Representation theory
Read the Media Magazine feature 'Representation old and new'. This is in MM51 on page 6 - go to our Media Magazine archive to find the article. Complete the following tasks:
1) Why is representation an important concept in Media Studies?
Representation is important in Media because it helps create a meaning and holds certain values. An understanding of how representations work helps us identify the way media products create ideological meanings.
2) How does the example of Kate Middleton show the way different meanings can be created in the media?
If it was an official picture released by the family, Kate would have more control of how she was being presented. However, in this case this was an unexpected photo for Kate and she tried to maintain her poise. The only thing Kate was able to control was what she was wearing because she wasn't expecting the photographers and therefore her expressions may seem a bit hesitated. Different meanings can be created because the editor is in control of what pictures are selected and if a positive or negative representation is communicated. The way the editor decides to portray the Duchess can either have a positive impact because it looks as though she is celebrating something special or a negative impact suggesting she could have a drinking problem. The representation created depends on the context of the image and other media language choices that surround it.
3) Summarise the section 'The how, who and why of media representation' in 50 words.
When analysing representation, it is essential to questions who is creating them and why. All representations are created from a collections of media language choices. Producers consider the expectations and needs of the target audience; the limitations provided by genre codes; the type of narrative they wish to create and their institutional remit.
4) How does Stuart Hall's theory of preferred and oppositional readings fit with representation?
The preferred reading of a media text is what the producer intends as the 'natural' reading that nobody really questions because it seems normal. The oppositional reading is an alternative reading that is actively against the producer's intentions why may provide a false representations.
5) How has new technology changed the way representations are created in the media?
With new technology, people are able to create their own self representations through the creation of social media profiles and content. When posting something on social media, we are constructing an idea of ourselves. Social media allows us to construct selective and controlled representations of the public identity that we want to communicate to the world. Our personal identities may be based on the characteristics we see as being part of who we are such as our age,gender,sexuality and ethnicity - or we may foreground our cultural identities based on our sense of belonging to specific cultures or groups.
6) What example if provided of how national identity is represented in Britain - and how some audiences use social media to challenge this?
National identity is raised during national sports competitions. Social media allowed many people to voice their rejections of the messages conveyed in the 2014 newspaper about what is means to be British. Through self representations, people showed how they had distanced themselves from the values portrayed by the tabloid newspaper. The way we think about representation is changing and traditional approaches now seem a little out of date. Representations may not seem accurate and fair and audiences can use social media to voice their opinions and challenge the representations.
Now think about today's representation theories. Go back to the Taken trailer from last week's introduction to representation and apply each theory to the trailer:
Write a short paragraph for each theory picking out aspects of the trailer that could be linked to that particular theory.
For example, negative representations of Eastern Europeans and women support Dyer's view that those with power stereotype those without power. It also reduces complex and varied groups to a few simplistic characteristics.
Complete this for each theory:
Dyer: stereotyping and power
Dyer states those with power stereotype those with less power which refers to the white male hero to the women who are seen as inferior and powerless compared to the men.
Medhurst: value judgements
Medhurst suggests stereotyping is shorthand for identification. This means we use stereotypes to tell audiences a lot in a short space of time. This refers back to the trailer when we first get to see the white male hero who we can tell is a strong dominant character due to his surroundings. Value judgements can be negative representations of minority groups such as the female characters who were seen as weak sex objects as they were being sold into the sex trade.
Perkins: some stereotypes can be positive or true
Perkins suggests that stereotypes are not always negative and we see a positive stereotype of fathers in this film. The father in this film was determined to get his daughter back and save her before it was too late.
Mulvey: the male gaze
Mulvey suggests that the dominant view is masculine and created for the benefit of men. This links to the film because the female characters are presented as sex objects and are presented for men to look at them, hence the 'male gaze'. The females were represented as sex objects who were being sold into sex trafficking.
Levi-Strauss: representation and ideology
The producers ideology suggests that Americans are seen as the dominant people and everyone else is inferior to them. He is suggesting that Americans are the best people which is a false representation as they have done a lot of negative things in order to be seen as the 'good' people.
1) Why is representation an important concept in Media Studies?
Representation is important in Media because it helps create a meaning and holds certain values. An understanding of how representations work helps us identify the way media products create ideological meanings.
2) How does the example of Kate Middleton show the way different meanings can be created in the media?
If it was an official picture released by the family, Kate would have more control of how she was being presented. However, in this case this was an unexpected photo for Kate and she tried to maintain her poise. The only thing Kate was able to control was what she was wearing because she wasn't expecting the photographers and therefore her expressions may seem a bit hesitated. Different meanings can be created because the editor is in control of what pictures are selected and if a positive or negative representation is communicated. The way the editor decides to portray the Duchess can either have a positive impact because it looks as though she is celebrating something special or a negative impact suggesting she could have a drinking problem. The representation created depends on the context of the image and other media language choices that surround it.
3) Summarise the section 'The how, who and why of media representation' in 50 words.
When analysing representation, it is essential to questions who is creating them and why. All representations are created from a collections of media language choices. Producers consider the expectations and needs of the target audience; the limitations provided by genre codes; the type of narrative they wish to create and their institutional remit.
4) How does Stuart Hall's theory of preferred and oppositional readings fit with representation?
The preferred reading of a media text is what the producer intends as the 'natural' reading that nobody really questions because it seems normal. The oppositional reading is an alternative reading that is actively against the producer's intentions why may provide a false representations.
5) How has new technology changed the way representations are created in the media?
With new technology, people are able to create their own self representations through the creation of social media profiles and content. When posting something on social media, we are constructing an idea of ourselves. Social media allows us to construct selective and controlled representations of the public identity that we want to communicate to the world. Our personal identities may be based on the characteristics we see as being part of who we are such as our age,gender,sexuality and ethnicity - or we may foreground our cultural identities based on our sense of belonging to specific cultures or groups.
6) What example if provided of how national identity is represented in Britain - and how some audiences use social media to challenge this?
National identity is raised during national sports competitions. Social media allowed many people to voice their rejections of the messages conveyed in the 2014 newspaper about what is means to be British. Through self representations, people showed how they had distanced themselves from the values portrayed by the tabloid newspaper. The way we think about representation is changing and traditional approaches now seem a little out of date. Representations may not seem accurate and fair and audiences can use social media to voice their opinions and challenge the representations.
Now think about today's representation theories. Go back to the Taken trailer from last week's introduction to representation and apply each theory to the trailer:
Write a short paragraph for each theory picking out aspects of the trailer that could be linked to that particular theory.
For example, negative representations of Eastern Europeans and women support Dyer's view that those with power stereotype those without power. It also reduces complex and varied groups to a few simplistic characteristics.
Complete this for each theory:
Dyer: stereotyping and power
Dyer states those with power stereotype those with less power which refers to the white male hero to the women who are seen as inferior and powerless compared to the men.
Medhurst: value judgements
Medhurst suggests stereotyping is shorthand for identification. This means we use stereotypes to tell audiences a lot in a short space of time. This refers back to the trailer when we first get to see the white male hero who we can tell is a strong dominant character due to his surroundings. Value judgements can be negative representations of minority groups such as the female characters who were seen as weak sex objects as they were being sold into the sex trade.
Perkins: some stereotypes can be positive or true
Perkins suggests that stereotypes are not always negative and we see a positive stereotype of fathers in this film. The father in this film was determined to get his daughter back and save her before it was too late.
Mulvey: the male gaze
Mulvey suggests that the dominant view is masculine and created for the benefit of men. This links to the film because the female characters are presented as sex objects and are presented for men to look at them, hence the 'male gaze'. The females were represented as sex objects who were being sold into sex trafficking.
Levi-Strauss: representation and ideology
The producers ideology suggests that Americans are seen as the dominant people and everyone else is inferior to them. He is suggesting that Americans are the best people which is a false representation as they have done a lot of negative things in order to be seen as the 'good' people.
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