MEDIA THEORISTS

Shantelle Keech

Vladimir Propp’s 8 Types of Character1. Hero - Protagonist

2. Villain - Antagonist

3. Princess – What the hero’s deserving of throughout but cannot obtain due to the villain (Object of the quest)

4. False-hero – Villain pretending to be moral

5. Donor – Prepares the hero or offers a magical substance

6. Father – Set the task for the hero and establishes roles of characters

7. Dispatcher – Character who sends the hero on their quest and identifies evil

8. Helper (magical) – Character who assists the hero

Application of Propp’s theory to existing products

Within the Indie-pop music video genre, there are many links to this theory, as recognised within the music video for Hollow

Tune by Brick+Mortar.

Application of Propp’s theory to existing products

Hero: Protagonist helps another person with his injury and helps move the story along

Antagonist: War - keeps the soldiers away from their families

Antagonist: Homophobic man attempting to cause trouble with the gay couple

Applying Propp’s Theory to Our Product

We will be embedding Propp’s theory of character types within our music video in order

to enhance the roles that we’re portraying.

Specifically, within our music video, we have the indexical link to the Father role due to his

traditional roles being pressured onto his son.

The protagonist, behaving as somebody who’s in denial of their sexuality, would be classified

as a false-hero whilst also acting as the ‘princess’ character type due to him being the

object of the other male character’s admiration.

Gramsci – HegemonyHegemony is the dominant ideology which follows the theory of power being maintained by the media and higher social groups. It states that the ruling class is

represented as normal which is an act of manipulation in society which teaches people to conform to these values. An example of Gramsci’s theory within the

media is racial hegemony which is recognised through J Cole’s ‘Crooked Smile’; the concept is used to

represent the social flaw of the white race over the black race.

Within our own product, we will be enacting counter hegemony whereby we’ll be representing a rejection of the traditional ideals. As a result, we’ll be normalizing

homosexuality.

Todorov – Narrative Theory

1. Equilibrium: Neutral start (normality)

2. Disruption: Disruption of the narrative/normal day

3. Realisation of disruption

4. Attempted Restoration

5. Re-equilibrium: Neutral end (new normal)

Our intended use of Todorov’s narrative theory is for the final acceptance of sexuality at the end of the video

creating a re-equilibrium.The protagonist will either accept his true feelings or

will completely reject them, causing a correlation between the lyrics and the visuals (Goodwin’s Theory):

“But I keep coming back / To steal from You / I add it to / A bottomless hole / And I'll keep coming back / As long as I /

Can sleep at night / I don't know where it goes”

Andrew Goodwin – 7 Rules

1.Correlation of lyrics and the visuals (contradiction VS conformation)

2.Correlation of music and visuals3.Genre characteristics (iconography of codes and

conventions)4.Voyeurism (Notion of looking – gaze and artist

perception)5.Demands of record label (star image, close ups,

recurring visual style)6.Performance (artist performing) / narrative (story) /

concept based (abstract – dystopian/utopian)7.Intertextuality (reference to existing products)

Within our product, we will be conforming to Goodwin’s rules; we’ll be conforming to the correlation of lyrics and visuals.

For the second, during post production we will be able to alter the timings of shots and transitions to correlate with the music’s speed and tempo. The video is both narrative and

concept based, supporting the conventions of the indie-pop genre. The band, Canopy Climbers, is not signed to a record

label, meaning that we have no demands which we’re required to fulfil.

Richard Dyer – Star TheoryDyer’s theory applies the thinking of an artist enacting a persona or icon that’s constructed by the industry or their record label.

It states that famous people are constructs, creating star theory and utopian ideals of a celebrity.

In relation to our own product, Dyer’s theory is irrelevant; Canopy Climbers is an unsigned band with limited media

recognition which meaning that the representation will be unrestrictive of their music and the band as a whole.

Audience and Institutions:

- Stars are made for money purposes (synergy)

- Brand identity increasing, benefiting the institution