This document summarizes several film theorists and their theories: 1. Laura Mulvey's "Male Gaze" theory argues that camera angles in films typically objectify women from a heterosexual male perspective. 2. Roland Barthes' theory discusses the hermeneutic code, which creates mystery in films, and the proairetic code, which builds tension. 3. Claude Levi-Strauss' theory of binary opposition examines how conflict arises in media through opposing concepts like good vs. evil. 4. Tzvetan Todorov's theory outlines the 5 typical stages of narratives: equilibrium, disequilibrium, recognition, attempt to repair, new equilibrium. 5

1. THEORISTS
By Emma Wright

2. Laura Mulvelys theory
Laura Mulvey is a British feminist film theorist.
Laura Mulvelys theory is based around the ‘Male Gaze’ which is
how the camera angles move around the female from a
heterosexual males point of view which objectifies women as a
sexual object. Laura Mulvey is against this as she strongly
believes that the representation of women is unequal as women
are seen as to only be their for the pleasure of men.
Here is a quote from Laura Mulvey –
“In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has
been split between active/male and passive/female. The
determining male gaze projects its phantasy on to the female
form which is styled accordingly. In their traditional exhibitionist
role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with
their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so
that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness.”
― Laura Mulvey, Visual And Other Pleasures

3. Roland Barthes Theory
Roland Barthes theory is about the Hermeneutic
and Proairetic code. The hermeneutic code is how
through the whole film it will avoid telling the truth
or revealing all of the facts to create a mystery
and the audience are more attracted to the film as
they want to find out the mystery. The proairetic
code is how the tension is built up and the
audience is left guessing for what will happen next.

4. Claude Levi-Strauss Theory
Levi-Strauss theory is about Binary opposition
which means a pair of related terms or
concepts that are opposite in meaning. An
example of this in film is Good vs Evil, Boy
vs Girl, Young vs Old and Strong vs Weak.
Levis-Strauss theory is how conflict occurs in
the media due to binary opposition, which
makes the climax in the films.

5. Tzvetan Todorov Theory
Todorovs narrative theory is how all films follow
a certain story line by 5 steps:
1. Equilibrium – The happy beginning to a film.
2. Disequilibrium – a problem arises
3. Recognise the disruption – the characters start
to realise
4. Attempt to repair – the characters try to sort
everything out
5. New equilibrium – it is a happy ending.

6. Tessa Perkins Theory
Tessa Perkins theory explains how stereotyping is not
simple and contains a number of assumptions that can be
challenged.
Tessa Perkins identifies how all stenotypes are not always
negative, they are not always false, they can be held
about ones own group and they are not always about
minority groups or the less powerful.

7. Our Idea To Put In Our Short
Film
In our short film Roland Barthes theory will be the easiest as we will
be able to psychologically get to our audience as well by being able to
make enigmas for the audience to think about.
We will challenge Todorovs theory by not having a happy ending and
going straight into a cliff hanger which can also be linked with Roland
Barthes theory of leaving it as a mystery.
We will be able to also involve Levi-Strauss's theory by involving the
good people vs the bad people such as the girls vs the killer.