“Media representations are complex, not simple and straightforward”. How far do you agree with this statement in relation to the collective group that you have studied? [50]

Stuart Hall puts out his view of media representation by saying that they are "not simple and straightforward", this shows exactly how complex and elaborate representations can be, especially on the view of gender. Analysing representation of women, there is far too many influences that revolve around their portrayal such as family, politics and society in general. However, some may argue that representation can be straightforward such as the various TV adverts that portray women as housewives, when promoting house products such as cleaning items. This shows the view of what majority of people believe women are, yet it can also be argued that this is just the stereotypes given by society. Women are not intelligent enough to work out and have a career but to stay home and please their husband by taking care of the home, cooking and childcare.

However this view has been strongly opposed by the TV drama Dr Foster, Gemma, a wife, mother and doctor has been shown as a very diverse character, using both her intelligence as well as conforming to the stereotype of using her sexuality as a tactic to carry out her revenge. From being a hard working professional, to using her role as a contrivance, a loving mother for her son, to a deranged, unbalanced mother who was willing to let her husband believe that she has killed her son in order for him to confess.The complexity shown through this one character, really shows how difficult it is to represent the multitude of personalities and characteristics that a women can have. On the other hand the antagonist character Kate, a young women who is having an affair with a married man, executes the stereotype of men going after younger women. 

Her portrayal of being sexualised with fitted clothing, occasionally revealing clothes, accomplishes the message needing to be given. However, shown as a "ditzy blonde" as Lippmann would call this "a short cut" of knowing the simplistic forms of representation that carry a lot of information. This is shown by her having faith in Simon, by completely relying on him and believing every promise he makes. But then this can also be argued that the age gap between the two, makes her seem less dominate, less intelligent and less experienced or it could also mean her having fear of the truth being spilled.

The two leading women in the drama have contrasting roles, yet have some similar characteristic such as wanting attention, love and affection from a heterosexual relationship. Being concerned about their appearance by being slim, wearing minimal yet elegant make-up and wearing fashionable clothing according to their age ranges. Yet, they both are presented differently with Gemma being a very strong and dominate character whereas Kate is calm and gentle almost being pushed around to wherever benefiting others.

Looking at the film August Osage County, Barbara is shown to have similar characteristics as Gemma, a strong willed women who is having difficulties within her marriage life yet covers this up due to the concern of people around her. Although the two characters are shown within different areas and community, there is always a similar stereotype of women within all societies. This has led them into opposing the general view and showing their intelligence in potentially making a change and maybe even giving out a message to women going through such oppression in reality.

Being the oldest within her family and having two younger sisters as well as a daughter, adds to the pressure of her being a role model for the other females in her life. Therefore, hides the negative side of her life from her family due to difficult time already the family is going through of their fathers demise. Yet, her depression can be clearly seen by her appearance, the lack of make-up and carelessness towards her hair and clothing shows how she either does not have the time to take care of her self as she is a mother but also because her husband is now having an affair with a "younger woman" therefore, she does not need to bother about how she looks, as she has lost the attention from her husband.

Nonetheless, this could also mean her being a very natural character who does not need to subvert to the stereotype of wearing make-up to look pretty or revealing her figure in order to gain attraction. Society immediately get the idea that women without make-up means they are depressed or are not beautiful enough without it, this view has been strongly supported by Barbara's mother Violet who says "women need to wear make-up, else they look like a lesbian" or that "women get uglier and fatter with age." This shows how the stereotypes have taken over her, as she blindly believes this view even though she is a women herself.

As a result, Barbara is shown to be a very complex character who is trying to oppose the general stereotype of women needing to do certain things in order to be attractive, whereas Violet is subverting herself to societies view of representation of not being complicated but actually enrolling the convention.

Females Representation (Dr Foster) - editing

Gemma (episode 5)

- represented as a psychopath

- unable to control emotions

- she is confessing to Simon but manipulating

- key moment of showing reader, the audience of how complex the situation is

- playing as an anguished female but behind it is manipulating

- dressed very calmly but taking revenge very morally

- minimal make-up and jewellery not overtly sexualised in any way

- three shot or Gemma mid shot in blur focus - she is over seen - in complete control, pre-range, she was playing as the victim - emotionally controlled women

- long shot: audience are omniscient viewers

- over the shoulder - Kate - story being carried out

- Gemma shown as weak - lost to Simon - but completed her revenge by getting to accomplish what she wanted

- Neil's wife called first - shown as caring towards Gemma - dislikes Gemma for being so moral, not letting her issues to just be - but does not want to harm her, just to damage her profession not physically

- Kate shown as vulnerable - nurturing and caring for Simon - more concerned about him, Whereas Neil's wife is very shocked and surprised

- Gemma - mother/madonna

- Neil's wife - madonna

- Kate - whore - simplistic character - judging as stereotypical - weak, unintelligent - different to Gemma and Neil's wife characters

- extreme close up to show his physical dominance to her - also shows their expressions - strangling Gemma - silencing her

- But she is manipulating this violence - the shatter and punch is acting as a double ended sword - shows the representation of stopping Simon from seeing his son - enforcing the portrayal of him being a 'monster-like' character

- domestic abuse - violence in household - straightaway have the stereotype of women being the victim - men being violent but Gemma is manipulating this to happen

- cracking of representation and boundaries that women can uphold

- Carly: stood outside smoking - aided Gemma in order to accomplish revenge - her character os being quite collective and calm - not disturbed by inside issue but knows Gemma is strong and in control of the situation.

Theories mentioned in past paper questions:

”The media do not construct collective identity; they merely reflect it”. Michel Foucault

Who has the power in the relationship of collective identity construction? is it the audience or is it the producer of the text? Do the changing representations reflect changes in the audience?

"Media representations are complex, not simple and straightforward”. Stuart Hall  

How far do you agree with this? Do you think that their are some representations that are simple? Why is this?

Quotes: "The media do not construct reality, they merely offer a window on the world." David Buckingham

"It is unsatisfactory to assume that people somehow copy or borrow their identities from the media." David Gauntlett

"This (referring to the impact of the Media) could hardly fail to affect our own way of conducting ourselves, and our expectations of other people's behaviour."  David Gauntlett

"Identities are complex constructions." David Gauntlett

"Each individual has a set of multiple identities which operate at different times and under different circumstances. People define themselves by gender, family, religion, ethnic group, class, city, region, nation." Jeffrey Richards

"Of all the collective identities which human beings share today, national identity is perhaps the most fundamental and inclusive." Anthony Smith

"For the nation is, above all else, … 'an imagined community', a focus of loyalty and a source of identity, providing a sense of belonging to something bigger than oneself." Jeffrey Richards

"Every nation has a set of national values, desirable qualities that derive from the national identity and the national character." Jeffrey Richards

"The practitioners of both elite and popular culture, an later the mass media, … play a central role in defining and disseminating national identity, values and character." Jeffrey Richards

"How we are seen determines how we are treated, how we treat others is based on how we see them; such seeing comes from representation." Richard Dyer

"Does the audience ultimately have more power than the media?" David Gauntlett

"The power of the audience to interpret media texts, and determine their popularity, far outweighs the ability of media institutions to send a particular message or ideology to audience within their texts." David Gauntlett 

'These perspectives in turn are products of distinct moments in time and are specific to the social realities of these times." Samantha lay

How to get an A* exam essay

WWW:

1. Has clear knowledge of their text with data and statistics to support their ideas
2. Discussing the theory, arguing with the essay question and also arguing against it
3. Using key phrases like however, on the other hand, in contrast etc.
4. Continuing to debate the essay question, looking at both sides and using their evidence to compare.
5. Uses contextual information to further their debate e.g. changes in law or social change – Dr Foster; reflects a representation of how they are now – AOC: is slightly outdated
6. Includes theorists in relation to her point for her case studies and only uses four media theory throughout the essay – helps to avoid listing theorists
7. Recognises the context of the media text and uses them to argue the essay question e.g. Dr Foster; British/London – AOC; America/Deep South
8. In conclusion – goes back to essay question, think about collective identity that it is not always collective
9. Discusses what future might hold – looks at recent changes to representations and provides examples

Dr Foster:
1 - BBC one-flagship channel 'most watched television channel. 
June 2013 the channel controller for BBC One is Charlotte Moore.
Writer: Mike Bartlett 
Director: Tom Vaughan 
Screening: BBC One 9pm weeknights. 
The series was commissioned by Charlotte Moore and Ben Stephenson. 
The executive producers are Roanna Benn, Greg Brenman, Jude Liknaitzky and Matthew Read. 
Suranne Jones won Serial Drama Performance for National Television Awards 2016 for her portrayal of Gemma.

AOC:

1 - Smoke House Pictures. 
The company was founded in 2006 by George Clooney and Grant Heslov after the shutdown of Section Eight Productions.
Director: John Wells           

Writers: Tracy Letts (screenplay), Tracy Letts (play)

It is produced by George Clooney, Jean Doumanian, Grant Heslov, Steve Traxler, Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

For their performances in the film, Streep and Roberts received Academy Award nominations for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.

Peer marking

WWW: 

1. Focuses on how the group are represented in different mediums e.g. reality TV and TV drama
2. Uses a wide range of examples trying to find common representation types within them e.g. short list in introduction
3. Clear understanding that there is no such thing as collective identity 'many and various'
4. Clearly understands the genre of the texts and the generic expectations we have of these fictional characters e.g. a staple of the crime genre
5. Uses small sections of description from the texts to exemplify the point e.g. 'wedding speech'
6. Investigates the representation e.g. uses phrases such as on the other hand
7. Uses another text to compare/further the ideas e.g. takes things further
8. Does describe, but turns the description into analysis. continually use PEE structure
9. Recognises the audience in the argument - knows the demographic of the texts BARB
10. Continual comparison of the texts and similarities/patterns shown where possible
11. tUnderstands the use of stereotypes to create familiarity, but also explores where it is challenged
12. Recognises our need for these types of representation. e.g. stock characters, entertainment, but also investigates the need to distort them

Mulvey's male gaze theory

Sicario – Emily Blunt and Sandra Bullock were starred in the movie however these roles were originally written for men.

Women are replacing men’s roles e.g. Ghost busters, Mad Max

Mulvey:

Male gaze – cinema and moving image are created for men.

Patriarchal in nature – mainstream cinema

Female gaze – female producers/actresses/films to encounter male gaze

Mulvey suggest patriarchy is inscribed in mainstream cinema by ensuring that men are the “bearer of the look” whilst women exist “to be looked at”.

Are women’s bodies in the text represented as fragmented? Are they shown through close-ups?

Men are active – making things happen – contrast to women’s passivity?

What do the women’s in the text say? Are they knowledgeable? Are they academic? Are they powerful?

–      AOC : women driving/rescuer/type of car/confidence

Women sexualised? – Dr Foster? – Complicated representation of women

How use of editing enforces the representations?

-       Gemma and Simon in kitchen as final scene – strength of both are shown

Use of theories to talk about representation of women

Seven codes of Realism

1. The Code of Surface Realism - Does the representation look and sound to you like the real world it claims to show?
Dr Foster is a TV drama therefore, some sections of this will be dramatised for the interest of the audience who watch this for entertainment. But the costume, props and setting of the character Gemma is kept very realistic as a married women who is also a mother. Her style of clothing is kept very conventional as well as dull due to the clothing majority of the time being black, grey or navy. This represents her serious nature and also her profession of being a GP, keeping her look quite reserved and sophisticated. Also her make-up and jewellery is kept to a minimum due to her being careless or this could also mean her not having the time as she is too busy with her child and workplace, that she has not given herself some time in doing things majority of women or is seen as the "norm" of society. but within some scenes she is seen as wearing make-up and fixing her hair or wearing heels, this is for her to be shown as trying to look "pretty" as she wants her husband to notice these things about her or when she meets Neil, to present sexuality and trying to make her husband "jealous" by going out.

On the other hand, in August Osage County, Barbara is shown as very careless with the way she looks again as she is a wife and a mother, she does not have time to focus on herself. But Violet is shown as very concerned with her appearance by saying "women need make-up, else they look like a lesbian" and that "women get fat and ugly when they are older", this view is realistic as it is what society do believe, that attraction goes with age. Wearing make-up has become such as globally trend that if a women is seen without it, they are believed to be "ugly" or a "tomboy." This view has influenced her youngest daughter Karen, as she is shown throughout the movie in dresses with an elegant hairstyle, however her look contradicts a lot with Ivy as she is shown in clothing that will be classed as "masculine", which Violet does not like.

2. The Code of Social Realism - Does the representation present social reality ‘like it really is’? Or ‘as it really was’?
Dr Foster is based on a more modern society as she is an independent professional women who is not just a house wife but has a career as well as takes care of the household finance. Other women in the drama too are working and are seen as professionals, this shows how they do not have the stereotypical mindset of women not working especially after marriage, as they need to stay home and cook, clean and childcare. This is a form of reality, as in some areas of society, it is seen as conventional to do so, especially now that society is becoming more open minded and allowing women to be equal to men.

August Osage County is based on a typical minded society, this is because all women within the movie are not professional workers or even have a job, but are shown as housewives. They all have a stereotypical mind of staying home, for Barbara that means taking care of her child and for Violet and Karen they are most interested in their appearance. Again this can be seen as reality as many women in societies wish to just marry and have children, do not want to study or work, this is either their own choice due to their upbringing or it could be a pressure as it is seen as the norm within their society.

In both mediums, although they have contradicting views, as women they do have similarity in values and characteristics. Within the drama, Gemma and Simon show their family and friends that they are a happily married couple and try to cover up, or Gemma is being very strong in not letting her situation out to society. Within the movie, this is what Barbara and her husband are going through as well, they try to show their family that they are still together however are going through separation maybe even divorce. This shows how even though they are struggling within their own households, they still care about society that they will start to question and interfere.

However within August Osage County, if issues arise in a relationship, the men is questioned and is seen as the negative person. But within Dr Foster, Gemma has a fear of this as within her society, this question will be asked to both and more likely to women. Also if their children become deviant, the blame will be on the mother that she has lacked in her upbringing. Regardless of how negative or bad influence the father may be, as they are not the birth giver or seen as staying with the child as much as the mother should.

3. The Genre Code - Is the representation what you’d expect to see and hear in this sort or genre of text? - Does it make you suspend your disbelief?

4. The Narrative Code - Are events likely to happen in this way and in this order?

5. The Code of Psychology and Character Motivation - Does a fictional representation invest greater realism in the psychology of its characters than in the other codes?

6. The Code of Discursive or Ideological Truth - Does a fictional representation construct for its viewers a particularly compelling and persuasive sense of truth?

7. The ‘Counter-Realism’ Code of Institutional Constraint - Are representations shaped by the institutions that produce them in ways that constrain or limit their realism?