'Fish Tank' is a social realism film which contains various codes and conventions that are typical to its genre. This can be seen in the sequence where Mia breaks into the traveller waste ground, which contains various pieces of mise en scene to help high light the working class environment. The mise en scene includes caravans and a broken car, presenting an environment which is gritty yet realistic. This use of a working class environment is typical of the social realism genre, by choosing to present an under represented class of people.
Within this scene, Mia attempts to free the horse which is chained to a tree trunk, by trying to break the chain with a hammer. This alerts the occupants of the waste land, who then go on to try and attack her. The use of a hand held camera is utilised in this scene, with the camera shaking whilst Mia is being attacked. This is a typical social realism convention that is used to help present the reality of the situation, which is the aim of the social realism genre.
The character of Mia is played by an unknown actor, who the director spotted arguing with her boyfriend at a train station. This helps portray the real life issues seen within 'Fish Tank', such as the themes of crime and alcohol abuse, by using a actor who has experienced the typical issues of the working class. This is a typical genre convention of social realism, which helps with the aim of the genre, in which to present real life problems.
Tuesday 4 December 2012
Tuesday 20 November 2012
To what extent are your chosen texts typical of their genre?
'Sin City' contains various conventions and characteristics which are typical of its genre. The film has a hybrid genre, which mixes certain elements from the comic book and film noir genre to create a unique representation of a cynical and corrupted city.
The female characters within the film are represented as femme fatales, which are typical of the film noir genre. This is due to the time period in which film noir became popularised, with post World War II introducing the want for womens rights. This typical film noir convention of femme fatales can be seen in the scene in Old Town, which is purely ran by women. In this scene, we are introduced to Jackie Boys job, linking to the film noir genre of corrupt cops. We see Jackie boy repeatedly approach Becky in a car, later threatening her if she does not do way he says, later leading to his death from one of the prostitutes. This representation of women using their sexuality to lead male characters to their down fall is typical of the film noir genre and within 'Sin City'.
The protagonists within the film are also typical of both the film noir and comic book genre. This can be seen in the character of Heartigan, who in the start of the film we see struggling from a heart condition. This 'damaged element' of the protagonist is typical of the film noir genre.
The female characters within the film are represented as femme fatales, which are typical of the film noir genre. This is due to the time period in which film noir became popularised, with post World War II introducing the want for womens rights. This typical film noir convention of femme fatales can be seen in the scene in Old Town, which is purely ran by women. In this scene, we are introduced to Jackie Boys job, linking to the film noir genre of corrupt cops. We see Jackie boy repeatedly approach Becky in a car, later threatening her if she does not do way he says, later leading to his death from one of the prostitutes. This representation of women using their sexuality to lead male characters to their down fall is typical of the film noir genre and within 'Sin City'.
The protagonists within the film are also typical of both the film noir and comic book genre. This can be seen in the character of Heartigan, who in the start of the film we see struggling from a heart condition. This 'damaged element' of the protagonist is typical of the film noir genre.
Tuesday 9 October 2012
Draft Opening Paragraph
To what extent has the horror genre been affected by desensitisation focusing on the 1980's through to 2010
The horror genre has changed significantly through time, displaying a rise in the levels of violence shown in films. I will explore how the affect of desensitisation has affected the audience response to violence over time and how this has shaped modern horror films. This can be seen through my two chosen texts, the 1980's horror film, The Shinning and the 2005 'torture porn' film, saw II. I will apply theories surrounding genre, discussing postmodernism within the horror genre and how this is a product of audiences demand. I will also discuss audience theories such as they affect that horror films have on the audiences outlook, through the hyperdermic model and the cultivation theory creating stereotypical views. I will also discuss uses and gratifacations, focusing on the audiences response and demand for high levels of violence in films and how desensitisation is the product of that.
The Shinning bases itself around an isolated hotel, where Danny sees disturbing visions known as 'the Shinning". The Father, Jack, is underway in a writing project when he slowly slips into insanity as a result of cabin fever and the impact of the hotel's former guests in the form of ghosts. After being convinced to "correct" the family, jack goes completely insane. Saw II is based around Jigsaw, the serial killer, locking eight people in a booby trapped shelter, forcing them to find their way out before they inhale too much of the lethal nerve gas and die.
The horror genre has changed significantly through time, displaying a rise in the levels of violence shown in films. I will explore how the affect of desensitisation has affected the audience response to violence over time and how this has shaped modern horror films. This can be seen through my two chosen texts, the 1980's horror film, The Shinning and the 2005 'torture porn' film, saw II. I will apply theories surrounding genre, discussing postmodernism within the horror genre and how this is a product of audiences demand. I will also discuss audience theories such as they affect that horror films have on the audiences outlook, through the hyperdermic model and the cultivation theory creating stereotypical views. I will also discuss uses and gratifacations, focusing on the audiences response and demand for high levels of violence in films and how desensitisation is the product of that.
The Shinning bases itself around an isolated hotel, where Danny sees disturbing visions known as 'the Shinning". The Father, Jack, is underway in a writing project when he slowly slips into insanity as a result of cabin fever and the impact of the hotel's former guests in the form of ghosts. After being convinced to "correct" the family, jack goes completely insane. Saw II is based around Jigsaw, the serial killer, locking eight people in a booby trapped shelter, forcing them to find their way out before they inhale too much of the lethal nerve gas and die.
Draft Research Question
Draft Research question: To what extent has the horror genre been affected by desensitization focusing on the 1980's through to 2010.
Tuesday 2 October 2012
How do your chosen texts attract their audiences?
My chosen text, 'Lost' uses a range of different techniques to attempt to attract their chosen audience. Lost targets a mainstream audience, using certain narrative techniques to help aid the audience in viewing the program in the preferred way. We see an example of this in the scene where Kate, Sawyer, Sayid and charlie are in the forrest, heading towards the top of the mountain to try and get signal of the radio. The program uses a score to create tension and suspense and help aid the viewer to feel the preferred way, as right after the non diegetic sound, we see a polar bear try and attack Kate, Sawyer, Sayid and charlie. Lost also uses an ensemble cast, with a range of ages, genders, class's, races, handicaps and nationalities, for example, Charlie is British, John is disabled and Sun and Jin are both korean. By creating an ensemble cast, this attracts a wider audience base, by not only aiding the narrative, for example by allowing more conflicts, but also to allow the audience to personally identify with a character.
Madmens target audience is required to be much more active due to the narrative. For example, In 'The Other Woman' episode, there is a scene where Don show up to Joans house to assure and convince her not to sleep with Herb so that they can get the Jaguar deal. Later on, we see in a flash forward, Joan sleeps with Herb, and just as she gets back Don shows up to tell her not to do it. This example shows how Madmens target audience would have to be active, as this narrative technique of a flash forward is not made obvious to the viewer. Madmens target audience is also shown through the representations presented in the program, such as the representation of women, which can be seen in the scene where Don throws money back in Peggys face. Where some women may take the oppositional reading as the representation is old fashioned and may be seen as offensive, some may take the negotiated reading and find the program interesting due to the change in times. This shows how the characters and their representation affects who will want to watch the program and therefore who Madmens target audience is.
Wednesday 20 June 2012
The link between violence in the media and real life
In the media today, we are constantly being exposed to dramatized violence, whether that be in video games, music, or films. This has created the debate of how much of a connection there is between violence in the media and real life.
In 1950, only 10% of American homes had a television. Today 99% of homes have televisions meaning more families have televisions than telephones. Over half of all children have a television set in their bedrooms, giving a greater opportunity for children to view programs without parental supervision. Studies reveal that children watch approximately 28 hours of television a week, more time than they spend in school. The typical American child will view more than 200,000 acts of violence, including more than 16,000 murders before age 18. Television programs display 812 violent acts per hour; children's programming, particularly cartoons, displays up to 20 violent acts hourly.
Dr. Wayne Warburton, deputy director of the Children and Families Research Centre of Macquarie University, said that years of study across the world showed definite links between time spent watching dramatized violence and the likelihood of aggressive behaviour. "They include increases in the likelihood of aggressive behaviour, increases in desensitization to violence and an increase in the overall view that the world is more scary and hostile than it really is." MRI brain scans of children exposed to dramatized violence showed similar reactions to those who saw real violence. "The brain isn't very good at differentiating between media and real-life situations". Warburton said tests showed children who played violent video games had a heightened likelihood of aggression for up to 15 minutes after switching off the console.
Most researchers believe that the effects of real life violence are influenced by other factors and are rarely directly due to violence in the media, for example, if someone witnesses a dramatized killing in a film it does not mean they are more likely to kill. However, some do believe there is a strong connection between exposure to media violence and real-life behaviour and over the long term, repeated exposure to violence will have a cumulative effect on their behaviour and supports an unrealistic view of real life violence.
In 1950, only 10% of American homes had a television. Today 99% of homes have televisions meaning more families have televisions than telephones. Over half of all children have a television set in their bedrooms, giving a greater opportunity for children to view programs without parental supervision. Studies reveal that children watch approximately 28 hours of television a week, more time than they spend in school. The typical American child will view more than 200,000 acts of violence, including more than 16,000 murders before age 18. Television programs display 812 violent acts per hour; children's programming, particularly cartoons, displays up to 20 violent acts hourly.
Dr. Wayne Warburton, deputy director of the Children and Families Research Centre of Macquarie University, said that years of study across the world showed definite links between time spent watching dramatized violence and the likelihood of aggressive behaviour. "They include increases in the likelihood of aggressive behaviour, increases in desensitization to violence and an increase in the overall view that the world is more scary and hostile than it really is." MRI brain scans of children exposed to dramatized violence showed similar reactions to those who saw real violence. "The brain isn't very good at differentiating between media and real-life situations". Warburton said tests showed children who played violent video games had a heightened likelihood of aggression for up to 15 minutes after switching off the console.
Most researchers believe that the effects of real life violence are influenced by other factors and are rarely directly due to violence in the media, for example, if someone witnesses a dramatized killing in a film it does not mean they are more likely to kill. However, some do believe there is a strong connection between exposure to media violence and real-life behaviour and over the long term, repeated exposure to violence will have a cumulative effect on their behaviour and supports an unrealistic view of real life violence.
Japanese horror movie Grotesque banned by BBFC
The film Grotesque, a 2009 Japanese horror film, has been banned by the BBFC, as its violence is so extreme that it could cause psychological harm to audiences. Grotesque features minimal narrative or character development and presents the audience with little more than an escalating scenario of humiliation, brutality and sadism. The British Board of Film Classification said the film featured sexual sadism for its own sake. It said that giving the film a rating would involve a ''risk of harm'' to those viewing it. Selling or supplying the film would now be illegal. The board said the majority of the film focused on the assault, humiliation and torture of two victims. The main character takes them prisoner abducts, restrains, strips and sexually assaults them before inflicting horrific injuries until they die.
This shows how desentization forces distributors to increase the amount of violence in films, due to the audiences repeated exposure to violence making it harder for films to scare the viewer. This is also supported by the fact that we are able to see on the Grotesque DVD cover, that it compares itself to other horror films, saying 'Saw and Hostel were just appetisers'.
My Research Project - Desentization
For my research project, I have decided to look into the theory of desentization in the media today. The media text I have decided to focus upon are horror films, for example, I will look at both modern horror films, such as 'Saw' and 'Hostel' and compare them to older horror films, such as 'The Wolf Man' and 'Nosferatu'. I will compare the change in audiences reaction towards violence and explore how repeated exposure to violence has caused a lack of concern, empathy or sympathy for the victim, therefore causing desentization within the media today.
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