My 1b) answer

Within this essay I am going to discuss how we applied narrative theories to our final production in the advanced portfolio. The video my group and I looked at was Jeff Buckley’s ‘Hallelujah’.

Knowing that the video fell under the indie genre category but not quite knowing the conventions of the genre, we were first tasked with looking into existing media texts to understand how narrative was conveyed onto audiences, so we could have a grasp of what to expect ourselves. One of the videos we looked at was The Strokes ‘Someday’. The video was about living life in the moment, it was based around the bands everyday life, which ended up being centred heavily around a club where they would drink and smoke a lot. The use of cigarettes, drinking and gambling were all used represent this theme. As a group we liked the thought of using symbolic codes and enigmas to help drive the narrative. For example, as our video was very much centred about overcoming loss we had shot our video is an isolated location to show how after Laura’s passing how alone Will really was.  Having looked at Barthes’ symbolic code, which suggests that there is a great deal of symbolism within narrative text, we were then inspired to include these moments of ‘symbolism’ within out own video. We also juxtaposed the scene of the candle in Will’s room with the shot of the clothes on the floor to symbolise the intimacy between the couple without using any explicit content. In addition, we looked at Andrew Godwin’s theory that music videos are simply extensions of the lyrics. We put theory into action within the scene where Will is playing Laura a song and she interrupts him for her own personal gain. At the same time the lyrics play ‘but you don’t really care for music do ya?’ this was a key narrative moment as it showed how she did not care for Will’s talent or commitment she was just using him for her own enjoyment.

Being around at a time where conventions are constantly being challenged, we thought this was a good narrative prompt as it flipped the stereotypical gender roles within a heterosexual relationship as normally the male is the sexually driven counterpart but here the female is the culprit. This rejects Levi Strauss’ theory of binary opposites one how males and females socialise within relationship as women are usually quite moral in their actions and the males are the outgoing. This challenged the conventional stereotypes of relationships but conformed to the more recent music videos e.g. The Kooks ‘Naïve’ where the female sleeps with every guy in the club and ED Sheeran’s ‘A Team’ music video where the video is based around a hooker. In challenging the conventions within indie narratives, we have created a negative reputation of females as they are now sexually impulsive.

Where narrative structure is concerned we made sure we adhered to Todorov’s narrative theory where there is an equilibrium – disequilibrium – equilibrium (but things are not the same). This was a stylistic choice as we thought it would be easier for our audience to follow a set storyline. The choice to follow this structure also helped us conform to the conventions of a folk music narrative (a subgenre within the indie genre) as folk music videos usually tell very simple narratives that are easy for audiences to follow. Within narrative theory there are 5 codes introduced by Barthes. These are the enigma, action, semantic and symbolic codes. To keep our audience interested we wanted to make sure we had used the enigma code. For example, there is a scene where Laura is our getting drunk on her own and it begs the question for the audience as to ‘what she will do next?’ and ‘how will with affect Will?’. We showed our friends the video we had produced, and they liked the way the narrative portrayed the woman in the more dominant role as it helped push forward the change in conventions. This links to the hypodermic needle theory as the audience has established the link between the way in which the narrative played out and gender stereotypes.

To conclude, I believe that in our advanced portfolio we were able to create a music video that stuck to the traditional narrative conventions to appeal to our audience whilst using narrative codes to apply layers of meaning to the video and that these symbolisms were easily decodable for the audience. Overall, I am pleased at how creative we have been able to be as a group when producing the video and this could not have been possible without our extensive knowledge of narrative theories and media texts.

Essay Theorists and Contemporary examples.

GAUNTLETT- Gauntlett argues that identity is consciously constructed from the tools that the media give us. For example, women within film are now shown to be stronger and independent taking lead roles like in Wonder Woman 2017 and 'Rey' in the recent Star Wars films (2015-17) . However, they are still shown as emotional and emotionally driven as within Wonder Woman, when Steve dies she becomes very emotional and in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, 'Rey' creates an emotional connection with Kylo believing she could sway him back to the light.

GIDDENS- Giddens agues that there is a social structure which shapes our lives, such as traditions and moral codes, but it relies on individuals following these norms. Within the media there was usually this idea of having males as the 'bread winner' an the female is the nurturer. For example in the 1960s there was a Fairy Liquid advert that showed the woman at home washing up with her daughter, but in 2017 males were shown as the nurturers too. Nutella released an advert for pancake day in 2017 where the male can be seen to flipping pancakes with the children not just the mother.

BUCKINGHAM- 'Genre is not simply given by the culture, it is a constant state of change and negotiation.' He believes that due to the change within the media, identities are changing too. He believes the media show the bad side of the world which leads parents to stop their children going out. This increases children's exposure to TV and Computers increasing the level of change from the different cultures, views and opinions of which they are exposed to.  For example,

GERBNER-  'Cultivation Theory' He argues that the more we watch TV the more invisible it becomes. It changes viewers attitudes rather behaviour, this overexposure will have long term effects small, indirect but significant. There are 2 order effects: First order effects which adapt general beliefs about the world. 2nd order, changes specific attitudes and judgements. Creating 2 levels of viewers, light and heavy. Mean world syndrome. For example,

BAULDRILLARD- Hyperreality ' a condition in which "reality" s replaced with simulacra'  so simulations come along to replace the real representation. The bridge between real and simulation collapse and so the illusion is no longer there as the real object doesn't exist. For example,

Genderquake

1B exemplar analysis

Allocate marks as follows

14/25

Explanation, analysis argument  (max 10) 7

Examples (Max 10) 5

Terminology (Max 5) 2

What would you award for the analysis

In question 1(b) you must write about one of your media productions.
(b) Apply the concept of representation to one of your coursework productions [25]

The issue of representation refers to the portrayal of people, actions and events through the medium’ of the media’. The issue often surrounds itself with topics involving; Race, Age and gender.
The main task set out to us through the A2 period of my course was the production of a music video, to accompany a song of our choice. The song I chose was ‘Evening/Morning’ by ‘Bomay Cycle Club’, with the chosen genre being Indie. Following the conventions of my genre, I chose to portray a narrative based music video with the narrative basing itself around the story of a boy and a girl going on a date. The narrative centres itself on how the pair prepare themselves, and the issue of gender representation is clear throughout.
One theorist that can be applied to my music video is Laura Mulvey and her theory of the Male Gaze. This theory surrounds itself with the voyeuristic nature of the media, with regards to the objectification of females, and the pleasure that a male viewer may get when watching the video.
This theory can be applied to my video in a number of different ways. Firstly, the inclusion of the female character
in itself immediately applies that the Male Gaze may be relevant. The very presence of a female character is likely to lead some males into watching the video purely to see the female presence. Furthermore, the idea that the camera has been placed by the director in her house suggests that the society is quite intimate. The camera trails the female around her house, which impedes on her personal space are suggests the idea of voyeurism, to watch for pleasure, within the video. Furthermore, the practice of cutting back and forth between her as she changes clothes is very invasive of her privacy. This stage is considered quite a personal aspect of a girls life, and the fact that the male audience is able to see this firmly suggests that the female character is being represented as a visual object. Comparatively, the male temari in the sake outfit as the temari still. The camera remains stationary and as a result personal space is not really intruded on with regards to the male. The constant presentation of long shots onto the male, compared to close ups on the female highlights this further, suggesting a much more provocative and involving view of the female, representing her clearly as a sexual object.
A second theory that can be applied to my music video was suggested by Antonio Gramsci. His theory is centred around the lack of dominant ideololgies within society, and the presence of hegemonic norms.
This theory is relevent to my video in a number of ways. Firstly with regards to the male character, he is represented as an uncaring and as a result, quite macho manly figure. He remains stationary and playing video games, making little effort to prepare for the date. Comparatively, the female character spends the majority of the video rushing around preparing for the date, clearly with a look of stress and excitement. This represents a dominant ideology heartfelt, loving caring figures, whereas male characters are often much less romantically involved and are much more focused on other things. As mentioned, the representation of women as voyeuristic sex objects is also considered a dominant ideology within society, a trait often played on by the media.

In conclusion, as suggested, my video included a number of features which can be discussed in terms of representational issues, perhaps note more so then the representation of women as an object of men’s sexual pleasure.

I gave this essay 14/25 as the candidate coherently explains their points but sadly only focuses on one area of representation limiting themselves to the amount of theory available for them to use. The candidate also doesn't give many different examples only referencing their own video not comparing with other media texts to show how they have reinforced or challenged the modes of representation. 

Revision for 1B

·      Genre - a style of art, music or literature. 

·    Narrative - a spoken or written account of connected events; a story.

·    Representation-the description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way.

·    Audience - the assembled spectators or listeners at a public event such as a play, film, concert, or meeting.

·    Media language - Media language refers to the ways in which media producers make meaning in ways that are specific to the medium in which they are working and how audiences come to be literate in ‘reading’ such meaning within the medium.    

•Camera work

Close up of hanging phone links to barthes enigma code, as it shows the relationship is over the phone line is dead.

ECU of the dead flies, todorovs disequilibrium she's returning to a place where she's felt a lot of pain its been left how it was ( Ms.Havisham esc). 

•Sound

Hello from the other side, when she is on the phone links to todorovs narrative theory about the recognition that there has disruption of the equilibrium because she is trying to reach out. 

The faint sound of the dialogue behind the music Semantic code allows us to understand the strength of the relationship 

•Editing

B&W overlay to show she is going to be reminiscing about the past. Barthes symbolic code as B&W usually symbolises flashbacks or past events. 

•Mis en scene

use of closing cell phone, barthes action code as the closing of the phone is there to show the man is done with trying. Cultural codes to an extent. 

•Additionally identify aspects of narrative using theory Todorov and Barthes

(2014) (b) Apply the concept of genre to one of your coursework productions. [25]

Make sure you have a line of argument and plenty of examples to back them up.

Genre

The music video belongs to the indie genre but within this genre exist other sub genres

which our video can be associated with i.e. pop, folk rock and rock as a

generalisation. Seeing as the song for our video belongs to a genre where the sub

genres have many overlapping conventions it was easy to apply them to our 

production. One of the conventions for folk music is that is it quite religious and seeing

that song itself is based of a biblical story bout the affair between Bathshba and David

we included repeated close ups of candles within our video as they have a symbolic link

to religion in their use during prayers. The candles can also be seen within Jeff

Buckley's video for 'Hallelujah'. The candles have a metaphysical link as well as within

the song Buckley references the 'light' which connote the light from the gates of

heaven. This links to Barthes symbolic code. We also appeal to the pop genre

convention of having a love based narrative, or example in Robbie William's 'Angels'

where he compares his lover to angel. Within our video however, the narrative links 

more to a broken love as established by the story of an affair within the lyrics. In our 

video we break the stereotypical conventions of a typical romance stories as we have 

included an LGBTQ couple within our video to challenge the heterosexual norms, as 

well as this, we have also challenge the conventions within a stereotypical heterosexual 

relationship with the female having more of the power as seen in the wide shot of Laura 

throwing the ring across the stream. This links to Queer theory as we have challenged the norms
of heterosexual relationships and expanded the representation of those who do not conform to
traditional gender roles. 

With the narrative story being about love and tragedy it links heavily to todorovs narrative 

theory. For example there is an equilibrium at the beginning with the characters being

initially engaged, we then have the disequilbrium as their loan is declined so the

marriage is called off resulting in the two falling apart. This part of the narrative links to

Barthes semantic code as it informs the audience of the state of the relationship. There

is then the recognition of the issue as young Will tries to find Laura to resolve the issue

but instead catches her cheating. The resolution comes when older Will can finally put

the memories of his ex fiancé to rest alongside her grave and this leads back to an

equilibrium but things are no longer the same. The way we have edited our video by

using a B&W overly for the flash backs also has helped us establish the genre. The

overlay gives our video a retro feel which is a code linked with the indie genre as B&W

often has connotations of the past and looking back at what was, which is precisely

what we have used it for in our video as Will is looking back on his past relationship.

This links to Barthes symbolic code as Will reminiscing on the past which shows he is

not over the relationship. We also used unsaturated colours within our music video as

this is a convention of the indie and rock genre, it is seen within Sundara Karma's

'young understanding' music video and sets this serious tone and this is something that

we felt we needed to include as it helps the audience understand we are dealing with

some difficult themes. Themes such as affairs and abuse within the relationship which

are prominent in pop songs about love for example Kelly Clarksons 'Because of you'.      

We have established the genre through our used of costumes, usually denim, borg 

Jackets and ripped jeans heavily feature in the costumes for indie music videos and so

we have incorporated this style into the video so the audience recognise the genre. We filmed in a
rural area away from a big town and this helped reinforce this theme of love as it makes the
couple seem like the world revolves around them. This was similar to what was seen in Adele's
'Hello' video  as the the locations is completely isolated. 

When we asked our focus group what they expected from a romance video they spoke of their
being a break up involved. As the video is based on Will looking back on his past relationship we
were able to use Barthe's open ended narrative as on the one hand we have the story of the young
couple and then as well as this we have the elderly mans story and how he's coping with the scars
of the relationship. This will appeal to our audience as they will be seeing something that they
expected from the genre.