What is a stereotype? A simplified representation which focuses on certain characteristics of a group and assumes these to be shared across all group members.
How does the media use stereotypes? To communicate complex information about a character, time, period, location as quick as possible.
Tessa Perkins: "Stereotypes usually have an element of truth in them which makes them plausible"
I agree with this statement because to be a "dumb blonde" you need to have a certain elements about you, such as ditzy, blonde, attractive, fun, such as the character from Legally Blonde.
Positive representations are call corrective stereotypes or counter types where the representations are trying to create new ideas about a previously stereotyped group.
Contemporary culture has become more aware of stereotypes and the effects they have, particularly negative ones.
Many media texts have attempted to construct new approaches to old stereotypes.
Showing posts with label Theory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Theory. Show all posts
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Friday, 20 November 2009
The Male Gaze
The Male Gaze was a theory proposed by Laura Mulvey in the 1970s. It refers to how an audience will look at images of people within a media text.
It can be described as feminist, reference to the voyeuristic way in which men look at women.
Johnathan Scroeder 1998 - " To gaze implies more than to look at, it signifies psychological realtionship of power, in which the gazer is superior to the object of gaze."
This theory could be criticized for failure to take into account for female spectators, and only focuses on hetrosexual people, not homosexual.
The Male Gaze could fit into our advert because our adverts are aimed to be seductive to make the audience want to buy it, men could watch the female advert and buy the product hoping their wife will wear the fragrance and look like the character, or may watch the male advert and inspire to be like him. Vice versa for the female watching the advert.
It can be described as feminist, reference to the voyeuristic way in which men look at women.
Johnathan Scroeder 1998 - " To gaze implies more than to look at, it signifies psychological realtionship of power, in which the gazer is superior to the object of gaze."
This theory could be criticized for failure to take into account for female spectators, and only focuses on hetrosexual people, not homosexual.
The Male Gaze could fit into our advert because our adverts are aimed to be seductive to make the audience want to buy it, men could watch the female advert and buy the product hoping their wife will wear the fragrance and look like the character, or may watch the male advert and inspire to be like him. Vice versa for the female watching the advert.
Monday, 16 November 2009
Is Memento A Postmodern Film?
Memento, to an extent could be described as a postmodern media text. Lennie has to create and keep re creating his identity. Lennie makes himself up everyday to the person he wants to believe he is. He maintains a system of notes, photographs, and tattoos to record information about himself and others, which is in actual fact just creating his identity.
Memento
Memento is a 2000 psychological thriller film written and directed by Christopher Nolan.Leonard was a former insurance fraud investigator searching for the man he believed raped and killed his wife. Leonard has short term memory loss, which he developed as a result of the severe head trauma during the attack on his wife. To cope with his condition, he maintains a system of notes, photographs, and tattoos to record information about himself and others, including his wife's killer. He is aided in his investigation by Teddy and Natalie neither of whom he can trust.
The story is told in a non linear narrative, the story is told in two narratives, one in colour, the other in black and white. The black and white sections are told in chronological order, showing Leonard on the phone in a motel room. Leonard's investigation is shown in the color sequences that are in reverse chronological order. By reversing the order, the audience are unaware of the previous events, just like Leonard.
At the end of the film the two narratives merge into one sequence that begins as black and white and fades into color. The audience then come to realise that although Lennies wife was raped, she survived the attack and Lennie had already killed the man that raped her a year ago with the help of teddy. Lennie's wife had diabetes and he in actual fact killed her by overdosing her on insulin, due to his condition of short term memory loss. Lennie tells this sotry through a made up character (Sammie) who the audience finally realise is actually Sammie. Teddy wanted to help Lennie get his revenge on the rapist of his wife so allowed Lennie to kill him, but Lennie then forgot he had killed him and still searches for him not knowing he is already dead. Teddy allows him to still look for the rapist, so Lennie actually kills other people such as drug dealers.
The story is told in a non linear narrative, the story is told in two narratives, one in colour, the other in black and white. The black and white sections are told in chronological order, showing Leonard on the phone in a motel room. Leonard's investigation is shown in the color sequences that are in reverse chronological order. By reversing the order, the audience are unaware of the previous events, just like Leonard.
At the end of the film the two narratives merge into one sequence that begins as black and white and fades into color. The audience then come to realise that although Lennies wife was raped, she survived the attack and Lennie had already killed the man that raped her a year ago with the help of teddy. Lennie's wife had diabetes and he in actual fact killed her by overdosing her on insulin, due to his condition of short term memory loss. Lennie tells this sotry through a made up character (Sammie) who the audience finally realise is actually Sammie. Teddy wanted to help Lennie get his revenge on the rapist of his wife so allowed Lennie to kill him, but Lennie then forgot he had killed him and still searches for him not knowing he is already dead. Teddy allows him to still look for the rapist, so Lennie actually kills other people such as drug dealers.
Monday, 9 November 2009
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Representing Gender
The Representations of men and women can never illustrate the 'truth.'
This is true because not all men and women in society will conform to their gender stereotype, some women within the family have a higher income job and they are therefore the breadwinner and the male is the child bearer.
Hollywood mainly operate in gender binary opposites.
I disagree with this, because when thinking about celebrities in Hollywood such as Paris Hilton, although she is criticised for not working at all and using all her fathers wealth, she does have her own business of products such as fragrance and make up, which isn't stereotypically correct for a female to have her own business. However, the richest people in the world such as Bill Gates are all men and have their own business which is operating to the gender binary opposites.
Gender can only be understood in relation to the culture that produces it.
This is true, our culture means we are brought up the norms and values are the society we are in, gender stereotypes may be represented differently from someone who is a Christian to someone of an Asian culture.
Gender stereotypes are a useful way of understanding culture.
Yes, the environment, religion, clothes and food we associate with in our culture are useful in understanding how men and women are expected to act in the society, this may change within cultures.
This is true because not all men and women in society will conform to their gender stereotype, some women within the family have a higher income job and they are therefore the breadwinner and the male is the child bearer.
Hollywood mainly operate in gender binary opposites.
I disagree with this, because when thinking about celebrities in Hollywood such as Paris Hilton, although she is criticised for not working at all and using all her fathers wealth, she does have her own business of products such as fragrance and make up, which isn't stereotypically correct for a female to have her own business. However, the richest people in the world such as Bill Gates are all men and have their own business which is operating to the gender binary opposites.
Gender can only be understood in relation to the culture that produces it.
This is true, our culture means we are brought up the norms and values are the society we are in, gender stereotypes may be represented differently from someone who is a Christian to someone of an Asian culture.
Gender stereotypes are a useful way of understanding culture.
Yes, the environment, religion, clothes and food we associate with in our culture are useful in understanding how men and women are expected to act in the society, this may change within cultures.
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Collective Identity
Collective Identity is a group of identites that share or are motivated by at least one common interest. Identity is who you are, how you see yourself and how how others see you through your appearance, attributes, experiences, clothing, rituals.
Area's that make up ones collective identity are:
>Gender
>Ethnicity
>Religion
>Nationality
>Age
>Sexuality
Social class
>Disability
>Celebrity
>Family
>Education
The media such as magazines,films, newspapers, mysic and soaps have an influene/impact on identity.
David Buckingham (2008)
Describes identity as something that distinguishes us from other people. However it also implies a relationship with boarder collective identities or social group, people with the same interests for example will be similar because of this shared interest however their other interests and beliefs will make them individuals.
This contraditcion makes identity complicated to define.
Area's that make up ones collective identity are:
>Gender
>Ethnicity
>Religion
>Nationality
>Age
>Sexuality
Social class
>Disability
>Celebrity
>Family
>Education
The media such as magazines,films, newspapers, mysic and soaps have an influene/impact on identity.
David Buckingham (2008)
Describes identity as something that distinguishes us from other people. However it also implies a relationship with boarder collective identities or social group, people with the same interests for example will be similar because of this shared interest however their other interests and beliefs will make them individuals.
This contraditcion makes identity complicated to define.
Monday, 2 November 2009
Sunday, 1 November 2009
Friday, 23 October 2009
Postmodernism & Pulp Fiction Intertextuality
Media reality is the new reality. We no longer have any sense of the difference between real things, images of them, or real experiences and simulations of them. Representations are re interpreted and played around with through pastiche and intertextual references. People will deliberately expose the text as constructed to tell the audience that the piece is not real and it never pretends to be real at any point, they don't try and hide the fact the media text is constructed. An example of this is in Quentin Tarantino's film 'Kill Bill' the mise en scene shows the audience that this is a film and not real life. There is a childs painting on the wall which is meant to be a "doodle" but indicates splattered blood. The cereal is called "kaboom" showing the audience a gun exposion may happen. The spraying blood is over exaggerated. The camera shot in which it shows a birds eye view, shows the audience it is a film set because the angle shows there is no room of the house.
Pulp Fiction (1994) directed by Quentin Tarantino tells the story of hitmen linked into different stories. The criticism for this film has been that because the film makes so many intertextual references it is so sly and knowing that it doesn't seem 'real' it feels/looks like a construction. Does this make Pulp Fiction postmodern?
Jules quoting from the Bible is reminiscent of Robert Mitchum's character quoting from the Bible in Night Of The Hunter (1955 Charles Laughton)
Mia's haircut styled after Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box (1928 G.W. Pabst)
Marilyn Monroe's skirt flying up over a subway grating in The Seven Year Itch (1955 Billy Wilder)
The weapons that Butch considers before saving Marcellus:
Hammer—The Toolbox Murders (1978)
Baseball bat—Walking Tall (1973)
Chainsaw—The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
The moment where Butch is waiting at a crossroads in his car has his path crossed by Marcellus Wallace is a direct reference to the moment in Psycho (1960 Alfred Hitchcock) when Marion Crane sees her boss walk in front of her car after fleeing from him, having stolen $40,000.
pulpfictionnn
Pulp Fiction (1994) directed by Quentin Tarantino tells the story of hitmen linked into different stories. The criticism for this film has been that because the film makes so many intertextual references it is so sly and knowing that it doesn't seem 'real' it feels/looks like a construction. Does this make Pulp Fiction postmodern?
Jules quoting from the Bible is reminiscent of Robert Mitchum's character quoting from the Bible in Night Of The Hunter (1955 Charles Laughton)
Mia's haircut styled after Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box (1928 G.W. Pabst)
Marilyn Monroe's skirt flying up over a subway grating in The Seven Year Itch (1955 Billy Wilder)
The weapons that Butch considers before saving Marcellus:
Hammer—The Toolbox Murders (1978)
Baseball bat—Walking Tall (1973)
Chainsaw—The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
The moment where Butch is waiting at a crossroads in his car has his path crossed by Marcellus Wallace is a direct reference to the moment in Psycho (1960 Alfred Hitchcock) when Marion Crane sees her boss walk in front of her car after fleeing from him, having stolen $40,000.
pulpfictionnn
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Trevor Millum
Trevor Millum studied women magazine adverts, and distinguished these forms of attention:
> attention directed towards other people
> attention directed to an object
> attention directed to oneself
> attention directed to reader/ camera
> attention directed into middle distance, as in a state of reverie
> direction or object of attention not discernable (cant make it out).
Relationships between those depicted:
> reciprocal attention- directed at each other
> divergent attention- directed at different things
> object-oriented attention- both looking at the same thing
> semi-reciprocal attention- attention of one person is on the other, whose attention is elsewhere.
> attention directed towards other people
> attention directed to an object
> attention directed to oneself
> attention directed to reader/ camera
> attention directed into middle distance, as in a state of reverie
> direction or object of attention not discernable (cant make it out).
Relationships between those depicted:
> reciprocal attention- directed at each other
> divergent attention- directed at different things
> object-oriented attention- both looking at the same thing
> semi-reciprocal attention- attention of one person is on the other, whose attention is elsewhere.
Friday, 9 October 2009
Young & Rubicam
Dr Maslow was studyed monkeys (1969) He found that monkeys always made sure they weren't thirsty before they looked for shelter and always made sure they found shelter before finding a companion. He then went on to study humans, and he found humans acted the same was as monkeys, for example humans wouldnt worry about love until they felt secure.
What became of this was, Dr Maslows hierachy of needs.
Young and Rubican researched on where people stood in the differernt catogories.
The hierachy of needs accepted that people from different cuntries were influenced by their culural background. They therefore named it the Cross Cultural Consumer Characterisation. (4Cs) for short. This puts people into one of 7 groups, depending on their motivation:
The Explorer is driven by a need for something new. Often the first to try out new ideas and experiences. Their core need for live is discovery.
The Aspirer is driven by other people's perception rather than their own opinion. This could be what other think of their appearence, fashion and personality. Their core need for life is status.
The Succeeder has self confidence and are organised. They feel they deserve the best reward given. They have an aggressive attitude to life and need to sometimes relax. Their core need for life is control.
The Reformer has independent judgement. They are often perceived as being intellectual and pride themselves on tolerence. Their core need for life is enlightenment.
The Mainstream are the largest group within the 4C's. They are the mainstream of society, in the domestic world. They respond to big established family brands. Their core need for life is security.
The Struggler lives for today and no plans for tomorrow. Often binges on alcohol and junk food. There only chance in life would be if they won the lottery. They seek escape.
The Resigned are mostly the older generation who's values have been built up over time. They act in traditional ways and their aim in life is to survive.
The relevent catogories that link with our advert are the aspirer, explorer and succeeder.
When I took the quiz on www.4cs.yr.com/diys to see what type I was. I got these results:
What became of this was, Dr Maslows hierachy of needs.
Young and Rubican researched on where people stood in the differernt catogories.
The hierachy of needs accepted that people from different cuntries were influenced by their culural background. They therefore named it the Cross Cultural Consumer Characterisation. (4Cs) for short. This puts people into one of 7 groups, depending on their motivation:
The Explorer is driven by a need for something new. Often the first to try out new ideas and experiences. Their core need for live is discovery.
The Aspirer is driven by other people's perception rather than their own opinion. This could be what other think of their appearence, fashion and personality. Their core need for life is status.
The Succeeder has self confidence and are organised. They feel they deserve the best reward given. They have an aggressive attitude to life and need to sometimes relax. Their core need for life is control.
The Reformer has independent judgement. They are often perceived as being intellectual and pride themselves on tolerence. Their core need for life is enlightenment.
The Mainstream are the largest group within the 4C's. They are the mainstream of society, in the domestic world. They respond to big established family brands. Their core need for life is security.
The Struggler lives for today and no plans for tomorrow. Often binges on alcohol and junk food. There only chance in life would be if they won the lottery. They seek escape.
The Resigned are mostly the older generation who's values have been built up over time. They act in traditional ways and their aim in life is to survive.
The relevent catogories that link with our advert are the aspirer, explorer and succeeder.
When I took the quiz on www.4cs.yr.com/diys to see what type I was. I got these results:
Thursday, 8 October 2009
Theory
Key Concepts:
1) Representation
2)Language and forms
3) Audience
4) Narrative
5) Genre
6) Institutions
7) Values and Ideologies
Representation- how will our characters be presented to the audience in our adverts?
We want them to represent beauty, wealth and glamour in a lifestyle.
Language and forms- how our characters will represented as the way they are.
> Evidence from text will allow us to do this
> e.g mise en scene - the lighting, props and costumes.
> Camera angles chosen to represent the character and product.
> Both non diagetic and diagetic music we use.
> Dialogue
Audiences - How will how product affect the audience and make them feel.
> We want sterotypes and lifestyles to be recognised.
> We want the audience to buy our product to have to gain some sort of rapport with them to do this, so they feel they can trust the credibility in the product.
Narrative - Who will be telling the story of the advert?
> Will dialogue dominate or music?
> Music will dominate our main adverts, tv sponsorship will have a variety of both and the radio will be mainly dialouge.
Genre - does our fragrance fit into the generic convention of fragrance adverts?
> Are they recogniseable features? We use black and white theme, and portray glamour as an image
> Do we in any way challenge established conventions?
1) Representation
2)Language and forms
3) Audience
4) Narrative
5) Genre
6) Institutions
7) Values and Ideologies
Representation- how will our characters be presented to the audience in our adverts?
We want them to represent beauty, wealth and glamour in a lifestyle.
Language and forms- how our characters will represented as the way they are.
> Evidence from text will allow us to do this
> e.g mise en scene - the lighting, props and costumes.
> Camera angles chosen to represent the character and product.
> Both non diagetic and diagetic music we use.
> Dialogue
Audiences - How will how product affect the audience and make them feel.
> We want sterotypes and lifestyles to be recognised.
> We want the audience to buy our product to have to gain some sort of rapport with them to do this, so they feel they can trust the credibility in the product.
Narrative - Who will be telling the story of the advert?
> Will dialogue dominate or music?
> Music will dominate our main adverts, tv sponsorship will have a variety of both and the radio will be mainly dialouge.
Genre - does our fragrance fit into the generic convention of fragrance adverts?
> Are they recogniseable features? We use black and white theme, and portray glamour as an image
> Do we in any way challenge established conventions?
Saturday, 19 September 2009
Theorists
In Thursdays lesson with Mrs Hammond we learnt about theorists and how we can appropriately apply them to fit into our advertisments. The main theorists we learnt about were Todorov, Barthes, Propp and Levi- Strauss.
Todorov's work was based on the fact that nearly all stories start with equilibrium, followed by a disruption finished with a new equilibrium.
Barthes talks about narrative codes, these codes are used to keep the audience interested and their attention to the storyline. These codes are:
>Enigma Code - Something in a film that is not explained, and raises a problem within the storyline. This enables the audience to think about what is going on.
>Action code - This is basically any action within a film. Props or dialogue will let the audience know that action is/will happen and keeps them interested.
>Semantic Code - This is how the audience interpret something that has happened or is said. The audience are thinking about the suggested meaning.
>The Cultural Code - This is where a film can relate the storyline to the audience based on their knowledge, for example an opening scene of snow and presents the audience know it is christmas.
Propp from his research on children's stories found that all films have set key character roles. They have:
The Hero
The Villain
The Donor
The Dispatcher
The False hero
The Helper
The Princess
Her Father
Obviously we have to break conventions of this research because we are doing an advert, so cant apply all of the roles to our advert.
Levi-Strauss talked about binary opposites in stories, for example love vs hate, beautiful vs ugly and good vs evil, they could be viewed as moral messages within the storyline. This could mean something will only be defined in relation to something it is not.
Todorov's work was based on the fact that nearly all stories start with equilibrium, followed by a disruption finished with a new equilibrium.
Barthes talks about narrative codes, these codes are used to keep the audience interested and their attention to the storyline. These codes are:
>Enigma Code - Something in a film that is not explained, and raises a problem within the storyline. This enables the audience to think about what is going on.
>Action code - This is basically any action within a film. Props or dialogue will let the audience know that action is/will happen and keeps them interested.
>Semantic Code - This is how the audience interpret something that has happened or is said. The audience are thinking about the suggested meaning.
>The Cultural Code - This is where a film can relate the storyline to the audience based on their knowledge, for example an opening scene of snow and presents the audience know it is christmas.
Propp from his research on children's stories found that all films have set key character roles. They have:
The Hero
The Villain
The Donor
The Dispatcher
The False hero
The Helper
The Princess
Her Father
Obviously we have to break conventions of this research because we are doing an advert, so cant apply all of the roles to our advert.
Levi-Strauss talked about binary opposites in stories, for example love vs hate, beautiful vs ugly and good vs evil, they could be viewed as moral messages within the storyline. This could mean something will only be defined in relation to something it is not.
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