Intro to media theory

Tuesday 5th September 2023

Media Theory: The Power to Media

• Slasher movies
• 2000s chickflicks (mean girls, clueless, etc)
• 70s-90s rock + pop
• Childish Gambino, Lana Del Rey, Muse, eetc
• Cancel culture
• Medias effect on body image/ideals

Monday 11th September 2023

Media Theory: Stranger Things

LO: to analyse using the theoretical framework to critically apply the theoretical framework to texts.

Media language: How the media through their forms, codes conventions and techniques communicate meanings. Camera work, editing, sound, Mise en scene.

Media representations: How the media portray events, issues, individuals and social groups.

Media industries: How the media industries'. processes of production, distribution and circulations affect media forms and platforms.

Media audiences: How media forms target, reach and address audiences, how audiences interpret and respond to them and how members of audiences become producers themselves.

Contexts:

Tuesday 12th September 2023

LO:

Media language: 

80s lighting

80s setup

80s outfits

Representations:

Police represented as lazy, biased, aloof and dismissive.

Highschool experience, bullies

Single parent, struggling, inequality

Audience:

Joyce's character sparks empathy

Hopper's character sparks disdain

(Encouraged not to identify with patriarchal rule)

Industry:

Production values are high

Contexts:

People in the 80s thought there were secret experiments

Baudrillard

How does Baudrillard apply to stranger things

E.x of postmodernism in the text. Describe the scene.

In stranger things, we can see an example of postmodernism in the scene where the group is on their bikes, which is a homage to the 80s brand of bike used in ET.

Explain how this fits with what Baudrillard states.

This scene also supported what Baudrillard stated when he argued that postmodern reality is organised around "simulation".

What representations about the historical context does this create?

Monday 18th September 2023

Music as protest hip-hop and beyond

LO: to investigate the principles behind theories, to discuss theories, to critically apply theory to texts.

What is representation?

Representation is the portrayal of a certain person or group of people within forms of media.

How are these people represented?

These people are represented as "thugs", they're in a gang

What tells you that?

Clothing and expressions

Sam Cooke- A change is gonna come

What does it ask for?

A change for the better

What is the message?

That equal rights need to be achieved

Why is it powerful?

Because it is still applicable today.

How does Sidran's theory apply to this?

Since it is a song regarding problems for oppressed individuals.

Rose, T - 1994 Black Noise

Rap music criticises injustices for black men but maintains sexist attitudes to black women.

A song I researched regarding lyrics of protest is "This is America" by Childish Gambino/Donald Glover. The lyrics and the music video reference things like police brutality and prejudice within America, and also discusses gun violence.

Homework

An example of media I watched in which Baudrillard's theory was applicable was the Barbie movie. The whole movie conveys themes of hyperreality. According to Baudrillard, hyperreality is the inability of consciousness to distinguish reality from a simulation of reality. Barbie is a "real" phenomenon, although she is not technically a living human being. Barbie represents lots of different things to different people, e.g a symbol of idealised femininity or even just nostalgia. People's views of Barbie portray how individuals seem to favour "more real" artificial representations.

Tuesday 19th September 2023

Media Theory: RuPaul and identity

LO: to investigate the theoretical framework in a text, to discuss media theorists, to critically apply theories to texts.

Identity: sexuality, upbringing, style, personality, who you are or want to be

Diverse representations in media are necessary to help with the audience's awareness of their own and others identities.

Gender norms need to be challenged in media and society so that they aren't normalised throughout our upbringings.

What are the elements of identity that are presented?

Gender identity.

How are these shown as fluid and open in the show?

Since they are dressing and "acting" as the opposite gender.

What are the elements of Gender that are represented?

Clothes, makeup, hair, voice, mannerisms, referred to as "girl" and "she" even out of drag.

How does this fit with Gauntlett's theory on identity?

Since it gives the audience diversity and representations of identity. (Mix of styles and personalities within the group, proudly presents types of identities that aren't often in media, some drag queens like being referred to as "she" out of drag while others don't, etc)

How does this fit with Butler's theory on gender?

Since gender norms are being reversed and challenged. (Men with "feminine" clothing, makeup and mannerisms)

I believe that this show still presents issues regarding representation, however. Drag queens, in the past, have been a form of comedy used in things like theatre, and similarly in RuPaul's drag race, the art of drag itself is almost lost in the comedic and unserious light that they are often cast in. Drag also creates issues with female image and identity.

Homework: An example of Butler's theory I recognised in media was in Kingsman: The Golden circle, where the female villain challenges gender norms in her behaviour as a villain. She takes on a "cold" and "masculine" attitude in order to seem more powerful and evil.

Monday 25th September 2023

How are the women represented in the text?

The representation of women in this text is objectification. The women in this media are sexualised, regardless of their character's position or qualities. Men are also presented with more power, always respected and sought after, further reinforcing the patriarchy within 1970. This is seen through the portrayal of the bellydancer, as she is viewed most significantly as a body, and is made to be seen as seductive. This is done using camera angles, like body shots that hide her face, or seductive music playing when the female character is on screen.. The girlfriend of the villain is also sexualised, even when she is considerably in a position of "power", as she offers herself to Bond in return for a job. The gender roles in this section establish a patriarchy and the "superiority of men", especially within the 1970s. This is shown through the outfit decisions alone, as the men are seen wearing full suits, and the women are wearing revealing clothing, such as the bellydancer in her "exotic" bikini, and even the girlfriend of the villain wearing a very low-cut dress. Here we can see that the text supports what Van Zoonen states about women being objectified in media representations. Every female character within the movie is sexualised to some extent, whether through her clothing, behaviour or how she acts towards James Bond himself. This reflects the context of the time, as within the 1970s, women had even less social value and were seen as objects, and men had significantly more power and respect. This is clearly represented through the gender roles and the objectification of women throughout this movie.

Tuesday 26th September 2023

Gender: Bond and Beyond

"intersectional"- combination (white, supremacist, capitalist, patriarchy)

(sam fisher for summary vids)

What stereotypical representations are present?

How are our characters represented?

What performances are reproduced for our genders?

What media language elements support these representations?

Media language analysis:

Camera shots

Camera angles

Mise en scene

Sound 

Editing

Bond's face fully covered by mask, woman's face not fully covered- (mouth exposed, red lipstick) woman initiates, music turns from festival music to seductive, man is in front and leading woman around

Bennett- "sexually broken" woman, dead husband, Bond "tames her"

fight for dominance, woman pins him but he spins them around again, woman stays submissive

Men in suits with expensive vehicles and gadgets, bond "dominant" compared to Q to emphasise masculinity

Boss forgets female secretary's birthday

Widow seduced into spilling husband's secret

How far is gender performance in media texts dependent on their contextual factors?

The representations in the text are that women are objects. This is seen within the opening scene at the "Day of the dead" festival with the first woman that Bond is seen with. Bond wears a mask covering his whole face and a full suit, and although not explicitly provocative, wears a shorter dress and a mask that covers only half her face, emphasising her lips which are bearing red lipstick, which is often a sexualised makeup accessory.

Friday 29th September 2023

LO: To understand and practice using the principles of film making

establishing shot- wide, usually introduces environment or used to transition between scenes

wide shot- positions characters to show scale in environment/spacial relationships, isolation

full shot/long shot- head to toe, shows character wardrobe for introductions, etc

medium full/long shot- waist up-ish, shows danger, confidence and confrontation

midshot- torso up,  neutral and used typically for conversation

medium close up shot- upper chest up, more intimate, shows emotion more

close up- eye-level, neck up, used to dramatically show emotion or deliver lines

extreme close up- isolates specific area, typically eyes, something crucial and narrative

single shot- one character alone in frame, primary focus (clean- no other character visible in frame, dirty- little bit of other character visible)

two shot- two characters visible, creates visual relationship between characters

three shot, four shot, five shot, etc- obvious

crowd shot- LOTS of characters

over the shoulder- used to show convo between two characters usually

point of view shot- paired with pov audio sometimes, immersive in action shots usually

insert shots- tight on a detail, usually narrative

low angle- below eyeline looking up, emphasises power, subtle or extreme

high angle- above eyeline, paired with low, makes a character seem weak or vulnerable, or landscapes

overhead- 90degree plus, birdseye shot, shows complex moves or captures details in scene

dutch angle- skewed angle, creates unease, disorientation, tension

eye level- neutral to regard a character, doesn't impose an impression, or used to create immersion/breaks fourth wall

shoulder level- neutral, slightly low angle so doesn't create impression again, emphasises height difference when ots

hip level- typically in westerns to show gun holster/ conflict

knee level- doubles as a low angle, can navigate surrounds using character

ground level- shoe height, can track characters movement or capture details within setting, can help immediately form impression of anonymous character

static- no camera movement, in tripod, used for dialogue, or draws emphasis to actors performance, tracks character and shows helplessness while action goes on, zones into any movement

pan- rotates horizontally, tracks action or reveals information

slow pan- builds anticipation

whip pan- creates energy or relationships between characters

tilt- vertical pan, gives a character dominance or vulnerability depending on up/down, can reveal info like a character, setting or scale

push-in- moves camera towards subject, emphasises important moment, draws attention to a narrative detail, or shows internal conflict of character, elevates tension

pull-out- de-emphasies subject, unveils context of scene, setting and characters. detaches us from scene, emphasises abandonment and isolation

zoom- changes focal length, similar to push ins and outs, unveils or conceals information, inhuman movement, slow zoom creates uneasiness and emphasises subject

fast zoom/crash zoom- high action/drama moments, or for comedic effect

dolly zoom- moves backwards but zooms in or vice versa, creates vertigo effect, emphasises moment of realisation or internal/external conflict, can create intimacy or detachment

camera roll- rotates long axis, disorienting and unsettling, can match character movement to emphasise franticness/conflict, can be disconcerting, or can show power/dynamic shift

tracking shot- moves through scene, typically follows subject, immersive and intriguing, draws attention to actions, builds tension

trucking shot- follows subject side-on, introduces environment and characters

arc shot- orbits around subject vertically or horizontally, creates energy and dynamic movement even when subject is still

Monday 2nd October 2023

Media Theory: Race

LO:

-to investigate the stereotypes of race in texts

-to discuss race theories

-to critically apply theories to texts

What are the key representations that are positive in terms of African Culture?
Clothing; traditional dressing, makeup, piercings/jewellery, markings

Weapons; traditional, embracing culture

People of Wakanda are very close and loving, royal structure

Music, dancing and singing all very traditional and cultural, women in positive positions of power.

Negative stereotypes that are re-created

Spears- primitive, violent

Tribal costume was a mix of cultures and tribes

Accents- mix of accents, not a true one place and country

Women and children being negatively presented- shown as victims

Tuesday 3rd October 2023

Media Theory: Ideologies

LO:

-to investigate how representation can produce ideologies

-to discuss various theories

-to critically apply theory to texts

There is not one true representation of things in media, as there are many ways a thing can be represented and therefore perceived.

In legally blonde, there is a clear divide between the protagonist and "antagonist." This is shown between contrasting behaviour (e.g cheerful v bored) and clothing (colourful v dull). Elle's good nature is shown more vividly due to Vivian's rude behaviour contrasting it, giving a clear message of which character to root for and against.

Alvarado's theory of ethnicity and racial stereotypes states that there are four ways that ethnic minorities are represented in the media. 

Pitied- Someone vulnerable and in need of help or sympathy

Dangerous- Someone aggressive, violent or feared

Exotic- Someone culturally unusual, exciting or "other"

Comic- Someone funny who should be laughed with/at

In Central Intelligence, Kevin Hart's character is presented both as a comic character and a character that should be pitied. He is presented as incapable and "useless" in comparison to the main character, which is often the punchline of the joke.

Monday 9th October 2023

Media Theory: Ideologies

LO:

-To investigate how representations can produce ideologies

-To discuss various theories

-To critically apply theories to text

Either 5 or 3 stages, something disruptive of equilibrium, recognition of disruption, try to fix disruption and new version is created- not necessarily a happy ending.

1.) An analysis of a piece of media that everyone would agree with

2.) An analysis that is somewhat agreed with

3.) An analysis that is primarily disagreed with

Fire- repeated explosions- mental fire in his mind

PSTD- war is remaining in his head

Drug + Alcohol abuse, loss of marriage

Vulnerable person, risk to himself and others, mentally in two worlds

1.) War damages people

2.) War is sometimes necessary

3.) War is mentally beneficial to those involved

Lower socioeconomic group

Mum- smoking, clothing, lots of boyfriends

British teen- aggressive, sports clothing

The ideologies in Apocalypse Now are that war veterans are typically violent and erratic due to their PTSD,  and often turn to things like drugs and alcohol to cope. This is seen through the empty alcohol bottles, the spoon used for heroin, and the man's unusual behaviour as he dances around his room and punches his mirror, etc. The ideologies in this section establish the fact that war is incredibly damaging to those involved, and leaves people with severe trauma and mental anguish, to the point where they rely upon drugs to cope with living day-to-day lives. Here we can see that the text supports this argument, as repetitive imagery of fire, explosions and the jungle are used throughout the beginning, paired with the man's behaviour, which shows that the war is the cause of his anguish, and he, like other veterans, never recovered. This reflects the context of the time, as around the Vietnam War (50s-70s), mental health and PTSD weren't recognised, empathised with, or treated, meaning that many veterans were left with their own trauma with unhealthy ways of coping and living.

Tuesday 10th October 2023

Media Theory: Masculinity

LO: To investigate how representation of masculinity differ

Representations- body type, physical strength, shirtless, rock-climbing adventurous and daring,"real men" shown to be hyper-masculine and almost unachievable in physique, in nature (primal?)

Represented as disciplinary and authoritative, disciplining wife for making "wrong" choice, "if your husband ever finds out..." shows that the husband is a leading figure and in control of decisions the wife makes and the wife herself. "Woe be unto you" and physical harm, shows that domestic abuse was acceptable as it was simply considered to be discipline. Clean shaven, neat hair, formal attire- Worker, professional, capable. 

In the advert we watched, masculinity is represented most significantly as looking physically strong. The product itself is a "diet" version, and the man in the advert has muscles and a 6 pack, which may influence the male audience to believe they will look like that too if they drink it. He is also working on a construction site, which is a very physically strenuous job, which emphasises this ideal of physical strength. However, the role reversal in this advertisement means that the typically "masculine" roles are performed by the women. For example, working in a job that requires intelligence like an office, looking well put-together, and objectifying/showing little respect for the other gender, which shows the usual "superiority" and dominance that men are expected to demonstrate.

Men shown to be physically strong- 6 pack and muscles, shiny (maybe from labour)

Woman being dominated by men- Shows men as superior and strong and dominant

No one interfering- accepted as the norm

Positioning and scarce clothing suggestive- shows men as sexually dominant and forceful 

Monday 30th October 2023

Media Theory: Assessment

Representations-

-On 80s bikes, time period

-Kid home alone, emphasises social class (single parent, likely working)

-Cop smoking and drinking, represents him as troubled and nonchalant

-Older brother responsible for breakfast and looking after Will, taking extra shifts to help with cash

-Single mum seems scatty or "useless" 

-Typical high school bullies

-Teen romance

-Cop late for work but no one cares, emphasises nonchalance again or maybe lack of crime in town

-Uncle calls Will "queer", word whispered as if it was shocking, emphasises time period

-Cop dismissive, mother frantic

-Men putting on hazmat suits in bunker, strange veins on walls + noises, shows skepticism of government experiments in the 80s

-Little girl wearing hospital gown, dirty, shaved head, hungry, stealing

-Main group close with teacher, interested in technology, emphasises "nerdiness"

Camera angles, mise en scene, shot types, etc-

-Dark, nighttime

-Ominous ambience

-Monster noises

-Unknown antagonist

-Close shots of scared expression, shaking hands, etc

-Low shot of hopper, shirtless, emphasises dominance or masculinity

-Dark hall, flashing lights, sound of breathing, builds tension

Audience Impact-

-Sympathy for Will

-Tension built

"Representations can vary within long form television dramas."

Discuss how and why audiences might respond to and interpret these representations differently.

Many different factors could influence an individuals interpretation of a representation in media. This could be down to someone's age, gender, or even things like social or political views. The show "Stranger Things" is set in the 1980s, and therefore individuals that lived through that era would most likely find it the most relatable, with references to certain technology or trends that they would be familiar with, whereas for younger viewers, this would likely be new exposure to the 80s, and therefore there would be varying levels of understanding and familiarity within the audience. The theme of secret "government ran experiments" also links significantly to the time period and location, as in 1980s America, there was a lot of skepticism and theories of the government conducting unethical experiments on people, and so the plot of the show is likely referencing this. 

Stranger Things has a variety of representations within characters and groups, following historical, economic and social context. A prominent representation of working class individuals would be through the Byers family. Will Byers is shown to have a "homemade" haircut, and clothes that don't particularly fit him, which immediately shows that his family struggle to afford things like professional haircuts or new clothes. This idea is also reinforced within the introduction to his mother and older brother. His older brother, Jonathan, is shown to be responsible for things like making breakfast and getting his younger brother ready for school, which puts him in a "motherly" role while his actual mother is out working. Reinforced gender roles were more prominent in the 80s, so the fact that the mother is the one expected to make money, and struggling, is likely suggesting the lack of a father figure, which is a situation that some viewers may be able to relate to, especially since there was a massive financial recession in the 1980s. Another representation of individuals, which is even more prominent in regards to the 80s, is the police officers not doing their jobs, since there was believed to be far more corrupt or nonchalant cops in 1980s America, too. Our first introduction to the chief of police, Hopper, shows him looking dishevelled and potentially hungover due to the empty alcohol bottles in his room. He is shown to repeatedly drink and smoke, which suggests he is either troubled or irresponsible. He also shows up to work late, which almost no one seems to mind. This, again, suggests nonchalance or potentially the lack of crime within the town. This is later reinforced when Hopper mentions that the worst thing they had been called out for in months was somebody being attacked by an owl. The typically quiet and safe nature of this town juxtaposes the underlying government experiments, missing boy and unknown creature, and makes it all seem much more drastic and terrifying in comparison. The interaction between Hopper and Joyce Byers reporting her son as missing also emphasises certain stereotypes, showing Hopper to be the dismissive police officer, and Joyce as the scatty and frantic single mother.

(Not finished)

DIRT-

Levi Strauss- binary opposition

Gauntlett- identity varies in the media so audience have lots of identities to choose to identify with

Butler- performance of gender roles

Baudrillard- Hyperreality

USE- LINK BACK TO THEORIES!!!1!!1! ^^^^^^

<---Structure

<----Model

A theory that is challenged within the show is Butler's theory of gender roles, and this is represented through the character Eleven. Our first impression of Eleven is that she is an androgynous looking character, with a shaved head and dirty hospital robes. This contrasts the representation of most of the other female characters within the show, who are stereotypically "feminine" regardless of background, often with long hair, and wearing skirts and makeup. Despite this, she is shown to be treated differently due to her gender, since when she is caught stealing food from a kitchen, the man working there initially mistakes her for a boy and is angry, chasing after her. However, when he catches her and notices that she is a girl, his attitude changes, and he seems more confused and concerned. His confusion represents the fact that women weren't typically "rebellious" or criminals, which then further emphasises the gender role, especially of the 80s, of women being more docile and well-behaved, and is again applicable to Butler's gender role theory. The man then feeds Eleven and treats her more compassionately, despite being aggressive just seconds prior due to his belief that she was a little boy. This enforces the impression that if a boy is stealing, he is just a delinquent, but if a girl is stealing, then must mean that she is in a helpless and dire situation. Although the outcome for a female in this situation is seemingly favourable, it also reinforces the harmful stereotype of men having to "save" or help them since they cannot do it themselves, following the typical representation in 80s media of women being damsels in distress.