2. How does the media influence
you?
LO: To explore David Gauntlett’s
theory of audience vs media
power and apply to our key films
3. David Gauntlett’s theories of
media power vs audience power
Gender & Identity theory
Who do you think has more power in the construction of someone’s identity
– the audience or the media?
4. Audiences are active
• Popular media has a significant relationship with people's
sense of gender and identity. Media messages are diverse
and contradictory. Rather than being zapped straight into
people's brains, ideas about lifestyle and identity that
appear in the media are resources which individuals use to
think through their sense of self and modes of expression.
Different aspects of popular media can aid or disturb these
processes of contemporary reorientation. Some critics say
that the media should offer traditional role models and
reassuring certainties, but this view is unlikely to survive.
Radical uncertainties and exciting contradictions are what
contemporary media, like modern life, is all about.
Do you agree with this?
5. Media power vs Audience power
• The power relationship between media and the
audience involves 'a bit of both', or to be more
precise, a lot of both. The media disseminates a huge
number of messages about identity and acceptable
forms of self-expression, gender, sexuality, and
lifestyle. At the same time, the public have their own
even more robust set of diverse feelings on these
issues. The media's suggestions may be seductive, but
can never simply overpower contrary feelings in the
audience. Neither the media nor the audience are
powerful in themselves, but both have powerful
arguments.What constructions/messages in our films could affect the audience’s identity?
What do the characters do that might make us think about our own behaviour,
appearance, lifestyle?
6. Fluidity of identity and the decline of
tradition
• Today the mass media is a force for change. The traditional view of
a woman as a housewife or low-status worker has been kick-boxed
out of the picture by the feisty, successful 'girl power' icons.
Meanwhile the masculine ideals of absolute toughness, stubborn
self-reliance and emotional silence have been shaken by a new
emphasis on men's emotions, need for advice, and the problems of
masculinity. Although gender categories have not been
shattered, these alternative ideas and images have at least created
space for a greater diversity of identities.
• Modern media has little time or respect for tradition. The whole
idea of traditions comes to seem quite strange. Why would we
want to do the same as previous generations? What's so great
about the past? Popular media fosters the desire to create new
modes of life.
Can you apply this to any
of the films we’ve
studied?
7. Girl Power
• One of the most obvious developments in recent pop culture has been the
emergence of the icons and rhetoric of 'girl power', a phrase slapped into
mainstream culture by the Spice Girls and subsequently incorporated into
the language of government bodies as well as
journalists, educationalists, culture critics, and pop fans themselves.
Magazines for young women are emphatic in their determination that
women must do their own thing, be themselves, and/or be as
outrageously sassy and sexy as possible. Several recent movies have
featured self-confident, tough, intelligent female lead characters . Female
pop stars sing about financial and emotional independence, inner
strength, and how they don't need a man; and the popular mantra of self-
help books is that women can become just as powerful as these icons, if
they cultivate their confidence and self-belief, and draw up a plan of self-
development. This set of reasonably coherent messages from a range of
sources - their clarity only disturbed by the idea that women can be
extremely tough and independent whilst also maintaining perfect make-
up and wearing impossible shoes - seems to have had some impact on the
identities of young women , as well as being very successful within pop
culture as an image/lifestyle idea.
Can you apply this to any
of the films we’ve
studied?
8. Masculinity in crisis
• Contemporary masculinity is often said to be 'in crisis';
as women become increasingly assertive and
successful, apparently triumphing in all roles, men are
said to be anxious and confused about what their role
is today. Signs that men’s magazines were about men
finding a place for themselves in the modern world.
These lifestyle publications were perpetually
concerned with how to treat women, have a good
relationship, and live an enjoyable life. Rather than
being a return to essentialism - i.e. the idea of a
traditional 'real' man, as biology and destiny 'intended‘
men's magazines have an almost obsessive relationship
with the socially constructed nature of manhood.
Can you apply this
to any of the films
we’ve studied?
9. Concept Tamara Drewe Fish Tank
Girl Power Diegetic dialogue:
‘Are you flogging
the place’, ‘yeah’
Beth throws plant
pot – prop/mise en
scene – informal
language - strong
Tracking shots of
Mia – following her
story
Power points of
Mum dancing
Mia street dancing
– body
language/competin
g with a male
dominated hobby
Masculinity in Crisis ‘in Graphics’?
‘You’re just a sex
object’ – man
objectified
Performance and
boy language – she
punches him – he’s
emasculated
High angle from the
window as men
arrived for party –
should be working
Connor’s silence at
Mia’s outburst
10. Theory Fish Tank Tamara Drewe
Decline in Tradition Costume of Mia – tracksuit - masculine
attire/wife beater
Single Mum – diegetic dialogue Connor –
‘What should I call you’
Two men in the abandoned field –
performance – aggressive/disrespectful
language – Mia fights back – quick
cuts/handheld/change in focus – tracking
– self centred teen
Teens –
deliquents/language/busstop/gossip
mags
Guy with hat – loses cool and swears –
not in control
Role reversal Beth/Andy ‘bird shit on the
seats’
‘Who is she’ – scene – Beth taking charge
Girl Power Tracksuit – non conformist
Rule of thirds/power points – confident
dancers – could be objectification??
Mia’s breakdancing – loud
music/ambient sound – masculine quality
– compete with a man
Low key lighting – darker side/can’t be
herself
Match on action of her dancing -
confidence
Tamara – power points/Cus/mid shots –
confident
‘You’re just a sex object’ – bar maid
objectifying him
Support from other women – ‘take him
to the cleaners’
Masculinity in Crisis Shorter takes on men – less
important to the narrative
Ambient sound of traffic drowns
out his dialogue – less important
Mia’s performance – facial
expression on opening door, hostile
– in control of situation
Shallow focus of mia in the tunnel –
her thoughts lead the narrative not
his actions
Toilet scene – facial
expressions/body language
– match on action/ split
screen represents
indecision…
11. Gauntlett’s theory
Theory FOR AGAINST
Decline in Tradition Independent teenager – fends
for herself
Tamara Drewe – rises above the
bullies to be a success
Fish Tank – lower class, on
benefits, stay at home single
Mum
WASP – relies on Dave to feed
them
Tamara Drewe – Beth –
stereotypical housewife
Girl Power FT – dresses like she wants
Tomboy –strength
TD – strong and independent
financially
WASP – provocative,
conforming – attention
seeking
TD – nose job!!!!!!!
WASP – not coping – man
rescues her
Masculinity in Crisis WASP – two women fighting –
man stands And watches
TD – affair made known – man is
left lost
WASP – Dave looks after them
TD – having the affair
FT – abusing his role and
sexuality
12. HMK
• 750 words on how Gauntlett’s theories apply
to our two key texts
• Use lots of micro evidence and PEE structure
13. HMK
• On your blogs post a reflective paragraph on
how Gauntlett’s 3 gender theories applied to
the clip on ‘My Name is Joe’ and the
representation of Britishness.
• &
• Watch RED ROAD
