The people come across to have passion for what they are fighting for with not just themselves but for everyone and wanting change.
What is the message?
The message is that they are fighting for power and what they feel they need and they deserve compared to what other get who are different to them.
Why is it powerful?
It is powerful as it shows that they are willing to fight for what they deserve and that they will not give up until they get that change.
Rose, T - 1994 Black Noise.
Rap music lyrics talk about racial inequality but talk about women as sex objects and homosexuality as being wrong which doesn't make us respect them as much.
Research Task
Who uses their music today to reflect the social injustices in society?
Song:
Superheroes
Artist:
Stormzy
Lyrics:
Don't die on me
I said
Young black king, don't die on me
You're my brother, you're my keeper
I need you to keep an eye on me
And no more fighting on the streets
Walking 'round with all this pride on me
Shit, shit's tough for us already
Know that you can still rely on me
Please, just stay alive for me
And my young black queens, don't quit now (yeah)
You're the only ones that got us
I could never let my sis down
You been too strong, for too long
Yet, still you never sit down, wow
That's the power of your loving
And it's worthy of a king's crown
And still you never let your kings down
Even though most times, we don't deserve it
The picture isn't pretty, but it's perfect
Tedious pressures, so then I curve it
Serena or Venus, the way I serve it
I'm Mallory Blackman, the way I sell books
I jump on the stage, and then the world looks
All that banging' on my door, had my girl shook
Now sorry officer, I only sell hooks
Leave me alone
Every little L I took, I hold it close to home
Live and you learn, they'll always hate me for my tone
For the shade of my skin
And not the courage of my bones
Now, I'm misunderstood
Now, I'm feeling like Nina Simone
The way I toured the world
Would have thought that I was Sims
See her on stage, I know that women can be kings
I know that's fucked, they're overlooking what you bring
I know shit's all good, but it's just the little things
Black queen you're immaculate
It's coming at the world
They ain't ready for your magic yet
And that was never your fault
Man, I guess they couldn't hack it yet
World domination, and you ain't even
Taken off your jacket yet
So effortlessly fabulous
And my young black kings I hope it pays off
Go and show 'em what you're made of
Trying to scare us with some things
That we are no longer afraid of
Men are superheroes, let me see you take off
I pray you never take your cape off
Even though most times, we don't fly straight
If I trust you bro, I promise we gon' die great
Our burdens are heavy, but we ain't light weights
Our parents were legends, they had to migrate
So that's a reason not to sit around and chat shit
I'm from the place where Michael Dapaah made a smash hit
Where you can be a rapper, if rap you sick
They're screaming, "What a flippin' time to be a black Brit!"
We so alive, whole world gone out their minds
But no we ride, tried to push us all to the side
We know our rights
Now we get the whole of the pie, then go inside
When you see that merky flag in the sky
Just know it's I
The way I topped the charts
Would've thought that I was Dave
I am young, black, beautiful and brave
Know that it's fucked, they're overlooking what we gave
I know shits all good, so we pray for better days
Pray they better than before (better than before)
Young black king, you are everything and more (you are everything and more)
I know one song's not enough to settle scores (not enough to settle scores)
But from the bottom of my heart
Man, I hope you're getting yours (getting yours)
Man, I hope you're getting yours (getting yours)
Young black queen, get your shine on
All I see is innovators, and a bag of icons
You can go and ask the whole world
Where they got they style from?
That's you, that's us, God's time
And he never gets the time wrong
I guess we just some ticking time bombs
We soon blow (boom)
I can make world come true
All my dreams will see me through
And if that won't get me down
My dreams will turn things all around
With a smile upon my face
I can see a better place
Doesn't matter what may come my way
Believe me now, I will win some day
What is the song about?
Celebrating the āyoung black kingsā and āyoung black queens,ā Stormzy sets out to rewrite historic media narratives of black Brits ā calling out their successes and triumphs in the face of adversity.
What do I think about them? Are they talking about issues of race in the UK? Do they criticise women or homosexuals?
From the start of the song you can tell that it will talk about the inequalities in the world today by the way that stormzy has stated 'black king' and 'black queens'. This would show the inequalities of the way that their skin colour has been stated as it would show a difference and the way that black people currently feel like giving up hope because of their skin tone "they'll always hate me for my tone. For the shade of my skin." Although I have found when going on further through the song that they state a lot about black lives and what they face they also subjectify everything to just black people whereas a lot of these things especially are stereotypes of females not just 'black queens'. Stormzy makes stereotypes of all women to just be subjective to black women rather than facing the reality that all women get the same treatment from others, not always but its very much a stereotype which is very much referenced to a lot. "Yet, still you never sit down, wow. That's the power of your loving. And it's worthy of a king's crown. And still you never let your kings down" This makes me think that men recognise all that women do but personally are choosing not to do them or to help the women out because they feel its what women are to do and that they should never not do it.
Throughout the song Stormzy also references a lot of famous and well know people, Malorie Blackman (British Writier), Serena and Venus Williams (American Tennis players), Nina Simone (American Singer-Songwriter) and a few more. Although Stormzy is UK based he shares a lot of famous american celebrities too. I can't tell apart the lyrics very well to see if he's generally just talking about issues of race in the UK but I would think that because of the way hes mentioned many American celebrities he's talking about issues all over the world. In the last verse of his song, Stormzy uses the tune of tracy beaker from the theme song. In some sense using that can suggest more of it being UK based but its not as if you can be 100 percent sure on where the issues are from because of the mixing of many American and British factors and celebrities.
One of the main and biggest issues I've seen that don't associate with Black lives although has been made to is specific gender rolls they think should still exist. "And my young black kings I hope it pays off. Go and show 'em what you're made of...Men are superheroes..." This point kind of juxtaposes the earlier points of how women deserve the 'kings crown' for the amount of work they do for the males but whatever work they do it will never be enough in a males head to be more hardworking than them. I feel like this song wants change for black lives but it doesn't feel that change for the way women are treated should be necessary as they state the issues but do not ask for change. Although the lyrics are not criticising women, it shows the struggles they face but do not say how much a change is needed even though Stormzy has made it apply to just black cultured women.
Although the song is based about black people and I feel its about the issues they face and how they feel people have been mislead and its causing an impact on their mental health it still shouldn't subjectify the stereotypes of a women's role to just black women or make it seems like them stereotypes only apply to them and its only part of their day to day life. Making it seem like its only a black cultured women's stereotype will mislead others just like other races and coloured skin has been mislead by whites which now is being fought for change but while wanting change for that they are causing a few issues with the treatment of women and causing more issues with black stereotypes which confuses the whole fighting for change as people who may not know that the stereotype applies to all women may make the whole issue with fighting for equality of black lives worse as they may find different way to criticise them through the stereotypes that have now been created.
Monday 21st September 2020
Media Theory: Gender and Bond
L/O: to investigate the principles behind theories. To discuss various theories. To critically apply theory to texts.
What does the term audience mean?
The audience is the specific group that the media has grouped together to make it apply to that certain group.
Who are the audience?
Straight Males who find enjoyment from seeing a women's body
What are the audience meant to take from this?
The audience are meant to find enjoyment from the image from where the cut outs are.
Mulvey- 1975/1989 Visual Pleasures and Narrative Cinema. The 'male gaze'
The 'male gaze' which is about how women in films are an object to be looked at for the pleasure of the male viewers that have no power or purpose.
Kaplan- 1983 Women and Film.
When the man steps out of his traditional role the women then takes on the masculine role as bearer of the gaze and initiator of the action so she loses her traditionally feminine characteristics in doing so not the attractiveness but kindness, humaneness and motherliness.
Smelik- 1998 And the Mirror Cracked: Feminist Cinema and Film Theory.
Women pose a threat to men in film and therefore the narratives are delivered to manipulate and remove their power and threat to men; she must die or marry.
Analysis Task
Can you apply Mulvey's theory to the extract?
Mulvey's theory applies as when the women is in the shower and when the doors open its revealing and the dancer with very minimal clothes with many men staring and taking interest in it.
How does it apply? How is the character represented?
The women dancing is used for entertainment and minimal information purposes which the entertainment is normally for personal enjoyment but when it isn't necessary then its for the male gaze.
Can you apply Kaplan, does she lose her feminine traits in order to have power?
Kaplan can apply when the women's in the shower and bond is doing all that she says and when she points the gun at him he responds in a scared and in a timid way as if he were scared of the gun. Although she's stood there naked she does still have some dignity of herself but she acts all fearless which is not the usual feminist action and the gun pointing shows she gets rid of her feminism to gain power over bond. (I'm not even sure if i got that right or if it makes sense)
How does it apply? how do the audience respond to her?
The audience may feel a little bit shocked as she's a female and taking contol and overthrowing the male which depending on if their against female power they may favour it more or they may hate the way she over threw them. (again I'm not sure if this is right)
Can you apply Smelik, is her fate sealed so that she is no longer a threat to the male?
Yes, as the female ends up dead by being shot which links to smeliks theory as she's female and at one point through the film she overthrows the male. (still not sure if this is right but i don't know anything else)
Wednesday 23rd September 2020
Media Theory: Gender And Bond Beyond
L/O: To investigate the principles behind theories. To discuss various theories. To critically apply theory to texts.
Bond image-Pushed female up against a wall to show male power over the female. This would apply to a male target audience to show the male power over the female and the camera angle is a low angle but its used to show the male has the power rather than the women.
Bennett- 1982. Popular Culture.
'The place which the are out of so to speak is that allotted to them- that which they should occupy- within the structure of sexist ideology: subordinate, sexuality and socially, to men.'
women in bond novels and films are damaged sexually, and no clear ideology between good and bad. Bond's role is then to tame her usually she is a challenge and he repositions her in the traditional ordering of sexual difference.
Mulvey: women on the bed.
Represented to please the man- sexual object.
Kaplan: cold, not loving, Bond changes her back to loving via controlling her through sex.
Widow: her promiscuity makes her a throw away character.
Smelik: dies, James saves her.
How are women represented in Bond?
Women are seen as objects for male desire. This is seen when widow gets pushed against a wall and used for sex and information and for him to be useful he saves her from the assassin. Towards the end of that scene when she's shown on the bed when he's leaving theres the use of a high angle shot type which presents her to be weak and vulnerable. Mulvey's theory supports this idea as it shows the males gaze.
Targets-
Highlight the section that you have completed that has been marked
What is the overall representation show in the clip?
Throughout the whole of this scene the widow is represented as weak, vulnerable and less powerful than the male. Which with her being vulnerable and weak it suggests that the women can be used which would make the male audience agree with what bonds doing, especially if the males agree that women are just objects and that they can be used. This links to Mulvey with the male gaze as the widow was presented to be an object that gets viewed to please the males.
Monday 28th September 2020
Media Theory: Mass Consumption
L/O: To investigate the principles of mass consumption. To discuss various theories related to mass consumption and audience. To critically apply theory to texts.
Media Language:
The meaning of a media text is conveyed to the audience. (codes and conventions)
The growth of mass consumption:
Consumerism coincided with the emergence of the middle class who had an increased purchasing power. This also allowed women space and power in their own environment and shopping became a social activity.
Marx. Capital, Volume 1 (1876)
'An immense accumulation of commodities'
A commodity appears, at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is, in reality, a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties...'
'Fetishised commodity' Marx believed that commodities have value that did not reflect the labour to create them but the mystical power that they signify.

- 'The familiar slave figure: dependable, loving in a simple childlike way- the devoted 'mammy' with the rolling eyes, or the faithful field hand or retainer, attached and devoted to his master'
- 'Native' The good side of his figure is portrayed and in a certain primitive nobility and simple dignity. The bad side is portrayed in terms of cheating and cunning, and, further out, savagery and barbarism.
- 'clown' or 'entertainer'
- Equilibrium
- Disruption to the equilibrium
- Resolution
- A new equilibrium is established at the end
- Dominant reading- Accepts the preferred meaning and ideological meaning.
- Negotiated reading- Some of the decoded message is accepted but the audience disagrees with parts of it and so changes it to fit their experience and values.
- Oppositional reading- both the preferred meaning and any ideological assumptions encoded in the product are rejected.
- Denotations can signify connotations, associated meaning for the same sign.
- Denotations and connotations are organised in to myths.
- Myths create an ideological meaning and help ideology feel natural, real and acceptable.
- Representations for all characters
- Note camera angles, mise en scene and shot types
- Note audience impact
- Note industry impact
Excellent notes on the theory and application to your chosen song.
ReplyDeleteMarking 23/9/20
ReplyDeleteTarget areas: 1 and 5
See DIRT task for details of the above areas.
Targets-
Delete1. Highlight the section that you have completed that was marked in yellow.
5. What is the overall representation show in the clip.
19/10/20
ReplyDeleteGood use of theory applied here and good points made.
You need to structure your response more clearly to ensure that you explore each section in enough detail to support your point.
Target areas: 2- when giving examples from the text please choose a scene and give detail about the shots types, character representations, mise en scene and costume to support your initial comment about the woman being strong ( in the office, in black and non sexualised) but here she is then made to look weak. Explore the representations of the woman in this scene first then compare to the second scene ( train-sexualised, power through beauty) apply Mulvey.
Then link this to cultural context of what the audience expecation of women is and talk about the fact the the character embodies varied representations of women so to fit with the cultural context.
Target; 3. explore the cultural context and expectations of the audience in the bond franchise and how the economic context facilitates the audiences expectations of car chases and action and how these impact on the audience interpretations and the representations created of the strong male character. You could link BOND and Q via Levi- Strauss and his Binary oppositions to place Bond as the strong character by placing an other male with a different representation. How this places Bond in relation to cultural context and expectations. This then could be linked to the cultural context of masculinity that is current for the time.