Intro to media theory

Tuesday 5th September 2023
Media Theory: The power of the media

L/Os: to identify examples of the medias power

To discuss how the media can influence the audience.\

Media Interests:

Youtubeee, games, films, music, tv, socials- tiktok facebook, emails, streaming sites, news- posters, billboards

Media Theory: Stranger Things

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

Media language- The terms surrounding various pieces of media that relate to their codes and conventions of a typical media style - LIAR communicate meanings

Media representation-  how people are shown and viewed in the media.

Media industries- companies surrounding different media content

Media audiences- the different types of people viewing media content

Context- social and cultural aspects of life surrounding media content that could influence them?

media language - mise -en-scene - classic 1980s decoration, typewriter style lighting,- dark and spooky  camerawork  close ups = more personal view on main characters editing - quick cuts in jumps tense music at scenes

Contexts / representation- how the police is more relaxed, lazy and how they are not working hard enough, how the school is typical and very traditional, kid safety isn't prioritised mainly. Bias of sexuality. Joyce also represents state of how being a single mum affected the kids. Audience can relate to Joyce but not with hopper

Industry- production values high as it seems well made, looks officially like 80s

Postmodernism is a late twentieth-century approach in art, architecture, and literature that typically mixes styles, ideas, and references to modern society, often in an ironic way

Homage- to show respect

bricolage-  processes by which people acquire objects from across social divisions to create new cultural identities.

containing a reflection or image of itself - self reflexivity

lack of verisimilitude - lack of similar truth

Baudrillard - hyperreality - representations are more extreme than reality.

Hyperreal representations dont represent reality bur they are representations of typical representations

reality- kids are missing, lazy police officer. This is post modernised as themes are continued an an 80s feel like the school and police are a homage to 1980s

Bricolage is present as themes from the1980s and sci-fi shows are combined to create a new theme

hyperreal - police encounters usually aren't that personal labs definitely aren't like that

The lab and school are too fake and suspicious

        stranger things is an example of a postmodern text as Baudrillard's theory applies to many aspects of the show. First, a simulacra, part of the theory and meaning 'artificial copies of reality' is presented as the school and police station- they are both a hyperreal set of locations as characters do their typical business inside these buildings- as if thy were actual real locations. Having the simulacra be a part of stranger things is one component to Baudrillard's theory. Secondly, the postmodernism included within the show is a hyperreality of life in the 1980s- the aspects shown in many of locations- Mikes house, police station and scenes of the school is very typical of what they were like in the 1980s. The additional detail with the bricolage- the props and house settings also add to the typical 1980s hyperreality theme due to those objects traditionally being featured in a house of that time period. These two things all combine to add to the 1980s aesthetic, ensuring that they correspond to Baudrillards theory as we see more in depth key features i n the school that in reality we wouldn't experience - e.g the room where the teacher lets the kids play on the radio

Monday 18th September

Music as protest hip hop and beyond

LO: to investigate the principles behind theories

To discuss various theories

To critically apply theory to texts

Representation is where specific groups of things are portrayed in online services/ media

These people are represented as grouped together, serious may be rich

Their clothes and typically same clothes suggest a kind of gang mix.

Country reflects how people in western/ different countries experience social injustices like 9 to 5 by dolly Parton?

9-5 suggest how Woman to still don't wont get promoted even though they do the same jobs as men

They just use your mind and they never give you credit

Actions- working jobs and how they dont get paid enough.

Rose summary at bottom of slide as well as Sidran having their own music with their own culture

Baudrillard homework

X-files has some very hyperrealistic scenes as the scenes in the FBI , lab scenes are a hyperreal as they definitely may not be what is exactly real in an actual government location. The easy movement throughout the buildings as well as the easy access to the supernatural could make this hyperreal be even more 

phenomenal.

 Tuesday 19th September RUPAUL and Identity

L/O: to investigate the theoretical framework in a text to discuss media theorists

To critically apply these theories to the texts

Identity who and what makes a person - personality, looks, sexuality, opinions, social background

Audience those who watch and consume media products.

Gauntlett proposes that media representations portray a different range of identity messages which could help influence others identities 

gender roles are created due to the portrayal on screen - repetition makes traditional gender roles normalised. Heterosexual norms make cause some gender trouble with those who don't fit into those stereotypical gender roles

Identity is presented as free? people choose who or what gender they want to be because they have chosen to be able to drag as they want?

Gender is presented as very unstereotypical as men traditionally didn't dress up in drag however some of the attitudes and clothing style that the men/ woman acts dress up as could be seen as disrespectful to women as they all suggest that their acting is also the way of life that women live which some may not agree with or even feel uncomfortable and hurt by this.

 some women do dress up so it is controversial with different audiences members opinions and how there gender correlates with the drag concepts and what they view as similar.

Homework

I think Elemental film portrays both Butlers and Gauntletts' theory: Butlers theory fits as the two protagonists are different genders - and different elements, which creates differences in the film- it becomes naturalised that genders are supposed to be different as these two are both separate. However parents are both the same elements which subverts typical gender differences of generic texts which promotes equality. - may not create gender trouble. The difference in elements could provide different identities which create different representations in the film ( media)

Gauntlett applies as all these different gender roles as elements can construct different identity roles?

Username: bodmin media

mediarocks password

Monday 25th September

Gender and Bond

LO: Investigate the theoretical framework in a set text: to discuss various theories: to critically apply theory to text

Camerawork - almost over the shoulder view - mid shot - low angle. ( makes them look bigger and powerfully) with a woman ahead with a man in front. Mise en scene is used with the different costumes- the females is more revealing than the woman - more glittery than the mans costume. Man in centre in smart suit makes him look respectful.

Media Language

Camerawork, mise-en-scene, sound, editing

Sound: classic club music hitting vibes, absence of it in talking scenes. Non- diegetic

Mise-en-scene: lighting is dim and dark in a club setting with a stage and various lights dotted around. Fighting scene typical stage/ hotel room with basic props - which could concey that they are . Diverse costumes- her outfit is too revealing than his, suggesting that women have less power since typically more feminine costumes conntote romantic and sexual themes which typically men have more power which puts her in a situation with less of it - thrown to the side to watch whilst the men are fighting puts her in a lesser position of authority - representation of her in the 1960/70s that women were seen as objects rather than humans

The women is seen as an object , only being used for James Bonds purpose due to the 1970s cultural views on women.

e

e

Structure of response - point, example ( media language) , meaning/ representation

Women are represented as objects in the text, with less power than the man in most situations with few alternate views. First, in the text, the dancer is seen with less clothes on- this notable part of mise-en-scene representing her as being used by the man as she is half naked, unlike him- which typically if females wore revealing clothes then they would be seen as wanting to be used sexually by men, which places her in a weaker position than James Bond. This fits in with Van Zoonens theory of women being objectified in the media as she is being portrayed to want him only rather than requiring other important subject like who was shot earlier; instead she is used by James just for information rather than a person herself. The camera shots places her inn a lower position as mainly she is being cut from view with the man being present in almost all of them which makes her be seen less and her body being shown more without her face. This can make her seem more objectified as only her bodily features are more pronounced and focused on, making her seemingly be there just for the mans personal gain. This links to the time period of 1970s where women were seen as useful and sexual objects, rather than beings, therefore women are presented in this fashion as objects of desire due to the way females were represented during this time.

Secondly, Miss Anders or the villains boyfriend in the second scene has all of her typical feminine qualities removed when she is demanding James to kill someone, her repeated scenes and her being in the centre making her be in full control and in full focus of the audience. This deliberate camerawork is placed to ensure that her role as a manipulator is fulfilled -this ties in well with Kaplans theory as the women loses all of her traditional features and starts being in control of the situation, like James was in the first scene. Losing all of her typically feminine qualities supports this theory as well, placing the man as the sexual desire instead of her.

NEED TO WORK ON LINKING CONTEXT

Tuesday 26th September 2023
Gender and Bond Beyond

to investigate the theoretical framework in particular representation in media media texts

Discuss various gender theories and critically apply theory to texts

Bell Hooks says that oppression against identites is not only by gender but by other intersectional factors including race, class and sexuality which may also create an oppression alongside gender

Man leading woman and taking control even though both genders are side to side

Woman wants some alone time  with some sexual themes - quite stereotypical portrayal of how women are seen as objects and onlly wanting to be used and have fun - opening the door for him and dialogue( sound) is used to create a sense of confusion and lack of knowledge that she has- almost useless.

Bond is quite serious and is seen as respectful for not taking advantage but also leaving her which contrasts the twos motives which suggest that e may not care about her as she does to him. The media language is the camerawork and how it connects the two people together constantly flicking through them. Taking off the costumes when they are about to kiss creates a change and shows how their fancy costumes change to a suit which is seen as respectful in contrast to a dress where it isnt as costume like as him- the makeup and hair style making them care about her looks which is stereotypical of women - how they care about their outfit rather than the situation

 Butler - Gender roles are created through repeated themes and messages of these genders

Cars and describing them as girls ( making them be seen as object like) is typical for men as traditonally they care more about that then females. More men dialogue than females present shows how in that scene their is a gender ration inequality

Widow

Woman sat down, serving and being  receptionist although the dialogue makes them seem equal

Funeral women's makeup has been noticeable as well as her face covered, showing how the mans face is more important as it is more clearly visible. ) Mise-en-scene, costumes

Representations / media language

He invites her for a drink which could show how he is coercing her instead of her offering to go - shows how tooo willing she is

Pins her against the wall too use her and get information

Uses her and stereotypically says that he'll protect her and leaves, just to use her

Gender performance in texts is highly dependent on their contextual factors. For the first extract, the male, Bond, is leading the women the whole time, gripping her by the hand and we watch as the camera tracks their movement whilst walking; their different costumes highlighting the notable gender difference- Bond wearing a smart suit comparing to the dress makes her seem as inferior to him as typically being different and having less costume shows how much his costume matters more than hers and presents her dress as casual and almost typical of what women should wear. This fits Butlers theory of how gender is created as the different costumes form up what different people should wear. Also later on, we see The woman opening up the door, being used to serve bond as she opened the hotel door - a setting part of mise-en-scene which closely links to sexual nature- relating to Van Zoomans theory as she was seen being used and serving him as an object rather than being on equal terms

HOMEWORK:

Bridget Jones- the first and second all fit the theory ofVan Zoonens- where women are often objectified in a media text, depending on historically context in- She is independent at times during the film, but where she does something good, she also messes things up and is almost constantly manipulated by men. This also fits Butlers theory as Gender is created by how they are performed, suggesting that in this modern filn that women at that time was almost still inferior to men, creating an almost patriarchy between men and women. However, she does leave the manipulative man to go to the nice one, but the message is still the same: she is being manipulated by them. Various media language shows this, especially with costumes and how her dialogue expresses her confusion and embarrassment of showing off her body. This suggests that she she wants to hide herself, presenting to us that body confidence at this time was not high at all, and that womens mental health can be affected by these themes, again fitting the two theory's as they continue to construct and objectify women as she is often used in awkward sexual scenes; as well as going between men suggests that women at that time also was going through two partners as such, promoting the theme that women were less likely to be loyal, creating a view that they shouldnt be trusted. (also fitting Van Zoonens objectified theory as she is used for her body not her personality )

Monday 2nd October 2023

Director to make sure all characters are staring into the centre to be presented as together and united. Costumes

Media Theory: race

L/O: to investigate the stereotypes of race in texts.

Discuss race theories and to critically apply theory to texts

Media Industries - companies choices and actions within media

• Everyone is social and united, the warriors are together and humble, ready to protect themselves. Their makeup , traditional costume and willingness to protect( their swords being drawn)
• Traditional swords, and guards are all loyal, royalty is friendly
• Nigeria setting, close to home and traditional ceremony celebrations all fit the close theme of tribes being close and combined.
• Powerful women soldiers and inclusion- smartest sister.
• however not all africans are represented. The reviews suggest that the weapons and clothing is tribal yes, but not all parts of Africa is like this- therefore it can negatively affect viewers as they are parts where they dress stereotypically normally, which isnt represented. (Over used of costume )
• Faked accents can negatively harm anyone as not all of Africas accents sound like that
• Women and children still being captured
• barely any houses are shown- which africa has definitely

03/09/23

Anything about a representation can present anything about a specific group of things- if they are present, absent can also affect the representation.

those in power try to create one fixed meaning even though there are always different view points

Ideology - belief or values that can sometimes be presented as fact of idea

You cannot have a theme or message without the opposite

Marvvel- heroo vs villains

Cloudy with a chance of meatballs 2 - hero vs villain is used to show contrast and themes about both types of characters as the goodness of the quirky characters cannot be truly understood without the villain being bad and creating chaos

Buffy the vampire slayer- good protecters vs evil demons and vampires.

Black Panther- South African vs Nigerians - how until the 1990s people were segregated 

Hall -  how peoples locations and personalities create representation of how good/ bad they appear?

NOT ON SPEC

Alvarados theory:

Racial Stereotype 1 - to be pitied  children adverts, slaves

 Racial Stereotype 2Dangerous - to be feared

exotic- other, unusual

Humorous/ comedic - Norbit Eddie murphy

Homework: Batman vs joker due to them both being opposites in intentions and actions- attitudes are conveyed as definitely polar opposites as one is dark, serious and brooding ( Batman) whereas Joker is living to cause chaos and drama with his quirky and sadistic personality. This fits in with the theory from Levi Strauss as to be good and save the world ( Batman) there needs to be bad from the joker with his attitude to there be opposites portrayed to set up the good vs evil ideology for the film series.

Monday 9th October Ideologies:

L/O: to investigate how representation can produce ideologies

various theories to critically apply theory to texts

IDEOLOGY - a set of beliefs and values shared by a group of people

Men are serving older veterans as he is higher up than them as well as being bigger due to the size of the edited position. whereas the troops are in a vulnerable war position, making us feel sympathy with them.

the fire was repeated throughout the extract, heavy editing places the fire to impact everyone and specific characters- links the two together to highlight the pressures on the characters

Props- mise-en-scene along with setting highlights how bad he is getting with the situation makes us feel bad for him and conveys a theme that he is not okay, affected by the diegetic sound of when he got a divorced- the scenes conveying scenes of losses and disaster caused by the war

PTSD themes , fire war in his head

3 main meaning types - Dominant- ideas and influences are accepted. Negotiated is only some are and Oppositional is where viewers have a completely different opinion to what idea is created.

Dominant- war is bad, negatively affects peoples mental health and views, makes them psycho

Negotiated- yes it affects their health but it will be worth it there is still a job to too

Oppositional- War is seen as worth it, their health is not affected at all and that everybody has to go through it so might as well go through with it.

Fish Tank

Representaiton of a lower social economic group. She is seen as a typical teenager with bad attitude and uncaring, stereotypical features of a guy controlling him. Mum doesn't care , rude and generically smoking and shabby clothes suggest that she follows a stereotype of women going around, typically not caring about kids and being neglectful in a household

Ideologies are integrated into media texts by reflecting views that are typical to the ideas and conventions that is represented. For fish tank, we can evaluate that interactions between characters gives us tons of information about their class and attitudes- the diegetic sounds consisting of arguments, loud shouting and generic rough tones connote the rude and tough atmosphere in Fish Tank, as well as fitting Halls reception theory- how there are different interpreted meanings on this single teenager being stereotypical towards bad behaviours due to living conditions (ideology), however the main one viewed here is the dominant meaning of how rough living in a lower economical part of `Britain is and if people live there then they will turn out to be just like them - rude and overbearing, however people who live in flats like these may also disagree( another part of Halls theory) where they have opposite views of living in these household types since they live a similar lifestyle. Disagreeing with these and saying that all people in their area of Britain don't live like that at all are a key component to the ideology and how their preferred interpretation is different to everyone depending on their lifestyles

Do Now

Represents men being strong and bold

Masculinity is defined as being strong , bold

Audience expects everybody to be the same as that

Masculinity Tuesday 10th October 2023

e

In the old fashioned adverts men are seen in control of women and that to be masculine you need t be violent and hitting them and how marriage is a construct and that men should always suspect women for suspicious actions

For the Coke advert, masculinity is subverted to traditional masculine stereotypes of them gazing at women and objectifying them. Instead the roles have been reversed and we can see how the women are objectifying men instead with the use of camera angles and mise-en-scene The office work seems more intellectual than construction, presenting them as more smart than him; the high and low angles setting the scene as the women are aways higher and the man is being judged and objectified with a high angle, making him smaller in comparison to the men. Even though he is stereotypically strong and muscular, we can argue that the women are also natural weights, setting no contrast to them, and that he himself is being lazy by taking a break, subverting stereotypes of how men usually do more work than women which clearly isn't evident here

Bartes - both denotation and connotation can help create ideas and messages that this is the regular performance of gender roles

This creates the myth that men are lazy in jobs and typically dont work as hard due to working less and being on breaks

Gauntletts theory applies as  this conveys messages of men vs women and is stereotypical to men dominating women - " rule" highlights how they are reinforcing stereotypes of men controlling women

Social constructs paints women in a different race/ category to women. The absence of them and the men being in the centre placing him in the centre- the mise-en-scene with costume being typically for men with sports etc which presents that this outfit type is only for women - fitting into Barthes semiology as this creates connotations that men are more important in physical sports areas

Homework:

slenderman poster

The fog denotation suggests that everything is cloudy and the window like texture is wet and obscuring our view, connoting that the theme is unnatural and ideology that everything is supernatural due to the suspicious figure outlined in dark black

Assessment: Monday 30th October

LO: to demonstrate knowledge of media theories

To apply media theory to texts

To critically explore a text using media theory

Boys have fun riding bikes, united and together conveying typical boy culture and how they are together. Concerned parent, unusual single parent. male takes up parent roles. Typical smoking man, police officer doesn't care stereotype. denotation- official, lazy. Connotation that they are messed up inside - broken system. Girl stereotypes fir Nancy where they are obsessed with boys- not independent. Men are aggressive and controlling.

Dark lighting, quick paced cuts ranging from close ups to establishing shots to get the whole scene in. Disturbing sounds

 

I agree that representations can differ in long term television dramas as every representation is diverse and unique. First, Nancy has typical 80s clothing style, supporting those stereotypes of women of those times who dressed formally. She is seen to be objectified by Steve, pressuring her to stay with him later in the bathroom scene. The diegetic sound here can infer that she is not in control whereas Steve is; therefore relating to Halls reception theory and how the dominant theory is that women in the 1980s were relying on men to do actions for them since they were doing the most active decisions. However there is a negotiated reading where Nancy steps up for herself and makes a decision to say no and allocate a time schedule for him to come, rather than him forcing it upon him. Halls theory works here as the dominant readings and negotiated readings that women are stereotypically controlled by men are apparent.

Representations are also varied with the parenting roles as Joyce is presented as a single parent, missing keys and in chaos and not knowing that Will was missing until she was just about to leave. This presents that she isn't organised - the mise-en-scene of her looking around the cluttered house suggesting this. Barthes theory of denotation vs connotation presents that whilst she may be just having a stressful morning, it creates a vivid image that independent women cannot survive by themselves -an ideology that women need a man to help support the family in the 1980s due to the scenes displayed( she couldn't find her keys without asking for assistance- putting her into a role that she lacks organisation , reinforcing the message that single mothers cannot cope) . Hooks theory that class as well as gender creates a reinforced message that Joyce is doing a bad parenting job is presented due to the dialogue(diegetic sound ) heard again from Jonathan - he had to pick up an extra shift to support the family. combined with the shabby house setting, these media language techniques ( mise-en-scene and sounds) create a picture that she is financially unstable, contributing to Hooks theory that class also oppresses against Joyce in the 1980s. (alongside gender)

Gender is a huge representation as well and how the men seem to be more dominant and in control most of the time. As well as Steve, there is also the policeman Hopper, who seemed to not care about the requests that his assistant told him about and even having the most control when Joyce was speaking. The camera angles follow him instead of the assistant, focusing and putting him in full control of the situation, therefore connoting that he has the most power. Butler's theory applies to these representations- how these are naturalised and reinforced since no women seems to be in control- creating the message that in the 80s men typically had the most power due to gender being created by how the two men were portrayed( arrogant, controlling and almost lazy.) Furthermore, the violent scene where Eleven was grabbed viciously puts the man in control; once again reinforcing the themes that Men are in more control than women.

The identities that the boys portray ( science nerds can gives us a wide range of knowledge to do with representation and how they can be anyone they like. Even though a bully stops them in their path,( various diegetic dialogue) they all still move on without hesitation. The unity and the three being in every scene together presents how they are stronger together and having interests in science is nice and shouldn't be frowned upon. The camera being focused on all three of their faces reinforce the ideology that friendship is key to pure happiness and unity. Gaunttlets theory that identities is created by different characters gives the viewers multiple people to relate to and also decide if you relate to the characters on screen as well

still need to do a hyperreal paragraph..

: expand comments on context to include audience and expectations of the 80s and how this is replicated in a modern show. Also include a conclusion to solidify your argument. 7+14.

Media Theory Dirt: Monday 6th November 2023

LO: to reflect on areas to improve

To improve application of media theory

Furthermore, the representation that men in the 80s had more control is subverted with another character, Ted, the father of Mike and Nancy is presented to be laid back and hardly stern with the kids, the lack of discipline then being recovered by Karen who is presented to be more stern and disciplinary presents how the roles have been reversed; shown by diegetic sound, and the layout of the  characters in the room(setting.) where Karen is standing up whereas Ted is sitting down, presenting how she could have more power over the room due to standing typically having more movement and control than sitting connotations. The 80s expectations are very unstereotypical due to men typically having more control in the 80s - the subverted representations picture women in the 80s as more powerful and accepted to be independent, which is far different than the other representations- presenting some women to be independent whereas some are also relying on men- giving us a view that people in the 80s were still controlled mainly by men with exceptions growing by the day. Gauntletts theory applies again as contradictory messages about gender roles are repeated, giving the audience time to relate and witness women in power, giving them a positive mindset and knowledge about the 80s.

e

Denotation: the family is struggling and have little money due to house setting(byers)

Connotation- the family is cracking under money pressure, doesn't work, single mothers cannot survive without  man?