AQA 2016Science Fiction Films

REPRESENTATION

Representation• Representation is the way the media reflects the ‘real

world’ back to us.• The media’s presentation is never ‘transparent.’• Every representation is biased, even by what is included

and what is left out.• All representations reflect the ideas, biases and

assumptions of the producers.• The audience can also read the representations in a

biased way, or from a particular point of view.• It can be a problem if we believe the media represents

reality, and if we forget that it is a constructed, created and biased view of the world.

Representation in science fictionScience fiction films often rely on ‘stock’ characters:• The main hero • The sidekick• The evil villain• The victims who need saving• The authorities / experts / scientists who can be arrogant

or foolish, and the hero has to fight them too

Watch the trailer for MonstersWatch the trailer for Mad Max Fury RoadTry to identify the character types. Are there other

categories needed?

Stereotypes• Stereotypes are simplified views of groups of people.

• Often one or two characteristics are used to represent the whole person, and the whole group they belong to.

• For example, ‘dumb blondes’: the whole person is characterised simply as a ‘blonde’, and all people with blonde hair are grouped together as being the same.

• Does it matter? It can do if the stereotype is negative, if it used against people, or if certain social groups have more power to create and use stereotypes than other social groups.

• Stereotypes are often used in the media as they are easy to recognise and understand. They are a convenient ‘shorthand.’

Stereotypes in films• Films often use stereotypes as a shorthand to

communicate ideas.

• The audience finds stereotypes (e.g. the good-looking but untrustworthy woman; the self-sacrificing mother; the daredevil teen; the brave old man) easy to recognise and easy to understand.

• It is easier for producers to present an easy stereotype rather than a more complex character.

• People who don’t fit the stereotype aren’t represented in films – they become ‘invisible'

• Do you think this is true? And if it is true, is it OK?

Stereotypes and countertypes

• Countertypes are characters who are not stereotypes.

• They may be almost the opposite of a stereotype, or just different.

• Countertypes can challenge traditional stereotypes and offer new ways of representing people.

• For example, Sigourney Weaver played Ripley in the Alien franchise – she was one of the first female action heroes in a sci-fi horror. At the time, she was a countertype, although now it is more common to have women action heroes.

• For example, Attack the Block featured a black urban teen as the hero – another countertype.

Heroes and villainsHeroes and villains are often stereotyped.

o Villains tend to be: Evil, cowardly, less intelligent, charismatic, easily

tricked… They can tend to be: old, ugly, ‘foreign’

o Heroes tend to be: Resourceful, strong, brave, determined, good… They also tend to be American, male, white and young

or middle-aged.

o This reinforces the idea that good-looking people are good and trustworthy and ugly people are evil or untrustworthy. Is this fair?

Gender representations.

• Consider how men and women are represented. Who looks big and strong? Who looks sexy? Who has most / least clothes on? Who is positioned to show their body the most? Who is in control / the leader?o Poster for The Matrixo Poster for X Men 2

Find some posters which have non-stereotypical representations of gender.

Comparing representations of gender

Comment on these aspects of representation in Jurassic World

Female characters

Male characters

Role in the film

body size and shape - what features are emphasised?

costume- what do they wear?

props - what items to they tend to have / use?

facial expressions?

gestures?

Comparing representations of gender

Comment on these aspects of representation in The Fifth Element

Female characters

Male characters

Role in the film

body size and shape - what features are emphasised?

costume- what do they wear?

props - what items to they tend to have / use?

facial expressions?

gestures?

Comparing representations of gender

Comment on these aspects of representation in Alien

Female characters

Male characters

Role in the film

body size and shape - what features are emphasised?

costume- what do they wear?

props - what items to they tend to have / use?

facial expressions?

gestures?

Representations

• The stereotypical hero is usually a good-looking, white, American man in his 20s-50s, who fights alone.

• How is / are the hero(es) of Attack the Block different to this stereotype?

Ideology: messages about the world• What kind of messages do typical science fiction films

contain?• Do they suggest certain things are normal or right? For

example, certain ways of looking or dressing or behaving?

• Do films rely on old-fashioned ideas of feminine and masculine, or black and white, or ‘foreign’?

• Do films present an impossible body image to girls (‘thin is beautiful’), and boys (muscular and buff)?

• Do only good looking, young, usually heterosexual people feature in films?

• Does this all give viewers a false impression of what is ‘normal’?

Does it matter?• The cultivation theory suggests that the more time

someone spends watching TV the more they believe the version of the world it promotes.

• Similarly, the reinforcement theory says the media can only reinforce or confirm our existing beliefs.

• What do you think?

Are non-stereotypical films possible?

Plan a pitch for a film – a brief outline of the plot, characters and setting for one of the following:

o A mostly female cast, including a female hero and villain

o A film where the Americans are the villains and the heroes are Russian, or middle-eastern, or…..

o A mostly teen-aged casto A mostly ‘differently abled’ casto A mostly homosexual cast (male and female)

o Do you think audiences would enjoy non-stereotypical films? Why / why not?

Further reading

Read these articles / blogs about representation in science fiction:

• Where’s the diversity, Hollywood?

• It sucks when sci-fi reinforces stereotypes

• 6 insane stereotypes that movies can’t seem to get over

Explain these terms. Use examples.

RepresentationBiasStereotypeCountertypeIdeologyCultivation theoryReinforcement theory