mediated identity 3

Today’s question strand:To What Extent Is Human Identity Increasingly Mediated?

How is who we are affected by the media?

Box 1: Can you rewrite it in a simpler form?

Box 2: Why does it matter?


Why does it matter?

Are we ACTIVE or PASSIVE?

What theories apply to these two different audience responses?

ACTIVE & PASSIVE AUDIENCE THEORIES

Gauntlett’s gender and identity theories for active audiences– girl power, decline of tradition, masculinity in crisis – reflection of society – media and audience both input on identity

Stuart Hall’s positioning theory – encoding, decoding, preferred readings because of dominant ideologies (hegemony)

Hypodermic needle model – if audiences are completely passive what affect could this have?

Judith Butler theory

Judith Butler Gender Trouble theory

Gender is a performance, a series of learned acts, it is not in fact innate. Therefore the media has an impact on these learned acts.

Do you agree with this?

What stereotypes are present in our 2 key texts?

• a. Tamara Drewe

• b. Fish Tank What representations of Britishness might be passively consumed?

Consider Gender, age, class, ethnicity…

Film Hegemony Countertypes Stereotypes

Tamara Drewe Reaction shot signified Andy’s surprise when Tam didn’t make teaMen taking the lead in sex – with the continuity editingDog running out representing chaos – sex causes troubleMen are more successful/famous – womenWomen’s expectations in romance – bad boys

Beth is advising Glenn on writing – superior intelligence/experience- longer takes/asynchronous sound of Glenn’s voice‘Make it’ – undermining Andy - witty

Country(rural) – calm demeanour – facial expression when approached by BenGlenn- I can’t write, constipated – men are stubbornAge/gender – Beth – mature, Tam – flirtatious, teens – out of control

Fish Tank Production design of high st – prices/money signs – centre of shot – money is an issueMia is centre of shot – centre of attention/girl powerLow key lighting – teens in shop – negative view/troubleCrew video – masculine hobbyLower class/female/teens – restricted in life – stripy wall paper

Mia’s diegetic dialogue – ‘left eye will match your right’ – aggressive not caringMia runs out of flat in continuity editing – not listening to MumManipulative – tap running – to listen

The handheld camera movement on Mia (convention of social realism) – signifies Mia’s teen confusion/lonely/isolatedAmbient sounds – many at once – chaotic lifestyleConor brings calm – less noise - superior

POINT: Are you agreeing or disagreeing with the question?AGREEING: The film Fish Tank reinforces negative stereotypes that affect our beliefs.

EVIDENCE: What evidence supports your point? (micro evidence)The production design of Zoe’s flat which is run down, messy, dirty, doors falling off

cupboards etc connotes her as poor and neglectful as a young, single Mum in Britain.

EXPLAIN: What theory supports your point?Stuart Hall’s positioning theory suggests that when the audience decode they often have a preferred response which shows that these stereotypes would be believed.


POINT: Are you agreeing or disagreeing with the question?AGREEING: The media does have an affect on our identity.

EXPLAIN: What theory supports your point?The Hypodermic needle model states that the audience are passive and will absorb

the messages conveyed without question.

EVIDENCE: What evidence supports your theory? (micro evidence)In Tamara Drewe, the ideology that only beautiful people succeed is reinforced by the fact that Gemma Arterton’s character along with her new nose returns to her home town with new found confidence which wasn’t displayed in the flashback sequence

when she had a large nose and was being bullied.


5. Real life examples

Can you find any examples in the press where representations of Britishness in film have affected someone in real life?

What impact will the media representations have on our own identities?

6. So what will happen in the future if the media keep ‘mediating’?

mediated identity 3

Social Media