Film and Media Studies

1. Film and Media Studies Mrs Pistorius

2. Teachers Expectations: • Come into the classroom quietly and calmly • Take off coats and bags • Have your books out and write the date and title on a new page • Be respectful to all • Be ready to learn but also Enjoy! What are your expectations of me?

3. What is Media Studies? This GCSE Media Studies course offers you a carefully planned balance between practical production and analytical, theoretical work. You will study different mediums in both of these ways, giving you a more in-depth understanding on how the media industry works.

4. Your GCSE Course • B321 – Individual Portfolio 30% Film Posters & Representation essay • B322 – Exam 40% • B324 – Practical Production 30% Music video or Radio drama

5. Media Terminology The Key Concepts M – Media Language I - Institute G - Genre R - Representation A - Audience I - Ideology N - Narrative

6. Media Language This concept centres on the ways that different techniques are used to create meanings for audiences.

7. *Genre This is a term used for placing media texts in categories or genres. Audiences have particular expectations of texts because of their generic conventions. This conventions are a set of element that are repeated in texts of the same genre. Sci-fi Romantic Comedy Horror Soap Operas

8. Institution The institution that produces the text will affect the meaning of the text for audiences. Many media organisations are driven by problems caused by falling audience figures. How was the text produced, by whom and for what purpose? When and were was the text produced and broadcasted/ consumed? How was it funded? Audience Those that watch, read, listen and buy the text. Who is the target audience? How do they reach that audience? What attracts and contains an audience? Things to consider; Scheduling, fragmentation of audience, expectations and pleasures.

9. Representation How certain people/places/events/issues are presented to use by the media. Representations also vary as social attitudes change through time, or according to our cultural backgrounds. Looking at how the media reflects or Represents attitudes, behaviour and beliefs and how these are linked to the society we live in. • Who is included/excluded from the text? • How are people/places/events represented? Vikki Pollard David Beckham

11. Compare how men and/or women are represented in the romantic comedy genre by analysing three key sequences in each of your chosen films. Exemplar Texts: Bridget Jones Diary and Hitch

12. Bridget Jones’s Diary

13. Hitch

14. Lesson 2 LO: Exploration of essay question Starter: Explain the narrative of BJD in less than 100 words.

15. What is your essay question? Essay is due on the 22nd of October As a guidance written work should be approximately 800–1,500 words in length and this may be divided into sections.

16. Key words Compare how men and/or women are represented in the romantic comedy genre by analysing three key sequences in each of your chosen films.

17. Compare how men and/or women are represented in the romantic comedy genre by analysing three key sequences in each of your chosen films. Basically, you have to write about how men and/or women come across in BJD & Hitch.

18. Your question • You will be marked on: • Knowledge and understanding of texts • Insightful analysis and interpretation with good understanding of how media language is used. • Generic conventions • Confident comparison • Appropriate examples

19. Generic conventions of Romantic Comedies

20. Trailers • Hitch • Bridget

21. Compare the two trailers • Did they share any generic conventions? • What does this tell us? • What is the narrative of each film?

24. From the information so far how are men and women represented in Romantic comedies?

25. PB BJD Key scenes: BJD • Opening 04.46 – 09.27 • Flirting 11.20 – 13.57 • Mini break / cheating 30.07 – 32.37 / 38.40 – 40.50 • Just the way you are 50.29 – 55.09 Task Watch the key scenes and identify how Media Language is used to create representations of gender.

27. Lesson 3 Bridget Jones Diary What are the conventions of a Romantic Comedy?

28. Bridget Jones’s Diary Storyline • Bridget Jones is an average woman struggling against her age, her weight, her job, her lack of a man, and her many imperfections. As a New Year's Resolution, Bridget decides to take control of her life, starting by keeping a diary in which she will always tell the complete truth. The fireworks begin when her charming though disreputable boss takes an interest in the quirky Miss Jones. Thrown into the mix are Bridget's band of slightly eccentric friends and a rather disagreeable acquaintance, Mark Darcy, who Bridget cannot seem to stop running into or help finding quietly attractive.

29. What is Bridget like? • What is Mark like? • How does Daniel differ to Mark?

30. Female • Bridget goes against the stereotype of women in romantic comedies, although she in actually fits within the realm of the real woman within the romantic genre spectrum she is against the norm. • Bridget Jones is 30 something, slightly overweight (size 16) , extremely quirky personality ,foul mouth basically not a typical feminine figure in any sense • Her difficulties are because of her masculine qualities and her desire to fit the typical feminine stereotype.

31. Female • Bridget is clumsy and not really poised sliding down the pole is a classic example. • Bridget is represented as love struck girl especially how she objectifies herself to grab the attention of Daniel Cleaver. • There is this stereotype portrayed in the film that if you are feminist you are intent on being single.

32. Female • Bridget in the end gives in to the female stereotype of falling for the ‘nice guy’ and living happily ever after she doesn’t have to sacrifice her personality. • The director uses music a lot to convey Bridget’s mood.

33. Men • Men are represented as Young, charming and handsome. • Daniel is represented as being an attractive man that get whatever he wants and typically uses women. Example as he cheats on Bridget because he doesn’t take seriously. • Mark Darcy is represented as a definite sweetheart, lovable, wears goofy sweaters that his mother picks for him and is a genuine caring person. • Mark is represented as being the night and shining armor when he saves Bridget after she fails miserably to cook a fancy dinner for her friends.

34. Men • Mark is a contrast to the representation of Daniel. • Despite the difference in their representation, the are both conveyed as masculine and brawlers. Towards the end, they get in an all out street brawl over Bridget. They fight for the dominance of her.

35. Analyses sheet

36. Opening 00.00 – 07.00 • Decision – 07.22 – 08.28 • Friends – 10.23 – 11.10 • Flirting - 11.28 • Big pants – 16.55 • Trip – 30.00 • Costume – 35.00 -37 • Cheat 38.00 • Change 45.00 • Dinner 50.00 / 98.00 • Fight 1.06 • 1.16 • 1.20

37. Key ScenesOpening 04.46 – 09.27 Dresses smartly Bridget on karaoke, cigarette in hand, drunk, singing badly. In office – Daniels office is above hers Bridget is not dressed smartly Jude – Crying over Richard ‘it’s vile Richard’ • Scene 1 Setting – winter/ cold, first floor flat/city Voiceover – Party hat blown across Credits ‘All by myself’ song Watching TV Answer phone – no new messages Pyjamas – red, childish, cartoons Lighting – dim flat / small Long shot – we see state of flat Transition Drinking smoking Singing along / drunk –mid shot Points to name – we now this is bridget Transistions Close up on eyes – game change Narrative – text on screen Resolutions – will find a nice sensible boyfriend Red diary “ will not fantasise about a particular person who embodies all of these things” Lift bell, doors open on to a mid shot of Daniel Cleaver Music – Respect Has to walk down the steps – above every body

38. Flirting11.35 – 13.57 Scene 2 Daniel in Office, smoking on phone Bridget at desk Instant messenger Flirting – skirt off sick Loved music View of London ‘will put a stop flirting first thing tomorrow’ Music – upbeat – don't get me wrong Bridget has hair done and a see through blouse More flirting ‘Mustn't read too much into it’ Wedding image

39. Mini Break30.17 - Scene 3 Aerial shot of car ‘a mini break means true love’ Aerial shot ‘Manner of Grace Kelly’ loses scarf – not graceful Meets Mark Darcy and girlfriend – awkward Bridget's hair Mark and Daniel clash Boating Mark and Natasha together Daniel being rude, smoking and drinking Compare dress Falls into water Fun/ laughter Cut to 40.00 Daniels flat She suspects cheating – apologises Pretends not to love him Attempts to leave and sees pink cardigan – connotations of colour Slow motion – music Lara‘ I thought you said she was thin’

40. Just the way you are Scene 4 Smug married couples Red top Top of the table ‘ one in four or one in three’ ‘why is it there are so many unmarried women in there thirties these days Bridget?’ Silence - mid shot of table ‘Underneath our clothes are entire bodies are covered in scales Hall way – fairy lights, magical, romantic Mark Shot reverse shot / mid shot ‘ I already feel like an idiot most of the time without your help’ Mark apologises – complains about her but says ‘ I like you very much’ Diegetic sound ‘I like you very much just the way you are’ Music kicks in – someone exactly like you Friends – shocked, not sure what to say

41. PB Hitch Key scenes: Hitch 1. 00.00.00 – 00.05.48 2. 00.06.27 – 00.14.12 3. 00.15.05 – 00.18.35 4. 00.58.18 -1.06.20 5. 01:36:58 – 01:46:26 Task Watch the key scenes and identify how Media Language is used to create representations of gender.

43. Lesson 4 HitchLO: To explore Hitch with a view to analyse the representation of gender 2005 Will Smith Eva Mendes

44. Working in pairs, discuss how women are represented in the following images.

45. Alex "Hitch" Hitchens (Will Smith) is a professional "date doctor" who coaches other men in the art of wooing women. • While coaching one of his clients, Albert Brennaman (Kevin James), who is smitten with celebrity Allegra Cole (Amber Valletta), Hitch finds himself falling for Sara Melas (Eva Mendes), a gossip columnist who is determined to unmask and ruin the so-called date doctor after one of his "clients" (whom Hitch had refused to work with, unknown to Sara) had a one-night stand with her best friend. However, where Albert and Allegra's relationship continues to progress, Hitch finds that none of his tried and tested methods are working on himself, despite being a master of the art. After Hitch is unmasked, he and Sara break up, and Allegra and Albert follow soon. Finally, Hitch confronts Allegra and convinces her to reunite with Albert, before reconciling with Sara. In the process, he makes the startling discovery that he doesn't really do anything significant besides giving confidence to his clients, and that most of his customers (particularly Albert) really were successful by just being themselves.

46. Hitch: Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it's the moments that take your breath away Sara: Relationships are for people who are just waiting for something better to come along. Sara: What should we toast to? Hitch: Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away. Hitch: So how does it happen, great love? Nobody knows... but what I can tell you is that it happens in the blink of an eye. One moment you're enjoying your life, and the next you're wondering how you ever lived without them. Vance: [after telling Hitch that he only wants a girl so he can sleep with her] No, I was told that you help guys get in there. Hitch: Right, but see, here's the thing - my clients actually *like* women. "Hit it and quit it" is not my thing. Vance: Let me make one thing clear to you, rabbi, I need professional help. Hitch: Well, *that* is for damn certain. What do these quotations tell us about gender representation?

47. Analyses sheet

48. Key scenes ML, REP, Genre • Speed dating, 01.30 – 01.32 • Apology, 01.32 – 01.33 • Love is job, 01.35 • What did you do, 1.37 – 1.40 • End, 01.43 – 01.46 • 01.46 - • Opening 00:00 – 08.45 • Bar 09:45 – 14.21 • Albert 15.27 • Hitch meets Sarah 25:00- 28.45 • The wrong man 30.00 • Delivery 31.42 • Foot in face 36.38 – 37.00 • Face in book 39.23 - 40.37 • Rice to riches, 41.27 – 42.05 • Date, 43.48- 50.00 • Kiss, 51.30 – 54.43 • Set up, 55.40 – 56.30 • Date, 57.30 – 1.01 • Medicated, 1.02 – 1.03 • Sharing, 1.04 – 1.05 • Kiss, 1.05 • Friend, 1.06 – 1.10 • Article, 01.11 – 01.50 • Reveal, 01.18 – 01.19 • Confrontation, 01.20 – 1.24 • Paper, 01.24 – 01.25

49. Key ScenesOpening 00.00 - 05.48 • Scene 1 • Sound bridge • Music • Voice over – women • Talking to camera – to audience – close up • Talking about women • ‘my job is to open her eyes’ • ‘you can get it if you really want’ • Talking to men • Good advice • Montage • ‘8/10 women believe the first thing can tell all they need to know about a relationship’

50. Sarah06.27 – 14.12 Scene 2 Establishing shot Opposite to Hitch ‘if he is stupid enough to cheat, then the world should know he is dumb enough o get caught’ ‘Barbados by myself’ Sarah’s dress – dark colours – Beatles top ‘Relationships are for people waiting for something better to come along’ • Night out Low lighting Idea of a perfect relationship – marriage Sarah and Casey - girls dressed up, Sarah not Date Doctor – ‘you’re not sick, you're single Hitch working his magic – then college flash back / music not sad ‘ she drives me crazy’