How people appear as ones gender through clothing.
Attempts of Identifying it in Film:
Legally Blond (2001)
This film in its entirety is about women going up to high ranking and male dominate fields with out switching up and conforming to male standards, to stay feminine. This ability to say female can be seen through out the film with Elle Woods clothing. Elle as a character is able to combines her sex and the gender she chooses to be in the clothing of hot pink when she is not trying to conform, being herself. When trying to be like a scholar, a "man", she loses the hot bright colors and gets darker neutral tones. In this extract she is still in the shadow of her male colleges hence, the darker tones. In the next scene after this extract, she gets to be the lawyer, the one on the stand, who wears the pink.
This extract has gender trouble with the Enriqu, the gay man. Gender trouble is when any character falls outside heterosexuality which is here in the second scene. Enriqu the guy trying to be straight to get Ms. Windhelm arrested, for the murder. However, it is revealed with early 2000s logic that since he knows fashion, he must be, no, he is gay. They figure this out by just asking him question in quick succession to trick him. This is contrasted through the budding relation ship that is set up multiple times in the film. The first one was the driving force the second one is the guy who help Elle's theory get proven. This film and it scenes are all about the use of the theory of identity and Gender as a performance the scene I pick felt the most about it, I could find.
The effect of post colonialism on media. This is usually negative with stereotypes of those places.
Attempts of Identifying it in Film:
You Only Live Twice
Live and Let Die
Die Another Day
Skyfall (2012)
The entire James Bond franchise is built on the idea of Postcolonialism. These clip even if subtle contain them. The first video contains civilizations. The binary world view of the Japanese people and culture. The environment even though set in the 60s treats the culture as over traditionist. Even though in history the Japanese is one of the most modernism nations pre-WW2. They do show white boats in the water near European esc architecture in Japan. There is a white savior complex with James Bond being the only white male there.
The second video contains negative stereotypes of black men in Lusianna. 007 being the sophisticated British white male who does not have an ounce of crack educed eyes while all (that we can see) and if they are not crazy still black. This negative stereotype is negative and a product of its' time. Which was a stereotype during-after the civil-rights movement. The film is also set in a tropical esc setting which is foreign and used to probably colonized by the British.
The third video has a small scene where an Asian male fight one of the spies in Iceland an area of the world that is ice covered and unknown. The big bad is also a rich person who took diamonds from an area of the world. To further the locations the trailers also haves a scene in an ocean tropical region where he is getting attack. There is also the side lady who is also a person of color, who follows him around getting into the more "savage" and difficult fights this could have been a negative stereotyping of the black race being "savages".
The fourth just has racial problems with the girl accidently shooting 007. This could be the term racial incompetence which is subtext. This does not help that she is surrounded by 2 white, blue eyed people who are being competent in their job. These excerpts all have some variation of Postcolonialism.
For this I will not give an except because this is more about the real world and how people put themselves into the film. In this film and scene is shows an active audience through the speech. The speech starts with him going dramatic Shakespearian villain arc. Stating that all of the non mutans, the protestors/mob getting violent. That he could step on them like bugs and kill them. Going to the sky to show he is a god with a low angle shot, to make him impose while the humans, the powerless have a high agnel to make them look week. You think he is going to kill them but, does not and says he will not. This mercy, this acceptance of the "common future" of the two groups. His redemption. The ability to make us the audience to expect him to go evil but he does not. This is what in this theory is called audience engagement, to figure out while watching will he resort to that grey area, who knows? However, this redemption is something people should aspire to be. To be person of power to have balance, control, eloquence and restraint.
This story has a simple hateful antagonist towards the mutants, a mutant that is just protecting his people this includes magneto but, through extreme way. These characters are mutafacient all changing and growing. Which allows these characters to get angry and do something evil or not. The anti-hero is a great example. These characters make us look inside to feel. The common trope of kids and many people wanting super powers are usually folded with the bigotry that can be applied. Lets think on this and good luck.
This is not the common term of feminism. This is similar but not. It is how the media represents the genders. The gender could be stereo typed for the male(heterosexual) and female (homosexual) gaze. This can change over time, like standards of appearance.
Attempts of Identifying it in Film:
The Silance of the Lambs (1991)
The male gaze in my opinion is slightly prevenient in this scene. The woman is not over exaggerated and makeup. She however is shorter and one of the few females at the facility. Men of older age are the people telling her around. Not overly objectified but the patriarchy dose exists. They also focuses on her body over her face.
The film does slightly reenforce the female body as a spectacle, in a traditional sense. The human body of the protagonist is athletic, as we see with her constantly running. According to the theory present that if one gender is show with one trait can isolate a person. This counteracted by showing both as equals even if it not wide-spread. The only time I could think of was when the woman was shorter than the men in the elevator.
The main masculinity come with the experienced supervisors and the men doing more of the physical work outside.
The active representation is the female in training of power. This is amplified from this with the majority of background and speaking roles being male minis for the protagonist/ her friend. This is very active representation.
The excerpt is neither a subversive nor states the representation. The scene is some form of women empowerment but the majority of men are in these spots with tracking shots on her to show she is the focus. The entire time is spent with her centered or on a focal point in frame which shows this story to an extent is about her, the only time it breaks center is when a superior come to tell her something.
Sorry, for not writing of the how and the definition. But I am on a time crunch this week, next will be better and write them. My occupation took too much time.
What is it?
The perspective of the produces. Stereotyping and the opposite.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2019)
The representation in this extract is a teen of color (he is African American Hispanic) who does not fit in. The character, Miles has the generic teen traits of being late, unprepared and wants to isolate from his family. He and many others in his group and mom speak Spanish and show more physical appreciation. With handshakes from his friends and kisses from his mom. This is not the only other way he is appreciated in the old school area. His motions are very fluid natural his energy is more in the beginning just like his voice. The energy matches the environment not to colorful but filled with life. This along with the audio spoken by the kids has more of friendly tone.
However, this is countered in the second half with as soon as he enters his car the energy of his mood drops. The police in media are sometimes depicted as control/order. When Miles enters his father's car, he is visually drained and out of it, annoyed. He is controlled. As he enters the new school the colors go on the greyscale, drained of the life from before. The kids are also static just standing around, the movement is low. With the audio only being negative and mockery of Miles' "Dad, I love you." line from the beginning of the scene. His face is visually stressed, he out of his environment and school.
The contrasting points show his isolation. Which are teens of color who does not fit in by binary opposites.
Sorry, for not writing of the how and the definition. But I am on a time crunch this week, next will be better and write them. My occupation took too much time.
What is it?
The idea is that the refences to the reel world in media.
Attempting at identifying it in a scene:
Spaceballs (1987)
This parody of Star Wars contains a ton of references to the original films. The amount slowly increases with each reference the Inertia. The 'I know your father' and etc. It becomes overwhelming even for the cast they it breaks the fourth wall by running into the equipment. This also creates media blending that this scene kicks you out of the film, then back again. The fiction and reality subversion is a nice element. This postmodern idea creates since we know it as today. The authenticity gets messed up because it did not contain, its' purpose is to make fun of the idea. Which is a parody. 'There is no escape.' the references to even life.
Today's Blog Is on the Media Theory Structuralism/Levi-Strauss:
-Sorry, for not writing of the how and the definition. But I am on a time crunch this week, next will be better and write them. My occupation took too much time.
What is Structuralism?
- Opposing ideas like light and dark, nature and technology, etc. Just watch Star Wars it has a lot of good examples.
Attempting at identifying Structuralism:
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Into the Spiderverse (2016)
The excerpt uses and shows the binary, character opposite. The Binary opposite used is the concept of experience and the lack of it. In the clip Miles Moralis who is new to being spider man is being mentored by Peter B. Parker. In the second half Miles refuses to use to use the web shooters when running for his life. With experience comes comfort in what you do, and Peter has that in spades compared to Miles. To add on to this it was life and death they where they are running for their life. Then after getting caught by Doc Ock Spider-Gwen beats up Doc and reveals her age. This can also be used to show that you do not have to be over experienced to do well. Which can show hope to Miles to do well.
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Shaolin Soccer (2001)
The excerpt uses and shows character opposite. This is derived from the characters appearance, with the Shalin monks who wear only color yellow robes which is not traditional soccer wear, compared this to the normal team who is wearing white with red stripes. This show of non-tradition wear and attitude of the monks make you think they are going to be toast. However, this shallow depiction is ironic since the monks in chaotic montage show the pros getting smoked. The traditional style vs. professional style and order vs chaos as show in the set up and execution.
While researching on how to make film I came across the media theories. One of the theories was by Neale and this was the theory of Genre
What is Genre?
Genre is the theory of variety of genera to repetition and change. The want of familiar and new. The concepts of relating to the real world (verisimilitude), narritive similarities, motifs, iconography and audience targeting and representational effects. How do these relate to genres? The change fluidity (generic fluidity) or combination (generic hybridity) to form new subgenres and genres. The genres can be subverted to have a surprise. This can also be used to have the ability to target specific audiences.
Attempts of Identifying Genre:
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Genre that can be identified in the trailer would probably be Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama and Science Fiction. The way we were able to identify this is through this was iconography and character conventions. The way the characters talk seems like they are having and argument and a debate. Which are tell tail signs of drama. However, the iconography or visual medium has more to say. The multiple fight scenes with varying environments which is action adventure at the core. The Sci-fi and Comady is harder to find but, the multiverse and grand environments are common tropes of Sci-fi. The comedy is mainly found in visual gages. The concept of subversion happens around 30 seconds in the tonal shift from drama about an immigrant's life about a family, to a fun, crazy multiverse story with pact action. Startes still then gains life. This subversion creates this hybridity of family and the action sci-fi. In recap, Science fiction Drama.
Phantom of the Paradise
Genre that can be identified in the trailer would probably be comedy, drama, satire and horror. The way I was able to identify this is through the verisimilitude the name being a parody of the phantom of the operas. The Character-driven motifs with the main character look like a vengeful, serial killer. The horror esc elements. With the comedy being dialogue based. The element of text genre subversion is probably social effects because it goes over someone who was sued for their own work and how many people have happened to them. The film goes to the extreme with wanting revenge for the sue. The satirical horror elements is the hybrid that is piggy bagging off the genera.
Electric Dreams (1984)
The genre that can be identified in the trailer would be a romantic comedy and science-fiction(Sci-fi). The way I was able to identify this was through character-driven motifs of the entire trailer. The titular shy guy who is love with the outgoing girl. The shy person has a friend or the in this case computer that after helping them to get the relationship, wants it. Since the computer is sentient then it was Sci-fi when it was made. The iconography is also used because of the visual representation of 'love' over and over again and kissing. Along with that, the computer with the talking blocks shows Sci-fi. The text genre subversion is historical effect. This film came out during the rise of the computer access the worry that they will take over. That is the entire plot of the film. This romantic-comedy is a common genera hybrid
Todays, Blog is on the Media Theory Equilibrium/Todorov:
While researching on how to make film I came across the media theories. One of the theories was by Todorov and this was the theory of Equilibrium.
What is Equilibrium?
Narrative equilibrium is theory based off of the three-act structure. These include basic roles: The hero, villain, princess and the princess's father, donor, helper, dispatcher, and the false hero.
A state of balance or equilibrium is establish.
This balance gets disturbed or broken in the rising action.
The new balance, equilibrium, or new equilibrium will be created to create a sense of normalization
Example
Mission Imposible: Rogue Nation
Attempt at identifying Semiotics in film: Proppian characters, equilibrium, disruption, new equilibrium, in media res, multiperspective narratives.
Proppian characters:
The hero: Ethen the man who takes initiative in getting the package.
The helper hero: Luther and Benji who is in the ghillie suit who hacked the airplane.
The villain: The people flying and protecting the airplane.
The dispatcher: The man in the headquarters who is directing the retrieval prosses.
The princess archetype: The package that is needed to be secured.
Equilibrium: An airway next to an empty grassy field no other context yet.
Disruption: The airplane starting to fly away. Along with that, the hacking of said plain was taking to long.
New Equilibrium: The heroes hack into the plain and gets the package out.
In media res: The start of presenting the clear operation at play. The opposition of the plane crew that is halting and staling the MI5 pursuits.
Multi-perspective narratives: There are 5 perspectives in this scene. The opposing view of the crew. Luther in the Internet tower. Benji in the grass field watching the computer screen and the plane from a distance. Then you have the coordinator who is in the dark and just has the voice of others to tell him what happening, he also is the maker of the mission. To encapsulate all of this Ethan the protagonist is in the clear about everything and wait to strike and get the package.
Application of the theory:
The Equilibrium is set with the introduction of the mission, with the balanced after the chaos. The disturbance happened when the plane controlled by the villains started to get away. However, the new equilibrium is set when he starts to fly out of the plane.
Todays, Blog is on the Media Theory Semiotics/Barthes:
While researching on how to make film I came across the media theories. One of the theories was by Barthes and this was the theory of Semiotics.
What is Semiotics?
Semiotics is the theory of symbols and signs in media. These include hermeneutic, prioritic, referential and symbolic codes. The ideas can exist from myths and other legends. A few examples include: a scar on the face equals bad guy, someone in the air is powerful. These concepts correlate to stereotypes and hegemony (leadership or dominance,)
Attempt at identifying Semiotics in film:
Punch-Drunk love
From this scene we will identify Semiotics: sign, signifier, signified, denotative meaning, connotative meaning, code.
Sign: Art in the protagonist life
Signifier: Piano
Signified: Music
Denotative meaning: The sudden car crash in the empty quiet environment.
Connotative meaning: The denotative event is a type of a call for action. The calm serene events that unfold the crash. Fear and shock.
Code: Hermeneutic/enigma code.
Example: 'Why was the piano dropped off
Application of the theory:
In this scene, out of the elements of mise en scéne, I used the piano. The piano appears after an accident that came out of nowhere. Then after, the crash of the piano. The piano, this instrument of sound and art is here. Why is it here, why now? which is what the hermeneutic code is for.
