Exam Topic Info

Section One: Key Terminology and Concepts covered in the course

Section Two: Textual Analysis of a Moving Image Text

Questions relating to Section Two:

1. Media Forms (this means genre, narrative and the media language codes).
Discuss the use of codes and conventions in the construction of this text.

2. Media Representations
Consider the representations of people (places and/or events, where relevant) in this text.

3. Media Institutions
What does this website tell us about the media institutions involved?

4. Media Audiences
Explore some of the ways in which this text communicates with its target audience.

Post-feminist

In the past, there was limited range of representation of women in media. There were usually men controlling the action and the moving of the narration. Females were rarely to take part in protagonists. Hence, the power was imbalance between men and women.  

In the 20^th century, women have much more opportunities turning up in the media. To illustrate, in superhero genre, males used to act as the main characters who were stronger than women, also women used to act as victims in superhero movies. As times goes by, female have started to take part in protagonist, such as Catwoman, Supergirl and Tank Girl etc. They do not represent in a very weak way but physically, their power set in super strength, speed and flights are often similar to men. Female protagonists overcoming villains with physical combat is much the same way that Superman does. Mentally, both female and male have very strong characters which are aggressive, perseverance and strong. In the move Tank Girl, Tank Girl is very ferocious and quirky. Tank Girl’s behaviors make her inferior and superior to the male’s characters in the story, for example, she farts, swears, does not care about her appearance, bares her tits, and tells sexual jokes. In the 1990’s, this behavior looked very scandalous. However, more characters, like Catwoman, had acted in this way and the society is finally accepted them. Feminist is no longer necessary because female have become active and do not represented as passive objects of the male gaze anymore. These changes might cause ‘gender trouble’ which the behavior and representation disrupts culturally accepted notions of gender. 

Media Theories: 'Feminism' and 'Post-feminism'- ‘The America’s Next Top Model’

  The media text introducing in this article is the well-known reality TV programme ‘The America’s Next Top Model’. (ANTM) (The CW Television Network, 2013) It presents the girls from different nationalities compete for a title of ‘America’s Next Top Model’ and the alternative prizes. It broadcasts the girls’ real lives and the process of modelling. It reveals both concept of feminism and post-feminism through the differences of model’s real lives and their career.

  To begin with, the concept of feminism is applied to the role of model. In this programme, the girls need to change their outlook from changing the feminine clothes, showing the sexy pose and following the marketing preference. Women are presented as the passive objects because they could not argue with the fashion professionals about what they wear and act like as the typical women figure. Feminist argue that men take the advantages in the media text as they are presented as powerful, highly educated and having higher economic power. In ANTM, it always emphasizes on sexuality and physical appearance of the girls and they need to pretend as the stereotype of women like having lots of cosmetic product and always being pretty to attract men.

 Conversely, the concept of post-feminism suggests that girls have their right to compete with men and become the active characters. Women have choices to be playful and dominant the society. This theory can be seen in the scenes of models’ real lives. It represents that every girls compete for their dream of being a professional model and show the ambitious to their career. It emphasizes the pain of being a model and reverses public’s view on model. Also, the girls are presented as the active role to date the other male models and they always have gossip related to boys in their gaze. According to Judith Butler (1999), it is suggested that gender is not the result of nature but is socially constructed. The girls’ private lives are projected in the different way from the point of view of traditional women. It is also the reason why this TV programme being successful because it presents both feminism and post-feminism from the part of society’s value of beauty and modern girls’ private lives.

 

 

'G.I.Jane' (Feminism)

I have chosen a very popular film which was released in 1997 year in USA – ‘G.I.Jane’. Movie was directed by Ridley Scott.

In my opinion, this movie is a good example of a feminism status in the society. The main character is the women who went to the army to take a special course and prove to everybody that not only males can be successful in military affairs. During the film, Jordan O’Neil  passes a set of heartrending experiences such as tortures, fights, beatings, but she never ever think to  complain or to stop because her biggest motivation is to show everyone that males and females are equal and things that can do man, can also do a woman.

The main idea of the movie is that no matter who you are - male or female, the only thing that matters is the firmness of spirit and courage of character. Feminism theory demonstrates us that women can play a dominate role as a men and do the same stuff in real life. Undoubtedly, the directors of the movie wanted to prove the theory with the help of most bright and violent example like an army.

In my point of view, this movie is a one of great proof in cinema world as an example of feminism theory in ‘real’ life that women can do anything what she really wants with the same success as men.

Liberal Pluralism

Liberal Pluralism

            In opposition to Marxist methodologies which understands media as operating to maintain bourgeoisie’s hegemony, Liberal pluralism thinks that media is supposed to be subject to the requirements of its consumers. Instead of transmitting hegemonic values or ideologies, Liberal Pluralism supports different views and opinions being passed through media. So, this means that media is completely free to express itself the way it sees fit.

A liberal-pluralist perspective believes that media is a subject of healthy debate and criticism thus its audiences either select or reject the different opinions, values and ideologies that are being offered to them by media.

 

Queer theory