intro to media theory

Tuesday 05th September 2023                                                      

                                media theory: the power of the media     

1. social media interests me as well as music 

2. i like social media 

3. the media i watch is films 

4. i listen to a wide range of music 

5. i get my news from the tv or tik tok 

          Monday 11th September 2023

                                               media theory: stranger things.   

lo: to analyse using the theoretical framework to critically apply the theoretical frame work to text.

media language: how the media through their forms, codes, conventions and techniques communicate meanings. camera work, editing, sound, mise en scene

media representation: how the media portray events, issues, individuals and social groups 

media industries: how the media industries processes of production, distribution and circulation affect media forms and platforms.

media audiences: the people who interact with the media.

contexts: extra information 

 media language: 80s lighting, sci-fi, horror 

representation: high school experience, police are unsupportive(didn't help Joyce at the start) Joyce and hoppers conversation about wills sexuality is biased, bullies, 

audience: people who enjoy sci-fi and horrors.

industry: high production values, believable 1980s set. 

contexts: Joyce is a single mum and it shows that being a single mum in the 80s was a struggle. the show also shows the inequality of the 80s, Jonathan has taken on a mum role. the inequality of the 80s is shown in Joyce. 

social: hopper dealing with the case shows how the police would work a missing child. 

political: showing how hard it was for single mums in the 80s and how the police where viewed as well. 

Baudrillard: an argument that modern society is a simulation (hyperreality)

what reality are we shown?

we are shown a hyperreality in the sense that a lot of the things where made up.

is this a postmodern text? how is it postmodern?

I think that it is a postmodern text because they have multiple perspectives of the situation.  

which features from are list were evident?

. lack of verisimilitude

. loss of reality  

 

how is this a version of hyperreality? 

this is a version of hyperreality because they portray the film very well giving it a reality like feeling to it.

what simulacra are we shown in stranger things if any?

in stranger things the simulacra that is shown is the police officers this is because they have a 80s stereotypes of how police officers where like in america at that time. 

how does baudrilard apply to stranger things?: 

example of postmodernism in the text. describe the scene:

An example of postmodernism shown in that scene of stranger this is when hopper and Joyce have a conversation about wills sexuality and how it is biased. Another example of postmodernism is how the police station is unsupportive.   

explain how this fits with what Baudrillard states: 

This fits with what Baudrillard states because they use the stereotype that police officers back in the 80s and use the same as most movies do. Also it makes people believe that people where actually like that in the 80s. 

what representations about the historical context does this create?

The representations about historical context this creates is that police officers back in the 80s where biased and that police officers where quite unhelpful until they see the actual danger in the situation there dealing with.  

Monday 18th September 2023.

                                                  media theory: music as protest hip hop and beyond.

What is representation?

representation is how groups are portrayed also there are stereotypes.

how are these people represented? 

Threatening- facial expression + body language.

Gangs- clothing, hats, "bling"

what tells you that?

What there wearing, how they are standing. 

rose summary: rap music criticises injustice for black ,en but maintains sexist attitudes to black women. 

research task:

i think an artist that reflects the social injustice in society is bastille. (""you got the power and control here" this is my body and this is my soul") 

Homework:

. Fairy godmother in Cinderella because it could just be a thing of Cinderella’s imagination 

. The talking mice might be a part of her imagination because they might not actually be talking or be able to wear clothes.

Tuesday 19th September 2023. 

                                                     media theory: Rupaul and identity. 

what makes up a persons identity? 

. place of birth

. gender

. personality

.punctuality 

what does term audience mean? 

what can an audience get from a TV show? 

gauntlet is how the media represents a wide range of messages about identity, which can be used by the audience through there own identity

butler is gender roles created in response to our gender, there is "gender trouble" for those who do not fit the right gender roles. 

in Rupauls drag the way they dress may offended some women as he women could think that they are being stereotypical about how they dress but then if you look at runway models today a of the outfits and things worn are big and spontaneous. the gender roles aren't as strict as well as they aren't stereotypical men and they dress up as women. Rupauls is just a show for groups of people sow there talent and for people to feel comfortable in what they do instead of being judged by people and they are only judged as a competition of there talents. it also allows the audience to watch and express them self's by watching it and they could be like role models to the audience.

homework: 

butler:

???

gauntlet: 

Rupauls drag race has gauntlet because in the series they show how a different gender can dress up as another by doing this there audience might feel more comfortable if they like doing the same thing or they could find out that they like it through watching it, even though some people say that it is offensive towards women and making people believe that women wear makeup how they portray it and dress like it as well but that's wrong as they are dressed up to go on a runway and if you see runway models now they dress like that and wear make like it as well maybe not as excessive but they still do, the audience might also be inspired by the people in the series and look up to them as role models, people who are in the show might also feel not judges by people as the only people that judge them in a good way is the judges as it is a competition.  

Monday 02nd October 2023. 

                                                   media theory: race

lo: to investigate the stereotypes of race in texts and to discuss race theories and to critically apply theory to texts. 

  

  The person making the productions to the black panther would be the director.

The characters in the picture are presented as strong independent women.

The elements that create this representation is how they are standing and the weapons they are holding they are also all standing together in some sort of amour. The angle from the shot also make them look intimidating. 

From this image the audience may expect the women in the picture to be strong and able to be good at fighting.   

key representation that are positive in terms of African culture:  

- traditional clothing 

- makeup

- piercing 

- body paint 

- traditional embracing the culture 

- people of wakanda were close, welcoming and loving society

-  traditional to have different tribes and native 

- royal structure those in power are in command the army and citizens, but also open and funny

- traditional music of drums and dance, methods of celebration

- really positive of women 

key representation that are negative in terms of African culture: 

- everyone was wearing a tribal costume which was a mix of cultures 

- spears which are seen as primitive and violent 

- accents are mix amounts not a true one from a country 

- replicating negative stereotypes that women and children are kidnapped a lot 

Tuesday 03 October 2023.

                                                     media theory: race 

lo: to investigate the principles behind theories of representation of race. to discuss various theories on racial representations and to critically apply this theory to texts. 

 

representation, meaning, stereotype. 

'not one true meaning'. 

ideology behind the stereotype (values/beliefs). 

i think that snow white uses levi strauss this is because you have snow white and then you have the wicked witch who is the villain. the witch is older step mother as snow white is a younger aged character, snow white is also neglected and abused by her step mother the wicked witch. this also portrays a role that the young are prey to the old. 

Alvarados Theory:

he believed that people from ethnic minority backgrounds are represented in one of four stereotypical ways.  

racial stereotype 1- pitied

someone who is vulnerable and in need of help and sympathy 

racial stereotype 2- dangerous 

someone who is aggressive violent and needs to be feared 

racial stereotype 3- exotic 

someone who is culturally unusual, strange, exciting or others  

racial stereotype 4- humorous/comedic 

someone who is funny and should be laughed at or with  

Tuesday 10th October 2023.

                                                 media theory: masculinity. 

lo: to investigate how representation of masculinity differ. 

to discuss various theories on masculinity.

to critically apply theory to texts and explore the impact of the representations. 

this is creating a representation that if you want to be a real man then you need to be muscular and strong. 

masculinity is shown that all men need to be jacked and strong

this tells us that the audience might start believing this and they might gain expectations.

how is masculinity represented in this advert? 

masculinity is represented in this advert because it is a man hitting a women because she didn't make his coffee right. i think this is showing back in those times men were known to be abusive and in charge. it is a stereotypical because the man is taking charge and being in control of that situation and being dominant. it also shows that he is the worker of he family. the text on the advert also gives off a sense tat if you want to be a husband you need to be weary and you need to be secretive.

The man is presented as physical and strong whilst also being on a break, the man is also a construction worker (not a very challenging). The product is also hinting that women will only fall for you if you have a muscular body. The man is also objectified for the female pleasure, the camera angle is above the man giving the idea that he is being looked down on. 

The women are working in a office showing they are more intellectually dominant, the low angle shots give off a sense that they have more power then the man. 

 barths - semiology: 

diet coke will help you lose weight it also gives off the sense that only muscular men can drink diet coke. another object that does this is red roses which are associated with love and affection and traditionally the man gives the rose to the women. 

this picture shows toxic masculinity because it is suggesting that men should be able to beat women and it is also suggesting that men rule everything and its just one more thing for them to also rule. It also suggests that men should be able to beat women at everything and if they lose something to a women then they aren't a man. The thing that makes people think this isn't the picture it is the text because it is bold and in your face. 

homework:

this picture is an old advert which shows a lady holding a hoover and the advert is about how easy it is to carry around but this advert is sexists' this is because its a women on the front, as back then it was only the lady's that would clean and men that would go out and work.

Monday 30th October 2023

                                                    media theory: assessment.

lo: To demonstrate knowledge of media theory's 

To apply media theory to texts 

To critically explore a text using media theory. 

Notes:

. its based in 80s/90s 

. kid seen a strange figure on road and fell off his bike 

. phone doesn't working can only hear weird sounds 

. child is trying to load a shotgun alone

. light goes bright and the child disappears 

. the police officer has a cigarette and beer in the morning

. mother finds out child is missing and was on his own last night when the mother and older brother went to work to earn some extra money as she is a single mother

. children being bullied for the way they look and forcing them to do things while also calling them freaks

. sheriff was late to work 

. sheriff didn't want to do work in the morning

. his mother called him different how he gets laughed at for his clothes 

. mother whispered the word queer and fag the sheriff asked if he was like it mattered

. the child was bullied by his father when he was younger

. Hawkins lab is hiding stuff underground 

. theres a black goo like texture in the underground lab, there is also no lights

.  they keep children with powers underground and one of the girls had escaped

. the girl was trying to steal food as she was starved 

. sheriff came in to. school to question the missing Childs three friends 

assessment:

In stranger things the representation is that its a horror series but the representations of the 80/90s there is a load of different look on things, for example the sheriff of the town had a drink of beer in the morning and had smoked when he arrived at work the receptionist of the sheriffs office told him how a child had gone missing and he said that the morning is for coffees making it seem like he didn't really care that much about the missing child, for the audience watching this is could give them the idea that the sheriffs back the where lazy and a bit selfish, it gives a representation that all sherriffs were the exact same in the 80/90s. caring on with the sheriff, when the mother bought up about how her son is bullied and his dad used to call him names like 'queer' and 'fag', the sheriff had questioned if he was like it was important to the case, the mother had also said the two words quietly this gives off a representation that back then those words where said a lot but for an offensive use. 

The child that went missing was riding his bike home on his own when he had seen a strange figure and rode off the road out of fear he had fell off his bike and ran the rest of the way. when he got home no one was there he had then ran to the shed and tried to load a shotgun before he had just vanished. The next morning the mother hadn't knowtest that her son was missing until she went to wake him up for school and he wasn't there that was also when she found out her oldest son was not home either and had gone to work that night. This gives off the representation that back then it was okay to just leave your kids at home alone, and also that it was hard being a single mum and trying to pay for two kids and yourself.With the sheriff they are using hall representation theory they are using a stereotype of what sheriffs are like. With the information i had gotten from the part of the episode we watched is that the affects this might have on the media and this is that it might start making people think its okay to leave there young child at home alone, it might also start making them think that its okay to use some of the offensive words said. the media might twist the actual reason for certain things in the show. it might also make people view officers differently because of this TV show. 

There are also other things which give off different representations of the 80/90s, this is that the government had been hiding things under a lab and had kept children with powers locked down there the child that escaped was starved and due to this being in the show the media/audience might view the government differently, they already do but this might make them be certain on things.  

In the clip we had watched there was a group of three boys who were being picked on for colour of skin, gap in teeth, and the way they look, this could make the audience think that in the 80/90s it was racist and kids were bullied just for being a little different. this is the levi struss theory because one kid is black the one that is being bullied and one that is bullying him is white they are two binary opposites. 

With this TV series the audience might starting hating on certain things like the stereotype the media has made about sheriffs and police officers, they might also dislike how they used the sterotypical that the quite children are the ones that get bullied because they are an easy target. 

When the child was able to get a shotgun and try and load it himself this might worry the audience as to why a young child was able to reach this and knew where it was and might make people believe that parents back then just left guns out for children to easily grab and use and the media will let people believe that.  

Monday 6th November 2023.

                                                   media theory : dirt 

lo: to reflect on areas and try to improve 

Target: try to use clear structure to answer the question and bring in elements of therical framework. 

The representation in the text is gender equality. This is seen when Nancey and Steve where in the bathroom together and he was trying to convince her to go and meet him instead of letting her study. The representation in this section establish that men/boys where more concentrated about having sex and going to parties and not concentrated on studying and being able to get a job. It makes teenage boys look like they don't care about anything else. Along with that there is also a separate between the "smart" people and the "popular" people it shows that there are also girls that want the same as Steve and not wanting the same as Nancey. Here we can see that the text supports that Steve just wants to focus on having sex and not focusing on studying this is shown when Steve sneaks to Nancys house where he sees her studying and he goes in to "help her when actually he was trying to convince her to take items of clothing off if she gets an answer right and was also just wanting to make out with her. This reflects the context of the time as if the teenage boys where more interested in going out having sex and partying but then not all the teenage boys where like this you had Jonathan who was more into his photography and was more focused on school and his family and was also falling in love with nancey but he seen her differently to how Steve seen her. Another thing on gender is the younger teenage boys Mike, Will, Dusten and Lucas, they were younger then Steve and Jonathan but they still where more interested in playing there board games, messing about/having adventures and having fun. Overall this shows that teenage boys in that time where represented as people who are more focused on there social status and having sex then they are about studying and school and they have applied the gauntlet/bauliride theory here this is shown when teenage boys are shown as whet Steve is like.