Intro to Media Theory

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

MF doom, Tyler the creator, frank ocean, Yeat, Playboi carti. Taco bell, my spotify

Love conspiracy theories  TikTok , Pyrocynical long format vid 

debates idek.

Monday 11th September 2023         Stranger things

L/O: To analyse using theoretical framework to critically apply theoretical framework to texts.

Media language: mise-en-scene, layout, camerawork,  pacing, editing etc

Media representation: How they showcase the meaning of something good or bad.

Media industries: Distributers publishers company

Media audiences: how media forms target, reach and address audiences

Media Language

- Mise-en-scene at the start in the facility. flashing lights and long dark corridors creates fear alongside the creepy/eerie music with the noise from an unknown creature makes it more scary building tension.

- Camerashots being most long shots to set the scene and location and mostly mid and close shots to show how the character is feeling especially during convorsations. (Will meeting the demogorgon camera shots really show the dangr of the creature and its shear might. Using height as will is always lower than the creature and we never actually see it.

- Clothing is fitting to the time period of the 80s 

- editing being very simple ranging from focal shifts and simple cuts. Rather effective.

- Most of the music is diegetic and being most eerie and used to create tension and fear to the characters and audience. But, sometimes there will diegetic audio mostly being popular music from that time period like the radio or tv.

- Demogorgon noise is very specific being quite dragon-esc and quite high pitch

Representation

- Bullies are cliché American kids showing off their power and popularity to lower people then them (School hierarchy)

- Steve Harrington being the classic school stooge being a dumb teen who's attractive and irresponsible.

- Police being rather stupid and lazy alcoholic, messy. But, later shown as caring and interested in finding will Byers so, Stranger things actually break the normal stereotype of police.

- Dad is lazy and sits and watches Tv all the time quite a common portrayal of Dads in the 80s.

- Government are shown as mysterious yet powerful wearing mostly black and rarely speak and if they do they speak in an manipulative tone.

- Joyce is as a single mother who struggles as well as she isn't available as her older son has to cook breakfast. But she stands up and argues with Hopper although she was a little bit of power subvert the typical stereotype of women in the 80's she still breaks down and is shown as inferior to men in the patriarchal society.  

Audience

- Teenagers watching whatever Netflix has for them

- Adults who feel nostalgia for their prime life of being a teenage in the 80s

- Parents watching with their kids due to having Netflix

Industry

- High production value and well recognise actors.

Contexts

The Hawkins Lab refers to how during the 80s Americans believed that their government were secretly testing weapons and people E.G MK Ultra and how they tried to control people with psychedelics but in Stanger things it shown that they have found a new world and use people with Telekinesis as weapons developing them to become full blown soldiers eventually.

Tuesday 12th September 2023

L/O: To investigate the principles behind theories to critically apply theories to texts.

Irony - a statement which when said shows the opposite of a statement to show an effect of comedy/empathy.

bricolage - creation from a diverse range of available things.

fragmented narrative - broken narrative leaving the audiences confused/questioning.

Baudrillard

The world is now a modern society something like a simulation.

Stranger things is a prime example of a postmodern text. When using Baudrillard's theory on postmodernism we can see many scenes taking his approach. In addition, Stranger things has a lot of representation and contextual features throughout. The show takes on a hyper realistic approach to the 80's trying to make it a realistic as possible. 

To start off we can see a insistuation called Hawkins Laboratory. This covers both context as well as post modernis. We can see Baulliard's theory with the lab being very hyperreal.

Monday 18th September 2023              Music as protest Hip Hop and beyond

L/O: To investigate the principles behind theories. To discuss various theories to critically apply theory to texts.

Representation - How something/people are portrayed in media. 

Sam Cooke - A change is gonna come.

- It asks for a change in rights

- That equal rights need to be achieved and make peoples lives better.

- Because it still applicable today.

- The song represents the oppressed group and their problems.

N.W.A - Express yourself

- Protesting about expressing yourself spreading a message that we all great

Tuesday 19th September 2023          Rupaul and identity

L/O: To investigate the theoretical framework in a text to discuss media theorists to critically apply theories to texts.

what makes up a person's identity is everything about said person: Gender, ethnicity, personality, religious values and hobbies.

An audience is people consuming media.

- The media that portrays a wide range of message the contradict the idea/premises of identity that allows the audience the question/justifies their identity.

 - We learn the stereotypical gender roles of heterosexual norms that media presents and both of these theorist believe that a change is needed. How we perform our gender roles.

                                                                RuPaul

- We can see that the "Drag queens" identity is a lot more open and focus on the performance of the gender and them putting a show with subverts the normal gender roles and rather dramatises the gender that they showcase.

- As even when they are out of costume they are still called girl and are called different pro nouns. Showing a more open approach to gender and identity.

- We can see that the heteronormative roles are subverted and contradicted as these models that dressed in the stereotypical way are actually men.

- With Butler's theory about how the normal gender roles should be broken and more freeing and this show is an accomplice to his theory as it supports the idea of gender freedom. Which doesn't cause gender role troubles as people can be more open and relate to the drag queens.

- I believe that RuP aul's Drag race clearly supports Gauntlett's theory. It shows fluidity and overtop dramatics of the female gender. The big fancy dresses, the beautiful make up and the conversation between people. Although it follows the traditional stereotypical view of women the performers int theses shows... Are men. It breaks gender trouble making being more loose and open about gender and identity. Making more of a performance rather than a showcase of genders. These are people who enjoy what they do have fun creating dresses and showcasing their beauty and it breaks the traditional heteronormative views people have on gender. Its a section of the internet which is niche yet helpful to showcase that norms are meant to be broken and people can be accepted for who they are. Although some may laugh some people will feel more open and accepting and love it. Its TV thats available to everyone and people have their own views and opinions but its helpful know the less to some and supports Gauntlett's theory on gender and identity. 

Monday 25th September 2023                 Gender and Bond 

L/O: To investigate the theoretical framework in a set text to discuss various theories to critically apply theory to texts.

- She was wearing quite a sexual outfit dressed as a belly dancer

- She forgot the name of her husband and spoke in quite a seductive tone/manner

- The music was quite slow jazzy instrumental which seemed quite seductive insinuating to the audience that something between them romantically will occur.

- when they start kissing her face wasn't show same without the fight to show she isn't important

- men focused on the women rather than the restaurant

Van Zoonen applies in the James bond scene as the women is show in a sexualised outfit and are put on "Show" for the audience to enjoy which are mainly men

- Women in this extract are presented in a sexualised manner. During this extract the woman is shown in an exotic outfit and she is dancing for the men's entertainment.

- Van Zoonen's theory applies to this scene as the mise-en-scene used in this scene for the belly dancer's outfit is quite revealing. Having a very short skirt, showing midriff and cleavage. She is beautified in this scene with her outfit as its designed with pearls and vibrant colours and her make up is done. All of the mise-en-scene is used to make her look appeal and sexual for the males in thee audience and viewers watching the movie. Although its common four belly dancers to wear semi-revealing outfits the camera shots an angles added to Van's theory as most of the shots show her lower half rather than focusing on her face and as well as that, the men's reaction to her dancing showing them pleased with her looks rather than her dancing yet again showing that she is objectified which proves Van's theory on sexualised women in media.

- It shows that in the 70's society was very patriarchal and how men are more powerful then women. Men are working hard ruling the world whilst women are only there as housewives and to look good next to their husbands.

- Both theories can apply to the extract. We can see that Bond is talking to Miss Anders and she proceeds to guilt trip bond about being with the villain. Rather than the man having the power and doing the talking, Bond is shown sitting and quietly listening. Meanwhile, she talks to bond in a cold and sloe demeanour.  This applies to Kaplan's theory.

Homework

- Blade runner 2049 has elements of Van zoonen's theory about women being are objectified. We can see that in this extract the main character is sitting in the middle of the city and 3 women come up to him and they approach him in a quite sexual manner. Stoking his arms and looking him up n down. They only insinuate they want him for a certain reason but back off when they realise how powerful he is. 

Far ahead of the scene one of the women who interacted with the main character come back and most of her clothes are off and the camera is shown and low angles showing most of her body. This builds tension between the the two as it shows her being sexualised and lusting for Ryan gosling. Showing her as an object. 

Tuesday 26th September 2023                  Gender and bond beyond

- Bond is control walks and leads her for most of the walk

- women quite seductive getting very close to his lips without kissing 

- her costume is more like a dress with added costumes features although not revealing the dress is quite sexual

- Bond under his costume is wearing a full suit and shows his power 

- Bond is typical masculine stereotype being dominant and controlling

- She is quite submissive let him lead and get worried when he disappears as he has a whole other life whereas she doesn't and just looks pretty.

The gender performance in this James bond movie is similar to the 1970's James bond film in how they represented gender stereotypes.  We can see that in the parade scene James bond is leading her to a building through a crowd. The camera is constantly close to James' face ignore her face having it not being focused on. As they are in the elevator James' is standing with an upright posture and seems quite serious and dominant whereas, the female is leaning on him and shown whispering in his ear and getting quite close to his lips. This showcases the power balance between the two and shows how inferior she is to him which correlates to the gender stereotypes that were in the 70's of women being lesser than men.

Monday 9th October 2023                                       Ideologies

L/O: To investigate how representation can produce ideologies to discuss various theories to critically apply theory to texts.

Apocalypse now

Fire - Repeated explosions and the fire is mostly shown on the guy's heading paiting an image of mental fire/struggles

PTSD - War. Remainred in his head

Drug + alcohol abuse, loss of marriage

- Dominant reading - that war is never good and always ends being bad and violent

- Negotiated reading - That war is bad but has happen to us as a soceity never agreeing with each other and taking many situations to an extreme

- Oppositional theory - War is irrelevant nd unhelpful in the end

Fish Tank 

- Lower socio-economical group

- Mum is very sterotypical british mum, smoking cigs, ragged clothing, lots of boyfriends

- British teen agressive, sports clthing, csual joggers

- Dominant reading - Bad parenting due to her social-economical stance in britain and affecs her chiildren.

- Negotiated reading - That this showcase of britain is very true and stereotypical as this is how most people see this even though its not true as anyone can be a good parent no matter their social-economical stance.

- The ideologies established in fish tank show that women of lower class are seem to be inferior and deemed less important than  those in higher class.

 - This show via the young girl and her lack of parenting as her mum is shown as rather a steryotical Britis mum wearing chep sports clothes, smoking, lack of care for herself and letting herself go to get several boyfriends. This has clearly taken affect on the daughter as she is bullied and has built a terrible childhood which leads to her future being weak and lacklustre. This reflects the context of the time as many people believe that the bad parenting in the Uk can be presented by the parents social-economical stance and being lower in this stance and being treated like the way she is is normal.

Tuesday 10th October 2023                  Masculinity

       

L/O: To investigate how representation of masculinity differ to discuss various theories on masculinity.

- Very stereotypical masculine man with sharp chiselled muscles doing dangerous activities such as hanging off a cliff.

- Pressuring people to become more active and physically fit. This AD isn't for everyone as some men aren't that physically fit this Ad is only appealing to the pinnacle of men.

- We can see that in this cover the man it shown bending his wife over his knee ready to slap her bottom. This shows that the man is dominant here and controlling which is stereotypical for a man in the 60's. His outfit connotes to him working hard and is the bread-earner.

Diet coke ad

We can see that that the stereotype is still here where the men is in control and the women is inferior to men however the roles are swapped in a way to make the stereotype less shown. To start off the women are shown in an office building whereas the man is shown in the construction site. Although a construction site is a place for masculine men to work and do hard labour compared to an office job it is stereotypical for a construction job to offered to people with lower IQ. With the masculine stereotype it would be men working in the office building and working hard in the construction sight however its women in the office building and only a man in the construction site. In addition, the man is shown to be rather lazy as he's on break and is shown with quite a lot of chest hair and rather unkept not exactly fitting there traditional masculine stereotype. The camera angle put the view of women on a lower angle showing their power making them more important and we can see their fresh make up and well done hair.

The construction Hat is simple hat used for construction during his job, However the construction hat shows he's on the job working and he's strong and masculine as it is a very hard job and made for strong men.

- We can see that all these men are physically fit, clean shaven and oiled up almost like they are a trophy a pinnacle of masculinity. The women is shown laying down in a rather appealing outfit and thrusting in a sexual manner as a man has her pinned down showing his dominance and control over the women. 

Exam question

Many long form Television dramas showcase representations throughout the show including stranger things. Many our shown throughout stranger things.

Stranger things takes place in the 1980's so many things are different to how modern societies would act. This show is more of a hyperreal take on society in the 80's. We can see this via the dress sense of people being more colourful and baggy, technology being older with box-shaped tv's and VHS tapes. The mise-en-scene makes it evident that this show is being taken in the 80's and is making it as realistic as possible but, one thing stands out and why using Bulliard's theory would make stranger things a hyperreal representation of the 80's which the Government. When Hawkins laboratory is shown the colour palette is dulled to muted colours with the hint of an eerie manufactured green and their outfits add to this via being draped of colour and mainly suits. Every time they speak they seem to know the answer already they are mysterious and are almost robotic with thee ways they act towards others. The Government are experimenting with a new world and creatures hiding away this information with the public and act very mysterious around people unknowing of the Demogorgen.

Its an overdramatic view of the Government in the 80's as many Americans believed and developed theories around the Government such as MK Ultra which was America's secret attempt at controlling the public via psychedelics in the water. Stanger things take this concept but change it for the idea of another world and other worldly creatures. 

This links back to Bulliard's theory on postmodernism and that Stranger things takes a hyperreal representation of the 80's how it was especially the representation of the Government and what they hide and experiment.

Another representation shown throughout Stranger things is how women are represented. In Stranger things we have female characters pop up and be apart of the story but in the first episode the most important female is Joyce. At the start we she her struggling as her son had to cook breakfast overall not being able to take care of the family. Her son Will Byers is lost and she is in constant stress and panic. She tries to get help via Jim Harper the Chief of Police. The use of camera shot and angles showcases their power balance. Hopper always being closer to the camera and the camera always following even though Joyce is calling for him and asking for help he's more important and as the chief of police who should take care of this he clearly doesn't. 

1. Address the question

2 . clear point

3. Make clear point using examples from the text