Introduction to media theory

 

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Thursday 13th September 2022

Postmodernism + Baudrillard

Key words

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

Media representation: how the media portray events, issues, individuals and social groups.

Media industries: how the media industries processes of production, distribution and circulation 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 themselves.

Postmodernism

-Irony

-Parody or Homage

-Bricolage

-Intertextual references

-Fragmented narrative

-Self reflexivity

-Common themes- what if?

-Loss of reality

-Lack of Versimilltude

Baudrillard

Hyperreality is the idea that representations are now more powerful and ,,real" than reality.

Hyperreal representations dont represent reality, instead they are representations of representations.

Simulacra-artificial copies of reality.

In postmodern cultures representations are more powerful than reality, and representations themselvs no longer relate to reality.

Baudrillard

-Argued that, as modern societies were organised around production of goods, postmodern society is organised around simulation- the play of images and signs.

-Previously important social distinctions suffer implosion as difrent of gender, class, politics and culture dissolves in a world of simulation in wish individuals constructions their identities.

-The world of hyperreality- media simulations, e.g. Disneyland and amusement parks, malls and consumer fantasy lands- is more than the real, and controls how we think and behave.

Stranger Things

Family life

Examples:

• the wheelers presents the american dream. They have a dad, a mom and three kids. The mom looks after the kids and the dad works. The daughter is really smart and academic. They have a house in a good area. 
• The Byers present more like a nightmare life.                                                                       

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Tuesday 20th September

Representation is to be like you want other people to see yourself. 

The people in the photo kinda try present their self like gangsta. They try to look cool and emotional less, this is why they don't smile. 

Black music as protest over time

Sidran 1975 slaves were only able to express themselves fully as individual through the act of music. Thous  each man developed his own 'cry' and his own personal sound. The work songs were the only form of social act that was permitted at the time.

The blues singer was born 'Musicians composed their own songs, based, for the first time, on the secular problems of the black individual. 

Rose, Black Noise

Attempts to delegitimate powerful social discourses are often deeply contradictory and rap music is no exception. To suggest that rap lyrics, style, music and social right are predominantly counter hegemonic (by that I mean that for the most part they critique current forms of social oppression) is not to deny the ways in which many aspects of rap music support and affirm aspects to current social power inequalities... At the same time rappers also tend to reinforce the construction of black women as objects and status symbols. 

Rose Summary: rap music criticises injustices for black men but maintains sexist attitudes to black women.

Upbeat-non confrontational

-Social power is represented as white middle class.

Sidran-> Implied told of injusticies, slavery, death row, prison. police brutality 

Rose-> applies as females were used as objects of desire and their status was not high as they hid behind females x

Research task-Who uses their music today to reflect the social injustices in society?

Find a song listen and annotate the lyrics.

Structure:

1. Sate who uses their music today to reflect the social injustices in society?

2. Use the lyrics as an example.

3. How do the lyrics encourage change?

4. How do the lyrics highlight injustice?

5. What actions do the lyrics insight?

6. Can you link in a theory?

Earth Song from Michael jackson

The song talks about how the people in theses day a ruining the nature and the further of the earth. Michael Jackson wants to show their is only one world we have. 

Example:

"Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we've shed before?
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying Earth, these weeping shores?"

This part of the song show the bad condition of the world. And that the world already shows by itself that it's in really bad conditions. Michael Jackson wants the people to hold on for a minute and notice the problems and find a solution. 

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Tuesday 27th of September

Key terms

Media language: how the media through their form, codes, conventions and techniques communicate meanings

Media representations how the media portray events, issues, individuals and social groups

Media industries: how the media industries processes of production, distribution and circulation affect media forms and platforms.

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

Task

What do you see?

I see a women in a swimsuit. She is getting out of the sea and smiles for a picture. 

What does the term audience mean?

The audience are the people how are interstate in a special topic. 

Who are the audience?

The audience for the photo are probratly mostly men or queer women. Because of she way she is presenting herself. She tries to look sexy. 

gender and Bond

To investigate the principles behind gender theories. to discuss various theories

To critically apply theorie to texts

Van Zoonen

-Women are often objectified (viewed as sexual objects) in media representation.

-Van Zoonen emphasises the importance of gender being seen as socially and culturally constructed through performance of these roles, as results gender can vary depending on cultural and historical context.

The male glaze

Laura Mulvey coined the term the 'Male glaze' which has been influential in media theory since and has dominated feminist readings. 

Mulvey stated that women are positioned by Hollywood as an object to be looked at for the pleasure of the male viewer. They have no power or purpose other than for the visual enjoyment of the male viewer. 

Kaplan- 1983 Women and Film

When the man steps out of his traditional role as the one who controls the whole action and when he is set up as sex objects, the woman then takes the 'masculine' roles as bearer of the gaze and initiator of the action. She nearly always loses her traditional feminism characteristics in so doing- not those of attractiveness, but rather of kindness, humaneness, motherliness. She is now often cold, driving, ambitious, manipulating, just like the men whose positions she has usurped. 

Feminist Cinema and Film Theory

Woman pose a threat to men in film and therefore the narratives are derived to manipulate and remove their power and threat to men:

'Her 'guilt' will be sealed by either punishment or salvation and the film story is then resolved through the two traditional ending which are made available to women: she must die or marry. Either way, catharsis is at hand for the male spectator.'

Notes from the movie scene

Belly dancer:

Muhrey + Vanzoonen[social/historical, Context- no women in hab all men]:

- Costume, camera shots on skin; suit vs. bikini 

-> sound music N/D, violins

- Sexual power- dominance, confident

- removed via bond removing bullet

- Power of man restored

Casino:

smelik: Female villain working for man, wrong choice threat dininidhrd via punishment + later sexual dominance 

-clothing contrast, naked outline

-historical context violence against women 

-lack of female traits

How are the women represented in the text?

structure of your response:

1. Opening point in response to question.

2. Clear example from the text (media language examples).

3. Explain how this creates meaning (representations created, audience expectations).

4. Link this to the theory (who applies here).

5. Link to context historically (what does it reveal and the time of production?).

1. The representations in the text are typical for back then. The women were more sexualised and

objective. The man is the strong hero who needs to help the women. 

2. The belly dancer scene, sexualises women and shows the typical stereotype. The camera shot shows

a lot of her body but not her faceThe shot creates the to diffrent level for man and woman. Female charatercs are on a diffrent level

The women is only half dressed and wears erotic

clothes. The man is fully dressed and has control over the women. 

3. The gender roles in these sections establish that the woman is only half dressed, because of that

she looks weak and needs help from a man. She is only there to be looked at and she isn't the main

point of the storyline.

4. Here we can see that the text supports what Van Zoonen states with his theory. The women are mostly in the movies to be the sexy side character. women are more seen as objects. the gender roles are clearly seeable like in their theory from Van Zoonen. The man is always in the same role as the strong hero and the woman the weak small ''girl'' who needs help to survive.

5. This scene reflects the context of the time really good. Woman were more seen as objects. The man was the hero and the woman was the small helpless creature. 

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Tuesday 11th of October 

Identify

How can you define identify?

Identity separates you from someone else

What makes up a persons identity?

- surname 

-  personality 

- race

 -age

- sexuality

- interest 

- gender 

- lifestyle 

- religion 

- job 

- religion 

- appearance 

Gauntlett

- Media representations portray a wide range of different and contradictory messages about identity, which can be used by audience to think through their own identities. 

- Identities including gender and sexuality are now seen as less fixed than they were in the past.

Butler

- Gender is created in response to our performance of gender roles

- we learn how to perform these gender roles through repetition and ritual so it becomes naturalised

- Performativity of these roles causes 'gender troubles' for those that do not fit the heterosexual norms

examples for Butlers theory:

- young sheldon 

- jane the virgin (parts of it)

- sophie the first 

- Ben and Holly's little Kingdom 

- Peppa pig

- coco melone

RuPaul

Identify:

- gender

- personality 

- lifestyle 

- interets 

- appearance

- religion 

- roots 

-> breaking stereotypes; drag artists; make-up elements; sexualisation of women; bright, bubbly; extravagant, over the top; dressing up ad drag queens; talents-> typical feminine talents

ALL IDENTITY IS ACCEPTED 

Gender roles:

- they don't fill in the male stereotypes 

- male people dress up as women and don't act like the stereotype of a man anymore 

- female women like to dress up and probably dress up sexy 

MALE PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO BE WHO EVER THEY WANT TO BE AND WOMEN LIKE TO DRESS UP REALLY GLAMOURS

Societal values:

- no racism for how the drag queens dress up

- they were able to act like women and dress up like women without anyone criticising it 

AMERICA IS A SAFE SPACE FOR EVERY IDENTITY; NO ONE WOULD CRITICISE YOU FOR THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE

Culture of America:

- not filling in the 'normal' stereotypes 

- sexualisation women 

- open for everyone 

 

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Monday 17th of October 

Homework

The first picture I found is from a German advert. It says: 'bake your husband happy, even if he's having an affair'. It fits in with the old typical stereotypes. The woman needs to be in the kitchen and cook and bake for the working man. Even if he is cheating the woman needs to stay on his side, because the man makes the right decisions in life. You can apply Butler's theory on the advert. Dr. Oetker builds the picture of a family construction with a woman and a man. Other types of love (for example gay couples) aren't 'normal'. 

Another picture I found is a safety warning from the government about the coronavirus.

They want the residents to stay home. They show four different households at home.

The woman cleanse the house, takes care of the baby teaches the kids.

The husband relaxes on the couch and does nothing at all.

They show the old typical stereotypes. The woman needs to take care of cleaning, cooking and the kids.

But the husband needs to do nothing like that.

They also show the old 'perfect family' pattern.

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Tuesday 18th of October 

To investigate the principles behind theories of representation of race; To discuss various theories; To critically apply theory to texts 

Levi Strauss- Binary oppositions 

- Levi-Strauss 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 a film. Good\bad, black\white, east\west, barbarism\civilisation

- This is the study of hidden rules that shape a structure to communicate ideology or myths

- we understand that the world and our place within it based on binary oppositions.

for example: night and day. We know it is not night if it is day. 

Hall- Racist Ideologies and the Media

Hall coined the term: 'gramma 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.'

Another base-image is that of the 'Native'. The good side of this figure is portrayed 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.' 

'A third variant is that of the 'clown' or entertainer'. This captures the 'inhate' humor, as well as the physical grace or the licensed entertainer putting on a show for the others'

Bad boys opening scene 

Levi Strauss

- black vs white; rich vs poor

- order and law vs reckless -> negative elements

Hall

entertainer/clown -> chatty, light

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Monday 31th of October

Homework- Black Panter

(problems with understanding the questions, trying my best)

Task

1. Can you apply Levi-Strauss' theory to the extract?

2. How does it apply? How are the binary oppositions presented to the audience.

3. Cab you apply Hall, do we see a grammar of race?

4. How does it apply? How are the characters seen to embody these element of race? How do the audience respond to the characters?

In the museum scene of black Panther there is a clear binary opposition. The opposite that is shown is the difference between black and white people. The black person is more like the bad guy in the scene. He steals an item out of a museum and kills security people. On the other side is the white expert, the helpless victim and is in the position of the good guy. The black person is also the smarter character, he knows more facts about the historical monument than the expert.The black people have more knowledge about culture and are one step farer than the white people.  

To sum up everything that has been stated so far is that the theory from Levi Strauss’ applies to the movie black panther. There is a clear opposite between to things, in this case the human race. 

For the hall theory is it necessary to rewatch the scene. I can barely remamber the characters.

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Tuesday 1th of November

To investigate how representation of masculinity differ 

To discuss various theories on masculinity

To critically apply theory to texts and explore the impact of the representation 

What do you see?

What representations are created here?

- 'real man' -> extreme idea -> fake(insecurities) vs real: modern real man=self care

- muscular -> toned+ defined tanned

- sporty-> climbing-free, without safety(strong enough to 'life' without safety help)

- real man drink milk protein drinks and not beer or whiskey

1960's men

strong, in control, man are dominant, 

The crisis of masculinity

The crisis of masculinity is not a new phenomenon, in the 1960's men could not live up to the bravado that the media created for them to fit into. It was not easy for men to maintain the pretence of sexual bravado.' (Tolson)

Feminism and gay rights have meant that the superiority of men came under ideological attack and ideas of what masculinity should be were unclear.

Faldui recognised that men would face difficulties in fitting in to a changed environment where they are not automatically the 'ruling class'. 

 

A modern men advert, without the old stereotype for men.

Barthes - Semiology

1. Denotations can signify contains, associated meaning for the same sign.

2. Denotations and connotations are organised in to myths.

3. Myths create and ideological meaning and help ideology feel natural, real and acceptable.

Hall, Reception theory 

Media producer encode with a preferred meaning.

Each audience can decode in one of 3 ways:

1. Dominant reading_ accepts the preferred meaning and ideological meaning.

2. Negotiated reading- some of the decoded message is accepted it to fit their experience and values.

3. Oppositional reading- both the preferred meaning and any ideological assumptions encoded in the product are rejected. 

Gauntlett

Media representation portray a wide range of different and contradictory messages about identity, which can be used by audience to think through their own identities.

Identities including gender and sexuality are now seen less fixed than were in the past. 

1960's

controlling 

dominant

strong

powerful

in control

1990's 

desperate for control

losing control

sexualised 

worker

not the same amount of control over women like in 1990

2020

sexualised of men

strong/brave

capable

Gillette (short film)

new stereotype

everyday men 

weak men 

Sum up from todays lesson 

Trough the time the representation of man in advert changed. But the men still have the stereotype of being strong. Compared to the 1960's in these days man don't harass and dominate women in adverts anymore. But they are still in charge to be unbeatable with a lot of muscles.  

The Gillette advert try's to change these stereotypes for man. The target is to show the reality of the average everyday man. Because its never possible to fit in the picture of a 'real man'. A lot of pressure is on the the should from the man who still think they need to fit in. This point of view is in charge of the new generation and old generation to change. 

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Tuesday 22nd- of November 2022

Dirt

Exam questions:

Representation can vary within long form television dramas'. Discuss how and why audience might respond to and interpret these representations differently.:

- The representation do vary 

- Levi Strauss- binary oppositions 

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

- Butler- performance of gender roles

Family life Will vs. Mike, middle class vs working class.  

Mise en scene- safe are, suburban area, American dream house vs Will in the woods in a shack, trailer style.

Gender roles- Mike's mum vs. Joyce- housewife in charge of the family vs working mum trying to provide for the family.

Mise en scene- Mike- light warm setting, vs Will- dark cold atmosphere

Dialogue- sound- reinforces the difference in gender roles and authortily- calm and firm, vs hysterical and lack of authority

Police roles: hidden vices- drunk and incapable. Vs later in the show where he is responsible and taking action to lead the search

Camera shots and editing- close up on empty drink cans, ash trays, take away items, mess and unorganised. reveal the hidden elements of the police chief, incapable. Long shots of him later in uniform coordinating the search for Will- authoritative and caring      

Dirt 

The representations in the text of the mums are the binary opposite.

This is seen in the opening scene. In this case is Karen an stay at home mum. She and her family life in an safe are with sterotypical american dream houses. She takes care of nancy, Mike and Holly.She looks after the kids. For example, at the beginning she watches the clock and send's mikes friends home because she has in mind that school is at the next day.

 Karen cares of the wellbeing of her kids, in this case enough sleep. Karen represents the prefect mom. 

Butlers theory apeas on the Wheelers. Typical gender roles get created. ted works, karen makes the household and the kids life a normal teenager life. 

This refelcts the context of the time as it was typically in america. Woman belonged in the kitchen and needed to deal with kids and the household. The production was in the modern days. it shows the sterotypical picture we have of america with our days point of view. 

Joyce is the complete opposite. 

This is seen at the first scene with Joyce. It's the normal morning at Wills house. the shot from outside the house reveals the location of the house. Its an old shack with and trailer style. They life in the woods outside from the society.  The kitchen looks messy. It's dark and colour less in the kitchen. Jonathan makes breakfast and Joyce gets ready to go out for her next work shift. The atmosphere is general stressed and when Joyce finds out Will isn't in his bed the atmosphere gets more stressed. Joyce looks messy, she has eyeblacks and her hair isn't perfectly made up. 

The representation of Joyce household and her self shows the audience really quick the Byers life in an lower class. Joyce can't take care of Will well enough as she should. Her son needs to take over the caring role. The representation of the house shows that they don't have enough money. and also her workshift shows the poorness. 

Here we can see that the text supports 

Need to rework on 2 and 3 of Mikes mum and complete joyce.