Messages, values and representations

1. Messages, values and representations 2.3 3 credits External Standard

2. Objective of this unit • The overall aim is to understand and appreciate the need for critical analysis when reading, listening to, or viewing any media presentations. • To appreciate how minority cultures are stereotyped which can lead to discrimination by the majority or dominant culture in a society.

3. Stereotypes • What is a stereotype? • We will be dealing with the issue of stereotypes in this study. It is important to remember that while some stereotypes can be based in some truth, they can also be wildly inaccurate and unfair. Some stereotypes may have developed from a common, general and shared characteristic of a group of people – but they should be treated as generalisations. Make a list of stereotyped characteristics of the following groups (these may be positive, negative or indifferent): • Older people – 60+ Chinese Australian • Pacific Islanders Teachers Italian • American teenagers Rugby fans Homosexuals Stereotypes can be based on race, age, culture, orientation, occupation or any other social division of people.

4. Homework • Track a mainstream news product for 5 days (Monday to Friday) and write about all the significant items about Maori stories. (This can be newspaper / tv1 or tv3 news / radio news). • Bring in 3 x examples of the stories you have found throughout the week. These can be cut out of the paper, podcasts or other.

5. Stereotypes • Remember how stereotypes are used by media producers to appeal to target audiences – such as in the 2.1 study of South Pacific Pictures / Outrageous Fortune and their target audiences? This is an example of how stereotypes can be useful. • What are the drawbacks of this use of stereotyping? • In what instances are stereotypes a negative experience for people who are the target of these judgements? http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/ • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTU4QxF1rWIWatch this mini-documentary

6. What stereotypes exist of Maori? List the characteristics you can think of under the following 3 headings: Positive Negative Indifferent

7. Stereotypes • Beneficiaries • Poor or lower class • Criminals / drugs / gang affiliations • Violent • Protesting – land / foreshore & seabed / keep land tapu – preserve traditions • Moko / kapahaka / cultural practices • Sporting – sing / dance / rugby / league • Dicotymy – Maori either make it or they don’t

8. In which media texts are Maori represented? Make lists of media texts you know of that feature Maori. TV Print TeKarere NZ Herald Maori TVTearaway / Mana Smokefree billboards Advertising –Domestic Violence / Drink Responsibly Ad / Quit smoking / Smokefree / C4 Labour party / Maori Party –political advertising Film Radio Te Movie Mai FM Boy - father

9. Hegemonic and pluralist models • What is a hegemonic model in media studies? Look up ‘cultural hegemony’ for a definition and explanation. • What is a pluralist model? This is the opposite of the hegemonic model? • Documentary – The Modern Racist Paradigm http://documentaryheaven.com/the-modern-racist-paradigm/

10. Study of mainstream news(Homework, week 9) FOCUS QUESTION: How does the mainstream news in New Zealand represent Maori? Use your chart and week 9’s homework to answer the following questions. • In what ways are Maori represented positively in the past week’s New Zealand Herald? Give supporting evidence. • In what ways are Maori represented negatively in the past week’s NZ Herald? Give supporting evidence. • Draw several conclusions about the ‘truths’ and / or ‘myths’ and / or stereotypes which are being reinforced or challenged by this representation?

11. New Zealand Maori Film Assignmentemail to tp@macleans.school.nz by Friday 7th October Research a NZ Maori film to compare to ‘Once were Warriors’. Present the information in a power point – with images. • Title, director, writer, year, actors, production details. • Summarise the story or content of the film. What are the key scenes – describe them. You can see this at www.nzonscreen.co.nz ) • Include 2 x reviews you have summarised (www.imbd.com or www.rottentomatoes.com or NZ Herald) • Describe the key characters or people who feature in the film. What stereotypes of Maori are presented in this film. How do they represent Maori? • Describe the key themes featured in the film. Do these themes also develop the stereotypes? How do they represent Maori?

12. Framing Maori – Documentary by TereHarrion • This documentary addresses the issue of how Maori are represented in the mainstream media.

13. New Zealand Herald September 20 – 27th, 2011

14. Once Were Warriors, dir. Lee Tamahori (1994) • Use an entire A4 page to make notes

15. Once Were Warriors (1994) • Lee Tamahori directed this film, but it was written by Maori New Zealander, Alan Duff. • Features and themes include the characters inability to articulate themselves and their situation – with the exception of Grace, who is a prolific writer – yet she is the one who dies and her rape and suicide are the tragic and central events in the plot. • Jake’s inability to provide for his family, or to understand them or protect them – is exemplified in the symbolic act of cutting down the tree Grace hung herself from – even in this he is unsuccessful. • Other themes include the prolific and gratuitous violence. The effects of poverty and unemployment. Gangs and their role as a pseudo-family or alternative family unit. The break-down of the family unit – the wider whanau system (Beth’s disconnection with her family).

16. Once Were Warriors - 1994 • How are Maori represented in this film? In this answer you will need to discuss the STEREOTYPES of Maori seen in the film – and how does the writer (Alan Duff) and director (Lee Tamahori) use this stereotype to convey messages. (give examples and explain the EFFECT / IMPLICATION/ CONSEQUENCES). • What is the overall effect of the messages and values in this advertisement? (EFFECT, IMPLICATION, CONSEQUENCES) • Read someone else’s response. • Write ‘EG’ next to an example used ‘EX’ next to a good explanation and ‘I’ for an implication.

17. Two Cars, One Night, dir. TaikaWaititi(2005) • This 2005 short film was nominated for an Oscar and was the inspiration for Waititi’s feature length film, ‘Boy’ (2010). • It is a subtle and poignant story of children, distinct and separate from the world of adults, yet the effect of the adult world is evident in their situation. They are waiting in a car park, outside of a pub, while their parents or carers are assumingly inside, drinking. • How is the adult world depicted? Consider the activity outside the pub and the way it is filmed. The two interactions in the film between the children and adults – a strange old man on a bike who speaks Maori (but is not understood), and the driver of a car who has a moko and raises his eyebrows at Romeo. • What stereotypes about Maori are evident in this short film? How are they presented to the audience? • How does this representation convey messages and values about Maori to the audience? What effects might this have on viewers – both Pakehaand Maori?