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Critical Approaches

Critical Approaches. Representation. Aims and Objective. Consider how characters are represented in moving image product Apply a connotation of representation into your assignment Gather research on representation to support your ideas. What did we do last week?. Assignment 4.

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Critical Approaches

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  1. Critical Approaches Representation

  2. Aims and Objective • Consider how characters are represented in moving image product • Apply a connotation of representation into your assignment • Gather research on representation to support your ideas

  3. What did we do last week?

  4. Assignment 4 Write a textual analysis of a moving image product. Consider: • Critical Approaches: content analysis, semiotic analysis, structuralism • Genre: according to production technology, eg film, video, audio, print, digital; distribution method, eg television, cinema, radio, internet, CD, iPod, mobile phone, home computer, hand-held consoles; generic codes and conventions (content, style, symbolic, cultural, technical); changes over time, eg in audience, ideological shifts, re-definition, obsolescence, spoof, pastiche, parody • Narrative structures: narrative, eg single strand, multi-strand, closed, open, linear, non-linear; alternative narrative; enigma; climax; equilibrium • Representation: negative; positive; of social groups; of social issues; stereotyping; presence and absence Due (27/06/12)

  5. How to do this assignment? • Codes and conventions: define it, why so popular, what does the genre say about audience • Genre • Personal response to product • Narratives • Representational issues • Semiotics – structuralism • Binary Opposition

  6. Types of representation • Race • Gender • Disability • Age • Sexuality

  7. Race representation • Four Key Themes in Racial Representations • Exotic • Dangerous • Humorous • Pitied (Alvarado et al. 1987: 153) • Green Mile (1999) • Crash (2004) Now come up with your own example. 

  8. Representation of women • Laura Mulvey argues that female characters are presented in a negative light. • Submissive light: these characters are overly sexualised, form part of the male gaze • Femme fatale: these characters are evil • Hitchcocks portrayal of women agrees with this. • Alien series • What is attractive?

  9. Representation of men • Fight for masculinity (Fight Club 1999) • Representation of heroes: 80s/90s/2000s • Hierarchy: where are the men situated? (Marxism reading) • Wins the approval of other men and the adoration of women. • Men and boys should always be in control, and that talking about one’s feelings is a sign of weakness. • Areal man must be economically powerful and socially successful. • Well-intentioned and light-hearted, they range from slightly inept to completely hopeless when it comes to parenting their children or dealing with domestic (or workplace) issues. 


  10. Representation of disability • The Victim: The Elephant Man • “Hero” roles are nearly always played by non-disabled actors, presenting a false picture of disability (compare Daniel Day Lewis in My Left Foot to the real Christy Brown) • The Villain: A fairly recent and striking example is the character of The Joker in the film The Dark Knight , who is described in the movie as being a schizophrenic/Captain Hook in Peter Pan or any representation of pirates. • Entertainment: Freaks (1932) and The Ringer (2005)

  11. Representation of age • Teenagers • Old people • Children • Lost in Translation: Age difference between protaganists

  12. Representation of sexuality • In Hollywood’s early years, from the 1890s to the 1930s, homosexuality was often presented as an object of ridicule and laughter • Bruno: Underlying message: no success with homosexuality image • Brokeback Mountain: Played by straight men: Not classed as a film about homosexuality according to Queer Cinema Filmmakers • Queer Cinema faded as a movement when queerness became more acceptable within the mainstream. • Justin Suarez and Kurt Hummel from Ugly Betty and Glee: positive portrayals of gay teenagers who are supported by their parents, cast as oddities without being freaks and they are portrayed as having loving support networks. Suarez’s case is particularly interesting as he has an older gay role model throughout the series.

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