Historical representations of female automata

Hannah Hoch: Das Schone Madchen/The Beautiful Girl (1919-20)

Metropolis (Lang, 1927)

Blade Runner (Scott, 1982)

Humans - scene analysis

For this task, each second year class was asked to provide a 'barebones' analysis of a key scene from the first episode of Humans. The scene was different for each class. Remember that detailed, accurate textual analysis, that convincingly probes the meaning of the media product you are studying accounts for roughly 60% of your grade. Also remember: there is no ''right' answer in media studies, only well argued ones. If you disagree with any of the suggested meanings below, feel free to posit your own analysis!

S block - Fred's capture - where Fred, a synth, attempts escape from an orange tree plantation where he is assigned to work

Codes/conventions

- Challenging/thought-provoking
- Stimulating text – mode of address
- Three sub-plots to consider and respond too
- ‘41’ tattoo on arm – reinforcing the fact he is a synth
- ‘Fred’ has been branded – separate from humans
- Allegory/metaphor
- Blending of the unfamiliar with the real
- Explores the idea that technology is becoming dominant (taking over society)
- Exploring fears
- (cows are branded) – synths are being treated like animals
- References to real-life historical issues – slavery and

Genre theory/ fluidity

- Blends and mixes genre (drama, thriller, mystery etc)
- Repetition and difference – clearly sci-fi but differences make it original and ‘new’
- Intertextual references to AI texts – ideas of sentience and the human condition

Camera Work

- Shots are quite tight and ‘up close and personal’
- Over the shoulder shots/close ups etc.
- Impact on audience – feel trapped like ‘Fred’
- Wide shot of artificial farm
- Then moves to tight framing
- Handheld camerawork with max/leo – connotes nervousness
- Contrasts detective character – camera is framed centrally and still
- Long corridor in hospital and the farm – establishes the setting (makes comparisons between hospital and the farm? )
- Close-ups intensifies emotions of characters – scene with Fred – identify when his emotion changes
- Pylon shots – sets the sci-fi tone – look robotic and contrast the rural setting the natural and the unnatural

Lighting/colour

- High-key lighting during the artificial farm scene – bright colours potentially contrast dark themes and subject matter

Editing

- Cuts from Anita, to pylon, to peter – alludes that the 3 are someway connected, that their paths will possible cross in the future (foreshadowing)
- Pace is at a high tempo – cuts from different scenes and sub-plots connoting intensity of the narrative

Narrative

- Symbolic code (that Anita and a pylon share the same characteristics)
- Action codes (Fred running – signifies danger, fear etc.)
- Hermeneutic Code (enigma) – questions or mystery around the narrative
- Engage the viewer – want to find out answers/questions 

Sound

- Music picks up at certain points – gains in intensity at points of tension – matches the viewers emotional response
- Non-diegetic (glitchy, other-worldly) – anchors the viewer in a different reality
- Dialogue of synths – words are unnatural and forced – shows dominance of humans within the scene

Mise-en-scene

- Make-up is used to reinforce the characteristics
- Synths are ‘washed out’ – (the green eyes etc.)
- Long jacket/shirt – connotes authority
- Blocky iconography – in contrast to real world
- Bright colours in farm/plain washed out in the rest of the scene

Q block - Odi's malfunction - where Odi, a synth, has broken down in a supermarket, and George, his owner, attempts to repair him

Cinematography

-High angle mid shot of Odi's body among the smashed glass and jam connotes Odi's fragility and broken state
-Mirror shot of Anita gazing in to the mirror. Mid shot/ high angle is composed to de-emphasise Anita's face, symbolising a private moment. Provides audience with voyeuristic pleasure, and suggests that Anita is coming to terms with her own identity
- Shot/counter shot (AKA shot/reverse shot) of George and the detective's conversation. George is seen from a high angle, the detective a low angle, which connotes to the audience there is a discrepancy in power, emphasising a binary opposition
-Focal point shifts from Anita to Laura, positioning the audience with neither Anita or Laura
-Extreme close up of Odi's lips as George reboots him. A deliberately uncomfortable and challenging image. Odi functions as a son, a carer, a butler, but also potentially sexual.
Shot/reverse shot of george and Odi's conversation emphasises their difference

Lighting and colour

-Low key lighting in George's house functions as a referential code, suggesting George is a mad scientist fixing his creation. The mise-en-scene of the dental tool only serves to emphasise this
-Use of extreme, harsh, high key lighting emphasises the life and liveliness of the supermarket , which contrasts with George's vulnerability

Sound

-Non-diegetic soundtrack reaches a crescendo when Odi announces he is experiencing a 'fatal error'.
-Synth/ambient soundtrack emphasises the technological/robotic themes of the show. In fact all the music is digitally created
-Odi's tone of voice consistently changes, and becomes harsh and digital, suddenly stopping. A post production digital effect
-The investigator's vocal delivery swiftly changes from threatening to kind, emphasising his complex characters
-Digital recharge noise, somewhat like a phone dying or a defibrillator

MES

-Odi's appearance - smudge of blue blood coming from his noise, his face demonstrates fear at each error, and his collar is untucked and dishevelled. Preferred reading: Odi is helpless, compelling and likeable.

U block - The synth factory/opening credits/introducing the Hawkins - The very first two minutes of the series, where the key themes and characters are established

Cinematography

-Low angle of the moon shining through the ceiling of the synth factory demonstrating the importance of the moon to the codes and conventions of the episode. Functions simultaneously as a proairetic code and a hermeneutic code.
-Long shot of the Hawkins family living room, showing the various family members sprawled out on their phones. Stereotypes of children/teenagers. Also technology.
-High angled long shot of synths lined up in warehouse emphasises the loneliness of their existence
-O/S close up shots of nude male and female bodies, with the camera tracking slowing down on female bodies. Assumes a heterosexual male audience. However forces the audience in to a voyeuristic position, where the synths are cold, dead... creepy! Binary opposition between life and death, sex and death...

Colour and lighting

-Cold, blue colours, artificial LED lighting connoting unnaturalness and creating a creepy atmosphere, emphasised by the low key lighting.
-Binary opposition used in colour and lighting between he synth warehouse scene and the Hawkins life. This demonstrates the theme of conflict between the synths and the 'real' people

Sound

-Electronic 'techno music' plays as Anita is powered on. Non-diegetic sound emphasises Anita is not only the protagonist, but also unique. Leitmotif.
-Opening credits: all sounds made using digital, synthetic music, artificial, establishes key themes to the audience.
-Intertextual reference: opening theme tune sounds like electronic music produced by bands like Daft Punk, or especially Kraftwerk. Gives the show vital context, demonstrating the show takes place in a very different world to ours.

Mise-en-scene

-Assorted news footage and articles. Stock footage.
-Digital distortion overlaid over the stock footage of the opening credits, further confirming the key message of the show: what is real?

Genre

-Genre fluidity
-Referential codes relating to numerous sci-fi films, including 2001 (Kubrick, 1969) and Blade Runner (Scott, 1982), the extreme CU of the eye, demonstrating themes of emotion and humanity

Key theory revision

Good old fashioned textual analysis

For this task, you will be analysing a single scene from Humans series one episode one. The scene will be different for each class, and the resulting analysis will be posted on the blog for all to see.

About 60% of your exam grade will come from detailed, efficient, logical textual analysis, So, let's rip this scene apart and get back into the swing of things!

• Genre codes and conventions 
• Genre theory 
• Genre fluidity
• Camera work - framing and composition shot types, angle, position, movement 
• Lighting and colour
• Editing – pace, type of edits, continuity
• Narrative construction, related to narrative theory
• Sound – dialogue, music
• Mise-en-scene – setting and location, props, costume/dress, hair/make-up 

Sum up the following theoretical frameworks in ONE SENTENCE

Remember, theory should only be used to support your points. Never fall in to the trap of trying to cram every theory in to a response! However, even though you won't be using every theory, you still need to know all 19.

These are all the theories we have covered so far (minus a few that we need to look at in more detail later). In your groups, you must sum each one up in a single sentence.

LANGUAGE

1 - Semiotics - Roland Barthes
2 - Narratology - Tzvetan Todorov
3 - Genre theory - Steve Neale
4 - Structuralism - Claude Lévi-Strauss

REPRESENTATION

6 - Theories of representation - Stuart Hall
7 - Theories of identity - David Gauntlett
8 - Feminist theory - Liesbet van Zoonen
9 - Feminist theory - bell hooks

MEDIA INDUSTRIES

12 - Power and media industries - Curran and Seaton
13 - Regulation - Sonia Livingstone and Peter Lunt
14 - Cultural industries - David Hesmondhalgh

AUDIENCES

16 - Cultivation theory - George Gerbner
17 - Reception theory - Stuart Hall

Science fiction conventions

Humans is science fiction. In some ways it is conventional. In some ways it is unconventional. But what makes a science fiction text conventional in the first place?

Watch the theme tune to any TV show that can be conceivably described as being sci-fi. Use the textual analysis toolkit to bullet point analyse it, listing it's generic conventions. 

Room swaps

From today (Monday 29th October) you may be studying media A-level in a new room. Please take a look at the list below and work out where you are supposed to be:

If your group is not on this list, then there's no change. Please keep attending your lessons as normal in G22.

These room changes refer to A-level media studies only, but if you do film, economics, business studies, applied business or applied media, you may have further room changes.

The cultivation of hegemonic ideology in advertising - T block

The following analysis was completed independently by T block. It is presented unedited, with only spelling errors being corrected. When viewing media products, always consider: what assumptions are being made about representation? What hegemonic ideologies are cultivated in the costume and mise-en-scene? What is actually being sold in these adverts?

Skye - Chanel

• stereotypical attractive female
• seductive look towards the camera(audience)
•  classy clothing 
• holding bottle to lips-seductive 
• thick eyebrows-youthful
• heavy eye makeup suggesting women need to wear makeup to be  pretty
• logo san serif font 
• womens face takes up a 3rd of the page - more than the product -selling the lifestyle not product 
• little text suggesting the audience is already familiar with the high end brand so middle class market 
• low key lighting with spotlight on the face 
• neutral colours reflect natural beauty  

Eli - Louis Vuitton

• The genre of this poster seems to be of a holiday and could possibly be a comedy as we associate this poster to many movies where 60-year old men on holiday to be very funny. Some examples of this can be Mamma Mia and Dirty Grandpa. Additionally it also connotes to being a spy movie since the hegemonic code is that most spy movies occur around a tropical paradise
• We can tell this is aimed towards 60-year old men by the mise-en-scene; the mise-en-scene of a man with white and grey hair with a big moustache, combined with the casual clothing is associated with being classical, wealthy and stereotypically for the older white ethnic groups. 
• This cultivates that all old white men are wealthy since the brand "Louis Vuitton" is of course associated with being rich and wealthy
• The milky lighting of pale whites of the sand and hat, light blues of the sky and the calm and luscious greenery of the island are contrasted with murky, dead wood and his black jumper. The reason we can tell this could be an island is the hegemonic norm that all island would be tropical and a dreamer's paradise
• The scenery makes the mise-en-scene very serene, calm and jolly. This additionally reinforces that 
• Whats interesting is the subtle way of including the brand in the poster and the plain and simple logo in the bottom right corner. The font used for the logo is straight forward, bold and easily visible to notice; this bold font suggest that it is trying to be very formal and mature meaning that the product is aimed towards more mature audiences such as 60-year old men. Furthermore the subtle way they enforce the brand in the bag, blending it with the dock and being casually placed next to the older man suggests that older, white, wealthy men have the power to casually use an expensive bag like its just a backpack or a plastic bag. We can conclude that Louis Vuitton deliberately did this to show the powerful nature of older men and how wealthy they are to wave around an expensive bag
• What is atypical about this ad is the producers use of using a 60-year old man. This use of older men is strange as we associate Louis Vuitton adverts including young male and female actors. This change in age suggests that older men to be very powerful and mighty since they are associated with being wise, humorous, strong and classic.

Charlotte - Dior

*  The women in this is the stereotypical sexually attractive women 

* This advert is aimed at middle aged women as they want to look like this 

*  This advert has a hegemonic point of view saying that if you want to be attractive you have to be skinny with perfect skin which is almost a goal for other women and they want to be like the women in the advert

* The setting uses a symbolic code as the gold colour represents rich and a lifestyle that everyone wants. Also the setting i looks grand which also shows that she is rich so the women looking at this advert want to buy this product as they want to live the same lifestyle as her.

* The mode of address is almost seductive which which is almost telling women that if they get this they will be more sexually attractive 

* In the mise-on-scene, looking at the womans dress it is also for the hegemonic norm as she has a lot of skin showing so she is being sexualised.

Willow - Maybelline

• An extreme close-up of the woman's face gives us a better idea of what the product achieves.
• The lexis of "conceals instantly, visibly, precisely" suggests that women must cover up their imperfections. Plays into the stereotypical idea that women must be perfect in order to be beautiful. Could be a reason why most women are insecure about their looks.
• Huge section of text describing the product. Stereotypically assumes that women have enough time to read that because they stay at home. 
• Iconic serif font and slogan are recognisable so it doesn't need to be explained what the company do.
• The fact that the product is a described as "The Eraser" suggests that women's skin isn't perfect to begin with, further pushing the ideology of women feeling insecure about themselves. The company purposely does this to promote their product.  
• "Instant Anti-Age" cultivates the hegemonic ideology that old age is unattractive and women must prevent themselves from looking it and that growing old is negative. The model appears to be in her late 30's or 40's so it appeals to that demographic. 
• It could also be cultivating the hegemonic ideology that lighter skin is better due to the product brightening her skin. Due to it being controversial the advertisement, it could reflect that companies haven't caught up with new societal ideologies that being of colour is okay. 
• Modern youth are becoming more and more accepting as time goes on and that is a highly positive change. Though the hegemonic ideology is unacceptable, it is good that it is being reformed; just not in this advertisement. 
• The model is non-stereotypically unattractive (in terms of her skin being imperfect) but the company are saying through their advertisement that if you use the product, your will fit into the hegemonic ideology of beauty. 

Abbie - Topshop 

• The advert uses a mid-shot to show their full outfit to emphasise that the outfits look pretty and you won't look pretty unless you wear the outfit.
• The Serif font shows how the brand name isn't the most important part of the advert yet it's placed in the centre so you know where it's from
• Both females are skinny and have light skin which emphasises the stereotypical and hegemonic view that woman have to be like this to be attractive.
• However, the stereotypical view of all women having to have long hair is not presented within this advert due to the fact that the woman on the left has short hair.
• The mise-en-scene is very colourful which connotes being bold and daring. This further emphasises that if you buy these outfits you can become exciting and more attractive. 
• The hegemonic code shows that all young women are attractive which cultivates the idea that all young women are like this.
• There is no slogan within the advert due to the fact that the emphasis needs to be on the outfit as they are selling the beauty of these women to the audience.
• It's aspirational to young women as they are selling the lifestyle and body image of these women and if you don't have that then you aren't pretty or attractive.
• The target audience is young women due to the fact there aren't any men within the advert so you can't relate to them.
• The clothes they are wearing aren't very revealing which is not stereotypically attractive as the hegemonic and stereotypical ideology is young girls wear revealing clothes.
• we make the assumption that women are fun due to the fact that they are young, skinny and relaxed. 

Will - Hollister

• The advert uses high key lighting. This is used as a symbolic code because it's reflecting the emotions of the people in the advert.
• The text is in a serif font to show that it is a modern advert for a younger audience. This is an example of a hegemonic code because it's suggesting that sans serif font is for an older audience.
• The fact that there is a small amount of text suggests it's also for a younger audience because stereotypically young people don't enjoy reading.
• The people in the advert are also happy which shows the producers ideology that all young people are happy and enjoying life.
• The mise-en-scene is very colourful which connotes a confident and exciting personality.
• The hegemonic code is that teens are attractive which cultivates the ideology that all teens are.
• These outfits are very typical of younger people. This is a stereotypical ideology of how younger people should look.
• The people in the advert are all slim which creates the ideology that younger people are always slim.
• The positioning of the people is very patriarchal because the male is in the centre of the shot.
• It is also patriarchal because the females are leaning on him like he's more significant than them.
• The colour of the text is tanned because it is a symbolic code for the sandy beaches of California.

Maddy - The Breakfast Club HD DVD cover

- In this poster for the breakfast club we are initially and directly introduced to the main characters.

- The mise-en-scene seen in this poster re- enforces the the stereotypical characters that we expect to see in an 80s film. we assume that each of these characters are normal for a film like this due to the repetition of hegemonic ideology of 'typical' teenage roles.

- The stereotypical characters consist of the ' popular jock', the 'troubled rule breaker' the 'princess good girl ' , the 'goth' and the nerd'. These stereotypical characters are obvious to the audience without even watching the film due to the hegemonic ideology that we've seen before.

- For example the 'princess good girl' character , we've seen in many films before taking on similar roles and characteristics. She can be seen laying on the floor seductively with a serious expression on her face. at the time that the film is set she is a stereotypically attractive young women. we assume that she is a girly girl who comes from a wealthy background because of the mise-en-scene of her costume. This is a hegemonic norm because we are making assumptions about this character that may not b true , but we accept it.

-Another hegemonic ideology that we consent to as the audience is that there is always going to be a divide in the groups and type of people in a school environment , and that its normal for it to be this way. Because of the hegemonic norms that we've seen repeatedly in films we automatically know the roles that each character is going to take in the film.

Nicole - The Breakfast Club UK DVD cover

* In this advert for the breakfast club, we see straight away the main characters in the movie. The mise-en-scene seen in this image re-enforces the stereotypical characters that we expect to see in an 80's teen movie. We see the 'popular jock', 'the princess','the nerd','the rebel', and the goth'. Its obvious to any audience who these stereotypical characters are, even without seeing the film, purely by their costume and positioning in the poster. 

if we focus on the 'popular princess' character, we can see her laying seductively on the floor, looking moody and wearing a pink blouse. the connotations of her representation give us the idea that her personality is very stereotypically girly and posh, we also assume she's from a wealthy family, all because of her pink blouse and makeup, this is a hegemonic norm because we  are making assumptions about this character that are true and we accept this style of character. 

*as an audience we accept these hegemonic ideologies because we are shown them all the time, in almost every teen movie we watch. for example, High school musical, Camp rock, Greece, even Dirty dancing.  This is because almost all teenagers can relate to a certain stereotypical character which then engages them to watch the movie because they can identify with who is being shown, and relate to a certain familiar situations that may also occur in their lives, for example a fall out with a friend or a holiday romance.  

* the poster is laid out by using the rule of Z; we read the title, move on to the image, then lastly read the details. this is effective because it engages the audience and makes the poster eye catching. 

*Another hegemonic ideology we consent too is the comment ' the definite 80's teen movie' - this could be written by anyone or even made up, yet we still believe it. it entices the target audience of teens because they will want to see the best movie that everyone will be talking about. 

*if anyone's seen the movie, we know that they all become friends by the end of the detention, and the 'princess' puts makeup on the 'goth' character to make the boy fall in love with her. This is another hegemonic ideology that we are shown in everything we watch, its an idea of normality that is the only way people are seen to be accepted. the character had to be changed to be loved and as an audience we expect that to be the only way she is valued. 

Jack - Marlboro

• use of high-key lighting creates a happy mood
• sans serif font creates a bold, substantial message.
• codes and conventions, character looks like he is on his way back from a hard days work as he is carrying a lasso and other equipment, this suggests the hegemonic norm that men go out and work and come back home to a wife is cultivated 
• character is wearing a cow boy outfit 
• mid-shot captures character and he is in full focus, background has cattle and is dessert.
• character has a strong, masculine stance enforcing hegemonic norms.
• title 'the marlboro weekend' names the whole weekend after a brand of cigarettes but it seems normal as the producer transforms this brand into a lifestyle and makes it seem like a big part of the characters life.
• adverts suggests that if you smoke marlboro, you become the perfect man that the producers ideology conveys

Lydia - Maybelline

• High key lighting 
• The hegemonic ideology that you have to look like this in order to be attractive, makes other young women think that they don't look good unless they look like this.
• Stereotypical women: White, smooth skin, young
• The fact that she is in New York, which is related with fame and wealth. Telling the audience that if you buy this product you can have this luxurious lifestyle: relaxing
• The hegemonic ideology that if you buy this product then you will have a more luxurious lifestyle, makes people think that their own lives aren't good enough without this product.
• Cultivates the hegemonic ideology that in order to be a women you have to be attractive
• Bold, sans serif font of the title is pushed out towards the front of the advert as if it suggesting that it is forcing you to buy the product
• The blur of the cars on the road gives you a sense of freedom 
• The bold font of the words "faster" and "longer" suggests that it is forcing you to look at and read it.
• Z-line - The first thing that you look at is the women's eyelashes, focusing on how perfect her make up is. Then you go down to the actual mascara brush and then your eyes follow the advert down to the brand of the product.
• The fact that the main colour of the advert is pink, suggests femininity as though in order to be an attractive women you have to like those kind of colours.
• The hegemonic ideology that the women is looking at the mascara brush like it is very important to her, cultivates the ideology that it is better than it really is. 

Luke - Miss Dior

• High key lighting allows audience to see the whole of her body
• Photoshop used to remove any spots or blemishes 
• Has only a blanket covering her suggesting she is naked
• She is very thin
• All of these cultivate hegemonic norms that women must be thin, naked and sexually suggestive to be attractive
• The pink bottle is stereotypical colour for women which creates the ideology that pink is a colour only for girls
• The seductive look creates a sexual atmosphere even though the advert is aimed mainly at heterosexual women. This cultivates another hegemonic norm that women's main goal in life should be to please men and get a husband
• The white background creates a sense of purity and gives an angel-like atmosphere. This creates a binary opposition between the seductive, sexual woman, and the pure, white background
• The sans-serif font below the brand makes the slogan seem serious which connotes the idea that women must be serious when it comes to their appearance. Therefore creating the hegemony tat women must take great care in how they look

Emily - Maybelline

• Cultivation of hegemonic ideology that the woman is attractive because she has long eyelashes, this is stereotypically attractive and desirable. This makes people want to buy the product. This woman is stereotypically attractive and this cultivates the idea that if a woman doesn't look like this then she is unattractive, and that woman must be attractive and seem desirable. The woman also has perfectly clear skin which cultivates the hegemonic ideology that in order to become stereotypically attractive a woman must have clear skin with no spots or blemishes. 
• Cultivation of hegemonic ideology that a woman must have light coloured skin in order to be stereotypically attractive, because the woman on the advert has very light coloured skin and is stereotypically attractive.
• Z line - the first thing that the audience sees is her eyes, this puts emphasis on her stereotypically attractive long eyelashes. Women will see these stereotypically attractive eyelashes and feel like they need them in order to be attractive and so will want to buy the product, this is an example of hegemonic cultivation.
• Sans serif font of the brand is simple and bold so it stands out and is memorable so that the audience will go into a makeup shop and remember this brand.
• Use of the stereotypically feminine pink colour cultivates the hegemonic ideology that women have to be feminine in order to be stereotypically attractive. 
• High-key lighting cultivates the hegemonic ideology that if your life is fast paced and exciting then you are more stereotypically attractive as you are interesting and exciting as a person. 
• Mise-en-scene of the city location has connotations of wealth and luxury, this presents the idea that if you buy this product you will have this luxurious lifestyle. This city lifestyle is stereotypically desirable and so this makes the audience want to buy this product in order to have this stereotypically desired exciting city lifestyle.

Owen - Jimmy Choo

• Low Key lighting and shadows outline her figure and creates mystery and a sexually suggestive atmosphere.
• The model in the advert is skinny and cultivates the hegemonic norm that the audience is supposed to see her as attractive because of her figure. this appeals to the target audience of heterosexual women who stereotypically would like to have a figure like this.
• Her makeup is dark and bold and is meant to represent her power, this is also meant to appeal to women who may aspire to feel powerful by buying this product.
• The secondary audience is heterosexual males who may find her attractive due to her sexually suggestive clothing and the amount of skin showing, a hegemonic stereotype which is meant to be seen as attractive.
• The font is bold and sans-serif and meant to stand out against the dark background. 
• The setting and her clothing links the perfume to luxury and richness, possibly appealing to people who are middle class.
• The colours are neutral, bold and not very vibrant and also emphasise the ideology of  her power and mystery and shows she is meant to be taken seriously.
• Her skin does not have any blemishes and is light, this is stereotypically meant to be seen as attractive
• the front on glare is meant to be seductive and appeal to the secondary audience of heterosexual males
• the setting and her positioning is also meant to be seen as seductive and creates an idea of comfort.

Izzy - Chanel

• Stereotypical attractive female
• The advert is sexualising her by her low cut top and the way it looks like she's biting her finger.
• The look she's giving the camera very seductive.  
• The face of Chanel is Kiera Knightly - sells the product more.
• The area where the adverts set uses lowkey lighting which adds an element of mystery and suspense, which is an example of the hermeneutic code. 
• By buying the product you buy the lifestyle of Kiera Knightly 
• Uses both San Serif and Serif writing.. The use of the Coco Mademoiselle written in a way where it looks hand written adds a sense of personality. 
• Her makeup is also very natural with not much noticeable face makeup, but with dark eyes which adds to the seductive look. 

Pheobe - Eau de Gaga

• use of low key lighting, connotes the feeling of mystery/ suspense, which is an example of a hermeneutic code
• woman has a bold, strong stance, suggesting she has authority over the men.  
• creates an ideology, that if you buy the product, men will become more attracted to you
• mid shot- the woman is the main focus
• blond, tall and skinny- hegemonic view 
• the woman, shows a stereotypical image of what is considered as beautiful in society, wearing a satin, loose flowing dress and having blonde hair, wearing makeup and being tall and slim, producing a hegemonic norm, however her bold stance, shows the power she may have which then can be argued goes against this stereotypical image
• shows a range of ethnic diversity
• use of the serif font, suggests a formal/ professional atmosphere
• white font, contrasts with the dark background, to make it clear the the audience, what the product is
• the woman's clothing, connotes the impression that she is of higher class, due to it being silk and the fact that it is gold also, associates her with wealth

Scarlett - Chanel 

• The use of a stereotypically attractive woman (slim, make-up, fair skin), cultivates to the audience the ideology that it is an expectation to look this way.
• Intertextuality is used by including Kiera Knightley, this portrays to the audience that the product will give you fame. 
• The text "Coco Mademoiselle" looks as if it has been hand-written, which personalities the advert and connects the audience will the brand/product. This means they are more likely to listen to the message that's being enforced in the advert. 
• The model is looking at the camera in a slightly sultry way, this sexualises her and the target audience (15-30 year old women) will therefore aspire to be seen as sexually attractive.
• Chanel is a very well-known brand meaning that the message of stereotypical attractiveness is going to be stronger and more widely received. 
• The low-key lighting in the advert suggests mystery or suspense, and this mood is mirrored in the fact that the model takes up most of the advert (meaning that we can't really see what else is happening). 

Myles - Back to the Future

-Hegemonically people in this time period (1885) would be wearing similar clothes to the ones in this poster

-All of these characters are heterosexual

-There is a binary opposition between Marty and Doc, one is a troublesome teenager the other is an old, mad scientist

-There is an action code in this poster: the fire under the wheel of the car

-The shot type is a long shot and it shows the whole of each of their bodies

-The golden sans-serif font really stands out to the audience and it is now an iconic font which will always be related to the film

-Mise-en-scene: there is a lot of light blue lights spraying in to different directions in the background

-This poster actually subliminally shows that the male characters are in charge. Since the film is based on time-travel and both the male characters are holding watches which might suggest that they are in control of time. The female character is just standing there and she appears to be more clueless.

Spencer - Tommy Hilfiger 

• -Hegemonically men should be heterosexual and attracted to the hegemonically stereotypical attractive women
• -Hegemonically accepted that pale and tanned skin is seen as more attractive 
• -The models used cultivates society to believe that these models have the ideal body and are good looking
• -This advert uses stereotypes of what is attractive, long hair females, tall and thin,
• -Stereotypically men are seen as being perverted and sexual. This is cultivated in this advert several men are captured staring at a stereotypically attractive woman
• -In this ad you can see in the far back is a seen a black model almost hidden from the ad this is discriminating and can be then cultivated in society meaning black members of society will be seen as lesser individuals in society 

T block variety lesson

1) Cultivation of hegemonic ideology in print adverts

Everyone must complete at least one analysis before you move on the the other tasks! Select a print advert,and using the TOOLKIT FOR TEXTUAL ANALYSIS, bullet point explore what hegemonic norms are cultivated. What assumptions are made about class, gender, ethnicity, and the rules of society? Every submission will be posted as a blog post on this very blog!

2) Theory and key concept displays 

Create a display based around one of the theorists we have studied. For the record, these can be found here. Make it visually striking, and include examples! The key concepts in media are genre, narrative, representation, media language, audience and industry

3) Create an 'A-level media studies' sign

Something inviting, and suggesting the academic rigour of the course! 

4) Create funky images for the A-level media studies revision guide

The revision guide needs some sprucing up. Take a look at it, and think about what you want to contribute. You will be credited!

5) Write an article... about anything!

You can check out the guidelines here.

Q block bonus lesson - UK sci-fi and open evening prep

If you are in Q block and if you are reading this, congrats! You have a bonus lesson today that the other blocks don't!

You are going to spend your time creating resources for other students. This will allow you to share the advantages of you additional lesson.

Pick one or more tasks from this list:

1) Create a fact-file for a science fiction or related TV programme to be published on the blog

This is the big one. The show can be from any era, from any country, any time, and any style. We're using sci-fi in the broadest possible sense. The Americans have a great term - 'genre fiction', and this is what I'm looking for. Any quirkiness, an intentional address to a cult audience, and themes of the fantastic. So not just Star Trek and Dr Who, but also A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Good Place, Luke Cage, American Gods... whatever! It will be published on the blog and it will help other students out loads.

Use these headings:

• Codes and conventions (media language)
• Genre conventions
• Representation
• Narrative
• Reception 
• Allegorical aspects/real world themes

2) Create a wall display illustrating your favourite theory/theorist

Lots of examples will help to keep the display functional and interesting.

3) Create an 'A-level media studies' sign that does not feature Michael in any way

Think "I want my child to do this subject", not "let's skip this one".

4) Create funky images for the A-level media studies revision guide

The revision guide needs some sprucing up. Take a look at it, and think about what you want to contribute.

5) Stick up some summer work

There's a whole bunch of summer work to stick up on the wall. Two years worth. Sorry.

Humans - initial notes and analysis

Notes 

These notes were made by Michael when viewing the first episode. They are not edited, and are intended to give a general perspective of the themes of the show 

• Opening shot clear intertextual reference to Blade Runner
• The following establing shot of the warehouse is similar to many sci fi texts, most recently and notably the iconography employed in Westworld
• Faintly transgressive shots of rows of nude, apparently dead bodies, themes of commodification
• Opening theme tune presents montage of stock footage and a Kraftwerk-esque soundtrack. Very similar to Westworld. Or rather, clearly inspired Westworld...
• Slow zoom establishing shot of London/home counties suburbia. Connotations of middle class identity
• Use of frequent CU shots of technology, establishes a theme of utilising consumer electronics, yet also grounding the diegesis in conceivable reality
• A range of characters of different ages for audiences to identify with
• Establishment of nuclear family in first scene is easily identifiable, yet forms a clear diametric opposition with the nature of the scenario
• "what if she's not pretty?" - The daughter's own naive and childish expectations position the audience and force them to construct their own expectations
• Anita's unveiling is anchored through a heavenly 'boot up' noise emphasising her status as pure, chaste, and sexualised
• Selection of a female android to complete housework reinforces primary ideological themes of the series
• Anita is ethnically East Asian, and owned by a white household. Her attractiveness is compared to the mother's and there are hints of colonialism
• "That means she's ours! Yay!" emphasises themes ownership
• "I am now bonded to you..."
• Easily identifiable settings such as the carpark, the box mall
• The male gaze, as the son nervously licks his lips. Each family member instantly negotiates their relationship to Anita.
• Real world locations identifiable such as King's Cross st Pancras. Again grounding the narrative and positioning the middle class British target audience
• Many instantly recognisable actors to fans of UK TV. Gemma Chan, Jen from the IT Crowd
• Speculative ethics: androids are abused and tortured for fun and without legal repercussions
• Introduction of the synth is analogous to cheating, promoting a similarly full on argument
• establishment of men's and women's rules, while also being a subversion, the mother a lawyer, the father a house husband. The father, however is faintly inept, and resorts to gendered labour in order to solve his stereotypical laziness
• Anita functions as a threat for the mother, as a sexual object (initially) for the son, a replacement friend for the youngest girl, a figure of fun for the oldest girl, as a surrogate wife/mother for the father
• "My name is Anita Hawkins" - through the resulting shot of Katherine Parkinson's reaction, it is reinforced that Anita is both a passive slave AND and active threat: both a dishwasher AND a homewrecker!
• Temporal shift indicated through on screen graphic. "Five weeks earlier" not only temporally grounds audience, but functions as a hermeneutic code too
• Representation of Asian women: Anita is played by an East Asian woman in both the original and British version. Fulfils stereotype of subservience, domesticity and exotic sexuality
• The joy at Anita's arrival is negotiated depending on the individual family member. The joy at unpacking a new consumer electronic product, the comfort provided by a domestic servant. This joy is consistently reinforced to the audience, somewhat like an advertisement.
• "She's not a slave" "that's exactly what she is" - deliberately positions audiences on either side of the debate, and to select an ideological perspective
• Microchips joke prompts Anita's endless laughter. Polysemic reading: humorous, or abject?
• CU handheld shots emphasise threat during interrogation scene
• Elderly American man, George, allows for potential American audience
• The safety of objects: George's affection for his synth (Odi) is touching. The broken robot narrative is compelling and touching. Odi is the best character.
• "You qualify for an upgrade" - It's considered that George having the young, attractive Odi is somewhat amoral. The older, frumpy Vera is far more suitable.
• There is a definite lack of other science fiction paradigms beyond the presence of the synths. The house is clean, airy, yet definitely identifiable for middle class British audiences
• "Don't check in on Sophie, that's my job" - clear reference to emotional labour. Anita is both inherently untrustworthy through her status as object/"thing", and a threat through her status as surrogate mother 
• "I didn't buy the synth to replace you..."
• Synths serve different functions in different aspects of society. The black synth Fred whose arm is branded with a number is particularly disturbing, with clear allegorical intentions to black slavery and/or the holocaust
• Setting - the bland familiarity of the supermarket is not only easily identifiable for the British audience but also the ideological criticism of commodification and late period capitalism
• Odi's freak out in the supermarket provokes polysemic readings. Is it funny, or harrowing?
• Matilda allows older teenage girls to identify with the show. She demonstrates symptoms of psychopathy, but is it psychopathic to torture a synth? Clearly this is a fundamental aspect of the show
• 27.39 petaflop processing speed - Anita's processing speed is perhaps one of the only explicitly 'sci-fi' element of the show...
• Anita holding the blanket like a baby while staring at the photo of the mother and baby emphasises her status as metonymically female, and given likable personality traits through her status as female
  
• Likewise Odi, the corrupted and fragged friend is rendered more likable and human through his faults and errors. George's relationship with Odi is perhaps initially posited as sexual, though it is quickly emphasised as a archetypal father/son relationship
• Post-production sound editing manipulates the synths voices to sound distant and digital
• "You're just a stupid machine, aren't you? "Yes Laura"
• An underground rebelion with strong allusions to anti authoritarian anti capitalist resistance movements
• The brothel scene emphasised the themes of sex work and objectification from the first episode. The perspex boxes are not unlike the supermarket and the initial mall scene. Is consumerism a form of prostitution?
• "I was meant to feel" - Niska's adherence to being human. Suggestion that 'to be human is to suffer'
• Key themes: what is life? What is humanity? The singularity, 'fantastical racism', societal fears of immigration and automation...
• Themes of postmodernism and hyperreality. It is broadly impossible to distinguish between human and object. Odi is mae more human through his flaws, his very status as an object emphasising his existence and the affection given to him
• Postmodern resistance of conventional analysis. No singular preferred reading, with audiences invited to identify with the character archetype with their ideological perception of synths
• Postmodernism - Krishnan Guru Murthy as himself affirms the show's status as an alternate timeline
• A range of hermeneutic codes introduced to the audience. Anita's stargazing, Anita confronting Mathilda, Anita lifting the youngest girl out of the house...
• Asimov blocks - intertextual reference to Asimov's laws of robotics, though also provides audience a generic metanarrative to understand what is going on, while also functioning as a straightforward proairetic code, suggesting the action and situations that are approaching
• "what is love?" direct address to audience. A little blunt maybe
• Transgressive shots of synth being raped woven in to montage including george's pure relationship with Odi. Additionally this demonstrates to the audience the key themes that the show will deal with over the following seven episodes

Themes

• Sexualisation
• Unpaid labour
• The negotiation of exoticism
• Sexual exploitation
• Modern slavery
• Commodity Fetishism
• Commodification
• Full automation
• The rights of workers
• Late period capitalism vs Marxism
• Postcolonialism
• Transgression
• Capitalism and the nuclear family
• Prostitution and the rights of sex workers
• Postmodernism
• Hyperreality
• Polysemy
• Racism
• The singularity
• Diegesis and the relationship with the fictive

Adverts

These adverts were viewed when viewing the first episode of Humans on All4 at approximately 9am on Tuesday 16th October . Thanks Luke for compiling this!

• Fly emirates
• Oral-B
• M&MS
• Lexus RX car
• Domestos
• HSBC
• M&MS
• Olay
• Grow your world siemens
• Microsoft
• Pot rice
• Domestos
• Friday night dinner
• Lexus rx
• Siemens
• Lottery
• Asda
• Ikea
• Green and blacks choc
• L'or
• Birdseye
• Lacoste
• Lloyds bank
• Lexus rx
• Kinder egg
• Tesco finest
• Birds eye
• Kleenex
• Fuzetea
• Niquitin
• Lexus rx

In what ways does this advert target it’s audience through content and appeal? Make reference to hegemony and cultivation

Setting - binary opposition between the natural beach and the urban city. Connotations of wealth and status.This reinforces the hegemonic norm of wealth and status, and suggests to the audience that wealth is necessary to be happy.

Target audience of young women, 16 - 30. Models are stereotypically attractive. Lack of clothing emphasises the fact that they are slender. This reinforces the hegemonic norm that skinny women are stereotypically attractive.

Aspirational image, using a stereotypical, hegemonically constructed image of female beauty to present an aspirational lifestyle. The product (the cola) is almost beside the point.

Humans episode one - questions for further discussion

When watching the first episode, here are some questions to think about:

• What science fiction codes and conventions are evidenced? Are these utilised in a typical or atypical way?
• What groups are represented? What ideological perspective
• Who is the primary target audience for this show?
• All science fiction holds a mirror to society. What real world allegorical themes are dealt with here?
• What character archetypes are utilised in this show? To what extent does the narrative rely on them?
• What intertextual references/referential codes did you notice? How do these potentially reward the viewing experience?

All these questions are linked to the assessment criteria, and are potential questions/aspects of questions you will be asked in the exam. If you are drawing a blank on any of this, it's time to up your revision time!

Promotional material for the AMC premiere of series one of Humans.
Note the international distribution of a British show. AMC is an American basic cable channel that has
made a name for itself by investing in high-end, critically acclaimed programs
such as Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Mad Men and Preacher. What
advantages are there to an American distributor for acquiring a British show?

Half term holiday activities

You've got a bumper half term holiday coming up, and, if you're first year at least, a key assessment coming up straight after it! So what are you you going to fill your time with?  Here's a few suggestions, some of which have higher priority than others...

First year - Prepare for your first key assessment

This really takes priority over everything. Because you have access to the assessment now you can plan out and practice your response before you write it up on your first lesson back after half term.

If you have any questions about your assessment, remember to ask your teacher BEFORE THE HALF TERM HOLIDAY.

Second year (and first year) - Watch sci-fi TV shows 

You will start your study of TV in the global age this week. You will be studying Humans (the English version, not the Swedish version, which is just as good) and The Returned (the French version, not the English version, which is not very good). In order to contextualise your study, it would be ideal to watch as many science fiction/'dark fantasy' TV shows as possible. Here are a few suggestions and how you might find them

MANY OF THESE TV SHOWS ARE INTENDED FOR ADULT AUDIENCES. PLEASE CHECK FOR ANY CONTENT WARNINGS BEFORE WATCHING. 

3% - Netflix - Brazilian sci-fi series that combines the survival elements of Saw and The Hunger Games and uses it to explore themes of hierarchy and political corruption in South America

Altered Carbon - Netflix - Super trashy forgotten cyberpunk book gets a big budget TV adaptation. Loads of great ideas, but be warned about the copious sex and violence

American Gods - Amazon - Adaptation of a much loved Neil Gaiman novel that bombards the audience with a ridiculous yet compelling scenario. Gorgeous cinematography and excellent sound design

Black Mirror - Netflix - Much loved British sci-sci exploring the relationship between humans and technology

Cowboy Bebop - Netflix - Classic sci-fi/western/crime/noir hybrid anime that ping pongs between moods and genre.

Devilman Crybaby - Netflix - Massive warning: this stylish anime based on a 70's comic book anti-hero is about as extreme as it gets. However the powerful anti-war message, the subversive gender representation. plus the ridiculously assured mise-en-scene make this worth the viewing for brave audiences

Dr Who - TV - You might of heard of this. And the new series has just started!

Jessica Jones - Netflix - A fun subversion of the typical hypermasculine superhero narrative

Maniac - Netflix - Bizarro, genre bending craziness from the director of True Detective. Impossible to describe, just make sure you watch the whole thing

Rick and Morty - Netflix - One of the best ways to understand a genre is to watch a parody. Yet this witty subversion of the classic Back to the Future dynamic quickly became its own thing, jumping between gross-out comedy and surprisingly touching moments

Star Trek - The Next Generation - Netflix - The TV equivalent of a hot bath and a cup of tea, ST:TNG is ridiculously influential, and, and it's best, very fun. Check out the excellently developed and diverse representational themes, too

Stranger Things - Netflix - This 80's homage got crazy popular among nostalgia hungry teens. Expect them to churn out several more series before the cast get too old

Twin Peaks - DVD -  Weird, funny, scary and regarded as one of the best TV shows ever made. It influenced everything from Riverdale to The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time to The Returned, Silent Hill and probably 100000 other things too

Key assessment one

This assessment will be sat by P and T block on Monday 29th October, and R block on Tuesday 30th October. Second years: your assessment is based on component three, and you've already done it. 

Yes, this is the actual exam!

Component one - Media products, industries and audiences

Section A - Analysing media language and representation

Answer all questions

Short answer questions

Briefly define the following terms

Ideology
Intertextuality
Positioning
Lexis
Diametric opposition
Paradigmatic feature [6]

Which two theoretical perspectives have we studied that can be 'credited' to Stuart Hall? [2]

Media language

Choose two of the following advertisements: Tide print advert, Wateraid audiovisual spot advert, Kiss of the Vampire theatrical poster.

How do codes and conventions create meanings in these adverts? Please make reference to the key terms you defined in 'short answer questions [30]

Representation

Explore how ideology is conveyed through the representation in this film poster [15]

Promotional poster for Annihilation a 2018 British/American
science fiction film distributed by Netflix

Wanted: blog articles

Would you like to write an article about any aspect of media, have it published on the blog, and be credited for it?

We're looking for interesting, informative and/or challenging articles to publish on the blog. This is an excellent opportunity to practice your exam technique while researching and writing about something you genuinely love. It's also a great way to provide exemplar analysis to other students taking media!
There is no minimum or maximum word count, nor is there any limitation on content (within reason...). All submissions will be vetted by either Jack or myself and may be edited for style and content. This is standard practice when submitting academic articles to a publication.

You can write about anything, but here's the kind of things we would like to see. These are all just examples, so please submit anything you like!

• Textual analysis of the opening credits of your favourite TV show 
• Representation of an  ethnic group in music videos
• How a genre has changed over time, comparing media products
• How social media users construct and even manipulate their audience
• Examples of how television producers have tried and failed to target young audiences
• 'Meme culture'
• Five tips to create professional quality work in Photoshop/Premiere 

Component three - how to submit

Your deadline for the remaining bits of the cross media production and the aims and intentions is this week. 

You can find detailed instructions on what conventions to include in your magazine project here

You can find detailed instructions on what to include in your aims and intentions essay here

Once this is complete and you are happy with your final product (and your teacher is happy too!), you are ready to submit your final products.

You will be submitting the following:

i) A high quality .jpg of your front cover, named [your name] cover, submitted to SUBMISSIONS/2017-2019/[your] block/Component three/final magazine cover and spread

ii) A high quality .jpg of your double page spread, named [your name] double page spread, submitted to SUBMISSIONS/2017-2019/[your] block/Component three/final magazine cover and spread

iii) Your aims and intentions, submitted as a Word file, named [your name], and submitted to SUBMISSIONS/2017-2019/[your] block/Component three/aims and intentions

When submitting all pieces of work, especially your aims and intentions, make sure the ONLY VERSION OF THE FILE IN THE FOLDER IS YOUR FINAL VERSION. Failure to ensure this may result in an earlier version of your coursework being marked. You have been warned! 

First year Learning conversation AND MORE

ESSENTIAL TASK - do this one first

Task one - learning conversation 

A learning conversation is a chance to catch up with your teacher at key points throughout the course, and to discuss anything that is going particularly well, or anything that might be concerning you.

Most importantly, you also set goals for the coming weeks. Having a goal helps with organisation, and allows you to become a more effective Media Studies student.

• What do you think has gone particularly well so far this year? What are your strengths?
• What is stopping you from achieving your goals? What threats might you face, (for example not enough time, lack of organisation, pressure from other subjects...)
• Identify 3 specific targets for yourself for the rest of this year. They can be both academic and organisational goals.
• What grade do you want to achieve in media studies?
• Do you have any suggestions about the course?

Do you have any learning needs that you would like your teacher to know about? Don't fill this out, but this is something you will discuss with your teacher, so keep it in mind.

BONUS TASKS - do a few of these in whatever order you wish

Task two - Find two different (audio-visual) adverts and analyse the following

How is meaning created through the narrative?
Can you identify any binary oppositions?
What intertextual references are made?
Can you apply Todorov’s narrative theory of equilibrium?
Is the narrative linear or nonlinear? Why? Impact?

Task three - Tidying up

Revise your blog – collate your notes and ‘tidy’ it up (ensure you have distinguishable labels for each post)   Personalise it using theme, pictures etc. Your blog is not only a way of demonstrating your knowledge and understanding to your teacher: it's also on it's way to being one of the most effective revision resources you will ever use!

Task four - Make an advert

Create an advert using Photoshop and bits you find on the internet. Select an audience and a product. Include all of the following aspects:

A non-stereotypical representation
Intertextuality
Generic hybridity
Narrative codes

Task five - Make a resource

See that stuff up on the wall? You can do something like that to replace/add to it!

Select one of the three case study adverts we have looked at and create a visually exciting resource that details it's key textual elements. Please complete this digitally using Photoshop, PowerPoint, Word, Paint... anything that looks striking and can be printed out. You can use the following headings:

Genre
Narrative
Representation
Media language

Task six - Building a new display

We've been given a new display board outside. Can you help but up some backing paper? You can? Great!

Task seven - Do a past paper

Your key assessment one will be posted on the blog on Monday 15th October. This will give you two whole weeks to prepare for it. Lucky you! But one of the best ways to prepare is by having a go at past paper questions. Obviously you've only done advertising so far, so you'll need to be picky about the questions you pick, but you can find every past paper to date by looking at the key resources box at the top right of the blog. Or you can just click here.

Wonder Woman mini-mock feedback and sample response

Feedback legend

In addition to a grade, you will receive a lower case Roman numeral which will correspond to one piece of generalised feedback. This is the sole goal we want you to focus on for now.

i) Please focus on using media language. Shot type, camera angle, colour, composition, mise-en-scene, graphics, sans-serif font... a whole chunk of your final mark comes from demonstrating knowledge and understanding, so it's important to get the practice in now! This will also help your to avoid being too descriptive...

ii) Please focus on exploring how meanings are created. Connotations, symbolic codes, proairetic codes, diametric oppositions, generic conventions, modes of address, positioning... this kind of thing! Explicit examples, linked to your own point of view.

iii) Please focus on including brief and pertinent reference to media theorists and theory in your responses. While your main focus should be on codes and conventions, theory is an excellent way of backing up your assertion. Just make sure you don't lead with the theory. Make it back up your own point!

General advice

If you found this tricky, remember, for the final exam,
you will probably be asked to compare and contrast
any unseen media products with ones
you have studied in class

• It's essential, especially when you only have 20 minutes to complete a response, to not describe, but to analyse. You may only pick out a few aspects of the poster in total, but this is preferable to just listing what you can see.
• It's 'producer and audience', not 'you and they'. It's really important to be explicit here!
• Use the toolkit for textual analysis! There are only one or two 'closed book' mocks (and of course the final exams...) where you are NOT allowed to have it in front of you. So, essentially your teacher will expect you to be using language from it as a bare minimum! Don't shoot yourself in the foot but not using every resource available to you!
• I was surprised that so few people referred to modes of address and positioning. These are excellent concepts to briefly refer to in order to explore how and why meanings have been constructed. For example 'the producer's selection of a mid-shot not only positions the target audience with the protagonists, but also emphasises their importance with the narrative. This is further reinforced by Wonder Woman's red and gold breastplate, which connotes...' you get the picture!
• It's early days yet, but it's also important to avoid colloquialisms (i.e writing in a 'chatty' way). If you write colloquially it takes away your sense of authority, and detracts from the believability of your argument. So avoid phrases like 'that orangey thing' when referring to a burst of fire, or chatty comments like 'after all who would watch the advert if she looked like trash?'

Michael's attempt

The theatrical poster for Wonder Woman presents a complex set of representations to it's target audience. Most importantly, the central image presents a midshot of Wonder Woman and her sidekick facing stage right and ready for battle. The composition of this image is important. Wonder Woman is in the foreground, and occupies significantly more space than her male sidekick. Together they form a definite binary opposition, reinforcing the differences between their archetypal roles. This challenges stereotypical representations of gender, by presenting the female Wonder Woman as the protagonist of the narrative.

This is further anchored through the use of WW's costume. Rather than a stereotypical dress, WW's golden armour functions as a powerful proairetic code, demonstrating to the audience the violence and aggression that she will be involved in. This once more subverts traditional gender stereotypes.

Rather than showing the entire title of the film, the word 'WONDER' is presented in gold, bold, sans-serif font. The connotations of this are clear: by being placed across WW's torso, it anchors her as powerful and indeed 'wonderful'. The connotations of gold symbolise wealth and power. This in turn functions as an hermeneutic code, forcing the audience to question how gold and wealth will function in the narrative. It also allows the producer with the powerful and desirable WW.

The mise-en-scene of WW's weapon is also significant. Once more subversive of gender stereotypes, it occupies an important place in the layout, demonstrating the symbolic importance of violence and aggression to the narrative. This is reinforced through the mise-en-scene of sparks and fire emerging from the hilt, once more suggesting violence and aggression.

The sword also creates a binary opposition between the aggression that it symbolises, and the stereotypical connotations associated with women. WW is dressed in armour, however a polysemic interpretation of this armour is possible. It is form fitting and emphasises her figure, creating a stereotypical representation of the role of women in society. Additionally, the actor selected to play WW is slender and stereotypically attractive, suggesting either a target audience or secondary target audience of young, heterosexual men. In this sense, the advert conforms to a very specific marketing technique of the advertising industry, that 'sex sells'

However, despite these sexist connotations, the poster choses a M/S as opposed to a full body shot, which emphasises WW's sword and aggression over her body. Here we see the ideology of the producer being demonstrated: that wonder woman is both stereotypically attractive AND powerful, even compared to men. This is emphasised through the 'sidekick' role, a young man with a bland haircut in the upper left corner of the image, lit in a pale blue more symbolic of passivity than WW's optimistic aggression.

Finally, the advert conforms to many conventions of structuring the layout of print adverts. Following the Z line rule, the male sidekick is seen, then instantly forgotten when the shaft of the 'Z', ere formed by WW's sword is presented. It demonstrates the importance of aggression and violence to the narrative. This also reinforces the dominant ideology of the producer: that violence is an important and valid way to solve issues. It is clear from the image that violence will be used over diplomacy in Wonder Woman.

Notes - I tried to only use theory and concepts we have covered so far. There's lots I should have included, for example modes of address. It's also really disjointed, and would have benefitted from a plan. We'll be discussing how to plan and structure an essay very soon!