Paper 1 Section A
1) Analyse the Close Study Product Score hair cream advert using narrative theory including Todorov. [9 marks]
The Score Hair Cream advert dates back more than five decades ago. Since then, quite a lot of representations of gender, identity and race have drastically changed. Narrative theory seems like a very relevant thing to analyse when it comes to this advert. The advert is in the new equilibrium part of the three-part cycle. Todorov proposed a theory of equilibrium comprising of: equilibrium, disequilibrium and then new equilibrium. This CSP starts in new equilibrium as it states that the cream would improve you to be the perfect man and then introduce a new equilibrium where you are the dream man. The disequilibrium would be before you apply the cream, you are seen as an inferior man without the product and your attraction would increase massively after application. The stages of disequilibrium can also be applied. The 'disruption' phase is when your appearance is preventing you from approaching 'the ladies', the 'recognition' phase is when you acknowledge that you need to do something to fix your appearance and the 'reparation' phase phase is when you use the hair cream and reap the rewards. The man in the central image is clearly enjoying his new equilibrium phase with his smug smirk and the gun which could act as a phallic symbol that represents the hypermasculinity this cream supposedly gives you.
Other narrative theorists that can be applied here are Propp, Barthes and Levi Strauss. Vladimir Propp came up with a list of stock characters named 'the seven spheres of action'. In my opinion, the 'hero', according to Propp's theory is the central protagonist which is mirrored in the cream. The cream saves the day and the advert is trying to sell it as much as they can. The 'princess' in the advert would be you, the consumer. Your hair is in dire need of repair and Score Hair Cream will fix that, the hero saves the princess. The 'villain' here might be old age or just weak hair which is where the hair cream comes into play. We can also apply enigma codes and action codes courtesy of Roland Barthes. The enigma codes here would be the expression of the man. Why is that man happy? Will I get with that many ladies if I try the cream? This creates mystery for the consumer so that they feel intellectually duped. The action codes here might be the way that the females in the advert are carrying him on a platform which might imply that he will have sex with them later. Furthermore, the pack shot at the bottom of the advert is an example of an action code as it is the product that saves you from ugliness. Finally, we can apply Levi-Strauss' theory of binary opposition. Men were perceived as dominant and therefore more powerful. It was this patriarchal view that empowered men and belittled women. We see that the binary opposite here is men/women or even dominance/subservience. Both Barthes and Levi-Strauss noticed another important feature of these binary opposites is that one generally tends to be seen by a particular society or culture as more valued than the other. In many cultures during the 1960s, the idea of a successful and powerful woman was absurd so the idea of having a man as strong and dependant in the advert is vital to the success of the cream.
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2) “Postmodernity is said to be a culture of fragmentary sensations, eclectic nostalgia, disposable simulacra, and promiscuous superficiality.” – Jean Baudrillard
To what extent can your music video Close Study Products be described as postmodern? [20 marks]
Both music videos Close Study Products can be considered as postmodern due to them including elements of pastiche, historical deafness, bricolage and many more. In 'Ghost Town', a song by The Specials, we can apply many of Strinati's points as to what makes a media text postmodern. He states that one telltale sign of postmodernism is that there is a breakdown between art and popular culture. The director of the music video for 'Ghost Town' is well known for making arthouse films and this music video is no exception. The merging between highbrow and lowbrow activities is evident here as it combines a song that has topped the charts but has a arthouse style music video. This clearly presents 'Ghost Town' as postmodern. It's also clear that bricolage is present in the music video because we see how the car is driving through London which is a really old and established city whilst the song, which is from a relatively new genre, plays. This juxtaposing of old and new is further demonstrated with the reggae influences which adds to the contemporary 80s atmosphere.
The mise-en-scene as well as the filmography mirror popular film genres like British social realism, thriller and hammer horror. The use of intertextuality only proves my point that 'Ghost Town' is a really good example of postmodernism. The intertextuality also refers to the lyrics which reference the political mess Britain was in during the time Margaret Thatcher was in office. The song and video offers evidence of Gilroy's Black Atlantic Identity theory. It suggests that black culture is forged through travel and hybridity and was referred to as a "liquidity of culture". The representation of Britain as a multicultural country through the band and song is reinforced through the strong political message 'Ghost Town' sends.
Common's Letter To The Free is, in my opinion less postmodern but still contains elements of it. Much like 'Ghost Town', the music video is filmed in an arthouse style and the song itself was used in a movie and topped the charts. This is a clear use of postmodernism. We can also apply Frederick Jameson's idea of historical deafness as in the music video, Common emphasises the effect the oppression of black people has had not only on him but the whole black community. Historical deafness comes in because we are not taught this in school and this further shows that the media display information in a certain, constructed way. The 'mediasation' of history is a clear sign of postmodernism as the media tries to filter out information according to their individual views and beliefs. Common also explains that the black square is also a postmodern concept. In an interview, Common said that even he didn't know what it was and that it was open to interpretation. This represents the infinite thing about blackness and blackness cannot be defined in time or space. This links to Strinati's point where he states that a sign of postmodernism could be the "confusion over time and space".
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Paper 1 Section B
3) Identify three strategies used to promote Chicken to an audience. Explain a reason for each strategy. Each of the reasons must be different. [6 marks]
One of the strategies was that the film was on a film festival circuit. It featured in many places like Giffoni, Tallinn and France. This was effective because it could relate to a specific audience and the festivals invited many people who are interested in the arthouse genre, cementing its success. Film festivals also invite quite a few critics so the film is more likely to get picked up by a critic who is willing to give it acclaim.
Social media was also a huge player when it came to promotion. Social media was free and for a microbudget film, that's perfect. Their social platforms on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook would reach thousands of potential viewers and therefore creating more buzz around the movie by posting 30 second snippets of the film.
Traditional media such as posters and YouTube trailers were also a key factor in Chicken's promotion. The poster featured arthouse style pictures was accompanied with critic review quotes. This tells the viewer automatically that this is a film worth watching. The YouTube trailer can also capture a younger percentage of viewers as younger people spend their time on platforms like it. The YouTube trailer also gives us an insight to the film, almost like the film festival circuit.
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4) How do regulatory contexts shape the output of media industries? You should refer to your film industry Close Study Product, Chicken. [9 marks]
The BBFC regulates the film industry in the UK. They assign age ratings to films they deem fit for viewing. The film industry is a part of the cultural industry. This is perhaps one of the most expressive and successful media industries to ever exist. That still doesn't make it risk free. Media theorist David Hesmondhalgh refers to the cultural industry as a "risky business", this means that when a film comes out, its success isn't guaranteed. Risk can be reduced by including star power and even exploring a well established genre or franchise. The BBFC can have a massive impact on how a film does depending on its age rating. If the producer of a film aimed a film at 12 year olds and the BBFC rates it at 15, it might be difficult for that film to make money because it isn't accessible to their target audience.
The BBFC regulate the films into the following categories: Universal, Parental Guidance, 12, 15 and 18. The higher you go up in age, more restricted things are unlocked. Films with U and PG ratings are perfect for family films and films with a rating of 18 have violence, extreme nudity and drug use. The BBFC has a direct impact on the success of a film. For a film like Chicken, the budget was tiny and it was in the arthouse style genre, which is not widely known. If Chicken was put in the wrong rating, say 15, the film would not do well and lose money. The fact if the film makes even £10k profit that's still something. If the BBFC filters out films that younger audiences might love, then it looks bad on the BBFC's front too.
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5) How useful are media effects theories in evaluating the success of media products? Refer to your Radio Close Study Products, Life Hacks and War of the Worlds, in your answer. [20 marks]
In both radio CSPs, media effects theories can be applied to analyse the success of them. In BBC's Life Hacks, the use of Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory could be applied. They suggested that there were four types of audience pleasures. Life Hacks utilises the following: personal identity, surveillance and diversion. One can find personal identity when the hosts include a topic or invite a guest that has the same background as them. Members of the BAME community in particular could relate to the content or hosts in Life Hacks. Surveillance can be found in the news element of the show, as it is run by the BBC and a part of their remit is to "inform, educate and entertain". The last part of their remit links to the diversion part where listeners of the podcast are asked fun questions or the music they like is played. We can also apply the two-step flow model to Life Hacks as the hosts are a key factor in being the 'opinion leader' when attracting young people to the show.
War of Worlds is a much more dated and established radio show that is a completely different idea. Frankfurt School's idea of the hypodermic needle is a 1920s theory that suggest that the media injects content into consumers and therefore can have a devastating effect on them. This is clear with the War of Worlds broadcast when reports suggested that people had packed their bags and left the town following the initial report of invasion. Stanley Cohen's theory of 'moral panic' can also be applied. This is when the media defines something as a threat to societal values and interests. When the broadcast aired the chaos that ensued was similar to the moral panic explanation. The broadcast made a lot of people panic and they called the police station many times, this was a success.
George Gerbner's cultivation theory could be applied here as consumption of media can affect the way you react to certain situations. Heavy consumption of the radio in the 30s could have been vital in making the radio show seem very real. It made people vulnerable to fake news and it worked. This created the 'Mean World Syndrome' where heavy consumers viewed the world as much worse than it actually is. My final use of media effects is the dependency theory by Rokeach and DeFleur. They suggested that people rely so much on the media that they believe everything they say. This means that the media can influence people on what decisions they make and can create any feeling such as fear in War of Worlds
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Paper 2
1) Liesbet van Zoonen suggests that gender is constructed through media language and that these constructions reflect social contexts.
How far does an analysis of Men’s Health and Oh Comely support this argument? [25 marks]
Men's Health and Oh Comely both include rather different views on gender and it's clear why that is the case. OC positions itself as a niche feminist magazine and Men's Health weighs in as a well established magazine helping men around the world. Van Zoonen views gender as negotiated and dependant and social and historical context. She argues that in media today women are: objectified, framed in a provocative way, restricted to secondary roles and reinforce western beauty ideals. This is clearly not the case in OC as we see that the magazine takes in a very different representation of women across the edition. There is an androgynous person who takes a relaxed pose. We question this as we are unable to tell if they are male or female. The colours the model is wearing also reflects how alternative the stereotypes OC show are. This agrees with Van Zoonen's idea about gender being constructed by the media and that OC are opposing that view. The front cover and indeed the other CSP pages in OC actually oppose Van Zoonen's statement as they are showing how it's like to be gender fluid and free. They show that it is not a problem.
In Men's Health, we see a very different take on gender. Whilst they target men with mental health issues, their blatant fat shaming style of advertising is quite profound. This can be seen from the get-go with Vin Diesel's flexed tricep and his dominant stance reinforcing the hypermasculinity and could even hint at bell hook's theory. Radical feminist bell hooks suggests that the media projects men in one way and shames those who do not fit that agenda. She calls this "normalised traumatisation". This is where men are used to show how they should look, and anyone who does not comply with 'the norm' is seen as different. Like Van Zoonen, she agrees that gender roles are constructed and are not natural. Butelr also agrees because she belives that 'gender is a performance' and is influenced by society, culture and micro rituals. The use of many hypermasculine cover lines as well as the obvious PhotoShop to Diesel's muscle shows that Men's Health accepts toxic masculinity. The cover image also rejects David Gauntlett's idea that masculinity is in crisis.
The use of the #slaywinterblues on the front cover links to Gauntlett's theory that meanings change over time and that there are generational differences. The hashtag shows that they want to reach a younger audience and that 50 years ago, they would have got much less attention with this marketing style. Van Zoonen also states that the media sexualises males and females to reinforce sex role stereotypes and sex-appropriate behaviours. She goes on to explain that men are typically presented as dominant and women submissive. This is clear in MH where everything from the very personal editor's letter to the direct eye contact (direct address) Vin Diesel gives demonstrates that MH clearly reinforces dominant masculine stereotypes. Gender is clearly constructed by the use of blue, often associated with males, and agrees with Van Zoonen and Butler.
The way that the readers may react to these gender representations could be different. With OC, women could feel empowered and go on social media to evoke even more change in the feminist community. In MH. it's a matter of how to sell stuff. The readers of MH may see the feature of the Marathon Man and think why they are not like that, it certainly seems attainable. The way that MH constructs their idea of masculinity has an impact on how the readers may be motivated to make changes to their exercise routine or eat less. If this advice is met with success, the reader will come back for more therefore resulting in a strong connection between MH readers and the constructed image of masculinity.
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2) “Television dramas reflect the social and cultural contexts of their production.”
To what extent does an analysis of your television Close Study Products support this view? [25 marks]
Capital is a 2015 BBC drama which uncovers the 2007 global financial crash and explores social issues and the dire situation of London homeowners at the time. Deutschland 83 is a 2015 costume drama that is in German and takes place in 1980s Germany at the height of the Cold War. Capital is a state-of-the-nation drama and is based on a book by John Lanchester. Capital does a good job at reflecting the division between rich and poor and other ethnic, occupational and demographic categories. This is a clear use of Levi-Strauss' binary opposition as we see both sides of the story. One side we see Roger, a rich banker and the other side we see Qwentina whos is an abused and mistreated asylum worker who struggles to make ends meet. This in fact was relevant in 2015 as the EU referendum as well as the smaller economic growth meant that the division between rich and poor had increased massively.
Capital also depicts how the rates of the world's banks are declining which, even though it was more prominent in 2007, was still true in 2015 with the failing high-street banks issue. Although, some may argue that the representation of certain ethnic groups like the Kamal family and Bogdan are somewhat incorrect in accordance with contemporary views. The Asian and the Eastern European communities have swelled in numbers since 2007 and in 2015 even more came to the UK for work. This increase in ethnic minorities mean that tolerance and acceptance towards these groups also increased. Perhaps they weren't represented correctly, this is why the statement isn't 100% right for Capital. You could also argue that Capital is both left and right wing as many ideologies across the spectrum are somewhat enforced. Capital also represents British culture quite well as we see a diverse mix of residents on Peepys Lane and indeed reflects social and cultural contexts of its production.
The producers of Deutschland 83 were a mix of German based UFA Fiction and US based Freemantle Media. This synergy between the two countries enhances the view that foreign language television is becoming increasingly popular and mainstream. D83 reflects the global nature of television and how connected we all are internationally. It's an eclectic mix of spy-thriller, costume-drama and a coming-of-age TV show, it uses the hybridity of its mishmash of genres and makes for a gripping show that relates to the viewers even though it's set 40 years ago. The fact that the construction of this program is done in a postmodern way reflects modern media culture and how the TV shows of today toy around with different genres to find a balance in between. We can clearly see the influence of the German side of production due to the sourcing of the actor, the language and the setting but we can also see that the US side of production has had an effect due to the thriller style narrative, the postmodern conventions and of course the budget.
D83 makes a good case in presenting the time it was produced as we know from 2013, the documents for Able Archer were released for public viewing. We can apply Baudrillard's hyperreality theory because they use replicas of the documents in the briefcase scene which also brings in Frederick Jameson's idea about historical deafness. History was written by the winners and clearly from the reports you see a one-sided report. This is an example of how the media deliberately alters parts of history and we learn from there, not knowing any better. So that is one flaw when agreeing with the statement that it reflects cultural and social contexts. The use of postmodernism is noteworthy too. In the supermarket scene, Sweet Dreams by The Eurythmics diegetically plays whilst the arrangement of the food products on the shelves resembles Andy Warhol's Tomato Soup art. It's this blend of art and popular culture which makes D83 a postmodern TV show a and therefore makes it perfect when looking at the social and cultural contexts of its production. Postmodernism will always evolve and carry on being contemporary.
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