Media Unit 1
Outcome 1: Media representations
The official part:
'The media plays an important role in shaping society and the values and beliefs of the audience. The construction of media products suggests a sense of realism and naturalism that belies their nature as codified representations that reflect the values of media makers and audiences at the time, location and context of their construction. Representations rely on a shared understanding of media forms, codes and conventions and the processes of selection, omission and construction. Representations are influenced by social, industrial, economic and technological factors existing at the time, location and context of their creation, production, distribution and consumption. Students are introduced to the concept of audience and what it entails. They consider how audiences engage with the media to construct and negotiate understandings of the world and themselves through their participation in the consumption, reception, production, curation and distribution of media products. Notions of identity and self are implicit in the ways audiences select, create, share, engage with and read media products. Through the examination of a range of media forms and products, students consider how representations of self and identity are constructed, distributed, engaged with, consumed and read. Students consider different readings of media products and how meaning is suggested through the complex relationships between content creators and producers, media forms and audiences.
' (VCAA, Media Study Design, p12 https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/vce/media/MediaSD_2018.pdf).
Outcome 1:
On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain how media representations in a range of media products and forms, and from different periods of time, locations and contexts, are constructed, distributed, engaged with, consumed and read by audiences. To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge and key skills outlined in Area of Study 1.
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Key knowledge:
• the nature of media representations within and across media products and forms, and from different periods of time, locations and contexts
• media codes and conventions that are used to construct media products and meanings in different media forms
• the construction of representations within and across products and forms from different periods of time, locations and contexts
• audience engagement with, and consumption and readings of media representations in different media products and forms from different periods of time, locations and contexts
• the construction of self, identity and others in media products and forms from different periods of time, locations and contexts
• the social and institutional relationships between audiences and the media that is created, produced, distributed, consumed and read
• media language.
Key skills:
• describe the nature and form of representations within media products and forms from different periods of time, locations and contexts
• analyse the media codes and conventions used to construct media products and meanings in different media forms from different periods of time, locations and contexts
• compare the construction of representations within and across media products and forms from different periods of time, locations and contexts
• discuss how audiences engage with, and consume and read representations in media products and forms
• analyse the construction of the representations of self and identity in media products and forms from different periods of time, locations and contexts
• discuss the social and institutional factors influencing the distribution of and relationships between audiences and media representations
• use media language.
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Media representations
The media plays an important role in shaping society and the values and beliefs of the audience.
The construction
of media products suggests a sense of realism and naturalism that belies their nature as codified representations
that reflect the values of media makers and audiences at the time, location and context of their construction.
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Representations rely on a shared understanding of media forms, codes and conventions and the processes of
selection, omission and construction.
Representations are influenced by social, industrial, economic and technological
factors existing at the time, location and context of their creation, production, distribution and consumption.
Students are introduced to the concept of audience and what it entails. They consider how audiences engage
with the media to construct and negotiate understandings of the world and themselves through their participation
in the consumption, reception, production, curation and distribution of media products.
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Notions of identity and self are implicit in the ways audiences select, create, share, engage with and read media
products.
Through the examination of a range of media forms and products, students consider how representations
of self and identity are constructed, distributed, engaged with, consumed and read.
Students consider different
readings of media products and how meaning is suggested through the complex relationships between content
creators and producers, media forms and audiences.
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'Media practitioners work to portray or 're-present' a particular version of reality.
The idea that reality is constructed and represented is one of the core media concepts' - Heinemann Media textbook, page 2.
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Audience matters:
Did you know that where you live, who you are and the time in which we find ourselves affects how we view media products?
When audiences watch a media product, they attachmeaning to what they view.
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Denotation: This is the literal meaning, the explicit meaing, the dictonary definition. The first step in creating meaning is iddentification or recognising; attaching a name to an object (Dunscombe et al. 2018, p5)
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Connotation: thsi is the implcit meaning, the underlying or associated meaning and is generally influencedby the individuals' subjective and cultural context as well as time and place.
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'Meaning is attached to a represetnation...derived through a process of denotation and connotation' (Barthes cited in Dunscombe et al, 2018, p5)
What we will be doing:
We are going to be exploring a range of representations using the film Forrest Gump as a springboard for discussion.
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'Forrest Gump' (director: Robert Zemeckis) in terms of structure, is a highly episodic, non-linear film that spans many decades. ‘Forrest Gump’ as a film is ambitious. It covers the world, has a cast of thousands, and spans whole decades. It is epic in its breadth. During its two-and-a-half hours duration we’re shown wars, assassinations, scandals… We’re shown Forrest’s childhood, his college days, his career as soldier, shrimper, runner, millionaire… And beyond this life story we’re presented with a sprawling tapestry of recent American history. It’s a film that truly bulges at the seams.
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"Forrest Gump, the tale of a man with an I.Q. of seventy-five traversing three turbulent decades of US history, was one of the biggest box office successes of 1994. The film earned more than $300 million in the US alone...and winning six Academy Awards (including Best Picture, Director and Actor)." (Source: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/scope/documents/2001/december-2001/boyle.pdf)
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Hollywood movies have always divided people into ‘types’ (representations). Often actors are known for the ‘types’ they play. If they find themselves unable to break from this mould, they are said to be ‘typecast’.
Examples of Hollywood types include:
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the hero (Sylvester Stallone/Arnold Schwarzenegger),
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the tough woman (Sigourney Weaver/Gal Gadot/Michelle Rodriguez/Milla Jovovich),
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the bad guy (Kevin Spacey/Al Pacino/Ralph Fiennes/Alan Rickman/Tim Curry/Christopher Walken),
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the love interest (Renee Zellweger/Drew Barrymore/Kristen Stewart/Keira Knightley/Katherine Heigl/Jennifer Aniston/Meg Ryan)
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the wimp (Steve Buscemi/Rick Moranis/DJ Qualls/Jon Cryer/Christopher Mintz-Plasse).
DISCUSSION POINTS:
What other ‘types’ can you think of? You may find these ‘types’ fall into sexual stereotypes, or into national and ethnic stereotypes. Or they may be ‘types’ dictated by people’s professions or simply personality.
Think of movies you have seen recently, and try to recall the characters in them.
How easily can they be bracketed into ‘types’?
How many of the characters defy categorisation?
Does being hard to categorise make a character more interesting?
Disability
One common ‘type’ or stereotypical representations of people with disability found in media that has recurred again and again since the early days of the Hollywood movie is the innocent-at-large or the eternally innocent. He crops up in many guises, but his appeal is always the same. The innocent at large is the uncomplicated soul who, armed with a little home-spun wit and with enormous generosity of spirit, manages to show up the world around him as unpleasant, morally corrupt, and lacking direction.
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DISCUSSION POINTS:
What are your thoughts on disability representation in movies and Tv series?
Brainstorm a list of movies that explore disability and think about how disability is represented?
Are the disabled characters played by able or disabled actor? What are your thoughts on this?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GbxFIVQv8c
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Forrest Gump:
"In many films, characters are depicted as being angelic or childlike, simply because they have a disability. Forrest Gump, I am Sam, and Rain Man are all great examples.
Often the naïve and sweet character with a disability, reveals the flaws of their ‘normal’ adult peers – leading to them finding redemption.
Like all the other stereotypes we’ve looked at, this one is harmful mainly because it’s inaccurate – and reinforces patronising perceptions that are simply not true." (Aruma, 2019).
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Watch this clip from Forrest Gump:
Now watch this 2010 Scope Australia clip:
Digging Deeper:
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Knowledge: Identify two codes that have been used in each clip when representing disability.
Understanding: Can you give an example of another media product where you might have seen a positive/negative representation of disability?
Apply: Why do you think it is important that minorities such as disability are represented in media products?
Analysing: Watch these two clips and compare how disability has been represented. Discuss with your table group.
Evaluating: A stereotype is a media image that is repeated so often that it eventually comes to represent that group of people. How might a stereotype about someone with a disability be damaging?
Creating: Create a storyboard for an TV advertisement that promotes a positive understanding of disability.
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In this clip people with disability presents their point of view about how media portrays people with disability looking at a range of movies, exploring the authenticity of the portrayal.
A stereotype is a media image that is repeated so often that it eventually comes to represent that group of people. How might a stereotype be damaging?
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Other examples, The Elephant Man (1980), Rain Man (1988) & What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993).
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What do you already know about Autism?
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What did you learn?
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'Rain Man’ (1988), in which Dustin Hoffman plays an ‘idiot savant’ whose simple ways soften the cynical attitudes of his salesman brother (played by Tom Cruise). Gilbert (Johnny Depp) dreams of leaving the small town in which he is the sole provider for his family, includin his brother Arnie (Leonardo di Caprio), often seen as a burden.
And the more recent depiction of disability in I am Sam (2001) and Wonder (2017):
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On one hand we see ridicule and bullying from others, and an attitue of a burden on society. However we then also see kindness, curiosity and a step toward inclusion.
"Media portrays disability is various ways, in the movie I am Sam, the perception that explores the difficulties that people with disability face in life. It breaks the stereotypical view that society has of people with disability and shows how they can be independent and capable of leading a life like any other person. Sam is portrayed as an innocent soul who is strong spirited and devoted to taking care of his daughter against all odds. His character act as a foil through which flaws of society are portrayed. It is an empowering movie where Sam succeeds in his mission against all odds." (Y, Pathirage, 2020)
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‘Forrest Gump’ is a classic example of the ‘innocent at large’, a perfect illustration of the genre. With his buzz-cut hair and his slow, simple wisdom, he surveys the hectic world around him and sums it up with an awesome good heartedness that takes one's breath away.
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TASK:
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· Working in groups, brainstorm words and phrases that describe Forrest’s character.
When you run dry, work through the plot of the film, and remember the way he reacts to each particular event. Specific occurrences may reveal aspects of his character that are vital to the whole.
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· Now look through the list of words and phrases you have produced. Think about each word or phrase in turn, and, imagining you’d used the phrase to describe someone you know, ask yourself the question: ‘Is this a compliment? Or an insult?’
· With a plus point for every positive word or phrase, and a minus point for every negative one, how well does Forrest score?
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As this exercise might reveal, there is much about Forrest that we would traditionally consider unappealing. Sometimes, for instance, his naivety borders on the unpleasant, as when he describes Jenny’s father – a child abuser – as “a very loving man, always kissing and touching Jenny”. Equally, in any other character, his starched and humourless patriotism might be cause for dislike. And yet we cheer Forrest on. Whatever his faults, he wins the audience over.
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Watch the following Atypical clip where the protagonist, Sam is navigating adolescence on the spectrum.
THINK,PAIR, SHARE
Compare the representation of diability of Sam to that of Forrest. Include evidence of media codes/conventions within your discussion.
TEENAGERS:
Teenagers have been represented in many films.
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TASK:
In pairs, compare Forrest's experiencs with one of the following representations of teenagers.
Document your discussion on a Venn Dagram in JAMBOARD.
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Share your findings with the class.
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Gender
DISCUSSION POINTS:
How does media differentiate gender?
Discuss gender representation as an umbrella term. Gender is represented in movies, magazines, advertisements, sitcoms etc.
Has gender representation changed over the years?
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There are many gender roles/stereotypes found in the movie Forrest Gump. Throughout the movie Forrest undertakes several different roles that portray different levels of masculinity. In contrast, his mother uses her feminity to secure her son a place in school.
Jenny is Forrest's main counterpart, and is a female character that is protrayed as the damsel in distress, rebel/scarlet woman, feminist, etc, reflecting her childhood aubuse/trauma, socio-economic status, and the time in which the film was set.
Jenny’s push-pull relationship with Forrest is not about indecision or an easy ride, but the spiraling decisions of a woman suffering abuse from all (but one) of the men in her life.
(Source: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/movies-that-defy-gender-stereotypes)
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FOLLOW THE HASHTAG:
Explore the Hashtag #rewriteherstory and report your findings in class...
Selection & Omission
As representations are constructed from reality, it is impossible to include everything that reality has to offer.
What is left out is referred to as OMISSION and what is left in is referred to as SELECTION.
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We might get hints of the darkness – Jenny’s sexual abuse as a child, her drug use, the trail of abusive boyfriends that follow – but even if the audience is aware of these things, the film always reflects Forrest’s own naivety. It acts like a blanket – though the knowledge is there, the film’s haze of optimism buffers these facts, rendering them less real than Jenny’s direct interactions with Forrest.
The audience takes on a childlike attachment to black and white: Forrest is good, and Jenny is bad. Even those who might usually sympathise are tricked into the sincere opinion that Jenny is a horrible character. When you watch the film again, consider the information that is being omitted - we are only seeing through Forrest's veiled point of view, not Jenny's point of view.
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Consider now the history of women and how they have been represented in advertisement & print media.
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'TASK:
1. Write down a few sentences of what 'identity' means to you. In this case look at identity as:
- you as an individual
- you as a part of a group (family, school, class, or sport)
- you in a broader sense (ethnicity, race, gender, or something else)
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2. Now think about how context and audience can change your representation of yourself. For example, would you choose different images if you were constructing a profile for social media compared to created a resume for a potential job. What would you do differently?
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Are you living an Insta Lie?' Social Media vs Reality by DitchtheLabel
Race
Also including the continued abuse of Jenny, this clip depicts a major movement relating to race that was occuring with the Black Panther party:
The main representation of African-Americans within the film, is the almost background role of Bubba, the innocent shrimp obsessed black southern male.
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‘Forrest Gump’ unfolds like a pageant of modern American History. Whatever the key historical event, year by year, Forrest seems to have been there. He was lurking in the background as black students crossed the threshold onto privileged white southern colleges; and happens upon a Black Panter meeting, even unwittingly joins the Peace Movement. The representation of the black panthers within the film is one of a radical and aggressive nature that infers a negative stereotype towards African-Americans. However, the events that are omitted from the film in regards to race are of greater significance as these omissions displays the removal of racial tension from the films representation of American history. The assassination of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Junior are two notable omissions from the film.
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1960s Black Panther Party
Source: https://www.history.com/news/black-power-movement-civil-rights
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Protesters are seen during a Black Lives Matter rally in Melbourne, Saturday, June 6, 2020. Source: AAP Image/James Ross
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Recently, in Australia, our own Prime Minister denied the history of slavery:
DISCUSSION POINTS:
In an age where we as a country are aiming to heal, reconcile and demonstrate inclusion, discuss how damaging Morrison's comments would be for Indigenous Australians.
Discuss.
From the Textbook:
WAR
Forrest Gump fought in Vietnam, the most significant war Americans have fought since the Second World War, and returned to join (unwittingly) the peace movement, a struggle which played a significant part in carving out the identity of contemporary liberal America.
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DISCUSSION POINTS:
· What do you know of the war in Vietnam? Who was fighting whom, and why?
· Discuss in groups the picture of the Vietnam War presented in contemporary Hollywood movies. Vietnam has become so important to the American film industry that it constitutes as much a ‘genre’ of film as, say, western or the sci-fi picture. Think, for instance of the Rambo movies; ‘The Deer Hunter’; ‘Apocalypse Now’; ‘Full Metal Jacket’, Platoon’; ‘Born on the Fourth of July’; ‘Hamburger Hill’; Casualties of War’; the list goes on. How do these movies present war? Do they glorify it? Or do they show the pity of war? Do they show wars as patriotic, national crusades? Or do they focus on more individual stories?
In general, Hollywood has played Vietnam two ways. It has either adopted a gung-ho patriotic shoot-em-up approach (for instance in ‘Rambo II’), or it has taken the view that Vietnam was a tragedy, a war fought for politicians, and a terrible waste of thousands of American and hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese lives.
For American Society, the war was equally divisive. Many in the establishment believed the war to be ‘right’, a ‘moral crusade’ (against the North Vietnamese Communists), and they condemned all those who opposed the war as unpatriotic. The peace movement resented this; they felt that opposing the war was the truly ‘patriotic’ position, because there was nothing to be proud of in losing lives for a ‘misguided’ cause.
After the war ended the situation grew even more complicated. It became apparent that the vast majority of soldiers who had fought and died in Vietnam were poor, and that many of them were black.
Draft dodgers – those liberals who refused to fight or avoided fighting – were now perceived as the middle class ‘lucky ones’. They were expected, increasingly, to feel guilty about their lack of participation in the war.
To complicate matters further, as the veterans returned home they blamed the peace protesters for eroding American resolve to win the war. Some veterans believed that, had they had better support, they might have won. And anyway, considering the war ‘morally wrong’ denigrated their achievement and their sufferings.
So to present the Vietnam War in a ‘politically correct’ way, Hollywood today has a difficult job on its hands. To say that the war was right offends liberal sensibilities. To say that it was wrong belittles the veterans who fought so hard and sacrificed so much.
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Associated Press Photojournalist Nick Ut's photograph The Terror of War/Napalm Girl 1972 is widely attributed with contributing to changing the Vietnam War.
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Learn more and watch a clip here.
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Ut's photograph was voted the most powerful image in 50 years. Read more.
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“I wanted to stop this war, I hated war. My brother told me I hope one day you have a picture to stops the war” - Nick UT
Photojournalism, revealing the truth of Vietnam war
So what about ‘Forrest Gump’? What ‘line’ does the film take? Consider Consider how differently Bubba & Lt Dan's characters are depicted and the following quotes from the film:
Forrest to Lieutenant Dan: “ . . . Someone from his family had fought and died in every American war. I guess you could say that he had a lot to live up to . . . “
Dan advice on surviving the war: “ . . . Keep your socks dry . . . “
Dan to Forrest: “ . . . I was supposed to die in the field with honour. That was my destiny. And you cheated me out of it . . . “
Bubba (dying): “ . . . Why did this happen?” Forrest: “You got shot . . . “
TASK:
· Using these quotes to kick off the discussion, analyse in groups how Dan and Bubba relate to the war.
Which character represents the ‘establishment’ view of Vietnam as a glorious national and personal crusade?
What character represents the victim of the war, the ‘lamb to the slaughter’?
· How does Dan’s attitude change during the course of the film?
· What does Jenny’s character represent during this section of the film?
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In the characters of Bubba and Jenny, it is clear that the filmmakers have deliberately presented us with a broad cross section of opinion towards the war. But to know where the filmmakers themselves stand, we have to understand Forrest’s own point of view.
Here, then, is Forrest’s summing up of Vietnam:
Forrest: “. . . I got to see a lot of countryside. We took these long walks. And we were always looking for a guy named Charlie . . . “
As ever, Forrest simply misses the point. He enjoys army life, he performs heroic deeds, he gets decorated for valour, but he won’t condemn Jenny for her role as a peace-protester. He’s forever non-judgemental. When Dan revisits him, Forrest fails to understand Dan’s cynical and bitter tone. It simply washes over him.
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Reflect back to the discussion above in the section on diability and the representation of the eternally inocent.
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So what are the filmmakers saying? That we should admire Forrest’s lack of political convictions? Or rather that we should admire his refusal to take sides?
As Forrest Gump himself would say: “Nobody ever got into trouble by keepin’ his mouth shut”.
‘Forrest Gump’ presents us with a world where, to succeed, you should keep to yourself, Forrest’s wisdom is in fact a non-wisdom; he advocates not that we open our eyes, but that we put on blinkers.
Those characters in the film that have glorious dreams (Dan’s dream of the noble death, Bubba’s dream of a shrimp boat, Jenny dream of breaking free and getting out/flight) all find their dreams unachievable. But Forrest, who has so few expectations, succeeds in spite of himself. This is a kind of triumph, though it’s not the sort of triumph usually recognised in Hollywood films. And this quirky, downbeat message has obviously struck home. Worldwide audiences have found the film, and it’s conclusion, amusing, sympathetic, and highly relevant.
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Do you agree? or disagree? Discuss.
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(Adapted from source: http://www.filmeducation.org/pdf/film/Forrest%20Gump.pdf)
Family
Reality
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READ:
Textbook 1.1 p1-2 (pictured)
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Complete the Learnng Activties on p2.
DISCUSSION POINTS:
What is reality?
Does everyone see things the same way?
Think about your Instagram or Facebook pages, how are you representing something?
Can reality be constructed to serve a particular audience?
Make a list of reality TV programs, are they targeting a particular audience? How?
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Now, Continue reading p3-12
Take notes as you read.
"Watch the movie 'The Truman Show'. The movie explores representation of reality, behind the scenes of reality television and broader themes such as media control.
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Read the analysis of the movie to grasp a broader understanding of the movie before you watch it." (Y, Pathirage, 2020)
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Knowledge: Identify 2 codes and two conventions of Print media that have been used here
Understanding: Can you think of another example of a media product where you might see a positive/negative representation of reality TV?
Apply: Is there something new that you have learnt about te effects of reality TV from watching this clip? Think, pair, share
Analysing: In small groups, analyse the Survivor magazine cover (left). Imagine you know nothing of the show. Discuss what type of show Survivor is based on what is being represented in this cover. Draw upon the codes and conventions of Print media in your discussion.
Evaluating:
Now watch the Ch7 news story distributed through Sunday night commercial television.
How does the representation of reality TV change and why?
(Adapted from AFT, VCAA)
Creating: Create a meme that represents the truth of the harmful affects of reality TV on the contenstants.
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Assessment task: Create a print ad for a time period & society
Print is an extremely effective tool used in the Media Industry.
We see it appear in various media forms; Billboards, Magazine Covers and Articles, CD and DVD Covers, Film Posters, Brochures and Publications – just to name a few.
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Print has its own code and conventions to ensure the message is delivered to the intended target audience.
Code & Conventions of PRINT
• Layout & Use of White Space
• Colour
• Images – Size & Position
• Text
• Font choice
• Composition
• Paper Stock
• Location & Distribution
• Quantity
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Evaluation/Explanation of your PRINT PRODUCTION
Once you have completed your print production please submit the following:
One copy of the print production - PRINTED and stick the write up on the back.
Print another copy for your folio which includes your write up (this will help with your exam preparation)
Write up includes:
- What have you represented?
- How have you constructed your representation?
- What have you omitted and selected?
- What code and conventions have you considered in your construction? (the code & convention booklet will help)
- Who is your target audience and how have you engaged them?
What to include in your annotation for your research section:
Try to include at least SIX different research print productions from different time periods and societies.
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Include where you sourced the image from.
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What code & Conventions were employed to engage the audience.
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What you like about the example.
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From the example what you might include in your final print production.
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Try and use media language where applicable.
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(Adapted from source: http://www.mediaknite.org/media-representations-aos-1-unit-1/)