Module 5 Blog - Independent Study

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

First Paragraph Rewrite

Children Of Men directed by Alfonso Cuarón presents the fear of the population dying out through the idea that women no longer gain the ability to become pregnant. Cuarón has acted in the way of reflecting the zeitgeists of genetically modified pregnancies through science, whilst also reflecting the idea's of pollution and contamination, as well as poor international relations, ultimately reflecting the 'what if' situation, such as what if we didn't have science to counteract infertility. the term apocalypse is 'used to refer to the end of the world'.[1] Uses and Gratifications is the idea that people use the media to get specific gratifications, so audiences use media to fulfill their various needs. These needs serve as motivations for using media.[2] According to Steve Neale the 'typical repertoire of elements'[3] or recurring theme's/elements in an individual genre.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications - descriptions and definitions on the theory of uses and gratifications.
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications
[3] Neale, Steve (2002), Genre and Contemporary Hollywood

Monday, 5 January 2009

Historical Text

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds
The War of the Worlds is a 1953 science fiction film starring Gene Barry and Ann Robinson. It was the first on screen depiction of the H. G. Wells classic novel of the same name. Produced by George Pál and directed by Byron Haskin from a script by Barré Lyndon, it was the first of several adaptations of Wells' work to be filmed by Pál, and is considered to be one of the great science fiction films of the 1950s. It won an Oscar for its special effects.

The film was again remade by Steven Speilberg in 2005, the older version is important to my independent study as it allows me to gather up a picture of how people back in the 1950's had fears of being invaded from beings that were not of this world, also to gather up the idea of how the audience found this entertaining back then, relating it to my other text, I would link to how the fears have changed and how certain parts of the film have been adapted and kept the same in order to give off the effect required.

First Paragraph

Children Of Men presents the fear of the population dying out through the thought of women not being able to give birth to children anymore. The Director has acted in the way of reflecting the idea of the genetically modified pregnancies that scientists are now creating in order for women who cant get pregnant to actually get pregnant, so the film ultimately reflects the fears of the 'what if' situation, in this case what if we didn't have science to fix the problem. Apocalypse is 'the 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.' applying this to films, it is the idea that the film targets the audiences fears through the idea of the end of the world.

Sunday, 4 January 2009

Essay Plan

'What are the messages of post-apocalyptic/sci-fi films? And how do these influence audiences? paying particular attention to Children Of Men'.

my independent study is going to analyse the film Children Of Men and then compare it to an older text, in order to gather an idea of how a film can alter the attitudes of its audiences. I will analyse how the film covers global issues, such as pollution and global warming. I will go on to say that by targeting the fears of its audience post-apocalyptic/sci-fi films have the power to change the beliefs and attitudes of the audience.

Introduction:

Brief synopsis of the film Children Of Men
brief talk about the situations affecting the world, that are in the media
Introduce the question
Start Off with a quote

1st Paragraph:

Talk about what fears are presented in Children of men, then link it to what is being presented in the media
Compare what fears the two films represent (old & New)
Begin to give a brief definition of what Apocalyptic films are
Give some facts and figures on the film Children Of Men

2nd Paragraph

Link the MIGRAIN analysis of scenes in children of men with SHEP
Begin to introduce more theories and theorists, such as Reception theory
Begin to link Uses and Gratifications theory

3rd Paragraph

Apply a review from Roger Ebert (the sun Times)
Apply the theory Auteur Theory, also give some background on the director
Apply another review from Phillip French (the Guardian Website)
Apply quotes from both books, Film Genre and An Introduction To Film Studies

4th Paragraph

create the argument over whether the film has become more/less entertaining with the element of targeting audiences fears
I will give my own personal opinion to whether i feel i am a passive or active audience, as well as linking this to the idea of the audience being passive or active

Conclusion

Summarise all points made above
come up with a conclusion to the argument, which side I agree with, based on the evidence I've given

Sunday, 14 December 2008

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:

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.
By celebrating the women directors more, this will allow for acknowledgement of female directors to be far greater than it is now.
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:

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)

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)

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)

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)

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.