TheoriesTheories

Task

Task

You should pick a music

You should pick a music

video from the genre

video from the genre

that you have chosen to

that you have chosen to

create and analyse it

create and analyse it

using the following

using the following theories. Do this in a

theories. Do this in a

PowerPoint that you can

PowerPoint that you can

then upload onto

then upload onto slideshare and embed it

slideshare and embed it

like this onelike this one

GenreGenre

Jason Mittell (2001)

Jason Mittell (2001) argues argues

that industries use genre to

that industries use genre to

sell products to audiences.

sell products to audiences.

Media producers use

Media producers use familiar codes and

familiar codes and conventions that very often

conventions that very often

make references to their

make references to their audience knowledge of

audience knowledge of society and other media

society and other media textstexts. – . – Is this true in the video

Is this true in the video

you are looking at? Have they

you are looking at? Have they

used conventions from similar

used conventions from similar

videos and referenced society?

videos and referenced society?

Christian Metz (1974)

Christian Metz (1974) argued argued

that genres go through a

that genres go through a typical cycle of changes during

typical cycle of changes during

their lifetime. -

their lifetime. - Is this true? Is this true?

Look at a video from 10 years

Look at a video from 10 years

ago from the same genre, are

ago from the same genre, are

they similar in any way?

they similar in any way? What are the differences in

What are the differences in

conventions? Remember to

conventions? Remember to

tell me what video you are

tell me what video you are

comparing this to.

comparing this to.

NarrativeNarrative

NarrativeNarrative

Narrative =

Narrative = The storyThe story

TodorovTodorov’’s narrative theorys narrative theory

Bulgarian structural linguist who made a great Bulgarian structural linguist who made a great contribution to narrative studies from the 1960contribution to narrative studies from the 1960’’s s onwardsonwards

Todorov argued that a story goes through stages of Todorov argued that a story goes through stages of transformation that lead to a conclusion.transformation that lead to a conclusion.

  

Todoro

vTo

doro

v

He suggests that the story begins with

He suggests that the story begins with

a situation that is then disrupted by

a situation that is then disrupted by

an action and finally a new

an action and finally a new

situation is created.

situation is created.1.1. Equilibrium or normality

Equilibrium or normality

2.2. Disruption of the equilibrium

Disruption of the equilibrium

by a significant action or an

by a significant action or an

event by event by ‘‘Agents of disruption

Agents of disruption’’

3.3. Recognition of the disruption

Recognition of the disruption

4.4. Attempt to repair the

Attempt to repair the

disruption

disruption 5.5. Return to equilibrium or

Return to equilibrium or

normality for main protagonist.

normality for main protagonist.

One factor that to consider is that

One factor that to consider is that

the fourth stage, the attempt to

the fourth stage, the attempt to

repair the disruption can be

repair the disruption can be

repeated repeated over and over

over and over again until again until

there is a restoration of the

there is a restoration of the

EquilibriumEquilibrium

Die

Hard

Die

Hard

1.1. Equilibrium – John McClain is a

Equilibrium – John McClain is a

tired NY cop living in a safe and

tired NY cop living in a safe and

happy, protected city.

happy, protected city.

2.2. Disruption – A bomb is planted

Disruption – A bomb is planted

in a School, and the terrorists

in a School, and the terrorists

ask for McClain to work the

ask for McClain to work the

case.case.3.3. The disruption is recognised i.e.

The disruption is recognised i.e.

the Bank Robbery is the real

the Bank Robbery is the real

heist. heist. 4.4. The attempt to restore/repair

The attempt to restore/repair

the Equilibrium is McClain

the Equilibrium is McClain

trying to catch the robbers

trying to catch the robbers

before they get away.

before they get away.

5.5. The equilibrium is restored

The equilibrium is restored

when they catch them and

when they catch them and

McClain says his catch phrase

McClain says his catch phrase

just before the chopper is

just before the chopper is

destroyed.destroyed.

Analy

sing

Analy

sing

Todoro

vTo

doro

v Does the narrative in

Does the narrative in

your music video

your music video follow the stages of

follow the stages of

Todorovs theory? Is

Todorovs theory? Is

there a whole

there a whole narrative or do only

narrative or do only

some of the stages

some of the stages

appear.appear.

Tension and drama in

Tension and drama in

the narrative comes

the narrative comes

from conflict or

from conflict or opposition between two

opposition between two

sidessides Can be between two

Can be between two

characters or two

characters or two different ideologies (e.g.

different ideologies (e.g.

in in ‘‘WesternsWesterns’’, Cowboys

, Cowboys

and Indians)

and Indians) Sci-Fi almost always

Sci-Fi almost always

represents this clash as

represents this clash as

between humans/aliens,

between humans/aliens,

humans/robots

humans/robots

Levi

Str

aus’

Levi

Str

aus’

B

inary

Oppost

ion

Bin

ary

Oppost

ion

Theory

Theory

Analy

sing

Analy

sing

Str

auss

Str

auss

Does your video have

Does your video have

a binary opposition in

a binary opposition in

the narrative? Two

the narrative? Two

people that are

people that are fighting (not

fighting (not necessary physically)

necessary physically)

or opposing each

or opposing each other?other?

Representation

Representation

Ste

roty

pes

Ste

roty

pes

O’Sullivan et al (1998)

O’Sullivan et al (1998) details that a stereotype is a

details that a stereotype is a

label that involves a process

label that involves a process

of categorisation and

of categorisation and evaluation. evaluation. We can call stereotypes

We can call stereotypes shorthand to narratives

shorthand to narratives because such simplistic

because such simplistic representations define our

representations define our

understanding of media

understanding of media texts – e.g we know who is

texts – e.g we know who is

good and who is evil.

good and who is evil.

What stereotypes

What stereotypes have been used in

have been used in

the music video you

the music video you

are looking at?

are looking at?

Gender

Gender How has gender

How has gender been represented in

been represented in

your video? E.g. are

your video? E.g. are

the men the men conventionally

conventionally masculine?

masculine?

Laura

Mulv

ey

–

Laura

Mulv

ey

– The M

ale

Gaze

The M

ale

Gaze

Laura Mulvey (1975)

Laura Mulvey (1975) argues argues

that the dominant point of

that the dominant point of

view is masculine. The female

view is masculine. The female

body is displayed for the male

body is displayed for the male

gaze in order to provide erotic

gaze in order to provide erotic

pleasure for the male

pleasure for the male ((vouyerismvouyerism)). Women are

. Women are

therefore objectified by the

therefore objectified by the

camera lens and whatever

camera lens and whatever

gender the gender the spectator/audience is

spectator/audience is positioned to accept the

positioned to accept the

masculine POV.

masculine POV. – Is this – Is this

apparent in the video you are

apparent in the video you are

looking at ?looking at ?