Monday 26 January 2009

First Paragraph re-write...

How are males represented in the true story of "Rise of the Foot Solider?"

“This is your last chance for a f***ing peaceful night, deliver the f***ing pizza she wants or your mum and dad will be down the f***ing morgue at four in the morning indentifying your f***ing body.”[1]

Historically, there has always been this assumption that men are the ruling sex and women are just there to wait on them and please their sexual desires. However, this study will contemplate this argument and see whether this stereotypical view of “Men nurturing their society by shedding their blood, their sweat and the semen"[2] still exists by focusing on the representation of males in a contemporary text. The root of this study is based on a true story called "Rise of the Foot Solider" which was produced in 2007 and directed by Julian Gilbey. The film illustrates the true events of the Range Rover murders that occurred in Essex in the 80's. The film is solely based around Ricci Harnett (our main protagonist) and the life of turmoil that he went through, along side with him his hooligans and his fellow bouncers. For Harnett “aggressive male behaviour is accepted as a normal part of everyday life"[3] as each day he is faced with violent conduct to protect himself, his dignity and his power in order for him to make a living.

[1] Rise of the Foot Soldier.
[2] Gilmore D 1990: pg 230.
[3] Lewis G 1983: pg 11.

Friday 23 January 2009

Self Evaluation 2...

Attainment- 2- My level of work and achievement is up to a good standard and I feel that Iam inputting all the efforts needed to produce a good standard of work.

Effort- 1- I think that Iam a key attritbute to class disscusions and is not afraid to get something worng as it can be corrected. Also, my efforts with homework have been good as I spend a long time on my homework.

Punctuailty-3- My punctuailty needs to be improved as I have been late serveral times and missed 2/3 days of media due to illness.

Homework-1- I have given myself a 1 for my homework as I feel that I always give my homework on time and up to a satisfactory standard.

Working Independantly- 2- I have the ability to work on my own however, I need the motivation or the push from someone to do it all on my own.

Quality of writing- 3- I need to proof read my work and use more media terminology in my writing.

Organisation of Media folder- 3- I do not have a organised folder however, i do have all the sheets they just need to be put in order.

Oral contributions in class- 1- My oral contribution in class is excellent as I am always giving my own opinions and views.

Standard of Module 5 blog - 1- The standard of my med 5 blog is excellent as all the work is poster up with subheadings and colour codes to make it clear.

Standard of Module 6 blog- 2- All the work that need to be done is up on the blog however, it is not much on there.

WWW-
  • Oral contributuion.
  • Meeting homework dealines.
  • Presentation of blog work.

EBI-

  • Organise folder.
  • Proof read my work.
  • Use media a-z guide more often to gather more media terminology.

Monday 5 January 2009

First Paragraph...

How are males represented in the true story of "Rise Of The Foot Solider?"

Since the early centuries of life, there has always been this assumption that men are the ruling sex and women are just their to wait on them and please their sexual desires. However, my study will contemplate this argument and see whether this stereotypical view of a patriarchal society still exists by focusing on the representation of males in a contemporary text. The root of my study is based on a true story called "Rise Of The Foot Solider" which was produced in 2007 and directed by Julian Gilbey. The film illustrates the true events of the Range Rover murders that occurred in Essex in the 80's. The film is Solly based around Ricci Harnett (our main protagonist) and the life of turmoil that he went through, along side with him his hooligans and his fellow bouncers.

Saturday 3 January 2009

Essay Plan...

"How are males Represented in the true story of Rise Of The Footsolider?"

The title of study focuses on the representation of males, therefore I will be foucsing on how males act in the film, what they do and compare their roles to those of the females character and how they change over the film. I have chosen Rise Of The Footsoldier as my foucs as this film is based on a true story therefore the representation of males in that time decade are or maybe accurate as this is what was happening in society.

Introduction

In the introudction of my essay I will be giving a brief outline of the sotry line and what I hope to explore from my study and how I am going to go about it. I will end my introduction open minded so that the audience will not feel as if the essay is biased; it should sound debatable. I also will be talking about the representation of men in that time decade of the 80's so later on in my essay when I talk about the "new man" people can see the difference. (In, R, H, G)

Paragraph 1

In the opening of the first pargraph I will be concentrating on 3/4 of characters which are most apparent in my film.

  • I will look closely at what males are being represented as. (quote)
  • How males are being represented for example, through their costume, gestures, props etc.
  • Are these representation realistic or has the director exaggerated them?
  • If the representation is a positive or negative influence on the audience? (quote)
  • Compare my text to historical text and see if the representations have stayed the same or changed.
  • Aruge both sides. (So essay does no become one sided and bias.)

(R, A, ML, H)

Paragraph 2

In the second pargraph of my essay I will be concentrating on SHEP and talk about what males did in the film that effected society. Also, as the film is based on a true story I will be gathering articles about the issue and link it to the political element of SHEP.

  • How was drugs and violence portrayed in the film and how it effected the male characters and the society that they lived in? (quote)
  • Is the use of drugs and violence maximised or is it a fair accusation of issue in that time period?
  • Incorporate articles from the BBC into my study so that I can see what political issues were brought up and see if they have changed since or if they have stayed the same. (quotes)

(S, H, E, P, Ot)

Paragraph 3

In the third paragraph of the essay I will foucsing on the male dominancy in a patrichal society. I will be covering scenes which showed men in total control and women who were their just for sex.

  • How males are being represented in power? For example, costume, gestures, attidues, behaviour etc. (quote)
  • How women are acting towards the male dominancy in the film? (quote)
  • What are the typical stereotypes given to women in the film?
  • Were women in society just there to please males? or where they their to help men?
  • Argue both sides. (Laura Mulvey)

(R, Th, Id, S, ML)

Paragraph 4

In the fourth paragraph of my essay I will be exploring the narrative and how the representation of the man was changed through the years in the film.

  • How males were represented in the beginning of the film?
  • How the "new man" was formed in the later stages of the film?
  • With time does every man have the "new man" in them? (quote)
  • Is it a true, fair and accurate view of the "new man" or has the director minimised the level so that it does not break the charcters role?

(N, In, Th)

Conclusion

In the conclusion of my essay I will be summarising all my points about the representation of males and also see if the direcotr/film maker changed the story line so that the represenation of males was much more stronger.

  • Sumarise my title.
  • Answer it using evidence what I have gathered (both sides of the argument)
  • State whether or not it was a fair assumption of males.
  • State if the director made any changes to mediate the text so that it appeals to a wider audience.

(R, A, In, Opinion)

Link to References to include

  • Bibliography- Which i have created that i got my quotes from with the correct page reference and dates.
  • Websites- that i have got reviews from my film.

Historical texts...

The Firm



The firm is a TV film produced in 1988 about gang war well fare in football Hooliganism and how Bexy (the main protagonist) has a urge and drive for violence despite the fact that his wife hates it and tries to depict him from his crowd. All of his neighbours think he has a screw loss in his head, however through his actions everyone is scared to approach him and tell him.

I have chosen this film to compare to my text as i feel that it is relevant to my study as it mainly focuses on men and gangs. I can analyse the representation of men and compare it to the representation of men in Rise of the Footsolider and see if the stereotypes have changed or stayed the same. Also, the time period is the same for both films therefore, i can if one representations has been exaggerated than the other or if one has been changed to mediate the text.

The differences, that i have depicted from the two texts which i will be exploring is the reaction of both male protagonists when their wife's slap them across their face. In one film the protagonist reacts back to his wife in an aggressive manor by brutally abusing her and in the other the protagonist just shouts back and does not react in any violent way. This could signify where the "new man" just started to realease itself into the media.

I think that The Firm has some elements of male domaniancy in it however, not as much as rise of the footisoldier. This could be prehaps, cause the director of ROTFS may have exaggerated the repesentation and stereotypes so that it has a more dramatic effect on the audience.

Useful Facts
Directed by Alan Clarke.
Produced by David M Thompson.
Starring- Gary Oldman
Lesley Manville
Phil Davis
Charles Lawson.
Distributed by BBC.

3 Contemporary adverts...

Diet Coke Break

In this advertisement the women are represented to foucs on the mans body and the way he is drinking die coke, where as men are normally seen to be doing that; roles reveresed. This assumes that women are gaining the "power" in society were by they can do the same things as men do which maybe changing since the past were women were just represented as housewifes. Also, the text conveys some elements of irony as diet coke is targeted for women however, the man is drinking it.

Fresh Up

In this advert the males are being objectified as sex objects to attract the "female gaze," This switches the roles in society were men are starting to be seen more promiscuious. This then intorduces the "new man" were men are getting in touch with their feminine side by either pampering themseleves or caring avout the aperance.

L'Oreal

In this advertisement L'Oreal have used a celebrity icon; Beyonce to help persuade peope into purchasing their products. Even though this advert is a contermporary text it still has elements of women being objectifed as sex objects as Beyonce is in a short dress dancing in the advert. This proves that women are still being shown in the media for what they look like and how they look.

Friday 2 January 2009

3 Historical Adverts...

shake and Vac

In this advertisement promoting shake an vac; a product which will be used to sprinkle over carpet before someone does the hoover. In the advert however, we all see a women using the product which immeditately distiguishes that the product is targeted to women. Also, in the advert the women is dressed in a stereotypical outfit of a housewife which assumes and represents women as housewifes were they stay indoors and clean.

Flash

In this advertisement the advert is trying to promote and persuade customers into purchasing the domestic cleaning product flash. As the shake and vac advert their are also similar elements of the representation of women being housewifes. however, in the flash advert it is more persuasive for women as it has a female voiceover which they give their opinion on the product.

Flake

In the advertisement above it is trying to persuade people intou buying the new cadbury's flake chocolate. In the beginning we see the women un wrapping and eating the chocolate. The chocolate in this instance is acting like a falic symbol to erouse men into thinking that the women is ment to be eating something else.

Subversions...







5 Female directors...

  • Gurinder Chadha- born on 10th Janurary 1960. British film director of indian origin. Most of her films explore the lives of indian living in the UK.

Filmography
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008)
Paris, je t'aime (2006) segment "Quais de Seine"
The Mistress of Spices (2005) (screenplay only)
Bride and Prejudice (2004)
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
What's Cooking? (2000)
Rich Deceiver (1995), BBC two-part drama
A Nice Arrangement (1994)
What Do You Call an Indian Woman Who's Funny? (1994)
Bhaji on the Beach (1993)
Acting Our Age (1992)
Pain, Passion and Profit (1992) (V)
I'm British But... (1990) (TV)

  • Kimberly Peirce- born on September 8th, 1967, is an American film director.

Filmography
"The Last Good Breath" (1994) (
16mm short - director & writer)
Leopard of Tomorrow Program at 1994
Locarno International Film Festival[1]
Boys Don't Cry (1999) (director & writer)
The L Word (2006) (director - 1 episode (Lifeline - 3x05), TV series)
Stop-Loss (2008) (director & writer)

  • Diane Keaton- born on Janruary 5th 1946. American film director, actresses and producer

Filmography

Unstrung heros
The First Wives Club
Hanging Up

  • Maria Maggenti- born in 1962 and is a film director and screenwriter for film and television.

Filmography
Puccini for Beginners (2006)
The Love Letter (1999)
The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995)
La Donna è mobile (1994)
Name Day (1993)
Waiting for War (1991)
The Love Monster (1990)
Doctors, Liars & Women (1988)

  • Sharon Maguire- born in 1960 and is as film director in the UK.

Filmography
The Thing is... Babies (1991)
The Thing is... Hotels (1991)
The Godfather (1993)
In at Number Ten (1994)
Yo Picasso (1994)
Rumer Godden: An Indian Affair (1995)
H.G. Wells: Bromley Boy (1996)
H.G. Wells: The Panther and the Jaguar (1996)
Dame Henrietta's Dream (1997)
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
Incendiary (2008)

3 Ways to improve the issue...

  • Set up meetings and focus groups whic discuss the issues in why there arent any female directors and how it can be improved.
  • By having or creating more positive role models which other asparational female artists can look up to.
  • Bringing the issue up more frequently so that it becomes more apparent to society and hopefully motivate all the females out there to work hard.

5 Reasons why female directors are so rare...

  • One reason in which female directors are so rare is that the film industry is such a male dominant industry which makes it difficult for female directors to acutally show off their talents.
  • A second reason is that if a female director was to get pregnant and have a baby it will be very difficult to balance the life of a mother and director.
  • A third reason is that if female directors were sucessful their will be a decrease in the roles of "hoes", "bitches" and "housewifes" as the directors will give a different view of women showing them in power.
  • A fourth reason is tha their is no outstanding female director to look up to as a role model. Therefore, this makes it harder for up and coming directors as they do not have that "voice" which tells them what to do or what is required.
  • There is already a small list of scriptwriters, so we don't expect to see any film directors.