2. 1. Auteur Theory: The concept of the auteur—of the filmmaker as
artist and author of his or her works—began in Paris, where
filmmakers and critics reacted to the industrialization of filmmaking
in the United States and Europe.
In simpler terms the auteur is the
full creator of their work and Is
seen more as an author than a
writer of their work and they
take credit for creating it how
they envisioned.
Truffaut famously claimed "there are no good or bad
films. Only good or bad directors." Why?
The theory is that a director isn't necessarily a film
artist. But an auteur is.
Indie Film Hustle. (July 28, 2021). What is Auteur Theory? –
Definition and Examples. Available:
http://www.neilstoolbox.com/bibliography-creator/reference-
website.htm. Last accessed 9th september 2021.
MasterClass staff. (Aug 26, 2021 ). Film 101: What Is an
Auteur? Learn About Auteur Theory. Available:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/film-101-what-is-an-
auteur. Last accessed 9th september 2021.
3. 2. Reception Theory: Stuart Hall developed reception theory, popularly known as
Audience Theory or reader’s reception theory, in 1973. His essay ‘Encoding and Decoding
Television Discourse’ focuses on the encoding and decoding of the content given to the
audience no matter the form of media such as magazines/papers, television/radios, games.
The reception theory concept points out that, a movie, book, or game events though it has
none/some inherent meaning, the audience who watch them or experience it make a
meaning. The audience comes into an understanding of the happenings of the text or screen.
anon. (January 4, 2020). Reception Theory. Available:
https://www.communicationtheory.org/reception-theory/. Last accessed 9th
september 2021.
4. 3. The hypodermic needle model:
anon. (unknown). Hypodermic Needle theory. Available: https://revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-
revision/media-studies-level-revision/hypodermic-needle-theory. Last accessed 9th September
2021.
The Hypodermic needle theory is a linear communication theory that suggests that media messages are injected
directly into the brains of passive audiences.
In this theory the media is seen as powerful and able to ‘inject’ ideas into an audience who are seen as weak and
passive and could be influenced by a message. In Nazi Germany in the 1930’s and during World War 2 films were
used to ‘inject’ propaganda ideas promoting the Nazi cause to the German audience. Today we still see party
political broadcasts on television during elections.
The Hypodermic theory comes from a fear of the mass media, and gives the media much more power than it can
ever have in a democracy. The concept ignores the idea that not everyone in an audience behaves in the same
way. How can an audience be passive –there will be many times when you have disagreed with something you
have seen on television or failed to laugh at a comedy show or just thought a TV programme was terrible.
5. 4. The male gaze
The male gaze describes a way of portraying and looking at women that empowers men while sexualizing and diminishing women.
While biologically, from early adolescence on, we are driven to look at and evaluate each other as potential mates, the male gaze
twists this natural urge, turning the women into passive items to possess and use as props. The term "male gaze" was first
popularized in relation to the depiction of female characters in film as inactive, often overtly sexualized objects of male desire.
sexualized objects of male desire.
However, the influence of the male gaze is not limited to how women and girls are featured in the movies. Rather, it extends to the
the movies. Rather, it extends to the experience of being seen in this way, both for the female figures on screen, the viewers, and
figures on screen, the viewers, and by extension, to all girls and women at large.
In order to understand the male gaze, you need to recognize it. Typical examples are female film characters whose main purpose
characters whose main purpose in driving the plot seems to be to be attractive, sexy, and/or to feed the sexual interest or agenda
feed the sexual interest or agenda of the male characters. They wear heels and tight dresses (even if they are police detectives
(even if they are police detectives who may need to pursue a suspect)
Sarah Vanbuskirk. (April 22,
2021). What Is the Male
Gaze?. Available:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-
is-the-male-gaze-5118422. Last
accessed 9th september 2021.
6. Taylor and Francis . (2014). unknown. In:
don.w.stacks an integrated approach to
communication theory and research . unknown:
google. 592.
This book talks about lots of types of reception
which is the main aspect of the hypodermic
needle theory as its what's seen is believed
without question and links it into television and
how I affects people's views on things they
haven’t done research into.
7. Elihu Katz . (2017). unknown. In: elmo
roper personal influence . unknown: Taylor and
Francis . 434.
This quote is a great example as it talks about family members
listening to their elder's opinion and taking it for absolute fact
and letting it sway their opinion without even doing their own
research on the matter and just doing what they're told.
8. The classic case study cited to support this view is the famous
radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds by Orson Welles on
Halloween of 1938. In this episode of a radio drama series aired by
Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), the programme was
“interrupted” by an urgent announcement of a Martian invasion in
progress. The realistic portrayal of the story had purportedly
sparked widespread panic throughout the country and was taken
as further proof that the media had the power to control
audiences. However, the lack of empirical studies led some
scholars to question this model, which was based on many
assumptions unsupported by research. Using the example of The
War of the Worlds critics pointed out that there was no actual
empirical data on how widespread the panic was and suggested
that the newspapers that reported it could be exaggerating.
MWENGENMEIR. (unknown). The Hypodermic Needle. Available:
https://opentextbc.ca/mediastudies101/chapter/the-
hypodermic-needle/. Last accessed 15th September.
9. he hypodermic or magic bullet theory hypothesises that a media message can
be shot directly into the brains of its audience, who then wholly accepts the
message and was the founding work of Harold Laswell (1927) in response to
examination of media and its affects utilised in the First World War.
This theory widely debunked from the 1940’s onwards by Paul Lazarsfeld
amongst others, who claimed a two-step communications flow was more
realistic, whereby messages were received and interpreted by opinion leaders.
These opposing theories occurred at a time when main media was prevalent
in the form of printed press, radio and television, and was utilised by
governments and major organisations to transmit their message.
Watch video on Hypodermic Needle Model/Magic Bullet Theory:
unknown. (2020). The Power of Social Media: A modern examination of the
hypodermic needle/magic bullet theory. Available:
https://campuspress.stir.ac.uk/ljgblogprepp22/2020/07/07/the-power-of-
social-media-a-modern-examination-of-the-hypodermic-needle-magic-bullet-
theory/. Last accessed 15th September
