Queer Representation in Film and Television

1. Harry M. Benshoff and Sean Griffin, in their book Queer Cinema: the film reader, elaborate three general criteria for identifying cultural products as queer.  What are they?

Auters (created by queer people), forms (concerned with queer issues) and reception (embraced by queer community).

1. What are "queer aesthetics"?  Summarise Benshoff and Griffin's definitions in your own words.

'Camp' is considered as a queer aesthetic. It's been shown in the media by the likes of song artists like Janelle Monae and the Scissor Sisters. It's often seen as quite flamboyant, bold and exaggerated way of behaving, with their visual style being easy to recognize in the queer community.

1. What reasons do the authors give for queer audiences to identify with mainstream texts?

In 1999, a show called 'Queer as as Folk' was shown by Channel 4. It recieved good reviews by the gay community and the mainstream press. The gradual increase in high profile shows staring the gay community has enabled the audience to identify with the themes in the show and become more relevant in society.

1. What does Vito Russo argue about the portrayal of gays and lesbians in Hollywood films?

It has been homophobic and cruel.

1. What is an archetype?

A typical example of something or someone.

1. What is the Hayes code?

Moral code that introduced film censorship to the US that had the general principles:

- No picture shall be produced that will lower the moral standards of those who see it. Hence the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin.

- Correct standards of life, subject only to the requirements of drama and entertainment, shall be presented.
- Law, natural or human, shall not be ridiculed, nor shall sympathy be created for its violation.

1. Why did some people in the gay community dislike the film "Brokeback Mountain"? 

The fact the men in the film were straight acting in gay roles, barely having sex and accepting their feelings and desires is not considered a gay movie to their community.

1. What was the intention of New Queer Cinema?

To challenge the idea that queer legitimacy could only come from assimilation into mainstream heterosexual society.

Leveson Inquiry

What was the Leveson Inquiry?

Is judicial public inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the British press.

Why did it take place?

The News International phone hacking scandal. It emerged that thousands of people had been victims of press intrusion.

When did it take place?

2011-2012

What did it recommend?

New self-regulation body recommended

Independent of serving editors, government and business

It should take an active role in promoting high standards

The body should be independent of current journalists, the government and commercial concerns, and not include any serving editors, government members or MPs.

Newspapers that refuse to join the new body could face direct regulation by media watchdog Ofcom.

''Bradley raises doubts about press-police relations inquiry''


Karen Bradley revealed that the government is to start a conversation an two issues involving press regulation. One, the cost of provisions for the victims of phone hacking. Two, Leveson ''part two'' into police wrongdoing. She stated that the cost of the investigations, and the implementation of part one would cost a total of almost £50 million pounds, so the government are unsure whether to do part two. Karen said that if they were to investigate part two, it would have to be ''appropriate, proportionate and in the public interest''
Bradley commented further saying that ''politicians must not seek to muffle the press or prevent it doing legitimate work''.
Tom Watson said that what Bradley was effectively doing was covering up a cover-up.
The potential cancellation of part two of the Leveson Inquiry betrayed the promises made to the victims of press abuse, stated Evan Harris.

Q1B - Audience Summarised

Hypodermic Needle Theory - Frankfurt School - Germany between the wars 20s and 30s - the rise of Hitler and the influence of the mass media on the public - related to film - also known as the effects model - audience is passive.

Cultivation Theory - George Gerbner - keep seeing a representation on the media and it reinforces a stereotype- people who watch soaps think there is more divorce in society than there actually is - tv and advertising - passive audience.

Roland Barthes - Myths are created in society by the media.

2 Step Flow - Paul Lazarsfel - opinion leaders influence society more than the original text does - this relates to film critics influencing you to watch a movie .

Uses and Gratifications - a text can inform, entertain, cause you to identify with the characteristics in the text, meet your social needs.

Stuart Hall - Reception Theory - Texts are created by producers with a meaning in mind that might be  read differently by an audience due to their social or cultural backgrounds - Preferred or dominant reading, oppositional reading and negotiated reading - (oppositional would be: if a sympathetic character in a soap has an affair then an audience of very religious Christians would no like the character anymore)

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - media texts meet the needs of an audience - e.g. some car ads sell the car on its safety; aftershave adverts sell sex; Coke adverts sell the idea of friendship.

BBFC History

1.       What year was the BBFC founded? 

1912

2.       What was the original name of the BBFC? 

British Board of Film Censors

3.       Who actually had power to license and screen films, regardless of the BBFC’s advice? (This power was given by the 1909 cinematograph act) 

Local Authorities

4.       What were the first two age certificates given? 

U & A

5.       How many reasons did T.P O’Connor list upon which a film could be ‘deleted’?

43

6.       Who was the chief censor in the 1940s and 1950s? 

Arthur Watkins

7.       What Marlon Brando film causes big problems between the BBFC and it’s distributor? 

The Wild One

8.       Who was the next chief censor? 

John Trevelyn

9.       What certificate was ‘Garden of Eden’ eventually reclassified as? 

 A

10.       What is the name of the controversial film featuring the first full example of male nudity/

Women In Love

BBFC Case Study

1) A brief history of the BBFC - how it was founded, how it's role has changed.

The BBFC is a non-government, non- profit company that was founded in 1912, and was originally called the British Board of Film Censors. Initially, local authorities were the people who were licensing films, but the BBFC was made to standardise all ratings of films around the UK. The first two ratings used by the BBFC were U & A. In 1916, T.P. O'Connor , the newly appointed president, made a list of 43 reasons for film to either be cut or deleted. These included things like 'Cruelty to animals', 'Nude figures' & 'References to controversial politics'. This was to gain the trust of the public. Nowadays, it's role has changed to protecting children and the rating are used by parents to gauge whether the film is suitable for their child. 

2) What case studies (key films or events) have caused these changes at the BBFC?

In 1954, the film 'The Wild One' was denied classification for thirteen years as the BBFC thought the film was a 'spectacle of unbridled hooliganism'.
'A Rebel Without A Cause' caused controversy for showing anti-social behaviour and teen violence.
'The Garden of Eden' - had scenes containing female nudity. It was eventually given an A rating.
'Straw Dogs' featured a sexual violence in the form of a rape scene.
'A Clockwork Orange'  had scenes of violence, criminal activity, rape and anti-social behaviour that was deemed imitable by the BBFC.
'The Devils' included ' strong violence and sexual nudity' and was believed to be blasphemous by the christian community. It was cut many times before it was given the rating of an 18.

3) What the key pieces of legislation are that govern how the BBFC works as a regulator.

Cinematograph Act - Local councils are charge of whether cinema's provide or withhold licenses in their area (1909)

'H' certificate is introduced, letting the audience know if the movie has a horror theme or not (1932).

Changes to the 'Cinematograph Act' mean the first compulsory film rating is issued, 'X'. No one under the age of sixteen could view these films (1952).

Obscene Publications Act - A law that makes it an offence to publish content whose effect will tend to ''deprave and corrupt'' the majority of the audience (1959).

'X' rating is changed from a sixteen to an eighteen. 'U', 'A' & 'AA' are introduced (1970).

BBFC establish the 'PG', '15', '18' & 'R18' certificates(1982).

Video Recording Act -  All videos sold in the Uk must be given a certificate by the Home Office, most likely the BBFC (1984).

The '12' rating is added. Tim Burton's Batman is the first film to be given a '12' (1989).

In cinema's, the '12' rating is replaced with '12A', allows children younger than twelve to see '12' related content (2002).


4) How the BBFC is different today than it was at other times in it's history.

5) How does the BBFC classify and rate films today? (What are the certificates and what is allowed in each)

U- A 'U' rating means the film is suitable for people aged four and over.

PG- Anyone can view a 'PG', but some in scenes young children might be unsettled by the content shown. Ages 8 or older is the general rule. 

12/12A- '12' means no one under the age of twelve can view or purchase videos with this certificate. A '12A' certificate refers to films being shown in the cinema. If an adult accompanies the child during the showing then they may enter. Adults should take into consideration whether the film is suitable for their child.

15- Simply, no one under fifteen years of age can view or buy films with this certificate.

18- Since eighteen is the age you are seen to become an adult, people of that age should be allowed to make their own choices. For this reason, anyone over the age of eighteen can rent, buy or view '18' rated content.

6) What challenges the BBFC has going forwards, how it's role has changed?


Due to recent development in technology and the internet, people can now view films legally and illegally at home with no regulation. A twelve year old can watch a '15', a fifteen year old can watch an '18'. The BBFC only have control over films shown on cinema and released on Blu-Ray & DVD. So, they can only give age certificates to those films. VOD services like Netflix and Amazon Prime are legally able to stream content without having to show an age rating before hand, meaning anyone can access anything. 100 years ago, the local councils had tight control over what was shown and what wasn't, now they have none. Some companies ask for their film to be given a classification, but the large majority of them don't. This a problem for the BBFC as they can't govern who sees what, unless a law comes into effect where services like Netfilx have to give an age rating on the films they have. Even if that were to happen, no one would be able to control what gets viewed online, the internet is so large that to control all of it would be far too difficult to do. The BBFC would have to find a way of limiting what websites can be access, which is almost impossible.

Professor Martin Barker - Media Magazine Clips

1. What is Martin Barker’s approach to studying Audiences and how they view media texts?

Who you are matters (attitudes, preferences)

You bring your attitudes with you to the cinema

2. What is the effects tradition?
1. What is cultivation theory?

The idea that people spend more time living in the television world than real life.

3. What is Martin Barker’s main criticisms of the effects tradition?

Lab experiments produce unrealistic behaviours

4. What does Martin Barker think is the problem with most research and theory into the effects of screen violence?

Reading too far into things.

5) Why isn’t the screen violence in the Pulp Fiction scene with Jules and Vincent and Marvin the drug dealer shocking to a lot of people?

They are desensitised to the violence.

1. Why do some people find it funny?

Because it's a combination of violence and non-violence.

6)  What does Martin Barker state are the effects of the depiction of ‘real’ violence on screen?

It develops people as citizens and the can learn what kind of person they want to be.

1. How do you think these differ from the effects of fictional screen violence?

Because people know it's not real they don't feel as strongly towards it.

7)  According to Martin Barker, what are Moral Panics

When the media are blamed for doing something.

1. What was the stated reason that the ‘‘Action’ comics were withdrawn from sale in the 1970s? And what was the reason Barker suggests it might have really been banned?

Governing Bodies in the Media

BBFC

The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) is responsible for the national classification and censorship of films shown or released in the UK. They ensure that each film has been observed by at least one examiner and then given a suitable age rating depending on their content.

Website - http://www.bbfc.co.uk/

OFCOM

OFCOM (Office of Communications)  is the communications regulator in the UK. They regulate the TV, radio, video on demand, mobiles, postal services, etc.

Website - http://www.ofcom.org.uk/

IPSO

IPSO are the independent regulator for newspapers and magazines in the UK. 

They make sure that both the newspapers and magazines follow the Editors' Code (a set of rules that the papers have agreed to abide by), investigate complaints made and can publish changes if they breach that code.

Website - https://www.ipso.co.uk/

IMPRESS

Impress is an independent press regulator based in the UK. They allow the newspapers to publish sensitive content whilst managing the complaints from the audience.

Website - http://impress.press/

ASA

 ASA ( The Advertising Standards Authority) is the independent regulator of advertising across all media platforms. Their aim is to make every ad in the UK 'responsible' so that people, society and advertisers are all satisfied.

Website - https://www.asa.org.uk/

VSC

VSC (The Video Standards Council) is the administrator for the PEGI system rating for video games and responsible for age rating games receive in the UK. It also acts as a governing body for video game companies to ensure they are treating their customers correctly.

Website - http://videostandards.org.uk/VSC/

BBC Trust

The BBC Trust is the independent governing body for the BBC. It ensures that the BBC is following its remit of educate, entertain and inform and it is treating its licence fee payers fairly and correctly,

Website - http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/

Tzvetan Todorov: Structural Critic

Bulgarian
Not a film critic
Structural critic
Equilbrium (Status quo) -- Disruption -- Recognition -- Reparation -- Re-equilibrium

Spiderman (2002)

Equilibrium - Peter Parker is normal kid who lives with uncle and aunt.

Disruption - He gets bitten by a radioactive spider whilst on a school trip.

Recognition - Peter wakes up the next day to find he has the powers of a spider.

Re-equilibrium - Peter lives with his powers for a few weeks.

Disruption - Uncle gets killed by car burglar

Recognition - Peter finds dying uncle and stays with him until he dies

Reparation - Peter finds car burglar and accidentally forces him out of a window.

Re-equilibrium - Peter now lives with his aunt and has graduated from college.

Disruption - Green Goblin (main antagonist) comes into the picture and attacks people at parade.

Recognition - Peter notices a threat is coming before everyone else and changes into his costume

Reparation - Spiderman defeats Green Goblin and saves Mary-Jane from falling.

Re-equilibrium - Mary-Jane are safe and their doing their respective jobs.

Roland Barthes - Semiotician

Enigma Code - Mystery. Clues dropped but aren't answered.
E.g. Mine Games, we don't know why the woman is locked is a cell and we want to find out why.

Action Code - Adds suspense and combat to the narrative.
E.g. The Avengers, Loki fights Captain America.

Referential Code - People of the same culture understands something of a text because its significant and relatable to their experiences.
E.g. James Bond, shots of parliament and Central London .

Semantic Code - An extra layer of meaning on top of the literal meaning. 
E.g.  

Symbolic Code - Contrast, character development, creates greater meaning. 
E.g. City of God, the protagonist is in between the gang and the police.

Claude Levi Strauss - Binary Opposites

Good vs Bad

Protagonist vs Antagonist

Civilised vs Savage

Young vs Old

Man vs Nature

Good Looking vs Ugly

Man vs Woman

Democracy vs Dictatorship

E.g. Star Wars. The Rebels vs The Empire.

The Avengers vs Loki 

Marty McFly vs Biff Tannen 

Applying Narrative Theorist to The Hunger Games

The Hero - Katniss Everdeen

The Princess - Peta Mallark

Donor (& Helper) - Haymich 

The Villain - The Capitol 

E - In District life 

D - The draw 

R - Primrose Chosen

R - Katniss volunteers

R-E - Katniss fights

Enigma - Will she survive

Action - Bow and arrow draw, training scene

Referential - Corrupt government 

Savage vs Civilised

State vs People

Male vs Female 

Rich vs Poor

Digital Technology

Creativity

Research and Planning

Research:

Existing Texts (Codes and Conventions): 

Iconography - Guns, drugs, blood, false accusations, murder

Setting - Rave/party, large crowded cities, streets with neon signs, estates, sordid living quarters.

Narrative - Rivalry with gangs, focus on the lives of criminals, warped idea of the 'American Dream'.

Style - Noir, Heist, 'Hood', Mafia

Themes - Murder, Power, Drugs, Money, Mystery

Order of Credits:
Memento -

Distribution company
Production company

The Silence of the Lambs  -
Distribution company
Production company

Se7en -
Distribution company
Production company

Saw -
Production company
Distribution company

The Stepfather -
Distribution company
Production company

Music:
Copyright Free Website - LGFL network
Other Films

Call Sheet:

Mise-En-Scene:

Script:

Audience:

Storyboard:Location Research

Post-Production

Using Conventions From Real Media Text