Micro analysis of gender

1. Mad Men Evaluation
In series one, episode1 of the TV dramaMad Men, set in the late
1950s, thefirst scene is a tracking shot of a bar, which focuses on the
male lead sat at a table. In contrast to the busy surroundingsthe
man’simmediate environment seemsto be quite peacefuland he
even has his own table. This highlights the dominanceof males in the
advertisingindustry; he appearsto have special privileges and is not
expected to be amidstthe large and noisy crowd, all waiting to be
served.
A tracking shot is also used to show hierarchy in the office. Asthe
females are being followed around the male workersappear to be
undisturbed and solitary. This demonstratesthat the male characters
have the benefit of privacy and aretrusted to simply get on with the
task at hand, while the female characters may be subjected to endless
observation and even scrutiny.
An establishing shot is used to show the enormity of the cooperation
at the centre of the episode. As the camera tilts to focuson a high
office window this could be a metaphor demonstratingthat the males
have worked there way up to the top and are of a higher level than
the females who work there.
The next camera angle the audiencesees is a point of view shot, used
when the character is writingsomething down. This is also perhaps
to indicate dominance as the male’s standpointappearsto be looking
down on the situation, and it also conformsto the traditional
stereotype that men werehard workersand had the most important
jobs.
The theme of gender stereotypingis continued when one of the
female characters presentsa typewriter, commentingthat it is
“simpleenough for a woman to use”. This reflects the then
widespread opinion that understandingtechnology, and, in
particular, operating machinery, wasthe role of the male.
Nevertheless, there seems to be hierarchy in the females that work
for this corporation, which is expressed in a pointof view shot. The
moreexperienced female looks down on the typewriter, symbolising
her vantage pointon the other character. She has been there for
longer and is therefore of a higher level, with a better understanding

2. of how to succeed in this male dominated industry. Thehierarchy of
males is demonstrated at several pointsin the episode by usingthe
ruleof thirds; the male lead is often in the centre of the frame,
showing that males are at the centre of the action in this
establishment.