Representations stereotypes

Age 

Unfit, Lazy, Obese, Gullible, Old, Violent, Immature, Grumpy and Greedy.

Ethnicity

Asian - Indian, Asian - South East - Thai etc, Middle eastern, White, Black African Caribbean, Gypsy traveler, Eastern European, Stereotypes, Exotic  Dangerously, Humorless and Sexually used.

Disability

Hero, Villain Freak, Ugly Victum.

Sexuality

Victim - sympathetic, Threat abnormal, Threat abnormal and Sexualised promiscuous.

Frame work for analysis

Step 1 - Significance.

Step 2 - Relationship and Power.

Step 3 - Difference, Opposites.

Step 4 - Reinforce or Challenging.

Notes 6/12/13

Doc Martin Clip

• Representation of regional Identity, which also links to social class.
• Yorkshire - working class
• Doctor - London - Middle class no accent 
• Stereotyping regional accents with working class, and counties in the south middle class earning more money.
• Doctor is dressed smartly, whereas plumber in overalls showing they are working class, and have a lower class job earning less money.
• Reinforcing stereotype, that middle class are better than working class - made by middle class men
• Younger plumber challenging stereotype - talking about literature.

• Woman stereotype of traditional felinity.
• no accent so middle class? a higher power but not as high a the doctor.

Notes 13/12/13

Stereotypes of Gender:

Male Gaze 

• When men look at women 
• How they look at themselves
• How woman look at other woman

The male gaze is how a TV drama is interesting for men (woman sexual objects), but the storyline/plot has to be interesting for the woman.

The features of the male gaze, are curves of a woman's body, viewing a woman from males perspective.

Post masculinity

The opposite of masculine, skinny, quirky and 'geeky', characters such as Dr Who.

The traditional feminine

1960's stereotype, woman are house wife's no job. They are weak, dependent, soft and not intelligent.

The traditional Masculine

1960's stereotype, men are the 'bread winners', they bring home the money. Strong, independent, aggressive and intelligent are all characteristics of this stereotype.

Action chick (post feminism)

A woman who is a part of the male gaze, visually appealing, but challenges the 1960's ideal of a traditional femininity. Usually takes part in action scenes, having characteristics of strength, independence and courage.

Masculinity and Femininity - Representation of Gender

The representation of gender in TV drama can be a negative or positive representation. These are some examples of the representation of gender, explaining how the gender is represented, and why. The camera (angles, shots, movement, focus, lighting and composition), Mise-en-scene (costume, props, setting, behavior, characters, stereotypes, power, relationships and archetypes), Editing (screen time, editing, transitions, Proxemic code, speed, effects and finish of the edit) and Sound (speed, projection, how loud is it?, is the sound soft? non diegetic sound. diegetic sound, foley, music and how does it match finish of the edit, does it fit?) these all add up to whether the TV drama is representing masculinity or feminine way. 



How is gender represented in this clip and how?

Our answer:

Masculinity:

This TV drama clip is showing a negative representation on both genders. The camera angles are at eye level throughout, but occasional high angles are used which shows Tony has more power, because he is presented at a higher level. The 180 degree rule is used throughout, head shots are used for Carmella, where as medium shots are more frequently used for Tony. This shows that body language is more important than emotions shown through facial features  This puts more focus on Tonys agressive body language. The lighting is low key, which builds up suspense which is a masculine trait in TV drama.

The costume is masculine for Tony and Carmella, it is casual and they have not made any effort. This is masculine, by not making an effort, which is an archetype of being a slob. The one prop used is a cup with whiskey in, Tony is drinking the whiskey showing which is a stereotypical masculine trait. Tony is very aggressive, by raising his voice and using physical aggression this is showing masculinity. The stereotype that the man is strong and aggressive, while the women are weak and emotional, this is a stereotype which was highly thought of in the 1960's. Tony has the most power, because he is aggressive and bigger built. 

The editing used shows me that this clip is masculine, and that Tony has more power. Tony had more screen time showing he is the most superior. The proxemic code  implies they are in a social space, meaning they are not close which is masculine. The clip moves on quite fast, while getting points across. The shot uses jump cuts which is masculine, as well as a rough finish, showing he is aggressive, and they are both angry.

The sound is very loud, which impacts on the negative representation of the couple. They are arguing which makes the clip fast, this is showing they are angry. 

Femininity:



How is gender represented in this clip and how?

Our answer:

Masculinity:
This clip is predominantly feminine, the clip has a negative representation on women using stereotypes of a 1960's woman. This TV drama clip 'Mad Men', uses close up shots as well as head shots. Some shots are low angles and shot reverse shots, which shows the woman at the lower angle has less power over the other woman. The woman has more power and is intimidating which is masculine. 

The editing shows me that the woman who leads the others into the room has the most screen time, so she is powerful which is a masculine trait. The clip has a smooth finish, and uses match on action to do that, which is not masculine. 

Femininity:




How is gender represented in this clip and how?

Our answer:

Masculinity:
Low angles are used to show that the master has all of the power, this is a masculine angle. 180 degree rule is used, as well as close ups this shows the importance of the master, because the focus is on him frequently. The begging uses masculinity to represent a villain. Whereas towards the end masculinity (high angle), is used to represent the antagonist.

There are a few props used, firstly a gun is used which is a masculine prop. A man is holding the gun which is stereotyping men to be strong. The sonic screwdriver is a prop used to help the master (he gets it out when he is frighted), but that is thrown to the side which shows he has become weak, not a masculine trait but feminine. The costumes worn by Martha (the woman with most screen time), is masculine because she is wearing trousers, and dark colours. At the begging the master has the most power, but at the end the Doctor does (man in cage), this is shown through camera angles, and props. 

Jump cuts are used, which shows masculinity because it does not use any transitions such as fade's. The master has the most screen time at the begging which shows he had the most power making him masculine, but towards the end Mather and the Doctor had the most screen time making them the most superior. The proximity is between the master and the others is large, which is masculine. Whereas in the flash backs the spacing is smaller making it more feminine. 

The sound builds suspense making it masculine. The diegetic sounds, are loud which shows aggression and makes the audience feel tense which is masculine. The music fits the edit building suspense and emotions for the Doctor.

Femininity:

Gender representation - Using Camera angles, Shot types, Movements, Focus, Lighting and Composition

Masculine, the camera angle is at eye level which will allow the audience's focus to the facial expressions, which are plain so shows they are emotionless which is masculine, and to see the background clearly. This shot is a medium shot which shows body language and facial expressions in detail, and also to see the background characters. The focus is on the two characters in the background, which is caused by the composition. The focus is also on the male because he is taller, and the medium shot allows that which shows he has more power because he is at a higher level. The composition is showing it is masculine, because the proxemeic code being a large space between both characters in the foreground, leaving space to focus on the background. This photograph of this TV drama has high key lighting. This is extreme rather than soft therefor masculine. The characters in the foreground are larger in proportion to those in the background.

Masculine, this camera angle is every so slightly a lower angle, showing she is superior to the background characters as they are seen at eye level. This is a medium close up, showing emotion showing she is the most important, because the other two characters are medium shots showing less detail. The focus is on the woman because she is at the front, which shows she is the most powerful character therefor masculine. The lighting is dark, low key lighting is masculine. 

Feminine - The camera angle does not show much, it is a close up so concentrates on their emotions, which is feminine. The focus is on both of them there is no background focus, so again concentrating on their emotions. The composition shows the man higher than the woman which could be seen as masculine. 

Masculine - This is a low angle showing the woman at a higher level showing she is more powerful, therefore masculine. This is a medium shot showing body language not so much emotion showing, which is more masculine. The focus is on the woman, with no distractions in the background to focus on. The lighting low key but high key in the top left, showing she is masculine because it is lower key on her side. The compositions places her and her gun, the gun is closer to the camera showing the gun is important and a gun is masculine.  

Feminine - This is a high angle shot, showing he has less power which is feminine. This is a close up showing emotions which is feminine. The focus is on him and the gun, showing they are important. The lighting is high key,so is feminine. 

Masculine - Male gaze, shown through composition (curves of the female body), this is an eye line shot, and medium shot showing the whole body. This is challenging a traditional female stereotype, because she is the superior in the shot, because she is using her provocative looks for power. The focus is on Megan Fox, showing she must has the most screen time, or she is the most superior.

Masculine - This shot is a long shot, with Edward at the front. Because he is in the front he holds the most power. The woman are placed towards the back, showing a traditional femininity stereotype.

Masculine - This is a close up, and a eye line shot, so she is the focus of the shot making her powerful. The low key lighting shows masculinity, and only light is on her making her superior.

Masculine - The close up and low key lighting used, directs the focus onto the man. 

Representation of Age

Stereotypes:

The youth, are childish, lazy and aggressive.
Adults, are mature, sensible and have the most power.
Elderly people are, weak, grumpy and hard of hearing.

Waterloo Road



Watch clip to 1:05, then skip to 4:00 

Questions:

1. The older teacher, Grantley, how is he represented? and what makes him represented in that way? using the 4 analysis areas.
2. What was the third teacher, Chalky,  wearing? What does that show? Is it challenging a stereotype or reinforcing it?

What characteristics are used for a younger character, and what characteristics are used for an elderly character that are not already written above?

Sophie Bishop - Exam answer - The Street

Tv drama clip notes on the street clip 

Representation

Married couples fight all the time not happy

People in un happy marriages have affairs

Boys watch football

Little girl is quiet 

A negative representation, but not untrue some do some don't both families

Females stay at home go shopping in kitchen - all shots of her

But rather than he have an a affair she does

Man goes to work - hard work 

Working - ideology because use of vocabulary slang works not well educated? 

Mis en scene

Mum Religouse- cross necklace but has affair - casual clothes working class in kitchen -stereotype - woman 1960's stays at home cooks cleans 

Dad - casual clothes, works on building site - ideology of working class- stereotype - man work works - bread winner 

Kids in school clothes at school

Peter - business wear maybe middle class - stereotype boys watch football

Old man - stereotype of age weak faints

Props - the cake, the hammer, not a prop used that is a huge part in the drama apart from the car and tv 

Sound

Shouting at each other row, whereas kids are quiet used to it

Tv on during some shots, building up to a dramatic scene(girl getting hit)- busy loud sound

Loud crash- loud tv 

Loud breather in car- shows he is shocked

Shouting - is their a nurse round here

Sound track, builds up suspense, loud towards the end as diegetic sound is fading 

Editing

Linear 

Skips from row to after kids gone to school then after school then after the mum comes back from shopping

Shots

Mum has the most screen time, shots of her are all stereotype of a woman on the 1960's

Dark lighting - negative representation ? Or secretive of the affair, and unhappy marriage

180 degree rule during argument 

And at end 

 Medium shots

Full shots 

Close up shots to show emotions 

Close up of the hammer- dramatic shows anger

Close up of cake 

Exam Answer:

In this clip of the street, they show a negative representation of marriages, they show the mum and dad fighting in the first scene. This is an true in some cases but not all, so it can be seen as an un normal representation. The street is also representing that women in unhappy marriages have affairs, which is also a negative representation. It also shows a negative representation of gender, and it follows the stereotype of gender. The women are house wife's and the men go to work.

Step one The mother character wear's a casual costume, and wears a cross around her neck, which shows me that she is religouse. But having an affair is not the correct thing to do in Christian terms, this is not the dominant ideology which is told. Her costume shows me that she is working class, which is also an ideology. She is represented as a stereotype, of a women in the 1960's, she is a stay at home house wife. She is also shown that she cannot fix the broken pipe herself, and this could also just of been a scenario to get attention from Peter because she is not happy in her own marriage, and does not get the attention she wants. She is the archetype of a women, a house wife. 

Step one The father also wears a casual costume, which backs up the the ideology that they are a working class family. He is represented as an archetype of a man, being the 'bread winner' of the family, he is subordinate to his wife. He works in a stereotypical masculine job, a building site, that a working class man would work in. Their children are quiet, but this could be because they are used to their parents fighting. The boys are represented as stereotypical boys, they watch football which is seen as masculine. The boys (their children) are only seen watching football, on the couch which shows they're lazy, they are represented negatively rather than positively. Where as the little girl does not, and she is very quiet which is also stereotypical. Peter wears business wear, which is could mean he is middle class. The father has the most power in this clip, which also backs up the archetype of the male being the bread winner. He is shown from low angles, which shows he has the most power.

Step one The elderly man wears a casual costume as well, and he an archetype of an elderly man. He is represented as weak and I know this because he faints whereas the younger neighbours do not. The main prop is the car that hits the girl. This adds more drama to the scene, making it more engaging for the audience. The hammer the dad uses, represents the job the father does. It also shows the father s angry, because of the close up shot and the speed of the shot. The lighting is dull and dark, which makes the show dramatic  The low key lighting might be showing that their is a secret or that they are in an unhappy marriage, and are unhappy.

During the whole clip the television occasionally was on in the background, this all built up to the dramatic ending, it was creating suspence. The noise of the mum and dad arguing, does not bother their children, which shows me that they must be used to the arguing. The soundtrack to this television drama, is dramatic in the most dramatic events. The football on the television was also apart of the non diegetic sound track, which also got louder. The soundtrack built suspense, making the audience watch on. At the end the sound track becomes louder, and the diegetic sound fades out.

Step two The frames have been put together in a order, which gives this clip a linear narrative. The clip does not show the characters traveling to somewhere or using cross fades, but it just jumps from scene to scene, but because the music gets louder as the scene changes it is less noticeable, and is still affective. The editing has shown clips of the mother only in the neighbourhood, where as the father's shots show him at work. This shows that during editing, they have tried to represent the stereotypical characters. They are creating a dominant ideology through media.

The mother has the most prominence on screen, she is show through out, she is shown mostly in the kitchen. They use the 180 degree rule during the argument, and use lots of close up to show emotions clearly. There are also shots of close up's of objects, such as the hammer which also shows emotions. Their are also medium and long shot's, which show body language which communicates to the audience emotions. Step three The mother and father are opposites, the mother is weak and the father is strong, the mother is dependant and the father is independent. 

When peter fixes the pipe, it is a high angle shot, which shows the mother at a higher level than peter, which could reverse the roles of the man being the breadwinner and that she is in control. But on the other hand, he is fixing the pipe rather than her so he is still represented as the strong man who fixes things. In shots with the mother and father they are far away form each other, which shows their relationship is not close. Whereas the space between the mother and pater is closer, showing they have a closer bond.

The whole clip is showing a dominant ideology, which is trying to be put across to the audience. It is representing characters as stereotypes, and representing age as a stereotype as weak, and gender, females, as house wife's, and males as the bread winner.

The red is where I have improved this piece of work.

Sophie - UK and US TV analysis

British TV drama:
Skins
Skins is a British TV drama, which has stereotypical teenage characters and explores each characters story's.

Cook
James Cook is a stereotypical teenager, who is portrayed as a violent, destructive and troubled character. Who has come from a troubled background, he is always in the limelight and wants all of the attention. The use of language he uses, presents him as being not very well educated, and in the first series of this cast he is at college, but does not study or pay much attention. His costume is usually very causal and laid back, he is involved in fights a lot. Even though he is this violent character, the audience still feel sorry for him, because he is always second best when it comes to Effy. In the last series his emotional side is shown, which makes the audience see that he is actually just a teenager and hasn't had a great home life. And makes them see he is scared, and not as bad as he is made out to be in earlier series.

Effy

Effy is the tearaway character, who is portrayed as being reckless, a rebel and popular within her group of friends. Her and cook are similar because they both starts to let their guards down and show their vulnerable and emotional side. Effy's costume is always casual, but is dark and gothic as well. She is not that intelligent, because she does not pay attention in school. She always gets what she wants, but she becomes very vulnerable. The audience find out that she has a mental illness towards the end, which makes her character very complex. Her behavior becomes very childlike, and Freddy has to look after her a lot, making her character unexpectable at times. The audience can't help but feel sorry for her, because she is so vulnerable and helpless.

American TV drama:
Pretty Little Liars
This an American TV drama, which is a mystery thriller about four girls who are trying to solve a mystery or their friend Alison, while getting threatening messages from an unknown character.

Alison
Alison is a very controlling character who gets what she wants when she wants it. She is a very stereotypical teenage american girl with blonde hair who acts vulnerable. The drama portrays Alison being mean and manipulating  to her friends, but her friends remain blind of her and try to consistently impress her. Her costume always makes her seem sweet and innocent. She wears light and girly coloured dresses and skirts, and her costume is not casual, because she always dresses up to be seen better than her friends. She has a big social life away from her four friends, she has a lot of older friends so she acts older and is secretive to her four school friends.


Spencer
Spencer is an intelligent character, but is also often stressed and worries a lot. She is the brains of the group and is constantly studying and doing home work. Her costume is business wear, she has a lot of pressure from her family to do well at school so she is often stressed and try's very hard at school. She looks like she would be a boring character, but because she is intelligent she constantly want to reveal the mystery of what happened to Alison, which makes her ruthless at times. She is also a strong character, and rarely gives up.

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