Les Revenants and media language: a textual analysis grab-bag

Audience positioning in the opening sequence of Les Revenants

Audience positioning in the opening sequence is constructed in a complex way, that reflects the unconventional use of genre used throughout

Camille on the bus

• We as an audience are positioned directly next to Camille on the bus. The big close up of her face encodes her loneliness and her sense of isolation. The gesture code of her facial expression encodes grumpiness and weariness, inviting the audience to identify with this teenage girl
• We cut to an alarming shot position outside the coach, standing on an isolated road in the middle of nowhere. This strange shot positions used in a dreamlike and confusing mode of address, and reinforces the themes of the show 
• CU/big close up of Camille on the bus. The MES of her facial expression is bored and sad, which positions the audience sympathetically with this main character
• Audiences are positioned on the bus directly next to Camille, inferring that we are a student. 
• Subsequently, we are positioned within the environment, the beautiful setting of the French Alps, yet on a busy road. We are suddenly not positioned with Camille , making us feel uncomfortable and confused. To stand on a busy road is dangerous and strange, and this positions the audience in a strange and dreamlike mode of address. 

Mr Costa at home

• Our positioning in this scene is even more complex and confusing, following a butterfly. The use of a slow, POV tracking shot is a clear intertextual reference to slasher films, and therefore positions the audience as the antagonist or the killer. This complex and confusing mode of address clearly constructs a fascinating opening for the audience to decode
• Inside Mr Costa’s house we have a different form of positioning. Suddenly, we are positioned in an uncomfortable and voyeuristic mode of address, intertextually referencing the slasher film. The slow, tracking POV is creepy and highly confusing, and the strange sight of the MES of the butterfly bursting out positions the audience in a highly complex and strange mode of address

Camille on the road

• Audiences are positioned in a confusing and complex way. We cut from a series of big close ups of Camille’s face to extreme long shots, which makes it difficult for the audience to identify with Camille as a main character. She is now distant, different and confused
• Camille is isolated, and by herself, As an audience, we only hear the sound of her breathing intensely, and the use of a tracking shot positions us in a voyeuristic mode of address. Furthermore the cut to an ECU positions the audience as omniscient and all knowing, yet also confused and distant. 
• Finally, we are positioned with Camille as she walks down the deserted road. The gesture code of her confused face, anchored through her heavy breathing suggests distress
• Ultimately, we are positioned in a highly unconventional and confusing mode of address. Audiences may negotiate and reject this confusing mode of address, feeling bored, confused and ultimately annoyed.

The opening credits

• The emptiness of the roads constructs a sense of freedom and liberation that is completely hyperreal, and demonstrates a perfect world that simply does not exist. The show was partly funded by the French Alps tourist board, which may explain the perfect representation
• The MES of the butterfly breaking out of the glass functions as a hermeneutic code, asking the audience to interrogate it’s reason for suddenly coming back to life. This surprising and confusing shot also constructs a binary opposition between life and death. It symbolises themes of reincarnation and rebirth, with butterflies emerging from their chrysalises
• The taxidermized animals are a symbolic code of rebirth. When animals are made into taxidermy, they adopt a ferocious pose that symbolises life. However, they are clearly not alive, and clearly a binary opposition 
• In the opening credit sequence, we see a couple passionately kissing in an overgrown field. This symbol of life and fertility is quickly interrupted by a panning shot revealing a hastily put up graveyard. Yet another binary opposition is constructing a binary opposition between life and death, movement and inactivity, and sex and death.
• A French term for orgasm is le petit mort: the little death. This suggests that the sexual act is one of loss, of the loss of purity, innocence and childhood. The final sequence completely conflates sex and death , with Lena losing her virginity, and Camille freaking out and panicking. This complex use of binary oppositions and symbolism may upset and confuse certain audiences. Sex and death, loss and death… constant binary oppositions!
• Victor standing in the road is symbolic of the nature of reality itself. Victor is absent from the initial bus crash, but appears later, forcing the audience to question the nature of reality

2023 exam questions but they’ve all been edited to be about the TV industry

1.  How useful are structuralist theories for exploring the TV industry? Refer to Lévi-Strauss’s structuralist theory of binary oppositions….
2. To what extent can audiences interpret the same TV show in different ways? Explore the set episodes…
3. Explain how media production and distribution have changed in the age of digital distribution. Refer to Black Mirror…
4. Discuss the influence of social and cultural contexts on the representations in Les Revenants…

Using only French theory, analyse the opening credits for Les Revenants

• Hermeneutic code of the mountains covered in MES of mist. Symbolic of mystery and confusion, it also proairetically situates the events of the narrative in a mysterious mist. There are clear implicit  referential codes to horror films that feature mist and isolated settings 
• Binary opposition of the peaceful setting, with disturbing themes of resurrection and the living dead. An example of disturbing shots are the mysterious and even beautiful shot of deer corpses floating beneath the surface of the lake. The framing and lighting of this shot are overtly aesthetically pleasing, constructing a binary opposition between beaty and death. 
• Deer can be symbolic of the devil, and the shot of a group of deer skulls has satanic and unnerving symbolic connotations
• Binary opposition between innocence and death with a kitten playing in front of a wall of skulls. Additionally, this symbolically reinforces the inevitability of corruption. Even this delightful kitten is a killer
• The divine right to kill! Playing god, the serial killer in the underpass!
• The hermetic code constructed by Victor presents a binary opposition between childish innocence and death 
• The binary opposition between the objectively beautiful landscapes with the sinister and creepy music creates a sense of unease
• A binary opposition between sex and death is constructed through the alarming MES of a couple kissing beside two grave markers. The French for orgasm is le petit mort, the little death. The idea of sex and death being conflated is very stereotypically French 

Complex representations and complex theory: Les Revenants

Representation and Les Revenants 

Les Revenants is a fascinating show in the sense that so many of it's representations are so complex and challenging, while other groups, most notably POC, are omitted entirely, perhaps relegated to an allegorical level

Representation refers to how producers re-present reality, using media language, to ultimately reflect their own ideology. Representations are constructed by those in power, and are used to distort meaning and to manipulate audiences. Hall was a Marxist, and therefore believed that the media was a site of manipulation and exploitation. One excellent example of this manipulation comes through stereotypes. Hegemonically ‘abnormal’ and different people are far more easy to stereotype, while those in power, for example hegemonically dominant groups of white people, are more difficult to stereotype. This suggests an enormous imbalance of power. Les Revenants is produced by French media conglomerate Canal +, and therefore represents a powerful ideological perspective.

Stuart Hall argues that representations can shift our ideologies, and are constructed through wealthy and powerful people. Les Revs was produced by Canal +, an enormous French media conglomerate, which demonstrates a large degree of control; went into the production. The sole purpose of every media product is to make money through a manipulative system of control and production practices. Media products shape our ideology. Stuart Hall was broadly a Marxist, and was fascinated by the idea of manipulation and how we are controlled and structured by the media.

Feminist theory

Feminism refers to an ideology that seeks equality for all genders. Feminism is an important ideology, as it seeks to challenge the inequality of power that exists through unbalanced representations of gender in popular media products

1 - Liesbet Van Zoonen - feminist theory

• Gender is constructed through media language, and this demonstrates an imbalance of power
• Women have historically been used in media products as a site of spectacle for a perceived heterosexual male audience

How is gender constructed through media language in the scene where Simon meets Lena in The Lake Pub?

• Both Lena and Simon order the same drink: a beer. Hegemonically masculine, it is notable, and perhaps atypical that Lena orders one. Lena is noticeably drunk, which again is a somewhat subversive representation, and simultaneously completely conventional. There are two broad representations of teenage girls in mainstream television: of a funtime party girl, or a hopeless nerd. Lena is clearly more aligned to the former. 
• Gesture code: Simon looks around the room with an excess of energy symbolising that he is actively looking for someone. This is a highly typical representation of masculinity, as it suggests his status as protagonist
• Simon is sober, alert and active, darting through the pub. However, Lena functions as a perfect binary opposition to this agency, as she sits passively on the chair, waiting to drink more and to meet men for sexual encounters.However, Lena is also confident and assertive in her actions. 
• Lena looks at Simon confidently and seductively, never averting her gaze from him. However Simon constantly looks away from her, around the room, at anything else. The intradiegetic gaze in this sequence is highly complex, and reflects their feelings for one another. Lena is sexually interested in Simon, however, Simon has no interest, sexual or otherwise in Lena. This subverts hegemonic expectations of male/female power dynamics. It also reflects modern ideas and ideals of gender. 
• Lena’s costume codes of her flannel shirt and slightly messy hair, anchored through the MES of her beer construct a subversive representation of gender that will nevertheless be relatable to the secondary target audience of the show (younger audiences)
• Simon is wearing a well-fitting and fashionable suit, functioning not only as an hermeneutic code, but also a stereotypical masculine signifer. However, his shirt is unbuttoned, which connotes a relaxed attitude, and this also exposes his chest. Played by Pierre Perrier, Simon has a pronounced jaw, has curly long hair, is tall and has dark brooding features; he is a very hegemonically attractive and stereotypically French looking man. Clearly cast to appeal to a heterosexual female audience, Simon is subtly sexualised through his costume codes. This also subtly subverts Van Zoonen’s perspective of a heterosexual male gaze, as clearly, here a man is being sexualised

Simon and Lena meet and walk home - how is gender constructed in these sequences?

• Simon’s costume is black, which has connotations of masculinity. His costume codes are smart, sophisticated and stereotypically masculine. This representation constructs an ideological perspective that men are more socially adept and are more hierarchically powerful. It also constructs a very clear binary opposition between the sophisticated Simon and the more casual Lena
• Simon is wearing a suit not through a fashion choice, but instead it symbolically reflects his love and passion for Adelle. This is a potentially unconventional representation of masculinity as loving, passionate and vulnerable. Therefore, a highly polysemic address
• Simon’s gesture codes are confident, and he enters the pub with a blunt swagger. He is confident and powerful in this situation, which suggests that this is his local pub, and this masculine and stereotypical situation is one he is familiar with
• Lena is drinking beer and and is clearly drunk. Another man comes to her and patronisingly asks her if shes had enough. Lena not only disagrees with this, but laughs at him, which is unkind, rude and dismissive. This subverts gender norms, as Lena has rejected the protection of a man, and instead has chosen to drink more, and flirt with the handsome simon
• Lena is wearing a short red dress that emphasises her hegemonically attractive body. Given the context, it is clear that Lena has dressed to appeal to men, which supports Van Zoonen’s idea of women as spectacle. However, diegetically and within the context of the narrative, Lena has chosen to dress like this, which indicates that she is open about her sexuality. A common feature of horror films is that sexally promiscuous women die first, and the naive virgin will be the ‘last girl’ to survive to the end. Lena subverts this expectation as she does not die
• Lena chooses to go home with a random man who she finds sexually attractive. The POV tracking shot following the couple moving through the underpass has symbolic connotations of threat and violence. This is an intertextual reference to the french crime drama Irreversible, and the sense of threat is clear for the audience. However, Lena is not punished or hurt by this situation, and instead shouts an obscenity at Simon and walks home alone. 
• Lena calls Simon a ‘connard’, an obscene word that roughly translates to ‘motherfucker’. This subverts stereotypical assumptions about women, and suggests that Lena is far more assertive
• In addition to her very short dress, Lena also wears a flannel shirt and a short leather jacket. This objects have masculine symbolic connotations, and therefore constructs a mixed and complex representation of gender
• Simon is wearing an unbuttoned white shirt with no tie, which demonstrates his relaxed and metrosexual representation of gender. Additionally, this open shirt functions by sexualising simon for a heterosexual female audience. Simon is very hegemonically attractive, with his relaxed curly hair and his pronounced facial features. He represents a stereotypical french vision of male attractiveness, and will particularly appeal to French audience, while also seeming exotic and appealing to international audience
• Simon completely ignores Lena as a woman, and instead only uses her to find Adele. Simon’s representation is therefore complex and confusing. In the context of the horror and drama genres, Simon is subversive, as he contradicts expectations of men as sexually promiscuous. However, in the context of the romance genre, Simon;s intentions are clear: he has one true love 
• Simon is extremely rude throughout this sequence performatively sighing when Lena says Adele has been tutoring her. However, Simon’s rudeness is explained and contextualised when we realise just how confusing this situation is. Simon is both helpless and vulnerable, and reacts to his situation through passively reacting to the situation. By suppressing his emotions, Simon is both highly conventional and yet also subverts conventional representations of power and masculinity. 
• The representations of gender in Les Revs are therefore highly complicated 

2 - bell hooks - feminist theory

• Feminism is for everybody. The subjugation of women in media products also perpetuates the subjugation of other genders
• Feminism is political. We must reject patriarchal ideological perspectives
• Feminism is intersectional. What it means to be a woman is complex, and not just based on chromosomes or genitalia. Our experience of the world is constructed through a complex set of identities

How does the scene where Lena and Simon walk back construct complex representations of gender?

• Both Simon and Lena are white, hegemonically attractive, able-bodied and middle class (Lena is clearly upper middle class). However, there are a number of factors which complicate their representation of gender. 
• Lena is wearing a very short dress in combination wit a cropped leather work jacket. Taking a performatively female and significantly masculine costume code and combining them simultaneously presents a complex representation of gender. Furthermore, the gesture code of Lena’s walk is slouched and relaxed, which once more subverts hegemonic expectations of female beauty and grace
• Simon and Lena are the same height. Wearing Doc Martins which are stereotypically masculine, their similarity in height that they are equal
• Lena is still grieving over Camille’s death, and is drinking lots and taking potentially risky behaviour. In traditional and stereotypical horrors, the sexually promiscuous girl is usually murdered first, and the Final Girl is often a quiet virgin. Clearly, Les Revs completely subverts this 
• Lena calls Simon a ‘connard’ (motherfucker), which suggests that she is strong willed, and not hegemonically feminine

Gender situated theory and theories surrounding ethnicity

1 - Judith Butler - gender performance and gender performativity

• Our gender is performed and constructed through ritualistic acts that we complete, perhaps every day
• How performance of gender has an affect on the world around us. This is called gender performativity (“are you a lesbian?”)

2 - Paul Gilroy - postcolonial theory

While colonialism has collapsed, colonial racist ideologies are still built in to our society

Racist, prejudiced ideological perspectives are encoded in to media products and in to everyday discourse

The following statement seems particularly unproblematic. In fact, it is a fact that the vast majority of people will nod along sadly in agreement. However, situated within this statement is an enormous problem. Can you spot it? And what are the implications of this problem?

“Black people in America were segregated because of the colour of their skin”

The issue with this statement is that it assumes that the reason that black people were racially segregated in America was due to the colour of their skin, or because they are different. In actuality, black people were segregated because of racist attitudes and processes. Even innocuous statements like this place the blame on the victim for being victimised rather than on the system and the individuals carrying out the victimisation. For Gilroy, this statement is drenched in postcolonial discourse, as it subtly erases the guilt and culpability of the white people who implemented segregation. 

So what has this got to do with Les Revenants? 

Instead of engaging with postcolonial ideological discourse, the producers of Les Revenants have chosen to adopt what Manuel Alvarado refers to as a ‘symbolic annihilation’, in this case an almost total refusal to represent any people of colour. A facile reading of Les Revenants is that it functions as an allegory, with the ‘returned’ or zombies taking the symbolically situated role of immigrants in a tight knit town that simply does not want them. Such a straightforward reading not only misses the heavily class situated nuances of the representations and the utilisation of well practiced genre conventions, but it functions as an excuse as sorts for the lack of ethnic diversity. If anything, this reading serves to other ethnic minorities even more, by contextualising these groups solely as an outcast. It continues to make immigrants a problem, as opposed to the vast number of sociopolitical contexts that surround immigration itself as the problem. It also just seems unnecessarily basic, when the main themes of Les Revenants, being sex, death, grief and depression are so well explored through the careful subversion of the horror genre. 

But clearly, Les Revenants has an issue with race. 

Les Revenants - representation exam question walkthrough

 Explore how the representations of gender in the TV shows you have studied position their audiences[15]

1 - underline key terms

 Explore how the representations of gender in the TV shows you have studied position their audiences[15]

Synoptic - pulls together everything across the full course of study. So, a representation question should talk about media language, and it can also refer to industry and audience. However, the focus should never stray from representation. So, keep going back to your underlined words!

2 - knee jerk reaction - what is your argument? 

Yes, representations of gender clearly position audience, by using complex representations of gender, in particular women 

Or

Yes, the TV shows I’ve studied present very complex representations of gender to allow them to appeal to a wider audience to ensure financial success

3 - Plan

MES

Stereotype 

Unfazed and unbothered

MES

Setting

Bleak and empty

Low key lighting

Horror film conventions

Unconventional representations

Costume codes: baggy jumper, popped collar

Framing: victor stalking Julie

Lack of stereotypical maternal gestures

Julie: hegemonically unattractive?

Working class representation

Professional 

Glasses

Gender performativity: blunt and no-nonsense

Theories of identity: what can audiences get from Julie?

A modern and complex representation of gender

Subverts stereotypes

Appeals to working class audiences

Intellectual

Horror fan

Never smiles

Eerie music 

Stereotypically French

Complete lack of sexualisation

Single and lives by herself, atypical 

Secluded dark setting

Julie’s costume is completely based on comfort as opposed to fashion 

Is she motherly? A stern, atypical mother 

“What’s he doing there?”

4 - DAC

Representation refers to the re-presentation of reality by the producer for the purpose of presenting their ideology. Gender refers to the often complex ways that we identify as, and over time, these gender identities have become rather more complicated. In this essay, I shall argue that the TV shows I have studied present complex representations of gender to appeal to a larger and increasingly diverse audience. In order to explore this idea I will refer to Les Revenants, a French horror TV serial produced by Canal + and shown in the UK on Channel 4, and San Junipero, an episode of the anthology show Black Mirror, a dark sci-fi TV show, first broadcast on Channel, but then purchased by Netflix. 

5 - PEA

• Julie is completely unfazed by the situation she is in. The isolated setting and the composition of each shot reinforces that she is utterly alone. However, her sleepy and grumpy facial expression contradicts the severity of her situation. This meaning is constructed through intertextual references to the horror genre, where isolated women are represented as vulnerable. However, Les Revs continually and consistently subverts the expectations of the audience. 
• The scary and intimidating setting is anchored through the heavily stereotypical use of non-diegetic music. The generically appropriate horror soundtrack situates Julie and the audience in the same position and confront s the audience with an eerie and threatening mode of address
• In terms of gesture codes, Julie never looks over her shoulder, and never hyperventilates. Ibn fact, she shows no sign of being scared. Even though she is isolated, Julie is confident and nonplussed by the situation. Van Zoonen argues that gender stereotypes are constructed through media language. However, Julie subtly subverts this stereotype, position the audience in a privileged mode of address, with the extremely effective shot of Victor looming behind her. 
• Julie ‘escapes’ from the situation unscathed, and this seems to reinforce the ideological perspective that women are quite safe walking home alone at night
• Julie is constructed as being messy and unkempt. This representation is further anchored through her apparent lack of makeup, which potentially makes her look tired and older. She is constructed as being less prominent to the narrative. By casting a less hegemonically attractive actor, the producer has constructed a complex representation of gender. Julie is not defined by her looks, which means that she is refreshingly unsexualised, and this may position female audiences in a positive and receptive mode of address. 
• Julie lives in what appears to be a social housing estate, which reinforces her status as a working class woman. The fact that she is working late at night reinforces her vulnerability, as she is forced to take public transport. In many ways, Julie is stereotypically working class, through her lack of means and her working class job. However, she subverts these stereotypes through the MES of the books in her flat, which reinforce her intellectual aspirations

An analysis of the front cover of the set edition of Woman magazine

• Codes and conventions – changes over time? 
• Layout and design
• Composition - positioning of masthead/headlines, cover lines, images, columns 
• Font size, type, colour 
• Images/photographs - shot type, angle, focus
• Mise-en-scene – colour, lighting, location, costume/dress, hair/make-up 
• Graphics, logos 
• Language – headline, sub-headings, captions – mode of address
• Copy 
• Anchorage of images and text
• Elements of narrative

The front cover of a magazine serves to sell the product to a target audience. In the 1960s, the magazine would have substantial competition against noted competitors. Yet rather than simply selling a product, Woman clearly sells a lifestyle of making the best life one can on a modest budget.

The layout of the magazine sees the face of the cover model as the focal point. Presumably, the cover model represents the ‘ideal’ woman. She is clearly hegemonically attractive, yet is far more relatable and realistic than contemporary models like Sophia Lauren and Grace Kelly. 

Extensive airbrushing has radically changed the models appearance to remove certain features. Here all wrinkles have been removed, all spots. Pigmentation, pores, stains on teeth and veins. By removing all of these aspects, she not only becomes an aspirational figure, and cultivates an ideology that in order to be hegemonically beautiful, one needs to be young. This notion is anchored through the lexis ‘are you an A-level beauty’, a qualification typically sat by older teenagers. 

The Alfred Hitchcock pull quote ‘British women have a special magic’ has connotations of British women possessing a supernatural level of good looks. This presents a flattering, if condescending mode of address, as well as stirring patriotic feelings. 

The model’s dress is conventional, has connotations of a housewife lifestyle, and generic. This dress is clearly off the rack, and could be bought in any UK town or city. Makes for a relatable mode of address. 

The font of the masthead is cursive, with curly, serif letters being selected. This not only connotes a sense of elegance and subtle luxury, yet also resembles a women's handwriting, with feminine cursive lines and curves. This handwritten quality makes the masthead informal and with a personal level of identity. 

The title of the magazine is woman and not women. It is singular, which has personal connotations. Yet it also simplifies and even objectifies women by reducing them to a single person. 

The coverline 7 star improvements for your kitchen, situates the female target audience in a kitchen. This potentially sexist mode of address is anchored through the explicit target audience being women, and further cover lines on makeup and lingerie. This confirms only two broad representations of women on the front cover as being involved in the kitchen and looking beautiful. 

The address is simple, straightforward and sexist. This suggests the target audience have a lower level of education. This is a highly risk averse strategy, as the target audience are conservative and mainstream

The model’s smile is awkward and forced, and suggests that the model is uncomfortable with the situation. By selecting an uncomfortable looking model with a look of anxiety, the magazine targets a less confident and more mainstream audience 

The MES of purple as a background colour are highly polysemic. It could connote wealth and luxury. Yet is also connotes femininity, a fact which is anchored through the stereotypically feminine cover model

The model is hegemonically attractive, yet also is coded in a more natural and perhaps more representative of a typical, contemporary, middle aged target audience.

The font of the masthead is both informal and feminine. The serif font resembles handwriting, which connotes an almost childish, but definitely naive mode of address. Yet it also polysemically encodes authenticity. Audiences will clearly obtain an inclusive and real experience from purchasing this magazine

The MES of the eyes and teeth of the model are alarmingly white. Her eyes lack tiny veins, her teeth are an unnatural colour and her skin lacks any visible pores. Additionally, her forehead notably lacks any wrinkles. Clearly this image has been extensively airbrushed, which was commonplace in the 1960s. By removing the model’s ‘flaws’, a representation of perfection is constructed. This reinforces the hegemonic assumption that in order to be visible, that women need to be perfect. This perfect example of the male gaze is clearly supported by Van Zoonen

Straightforward and often sexist ideologies are encoded on the front page of this magazine. For example the coverline “seven star improvements for your kitchen” reinforces and anchors the ideology that women are supposed to be situated in a kitchen, which is further anchored not only through the extremely main image of a woman, and the pull quote ‘British women have a special kind of magic’

The pull quote ‘British women have a special kind of magic’, made by the film director Alfred Hitchcock gives credibility to the notion that British women in particular are amazing. This helps the magazine effectively target a British audience with a patriotic mode of address. 

World’ Greatest Weekly For Women - strapline/slogan presents a convincing sell line to the audience. This use of hyperbolic language is speculative and fanciful 

The model’s dress and hairstyle is typical of the 1960s, presenting a casual mode of address that reinforces the traditional and even conservative values of the 1960. The stark lack of sexualisation is in contrast to more sophisticated representations of contemporary models like Sophia Lauren.

The age of the model is indeterminate, yet she is coded as middle aged. Her hairstyle in particular in mature and conservative and modest 

Woman, singular, is the name of the magazine, which connotes a single, perfect and hegemonically appropriate variety of woman. Namely, the hegemonically appropriate woman is located in the ‘kitchen’, is fixated on ‘lingerie’ and ‘beauty’, and is located in the house rather than at house

The ideological perspective of this magazine is simple and straightforward and sexist. It is clearly target a simple and straightforward target audience

An in depth analysis of the Hitchcock DPS interview in Woman magazine

Hitchcock's face is repeated 4 times in a row, which resembles a roll of film. The M$ES of this film roll functions as a referential code, and reinforces Hitchcock's involvement in Hollywood. Furthermore, the repetition of his face functions as a symbolic code, suggesting his importance. His influence on society is therefore clearly cultivated and anchored through the MES of his suit. 

However, Hitchcock was clearly not hegemonically attractive, which itself is reinforced through the repetition. The representation of this hegemonically unattractive man as influential and important stands in stark contrast to the representation of Grace Kelly.

The portrait/glamour shot of Grace Kelly serves the sole purpose of representing her as significantly hegemonically attractive. This stark binary opposition constructs a clear ideology of society in the 1960s, that women were expected to be beautiful to be seen as valuable, while men simply had to be well known or simply talented 

Grace Kelly stares directly at the audience in a direct address, and ultimately suggests dominance. Leaning forward assertively, suggests she is controlling the conversation. Her dark lipstick is symbolic of power and sexuality, and her slightly parted lips construct a sensual mode of address. She is not smiling, and in fact, her facial expression is annoyed, which suggests a complex representation. Her makeup accentuates her sleepy eyes, which is connotative of her hard work and demanding lifestyle.

Kelly stares directly at the working class, heterosexual British target audience. She functions as a aspirational role model to the target audience and reinforces the ideology that in order to be important and powerful as a woman, one must be sexually attractive 

The four images of Hitchcock appear in a film strip like motif that symbolically suggests that he is important enough to photograph.

However, Hitchcock is not hegemonically attractive, yet warrants a full five pictures of him in the double page spread. Here, Hitchcock is noted for his importance and his accomplishments. However, Grace Kelly's inclusion as the main image focuses instead on her hegemonic attractiveness. This reflects normative hegemonic values that existed around gender in the 1960s: they are a binary opposition, and serve completely different functions.

The film strip of Hitchcock suggests that he is animated and active, which is anchored through the gesture of pointing his finger, a symbol of assertiveness and aggression. However, Kelly’s function is to passively sit still, and be looked at. John Berger argued that men act and women appear, and this hegemonic stereotype is clearly reinforced here. 

The MES of the suit connotes Hitchcock’s sophistication and intellectualism, and suggests that his words are important. However, Kelly’s costume is revealing and invites the male gaze, a form of glamorous sexualisation.

Kelly’s makeup connotes glamour and sensuality, and anchors an idealistic representation of women. The dark heavy lidded eyeshadow and lipstick connote sexuality and seduction. It is sophisticated and more difficult to pull off. She stares at the target audience with a direct and sexualised mode of address, the fourth wall break here connoting and anchoring seduction. Her pouting, slightly parted lips parted lips proairetically encoding a romantic encounter. Yet her facial expression is serious and slightly annoyed

The middle aged, white, working class and straight audience will aspire to this unattainable beauty standard. It also reinforces the hegemonic ideology that in order to be successful, women must be attractive, and a subtle sense of sexuality and attainability 

 Exploring how gender is encoded in the lexis of the Alfred Hitchcock interview

“To me, they’re the most unobtrusively seductive creatures in the world” - Here, Hitchcock refers to English women. The lexis here is highly leading, and highly sexist. The use of the term ‘seductive’ is a classic example of objectification, and suggests that all English women are actively trying to seduce men. This blatant stereotype is softened through the lexis “unobtrusive, that suggests that this sexuality does not stick out and is not easily noticeable. This reinforces the patriarchal hegemonic ideology that women should be both innocent and also sexually active. This binary opposition is a classic example of the Madonna/whore complex. This is the idea that heterosexual men obsess over a virgin (the virgin Mary) who is also sexually promiscuous (the whore). This leads to unrealistic expectations from men. Finally, the lexis ‘creatures’ is deeply dehumanising and wildly sexist. This suggests that this sort of dehumanising was more socially acceptable in the 190s.

“I can look at women objectively without emotions cluttering up the view” - A clear voyeuristic mode of address is constructed here, yet Hitchcock professes his objectivity, suggesting a lack of emotion. His role as director also includes casting, and this process clearly involves an element of voyeurism. It also reinforces his power: his role as a patriarchal benefactor who is able to give poor women a start at their career.

“I’ve come to these conclusions after years of selecting, grooming and directing some of the most beautiful actresses in the world” - This use of exaggerated, hyperbolic language flattered the audience and more importantly reinforces his patriarchal ideological perspective. It reinforces the ideology that in order to be successful, women must be hegemonically attractive. The candid images of hegemonically attractive women surrounding Hitchcock here anchor this sexist ideology. The word grooming is particularly problematic here. This word has extremely negative connotations, and suggests that the appearance and personality of his stars is Hitchcock’s responsibility. This hints at highly controlling and even abusive behaviour. Yet it also infers that the women who submit to Hitchcock's demands will gain money and fame 

"Personally, I find this far more intriguing than the Latin brand of sex appeal that puts everything in the shop window"  This broad reference to Spanish and Hispanic women constructs a deeply sexist ideological perspective that they are far too sexually promiscuous. Not simply sexist, but also  deeply xenophobic, this constructs a world where we can judge and rank countries based on the ‘quality’ of their women. 

"they're like snow capped volcanoes" Referring to British women as ‘they’ is a classic example of othering. It reinforces to the target female audience that they are different from men, the most powerful group in society. The imagery of snow has connotations of racial purity but also of innocence, i.e. of virginity. Yet underneath the snow cap is hot lava, connotative of sex, passion and promiscuity. 

“selecting , grooming and directing” - the use of lexis here is telling. The three verbs here not only reduce women into Hitchcock’s ideology that the perfect woman is submissive, it also constructs Hitchcock as the active figure within his relationship. The word grooming is particularly problematic, suggesting the upkeep of animals. This likens the female actors he comes into contact with as dogs, animals, actively dehumanising his actors. It also has connotations of sexual manipulation

“They’re the most undoubtedly seductive creatures in the world” (British women) - Once more the lexis creatures dehumanises all British women. It furthermore sexualises them., and constructs a stereotypical representation. It also suggests that British women are seductive, as in actively seducing Hitchcock/ This suggests that Hitchcock believes that British women wish to seduce him in particular, and also infers their consent. 

“Perhaps its because I am such a happily married man that I can look at women objectively” - constructs a voyeuristic intent from Hitchcock and reinforces the dominant ideological perspective that the sole function of women is to be looked at, by heterosexual men. Hitchcock’s reference to his marriage however is an attempt to retain respectability, which is further anchored through the MS image of Hitchcock’s wife, an older woman who is not sexualised in any way. 

“That potent kind of sex appeal certainly isn’t the private property of the stars” - suggestion that sex appeal and sexual activity for women should not be private, but should be shared. Additionally, the target audience are middle aged, working class British women, boosting the ego of the target audience

“They’re like snow capped volcanoes” - a simile, a direct comparison, and once more a comparison with a nonhuman object. It constructs an oxymoronic image of snow and fire. It suggests that on the surface, British women appear pure and innocent, they are snow capped. However under the surface, they are promiscuous and fiery. This quote has been selected as a pull quote as it is scandalous, and audiences will take pleasure in the scandalous. Hitchcock was known for his shock factor, and it could be another example of him shocking his audience. However, the article uses poetic language to provide a more poetic mode of address, as he constructs himself as a wise and even attractive man for the target female audience. 

“Nottingham has an industry of pretty flirty girls” - positions Hitchcock as the boss, and women as the potential candidates, all demonstrating their suitability by being flirtatious and being willing to sleep with 

"Naturally I chose an English girl for a wife..."  - a creepy and diminutive mode of address, referring to a grown woman as a girl here suggests that she is naive and uneducated

“Any man who hasn’t been caught off guard by an English girl’s sudden revelation of seductive depths doesn’t know what he’s missing” - a boastful and bragging mode of address here. This is in stark contrast to his purported happy marriage 

By reinforcing a patriarchal hegemonic viewpoint, Woman magazine essentially acts as a system of control. It normalises predatory patriarchal ideologies, and reinforces the ideology that in order to be successful, women must submit to men. 

How are themes of sadistic voyeurism encoded in the shower scene of Psycho?

• A focus on the body of Marion in the shower. We are forced to fixate on the nude body through a montage of CU and MSs of her nude body, which serves to sexualise her for the audience
• Her nudity connotes vulnerability
• Her murder is constructed as slow, panful and brutal, and constructs a sense of desperation, pain and victimisation 
• The combination of sexualisation and brutal sadistic murder constructs a highly upsetting and shocking preferred reading 
• The encroaching shadow behind the shower curtain symbolises a voyeuristic invasion
• The montage constructs the model’s naked body and invites the audience to sexualise and to stare at her naked body
• The rapid fire editing confronts us with blood, a CU of the knife, her facial expression, and jarring jump cuts, all of which construct a chaotic and terrifying perspective 
• At the state of absolute vulnerability and voyeurism, Marion is brutally murdered 
• A conflation of voyeurism, vulnerability, sadism and brutality 
• Audiences would be well aware of the violent and psychosexual content of Hitchcock’s films. And yet the interview completely avoids all aspects of this. Why?

Exploring how representations are constructed and how audiences can construct identities from the A Present For You Kitchen DPS

• The constant lexis of capitalist and consumerist ideology reinforces the notion that in order in be a better woman, one must buy a better kitchen
• At the time this magazine was produced, household finances would typically be earned by the male partner, yet women would make decisions regarding household finances and general admin. This slight bit of freedom is exploited by the journalists at the time, offering the female audience an opportunity to express themselves and construct their own identity 
• There are many different price ranges offered, from £1 (20 in today’s money), which allows the magazine to target and position a working class target audience. This allows the target audience to identify with and construct a working class identity
• “Ideal for a kitchen that’s so narrow you bang your back bending down” - a relatable mode of address for the working class target audience, yet also encourages the audience to improve their lives 
• Both of the women in the images are smiling, which reinforces the ideology that women are happy to cook, clean and to accept their existence. This cultivates patriarchal hegemony 
• In the bottom image, a glamorous woman washes up. She is positioned to the right of the sink, allowing the audience to focus on the sink itself. Additionally, the MES of her smiling face is highly exaggerated, reinforcing the message that women adore to wash up and do chores. Finally, she is dressed in a glamorous dress and with full makeup, a highly conflicting message that suggests that washing is as exciting as going out
• Anchored through the MES and setting, we see a stereotypical and hegemonically situated representation of a mother. Confirming her status is the proximity of the mother to her son. This image constructs through media language a positive representation of a mother son relationship. The mother is clearly teaching her son to cook, and in doing so is going against gender norms. Additionally, they are smiling, indicating a positive and loving relationship. Furthermore, both parties are enjoying listening to the radio together, constructing a complex and even challenging representation of femininity. 
• There are fairly complex instructions for home improvement activities that suggest the target audience are expected to understand and to be adept at these instructions. 
• Yet elsewhere, we see gender roles that form a complete binary opposition. The lexis “so any girl can assemble it quickly” constructs a sexist ideology in many ways. Firstly, the dismissive attitude constructs a reality where women are largely incompetent. Furthermore, the target audience are working class and middle aged women. The use of the lexis ‘girl’ constructs a belittling mode of address, cultivating a stereotypical and hegemonic representation of women. In doing so, this reinforces patriarchal hegemonic standards that were typical of the time. 
• “The man in your life” - a significant assumption is made that not only can the target audience not do the hard tasks, that they are straight, and married. For non-married women, there is a clear expectation that getting married is significantly important. 
• The three main images construct an illusion of choice, where the female target audience are deceived into being an active participant in society. However, this choice is an illusion: the only choices they can make are in the domestic sphere
• In the lower image of the woman washing up, an idealised representation is constructed . The model’s hair makeup and dress are perfect, functioning as a proairetic code, suggesting an exciting event. Yet this clearly conflicts with the mundanity of the setting. Once more, this reinforces the dominant patriarchal ideological perspectives of the time it was made.
• The lexis of the headline “a present for your kitchen” reinforces a blunt and sexist ideology that women should be situated in the kitchen. This is reinforced through the contents page, where the only entry under the ‘home’ folio is this article on kitchens, suggesting that only this room is important. The idea of giving a present is symbolic of love and affection. Here, a present is given to a room, ultimately personifying it. This symbolically infers a romantic relationship with the kitchen further cultivating the sexist ideology that women belong in the kitchen 
• Shopping, cooking and getting ingredients was a situation where the stereotypical housewife would have a relatively high degree of control. At a time when women were limited to such simple actions and expectations, there were fewer ways to construct a meaningful identity. Yet in some rare cases, a meaningful and even positive lifestyle is constructed. The top image of a woman shelling peas with her young son constructs a happy and cosy representation of household chores. The warm colours anchor this idea of an idealised home life, and the proximity of the two suggests a bond being made. The fact that she is with her son, and sharing skills subverts stereotypical assumptions of gendered roles. Additionally the MES of the radio depicts an interaction with media, and a shared moment that itself constructs a more complex and well pounded representation. 
• There are frank and blunt explanations of DIY activities that infer the female target audience have a level of skill and ability to construct things themselves. Many aspects of this article actively encourage the female target audience to do things themselves, implying a sense of agency and aptitude. However…
• “Get the man in your life to assemble it” - cultivates an ideological assumption that the target audience are married, that they are heterosexual (homosexuality being illegal at the time), yet it also infers the inevitability of marriage from a hegemonic standpoint. The woman’s job now is to paint the result, which reinforces a stereotype that women are more crafty and creative
• “It slots so any girl can assemble it quickly” reinforces the ideology that women can only complete easy tasks. The word ‘girl’ also reinforces the hegemonic notion that youthfulness can only be preferable and good. Yet it is of course demanding, reductive and even othering 

How to answer different types of question in A-level media studies

What gets you marks in any kind of question?

Before we start, it is worth nothing that the most important thing that can get you marks in an A-level media studies exam is knowing about A-level media studies. This is called 'using and applying knowledge and understanding'. Here are some examples of what this could look like

• Using the term  'mise-en-scene' (and anything else off the textual analysis toolkit!)
• Confidently and assertively suggesting the deeper meaning for something
• Making explicit and correct reference to key scenes
• Using the phrase 'patriarchal hegemony' correctly in a sentence
• Defining the term 'representation' in the introduction
• Using lots of media language together in a sentence
• Using a theory to back up a really important point
• Evaluating the use of theory, and even criticising it's usefulness, before presenting a more useful insight 
• A clear and well argued point of view that reflects your own opinions
• Making an absolutely fascinating, and controversial point that makes the examiner go 'wow!'

Representation questions

Difficulty

These are the hardest questions in media studies. This is because the term 'representation' is so complicated, and requires so much unpacking. However, because you get to talk about things like sexism, hegemony, social issues and ideology, for some students this is by far the most fun part of the course!

What is representation?

Representation refers to how an issue, event, group of people or place is 'shown again' by the producer. Representations are constructed through media language, and representations always reflect the ideology of the producer. Beyond just 'showing' something or someone, representations can only be constructed by those in power. Producers will use ideologically motivated representations as a means to manipulate their audience. 

What five things do I absolutely need to talk about?

1. Representations are a reconstruction of reality, and are constructed from media language
2. Representations reflect the ideology of the producer, and are used to reinforce societal hegemony. The producer is in a privileged position
3. Representations always utilise stereotypes on some level
4. Stereotypes reflect imbalances in society. Some groups are almost always constructed in subordinate and negative ways. Again, this reinforces that certain groups have more power than others
5. Representations do not exist, but but reinforcing societal expectations, they directly affect the group being represented. Therefore our lives are shaped through re-presentations that are more real than the thing being re-presented

What are five types of questions that could come up?

1. How does this product construct versions of reality?
2. How (and why!) have stereotypes in this media product been used both positively and negatively?
3. How does historical context effect the representations in this product?
4. How do representations position audiences in this product?
5. How do the representations in this product show the values, attitudes and beliefs of the producer?

Where can these questions come up?

There will be a BIG, 30 mark, one hour long representation question in component one section a. This will involve comparing a case study with an unseen analysis example. There will also be a representation question in component two, and it could come up for any industry. Basically, representation is always BIG.

How do I prepare?

There's no easy way out for revising representation: you will need to assiduously revisit case studies, explore unseen examples, and really make sure you understand the representation theorists and what they bring to the table. Beyond this, it is absolutely essential that you understand and apply representation theories. 

What other subjects do representation questions most resemble?

English literature
Philosophy
Sociology

Media language questions

Difficulty

These are the second hardest questions in media studies. This is because you will be expected to 'ad lib' and suggest meanings for every single last aspect of analysis. If you are good at making stuff up as you go along, these might be your favourite 

What is media language?

Media language is the things that build meaning in a media product. These are the terms that you can find in the textual analysis toolkit. Each one of these things, for example cinematography, editing and MES, reflects a decision made by the producer. And each of these things means something and has a deeper meaning. You will have to explain exactly what they mean! A good way to think about media language questions is that they are like English literature, where you look for the deeper meaning in a book or poem. We just look at more diverse media. 

What five things do I absolutely need to talk about?

1. Media language encodes the ideology of the producer, and is an attempt to manipulate the ideology of the audience
2. Media language encodes meaning through a system of signs. Meaning is often complex, and can mean different things to different audiences
3. Media language can position audiences to anchor meaning
4. Media products can be categorised based on a system of genres
5. Postmodern modern theorists argue that meaning has collapsed, and that surface meanings are even more important that deeper meanings, and that media products often represent something that is more real and more perfect than the thing it is representing... 

What are five types of questions that could come up?

1. How does media language combine to create meaning?
2. How does this product use intertextuality/hermeneutic codes/whatever to construct meaning?
3. Is this product typical of it's genre/narrative?
4. In what ways does this product use media language to encode the ideology of the producer?
5. How does new and developing technologies affect media language?

Where can these questions come up?

There will be a big, 15 mark, 30 minute long unseen textual analysis question in component one section a. Because it's unseen, you will have no idea what will come up, and you will be expected to come up with detailed meanings on the fly. There will also be a media language question in component two, and it could come up for any industry.

How do I prepare?

For the unseen question, you must practice analysing unseen media. Try watching adverts, music videos, promotional videos, film trailers etc on YouTube, and search for film posters, Blu Ray covers, promotional images, high end fashion adverts, newspaper front pages... The list is endless.! Then use the textual analysis toolkit to break them down and work out their deeper meaning!

For component 2, a quick and straightforward way is to screenshot a still from one of the TV shows, one of the magazine pages, or one of the website pages, and label it with as much toolkit terminology as possible!

What other subjects do media language questions most resemble?

English language

Industry questions

Difficulty

On the one hand industry questions are easy; you just need facts. However, because of this, and because these questions can be a little more dry than the others, some students find these hardest of all. 

What is industry?

In these kinds of questions, you will talk about how media industries are structured, how they produce and distribute their products, and how they make money. This is the least theoretical aspect of the course, and is mainly based around cold facts and hard statements. 

What five things do I absolutely need to talk about?

• The sole purpose of producing a media product is to create maximum profit with the minimum risk
• The cultural industries/media industries are structured like factories, either/or vertically and horizontally integrated to make profit as guaranteed as possible
• The media industries are dominated by enormous, multinational conglomerates that use their power to maximise profit and to muscle out independent and smaller competitors
• The regulation of media industries is made largely ineffective through digitally convergent technologies, which conglomerates will exploit to maximise profit
• Hoverer, there are some PBS and not for profit organisations that challenge the idea of aggressive profiteering. Examples include small film studios, the BBC, and the Adbusters Media Foundation

What are five types of questions that could come up?

1. How is this media product produced, distributed and circulated, and by who?
2. How have recent technological changes in this industry changed production, distribution and circulation?
3. What economic factors have affected this product? How financially successful was it? Was it made commercially or not for profit?
4. How exactly is this industry regulated, and who does it?
5. How do individual producers (e.g. bloggers, vloggers, independent directors etc) affect this industry?

Where can these questions come up?

There will be 25 marks worth and 25 minutes worth of industry questions in component one section b. Some of these questions will be very short, and will involve defining industry terms, and some will be a little longer. The longer ones tend to be about 8-15 marks. One of the questions will ask you to draw upon your full course of study. This basically means you will be expected to talk about audience, media language and representation as well where appropriate. There will also be an industry question in component two, and it could come up for any industry.

How do I prepare?

Because of the 'hard' nature of the knowledge for these questions, they are very straightforward to prepare for. You must learn the facts. It is absolutely essential that you have examples for each and every industry which could come up for industry (and just so you know, the only industries that cannot come up in industry are advertising and music videos!). For these questions, I would recommend making a 'fact bank' and to memorise it, to allow you to slot in relevant examples no matter what comes up!

What other subjects do industry questions most resemble?

Business studies

Audience questions

Difficulty

These are the easiest questions in media studies. This is because there's really only two types of audience question (see below), and the theory you will use is very straightforward. 

What is audience?

Audience refers to the users and consumers of media products. Audiences are complex and diverse, and they must be targeted by producers in order to ensure the success of a media product. 

What five things do I absolutely need to talk about?

1. Audiences are active, and will decode the meaning of a media product in a variety of different ways depending on their culture and upbringing
2. Producers will attempt to use media language to position, target and construct audiences, to ensure they interpret the preferred meaning of a product
3. It was previously considered that audiences were mindless zombies, easily swayed by 'the media'
4. Increasingly, audiences can use and participate in media products in increasingly complex ways, thanks to digitally convergent technology.
5. Media products are increasingly produced using digitally convergent technology, for example newspapers edited on the fly and films edited using consumer adjacent software, that suggests that traditional models of audience have ended, and that, according to Shirky at least, we are all producers now

What are five types of questions that could come up?

1. How are audience grouped and categorised for this industry? Think age, gender, class, lifestyle, cultural capital…
2. How does this product attract/target its audiences? How does it construct an audience?
3. How can audiences interpret this product in different ways?
4. How does the industry that makes this product address the needs of mass and specialised audiences through targeting? 
5. What is the importance of fans and niche audiences to this industry?

Where can these questions come up?

There will be 20 marks worth of audience questions in component one section b, and you will be expected to spend 20 minutes on this. There are usually two questions in this section. There will also be an industry question in component two, and it could come up for any industry.

How do I prepare?

Start Hall is your friend, both in terms of revision and the exam. His reception theory (check out the theorists and theories page!) is ridiculously useful, as it actually provides a structure for you to list the preferred, negotiated and oppositional audience responses. You could do a lot worse that to go through each and every text which could come up in audience and come up with at least three separate readings. Additionally, for Shirky and Jenkins, finding concrete examples of all the crazy and lovable stuff fans do with media products is always super helpful and fun.

What other subjects do audience questions most resemble?

Communication studies
Psychology

Existential dread and ecological horror in Adbusters

Unlike the vast majority of media products, Adbusters seeks to active cultivate a sense of dread and anxiety in the target audience. This makes it diametrically opposed to the positive representations and ideologically perspectives that actively seek to erase issues. In short, while many media products construct a preferred reading where the audience feels GOOD, Adbusters actively positions the audience in such a way as to feel BAD.

So why do such a thing? Part of it is constructing a distinctive brand identity. But also, Adbusters has a specific socio-political goal: to influence and to change the opinions of the audience in order to ensure the continued existence of the planet! And if this involves making the audience feel bad about their lives, well, it's frankly only doing what advertisers have done for well over a century now.

So that's the why, but what about the how? By way of example, check out this excerpt from nihilistic horror author Thomas Ligotti (highly recommended, btw) and an excerpt from an Adbusters straight after. The lexis and position and feeling of utter bleakness is rather similar, but most of all, it is the construction of self-hatred in both narratives that is especially potent. Therefore, it isn't much of a stretch to argue that Adbusters uses the conventions of the horror genre to instil a sense of dread and helplessness in it's resolutely middle class target audience!

 

They were as strange as I had dreamed, more closely resembling devices of torture than any type of practical or decorative object. Their tall backs were slightly bowed and covered with a coarse hide unlike anything I had ever beheld; their arms were like blades and each had four semicircular grooves cut into them that were spaced evenly across their length; and below were six jointed legs jutting outwards, a feature which transformed each piece into some crablike thing with the apparent ability to scuttle across the floor. If, for a stunned moment, I felt the idiotic desire to install myself in one of these bizarre thrones, this impulse was extinguished upon my observing that the seat of each chair, which at first appeared to be composed of a smooth and solid cube of black glass, was in fact only an open cubicle filled with a murky liquid which quivered strangely when I passed my hand over its surface. As I did this I could feel my entire arm tingle in a way which sent me stumbling backward to the door of that horrible room and which made me loathe every atom of flesh gripping the bones of that limb. 

(Thomas Ligotti, Dreams of a Dead Dreamer 1989)

Or maybe what’s really terrifying are the microbeads in the toothpaste you are about to purchase, which brightens your smile and pollutes your waterways. Maybe it’s the toothbrush made from non-recyclable plastics. Maybe it’s the soft plastics that you are wearing right now, all the petroleum products that went into your shoes, all the child labor and poverty labor that went into the clothes you are wearing, or maybe it’s the propylene glycol in your deodorant or the BHT in your cereal or the palm oil in your mayo. Maybe what is absolutely chilling and blood-curdling is the fact you are so used to these crises and disasters in and around the things you eat, wear and use that you learned long ago to ignore reality. To recognize this reality would result in paralysis. Worse still, you feel powerless to do anything about it. 

(David Joez Villaverde, Save The Planet: Kill Yourself: A Guide To Living In The End Times, excerpted in Adbusters 125)

Zoe Sugg and binary oppositions

With absolutely every media product we have studied, the (post)structuralist theory of binary oppositions has been extremely useful in understanding how meanings have been created. For example,

• In Black Panther, the diametric opposition between good and evil is made abundantly clear to help the film succeed with the largest number of audiences possible
• Woman magazine utilises gender binaries to communicate the ideological perspective that men and women are fundamentally different, in order to cultivate a patriarchal hegemony
• In Les Revenants, the diametric opposition between life and death is fundamental to understanding the complex and inscrutable narrative
• In Seventeen Going Under, Fender uses the binary opposition between innocence and experience to draw attention to the fundamental societal issues that exist in certain impoverished parts of the north of England

However, a student raised the observation with me (thanks James!) that Zoe Sugg's output has no discernable binary oppositions whatsoever. After floundering for a moment, I realised that he was absolutely right. Here was an example of a media product with no discernable binary oppositions!

Rather than embracing binary oppositions and difference, the YouTube channel of Zoe Sugg actively seeks to avoid binary oppositions, presenting a clean, straightforward life free of any conflict. While Zoella struggles with mental health issues, even her anxiety is smoothed out and becomes less of a problem. By emphasising similarity as opposed to difference, a simple, straightforward and non-threatening message is constructed. 

This constructs a world for her audience where difficulty and complexity either do not exist, or have been eradicated. This sentiment is reflected in the output of her website, where simple books intended for younger readers are reviewed, generic fashion aesthetics are cultivated, and masturbation is discussed with a kind of giddy excitement. This is a reconstruction of a world without politics, philosophy, complex relationships and so on. This is clearly escapism, but it is not just an escape from the issues of life; it is a fundamental dissolution of every element of friction that makes life interesting. Without binary oppositions, we are left with an utter void.

Woman magazine and brand identity

Comparing and contrasting the brand identity of Vogue (July 1965) and Woman (23-29 August 1964)

Woman

• Simple costume that cultivates the image of a housewife 
• MES of airbrushing constructs a dominant patriarchal hegemonic value that women should be looked at, a clear stereotype
• MES of inviting facial expression constructs an address towards a working class target audience
• The lexis from the pull quote ‘British’ suggests a solely British target audience
• Purple background: bland and straightforward, constructing a straightforward audience
• The font of the masthead appears unprofessional, constructed through the handwritten font. This in turn constructs a more approachable mode of address

Vogue

• Elaborate costume
• Intimidating facial expression that idealises and idolises the cover model and functions as an aspirational mode of address
• Italian model… yet a southern Asian coded costume which constructs an international audience
• Background, blue and washed out connotes and anchors a sense of classiness and luxury 
• The font of the masthead is far more professional, not handwritten, cultivating a more serious and luxurious brand identity 

By targeting different audiences to Vogue, the producers of Woman of woman construct a brand identity and a unique selling point, and avoid the competition of Vogue 

Woman magazine: 1985 spot advert: ‘85 rebranding

How is the brand identity of the magazine evident? 

How has the magazine changed to reflect the social/ cultural context? 

Products must periodically rebrand to cultivate new and changing audiences 

• The advert matches the zeitgeist of the time. The style and aesthetic of the time period is constructed through the aesthetic. This includes the vivid neon lights and the cheesy pop song. Still targets a middle aged working class female audience. 
• There is an inference that women can drive cars, suggesting a progressive lifestyle for women…. In comparison to 1964. A shift in hegemonic ideologies. In '64, the hegemonic ideology was that women did not drive and were housewives

Exploring complex and subversive representations in Attitude Online

It’s Pedro Pascal’s birthday – here are the internet daddy’s top 5 best moments

The lexis ‘daddy’ refers to an older hegemonically attractive man. This term is specific to the queer community. Here the lexis and selection of images queer code this heterosexual actor in order to other him for the queer target audience. By constructing Pascal as a gay ally, a reality is constructed where straight people also believe in gay rights, and are comfortable with being lightly sexualised 

Taliban arrest LGBTQs – one a teenager – amid fears they’ll be ‘tortured’ to reveal others and executed

Here, straight people are constructed as dangerous and oppressive, and a force which continually victimise and other queer people. This article reinforces a reality where queer people are vulnerable

International Transgender Day of Visibility: 13 inspiring trans people share their stories as part of groundbreaking photo series

Visibility refers to forcibly bringing awareness to a certain marginalised groups. Examples of constructing visibility include parades, marches, wearing a flag and so on. The purpose of this article is simply to remind the target audience that trans people exist. Manuel Alvarado argued that certain groups are completely left out of representation, and that this process is called symbolic annihilation.  

Representation of women and the functions of advertising - a Woman magazine deep dive

 Exploring the importance of advertising and how representations are encoded and cultivated

The advertising in Woman magazine tends to construct simple and straightforward ideological perspectives pertaining to women, for example:

1. Women’s place in the home – wife and mother

2. Women don’t make important decisions 

3. Women are dependent on men for acceptance and protection

4. Women as sexual objects, and inferior to men

Breeze Soap

• The MES of the model’s full face of makeup connotes an extremely unrealistic beauty standard to the target audience. This is further emphasised through the complete lack of blemishes on her skin, cultivating a heteronormative, patriarchal hegemonic values that women serve only to look beautiful at any given time.
• This unrealistic image is cultivated further through the complete absence of the MES of the bath, positioning the target audience in a voyeuristic mode of address. The completely nude model’s body is emphasised, with her arms covering her breasts, drawing attention to them. Furthermore her body is wet and glistening, fetishizing her further by emphasising her curves. The image verges on pornographic or simply erotic, and this is anchored through the proairetic code of her kiss being blown in a seductive manner.
• “Because You’re A Woman” - repeated more than three times, emphasising the sociohistorical context, that women are expected to be spectacles for men. Additionally there is a conflation between cleanliness and femininity, that suggests that to be clean is synonymous and even metonymic of being a woman, constructing a stereotypical representation. It also conversely infers that if the reader is not clean then they are somehow less of a woman. 
• The voice constructed through the lexis is both patronising and potentially friendly. It could potentially be a man, for example the reader’s husband, or a close female friend
• However, the preferred dominant ideological perspective of the advert is that simply this woman is beautiful and is desirable, providing the target audience with an aspirational mode of address. 
• By using soap, the inference is that the target audience can exist in and participate in patriarchal society.
• The MES of the model’s highly performative makeup and style constructs a representation of a young hegemonically attractive. 
• The MES of the bubbles and the soap symbolises her cleanliness and purity, which constructs a stereotypical expectation of women. In order to be a woman one must be clean. This gender essentialism is reinforced through the lexis of “because you’re a woman”, repeated throughout the advert confirms societal expectations in a blunt and stubborn way
• Soap is an essential product that prevents illness. However, here, it is symbolic of femininity.
• The copy speaks to a highly impressionable audience, and uses a patronising mode of address with “darling you need breeze”. The tone of voice is perhaps stereotypically feminine yet reinforces and cultivates a relationship between the audience and the brand. 
• The model is vulnerable, completely nude, and apparently in a bath. However, the MES of the bath is removed, emphasising her completely naked. The curve of the models breasts and buttocks are clearly visible, positioning the audience in a voyeuristic mode of address. The image seems to resemble an adult model from a pornographic magazine such as playboy.
• The selection of a performatively sexually attractive model conflates cleanliness and sexual attractiveness. The model is significantly younger than the target audience. The sole purpose of this advert is forcing women to feel insecure about their bodies. 

How insecurity is cultivated through lexis in Woman magazine

Darling, you need breeze
Are you an A-level beauty
Makeup to work miracles
So easy even a girl can assemble it
Beauty at a moment’s notice  

Creme Puff by Max Factor

Positioning 

Anchorage

Voyeurism 

The male gaze

Spectacle

Dominant ideology

(Patriarchal) hegemony

Lexis

• A narrative is constructed through the progression of images, which resemble a comic strip, therefore anchoring a clear and concise perspective. 
• The female model resembles many different glamorous film stars, including Audrey Hepburn, creating intertextuality, and therefore an aspirational mode of address. As the Hitchcock article suggests, to be a film star was a popular dream for women at the time 
• The montage of images constructs a voyeuristic mode of address through the MES of the Man’s expression. His happy facial expression at seeing the back of a beautiful woman is almost fetishistic in it’s mode of address, yet reinforces a patriarchal ideology, that women are spectacles for men
• The woman is constructed as spectacle as she is being looked at by a man. This intradiegetic gaze constructs and emphasises her attractiveness and her desirability. Here, the function of makeup is to please a heterosexual male audience, reinforcing a simple straightforward and sexist representation of women. 
• In the copy “beauty at a moment’s notice” functions as a slogan, but also reinforces the patriarchal hegemonic norm that without makeup, women are undesirable. Therefore this avert cultivates a sense of anxiety, which is further cultivated and reinforced throughout the magazine and throughout contemporary ideology.
• The MES of the model’s tailored suit dress has connotations of both luxury and intelligence. The sophisticated mode of address is therefore associated with the product.
• The Lexis “beauty at a moment’s notice” suggests that the product can be used quickly and easily, which is particularly desirable to the working class target audience. In doing so, this advert suggests that the target audience may be working, which is somewhat unusual in the context of the time it was made. This idea of working may be anchored through the broadly professional lexis. Furthermore her outfit and the font are mature and sophisticated, suggesting a more sophisticated target audience. Finally the setting, while unclear, may be the lobby of an office, suggesting that the woman may have a job. The pearl necklace may be symbolic of her role as secretary. 
• The woman is the sole woman, isolated in a male environment. Yet she appears confident and glamourous, and even may be a referential code to romantic comedies. 
• The product is reasonably priced and targets a mass audience. Yet the advert connotes glamour and independence can only be achieved through appealing to the male gaze and self-subjugating for the dominant patriarchal hegemony. 
• There is a lack of wedding ring or any other signifying feature suggesting marriage. Perhaps this constructs an atypical representation of a slightly older unmarried woman.
• The setting is a date, with romantic connotations, and the potential of marriage. 
• The woman is completely distracted and immersed in putting makeup on in public, suggesting the importance of this process. Butler argues that putting on makeup is a ritual performance that constructs identity. Here the woman is able to effectively construct herself as a woman
• The anchorage of the man positioned behind the woman reminds the target audience of the reality of a constant male gaze. It suggests that women should be prepared to be looked at at every point of the day. 

Is media a tool of subjugation or an emancipatory device?  or, Why is Woman magazine so very sexist??

Why is Woman magazine so sexist? What possible advantages are there to propagating such a sexist ideology? 

• Reflects the socially accepted ideological perspective at the time it was made
• Representations are constructed by those with authority to manipulate their target audience 
• By reinforcing sexist stereotypes, the producers are clearly cultivating sexist, straightforward hegemonic standards of society 

Marx argued that everything was a tool of the bourgeoisie (those in power) to dominate the proletariat (those not in power) to control them. This ensures that the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor

However, bell hooks argues that financial, racial and gender-based prejudice are all linked 

In the 60s especially, media industries were dominated by men. By reinforcing these sexist ideological perspectives, a world is created where men are in charge, and women are subordinate

This process is called patriarchal hegemony, and Woman magazine is a tool of oppression  

By cultivating a sense of anxiety and worthlessness, a consumerist ideology is constructed, where all life’s problems can be solved through buying things. This highly manipulative mode of address was typical of the time that this product was distributed