Peaky Blinders contains a thorough amount of information on historic events. The show is set in 1919, post World War 1, and presents the main protagonists in the narrative as having been left with this post dramatic stress due to the effect the war had on them, which is a historic event which gratifies the audience as it portrays what happened to people after the war. This is evident in the way that the characters speak to one another, as well as their violent actions. For example, Tommy Shelly (main protagonist) and his companions easily and brutally beat up a gang of gypsies. This demonstrates the scarring and psychological damage that the war left on them after coming home, which then gratifies the audience in a way that helps them gain insight into the effect that the war had on people.
A further example of historic events is the use of communism in the show, it is mentioned several times, and gives the audience the empathy for the poor characters, e.g. Tommy Shelly, as opposed to C.I. Chester Campbell who came out of the war comfortably rich. The use of communism helps the audience to understand the inequality between the classes, as opposed to most capitalist societies today, this is a further reason why the poorer characters are constructed as more corrupt. This also satisfies curiosity and general interest for the audience. It is also a gratification for active audiences, as they would read into this, in contrast to passive audiences who would get caught up in the narrative and find it harder to engage.
There are also gratifications such as identifying with already gained values. Even though the show is set in a different era, it still contains problems that appear in contemporary society today, known as retrophilia. This is evident when we discover that Ada has become pregnant outside of marriage, this is also a contemporary issue today. However it is more accepted in the world today than it was back in that era, women are not necessarily put to shame in this situation. This helps to create a contrast as well as a similarity between the time it was set in and the present.
In relation to this, there is also the portrayal of power that women now had. An example of this is the scene where Aunt Polly is shown towering over Tommy, yelling at him as he sits quietly with his head down. Usually, the men would be the ones in control over women, however in this case it is the other way around. Using another gratification of the rise in power women were beginning to have, that they now have in contemporary society.
Tuesday 11 February 2014
Thursday 6 February 2014
Peaky Blinders Episode 2 - attracting the audience
Peaky Blinders, set in 1919, is a crime drama, revolving around a small group of men who started a gang after the end of WW1. It is set in the early days of Birmingham's construction. The first series contained only 6 episodes, as they didn't have the budget to make more.
Peaky Blinders is both a mainstream and niche text, meaning that it attracts passive as well as active audiences by using conventions that will appeal to both.
One way in which it appeals to a mainstream audience is the use of film stars. The male protagonist, Thomas Shelly, played by Cillian Murphy has played other well known roles in mainstream films such as Batman and Inception, this will therefore attract an audience that is familiar with him.
A second example of a well known film star would be C.I. Chester Campbell, played by Sam Neil, also known for his role as the main protagonist in the popular films 'Jurassic Park'. These well known actors have been used in order to attract a wider, mainstream audience, by using the fact that they will be familiar with them, and be interested in the series.
However, a way in which it attracts a niche audience would be the soundtrack used throughout. The period it is set in does not constantly relate to the non-diagetic music in the background. For example, when the gang and various others are shown throwing the king's pictures into a fire, the non-diabetic music in the background is very modern, rock music. This goes against the mainstream convention of using a soundtrack or score that is of the particular era it is set in. This is a niche convention, which attracts a niche audience.
In contrast, there is also continuous uses of fast paced music that builds, this allows the audience to be more passive.
Peaky Blinders is both a mainstream and niche text, meaning that it attracts passive as well as active audiences by using conventions that will appeal to both.
One way in which it appeals to a mainstream audience is the use of film stars. The male protagonist, Thomas Shelly, played by Cillian Murphy has played other well known roles in mainstream films such as Batman and Inception, this will therefore attract an audience that is familiar with him.
A second example of a well known film star would be C.I. Chester Campbell, played by Sam Neil, also known for his role as the main protagonist in the popular films 'Jurassic Park'. These well known actors have been used in order to attract a wider, mainstream audience, by using the fact that they will be familiar with them, and be interested in the series.
However, a way in which it attracts a niche audience would be the soundtrack used throughout. The period it is set in does not constantly relate to the non-diagetic music in the background. For example, when the gang and various others are shown throwing the king's pictures into a fire, the non-diabetic music in the background is very modern, rock music. This goes against the mainstream convention of using a soundtrack or score that is of the particular era it is set in. This is a niche convention, which attracts a niche audience.
In contrast, there is also continuous uses of fast paced music that builds, this allows the audience to be more passive.
Thursday 30 January 2014
Mad Men - audience responses
'Explore the different ways in which audiences and/or users respond to your chosen texts'
Representation of gender
There is a lot of binary opposition that occurs in Mad Men, and this represents the changing in the roles of women as the era of the show enters into the 60's.
Peggy is the representation of the contemporary women, her intelligence, intellect and independence portrays her as less dependent on males and the idea that women have finally broken free of the oppression they had under males. In a review by the 'Orange Couch', when talking about Peggy moving onto her new job, it mentions "...this is the future for women, your gender is finally not the only thing you're evaluated by." This review demonstrates the idea that the gratifications that people, most likely women, will gain from it - a sense of power and the fact that women were finally stepping up.
Furthermore, Joan represents the complete opposite to Peggy, and this is where we see binary opposition. Joan works her way up by using her sexuality as her advantage, rather than intelligence. She is meant to represent a women of the 50's, like Marilyn Monroe for example, she is an illustration of beauty, this is evident in the way she dresses and speaks, as well as her body structure.
'Mad Men wiki' explains the role of Joan and her character in the show.
Representation of gender
There is a lot of binary opposition that occurs in Mad Men, and this represents the changing in the roles of women as the era of the show enters into the 60's.
Peggy is the representation of the contemporary women, her intelligence, intellect and independence portrays her as less dependent on males and the idea that women have finally broken free of the oppression they had under males. In a review by the 'Orange Couch', when talking about Peggy moving onto her new job, it mentions "...this is the future for women, your gender is finally not the only thing you're evaluated by." This review demonstrates the idea that the gratifications that people, most likely women, will gain from it - a sense of power and the fact that women were finally stepping up.
Furthermore, Joan represents the complete opposite to Peggy, and this is where we see binary opposition. Joan works her way up by using her sexuality as her advantage, rather than intelligence. She is meant to represent a women of the 50's, like Marilyn Monroe for example, she is an illustration of beauty, this is evident in the way she dresses and speaks, as well as her body structure.
'Mad Men wiki' explains the role of Joan and her character in the show.
Thursday 23 January 2014
LOST ENIGMA CODES
LOST is a television series that came on air in 2004. It was created by JJ Abrams, and the score was composed by Michael Giacchino. It tells the misfortunes of an ensemble cast who get stranded on a mysterious island due to a plane crash. It's intended audience is wide, mainstream, and the text contains conventions that would gratify an active and passive audience.
The series contains many enigma codes, to draw the audience into watching the further episodes, providing gratifications for an active audience who are eager to discover what will happen next. This is evident in my chosen episode when Walt, a young, black boy is out searching for his dog, when he comes across a set of handcuffs. When he sees them the pace of the score begins to increase, and his expression demonstrates the curiosity he feels, as well as the build up of the pace of the score and the volume of it, which can help the audience feel the way he does: curious. This also creates the narrative theme of paranoia, suggesting a sense of mistrust. Straight after this happens the screen goes black. This has been constructed in such a way that causes the audience (both passive and active) to ask questions, and feel the need to watch the next one for answers.
The series contains many enigma codes, to draw the audience into watching the further episodes, providing gratifications for an active audience who are eager to discover what will happen next. This is evident in my chosen episode when Walt, a young, black boy is out searching for his dog, when he comes across a set of handcuffs. When he sees them the pace of the score begins to increase, and his expression demonstrates the curiosity he feels, as well as the build up of the pace of the score and the volume of it, which can help the audience feel the way he does: curious. This also creates the narrative theme of paranoia, suggesting a sense of mistrust. Straight after this happens the screen goes black. This has been constructed in such a way that causes the audience (both passive and active) to ask questions, and feel the need to watch the next one for answers.
Tuesday 14 January 2014
LOST
Identify who the intended audience is
LOST - a drama, a TV series based around an ensemble cast of people whose plane crashes on a mysterious island. The series contains many different conventions that are typical to the mainstream television show.
Active:
active audiences will watch the show and
Tuesday 10 December 2013
Social Realism - FISH TANK
'How typical is your chosen text to it's genre?'
Clip 5
Fish Tank is a social realism film made in 2009, directed by Andrea Arnold. The film adheres to social realism as the technical and narrative conventions, character roles and mise en scene/iconography clearly demonstrate this.
At the beginning of the narrative, Mia is shown in bed, with a dog barking in the background and children shouting in the distance. This is a technical convention, used to demonstrate the surroundings of where Mia lives, and this adheres to the social realist idea of urban environments and the typical underclass area. Most of the time, the camera shots are hand held, following Mia wherever she goes, giving the audience the chance to feel as though they are presently there and giving a sense of realism. The lighting throughout the clip is natural and there are no really technical effects, this can be referred back to the social realism genre, how the use of natural lighting produces a realistic setting. When a scene is cut and focused on one particular object, we see from Mia's point of view. This is evident in the clip when she is shown watching a YouTube video on a computer, when the camera is on the screen, that is the only object in front of the camera, shows Mia's point of view.
The iconography evident in this clip helps to construct that sense of realism, Mia wears a tracksuit and carries a plain rucksack around with her - this can be a typical social realism convention, showing the type of fashion used in these urban, working class areas. A further use of iconography would be the short clip we see of the dog eating a dead fish, this could signify the fact that Mia has no way out, and could relate to the title 'Fish Tank'.
When she leaves her house, the next scene is of her walking through town, she then notices a dancing advertisement, and takes it with her. This could link with the idea that Mia's ambition to go far with dance to escape her life and get a better one, the sense of realism that this may not happen is another convention of social realism.
Clip 5
Fish Tank is a social realism film made in 2009, directed by Andrea Arnold. The film adheres to social realism as the technical and narrative conventions, character roles and mise en scene/iconography clearly demonstrate this.
At the beginning of the narrative, Mia is shown in bed, with a dog barking in the background and children shouting in the distance. This is a technical convention, used to demonstrate the surroundings of where Mia lives, and this adheres to the social realist idea of urban environments and the typical underclass area. Most of the time, the camera shots are hand held, following Mia wherever she goes, giving the audience the chance to feel as though they are presently there and giving a sense of realism. The lighting throughout the clip is natural and there are no really technical effects, this can be referred back to the social realism genre, how the use of natural lighting produces a realistic setting. When a scene is cut and focused on one particular object, we see from Mia's point of view. This is evident in the clip when she is shown watching a YouTube video on a computer, when the camera is on the screen, that is the only object in front of the camera, shows Mia's point of view.
The iconography evident in this clip helps to construct that sense of realism, Mia wears a tracksuit and carries a plain rucksack around with her - this can be a typical social realism convention, showing the type of fashion used in these urban, working class areas. A further use of iconography would be the short clip we see of the dog eating a dead fish, this could signify the fact that Mia has no way out, and could relate to the title 'Fish Tank'.
When she leaves her house, the next scene is of her walking through town, she then notices a dancing advertisement, and takes it with her. This could link with the idea that Mia's ambition to go far with dance to escape her life and get a better one, the sense of realism that this may not happen is another convention of social realism.
Thursday 5 December 2013
THE HUNGER GAMES - Identify 3 sci-fi conventions and justify them
THE HUNGER GAMES
The Hunger Games contains typical and re-ocurring conventions from the Sci-Fi genre. The genre conventions could be categorised as narrative themes, character roles, iconography/mise en scene and technical conventions. The narrative is typical of the genre in many ways.
The narrative theme of Sci-fi is present in the Hunger games. However it also includes the genres of adventure and action. The Sci-fi theme also relates to the way anti-establishment is used in the film. The idea that the 12 districts are ruled by the government, however they are controlled and oppressed by it. This is shown in a few scenes, in particular, the scene when the video is shown to district 12, explaining what the hunger games is and why it takes place. It reveals past videos of the former rebellion, which led to the start of the hunger games. The 12 districts are no controlled by the government, as well as left to fend for themselves whilst the capital flaunts their wealth and ignores the poverty going on in the other districts. This would be seen as a typical Sci-fi convention, the idea that a group of powerful people (government) is in control and therefore creates the theme of a hegemonic society.
Tuesday 3 December 2013
DRIVE NOIR CONVENTIONS
What NOIR conventions are present in the film 'Drive'?
Mise en scene/iconography
In this 25 minute text, one of the first noir conventions to do with Mise en scene we see is the use of cigarettes. An unnamed woman is shown smoking a cigarette with a depressed expression and is wearing un-revealing clothing, whilst three men discuss their plan for a robbery. This signifies the lack of positivity and hope that she holds. It also suggests that she is not the stereotypical femme fatale, therefore her role in the film is immediately established as something other than the dependent and sexualised female. Further evidence of film noir conventions would be the setting of the location.
Technical conventions
In the very first scene of the film, Ryan Gosling, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Mulligan and her son are seen sitting around a kitchen table. During the scene, Oscar is telling the story of how he and his wife (Carrie Mulligan) first met. One would assume that this should signify happiness, however the non diagetic music playing in the background has a sinister feel to it. This has been done in order to suggest that something bad is going to happen. In the duration of the scene, there is use of low key lighting and shadows are cast on the characters' faces, this is a film noir convention, it is used to portray the bleakness of the film and the dull atmosphere of their current situation, and events to come.
In a further scene, Gosling and the woman in the earlier scene are in a motel room hiding after they are spotted at a robbery scene, after Gosling finds out she is against him, she goes into the bathroom to wash her face after crying, we then see shadows from Venetian blinds on the wall, emphasising the shadows in the room, also, dim lighting.
Character roles
The character roles are crucial in portraying film noir conventions. From the beginning we see that Gosling is a criminal, he steals a car, robs a pawn shop and kills various men brutally. This is the noir convention of a corrupt protagonist. In most of the close-ups and camera angles aimed at his face, his facial expression is a look of depression and confusion.
Mise en scene/iconography
In this 25 minute text, one of the first noir conventions to do with Mise en scene we see is the use of cigarettes. An unnamed woman is shown smoking a cigarette with a depressed expression and is wearing un-revealing clothing, whilst three men discuss their plan for a robbery. This signifies the lack of positivity and hope that she holds. It also suggests that she is not the stereotypical femme fatale, therefore her role in the film is immediately established as something other than the dependent and sexualised female. Further evidence of film noir conventions would be the setting of the location.
Technical conventions
In the very first scene of the film, Ryan Gosling, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Mulligan and her son are seen sitting around a kitchen table. During the scene, Oscar is telling the story of how he and his wife (Carrie Mulligan) first met. One would assume that this should signify happiness, however the non diagetic music playing in the background has a sinister feel to it. This has been done in order to suggest that something bad is going to happen. In the duration of the scene, there is use of low key lighting and shadows are cast on the characters' faces, this is a film noir convention, it is used to portray the bleakness of the film and the dull atmosphere of their current situation, and events to come.
In a further scene, Gosling and the woman in the earlier scene are in a motel room hiding after they are spotted at a robbery scene, after Gosling finds out she is against him, she goes into the bathroom to wash her face after crying, we then see shadows from Venetian blinds on the wall, emphasising the shadows in the room, also, dim lighting.
Character roles
The character roles are crucial in portraying film noir conventions. From the beginning we see that Gosling is a criminal, he steals a car, robs a pawn shop and kills various men brutally. This is the noir convention of a corrupt protagonist. In most of the close-ups and camera angles aimed at his face, his facial expression is a look of depression and confusion.
Thursday 7 November 2013
Representation of women essay
To what extent are Women represented as the 'sex object' or/and 'powerful and independent heroine' in the film industry today with particular focus on 'Lara Croft: Tomb Raider' and 'The Avengers'?
In the film industry today, female representation has evolved from the more innocent housewife role to the often sexualised 'object'; such as Megan Fox had been in the contemporary mainstream film 'Transformers'. Similar to Mulvey's theory on the 'Male gaze', sources such as 'On the female body experience' state "the gaze is masculine, and that upon which it gazes is feminine".(1) In this essay I will investigate why women have been represented this way in contemporary film, and how this approach could affect the audiences ideology. I will do this by applying theories such as Laura Mulvey's 'Male gaze' theory, 'hypodermic needle' theory, 'cultivation theory' (1), alongside primary and secondary research to achieve different views on the matter.
aim 1: Independent/objectified
The representation of women in the film industry varies from the 'dumb blonde' to the 'independent female', 'housewife', 'heroine', 'sexualised female' and 'an object'. "50 years ago most men wanted a subservient woman for a wife. Now men are looking for intelligent, confident and empowered babes.'"(2) The representation of the 'ideal' woman has evolved in the media, and has been constructed in such a way that men's perception have changed, this is evident in the action genre and in films like 'Tomb Raider' where Lara Croft is at times represented as empowered and independent, alongside more stereotypical traits like objectification. Therefore men will be drawn to her as she is the new and improved idea of the perfect woman: both intelligent and beautiful at the same time.
Lara is the main protagonist in the film, she is wealthy but inherited the money her father left behind when he died, this element of the plot interferes with her representation as independent and successful. This narrative implies she only has power due to a male giving it to her, in this case, her father.
Her fighting skills and perfect physique demonstrate power and beauty. Lara does subvert one element of the typical female role in the majority of mainstream films. Stereotypical roles such as the 'housewife' or the 'dependant female' are rejected. However, the fact that she inherited the money rather than achieving it herself suggests that her independence as a female has been brought down to a lower level. This, therefore, is evidence that Lara is slightly less independent as the audience firstly decode.
The Avengers was a super hero film made in 2012, based on the usual plot of the super humans saving the planet. In one particular scene in this action film, the character of the Black Widow is shown tied to a chair during an interrogation. Her clothing consists of a black, low-cut, thigh length, skin tight dress and thin tights. However she is not once shown to be controlling the men with her sexuality, nor is she shown defeating them with it. In fact, she skilfully fights all three men using her own physical strength. On the one hand, you could argue that the Black Widow is seen subverting the mainstream female role of an object of visual pleasure for the characters in the narrative, and taking on a role of power, control and independence without using her sexuality. However it could be argued that she is providing visual pleasure for the audience with her cleavage being constantly on display, this projects the idea that in order to attract attention, she must be dressed provocatively.
The scene of this shot is clearly focused on her sexuality, the way she is surrounded by men, dressed quite provocatively, tied to a chair and has no control of freeing herself suggests this. It could also be iconic in a way that demonstrates her weakness as a woman.
aim 3: masculinity equals power
In both Tomb Raider and The Avengers, Lara and the Black Widow are skilled fighters, yet tend to possess the characteristics of men. Could this be because masculinity equals power? It has been questioned that heroines show more male characteristics than female, this could be because the media are attempting to make the woman seem powerful. But why can't the women be sweet and kind rather than aggressive and strong? This is a question asked by many women that recognise this.
For example, towards the end of The Avengers, the Black Widow is shown fighting alongside the Hulk, however during this scene she is making grunting noises and has an intense expression of anger and determination on her face. We would usually imagine the men in action films to be the fighters and heroes, driven by anger or aggression, however we now see a woman taking place of that ideology. Furthermore, the fact that she is grunting and fighting aggressively gives off the impression that she is powerful, and almost manly.
To add onto this, although women are powerful protagonists, they continue to adhere to the 'passive' nature. The Black Widow is the only one that cries throughout the whole of the Avengers. Her character role is shown to be just as skilled as the male protagonists, however she still contains the female characteristics.
In Tomb Raider, Lara Croft is said to be the 'female version of Indiana Jones' as the original video game was aimed at making her similar to Indiana's character (10). This suggests that female protagonists are taking on a new role in the narrative, a role that promotes intelligent, independent females. However, there is a big but here, the idea that women can only be this way with male characteristics, why can't women be empowered by being sweet and caring? Due to the fact that they have been constructed in such a way that promotes masculinity and aggression, it has stuck with action heroine personality traits, and could be that directors don't want to risk trying something new that a passive audience wouldn't understand or possibly even agree with.
There is also a criticism of this viewpoint. Perhaps it doesn't have to be so confusing and brought into the light as much as it is. It could merely be that some women are naturally aggressive or strong when it comes to things like fighting, and enjoy putting on a 'face' or being masculine at times. So how do you judge whether or not they are being portrayed in a negative way, or a realistic way? It is impossible to tell. But it could be argued that they have been mediated in such a way that represents them as such.
"Cinematic gaze of the action film codes the heroines body in the same way as the muscular male hero's, as both object and subject." (11) This is evidence that not only are the women portrayed as objects, but so are men; which can link to this argument in a way that suggests women aren't the only misrepresented nor the only action heroes to take on certain characteristics to be 'more appealing'.
aim 1: Independent/objectified
The representation of women in the film industry varies from the 'dumb blonde' to the 'independent female', 'housewife', 'heroine', 'sexualised female' and 'an object'. "50 years ago most men wanted a subservient woman for a wife. Now men are looking for intelligent, confident and empowered babes.'"(2) The representation of the 'ideal' woman has evolved in the media, and has been constructed in such a way that men's perception have changed, this is evident in the action genre and in films like 'Tomb Raider' where Lara Croft is at times represented as empowered and independent, alongside more stereotypical traits like objectification. Therefore men will be drawn to her as she is the new and improved idea of the perfect woman: both intelligent and beautiful at the same time.
Lara is the main protagonist in the film, she is wealthy but inherited the money her father left behind when he died, this element of the plot interferes with her representation as independent and successful. This narrative implies she only has power due to a male giving it to her, in this case, her father.
Her fighting skills and perfect physique demonstrate power and beauty. Lara does subvert one element of the typical female role in the majority of mainstream films. Stereotypical roles such as the 'housewife' or the 'dependant female' are rejected. However, the fact that she inherited the money rather than achieving it herself suggests that her independence as a female has been brought down to a lower level. This, therefore, is evidence that Lara is slightly less independent as the audience firstly decode.
The Avengers was a super hero film made in 2012, based on the usual plot of the super humans saving the planet. In one particular scene in this action film, the character of the Black Widow is shown tied to a chair during an interrogation. Her clothing consists of a black, low-cut, thigh length, skin tight dress and thin tights. However she is not once shown to be controlling the men with her sexuality, nor is she shown defeating them with it. In fact, she skilfully fights all three men using her own physical strength. On the one hand, you could argue that the Black Widow is seen subverting the mainstream female role of an object of visual pleasure for the characters in the narrative, and taking on a role of power, control and independence without using her sexuality. However it could be argued that she is providing visual pleasure for the audience with her cleavage being constantly on display, this projects the idea that in order to attract attention, she must be dressed provocatively.
The scene of this shot is clearly focused on her sexuality, the way she is surrounded by men, dressed quite provocatively, tied to a chair and has no control of freeing herself suggests this. It could also be iconic in a way that demonstrates her weakness as a woman.
In most movies we in the mainstream media today, the women are either there for visual pleasure, or to support the male role; to give him something to fight for - e.g. the damsel in distress. Laura Mulvey says: "Women then stands in Patriarchal culture as a signifier for the male other, bound by a symbolic order in which man can live out his fantasies and obsessions through linguistic command..." (3) Mulvey suggests the idea of the 'Male gaze' theory, where camera angles tend to focus on the woman's legs, chest area, lips and backside to draw forth particular attention from both males and females in the audience. This is also evident in a scene towards the beginning of Tomb Raider, when Lara is training. She is shown waiting for the robot to appear, readying herself with her hands down by her side, preparing to remove the guns from her thighs. The camera shot is a mid-shot with Lara in the centre, showing only her hips to her thighs for 3 seconds. About 10 seconds later the same shot is projected, again, with only her thighs in view. This suggests that her constructed image is also there for the audience to look at and admire. It also adheres to the fact that even though she is strong and independent, she is still sexualised and objectified in a way that can be demeaning to her role as the independent protagonist.
It could be argued that due to these representations in the film industry, girls 'learn to see themselves as objects' (4), and the gratifications that both girls and women take away from this are that in order to be strong and dominant, you have to be sexy, thin and attractive. For example, Jean Baudrillard's Postmodernist theory of 'hyperreality' ("a special kind of social reality in which a reality is created or simulated by models, or defined by reference to models - a reality generated by ideas.") (5) suggests that female representation in films and the media creates a fake version of reality; something that the vast majority of young women can't possibly achieve, and therefore they are always left wanting to look a certain way, dissatisfied with themselves. It is obvious that the two texts do not necessarily create positive uses and gratifications to the audience, more likely unachievable desires and unrealistic behaviours with consequence.
aim 2: female representation at its worst
Furthermore, due to this, it could be argued by some that female power in the film industry is decreasing to be at its worst. A recent article on 'female power in action films' stated (Black Widow) "Although she's a bare knuckle ninja, her superpower emanates from her pout and posture."(6) This statement is not a representation of women's domination and power, but instead, a stereotypical take on the femininity of the character, as something to 'admire'. Smithsonian.com states that "Women's representation in films is the lowest it's been in five years."(7) For example, the very first scene with Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow shows her tied to a chair, surrounded by several men, in this scene she is pretending to be a prostitute, hence the 'seductive' outfit. In this particular clip, she is wearing all black; a tight fit, low-necked, short, thigh-length dress with thin tights. The mis-en-scene of this shot is clearly focused on her sexuality, the way she is surrounded by men, dressed quite provocatively, tied to a chair and has no control of getting free, in a dark, damp room suggests this and could be iconic in a way that demonstrates her weakness as a woman at this point in time. She then proceeds to break free and defeat the each man that throws himself at her. This scene presents her in a subvert way, in that she has the power and control over the men, and is a skilled fighter, but it also conforms to the stereotype of women in action films as she is frequently sexualised throughout the scene. This is because there are several camera angles focused on her chest, lips and legs. 'Comic book movie fansite' suggests that "The female characters of the films we so passionately debate, follow and view are, are becoming irrelevant, written into the screenplay only to raise stakes for the protagonist or to lure male viewers into the cinema". (8) Stating the opinion that female are merely used to draw in male attention, whether its action films or romance films.
Furthermore, there are two named female characters in The Avengers, Pepper Potts and Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow), however neither speak to one another throughout the course of the film. This fails to pass the Bechdel test and brings into focus the fact that the Black Widow could possibly merely be there for male enjoyment. Since 90% of the media is male owned, woman have a weak position in contributing to the way films are made in mainstream films today.
Furthermore, due to this, it could be argued by some that female power in the film industry is decreasing to be at its worst. A recent article on 'female power in action films' stated (Black Widow) "Although she's a bare knuckle ninja, her superpower emanates from her pout and posture."(6) This statement is not a representation of women's domination and power, but instead, a stereotypical take on the femininity of the character, as something to 'admire'. Smithsonian.com states that "Women's representation in films is the lowest it's been in five years."(7) For example, the very first scene with Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow shows her tied to a chair, surrounded by several men, in this scene she is pretending to be a prostitute, hence the 'seductive' outfit. In this particular clip, she is wearing all black; a tight fit, low-necked, short, thigh-length dress with thin tights. The mis-en-scene of this shot is clearly focused on her sexuality, the way she is surrounded by men, dressed quite provocatively, tied to a chair and has no control of getting free, in a dark, damp room suggests this and could be iconic in a way that demonstrates her weakness as a woman at this point in time. She then proceeds to break free and defeat the each man that throws himself at her. This scene presents her in a subvert way, in that she has the power and control over the men, and is a skilled fighter, but it also conforms to the stereotype of women in action films as she is frequently sexualised throughout the scene. This is because there are several camera angles focused on her chest, lips and legs. 'Comic book movie fansite' suggests that "The female characters of the films we so passionately debate, follow and view are, are becoming irrelevant, written into the screenplay only to raise stakes for the protagonist or to lure male viewers into the cinema". (8) Stating the opinion that female are merely used to draw in male attention, whether its action films or romance films.
Furthermore, there are two named female characters in The Avengers, Pepper Potts and Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow), however neither speak to one another throughout the course of the film. This fails to pass the Bechdel test and brings into focus the fact that the Black Widow could possibly merely be there for male enjoyment. Since 90% of the media is male owned, woman have a weak position in contributing to the way films are made in mainstream films today.
In relation to this, apart from a shocked unnamed maid, a small inuit girl, and a young Cambodian girl, there are no other females seen in the film for longer than 2 minutes, and Lara is the only named female protagonist. In one of the earlier scenes of Tomb Raider, Lara is shown taking a shower, it only shows from the lower neck up, however the scene lingers for a few minutes, focused on her.
"In areas where females have challenged male power, males have responded by representing them in a way that assists in taking their power away". (9) This statement links to the fact that no matter how powerful a women is in an action film, she will almost always be shown in a sexual way in one way or another.
aim 3: masculinity equals power
In both Tomb Raider and The Avengers, Lara and the Black Widow are skilled fighters, yet tend to possess the characteristics of men. Could this be because masculinity equals power? It has been questioned that heroines show more male characteristics than female, this could be because the media are attempting to make the woman seem powerful. But why can't the women be sweet and kind rather than aggressive and strong? This is a question asked by many women that recognise this.
For example, towards the end of The Avengers, the Black Widow is shown fighting alongside the Hulk, however during this scene she is making grunting noises and has an intense expression of anger and determination on her face. We would usually imagine the men in action films to be the fighters and heroes, driven by anger or aggression, however we now see a woman taking place of that ideology. Furthermore, the fact that she is grunting and fighting aggressively gives off the impression that she is powerful, and almost manly.
To add onto this, although women are powerful protagonists, they continue to adhere to the 'passive' nature. The Black Widow is the only one that cries throughout the whole of the Avengers. Her character role is shown to be just as skilled as the male protagonists, however she still contains the female characteristics.
In Tomb Raider, Lara Croft is said to be the 'female version of Indiana Jones' as the original video game was aimed at making her similar to Indiana's character (10). This suggests that female protagonists are taking on a new role in the narrative, a role that promotes intelligent, independent females. However, there is a big but here, the idea that women can only be this way with male characteristics, why can't women be empowered by being sweet and caring? Due to the fact that they have been constructed in such a way that promotes masculinity and aggression, it has stuck with action heroine personality traits, and could be that directors don't want to risk trying something new that a passive audience wouldn't understand or possibly even agree with.
There is also a criticism of this viewpoint. Perhaps it doesn't have to be so confusing and brought into the light as much as it is. It could merely be that some women are naturally aggressive or strong when it comes to things like fighting, and enjoy putting on a 'face' or being masculine at times. So how do you judge whether or not they are being portrayed in a negative way, or a realistic way? It is impossible to tell. But it could be argued that they have been mediated in such a way that represents them as such.
"Cinematic gaze of the action film codes the heroines body in the same way as the muscular male hero's, as both object and subject." (11) This is evidence that not only are the women portrayed as objects, but so are men; which can link to this argument in a way that suggests women aren't the only misrepresented nor the only action heroes to take on certain characteristics to be 'more appealing'.
In conclusion, the representation of women in the film industry today is often changing. In action films, we see that the women are represented as powerful and independent, therefore the gratifications are that as women, we can feel like we can do anything too. However there are still negative ways in which women are represented, while portrayed as powerful, they are still sexualised or objectified in one way or another. This study of how far women are represented as the 'sex object' or 'independent heroine' helps to demonstrate the over all representation of women in action films and most of the media today. Powerful, independent, beautiful, sexy, strong, skilled, aggressive.. These are a few of the characteristics they hold. So over all their characters tend to be alluring, beautiful and strong at the same time. Lastly, there is evidence to suggest that not all action heroines are represented badly, that it could be over exaggerated, too.
Bibliography:
1. http://keca2media.blogspot.co.uk
2. http://revisionworld.co.uk
3. http://www.theraider.net/information/influences/tomb_raider.php
4. http://scmc3001.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/quote-laura-mulvey-visual-pleasure-and-narrative-cinema/
5. http://keca2media.blogspot.co.uk
6. http://ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/in-theory-baudrillard-9/
7. http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/movies/girl-power-action-heroines-seize-the-screen/article_6b929c58-ae17-11e1-81dc-001a4bcf6878.html
8. http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Thwaitenator/news/?a=87652 - book
9. Jackson Katz - http://keca2media.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-max=2013-11-07T09:54:00-08:00&max-results=7
10. http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smartnews/2013/05/female-representation-in-film-is-the-lowest-its-been-in-five-years/
11. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CTPNur1Qc-gC&pg=PA208&dq=tomb+raider+masculinity+in+lara+croft&hl=en&sa=X&ei=sGzNUrejKYqf7gaw1oCYCQ&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=tomb%20raider%20masculinity%20in%20lara%20croft&f=false - book
Thursday 17 October 2013
Sin City
How typical is Sin City to its genre?
Film Noir is used in the film through the dark, dull feel of it as well as conventions like the trench coat that many of the male protagonists are seen wearing - representing the idea that they are detectives and are a symbol of authority. The sense of lost hope throughout the film reflects the idea of the cold war time, therefore showing that the film is typical to its Film Noir genre. For example, there is a particular scene within the film that consists of Marv (protagonist) and Goldie (Femme fatale) sleeping together. When Marv wakes and finds her dead he sets out to kill whoever did it - without mercy. This relates to the idea that he has no hope for the future and no reason to stay alive now that she is gone, relating back to the idea of the cold war, and dull and depressing feel of the Film Noir genre.
The mise en scene of the film consists of Femme Fatales, Male 'heroes' (Propp's theory), sexualised prostitutes who represent the idea of lost hope, again, relation to the cold war.
Furthermore, Sin City is typical to its comic book genre as it has conventions such as violence, horror and narratives from the characters, who are shown speaking in their heads throughout most of the film. The fact that the violence in the film does not do much harm to the characters portrays the unrealistic conventions of comic books, making fun of it in a way. There are various scenes to portray this, for example; one particular scene is when Hartigan is being shot by his enemy, who very obviously shoots him more than 5 times in the chest and he is still standing and breathing. This is a typical comic book convention. Therefore it is typical of its genre as it contains many conventions of comic book themes.
Overall, the film is typical to it's genres as it contains conventions from both representing the fact that it is a hybrid, using just as much Film Noir as Comic book genre related themes.
Tuesday 8 October 2013
Fish Tank - genre
To what extent are your chosen texts typical of their genre? [30]
'Fish Tank' is a British social realism film about a 15 year old underclass girl whose misfortunes have caused her to fall for a man twice her age at the same time as her mother. A twist of events happens as she attempts to be free from everything in her life and discovers that Connor has left forever.
Social realism is a realistic portrayal of characters within a film. Or in this case, British society. Films within this genre tend to be gritty, urban dramas that give an inside look on the struggles of everyday life in the 'real world'.
British social realism cinema has an objective distancing from what the characters think and feel, or a naturalism in its character spines.
'Fish Tank' is a British social realism film about a 15 year old underclass girl whose misfortunes have caused her to fall for a man twice her age at the same time as her mother. A twist of events happens as she attempts to be free from everything in her life and discovers that Connor has left forever.
Social realism is a realistic portrayal of characters within a film. Or in this case, British society. Films within this genre tend to be gritty, urban dramas that give an inside look on the struggles of everyday life in the 'real world'.
British social realism cinema has an objective distancing from what the characters think and feel, or a naturalism in its character spines.
Tuesday 24 September 2013
Genre - 'The good, the bad, and the ugly'
The film: 'The good, the bad and the ugly' is typical to its genre because it uses generic codes and conventions: Iconographies, narratives, representations and ideologies.
Iconography is shown by visual symbols that are decoded to establish genre. The audience establishes that it is a western film as it is shown to be set in the 18-19th century, it is noticeable that the location is in the middle of nowhere, its sunny, and there are mountains in the background. Each signifies what would fit into a western genre. There are even more iconographies, like; the outfits of the characters (guns, hats, belts, clicking boots), the music, even the sounds of the birds in the background to signify the 'old west'.
The narrative of the film is the idea that there is a hero and a villain. In one particular clip, three men are shown having a 'staring contest' as it were, in preparation to 'draw' (a western term for what cowboys used to typically do in western times). The audience is given the idea that there is a hero and a villain in this scene, and the one that dies is most probably the villain. The character roles are each focused on with the camera, in close focus on their faces, especially their eyes - this is a typical western camera angle, and therefore presents to the audience the idea that it is typical to have angles like this in western films.
The representation of the clip is over powering to men. There are no women in the entire scene, therefore giving the audience the idea that men are the most important part in the scene and dominate the danger rather than the women getting involved in it as well. This could relate to the stereotype in films that the woman is the 'damsel in distress'.
To be continued...
Iconography is shown by visual symbols that are decoded to establish genre. The audience establishes that it is a western film as it is shown to be set in the 18-19th century, it is noticeable that the location is in the middle of nowhere, its sunny, and there are mountains in the background. Each signifies what would fit into a western genre. There are even more iconographies, like; the outfits of the characters (guns, hats, belts, clicking boots), the music, even the sounds of the birds in the background to signify the 'old west'.
The narrative of the film is the idea that there is a hero and a villain. In one particular clip, three men are shown having a 'staring contest' as it were, in preparation to 'draw' (a western term for what cowboys used to typically do in western times). The audience is given the idea that there is a hero and a villain in this scene, and the one that dies is most probably the villain. The character roles are each focused on with the camera, in close focus on their faces, especially their eyes - this is a typical western camera angle, and therefore presents to the audience the idea that it is typical to have angles like this in western films.
The representation of the clip is over powering to men. There are no women in the entire scene, therefore giving the audience the idea that men are the most important part in the scene and dominate the danger rather than the women getting involved in it as well. This could relate to the stereotype in films that the woman is the 'damsel in distress'.
To be continued...
Thursday 19 September 2013
James Bond Scene - Male gaze theory
The James Bond franchise is a clear example of film objectifying females and forcing the audience to view females via the male gaze. The scene within, "Die another day" when James Bond meets the character Jinx demonstrates my previous statement by objectifying her using the male gaze theory for the audiences pleasure as well as Bond's. The text starts with a shot through binoculars (Bond's view), and slowly moves from the architectural views to Jinx as she progresses to coming ashore. As Bond is shown getting a better view of her, she is focused into the centre of the shot, in slow motion. Jinx is also seen to be wearing make up coming out of the water, her flawless skin and lightly dark eye shadowed eyes creates a hyper reality - creating the postmodern perspective of the theory of looking into a fake reality.
The lingering of this scene where Jinx is coming out of the water is purposefully put in to objectify her. The fact that she is in a bikini and slowly comes out of the water forces the audience, male or female, to 'gaze' at her in such a way that presents her as an 'object'.
Bond is seen admiring the 'view' as she thrusts her body back and forth whilst walking up to the restaurant. The part when Bond says "magnificent view", he is referring to Jinx, not the ocean. She replies with "It is isn't it. Too bad it's lost to everyone else" - this then creates the idea that Jinx is only there to be admired, she only exists in relation to the male. The first conversation revolves around Jinx being unlucky and talks about how her past relationships haven't worked out. This automatically creates the idea that she is dependent on men and is looking for a new relationship. When Bond is talking to Jinx, he is shown behind her, towering over her in a way, the camera is also shown looking up at bond and down at Jinx, giving him the authority. Bond soon asks "How much time have you got?" obviously referring to 'taking her home with him' She then answers "Until dawn." Presenting the idea that she is willing to do so. Giving her the stereotype that women are only there for the men's pleasure.
Throughout the scene, the audience is unknowingly put into the position of a heterosexual man; this also relates to the idea of 'masculinisation' of the viewer. Even women are put into the males' position of the male gaze.
As Jinx is shown to have a good body, and is objectified as well as admired by Bond, women automatically compare themselves to Jinx and desire to look like her.
Throughout the scene, the audience is unknowingly put into the position of a heterosexual man; this also relates to the idea of 'masculinisation' of the viewer. Even women are put into the males' position of the male gaze.
As Jinx is shown to have a good body, and is objectified as well as admired by Bond, women automatically compare themselves to Jinx and desire to look like her.
Tuesday 17 September 2013
Megan Fox representation - Transformers
In the popular phenomenon 'Transformers', Megan Fox is argued to be in it purely because of her good looks, figure and sexualised reputation. There are several scenes in the film when Megan is shown wearing provocative clothing and hanging on her jock boyfriend. These are two representations of women in the media that come across as the way we are realistically: Sexualised and dependent on men. For example, in one particular scene, Megan is shown leaning over a car 'fixing it', whilst in a very sexual position and showing much of her skin, therefore creating the male-gaze theory and giving her the stereotype of a sexualised woman with the 'perfect body image'. The picture is below.
However, as the film progresses, Fox is seen doing almost as much work as the main guy Shia Lebouf. Taking care of things on her own and showing that she is capable of doing everything independently. This is a positive representation of Megan as it reveals that she is not just on the show for looks, but for women to see that they have just as much power as men do.
In conclusion, Megan Fox is represented in such a way that is sexualised, but at the same time independent as the movie progresses. She is the ideal woman for men, therefore she would appeal to guys interested in the film, and she is also the woman that so many girls idolise for her good looks and figure. Which can be both positive and negative.
However, as the film progresses, Fox is seen doing almost as much work as the main guy Shia Lebouf. Taking care of things on her own and showing that she is capable of doing everything independently. This is a positive representation of Megan as it reveals that she is not just on the show for looks, but for women to see that they have just as much power as men do.
In conclusion, Megan Fox is represented in such a way that is sexualised, but at the same time independent as the movie progresses. She is the ideal woman for men, therefore she would appeal to guys interested in the film, and she is also the woman that so many girls idolise for her good looks and figure. Which can be both positive and negative.
Thursday 12 September 2013
Mean Girls trailer
In the trailer of the popular chick flick 'Mean Girls' there are a few mis-representations of women. For example: one scene in the trailer features a blonde with the commentator saying "The dumbest girl you will ever meet" - this stereotypes the blonde automatically, showing also her thin body and unintelligent lines various time throughout the trailer.
All three girls or 'Mean girls' are shown to have good bodies, popularity, wealth and are mean. This is also a stereotype of women in America and what they look like as well as how they act.
Another point I want to make is the way the girls are sexualised in the film. They often wear (besides Cady until the end) revealing clothing showing a lot of flesh and therefore creating the 'male-gaze' from the way they dress. It also shows how Cady's dress code becomes more and more provocative as the film progresses, creating the idea that girls have to show skin in order to be popular and to gain attention.
Another point I want to make is the way the girls are sexualised in the film. They often wear (besides Cady until the end) revealing clothing showing a lot of flesh and therefore creating the 'male-gaze' from the way they dress. It also shows how Cady's dress code becomes more and more provocative as the film progresses, creating the idea that girls have to show skin in order to be popular and to gain attention.
We also have a stereotype of homeschoolers - Cady is a 16 year old who was homeschooled and grew up in Africa. She is instantly shown as innocent, non-fashionable, doesn't wear revealing clothes and isn't shown to have the perfect body. Therefore creating a stereotype of homeschoolers.
However, looking at the poster cover for the film, almost creates a positive representation of the girls. This is shown by not having any men on the cover, revealing that men are not an important part of the film. This means that women are the dominating characters and that the film doesn't revolve around boys. This is a positive representation of women as it perceives the fact that girls can be independent and in control without needing a man to be the stereotypical 'breadwinner'.
In conclusion, Mean girls has both positive and negative representations, is a mainstream film and is aimed towards stereotypical girls in high school these days.
In conclusion, Mean girls has both positive and negative representations, is a mainstream film and is aimed towards stereotypical girls in high school these days.
Uses and Gratifications - LOST
LOST
The uses and gratifications model suggests that audiences are a mixture of individuals that select media texts that best suit their needs of consumption.
The audiences that view particular media texts is due to their background, culture, age, needs and desires. For example the famous TV show 'LOST' would appeal to many ages, cultures and backgrounds as it portrays characters of many different races, cultures and ages. The show is aired on Sky1 but it could be argued that it used to be a niche show as you needed a certain sky player to watch it. Now it is considered mainstream and is well known in the UK.
Many of the characters on the show are from different places in the world. For example Claire, is a young, pregnant woman from Australia, and Jin and his wife Sun are a couple in their mid 20's from South Korea. Each character from the show has a background that different people can relate to in different ways. For example Kate is a young woman who has been on the run for a long time from the police for an accidental commitment of crime, and Jack is a doctor from America who eventually develops a love interest for Kate. Charlie, is a young guy who's life of being a rockstar was progressing to go downhill as his addiction to drugs got worse before he crashed on the island, and Michael, a black-American guy in his mid 30's who has a broken relationship with his 12 year old son. All of these character's background's are presented to attract people who are in the same situation as them. Therefore, making it a mainstream audience. There is a big age-range in the show, going from 12 to 65, all of different genders, races and cultures. Because the show has an ensemble cast, it is going to attract people of different ages, cultures and races.
Lots of people, myself included, watch this show for entertainment or escapism. Sometimes people enjoy putting themselves in other peoples' situations to see what it would be like if it actually happened. Of course the show is unrealistic in particular ways, for example the resources they have and how they get enough food etc. is never mentioned, but automatically makes audience assume it would be possible to survive the way they did and to experience all of the things they did as well.
The mode of address for this TV show would be an ensemble cast, as the characters all come from different places, cultures and are of many races. Another would be the non-diagetic music used in the show, this is used to produce atmospheres for certain scenes. For example fast paced music would be used to create an intense scene and slow, lyrical music would be used to create an emotional scene; making the audience feel what they are meant to feel during the specific scene.
In conclusion, the uses and gratifications of LOST would be that people watch it for entertainment or escapism, personal backgrounds as they can relate to it, and for pleasure as they enjoy putting themselves in situations different to theirs. People watch the programme for all different reasons, and an ensemble cast and how people relate to it is a big part of why that is.
The uses and gratifications model suggests that audiences are a mixture of individuals that select media texts that best suit their needs of consumption.
The audiences that view particular media texts is due to their background, culture, age, needs and desires. For example the famous TV show 'LOST' would appeal to many ages, cultures and backgrounds as it portrays characters of many different races, cultures and ages. The show is aired on Sky1 but it could be argued that it used to be a niche show as you needed a certain sky player to watch it. Now it is considered mainstream and is well known in the UK.
Many of the characters on the show are from different places in the world. For example Claire, is a young, pregnant woman from Australia, and Jin and his wife Sun are a couple in their mid 20's from South Korea. Each character from the show has a background that different people can relate to in different ways. For example Kate is a young woman who has been on the run for a long time from the police for an accidental commitment of crime, and Jack is a doctor from America who eventually develops a love interest for Kate. Charlie, is a young guy who's life of being a rockstar was progressing to go downhill as his addiction to drugs got worse before he crashed on the island, and Michael, a black-American guy in his mid 30's who has a broken relationship with his 12 year old son. All of these character's background's are presented to attract people who are in the same situation as them. Therefore, making it a mainstream audience. There is a big age-range in the show, going from 12 to 65, all of different genders, races and cultures. Because the show has an ensemble cast, it is going to attract people of different ages, cultures and races.
Lots of people, myself included, watch this show for entertainment or escapism. Sometimes people enjoy putting themselves in other peoples' situations to see what it would be like if it actually happened. Of course the show is unrealistic in particular ways, for example the resources they have and how they get enough food etc. is never mentioned, but automatically makes audience assume it would be possible to survive the way they did and to experience all of the things they did as well.
The mode of address for this TV show would be an ensemble cast, as the characters all come from different places, cultures and are of many races. Another would be the non-diagetic music used in the show, this is used to produce atmospheres for certain scenes. For example fast paced music would be used to create an intense scene and slow, lyrical music would be used to create an emotional scene; making the audience feel what they are meant to feel during the specific scene.
In conclusion, the uses and gratifications of LOST would be that people watch it for entertainment or escapism, personal backgrounds as they can relate to it, and for pleasure as they enjoy putting themselves in situations different to theirs. People watch the programme for all different reasons, and an ensemble cast and how people relate to it is a big part of why that is.
Niche And Mainstream Audiences - Definition
There are two different types of audiences in the category of A2 media; Niche and Mainstream. A Niche audience being one that is particularly small, unpopular and only known to a small range of people, for example 'Indie-rock' music. A Mainstream audience is one that is known to a wide range of people, for example X-factor (aired on ITV) is very popular in the media therefore a lot of people know about it and watch it, especially people who are aiming to get somewhere in the music industry or purely enjoy watching it because it's on. The X-factor is easily available as it's on at 8pm, which is when kids get home from school and adults get home from work - a perfect time for them to switch on the TV and watch the programme.
Niche audiences tend to watch/read texts that are interesting to them in particular, 'Indie-rock' music is something that very few people listen to, purely because it is not in the charts, not discussed often and not as popular nowadays. Audiences who listen to Indie-rock music tend to be people that are more individual in their tastes and opinions, usually teenagers or young adults who are discovering who they are will be the main audience. Noah and the whale are a band who's music is not appealing to everyone, they have only had one song in the charts and people may have heard of them due to that one song. Furthermore, the mode of address for the band would be informal, as the things they sing about and represent are aimed more towards people who are young, free, in love, reckless and enjoy indie-rock styled music and more.
There is the question that has been brought up about whether or not you have to be a passive or active audience to watch/read Niche texts. This all comes down to whether you are actually interested in the text, or just watching it as a past time. For example audiences who take the preferred reading would watch/read/listen to texts and easily take it in without questioning it. However oppositional audiences would not take it in because they question it.
Mainstream audiences would be involved in the texts for entertainment or social integration, some may feel they need to watch mainstream texts because it makes it easier to be involved in conversations with friends, family and any type of social life. Because the show is aired on ITV, it is available to a wide range of people browsing TV to fill time or to be entertained.
There is the question that has been brought up about whether or not you have to be a passive or active audience to watch/read Niche texts. This all comes down to whether you are actually interested in the text, or just watching it as a past time. For example audiences who take the preferred reading would watch/read/listen to texts and easily take it in without questioning it. However oppositional audiences would not take it in because they question it.
Mainstream audiences would be involved in the texts for entertainment or social integration, some may feel they need to watch mainstream texts because it makes it easier to be involved in conversations with friends, family and any type of social life. Because the show is aired on ITV, it is available to a wide range of people browsing TV to fill time or to be entertained.
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