Following a lot of reading into audience theory, I have watched a number of short films and analysed them in relation to audience.
The first short film i looked at was 'Tender'. With a much smaller budget in comparison to Hollywood films, Deborah Haywood, director of 'Tender' turned away from seeking a large mass audience and concentrated primarily on a specific niche audience. By removing the financial requirement, 'Tender' is able to target this niche audience as different audiences seek different things and could perhaps be more attracted to Art House films rather than particular films which focus primarily on narrative which would not have the ability to shock an audience as much as an Art House genre short film like 'Tender'.
Whore
With a controversial title, the short film 'Whore' instantly addresses a niche audience. Film director and writer Fyzal Boulifa used a young female character who is heavily sexualised through the mise en scene of revealing clothing such as a low cut school shirt and above the knee school skirt in order for particular audiences to either feel superior AFFFFFFDYSG or could use one of Blumler and McQuail's four basic needs to satisfy; Surveillance by which audiences use short films alike 'Whore' to obtain a greater understanding od
analysing the short film 'Whore', director and writer Fyzal Boulifa uses representation through mise-en-scene of costume, hair and make-up as well as lighting. The audience becomes aware of the characters through these micro elements which openly introduces the female central protagonist through the opening shot of a medium close up. As the handheld camera tracks backwards, the audience is introduced to the girls school uniform which is a low cut blouse and short skirt. Through these micro elements, the audience is able to create larger meaning and values which then construct representations. Althusser and his concept of interpellation suggests that females are either constructed as mothers or sex objects and in reference to 'Whore' the representations constructed position the female to be regarded as a sex object, this representation is made upon the revealing costume used.
The locations used such as a school are very run down and portrays a working class area. Through draining colour from the camera, the area is represented as a depressing place which constructs the idea that people from a working class background lead an unhappy life of 'doom and gloom'. The negative actions the female character takes alongside her revealing dress constructs the representation that all working class females are 'slutty'. The short film includes very little speech from the female protagonist which leaves the audience unable to make alternative interpretations on her character rather than simply through her mise-en-scene. This suggests that she is only able to make impressions on people through the way she looks, rather than her personality. This contructs a negotiated reading from the audience.
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
Post 6- Representation Theory
Representation: What it means
The term 'representation' refers to the construction of something, which is largley used through the mass media. Representations can be made from people, places, events, cultural identities and other concepts. Representations can be constructed to the observer through speech, language and moving images. David Chandler outlines how it is important to understand that not only are representations constructed within the text, but also how they are constructed through production and also the recognision of those people acknowledging the representations who are also marked differently in relation to the above demographic factors. The diagram below shows this:
Semiotics
Ferdinand Saussure identified the concept of semiotics. He said that objects stand as 'signifers' and we as the consumer associate these particular objects with the 'signified', what we unpick the objects to mean. For example, a Farrari car acts as the signifies, and money, sexy and exciting acts as the signified. Genre employs paragmatic sets for action and adventure, a hand gun, machine gun, vest top and boots all stand as signs that are easily read by the audience and recognised.
Roland Barthes identified the five action codes which were images or sequences which work in order to form a visual shorthand, creating more complex ideas much more recognisable, conisidently, continuing the story. He identified the five action codes as:
Hermeneutic: is an element of the narrative which is not explained (engimas). These unanswered questions make the audience think and begin to question, and thus keeping them actively involved and engaged as viewers.
Proairetic: This is the sections which build tension and indicated something which is about to happen (use of foreshaddowing) again engages the audience as questions want to be answered.
Semantic: the connotations which have extended meanings.
Symbolic: The symbolism used within the media text.
Cultural: Certain aspects included which allows the consumer to associate with as they believe they are within their culture. E.g. weather conditions.
Analysing representation
Following the viewing of short film 'Pop Art', I have tried to link Roland Barthes action codes to the film in order to recieve a greater understanding of how representation is used in media texts to gain a greater viewing audience.
Upon analysing the short film 'Whore', director and writer Fyzal Boulifa uses representation through mise-en-scene of costume, hair and make-up as well as lighting. The audience becomes aware of the characters through these micro elements which openly introduces the female central protagonist through the opening shot of a medium close up. As the handheld camera tracks backwards, the audience is introduced to the girls school uniform which is a low cut blouse and short skirt. Through these micro elements, the audience is able to create larger meaning and values which then construct representations. Althusser and his concept of interpellation suggests that females are either constructed as mothers or sex objects and in reference to 'Whore' the representations constructed position the female to be regarded as a sex object, this representation is made upon the revealing costume used.
The locations used such as a school are very run down and portrays a working class area. Through draining colour from the camera, the area is represented as a depressing place which constructs the idea that people from a working class background lead an unhappy life of 'doom and gloom'. The negative actions the female character takes alongside her revealing dress constructs the representation that all working class females are 'slutty'. The short film includes very little speech from the female protagonist which leaves the audience unable to make alternative interpretations on her character rather than simply through her mise-en-scene. This suggests that she is only able to make impressions on people through the way she looks, rather than her personality. This contructs a negative representation of teenage school students.
The term 'representation' refers to the construction of something, which is largley used through the mass media. Representations can be made from people, places, events, cultural identities and other concepts. Representations can be constructed to the observer through speech, language and moving images. David Chandler outlines how it is important to understand that not only are representations constructed within the text, but also how they are constructed through production and also the recognision of those people acknowledging the representations who are also marked differently in relation to the above demographic factors. The diagram below shows this:
Semiotics
Ferdinand Saussure identified the concept of semiotics. He said that objects stand as 'signifers' and we as the consumer associate these particular objects with the 'signified', what we unpick the objects to mean. For example, a Farrari car acts as the signifies, and money, sexy and exciting acts as the signified. Genre employs paragmatic sets for action and adventure, a hand gun, machine gun, vest top and boots all stand as signs that are easily read by the audience and recognised.
Roland Barthes identified the five action codes which were images or sequences which work in order to form a visual shorthand, creating more complex ideas much more recognisable, conisidently, continuing the story. He identified the five action codes as:
Hermeneutic: is an element of the narrative which is not explained (engimas). These unanswered questions make the audience think and begin to question, and thus keeping them actively involved and engaged as viewers.
Proairetic: This is the sections which build tension and indicated something which is about to happen (use of foreshaddowing) again engages the audience as questions want to be answered.
Semantic: the connotations which have extended meanings.
Symbolic: The symbolism used within the media text.
Cultural: Certain aspects included which allows the consumer to associate with as they believe they are within their culture. E.g. weather conditions.
Analysing representation
Following the viewing of short film 'Pop Art', I have tried to link Roland Barthes action codes to the film in order to recieve a greater understanding of how representation is used in media texts to gain a greater viewing audience.
- Hermeneutic: How did the boys mother die? The audience also attempt to understand why the boy is a blow up boy.
- Proairetic: When the blow up boy sits on the pin in the class room, the audience is positioned to question whether he will die.
- Semantic: The blow up boy connotes difference.
- Symbolic: The paper bird which is created can stand as symbolic as friendship. It also connotes the meaning of not being afraid to be different in comparison to peers.
- Cultural: The relationship between the son and father reflects child deprivation. Also friendship is a cultural code which audiences can relate to.
Upon analysing the short film 'Whore', director and writer Fyzal Boulifa uses representation through mise-en-scene of costume, hair and make-up as well as lighting. The audience becomes aware of the characters through these micro elements which openly introduces the female central protagonist through the opening shot of a medium close up. As the handheld camera tracks backwards, the audience is introduced to the girls school uniform which is a low cut blouse and short skirt. Through these micro elements, the audience is able to create larger meaning and values which then construct representations. Althusser and his concept of interpellation suggests that females are either constructed as mothers or sex objects and in reference to 'Whore' the representations constructed position the female to be regarded as a sex object, this representation is made upon the revealing costume used.
The locations used such as a school are very run down and portrays a working class area. Through draining colour from the camera, the area is represented as a depressing place which constructs the idea that people from a working class background lead an unhappy life of 'doom and gloom'. The negative actions the female character takes alongside her revealing dress constructs the representation that all working class females are 'slutty'. The short film includes very little speech from the female protagonist which leaves the audience unable to make alternative interpretations on her character rather than simply through her mise-en-scene. This suggests that she is only able to make impressions on people through the way she looks, rather than her personality. This contructs a negative representation of teenage school students.
Friday, 2 December 2011
Post 5: Narrative theory
What is 'narrative'?
In media, the term 'narrative' refers to the organisation of a series of facts. As humans, we connect events together to make interpretations based upon those connections made; thus humans seek narrative in order to make sense of things. Whether it be life in perspective, a novel or film, human beings seek a beggining, middle and an end. Structure is necessary if the product is to be understood.
Fiske et al defined the difference between story and narrative in 1983-
"Story is the irreducible substance of a story (A meets B, something happens, order returns), while narrative is the way the story is related (Once upon a time there was a princess..)"
David O'Neil's 'Tenner' serves as a good example of where narrative is used effectively within a media text. The short film opens with attention focused primarily upon the heavy breathing of the male protagonist Hommer. Hommer abuses a local shop owners buisness by spraying a fizzy drink. Throughout the short film, a scene of Hommer ridding his bike and a car nearly hitting him interloods into different scenes which creates an enigma as the audience are unable to understand the need for this and what it means. The film concludes with screening the entire scene whereby Hommer is hit off of his peddle bike by a car, which the driver is revealed to be the shop owner at the beggining. The asian man walks away and rings the police to report his car to be stolen.
'Tenner' illistrates Roland Bathes Codes as he described narrative as, "a galaxy of signifiers, not a structure of signifieds; it has no beginning; it is reversible; we gain access to it by several entrances, none of which can be authoritatively declared to be the main one; the codes it mobilizes extend as far as the eye can read, they are indeterminable...the systems of meaning can take over this absolutely plural text, but their number is never closed, based as it is on the infinity of language..." Here he suggests that a text is similar to a mess of colours, whereby the audience is to seek the meanings by seperating the colours and picking each out and individually recognise their need. By recognising the colours, the audience is able to explore the countless amount of meanings that could be constucted.
At the beggining of 'Tenner' the audience are positioned to read the narrative through the characters, specifically Hommer as they recieve a negotiated reading why by they cannot understand why this character would demonstrate cruel acts on a innocent shop owner. However through the use of genre, the narrative becomes clear at the end when the audience can begin to understand why Hommer is performing these cruel actions, and that is due to the shop owner running him over and consequenting him a leg. This also mirrors Levi- Strauss concept of narrative only being able to end on a resolution of conflict, which is what happens within 'Tenner'.
In media, the term 'narrative' refers to the organisation of a series of facts. As humans, we connect events together to make interpretations based upon those connections made; thus humans seek narrative in order to make sense of things. Whether it be life in perspective, a novel or film, human beings seek a beggining, middle and an end. Structure is necessary if the product is to be understood.
Fiske et al defined the difference between story and narrative in 1983-
"Story is the irreducible substance of a story (A meets B, something happens, order returns), while narrative is the way the story is related (Once upon a time there was a princess..)"
David O'Neil's 'Tenner' serves as a good example of where narrative is used effectively within a media text. The short film opens with attention focused primarily upon the heavy breathing of the male protagonist Hommer. Hommer abuses a local shop owners buisness by spraying a fizzy drink. Throughout the short film, a scene of Hommer ridding his bike and a car nearly hitting him interloods into different scenes which creates an enigma as the audience are unable to understand the need for this and what it means. The film concludes with screening the entire scene whereby Hommer is hit off of his peddle bike by a car, which the driver is revealed to be the shop owner at the beggining. The asian man walks away and rings the police to report his car to be stolen.
'Tenner' illistrates Roland Bathes Codes as he described narrative as, "a galaxy of signifiers, not a structure of signifieds; it has no beginning; it is reversible; we gain access to it by several entrances, none of which can be authoritatively declared to be the main one; the codes it mobilizes extend as far as the eye can read, they are indeterminable...the systems of meaning can take over this absolutely plural text, but their number is never closed, based as it is on the infinity of language..." Here he suggests that a text is similar to a mess of colours, whereby the audience is to seek the meanings by seperating the colours and picking each out and individually recognise their need. By recognising the colours, the audience is able to explore the countless amount of meanings that could be constucted.
At the beggining of 'Tenner' the audience are positioned to read the narrative through the characters, specifically Hommer as they recieve a negotiated reading why by they cannot understand why this character would demonstrate cruel acts on a innocent shop owner. However through the use of genre, the narrative becomes clear at the end when the audience can begin to understand why Hommer is performing these cruel actions, and that is due to the shop owner running him over and consequenting him a leg. This also mirrors Levi- Strauss concept of narrative only being able to end on a resolution of conflict, which is what happens within 'Tenner'.
Post 4: Genre as media concept
The Notion of category evolving into genre plan
Intro:
· Introduce the importance of genre to industry and consequently, audience.
· Introduce the emergence of a fragmented audience.
· Repetition and difference.
Whose interests do generic ideas serve?
· Film industries
· Audience seeks gratification and pleasure by decoding the encoded, meaning in generic films.
How did the notion of category evolve or shift into genre?
· Film studios began to make films in a certain genre
-MGM: Musicals
-Warner Brothers: Gangster films
How did the notion of category evolve or shift into genre? Whose interests do generic ideas serve?
Charley Britton
Genre acts as an important element for film makers; it is a fundamental use by which they communicate through story telling in order to relate and interest specific audiences. Genre allows viewers to experience escapism, a film can allow us to shape reality into how individuals want their personal life to be, which consequently fulfills the viewers expectations and grants them with pleasure and satisfaction.
With freedom of choice in interests and individuality in society, audiences expect to be presented with a choice in the films they view. With an audience demand, film industries were forced into creating generic films which are created in the means of targeting specific categories of people and satisfying their demands. From this demand, a fragmented audience emerged which meant that many different generic films had to be produced. Woman wanted different aspects of films, alike with males. Traditional stereotypes of what each gender would want had to be demolished, and this is when genre was introduced. Film studios rapidly began focusing on specific genres of films they wanted to create, for example MGM Studios produced musicals, while Warner Brothers introduced the emergence of a gangster sub-genre. They created this in order to captivate a particular group of viewers and secure success.
With a variety of generic films, industries are becoming dependant on films that created and do not want to gamble with film ideas, Steve Neale referred to this as Repetition and Difference. Film makers are producing films with great similarities in order to be guaranteed success in the box office charts. This can be argued that stereotypes of audiences needs are reoccurring. Taking Romantic Comedies as an example, many are very similar in their narrative. Todorov explains narratives to have a sequence by which they follow. Beginning in a state of plenitude, the storyline then switches to a state of chaos, finishing in a circuit with a new equilibrium being restored. This connotes the audiences’ gratification and pleasure.
Audience seeks gratification and pleasure by decoding the encoded meanings that the film makers create. While the audience thinks their interests are being served for their personal sake, it is in fact the film industries that are benefiting from generic films as they are able to influence the viewers into what they want to seek in genre and are able to continue reproducing these films and, consequently earn millions of pounds from them.
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