ethnicity

The word 'race' in the cultural and political terrain has almost universally been aligned with black and asian people, as though they are the only racial groups that 'own' an ethnicity. whiteness has been naturalised, as though it is an invisible 'norm' when it is of course an ethnic group like any other.

1) Examination

• relationship between audiences of the media and the messages they transmit
• theorist focus on issues around textuality and context by analysing how various media forms choose to select and present information on different racial groups

2) Investigation

• possible connections between the consumers of media images and those in control of its output
• Dynamics between ownership, control, and content
• focuses on the 'process' of media production and considers wider social, political and economic implications of the media
• it is connected with issues of authorship and examines whether those in control of output (largely white middle class men) affects the type of images the media produces.

Functionalist view vs the marxist view

• The functionalist view argues that program makers 'cater for what the public wants' and simply reflects attitudes, tastes and opinions on ethnicity
• The marxist view is that those in control of media output shape how audiences view race.

Equal opportunities 

• 'Good broadcastings would reflect the competing demands of a society which was increasingly multiracial and pluralist' (BBC Charter 1977)
• Liberal pluralism - A philosophy and political principle that argues for the university ("sameness")

equal opportunities 

THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY VIEW

Few academics have disputed the fact that the media, have been very selective in their portrayal of Black and Asian people. Many have attributed this to a lack of Black and Asian people in key, decision-making positions. 

Following viewer complaints and general criticism, this concept was taken seriously by the BBC in 1977 when the committee ruled that; ‘liberal pluralism’ must be the ethos behind programming in order to ensure ‘Good broadcasting would refect the competing demands of a society which was increasingly multi-racial and pluralist.’ (BBC Charter 1977). While Channel 4 established multicultural programming departments in 1984. Both stations also operate an equal opportunity employment policy.

gender in tv drama

Gamman and Marshment  - Men can also be portrayed as objects as sexual disirer
laura mulvey (1975) -woman are seen as an object of sexual desire
R.W connell (1995) - four types of masculinities; hegemonic, complicit, subordinate, marginalised
'hegemonic masculinity refers to the dominant form of masculinity within the gender hierarchy. hegemonic masculinity is associated with whiteness, heterosexuality, marriage, authority and physical toughness.'

complicit -men in society who do not themselves live up to the ideal of hegemonic masculinity 

subordinate - masculinity is defined by and in opposition to hegemonic masculinity in a society. Homosexuality as a common example of a subordinated masculinity.

Marginalized - These could be based on ethnic religious or racial identifications. They are marginalised in that their interest and perspectives are often not taken into consideration by the dominant culture.

Laura Mulvey woman are seen as object of desire (1975)

- The look of the camera

- The looks of the male character

-The looks which originate from the male spectator which imitate the other two constructed gazes

How is gender represented in the extract? 

mise-en-scene

camera

editing

sound

Laura Mulvey 1975 states that woman are seen as an object of desire, the camera work in this movie backs this up as when she is trying on dresses the camera angle tilts from the bottom upwards which allows the viewers to see her in the dress

How is gender represented in this extract?

As Laura Mulvey (1975) says "as erotic objects of desire to the characters within the screen, and the spectators in the auditorium" this extract links to this with the attractive wealthy woman walks into a clothes shop and in terms of miss-en-scene we know she's wealthy because of the outfit she's wearing and how her hair and makeup is immaculate. Digetic sound of upbeat music is used throughout the shop scene to make it obvious that the scene is back in the shop. The shopkeeper links to R.W Connell's theory (1995) as he is seen as a subordinate man in terms of masculinity due to the way he speaks and that he owns a womans clothes shop. The shop keeper looks down at the other woman in the shop who can't afford the clothes and mid shots are used with parallel editing switching between them both when speaking. The digetic music changes when the shopkeeper walks over to the other woman who is shown as more superior by this change of music and in terms of mise-en-scene the way she's dressed. This links in with L:aura Mulvey's theory (1975) of  "As erotic desire to the characters and as erotic desire to the auditorium" because of the music change and the way she looks.  Parallel editing is used when there is dialogue between these two characters, switching between both of them speaking. In terms of camera movement, the camera tilts up, starting from the bottom and going up to the top of the womans dress so the audience can view it. When the woman loses her ring, you can tell by her facial expression the panic and the actions she does as she frantically searches for it. The camera uses a tracking shot to follow the womans movement. A close up is used of the shopkeepers face to how his confusion. When the woman offers to pay for the shopkeeper to find the ring, a close up is used where the woman looks directly at the camera as if she's talking to the audience and says 'I know you will' to make them feel more involved in this tv show. In terms of editing, a fade out of black is used to flow to the next scene. This scene is of two men talking but you can tell that the oldest man is the hegenomic as the camera focuses mostly on him and he dominants the conversation. In terms of mise-en-scene he is wearing a suit and smoking a cigar which is stereotypically seen as what an upperclass and powerful man would look like. A fade out of black is used again and goes back to the scene in the shop with the same digetic sound used so the audience know its in the shop. 

disability essay

As Jordanova stated in 1989; “the treatment of others as more like an object, something to be managed and possessed, and as dangerous, wild, threatening.” The media language in this clip I just watched supports and Contradicts this as Everyone is scared of him, however when he scares his friend she comes running up to him apologising and treating him like a person saying 'she would of screamed even if it was George Clooney.'
This extract starts with a shot of barbed wire with a blurry background so you can't see in, which makes you think of a cage. This links back with Jordanovas theory of disabled peopled being treated like they're dangerous, wild and threatening, just like an animal. Also the camera kept on doing extreme close up shots of the burnt bit on the mans face, this lets the audience see the man disability and creates atmosphere and tension as the audience are left wondering how he got it. In terms of mise-en-scene in the clip at the building site the two workers showed very tense awkward body language towards the man with the scar and quite clearly want him to go away this creates tension and also makes the viewers feel sorry for the man with the scar.

The editing was at a face pace and they used lots of reverse shots between which people are speaking to get a better view so you could see there body language which suddenly changed as soon as the man with the scar asked for his job back which the other men clearly didnt want him to have probably because he might scare away customers, which links with Barnes (1998) theory stating 'disabled people are seen as 'freaks''
Non-diegetic sound is then used to create a dramatic effect when he is marching through the street this creates tension as the man is looking angry and the viewers are on the edge of there seat as you dont know what hes going to do next. 
The next clip then shows him talking to a sargent, and the disabled man has the scarred bit on his face in the shadows so you cant see it that well which was done on purpose as it makes him look dark and fearful which causes suspence.

How is disability portrayed in the extract you just watched?

As Barnes (1998) theory says disabled people are seen as "freaks" which links to the extract I just watched with the camera focusing on extreme close up shots on the horrid part of the mans face. This allows the audience to see the mans disability of a scar and creates curiosity to how he got this scar. In terms of miss-en-scene within the scene at the building site body language was used to set the tone. The two builder men looking at each other with an awkward descriptive look and shifting in their stance did this. The editing of the filming was at a fast pace and a reverse shot was used to switch between the speakers in the scene. They were happy to talk to him but as soon as he asked for his job back the whole atmosphere and body language changed between the three men because they clearly didn't want to give him his job back due to his injury/scar. In this dialogue part of the scene they only offer his job back at minimum wage. This links with Evans (1998) theory of disabled people being "Punished and excluded from ordinary life" just because of his injury he is being treated unfairly. In terms of editing, a cut away shot is used of barbed wire; the same shot used as the establishing shot. It then blurs and flows onto the next shot of a long shot of a woman and two children who one of them knocks the mother and she drops her shopping. The woman looks up and by the expression on her face with a close up shot used shows she was scared and screams when she sees the man. This links to Evans theory (1998) "We become literally alienated (and cannot identify with ) the object/person we observe" because we then find out through dialogue the woman does actually know him but because of his disability, she didn't recognise him and saw him as something scary. There's a cut away shot to the next scene of the man walking away with a mid shot used with the camera zooming in and out and blurring then focusing once again on the disabled man to emphasis he is the first person you will see because of his scar. Non-digetic sound is used for dramatic effect with fast paced drums used matching the speed the disabled man is walking. In the next scene he is talking to his boss and this is easel recognised due to the miss-en-scene used of a desk placed in front of him to make him look more powerful with a mid shot used. There is dialogue used between the two of them and in terms of muse-en-scene, the disabled man has the shadows of the blinds over his face so you can't see him and it's done to hide his face as if he shouldn't be allowed to show it. 

disabilities

Disability is the idea of not being normal, physically or mentally.

Disability is seen as an impairment of the body or mind caused by the loss or long-term non-functioning of a physical, sensory or mental part or system.

Common representations:

·      Struggling to over come the impairment

·      Finding a cure

·      Being an object of pity

·      Being a passive victim

·      Having a chip on his or her shoulder and becoming a evil, aggressive avenger.

The view of disability is known as the ‘medical model’ of thinking.

There is an alternative, ‘social model’, which considers disability to be the organisational, environmental, social and attitudinal barriers that prevent people with impairments being included in mainstream society.

The ‘social model’ view is rarely seen in moving image media, but disability charities are campaigning for change and ‘ground breaking’ representations of disability (within the social model) are on the increase.

Medical vs. Social (R Rieser 2000, Michelle Mason 1994)

Freud Psychoanalysis Evans (1998)

·      Disable people are seen as childish, dependant and underdeveloped.

·      Punished being excluded from ordinary life.

·      People who are imperfect, helpless, disgusting, shitty, dribbling – a threat to rigid ego boundaries.

·      Strict rules of decorum involving standards of privacy, decency and dignity effect representation.

·      Images of disability, which causes unpleasure to the self, simply be representing that expelling as already complete.

·      “We become literally alienated from (and cannot identify with) the object/person we observe.”

Stereotypes

There are ten main stereotypes of disabled people (Barnes, 1992)

1.    Pitiable and pathetic; sweet and innocent; a miracle cure.

The Elephant man.

2.    Victim or object of violence.

Robins – CSI.

3.    Sinister or evil.

Dr No.

4.    Atmosphere –curious or exotica in ‘freak shows’, and in comics, horror movies and science fiction.

Freaks.

5.    ‘Super-Crip’ / triumph over tragedy / noble warrior.

Xavier – X MenDisability is the idea of not being normal, physically or mentally.

Disability is seen as an impairment of the body or mind caused by the loss or long-term non-functioning of a physical, sensory or mental part or system.

Common representations:

·      Struggling to over come the impairment

·      Finding a cure

·      Being an object of pity

·      Being a passive victim

·      Having a chip on his or her shoulder and becoming a evil, aggressive avenger.

The view of disability is known as the ‘medical model’ of thinking.

There is an alternative, ‘social model’, which considers disability to be the organisational, environmental, social and attitudinal barriers that prevent people with impairments being included in mainstream society.

The ‘social model’ view is rarely seen in moving image media, but disability charities are campaigning for change and ‘ground breaking’ representations of disability (within the social model) are on the increase.

Medical vs. Social (R Rieser 2000, Michelle Mason 1994)

Freud Psychoanalysis Evans (1998)

·      Disable people are seen as childish, dependant and underdeveloped.

·      Punished being excluded from ordinary life.

·      People who are imperfect, helpless, disgusting, shitty, dribbling – a threat to rigid ego boundaries.

·      Strict rules of decorum involving standards of privacy, decency and dignity effect representation.

·      Images of disability, which causes unpleasure to the self, simply be representing that expelling as already complete.

·      “We become literally alienated from (and cannot identify with) the object/person we observe.”

Stereotypes

There are ten main stereotypes of disabled people (Barnes, 1992)

1.    Pitiable and pathetic; sweet and innocent; a miracle cure.

The Elephant man.

2.    Victim or object of violence.

Robins – CSI.

3.    Sinister or evil.

Dr No.

4.    Atmosphere –curious or exotica in ‘freak shows’, and in comics, horror movies and science fiction.

Freaks.

5.    ‘Super-Crip’ / triumph over tragedy / noble warrior.

Xavier – X Men

6.    Laughable or the butt of the jokes.

Dumb and Dumber

7.    Having a chip on their shoulder / aggressive avenger.

Captain Hook

8.    A burden / outcast.

Quasimodo

9.    Non-sexual or incapable of a worthwhile relationship.

Marlo Brandos

10. Incapable of fully participating in everyday life.

The Lost Prince

How is disability portrayed in the extract you just watched?

The camera displays disability in the extract I just watched by focusing camera shots on the horrid part of the mans face. This allows the audience to clearly see the mans disability; the scar. They do this by continuously using extreme close ups of the mans face. This creates the audience an atmosphere of curiosity among the audience and can make him seem like a ‘freak’ (Barnes 1992). As the man with the scar on his face was incapable of getting his old job back or being able to talk to people without frightening them he is under the stereotype of that he is incapable of fully participating in everyday life.

In terms of mise-en-scene within the scene at the building site body language was used to set the tone. The two builder men looking at eachother with an akward descriptive look and shifting in their stance did this. They were both quite happy to talk to him but as soon as he asked for his job back the whole atmosphere and body language changed between the three men talking as it is clear they don’t want to give him his job because of the injury/scar to his face.

6.    Laughable or the butt of the jokes.

Dumb and Dumber

7.    Having a chip on their shoulder / aggressive avenger.

Captain Hook

8.    A burden / outcast.

Quasimodo

9.    Non-sexual or incapable of a worthwhile relationship.

Marlo Brandos

10. Incapable of fully participating in everyday life.

The Lost Prince

How is disability portrayed in the extract you just watched?

The camera displays disability in the extract I just watched by focusing camera shots on the horrid part of the mans face. This allows the audience to clearly see the mans disability; the scar. They do this by continuously using extreme close ups of the mans face. This creates the audience an atmosphere of curiosity among the audience and can make him seem like a ‘freak’ (Barnes 1992). As the man with the scar on his face was incapable of getting his old job back or being able to talk to people without frightening them he is under the stereotype of that he is incapable of fully participating in everyday life.

In terms of mise-en-scene within the scene at the building site body language was used to set the tone. The two builder men looking at eachother with an akward descriptive look and shifting in their stance did this. They were both quite happy to talk to him but as soon as he asked for his job back the whole atmosphere and body language changed between the three men talking as it is clear they don’t want to give him his job because of the injury/scar to his face.

key theories

Key Theories

Youth

Adolescence is inherently a time of storm and stress when all young people go through some degree of emotional and upheaval – Stanley Hall 1904

Youth is fun and youth is trouble  - Dick Hebdrige 1988

Mixed metaphors appear when stereotyping youth. Dual Stereotyping of youth creates these mixed metaphors – Bill Osprey 1998

How is age represented in this extract?

Refer to:

Camera work

Mise-en-scene

Sound

Editing

In 1904 Stanley hall argued that all young people go through ‘some degree of emotional upheaval’ the media language in the extracts supports Hall’s theory in a number of ways, but also at times disrupts this and moves more towards the arguments concerning mixed metaphors of; ‘youth as trouble and youth is fun’ that hedbridge (1988) and osgerby (1998) put forward concerning the media and youth stereotypes.

The extracts starts with a fast moving visually interesting montage of short clips that reveal the modern day setting and the characters. The whole montage is linked together by using a sound bridge of upbeat non-diegetic music. The non diegetic music acts as a mixed metaphor when read alongside the images because the shots show the characters acting rebellious and troublesome while the sound makes the who thing seem ‘fun’ this connotes that the extract links and supports hedbridge/osgerbys idea of youth as a mixed metaphor.

In terms of the images themselves there are a number of shots that tell the viewer a lot about youth representations such as on the opening credits there is an extreme close up of a teenage boy who is smoking a joint this relates to dick hedbridges theory of youth is fun and youth is trouble as at that age smoking a joint is a fun thing to do, also it would be seen as trouble to older peers. They used a blue overlay on that clip as it connotes to being mischievous also they put it in an extreme close up to show that it is a joint and not a cigarette.

After the opening montage the next shot is extreme close up (birds eye view) of the main character, it zooms back to a high angle shot revealing an interesting mise-en-scene choice – The duvet that has a naked man and woman on it, as its a  high angle shot it connotes that the audience should look down on the young male youth while the mise-en-scene choice links back to halls theory of all teenagers are sex mad.

After this montage of short clips it then shows the main star tony getting out of bed and it then plays a hip hop/r&b song in the background which is diegetic the song is mainly about sex which fits in with halls theory of youth being obsessed with sex. it then shows tony starting to do a workout and then an over the shoulder shot of him looking in the mirror, they used an over the shoulder shot as this shows what he can see in the mirror and the mise-en-scene is him checking himself out in the mirror and his expression on his face is looking like he's smug with himself and he likes what he see's this use of mise-en-scene links in with hedbridges theory its also shows more about the character as he likes to look good and by the way he was looking at himself in the mirror he obviously thinks he's a bit of a ladies man.