Representation of Sexuality

Representation of Sexuality

Media Institution

Media Institution on Prezi

Inbetweeners Prezi

The Inbetweeners on Prezi

Representation of Ethnicity

Representation of EthnicityThis is where i have got to with the homework for Wednesday.

Representation of Gender

Representation of Gender

Monarch of the Glen

Monarch of the Glen

This is my work so far.. I feel like I could do more on it.

Sound Terms Exercise Part 3

This clip gives an example of a direct address.

Sound Terms Exercise Part 2

Sound effects are added at 0:56 seconds when we see an explosion. This is a naturalistic sound effect. An unnaturalistic sound effect is given sometime when a gun is fired, 1:51 minutes is an example.

Sound Clip 9 - Hunger Analysis

Activity 1:

 At the start of the extract, we see the main character who was a soldier in the IRA in a bath. We know that he is hunger striking and all through this scene, the atmosphere is very hollow because there is not a lot of sound. We hear birds outside, i suspect they may be crows because of they're squawk. we also hear fairly loud footsteps and their echo, so i imagine the rooms people are in are very bare and empty. To me, this also suggests a disciplined area. This is reinforced by the opening and closing of what sound like heavy metal jailhouse doors and the jangling of keys. We also hear breathing of the main character and without seeing the character in his state, we can hazard a guess that he is struggling to breath. All these noises are harsh, this suggests that this is a place of discipline like a jail.

Activity 2:

The camera seems to be taking vague shots of looking down a hallway near the floor to emphasise the footsteps or to show the main character being put in bed without revealing too much of his body.

Activity 3:

While We can hear the breathing and the crows squawking, a flashback appears with similar noise and it shows him running and then he starts to run through the woods into the darkness. In the wood, the crows scatter when they see him and as he looks back through the wood, we see a tear in his eye signifying he isn't going back to where he was. Then Bobby Sands dies and the crows in the distance scatter.

Activity 4:
In this scene, we hear music for the first time in the clip and this music comes on when he is flashing back to being a young boy on a bus. We hear other kids behind him laughing, singing and shouting Bobby's name, but he doesn't reply and continues to sit there. The music has a slow tempo and I would describe it as strange or eerie and its also a plain sort of music, there isn't much diversity in sounds. In the flashback, we also see him jogging through the little wooded area and we hear bells or a horn at this point in time. This could suggest that the main character is very close or has died. The presence of Irish bagpipes in the music also suggests this.

Conclusion:
In this clip, the silence throughout it makes all the sounds seem hollow because they all echo out fairly quickly. Towards the endof the clip, there is more going on, and therefore there are more sounds. Like when they use a close up on the main character, we can hear him blinking. I feel the silence is a sign of the main characters impending death and i think that is why the filmmaker does this.

Sound Terms Exercise

0:33-35 Seconds shows diegetic sound
Throughout the trailer, there are places where there is non-diegetic sound (background music) and a voiceover.
There is a sound motif at 0:08 seconds when the main character says the other person is him from the future.
There is obviously dialogue because we see the character talking to each other in various parts of the film. this is also an example of synchronous sound because the persons voice we can hear is seen talking.
We can see a sound bridge between 1:47 and 1:56 where it gives the same music over multiple scenes.

Skins Analysis

Skins Analysis: Series 1, Episode 1

The first scene, we see it introducing us to one of the main characters of the series. The first thing that is noticeable is the title sequence which includes the theme tune. For me, the title sequence gives an impression that this is about teenagers and, for them life goes fast and the little montage of scenes that is the title sequence, i feel that it represents the life of teenagers, hence the music. It’s not easy listening or very fluent, however it is fast paced and catchy, and this is used because teenagers like that sort of music because there’s a lot going on within the music and it’s not a popular chart song, it’s something individual which is what some teenagers like, an identity. Teenagers will see this theme music as ‘timeless’ music that represents them because it’s associated with Skins and its unique music that isn’t branded to any time period. And after the theme music has stopped and the bird’s eye has zoomed out of Tony, another soundtrack start’s, it is the same genre and same pace because it represents teenagers lives, fast paced. Both pieces of music work similarly to a voiceover, its non-diegetic so the characters can’t hear it.

Now into representation; the first character we are confronted with is Tony. We perceive him to be a typical stereotypical teenager because after he wakes up, he starts working out and admiring himself in the mirror and he does this because he wants to look good. This also shows us he is a person of routine; we also see this when his 2^nd alarm goes off to either indicate the woman across street or Effie, his sister. Either way, he is clearly organised in one way or another and this isn’t typically a trait of stereotypical teenagers. What also isn’t stereotypical is as the camera pans around to show different mid shot of him, we see his walls and sheets are dull and boring in colour. We can also see some, I think, French film posters, again, giving evidence that he isn’t like the typical teenager because he doesn’t have naked women, cars or anything like that. That may be why his walls are neutral in colour, but another theory behind that is to do with his sexuality. As the camera zoomed out at the start of the scene, we noticed a white duvet cover with a male and female body either side, and he is lying right in the middle of them, in bed. The neutral colour could show he is confused and being in the middle of the man and woman could also suggest this. In that shot as well, we see that Tony is lying in the middle of the bed and the duvet is immaculate. It’s even neat when he is still in bed! And this is like the whole room. All his shirts are folded and neatly in a draw and everything is on hangers. By now, the audience would have conjured up an idea that Tony isn’t the typical teenage boy, he is almost the binary opposite of a normal teenager because Tony is tidy while typical teenagers are messy, he has French film posters on his wall, whereas other teenagers may not have that. We also see this binary opposite when his dad walks in the room, Tony is thin while his dad has a belly on him.

The relationship between Tony and his dad is rough, because most of the time we see Tony messing around with his dad by locking the bathroom door and then climbing out the window. In that scene, we see Tony taking a dump while reading ‘Nausea’ which is all about philosophy, it very hard to get into, so we can see that Tony is no average teenager. But back to him and his dad, Tony always seems very composed and in control, whereas his dad isn’t in control and is not very composed at all.

As Tony comes in through the front door, his mum asks whether ‘he wants eggs’ and this leads onto a shot of Effie at the table, giving a look to Tony. Now at the start of the scene, we see Effie coming in from a night out. She has been clubbing or something like that because she has messy hair, one of her socks are lower than the other and her makeups smudged. Tony uses diegetic music to distract his dad so she can come in and this is where we see the other side of Effie. As she sneaks into her room, she changes from her miniskirt into her school uniform, gets rid of her makeup and neatens her hair and this suggests Effie has 2 lives, one being the binary opposite of the other. She is also pretty quiet, she hasn’t got a lot of character dialogue and I think that suggests something about her personality or maybe it’s because of something she goes out for most nights. Also, in her uniform she looks younger than she did at the start of the scene; this could be why she has so little dialogue.

Shots and Angles: Killing Them Softly Trailer

Killing Them Softly

To give an idea of this film, its about how the mafia run their operations. in this part of the film, we see two characters in a tight medium shot talking about what they will do to a person in the film, while creating a voiceover for another scene of what actually happens to that person.

Boths scenes are shot in small tight spaces/shots because the discussion and incident are on a need to know basis, like the mafia. This also gives a sense of containment because, in the first scene: the two characters are talking in a car, and in scene two: the three characters are the only people featured in the frame. The tight shots also give an impression that they dont want anyone else to know what they are doing or speaking about, like the mafia is known for.

Both shots in the car are there for a reason because it gives the audience an insight into the conversation, like we are in the car, but at the same time, the camera anlge concerns us because while both characters are in the most appealing thirds of the frame, the other appealing part is where the window is and that gives the idea that someone is there or some is listening into our conversation when they shouldnt be. At the same time, the medium shot at the start and in the car shows that there is tension and something is building up and it does eventually.

Shots and Angles: Shawshank Redemption

Shawskank Redemption - Prison Bus Arrival
To set the context, the main character, Andy Dufresne, has been charged with the murder of his wife. This second scene in the film sets the landscape for the majority of the film, because Andy is in the prison bus.
So, this shot pans towards the prison, giving a wide shot of its surrounding walls and landscape. This gives the audience and idea that there isn't an easy escape from this prison because of the guards in the watchtowers and above the prison gates. Again, there is barbed wire and we can tell the prison covers a large area because the camera angle changes to a birds eye view, showing current convicts running towards the prison gates, and a megaphone speaker system has to be used to let all the guards know of an arriving bus. The megapphone indicates how old the film is. As the camera pans from a wide shot to a birds eye view, it loses sight of the bus and I feel this is done to convey the scale of this massive building it is going into.
There is also music behind the imagery, and this music sounds orchestral, again, maybe its a metaphor to convey the size of Shawshank Prison. Its also quite sorrowful and reflective and that can relate to the main characters situation because he is innocent of the crime, but he is being sent to prison and he feels shocked, depressed about it.
The birds eye view of the prison shows the current inmates rushing towards the gates to boo at the bus, and this is part of the mise en scene. The director wants prison to live upto its reputation by it being intimidating, dull and dangerous and we get a sense that its dull because all the inmates are wearing the same colour overalls. Its intimidating because the convicts are booing the new arrivals, plus in the next part some inmates bet on the new arrivals to see how long they will last. And dangerous because, obviously, there are hardened criminals in there so they don't really care for anyone but themselves.

American Beauty Scene Analysis

 

American Beauty: Scene 1

The scene starts with a voiceover, with a extreme wide shot showing the neighbourhood. The voiceover is Lester looking back over his life before he dies, basically giving a rough outline of his life.

His tone is dreary, not very exciting so gives us an idea that looking back he wasnt happy with his life and we can tell from the fact he masturbates in the shower and calls it the 'the only high point of my day...' which gives a sense his sex life isnt what it used to be, when he wakes up he is in bed alone in a dull room and the fact that his wife wears the trousers in the relationship since she drives both him and his daughter to work/school.

And in the car, Lester is slouched in the back, sleeping and this gives an idea that he is like a stereotypical teenager; masturbating in the shower is also a giveaway to this. We can tell he is more like a teenager because of the way his wife and daughter treat him. He himself knows they think he is a 'loser' because of the way they look at him after he drops his breifcase. He is also unsocial like a teenager, because after the scene of being, kind of trapped in the shower, that metaphor of being trapped is shown again by him looking out the window and seeing his wife talk to his neighbours. this shows he isnt interested in social action with friends; this also creates a teenage-like image because its like he is shy to go outside.

 

 

American Beauty: Scene 2

Again, in the second scene we analysed, every scene tried to incorporate the red, white and blue. I feel that is a metaphor for the family being together, like the red, white and blue of the american flag and it represents America, i feel the 3 colours represent the family being together. This is a motif because it keeps reaccuring.

The music and the zooming in view sets the scene as well; the music is unattractive, boring, old fashioned 'elevator music' and again because husband and wife are at either side of the table, the music and the table are a metaphor for the emotional gap between the two and the music illustrates the mental strain on Lester, even though its his wifes choice.

We also get a contrast of characters; while his wife is sat up tall and straight on the lighter side of the table, Lester is on the darker side, in the shadows, and is slouched again.

before the end of the scene,  a boy is filming Lester and the camera shows him in the camera screen, again showing he is trapped; that is another motif.

At the end, we see Lester throw a blue towel on the work surface next to a black and white family photo. Another thing, a blue and white vas is in and, i think that by having a towel and picture in the frame, i think it suggests that he is throwing in the towel on his family, on his life because we know already his character is depressed and not happy with his life at that time.

American and British Industry Summmary

Today, 90% of the international film industry is dominated or 'oligopolied' by the Big Six American conglomerates. These conglomerates are seperate and own the Big Six film companys; such as Paramount is owned by Viacom and 20th Century Fox is owned by New Corp. These film companys produce most well known films like Jackass: The movie and The Hangover, Hangover 2.

However, the British film industry is a lot smaller than the American one, mainly because films in the UK are made by independent companys like BigTalk Pictures who produced Hot Fuzz and Paul.These aren't run by conglomerates with many subsidiarys, they are small companys and thats why we dont see many films being produced by them.

The Gaze

 Eva Mendes Image

In this image, we see the woman in the advert in an open pose. This would suggest that she is being suggestive and flirtatious with the audience, even though she isn’t breaking the fourth wall. The product is trying to be sold through sex appeal, the fact she is oiled up may look like she is sweaty or wet because she has been doing exercise or having sex, since they’re product is underwear. Again this appeals to the male and gay female market.

The Gaze

 

Freddie Ljunberg Image

 

In this picture, we see the actor who is male, breaking the fourth wall and getting the audiences attention by looking seductive and maybe a bit suggestive because of how he is modelling the boxers. This could be aimed at both male and female markets because they show his chest, higher and lower abdomine; plus the fact he is wearing nothing apart from the product being advertised. We can also tell this because he is flexing or showing off his muscles by holidng the bar at the top of the picture.

Representation: A Simple-ish Explanation

Artificial - This is what most media such as films and soaps are. They arent real life, but they are scripted, staged and, therefore, made to look like real life.

Perceive - Most media of today can appeal to most of the senses, mostly sight and aural. That is how the institutions market their films.

Representation - All types of media, whether it be video games, films or TV dramas, are all representations of a artificial reality

Demographics - This type of data can be used by film companys to determine where and what country they want to market their products in.

Identities - These are shown in many different ways. Stereotypes are one way in which identitys are shown.

Representation 1 - Patched trousers means he may have low income or not much money, so he has to mend his clothes. May not have a job because he is dressed scruffy and isnt making much effort to go to work. Probably homeless because of mix of dress.














Representation 2 - Tweed jacket shows he has a job and job is well paid. From all the paperwork and facial expressions, he has a serious job or is in court. Makes an effort to look good because he has stubble and a stylish hair cut.















Representation 3 - Looks like an upper class woman because of her fur coat and bright dress. She looks like a misunderstood person.