Example Of The Media Objectifying Women

Khia - My Neck, My Back


This video has several examples of the male gaze being satisfied by the use of females. With sexually suggestive poses, dancing and shots, making them the object of the spectator.


 

The Male Gaze

Marjorie Ferguson created the categorisation of female facial expressions. These consist of:

Chocolate Box -  half or full smile, lips together or slightly parted, teeth barely visible, full or three-quarter face to camera. Projected mood: blandly pleasing, where uniformity of features in their smooth perfection is devoid of uniqueness or of individuality.

Invitational - emphasis on the eyes, mouth shut or with only a hint of a smile, head to one side or looking back to camera. Projected mood: suggestive of mischief or mystery, the hint of contact potential rather than sexual promise.

Super smiler - full face, wide open toothy smile, head thrust forward or chin thrown back, hair often wind-blown. Projected mood: aggressive, demanding, the hard sell,attention-grabbing, intense approach.

Romantic/Sexual - a fourth and more general classification devised to include male and female ‘two-somes’; or the dreamy, heavy-lidded, unsmiling big-heads, or the overtly sensual or sexual. Projected moods: possible ‘available’ and definitely ‘available’.

Trevor Millum devised the categories for male facial expressions, such as:

Seductive: similar to the cool/level look in many respects - the eyes are less wide, perhaps shaded, the expression is less reserved but still self-sufficient and confident; milder versions may include a slight smile.

Carefree: nymphlike, active, healthy, gay, vibrant, outdoor girl; long unrestrained outward-flowing hair, more outward-going than the above, often smiling or grinning.

Practical: concentrating, engaged on the business in hand, mouth closed, eyes object-directed, sometimes a slight frown; hair often short or tied back.
Comic: deliberately ridiculous, exaggerated, acting the fool, pulling faces for the benefit of a real or imaginary audience, sometimes close to a sort of archness.

Catalogue: a neutral look as of a dummy, artificial, waxlike; features may be in any position, but most likely to be with eyes open wide and a smile, but the look remains vacant and empty; personality has been removed.

The Gaze

Here is a Calvin Klein underwear advert from a 2009 campaign, starring Eva Mendes as the model. The facial expression she uses I would say falls into the category of Romantic/Sexual. Her face shows almost passion, as her eyes are closed as if she in some sort of pleasure, perhaps an orgasmic element. This then relates the image immediately to sex, and agrees with Laura Mulvey's theory that the woman is often the 'image', whilst the man is the 'bearer of the look'. I would say that this advert appeals to both men and women, men from an obviously aesthetically pleasing side, whilst women from an envious or inspirational side - as they want to look like this. There are fetishistic aspects to this image, for example the use of high heels and lingerie. A combination that would never be used for anything other than from a voyeuristic approach. Her stance adds to the sexually suggestive theme, as the parting of her legs indicates sexualisation. She also has a fairly confident posture, suggesting she is putting herself on show, and is comfortable with her appearance. Her hair has an almost post-coital effect, as it is wet from either sweat or water, and is messy. This is then continued, as her body is oiled also, giving the impression of working out in some way or showering. The model has fantastic legs, which are exaggerated well by the use of high heels, adding to the attractiveness. She wears suspenders on the right hand image, which again are often a fetishistic element, so the image appeals more to the male gaze.

Here is another image from a Calvin Klein advert, this time with the use of Freddie Ljungberg. To begin with, he has short, well groomed hair - highlighting his masculinity. The lack of activity in his hair region means the gazer focuses more on other aspects of the image, such as the body. His face is well chiseled, with a structured jaw line, again adding to his masculine image. The lips however, are slightly pouted, giving a hint of femininity or perhaps seduction. The look he has emphasises this as he has a seductive expression, which is viewed as intra-diegetic gaze, making the whole image more engaging by breaking the 4th wall. The facial expression has a sense of invitation, and is intense yet subtle. The stubble he has again is another aspect of stereotypical masculinity. The choice of a red background has connotations of passion, danger, sex, heat and love. All of which are portrayed through the image, as everything about it is sexually suggestive, and the oiled up look indicates sweat from the heat. The bar displayed at the top of the image relates to the gym, and explains his sweaty appearance - however, is likely to be just a prop that allows for the model to display his bicep. The tattoo is of some sort of wild animal, and is in a fairly intimate location - making it sexually suggestive. The oiled/sweaty abs add to the sexualisation, as this is a fetishistic aspect aimed at women primarily, however with possible potential for homo-eroticness. The body in general is well maintained, and probably the model's 'temple', indicating metro-sexuality. It also has a post-coital effect - with the sweat and tensing. The necklace he wears is a feminine aspect almost, along with a fashionistic addition. Finally, the pubic area is shaven. This relates to indications of metro-sexuality, along with a sense of homo-eroticness as well. The advert appeals to gay and straight men, along with women. As women are the main spectator, whilst men are viewing as the product advertised is aimed at them.

Representations Powerpoint

Representations

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Shameless Episode 1, Series 1

From the opening scene, we get the impression that several of the characters involved have anti-social traits. This is often classicaly stereotyped with the north of England, as they often have higher rates of crime. This is an example of straight from the beginning, stereotypes being used to appeal to the audience - as they can relate due to the realism. As the main character, Frank Gallagher, introduces the audience to his family and there way of life; a mid-shot of his daughter Debbie is shown and intertextuality is used, as she recreates a pose by Vinnie Jones in the 1998 film 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'. This makes the sequence more dynamic and appealing to a wider audience - perhaps more intellectual. As the opening sequence continues, it becomes apparent that the family value 'partying' more than other aspects of life, such as education and careers. This again ties in with the traditional stereotype of people from the North, as they are often assumed to be 'uneducated' and 'lazy'.

The concept of sexuality is explored further into the program, as 'Ian', the oldest son is discovered to be gay by his brother 'Lip'. Lip finds his stash of homosexual pornography in his bedroom, he looks around, shocked - and as he does, the mise-en-scene use of a Kylie Minogue poster adds humour to the situation. When Ian is confronted, he cries - again playing to the homosexual stereotype of femininity. Ian already has an unstereotypical teenage appearance, making him seem more 'different' from the start, however, when Lip talks to him he makes him seem almost alien, and frowned upon for being different. This gives us as the audience an insight into how sexuality is dealed with in different cultures. Lip however, juxtaposes Ian's character - as he is almost the perfect stereotype of a typical teenage boy. For example, he has a sexual encounter with Karen, and is then very boastful about it to hhttp://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/is peers. He is also very exaggerative, as is the case with most boys in his situation, whereas the actual situation was very awkward and uncomfortable - however, amusing to watch as an onlooker.

The next scene involves Steve and Fiona. They conform to another stereotype of the North, by being drunk, disorderly and aggressive. For example, whilst both drunk at a nightclub - Steve gets into a fight with another man, and then punches the bouncer. When they return home and Steve informs the other characters of the incident, they all know who the bouncer was - showing the closeness of communities in the north especially in areas like the one featuered (as everyone knows everyone). As Steve and Fiona begin to get close, romantic music is playing and birds are tweeting softly - creating a perfect yet surreal atmosphere with hints of almost fantasy. However, this build up then juxtaposes their actual sexual encounter, as when it comes to it is almost trashy in a way due to the fairly graphic shots, and groaning. As they make love, Fiona repeatedly makes the 'ni, ni, ni' sound - another case of intertextuality, as this is featured in a Monty Python production.

Is Max a Stereotypical Teenager?

The montage sequence during the opening of Rushmore gives an overview of the main character, Max Fischer. From this I have come to the conclusion that he is not what you would call a stereotypical teenager. For example, he has lots of responsibility, something that is uncommon in the typical teen - as they are often 'lazy' and almost 'rebellious'. He takes part in several extra-cirricular, unusual activities such as calligraphy club and the model united nations club. This also goes against the sterotype, as it shows open mindedness - whereas others are often quite fussy and almost narrow-minded.

He dresses formally in every clip, always wearing his school uniform - even when others aren't. This shows he has a sense of pride in his school and appearance, however on the other hand - stereotypical teens are often quite scruffy or interested in fashion, and prefer there own clothes over uniform. This could also mean however, that Max has a dull personality - reflected by the lack of creativity in his appearance.

At the beginning of the montage, the school journal is opened. Max is also in control of this, aswell as nearly every other aspect of the school. The front cover is decorated with bumble bees. In a way, this reflects Max's life - as he hops from activity to activity in the same way bee's fly from flower to flower. The phrases 'busy as a bee' and 'the bee's knees' also coincide with his personality, perhaps justifying the use of bee's as a logo.

The soundtrack for this sequence is a track by 'The Creation' called making time. The title is fitting, as it is what Max has to do in order to fit in all of his activities and responsibilities. Also, the last line 'pulling the wool, acting the fool' is relevant, as it describes Max in a way (pretending to be interested and good at so many aspects of life, yet being a bit of a fool in the fact that he is not really that good at any). An interesting point I picked up on, is the fact that the genre of the song is 'Indie', meaning independant rock (non-mainstream), which pretty much sums up Max, he seems to take part in a lot of these activities independantly, and they are all very non-mainstream. 

Film Production Essay

Discuss The Issues and Patterns Which Enables Your Institution To Thrive As A Film Business, With A Focus On The Production Process

Working Title is a film company based in London. It is a conglomerate company, and therefore receives funding from Universal. This is a huge determining factor for the success of the business, as funding is often the most vital thing in order to produce. Warp Films is an independent film company, meaning they have to acquire a lot of their own funding through financers by pitching their ideas. The contrast between the companies is shown through quality, genre, popularity and amount of films produced - with the better funded (Working Title) outdoing Warp. This is due to the budget affecting several aspects of production.

The producer plays a key part in the production of any films made, as they come up with the initial idea - which is then transferred into a script. The script is important for securing funding; this is what is used as part of the pitch to potential investors. Therefore, the better and more inspiring the script - the more likely to secure good funding (overall making for a better, more successful film). The producer also has the role of developing it, creating it and finally taking it to the market. The script acts as a blueprint for the director, who then has to interpret this.

Before pitching the film to an investor, the cast must be planned, as this is an above the line cost - allowing to plan a budget, so the company knows how much to ask for. The investor can then judge how the film will do, and decide whether or not to invest. The average amount of financiers used is around 3-10. This is because if there was just a single investor, (although it would be easy), they then have control over the production – which film companies often don’t want. Therefore, having multiple investors allows the company to thrive, as they can receive all needed funding and still have complete control over the production. Also, if any of the investors pull out of their agreed investment, it is not so devastating as if for example there were just two investors – as they do not account for as much of the cost.

The next stage in production is planning. The hardest scenes must be planned out first before they are filmed; this involves storyboarding and general time management, as the producer has to ensure there is enough time to do these scenes. This is important in the success of the film, as the more preparation done, generally makes for better quality. This process is done alongside the Cinematographer, as they are in control of the filming section, so therefore need to have input into the preparation of scenes.

After this, the next stage in the production process is budgeting. The budget must be drawn up for investment, and a finance plan must be created. This is where the way in which the payments will be made is planned. Above and below the line costs must be calculated, with the above the line covering the majority of the budget – making it the most important. The above is mainly made up of the mainly the creative talent, whilst the below is generally everything else. The concept has to connect with the audience in order for it to be credible.

The final stage is marketing. A key feature of the film is that it must be definable. By this I mean it must fit into a genre, however at the same time maintaining originality. This is the best way for a film to succeed, as it appeals to the audience. Marketing is a hidden cost in the production process, which has to be accounted for during the budgeting. The film must be produced and marketed in the form of Cinema, DVD and Television. Certain production  tools are used to draw in potential audiences, such as famous Directors and Actors – which give the film credibility and make it appeal.

All of this process is specific to the UK film industry, and in other cultures it is done differently. For example, in the USA, the film title and release date must be decided on before the film has even began production.

Film Financing

For independant UK companies, such as 'Warp Films' who have no obvious form of income, as they are not part of a conglomerate - there is other ways of acheiving finance for their productions. Firstly, they must start off with a pitch for their idea, this must have all details about your idea, if possilbe investors are to contemplate investing. This is includes, details of all above the line costs & a rough estimate of below the line costs. The producer must secure funding before they can start any of the filming.

Government Grants - These allow for investment into films, in return for economical and national benefits, such as employment, culture development and national advertising. The sources of these grants can be The UK Film Council and/or the National Lottery. A success story of this method, is 'The Escapist (2008), directed by Rupert Wyatt. This was funded by the National Lottery and Irish Film Council, and made around £8,000,000 profit.

They can also receive funding through tax schemes, such as 'Producers Tax Credit' , which offers direct cash. This way, Tax Shelters are also available, saving money for the invester - as they are not charged tax. An example of a film made this way is The Dark Knight (2008), which made a profit of around £600,000,000.

The final way they can aqquire financing  is through pre-sales, where the producer sells the rights to distribute the film, before it is made.

If for any reason, the budget is cut, this can affect the production of the film heavily. The changes that have to be made, are firstly cuts to the above the line costs, i.e cast, director. This is because these take up the majority of the budget. It is best to aqquire your finance from several sources, as if one pulls out, it will have less devasting effects than if you were relying on a single investor.

Binary Opposites Presentation

Binary opposites

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Warp Films Fact Sheet

39283940 Warp Films Fact Sheet

Preliminary Continuity Task

Overall, I feel the video had a decent feel of continuity. There are some cases of sloppy editing, where clips do not line up exactly, and some shots do not fit in as well as possible. However, I feel the clip worked well enough to complete the task, and the majority of shots were done well - due mainly to the storyboarding before hand.

American Beauty

From the opening scene, we are introduced to the main character, Lester Burnham (played by Kevin Spcaey), as he narrates a birdseye shot of the street he lives on. From this, I straight away got the idea that his character was representative of an average, middle-aged American man - just from his tone of voice and accent. He speaks with a somewhat unenthusiastic approach, and explains about his current life.

 Everything he mentions has aspects of normality and simplicity. He mentions his daughter, 'Jane', a very plain and traditional name. The family are also very stereotypical of a middle-class American household, Lester appears to be a professional, in his suit and briefcase - whilst his wife slightly more casual, doing chores such as gardening. This suggests, as in many cases, the man of the house is the main breadwinner; again, this links back to how average the family are. The way in which he describes his daughter is as if she is 'typical' for her age, he mentions her traits such as body insecurity - which is common for girls of her age due to media influences.

The use of camera shots in the opening sequence allow for an insight into the way in which the characters behave. For example, an over the shoulder shot from Lester's perspective is filmed through the window, leaving areas of window frame. This has the effect of giving the representation of 'bars' in a prison. This could suggest that Lester feels trapped/improsened within his lifestyle. This theory is supported further, by the mid-shot of his Wife conversating with a neighbour, with Lester in the background peering through the window. It conveys the idea that he is envious of his Wife's popularity, and is almost observing her from within the house (as he feels imprisoned). As he talks about her, he subtley mocks her - by referring to the fact that she is obsessive about her appearance. This could suggest discontent within their relationship, as at this point they are still yet to communicate, and Lester is shown to have woken up to an empty bed earlier on.

Further evidence suggest this as well, such as the fact that he is shown 'jerking off in the shower'. This reveals two things, the first being that he is possibly not in a sexual/loving relationship with his wife. The second beings, his daily life and routine have become so dull and unengaging that this is the highlight of his day. This supports the theme of feeling trapped, as he is almost trapped within a routine in a way - and he can predict that every day is the same.

It almost appears as if the family look down on, and disrespect Lester. Such as the situation in which he drops his briefcase in a rush to get to the car in time for work. His wife gives him a patronising and almost disgusted glare - reinforced by a mid-shot from the camera, with a hint of height (giving the effects of superiority and again, patronisation). He is also rejected to the back seat of the car, which can be quite degrading for an adult - whilst his daughter rides shotgun. His slouched posture sums up his feelings, and reinforces his low self-esteem. This suggests he is the family member of least importance, which backs up his feelings of unhappiness.  

The final scene shows him at his office. A reoccuring theme of blue, red and white suggest patriotism within Lester,

Film Pitch: The Showdown

In class, we where given a target audience. Our group's target audience was middle aged, working class males. We where then told to create a film for our target audience and we chose to make an action film. Our reason behind this was that after researching, we found this was the most popular genre for our audience. The plot line for our film was, a man's daughter was kidnapped by a gang, he and his brother try to hunt down the gang that kidnapped his daughter before it was too late.

The key selling point for our film was our A-list cast, the lead role was to be played by Samuel L. Jackson who is famous for many films including Star Wars and Snakes on a Plane. Our reason for the inclusion of this actor was his association with other films of a similar genre, giving the overall effect of credibility. His brother was too be played by another A-Lister, Denzel Washington who also has been in many famous films such as the 2010 film "The Book of Eli". The leader of the Gang that kidnapped Samuel L's daughter was Bruce Willis, we decided to cast his due to his experience in the world of action films (Die Hard etc.)

Here are our original notes on the film making 

 The Showdown : Samuel L Jackson's daughter gets Kidnapped, he enlists the help of his brother Denzel Washington and local Gypsy man (Jackie Chan) too go on a vast search for his daughter, the search takes them across country and the showdown begins...

Our tag line to go with the film was "If testosterone could mate with explosion, this movie would be it's offspring" We thought that this Tag line would appeal to the audience.

Financing

We where given a pre sales (which means we are selling the distributing rights to the film before we have made it) budget of $70m from 20th Century Fox, The majority of out above the line budget went on our cast, we calculated that the total cost of our a-list cast would be in the region of $35-40M which is a huge chunk of our budget, we then had to finance a director, who we chose should be John Woo, who has directed many successful films such as "Mission Impossible", next we chose our cinematographer Jeffrey L Kimball who was behind the filming of Star Trek so has vital experience when it comes to film making and special effects, and finally our editor was Ken Blackwell, who edited "The Expendables" which is also a high-action film. Finally, we decided on our script-writer: Robert Towne, who was also involved in the proudction of Mission Impossible - again, another film of similar target audience.

We calculated our Above the line costs as totaling 65M which is almost all of our budget, the rest of the budget would go on Below the line costs, and marketing our film.


Above The Line Costs:

• Cast
• Production team - director, editors, Cinematographer & Script Writer
• Accomodation
• Set/Location
• All the large costs to the budget

Below The Line Costs:

• This covers all the lower costs to the budget
• Props
• Amateur Actors
• Make up etc.