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 ā€œBloody 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 ā€œyoung black kingsā€ and ā€œyoung black queens,ā€ Stormzy sets out to rewrite historic media narratives of black Brits – 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. 



Can you apply Marx's theory? How does it apply? How is commodity represented?
This reflects Marx's theory as the perfume does not reflect the amount of labour that it takes to make the product which links to Marx's as the product is valued but in no way does the price represent the amount of labour that had been put into making it as its a high end product that is very expensive. 
Commodity is represented as although the product doesn't seem useful many would say it is as seeing the product or if it has a distinctive smell then you'd be able to tell the type of income they have e.g. in this case a high income.

Can you apply Young and Rubicam? Who is the consumer?
This would apply to young and rubicam as it would fall into the Aspireres and the Succeeders. I feel it would fall into and between these two categories as where it is a high end and designer product then people would aspire to own the product due to it being designer and well known. But I feel it would fall into the succeeder category as people who its already obvious to have status through other factors e.g. the clothes they wear, especially something similar to what is seen in the advertisement. Through the use of the camera angle you can see that the people who this is aimed at (not to sure if this part makes sense but I mean the target audience) is not young, lower income adults and teens but is seen to apply to an older, higher income audience and one you'd mostly see in a high quality adult/elders magazine which applies to the same target audience as the product.

Can you apply Maslow's hierarchy of need? Where does the product fit?
This advertisement can apply to Maslow's hierarchy of need as I feel it would fall under psychological need and most specifically under the esteem category where a person wants recognition, respect and power for their status. As they may depend on the recognition for their own self esteem. 

Can you analyse the media language present in the image and and what this connotes to the audience?
Camera angle
The camera angle presents the women to have power and doesn't look frowned upon. This has been presented by the angled that is being used, which is a low angle long shot. A low angle would suggest that someone is powerful and controllable and would make the audience feel less superior, especially in this case where its basically suggesting that without this perfume you have no power and your existence is less important as you do not own this perfume. This would increase the percentage of people buying this especially if you want to be better than everyone else. Its showing the status that you can have if you smell a certain way or own a designer perfume. The long shot would be used to show the location of the shot not only the subject/object. The location of the shot can be very important when considering a target audience as not only the subject could suggest the target audience so can the location which in this case is very important as it adds to the old fashioned look which would suggest the audience to be part of the elder generation.

Mise en scene
The location of the image suggests a 1920s type style which suggests the elder more elegant, old fashioned audience. This connotes that the audience have a lot of money and would make them seem like the type of people to pay a lot of many for a product that may take little money and labour to produce. 
The lighting within this advert is focused on the women. The focus of the lighting can show the main audience through visual representation who the ideal target audience is and the type of people they would appeal to. And to suggest even more who it appeals to the setting and the costume of what the women is wearing shows a visual representation of the status and power the women has as the clothes would be elegant and appeal to the target audience and the way the women is positioned shows desire and feels powerful through her body language.

This advert uses an image edited into the advert rather than within the advert. So instead of it being an advert to advertise the product its an advert that I feel has been used to suggest the target audience while incorporating the product very distinctly as it stands out more than if it were to be photographed. 

Monday 5th October 2020
Media Theory: Race
L/O: To investigate the principles behind theories of representation of race. To discuss various theories. To critically apply theory to texts.

Gray, H. (2001) 'Politics of representation in Network Television'
'This point of view constructs and privileges white middle class audiences as the ideal viewers and subject of television stories'.
'minority producers constitute only 7% of all producers working on shows with minority characters'.

Levi Strauss- Binary oppositions
Argued that the structure of meaning making was dependent on binary oppositions. These could relate to characters in film, recurring signs in adverts, narrative elements in film. Good/Bad, Black/White, East/West, Barbarism/civilisation. 

Hall, S. 1995 the white of their eyes
Coined the term 'grammar of race'
  • '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'
How does Black Panther depict different racial representations?
Can you apply Strauss' theory to the extract? How does it apply? How are the characters represented? (Add in at home due to missing this part)
In black panther with specifically the scene in the museum its seen that the majority of the workers within the museum are white with very few being black or of a different race. The museum shows a lot of African cultured art that would have been made by the other races which contradicts the value of the art being within the museum as the majority/all of the staff members are white or of a more excepted race within society. The workers approaching the black raced person seem very concerned asking what he's doing there as if it isn't obvious that he's looking at the artefacts, even though the art is most likely from his historical background/an ancestor. When correcting the white female worker on where an artefact was made and what material it is made from and how that artefact had been brought over from where it was with it being stolen first why would they not be allowed to steal it back. He also said to the white women about all of the other white workers and security guards around him who had been there most likely because of his race and his culture. Overall this links to Strauss' theory as its showing black/white which shows the mistreatment toward the other races who are surrounding and visiting the museum.

Can you apply Hall, do we see grammar of race? How does it apply? how does the audience respond to the character?
Within the black panther clip we can apply Hall. We can apply Hall as the female character acts like a 'clown' or 'entertainer'. In many ways clowns and entertainers link which would suggest that the character was making a fool of themselves and would be used as an entertainment character. The audience would respond to this as seeing the character as a humorous and laughable character. The audience may feel a sense of relief to having this character depending on how into the film they get and how tense a certain part of the film is as this character will split up the action and tense scenes. 

Can you apply Dyer, is whiteness clear in this extract or is it absent? what impact does this have?
Whiteness is clear within this extract when in the museum. The museum, as previously stated, shows whiteness as positive and the more secure race with all the security guards being white. This makes it look as if the white race is more supreme and nicer and more approachable than someone of a black race. This can also be seen when the white female worker walks up towards the black male looking at the artefacts as this has made him to seem suspicious and the way that all the security guards pay very close attention to him, not because he's standing neat the artefacts but because of his race and skin colour. 

Wednesday 7th October 2020
Media Theory: Consent and Dissent
L/O: To investigate how representation can produce and consent and dissent. To discuss various theories. To critically apply theory to texts.
What representations are created here?
The representations here look to be aimed towards an army group/war group. Represents war and violence as positive and happy. The main persons facial expression is smily and happy. 
What is consent?
Permission or agreement for something to happen. 
What is dissent?
The holding or expression of opinions at variance with those commonly or officially held.  (non-agreed/not consented) 
Who are the audience?
The audience are people who are interested in the idea of war, males, young males, fighting, committed to their county. 
What are the audience expected to think from this image?
The audience are expected to think that the army are the heroes in the situation. 

Kellner and Ryan (1990) 'Vietnam and New militarism'
'it was not until the war was over that fictional films began to appear that dealt directly with or were explicitly critical of the war'. 

Todorov- Narratology
Todorov's theory states that it is possible to identify key elements to a narrative-
  • Equilibrium
  • Disruption to the equilibrium
  • Resolution 
  • A new equilibrium is established at the end
Hall, Reception theory
Encoding/decoding model
  1. Dominant reading- Accepts the preferred meaning and ideological meaning.
  2. 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.
  3. Oppositional reading- both the preferred meaning and any ideological assumptions encoded in the product are rejected.  

Dominant Reading- 
The preferred meaning is that it is to do with war and violence. War is a good thing and the soldiers are strong and independent.

Negotiated Reading-
The negotiated meaning is that war is not a good thing and can be a scary thing.

Oppositional Reading-
The oppositional reading is that you can either die or you'll still be effected by the war after.




Can you apply Hall's encoding/decoding theory to the extract?
Dominant reading- show the effects after war in a very negative way.
Negotiated reading- Show the effects that war can cause 

Monday 12th October 2020
Media Theory: Masculinity
L/O: To investigate how representations of masculinity differ. To discuss various theories on masculinity. To critically apply theory to texts and explore the impact of the representations.

(add in image to know what its about)
What representations are created here?
The representations here are aimed towards people who go to the gym or want to stay fit but be fitter than fit who want to show visible muscles and strength. 
How is masculinity defined here?
Masculinity can be defined by the strength and made to be fit and brave
What are the audience invited to think?
The male audience are invited to think that buying this product will make them fit and healthy. The female audience are invited to think that this is the ideal man.

The crisis of masculinity 
In the 1960's 'it was not so easy for men to maintain the pretence of sexual bravado.' (Tolson).
Feminism and gay rights have meant that the superiority of men came under economic and ideological attack and ideas of what masculinity should be were unclear. 
Faludi recognised that  men would face difficulties in fitting in to a changed environment where they are not automatically the 'ruling class'.
(add in images of 1960 advert and compare to an advert now)

Barthes- Semiology
  1. Denotations can signify connotations, associated meaning for the same sign.
  2. Denotations and connotations are organised in to myths.
  3. Myths create an ideological meaning and help ideology feel natural, real and acceptable.
Analysis Task- From the adverts what can you identify?
Can you apply Halls encoding and decoding theory to the extract?
Dominant reading-
The preferred meaning is that it is selling a product while showing its preferred gender target audience. Saying that with this perfume you'll be more powerful and become a winner.
Negotiated reading-
Its trying to sell a product but the people who wear it and buy it don't need to look as shown on the products advertisement. And you do not become a winner when wearing the perfume.
Oppositional reading- 
This advertisement may not be after the sales so much as to show what there idea of a stereotypical male should look like. And will never declare you a winner for wearing or buuying it.

Can you apply Barthes Semiology?
Barthes theory applies as this shows a male who has been presented to be strong and powerful, which is seen through his posture and facial expressions but has also been shown as a figure to attract women when wearing this scent which is seen through the use of females at the lower part of the advertisement. This could suggest that the size difference shown makes the male more powerful and more controlling and the women to be smaller and more vulnerable and the posture and the way they have been positioned shows their femininity and vulnerability. This makes the male seem desirable and may make women think that this is what a male is or this is what a male should look like as the muscles and strength and powerfulness are very stereotypical of what a male should look and be like. This links to Barthes theory as it doesn't say that this shows that the male has been presented as more powerful than the women but you can connote that from the image and with the male on the front being shirtless and would be deemed fit this would be what a women would expect or want in a man and not all men look the same and not all males have the same build as another. But where it has been presented on an advertisement the audience would feel like this is real.


Initial notes to help with expanding each point/advert.
Can you apply Barthes semiology? 
Barthes theory applies to these adverts as they all show males and male control in one of the 3 along with showing all males as fit with being comfortable in less clothing or showing all of the muscles or showing them making the effort to be fit. Which could suggest the male dominance and males being the more dominant gender over males and females and could suggest that the ideal man is to be one who exercises and are comfortable within themselves and for males to be strong and fit.

What does it reveal about ideologies and sign/myths about masculinity?
The ideologies seen here are that males are to be strong and brave and to take on whatever is thrown in their way and to be controlling through their power as they are presented to be more powerful than the women. This creates an idea of what women think males should look like when in fact it just creates a false sense of reality and makes up what a stereotypical man should look like and will contribute more ideas of what a male should look like.

Monday 19th October 2020
Media Theory: Assessment
L/O: To demonstrate knowledge of media theories. To apply media theory to text. To critically explore a text using media theory.

How do we structure an exam question?
1. address the question.
2. Make a clear point using examples from the text.
3. Explore the media theoretical framework: media language, representations, industries, audiences.
4. Back up using theories that support your point.
5. Repeat for a further point.

Exam Question:
Why do films offer different representations?

Economic Context:
How the media products reflect their economic contexts through production, financial technological opportunities and constraints. 
Private jet
high budget Location
Oxford (mention)
Flying a plane that will crash and has been shot through Crashes into cars damages many cars.
What are the representations? 
  • Representations for all characters
  • Note camera angles, mise en scene and shot types
  • Note audience impact 
  • Note industry impact 
Bond- Masculinity-Low angle- Strong, Arrogant- In all black- Over the shoulder shot (bold and more dominant)-Testing the other characters, Abrupt 
Women bond's talking to presented in a high angle zoom in 
Close up of women with tears in her eyes, Weak and emotional. Strong in how she's presented wearing all black and hair tied back. 
low angle shot of bond shows power 
Male characters panic seen through the shaky camera
Close up of bond shows he's determined + low angle
Women needed saving but quite strong and taking control
low angle long shot of female who shows power in her beauty/outfit. (Mulvey)
Mulvey- The male gaze 
Smelik- She becomes more powerful than the male or strong then she should be so she must die or marry or become more romantic (in this case)
Barths- Weak and intellegent men (camera movement)

Exam Question Response-

Films offer many different representations so that audiences have a variety of representations to compare themselves to and to reach different groups of people which reflect society. You can see this through the use of representing women to be strong through their chose of clothing and through their beauty. This is shown to us on the train where the female is presented through an extreme long shot which shows that her power lies and is shown to us through her beauty and the change of clothing from when the women was in the office and is wearing all black to then wearing a more revealing dress in which isn't black.  From this we could say that Mulvey's theory of the male gaze is used. The male gaze is when women are presented and used just for the male audience to find pleasure from the lack of clothing and have little to no power. From the clothing that the women is wearing it can suggest that the production of this film is not a small profit production but a large profit production. This links to Economic context as the opportunity's from the money that can be made is endless and so the production value is higher. 

With the films offering different representations the industries have many opportunity's to represent gender and their characters in many different way's. Taking the part where Bond is working with this other male, Bond is continually represented as strong and very masculine whereas the other male who he's working with can be represented as weak and intellegent which can be seen through the camera movement with the shot being very shaky and could show panic. This could link to Barths theory as this is a connotation from the shot that has been used and how the character has been represented. This can help link to the use of economic context as the smart and intelligent but hardly masculine guy uses high technological equipment that would have cost a fortune. 

(Not finished)

Wednesday 21st October 2020
Media Theory: DIRT
L/O: To reflect on areas to improve. To improve application of media theory. To improve critical exploration of a text using theoretical framework.

Films offer many different representations so that audiences have a variety of representations to compare themselves to and to reach different groups of people which reflect society. You can see this through the use of representing women to be strong through their chose of clothing. The use of the black clothing in the office makes her seem professional and powerful and non-sexualised. The use of the over the shoulder shots, that change from each character, shows that the women can be strong as its not just focusing on one character. This would also represent that women when in the office or in a work place can be professional and are not just trying to attract the males attention. This can link to smelik's theory that when women pose a threat to men, here with the power and strength in the work place, she must marry or die. 
Whereas on the train the women is represented through her beauty, which here is where her power lies. Her beauty is shown through a low angle long shot of her walking towards Bond. In this scene with her walking the long shot shows the dress she's wearing and the make up and her hair not being the main focus. The low angle of that long shot shows that her power here is her beauty as her dress and her beauty is the main focus. This presents the idea that women should be very feminine. Another way that shows her feminine side is from showing her wearing makeup and having her hair done. This would support the idea in smelik's theory that women marry or die. Although she doesn't die or marry she is still presented as becoming more feminine from before and losing her power and control over Bond.  The cultural context here can be shown through the use of the audience seeing the feminine character in the first scene but then see the bond women representation in the second scene.   


analyse office scene (theory)
analyse train scene (theory)
cultural context audience expectation



 and through their beauty. This is shown to us on the train where the female is presented through an extreme long shot which shows that her power lies and is shown to us through her beauty and the change of clothing from when the women was in the office and is wearing all black to then wearing a more revealing dress in which isn't black.  From this we could say that Mulvey's theory of the male gaze is used. The male gaze is when women are presented and used just for the male audience to find pleasure from the lack of clothing and have little to no power. From the clothing that the women is wearing it can suggest that the production of this film is not a small profit production but a large profit production. This links to Economic context as the opportunity's from the money that can be made is endless and so the production value is higher. 

With the films offering different representations the industries have many opportunity's to represent gender and their characters in many different way's. Taking the part where Bond is working with this other male, Bond is continually represented as strong and very masculine whereas the other male who he's working with can be represented as weak and intellegent which can be seen through the camera movement with the shot being very shaky and could show panic. This could link to Barths theory as this is a connotation from the shot that has been used and how the character has been represented. This can help link to the use of economic context as the smart and intelligent but hardly masculine guy uses high technological equipment that would have cost a fortune. 

Comments

  1. Excellent notes on the theory and application to your chosen song.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Marking 23/9/20
    Target areas: 1 and 5
    See DIRT task for details of the above areas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Targets-
      1. Highlight the section that you have completed that was marked in yellow.
      5. What is the overall representation show in the clip.

      Delete
  3. 19/10/20
    Good 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.

    ReplyDelete

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