AS Media Studies

G322: Key Concepts in MediaSection A: TV DRAMA

Date: 25/02/2014 Term Sp2, Lesson 1 1

TV DramasConnect

Discovery Question

Date Term ?, Lesson ? 3

Discover

• What is AGE REPRESENTATION and HOW is it constructed?

Date Term ?, Lesson ? 4

Learning Objective/ Outcome Level

All: Will understand the exam question and be able to relate it to TV Dramas

Level 2

Most: Will explain the uses Camerawork, Editing, Sound and MES in a TV Drama to create Representation

Level 3

Some: Will analyse the the uses Camerawork, Editing, Sound and MES in a TV Drama to create Representation

Level 4

Discover

G322 Media Exam

• Textual Analysis and Representation:

– Camera shots– Camera Angle– Movement and Composition– Editing– Sound– Mise-en-Scene

Discover

7 KEY AREAS FOR TOPIC

• Gender• Age• Ethnicity• Sexuality• Class and status• Physical ability/disability• Regional identity

Discover

In exploring representation you need to establish....

• What view of people or issues is being conveyed to audiences?

• How far is that view conveyed?• How far are audiences positioned to take up a

preferred view?• How far do the representations challenge or

conform to dominant representations and ideologies?

Representation• Representation refers to the construction in

any medium of aspects of ‘reality’ such as people, places, objects, events, cultural identities and other abstract concepts. Such representations may be in speech or writing as well as still or moving pictures.

• A key aspect in the study of representation concern is with the way in which representations are made to seem ‘natural’.

Stereotypes• The easiest way for the audience to

relate to a character or characters is to use Stereotypes

• Stereotypes are when a character is created using a common set of ideas about a group of people. These ideas can be both positive and negative and can influence the way we view groups of people

Stereotypes• Whenever we look at a character on screen

we need to work out who they are representing.

• This is how Stereotypes work – they arew a simple way of recognising a character quickly for an audience

• An ARCHEOTYPE is a developed character – a character that builds from a stereotype.

Approaching the Question

• It is very difficult to discuss a ‘plan’ for Question 1 when the topic and extract are unseen!

• What we can do is practice the tools that will help for every question

Date Term ?, Lesson ? 11

Approaching the Question

• Some important rules:– You must talk about each area of CAMERAWORK,

MISE-EN-SCENE, EDITING and SOUND to get a Level 3 or 4

– You should discuss one point at a time and move on

– Use P.E.A parargraphs to help you make relevant points

Date Term ?, Lesson ? 12

Approaching the Question

Date Term ?, Lesson ? 13

Common Gender Representations

Typical Male Representations Typical Female Representations

Female Representations• Representations of women across all

media tend to highlight the following:– beauty (within narrow conventions)– size/physique (again, within narrow

conventions)– sexuality (as expressed by the above)– emotional (as opposed to intellectual)

dealings– relationships (as opposed to

independence/freedom)

• Women are often represented as being part of a context (family, friends, colleagues) and working/thinking as part of a team. In drama, they tend to take the role of helper or object, passive rather than active (Propp).

Male Representations• 'Masculinity' is a concept that is made up of more

rigid stereotypes than femininity. Representations of men across all media tend to focus on the following:

– Strength - physical and intellectual– Power– Sexual attractiveness (which may be based on the

above)– Physique– Independence (of thought, action)

• Male characters are often represented as isolated, as not needing to rely on others (the lone hero). If they capitulate to being part of a family, it is often part of the resolution of a narrative, rather than an integral factor in the initial equilibrium.

• It is interesting to note that the male physique is becoming more important a part of representations of masculinity.

The Male Gaze

• A theory by LAURA MULVERY

• Is an unconscious assumption that every audience member is a heterosexual male and all producers are male

• Thus all women are objectified and inferior in some way

Exam Practice

MES CW ED S

Point

Evidence

Analysis

• What is the Representation• Is it positive or negative?

Practice Pieces

• Dr Who - Jan 2009 Exam

• Primevil - June 2010 Exam

• Mad Men

HOMEWORK!

• Watch the Clip from the January 2011 exam from HUSTLE

• Hustle - Jan 2011 Exam

• Write an essay answer to the question