Women & Directors

Why are women so rare as directors?

• Film is such a male dominated industry. There's a lot of "who you know" in terms of how you get promoted.
  
• Men at every level, which makes it really hard for women to get their feet in the door.


• it is hard to feel able to express yourself and to feel that you will be heard in a male dominated environment.


• Female directors just don't seem to send their projects in.


• Females are more likely to have children, making it hard to get back into the directing industry after having a child.


• There are gender issues about control and authority, just like in the armed forces.

3 ways we can improve this:

1. By having workshops and events where women directors can talk about there experiences and more within the directing industry, this is so they can share this with other women, inspiring them to also break into the directing industry.
   
2. By celebrating the women directors more, this will allow for acknowledgement of female directors to be far greater than it is now.
   
3. women directors can do visits to schools that study media and do a workshop in which the students can direct films with the help of the female directors, increasing the confidence in females wanting to come into the directing industry.

5 female producers:

1. Gurinder Chadha - born in Kenya, and grew up in Southall, London, England. She began her career as a news reporter with BBC Radio, directed several award winning documentaries for the BBC, and began an alliance with the British Film Institute (BFI) and Channel Four. In 1990, Chadha set up her own production company: Umbi Films. her works include: Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008)
   Paris, je t'aime (2006) segment "Quais de Seine"
   The Mistress of Spices (2005)
   Bride and Prejudice (2004)
   Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
   What's Cooking? (2000)
   Rich Deceiver (1995), BBC two-part drama
   A Nice Arrangement (1994)
   What Do You Call an Indian Woman Who's Funny? (1994)
   Bhaji on the Beach (1993)
   Acting Our Age (1992)
   Pain, Passion and Profit (1992) (V)
   I'm British But... (1990) (TV)





2. Lynne Ramsey - 5 December 1969, Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK, Graduated from the UK's National Film and Television School in 1995. Trained as a camera operator. Her works include the following: The Lovely Bones (2004); We Need To Talk About Kevin (2004); Black And White Town (2005)




3. Amma Asante - was an actress in the 1980's and 1990's, starred in many things, even the programme grange hill. She attended full time stage school in London, where she trained as a student in dance and drama. She directed films such as A Way Of Life (2004) and the pre production of Where the Hands Touch (2010)



4. Jane Arden - Jane Arden (née Norah Patricia Morris) was born in Twnpath Road, Pontypool, Wales on 29th October 1927. She studied acting at RADA and began her career in the late 1940s on television and in the cinema. Arden appeared in a TV production of Romeo and Juliet in the late 1940s, and then went onto star in two British crime movies, Her works include: 1940s Romeo and Juliet (BBC TV) (actor)
   1947 Black Memory (1947 film) (actor)
   1948 A Gunman Has Escaped (1948 film) (actor)
   1954 Conscience and Desire, and Dear Liz (theatre) (playwright)
   1955 Curtains For Harry (ITV) (co-writer)
   1958 The Party (theatre) (playwright)
   1959 The Thug (ITV) (writer)
   1963 Exit 19 (commentator)
   1964 Huis Clos (BBC TV) (actor)
   1965 The Logic Game (BBC TV) (writer, actor)
   1965 The Interior Decorator (actor)
   1966 Dali in New York (BBC TV) (interviewer)
   1968 Separation (film) (writer, actor)
   1968 The Illusionist (writer)
   1969 Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven (theatre) (writer)
   1970 The Holocaust (theatre) (writer)
   1971 A New Communion for Freaks, Prophets and Witches (theatre) (playwright)
   1972 The Other Side of the Underneath (1972 film) (writer, uncredited actor, director)
   1974 Vibration (film) (writer, co-director)
   1978 You Don't Know What You Want, Do You? (poetry) (writer)
   1979 Anti-Clock (film) (writer, composer, co-director)



5. Sharon Maguire - (born 1960) made her name as a film director when she landed the job of directing Bridget Jones's Diary. Sharon Maguire studied English and Drama at the University of Wales Aberystwyth from 1979-1983 and graduated with a 2:2 degree before going on to do the PGCE teaching qualification. After leaving Aberystwyth, she did a year's postgraduate course in journalism at City University in London and worked as a researcher then a director on The Media Show. In 1991, she got a job with the BBC as producer/director of The Late Show. The Thing is... Babies (1991)
   The Thing is... Hotels (1991)
   The Godfather (1993)
   In at Number Ten (1994)
   Yo Picasso (1994)
   Rumer Godden: An Indian Affair (1995)
   H.G. Wells: Bromley Boy (1996)
   H.G. Wells: The Panther and the Jaguar (1996)
   Dame Henrietta's Dream (1997)
   Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
   Incendiary (2008)

Adverts

KoolAid Commercials - 1950s-1990s


the first advertisement, the 1950's, Presents the women as the maternal, caring, Motherly figure, this links to Mcneal(1975) women are usually presented as housewives, they don't work. Another link could be Gunter(50s, 60s, 70s), the things that are most important to women in the media are 'marriage, parenthood and domesticity'. However the women in the advertisement arguably has power as she does have most of the speaking role, nevertheless she is represented as a stereotypical housewife and a women that cares for her Children, therefore appealing to a female audience.

Flash - 1960s


The advertisement is for a cleaning product, the representation is of a housewife cleaning, once again targeting that stereotype of women being housewives, however she arguably is presenting how the power of women is increasing as there is a female voice over, this can be linked with the idea that women are usually housewives, Mcneal (1975). The advertisement shows no change in the representation of women, apart from the idea that women are becoming more powerful through the voice over.

Old Spice - 1970s


The advertisement is selling men's after shave, deodorant, etc. The use of a women shows how she is used to connote that the product can be used for man as ways of attracting women, the female voice over adds to the effect that women can help to endorse the product, her sexy, provocative voice and shots of her in a bikini promote the idea of Laura Mulvey (1975) and the male gaze, as well as Gunter(50s, 60s, 70s) idea that women are 'mealy token females', they are just used to promote products through their bodies, a sort of selling their sex.

Lynx - 2006


The advert is selling the product lynx deodorant, however it is selling it in a very indirect way, as the audience never actually see the product. What we do see is a lot of women being objectified for their bodies, the women are seen to be under the control of the men, as if they were under some sort of spell, they are their to provide entertainment for men, as well as caring for men's needs. However this could arguably be ironically funny as well as acceptable as it obvious that this would never happen, its mealy a humour technique.

Aero - 2007


The advert is selling a chocolate based product, the advert focuses on the male selling the product, through his physical features, in this case the male is being objectified, this also links to the idea of the female gaze. The voice over is also female and male, there fore presenting the idea that women and men are becoming equal within the industry, Miles (1975), 'men and women are equal'.

Sanex - 2004

The advertisement is selling a shower gel, the advert promotes the idea of women having beauty that is natural, the women being pregnant is a representation of women being the reproducers, however this is an advert that promotes pregnancy as a positive thing, it argues against Gunters idea that women are just concerned with 'domesticity, parenthood and marriage', in this case it is the man that is seen to be the supporting figure. The advert also promotes the idea that women are becoming more powerful, in an indirect way, through the use of a female voice over.

3 adverts/Images

The new perfume for women, allows them to get sex when they want whenever they want. just one squirt does the work!

The New ketchup bottle, so easy a man cannot open it!

The New WonderBra...Because Women Your Breast's Are Not Big Enough For Men To Enjoy.

Films

1950's
High Noon - 1952




Bridge On the Rive Kwai - 1957





In both texts there are very little or no use of women on screen, Men are represented as being powerful through their use of gun play. Men are always playing the assertive and dominant, leading roles. Women were not seen yet as 1st wave feminism had not been seen on screen this early.

1960's
Sound Of Music - 1965



Lawrence Of Arabia - 1962


Both texts present different ideologies, Sound of Music represents the stereotype of a caring, maternal, woman figure, a mother like woman. Where as Lawrence Of Arabia still presents the idea that women are not on screen figures to this decade.

1970's
Star Wars - 1977


The Godfather - 1972



Both films represent males to still be powerful roles in films, however there are more on screen women now, although they still play roles that are in a way demeaning, as they play roles such as weak women and mothers, they are also presented as the propparian princesses that need to be rescued.

1980's
Aliens - 1986


The Terminator - 1984




Both texts begin to introduce/reinforce the idea that women are able to play leading roles on screen, however they still posses the sterotypical features, motherly, caring figures. However in the terminator the women is presented more as a woman that is the proparian princess, where as in Aliens the woman is represented as more independent and powerful.

1990's
Die Another Day


Fatal Attraction

David Gauntlett Handout - Representations Of Gender Today

Notes:

This chapter talks about how men and women have changed the representations of gender and how they are working side by side, as equals. It relates it to the change in society, As well as the introduction of new audiences, such as 'gays'.

• 1990s - gender roles on television became increasingly equal and non-stereotyped.
• Portrayal of women in prime time TV shows during the 1992-1993 season, by Elasmar, Hasegawa and Brian. During 1995-1996 season, by Lauzen and Dozier, Elasmar reports the numbers of TV women who are employed, and who care for children.
• (still Prime Time TV shows) 1992-1993, men took 61% of speaking roles, Women had 39%. 1995-1996, men took 63% and women had 37% of speaking roles.
• 1992-1993, 18% of women were major characters, two thirds of these played domestic situation comedies. 1995-1996, 43% of major characters were female.
• 1992-1993, 3% of women were represented as housewives as their main occupation. 8% of women were shown as the 'homemakers'.
• 1995-1996, roles of women and men in conversations on screen, recording the degree of control they exerted over dialogue, it was found that on a character-by-character basis, females and males were equal.
• 1992-1993 study found that 'the women on prime time TV in the early 1990s was young, single, independent, and free from family and work place pressures' (Elasmar, Hasegawa and Brian 1999: 33)

The Studies show a growth in gender equality on screen.

• The pThe Friends programme shows that there has been an increase in equality between both genders.
• The programme series consisted of 3 males and 3 females, which shows an equal amount of characters and equality between the genders
• The three males are shown with masculine qualities, although with some characteristics of "sensitivity" and "Gentleness" and male bonding.
• The three females are shown as "intelligent" and "non-housewifely".
  This gives it a refreshing feel to it rather than the traditional T.V programmes the viewers were use to.
• Programmes such as "Ally McBeal" (1997) and "Sex and the City" (1998) put successful women at the forefront and focuses on their paths to and for sex, pleasure and romantic love. This then shows women in a different light, representing them as provocative and promiscuous, rather than the traditional House wife and Homemaker.
  A study by psychologists, Muncer, Campbell, Jervis and Lewis (2001), respond to the growing concern of the Media term "Ladettes", these are women who are assertive with an aggressive attitude which are usually associated with "Lads". The study talks about whether "girls power" leads to "girl violence".
  

Maggie Humm- Films either stereotype women as "Good Mothers" or "Bad Hysterical careerists".

Michael Thomson- "By all means be feisty, but never forget to be feminine".

Charlies Angels(2000)- Barrymore, Diaz and Lui represent redhead, blonde and brunet respectively or as David Poland pointed out and said, as "Tits", "Ass" and "Hair"?

Although, today's representation show that equally men and women have to be attractive with us recognising the conventions that show that they are attractive.

David Gauntlett Handout - Representations of Gender in the Past

Notes:


Chapter is about the overview of representations of gender in the Media.
Internet and World Wide Web brings more information and ideas into our lives.

1950'S, 1960'S AND 1970'S only 20-30% of characters were female.
Mid 1980's there were more women leading roles, but there were twice as many men on screen.
Mid 1970's (Miles, 1975) found that nearly equal proportions of men and women in situation comedies, however, gender roles and humour could still be traditional and sexist.
Only 15% of women wereleading characters in adventurous and action shows.
In 1987, study found female roles to be most common in comedy programmes(43%).
1970's, marriage, parenthood and domesticity were shown to be more important to women than men.
Study by McNeil (1975) concluded that women's movement was largely ignored by television, with married housewives being the main female role.
Studies in the 1970's found men to be the more dominant characters
Men were seen as assertive or aggressive, and women were seen as passive.
Men were also seen as active and victorious and Women were also seen as weak and victimised or merely "Token Females". (Gunter, 1995).
Tuchman-Women don't count for much, underrepresented and "Symbolically annihilated". However, these are only the views from the American Society. Men were shown solving both emotional and practical problems, leaving women with little value.
Dyer-Game shows didn't bother to change their "Degrading and trivialising" views of women, News programmes are accused of "Tokenism" or "Window Dressing", by including some women in key positions whilst retaining a male dominated culture.
Sharon Smith- Roles of Women revolve around their physical attraction and mating games she plays with the male characters
E.Ann Kaplan-Women are refused a voice, in Hollywood films, their desire is subjected to male desire.
Kathi Maio-Hollywood's ideas about gender were "often reprehensible". She stated that "Women are not only given less screen time, being portrayed as "Powerless" and "Ineffectual".
Maio also stated that films such as "Dead Calm"1989), and "Heathers"(1989), present women as Strong and Victorious.

Hegemonic vs. Pluralistic

I would like to think that I have more of a Pluralistic view, being a media student certainly helps this idea. I believe that I am Pluralistic as i take my own Preffered reading, Reception theory, associated with Stuart Hall and David Morely, for example when I am watching a film I as comment on how that would never happen in real life. However I do think I am slightly conformed into the Hegemonic idea, as I do Agree with Marcuse's view that the media helps to 'Indoctrinate and Manipulate and promote a false consciousness to audiences'.

COVER Wed 12.11.08 p1/p2

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tQLrnN3qsDs - (Could not post up on blog as the embedding code had been disabled, due to terms of privacy). The Uprising Scene.

M - the camera moves around the protagonist, to give that first hand view, as if the audience are actually there. The camera uses low angles on the mob, to present them as powerful. Some parts of the film actually contain dirt on the lens of the camera, which allows for that perception that you are once again getting that first hand experience. The lighting is low key/natural lighting, also giving out that perception. The camera always maintains eye level with the protagonist, in order to give the perception that you are living this nightmare world with him, as if you were his friend.

I - Ideologies are the beliefs of the dystopian world and the nature of chaos.

G - sci/fi/apocalyptic

R - representations, those who are civilians are represented as weak, possibly relating to how many civilians feel to the economic situations in today's society, where as the mob are represented as powerful, however still rebellious through their fighting of their opposition. This can be seen in the episode of spooks (BBC one) that I watched on Tuesday - http://www.bbc.co.uk/spooks/index.shtml

A - the audience are those everyday working class adults that can relate to that feeling of having a dead end job, being bored, this film reflects some of their feelings about toady's societies. They are usually in their late 20's to early 30's. Mainly a male audience as they probably can relate to the male protagonist.

I -

N - it usually goes in order, no flashbacks.

x10 keywords

Value Judgement - a subjective opinion based on an individual's attitudes, beliefs and values rather than on any objective criteria.

Social Realism - the representation of characters and issues in film and television drama in such a way as to raise serious underlying social and political issues.
- the films are usually shot in a naturalistic way, avoiding the use of sophisticated editing and treatments and sometimes giving the impression that the camera is simply recording the events as they take place. There is often little use of non-diegetic sound.

Science Fiction - a film genre involving a futuristic or alien world setting, and technologies not available in the contemporary world.
-The first film in the genre was Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 19270. The futuristic writings of H. G. Wells provided screenplays for Things to come (William Cameron Menzies, 1936) and The war of the worlds (Byron Haskin, 1954) and its remake, war of the worlds (Steven Spielberg, 2005)
- The imaginary future often has a dystopian setting or reflects current fears and phobias such as alien or foreign invasion (Independence day, Roland Emmerich, 1996) technological Nightmares (The Terminator, James Cameron, 1984), or ecological disaster (Waterworld, Kevin Reynolds, 1995). The genre is equally adaptable to the mystical and mysterious (2001: A space Odyssey, Stanely Kubrick, 1968) and to fairy-tale fantasy narrative (Star Wars, George Lucas, 1977) and horror (Alien, Ridley Scott, 1979).

Preferred Reading - the meaning of a text as intended by the author.
- The term is associated with the works of Stuart Hall and David Morley and the view that texts can have open or various meanings or closed, restricted meanings depending on their origin, intention and complexity. Readers, however can always interpret texts in line with their own attitudes, beliefs and values.
- Preferred readings are often in line with dominant ideology, but resistance to this can genrate negotiated or oppositional readings (reception theory).

Oppositional Reading (also known as 'aberrant decoding') - a reading of a media text that rejects the ideological positioning and apparent mening intended by the producers of the text and substitutes a redical alternative.
- The term, along with negotiated reading and dominant reding, is part of Stuart Hall's encoding/decoding model (Reception theory).

Self Evaluation

Attainment -

Effort - 1, this is as I always put alot of effort into everything I do, however sometimes I do need to put in more effort into my homework, this is as I rush to get it done sometimes.

Punctuality - 2, Im always attending Media classes, however I think that I am late many times so I need to work on my lateness, however this lateness is never over 7 minutes!

Submission and quality of work - 2, most of the time I hand in my work on time to a good quality, however lately I have been lacking in both of these, but it is not to that point to be worried and I do believe that I have sorted this out now.

Ability to work Independently - 1, I am very good at working Independently, hence the work and the quality of the work i have done for my 'INDEPENDENT' study.

Quality Of writing - 2/3, I find that I am sometimes more able to express myself verbaly better, however I also find that I sometimes am unable to put these expressions down on paper with the write wording or making it sound influencial as well as in a correct way.

Organisation Of Media Folder - 2, I always arrande my work that I get from both teachers correctly, however sometimes you do find the odd notes here and there hangin out.

Oral Contribution in Class - 1, I always contribute in class, i've even been told that i 'need to calm down sometimes' as i do get over-excited with the work.

Standard Of Module 5 Blog - 1, alot of work, quite organised, with extra work...

Standard Of Module 6 Blog - 3/4, have been concentrating more on Module 5 blog, needs more effort/organisation.

Delicious Tags x10

1. http://marlowmedia.co.uk/
2. http://filmauthorship.blogspot.com/
3. http://www.cineschool.org.uk/resources/ChildrenOfMen.pdf
4. http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=117480
5. http://print.google.com/
6. http://www.allisonmedia.net/downloads/Year_12/Genre_booklet.pdf
7. http://www.scifi.com/
8. http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/
9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_day_film
10. http://www.hup.harvard.edu/pdf/CAVPHI_excerpt.pdf

Bibliography

Bibliography:

1. Steve Neale - Genre and Hollywood


2. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/siryan/Screen/Auteur%20Theory.htm - Library information with context of wikipedia and relating it to Alfred Hitchcock


3. http://www.bfi.org.uk/filmtvinfo/publications/16+/auteur.html - Auteur Theory form bfi website


4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A22928772 - some criticism of Auteur Theory by the BBC


5. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0190859/ - Alfonso Cuaron information by imdb website


6. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/alfonso_cuaron/ - Alfonso Cuaron information by the website Rotten Tomatoes


7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_Cuar%C3%B3n - Alfonso Cuaron information from wikipedia


8. http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid_3758000/3758101.stm - article relating to Alfonso Cuaron by CBBC, with regards to his film Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban


9. http://www.cinematical.com/2006/12/25/interview-children-ofmen-director-alfonso-cuaron/ - an interview with Alfonso Cuaron about the film Children Of Men, by a website called cinematical


10. http://www.bafta.org/learning/webcasts/a-life-in-pictures-alfonso-cuaron,370,BA.html - information about Alfonso Cuaron by the bafta awards website


11. Film Genre by Rick Altman


12. An introduction to film studies (third edition) by Jill Nelmes
13. http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/movie/114077/children.of.men - review of the film children of men, by the website the Guardian
14. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/children_of_men/ - review of the film Children Of Men by the website Rotten Tomatoes
15. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/news?year=2006 - review of the film children of men by the website Imdb
16. http://www.cracked.com/article_15067_surviving-end-world-what-weve-learned-from-movies.html - a online posting about a persons view of apocalyptic/sci-fi films, a negative critic's point of view
17. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/soundtrack - information on the Children Of Men soundtrack by the website Imdb
18. http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2006/sep/22/juliannemoore.thriller - reviews of the film Children Of Men by critics, taken of the Media Guardian website
19. http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/reviews/2006/childrenofmen.html - website discussing the relation of Children of Men and Christianity
20. http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2006/09/18/children_of_men_2006_review.shtml - review of the film Children Of Men by the BBC website
21. http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=sB8sLJSqsHoC&oi=fnd&pg=PA181&dq=Books+On+Uses+and+gratifications+theory+-media&ots=FchABgnNic&sig=OTaX_78e_lBzmJhmkqTOyZjoer8 - online version of the book The Development of Social Cognition and Communication by Bruce D. Homer, Catherine Susan Tamis-LeMonda, focusing on chapter 8, Attachment, theory of mind, and delay of gratification
22. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications - definitions as well as information on uses and gratification theory by the website wikipedia
23. http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/usegrat.html - uses and gratification theoory by a website called aber.ac.uk
24. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Communication_Theory/Uses_and_Gratifications - information on communication theory as well as uses and gratifications theory by wikipedia books
25. http://www.mediaknowall.com/alevkeyconcepts/audience.html - information on most media theories including reception, uses and gratifications, hypodermic needle theories, and more, by the website mediaknowall.com
26. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reception_theory - reception theory, definition and more information by wikipedia
27. http://www.savoyhill.co.uk/technique/reception.html - reception theory with regards to most other types of media, for example radio, by a website savoyhill.co.uk
28. http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Independent-Film-Road-Movies/Reception-Theory.html - definition of reception theory by the website filmreference.co.uk, an encyclopedic website that has information on films and more.
29. http://www.answers.com/topic/reception-theory - definition and more information of reception theory by a website called answers.com

Steve Neale - Genre And Hollywood book

I took out this book from the media department, it is useful to me as it discusses issues that concernes the genre of sci-fi films, as well as listing some useful historical texts.

Action Plan Timetable

1. Attain some more research through books. - Friday 24th October 2008
2. Do some more research on films of same genre. - Thursday 23rd October 2008
3. Gather Information through newspapers and other sources to support idea of world coming to an end. - Monday 27th October 2008
4. Do a spell Check on every piece of work that I do. - Tuesday 21st October 2008(DONE)
5. Watch Children Of Men at least twice - Sunday 26th October 2008
6. Make A bibliography. - Wednesday 22nd October 2008(DONE)
7. practice writing skills in order to be prepared for the amount of wording and be more confident in writing skills. - Monday 3rd November 2008
8. look over all posting to see if I can add anything or modyify. - Friday 24th October 2008
9. Make a List of keywords I can use and relate to my practical production and post up on my blog. - Wednesday 22nd October 2008

Auteur Theory

Auteur Theory suggests that a director can use the commercial apparatus of film-making in the same way that a writer uses a pen or a painter uses paint and a paintbrush. It is a medium for the personal artistic expression of the director. The film theorotician, André Bazin, explained that: auteur theory was a way of choosing the personal factor in artistic creation as a standard of referencce, and then assuming that it continues and even progresses from one film to the next. Taken from: http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/siryan/Screen/Auteur%20Theory.htm

http://www.bfi.org.uk/filmtvinfo/publications/16+/auteur.html - Bfi website
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A22928772 - BBC

Self Assesment Of Blog

I think that I have done really well with my blog...postings up of research is good, with more links of other sites containing same or similar information, however I do need to comment on my postings...there are quite a few MIGRAIN analysis, but could add more. I have put a music player on blog, which I think is exceptional...good use of youtube clips, I have also highlighted the things that I say in order to show that this is my opinion, which not many other people have done, also my delicious tags are good. However I feel that I could post up some pictures and analyse them.

AO1: I think that my key concepts are quite good for the mean time, however i feel that more detail should be added, for example in the MIGRAIN analysis that I do, I only simplify the main points, it may be important to include the rest. I think that it still needs more work altogether though and possibly could present all the ideas together in one post to make it more clear.

AO2: I think that Ao2 is my strongest, as I have mass amounts on ideas as well as research to back it up, however I once again feel that all of this could be posted up on one post to make it easier to refer to. On the other hand I feel that I have focused more on the Social and political aspect of SHEP, so my target could be to equally get research for the other topics.

AO5: My personal opinion is that I have researched pretty well, with special concentration to books and Internet research, however I once again think that this work could be carried on, as well as being summarised possibly within one post. I think that I know also need to analyse the different texts that I've chosen just to build up on my knowledge on them.

Synoptic Ability: I do not believe that this has had a major concentration, I also believe that this is my weakest point and needs a lot of concentration as I progress. Its just the issue of relating things to my actual topic within language.

Critical Autonomy: I believe that most of my work is critical autonomy, as I have found out most of the work for myself and also come up with my own interpretations, on the other hand I do feel that most of this does need just a little bit more effort, within the terms of just linking everything together, within language terms.

Quality Of Written Communication: I still maintain that I need to work on my language in terms of linking everything together, however Mr. bush did say that everyone needs to use the spell check button when we post something up, which is what I also need to do. However getting the argument across is a different matter, I feel that I am very confident with that, its just language that I need to work on.

Change Of Question

New Question -

Information On Alfonso Cuaron (director of children of men)

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0190859/ - Imdb website
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/alfonso_cuaron/ - Rotten Tomatoes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_Cuar%C3%B3n - wikipedia
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid_3758000/3758101.stm - cbbc article
http://www.cinematical.com/2006/12/25/interview-children-ofmen-director-alfonso-cuaron/ - interview on children of men
http://www.bafta.org/learning/webcasts/a-life-in-pictures-alfonso-cuaron,370,BA.html -british films academy

Assement Objectives

Ao3.2 - Comparing and accounting for similarities and differences - i feel that this is the most important to me as i feel that alot of my answers for my question can be related to the comparisons that I do, however I feel that I can do it pretty well but it could be of better quality.

Ao3.1 - Issues/debates/theories - i am already showing a good sign of knowledge of theorists, however it could be further expanded upon. I think that I may have a problem relating the theorists with the issues and debates, however so far it is going well.

Ao2 - Wider Context - wider context is important because it shows how all your work affects SHEP (social, historical, economical, political). so far though I think that I have developed a wide knowledge and understanding, however it still could be worked on.

Ao1 - Key concepts - i feel that even though we had learnt these last I need to brush up on them, however I do not feel that is the most important thing because I already know quite alot of it.

A05 - Research - I already have alot of research, may be as we move on it could be improved, but not right now.

Self Evaluation For Presentation

WWW
I interacted with the class
started with a joke to keep audience entertained
detailed research on topics -Apocalypse -Theories -Main Text
good use of images to sumarise the topic in each slide
good selection for youtube clip that I asked the class to analyse
added my own personal views/feelings into the presentation
Presented Handouts for the class

EBI
just put a little information into each slide, as I had to much content within terms of written information
Add other more relivant information, such as information on the director, as well as include Auteur theory in my theories slide
don't have such a long winded question that leaves audience confused

TARGETS
gather information on director and auteur theory
cut down on the amount of written information within one slide
change the question to something that is not long winded, something more simple

Books

Film Genre - Rick Altman

One of the particular sections that I picked out from the book is from the reception approach to genre with comparison to semantic section.

like reception study, a semantic/syntactic/pragmatic approach refuses determinacy to textual structures taken alone, but in addition it acknowledges the difficulty of extracting those textual structures from the institutions and social habits that frame them and lend the apperance of making meaning on their own. My perception of this extract is that it backs up the idea that the text is based around the social issues that are going on around the time, therefore it is a factor in which effects the perception that a person gets out of a text, therefore effecting their actions/beliefs/motives.

An Introduction To Film Studies (third Edition) - Jill Nelmes

Audience study,even though concerned with large collections of people, is now less likely to generalise than is spectator studies; it is concerned rather with local and specific that may explain audience behaviour.

From the earilest studies of film audiences it is clear that the routine methods of social science could tell us a great deal. in these audience studies and in many others like them since the 1910s, what we have are deductions made from the collectionof quantifiable information - information about, for example, frequence of visits to the cinema and genre preferences. (this contrasts with the inductive approach of spectatorshi, which starts with a theory and then projects it onto the object of study - the person in front of the movie screen.) For me this extract means that by studying the amount of times a spectator comes and views a certain movie genre is a means to answering the question of the behaviour of the movies audience, therefore proving that the idea the audience watch apocolptice films for the purposes of recreation or Entertainment (linking to the uses and gratifications theory). However the last sentences project the idea that apocolyptic films of the future are used as warnings to the audience of possible future events, trying to effect attitudes and beliefs as well as motives within its audience.

ONline Reviews for Children Of Men

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/movie/114077/children.of.men - Film - The Guardian
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/children_of_men/ - rotten tomatoes
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/news?year=2006 - Imdb

Phillip French (the guardian website) - 'What the narrative demands, and what Cuaron provides, is moral ambiguity and a teasing hopefulness that suggests the possibility of redemption.' This quote is important to my independent study as it works in backing up the idea that in this day and age humans are looking for some kind of way in which we can redeem our wrongful and reckless care of the earth. However it also supports the idea that the audience is mainly identifying with the film, by seeing the effects within the film they are affected moral which will therefore effect their actions and beliefs.

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times (Rotten tomatoes website) - 'the film serves as a cautionary warning. The only thing we will have to fear in the future, we learn, is the past itself. Our past. Ourselves.' This quote serves as reiterating the idea that apocalyptic films of the future serve as setting a warning to its audiences, this being that the actions that we have now are damaging the environment. So it is ultimately saying that the main perception gained from this film is that the film serves as a means to change or alter these actions in order to create a better environment for the future generation.

Manohla Dargis in the New York Times observes (IMBD website)- that Cuarón's film "is a gratifying sign that big studios are still occasionally in the business of making ambitious, intelligent work that speaks to adults." Once again this backs up the point that however unrealistic the film is it will effect the actions within its audience, in this quote it is suggesting that the level of ambiguity is the reason for the words that are spoken to the audience.

MIGRAIN ANALYSIS OF CHILDREN OF MEN PIG SEQUENCE

M -

I -

G -

R -

A -

I -

N -

Apocalyptic films website of peoples views

http://www.cracked.com/article_15067_surviving-end-world-what-weve-learned-from-movies.html

Soundtrack to Children Of Men

"Ruby Tuesday"
"Running the World"
"The Court of the Crimson King"
"Bring on the Lucie"
"Hush"
"Witness (One Hope)"
"Life in a Glass House"
"Omgyjya Switch7"
"Arbeit Macht Frei"
"Anti War Dub"
"Wait"
"Sleepy Shores"
"Propaganda & Bells and Zed Music"
"Tomorrow Never Knows"
"Male Thijs Loud Scream Sample"
"Opa Opa"
"Money Honey"
"Alexander's Feast"
"Spirit of Pageantry"
"Elizabethan Serenade (Where the Gentle Avon Flows)"
"Backward"
"Indian Stomp"
"There Is an Ocean"
"Kindertotenlieder: Nun will die Sonn' so hell aufgeh'n"
"Total State Machine"
"Lila"
"War Dub"
"Sakana"
"Of! Of! Of!"
"Allegro from Symphony No. 10"
"Andante Assai from Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor Opus 63"
"Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima (1959-1961)"
Taken from this website - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/soundtrack
Some Of These trakcs are posted on my music player on the top right of this blog.

Making Of Children Of Men

Children of Men website

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2006/sep/22/juliannemoore.thriller - Reviews of the movie Children Of Men on the Media guardian website.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/reviews/2006/childrenofmen.html - Children Of Men in relation to Christianity.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2006/09/18/children_of_men_2006_review.shtml - Review of Children Of Men on the bbc website.

Article on Children of Men in the guardian website

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2006/sep/22/juliannemoore.thriller

Independance Day Film On Youtube

Part 1 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BrNFiHoTiiQ
part 2 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3ji1Dce4-VQ
part 3 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LbqOAuQ9zHA
part 4 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XUEgNXc74Nk
part 5 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=y_x-ANvHXbs
part 6 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HBpuyCDaAus
Part 7 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ucLqzcy5TZU
part 8 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_mBIm8SlX5w
part 9 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9bNne5yBXng
part 10 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=toyr8vVXhrk
part 11 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yWIjyXRhSdo
part 12 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6C6ZSyeLUTA
part 13 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fur8ju_EnbA
Part 14 - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=34b1qzJ5_as

Book on Uses And Gratifications

http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=sB8sLJSqsHoC&oi=fnd&pg=PA181&dq=Books+On+Uses+and+gratifications+theory+-media&ots=FchABgnNic&sig=OTaX_78e_lBzmJhmkqTOyZjoer8

Presentation for ideas on Independant study

Slide 1:
Ideas

•My idea is focusing on genre
•I will be looking at films that are scary
•I will also be looking at the morals or messages that the films are trying to get out
•By focusing on the types of films that are aimed at targeting your fears I will be able to analyse the how the events in the films affect the motives of the audience

Slide 2:
Possible films

•The possible films that I will be looking at are the following:
ØThe day after tomorrow (2004)
ØIndependence day (1996)
ØResident Evil (2002)
ØChildren of men (2006)
•I will be looking at many more films, however as you can tell these films are mainly environmental/sci-fi films.
•These films all focuses on the major deaths of human kind, in other words raising awareness of future events of mass death.

Slide 3:
Possible questions

1.How do messages/morals effect the minds and beliefs of its audiences in films that attack your fears?
2.How do horror (or Zombie) films attack your mind? And how do they do this in comparison to what message they are trying to get out?

Presentation

Slide 1:
Apocalypse

•According to wikipedia the definition of apocalypse is - a term applied to the disclosure to certain privileged persons of something hidden from the majority of humankind. Today the term is often used to refer to the end of the world.
•Apocalyptic films are designed around targeting the fears of its audience, which may be found as quite entertaining. However my aim is to discuss whether watching these types of films affect the attitudes of its audience, for example watching a film that brings on the end of the world because of global warming, would it make the person that is consuming the film want to become more environmentally friendly in order to prevent things like global warming?

Slide 2 :
Films

•The following films are the popular apocalyptic/sci-fi films of the 21st century:
•The Day After Tomorrow (2004) - The Day After Tomorrow is an apocalyptic science-fiction film that depicts the effects of global warming.
•Children of Men (2006) - is a dystopian (a creation of a nightmare world) sci-fi film, the film is set in the future(2027) of the united kingdom the film explores a grim world in which two decades of global human infertility have left humanity with less than a century to survive.
•I Am Legend (2007) - is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi film, It is the third feature film adaptation of Richard Matheson's 'I am Legend'. Will Smith plays virologist Robert Neville, who is immune to a vicious man-made virus originally created to cure cancer. He works to create a cure while living in Manhattan in 2012, a city inhabited by animalistic victims of the virus.
•War Of The Worlds (2005) - a sci-fi disaster film, It is one of four film adaptations of the novel. The film focuses on the attack of America by Aliens.
•I-Robot (2004) – sci-fi film set in the year 2035, Robots carry out the everyday tasks that humans would do, however something goes wrong and the robots start killing all the humans.
•Constantine (2005) - John Constantine is the exorcist who has been to Hell and back, and whose soul is sentenced to hell. He has been deporting demons to get on good terms with God, yet God wants self-sacrifice. After the mysterious suicide of her twin sister, detective Angela Dodson goes out in search of the truth. Together, Constantine and Angela battle the demons on Earth.
•Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)/Resident Evil (2002)/Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2005) – a trilogy that contains a leak of a virus which kills everyone, yet they came back to life, and fed on those who were not infected.
•Dawn Of The Dead (2004) – another flesh eating zombie film.
•28 Weeks Later (2007) – another virus spreading film that kills all humankind.

Slide 3:
Theories

•The reception theory can be used to explain the idea of the affect that consuming a type of media has on an audience.
•Reception theory argues that contextual factors, more than textual ones, influence the way the spectator views the film or television program. In short, reception theory places the viewer in context, taking into account all of the various factors that might influence how she or he will read and create meaning from the text.
•Another theory that answers my question is the uses and gratifications theory, the uses and gratifications theory is The basic theme of uses and gratifications is the idea that people use the media to get specific gratifications. The main idea of the Uses and Gratifications model is that people are not helpless victims of all powerful media, but use media to fulfill their various needs. Looking in particularly at these ideas - Inform and educate — the audience gain an understanding of the world around them by consuming a media text, for example print and broadcast news.
Entertain - consumed purely for entertainment purposes, meaning that text need not have any other gratifications.
Social interaction — People create personal relationships with the characters in a media text. Potentially this could become dangerous if people do not question the reality of such texts. It also creates a common ground for conversation in people's every day lives.

Slide 4
Children Of Men

The text that I shall be using to mainly refer to in my independent study will be Children Of Men (2006), the text that we had to analyse in the as exams.
Brief Summary
In 2027, as humankind faces the likelihood of its own extinction, a disillusioned government agent agrees to help transport and protect a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea where her child's birth may help scientists to save the future of mankind.
Information
Ødirector is Alfonso Cuarón
ØGenre – dystopian/sci-fi
ØIt is an adaption from the novel
ØSet In the United Kingdom of 2027
ØChildren of Men grossed $69,612,678 worldwide, with $35,552,383 of the revenue generated in the United States.
ØIt was released by Universal Pictures and Strike Entertainment
ØThe films tagline is ‘No children, No Future, No hope’
Within the film
Sound - Cuarón uses sound and music to bring the fictional world of social unrest and infertility to life, by using a creative yet restrained combination of rock, pop, hip-hop and classical music, as well as The mundane sounds of traffic, barking dogs, and advertisements. the film makes use of silence and sound effects such as the firing of automatic weapons, and loudspeakers directing the movement of "fugees"
Children Of Men is important to my independent study as it is a film that looks at the world at a crisis because women are not giving birth any more. I shall look at this film in order to determine whether the disaster of women not giving birth affects the attitudes and morals of its audience.

War Of The Worlds On Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=D7A2850A8FC509E9

The Day After Tomorow Movie On Youtube

Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT9eW7WamOQ
part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1RseicbcMQ&feature=PlayList&p=36F27237CA6FF809&index=1
part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcLvuJSUBss&feature=PlayList&p=36F27237CA6FF809&index=2
part 4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zw3c5d87Lc&feature=PlayList&p=36F27237CA6FF809&index=3
part 5 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p37NZudf94&feature=PlayList&p=36F27237CA6FF809&index=4
part 6 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSwPkFkJkXg&feature=PlayList&p=36F27237CA6FF809&index=5
part 7 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPU3KeI-7ww&feature=PlayList&p=36F27237CA6FF809&index=6
part 8 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYtUb646tVQ&feature=PlayList&p=36F27237CA6FF809&index=7
part 9 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C237Phf24cw&feature=PlayList&p=36F27237CA6FF809&index=8
part 10 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8dIinYbcvM&feature=PlayList&p=36F27237CA6FF809&index=9
part 11 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-JRb238LxY&feature=PlayList&p=36F27237CA6FF809&index=10
part 12 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33fRfi5bxxY&feature=PlayList&p=36F27237CA6FF809&index=11

Uses and gratifications theory

Uses and gratifications, is not a single approach but a body of approaches developed out of empirical studies beginning in the mid 20th century. It is one of many audience theories recognised in the media.
The basic theme of uses and gratifications is the idea that people use the media to get specific gratifications. This is in opposition to the Hypodermic Syringe model that claims consumers have no say in how the media influences them. The main idea of the Uses and Gratifications model is that people are not helpless victims of all powerful media, but use media to fulfill their various needs. These needs serve as motivations for using media.
Jay G. Blumler and Elihu Katz devised their uses and gratifications model in 1974 to highlight five areas of gratification in media texts for audiences. These include:
Escape — Some media texts allow the user to escape from reality. For example, video games.
Social interaction — People create personal relationships with the characters in a media text. Potentially this could become dangerous if people do not question the reality of such texts. It also creates a common ground for conversation in people's every day lives.
identify — People often identify a part of themselves in a media text, either through character or circumstance. For example, hair style trends stemming from a magazine feature. This can go a long way in people's ideologies.
Inform and educate — the audience gain an understanding of the world around them by consuming a media text, for example print and broadcast news.
Entertain - consumed purely for entertainment purposes, meaning that text need not have any other gratifications.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications"

Also look at: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/usegrat.html
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Communication_Theory/Uses_and_Gratifications
http://www.mediaknowall.com/alevkeyconcepts/audience.html

Global Issues raised within Bbc's Dr.Who

This episode reflects on the worlds issues of global warming through the pollution that cars create, as well as reflecting on the worlds fears of an attack from the alien nation on the world. It also targets the scientific side on humans being able to clone or modify people and their attitudes.

Reception Theory by Wikipedia

Reception theory is a version of reader response literary theory that emphasizes the reader's reception of a literary text. In literature, it originated from the work of Hans-Robert Jauss in the late 1960s. Reception theory was at its most influential during the 1970s and early 1980s in Germany and USA (Fortier 132), amongst some notable work in Western Europe.
This approach to textual analysis focuses on the scope for "negotiation" and "opposition" on the part of the audience. This means that a "text"—be it a book, movie, or other creative work—is not simply passively accepted by the audience, but that the reader / viewer interprets the meanings of the text based on their individual cultural background and life experiences. In essence, the meaning of a text is not inherent within the text itself, but is created within the relationship between the text and the reader.
Therefore a basic acceptance of the meaning of a specific text tends to occur when a group of readers have a shared cultural background and interpret the text in similar ways.
It is likely that the less shared heritage a reader has with the artist, the less he/she will be able to recognise the artist's intended meaning, and it follows that if two readers have vastly different cultural and personal experiences, their reading of a text will vary greatly.
Cultural theorist Stuart Hall is one of the main proponents of reception theory.
Reception theory has since been extended to the spectators of performative events—predominantly theatre. Susan Bennett is often credited with beginning this discourse within theatre.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reception_theory

also look at: http://www.savoyhill.co.uk/technique/reception.html

http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Independent-Film-Road-Movies/Reception-Theory.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/reception-theory

Resident Evil: Apocalypse Trailer

Children Of Men Trailer

28 Weeks Later Trailer

MD12C2 Cover work

Hypothesis:
Films that attack your fears affect the beliefs and motives of the audience.

A brief summary of your topic, and texts covered:
I will be looking at sci-fi/apocolyptic films that are designed around the idea of the end of the world. These films usually contain some sort of enviromental disaster that brings about the end of the world, or some sort of Alien invasion. With the knowledge that the texts have to be contempary the following films are films that I could possible study:

1. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
2. Children of Men (2006)
3. I Am Legend (2007)
4. War Of The Worlds (2005)
5. I-Robot (2004)
6. Constantine (2005)
7. Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)/Resident Evil (2002)/Resident Evil: Apocolypse (2005)
8. Dawn Of The Dead (2004)
9. 28 Weeks Laer (2007)

The Day After Tomorrow (2004) is an apocolyptic science-fiction film that depicts the effects of global warming.

Children Of Men (2006) is a dystopian (a creation of a nightmare world) sci-fi film, the film is set in the future(2027) of the united kingdom the film explores a grim world in which two decades of global human infertilty have left humanity with less than a century to survive.

I am Legend (2007) is a post-apocolyptic sci-fi film, It is the third feature film adaptation of Richard Matheson's 'I am Legend'. Will Smith plays virologist Robert Neville, who is immune to a vicious man-made virus originally created to cure cancer. He works to create a cure while living in Manhattan in 2012, a city inhabited by animalistic victims of the virus.

War Of the Worlds (2005) is a sci-fi disaster film, It is one of four film adaptions of the novel. The film focuses on the attack of America by Aliens.

Theories:

• Reception theory

Migrain Analysis Of 'The Day After Tomorow' Clip

Ideas

My idea is that I will be looking at films that are designed on attacking its audiences fears, as well as on the morals/messages that the films are trying to get out. I will be focusing on the genre aspect of things and analysing how the films that attack your fears effect the motives/beliefs of its audiences. The types of films that I will be looking at are the following: Apocalyptic; sci-fi and zombie films. Possible examples of these genres are the following:

1. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
2. Children of Men (2006)
3. I Am Legend (2007)
4. War Of The Worlds (2005)
5. I-Robot (2004)
6. Constantine (2005)
7. Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)/Resident Evil (2002)/Resident Evil: Apocolypse (2005)
8. Dawn Of The Dead (2004)
9. 28 Weeks Laer (2007)