Gitlin argues the emergence of black comedies (as opposed to a serious black drama) reflect an acknowledgement of a rising black middle-class in a non-threatening way to white audiences (1994:524). Using comedy perpetuates the myth of the black clown - a recent example is Will Smith's character in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Representation of Race, Ethnicity and Colour

Race, ethnicity and colour, like sex, comprise sets of genetically defined, biological characteristics. However, as with gender, there are also cultural elements in those defining characteristics.
Representation of race in the media can consist of the same sort of rigid stereotypes that constitute gender portrayal. However, stereotyping of race is seen as more harmful than stereotyping of gender, as media representation may constitute the only experience of contact with a particular ethnic group that an audience (particularly an audience of children) may have. Racial stereotypes are often based on social myth, perpetuated down the ages. Thus, the media depiction of, say, Native American Indians, might provide a child with their only experience of Native American Indian culture and characters, and may provide that child with a set of narrow prejudices which will not be challenged elsewhere within their experience.
The need for a more accurate portrayal of the diversity of different races is a priority for political agendas, but, as ever, it seems as though it will take a while for political thinking to filter through to TV programme and film-making. Hollywood movies seem to be particular offenders when it comes to lazy racial stereotypes.

• Can Gramsci's theory of hegemony help us to understand the representation of ethnic minorities in western television and cinema?
• A report on The News Media And Race
• Is Transformers 2: Revenge of The Fallen Racist?
• Avatar Critics See Racist Theme
• A shorter overview of the proportions of Race Representation in the US Media

African-American Representation

A lot of work on Race & Media has focused on the representation of black men and women. This has partly been because there is a strong African-American counter-culture which provides viable alternative role models and demands that they are represented, and partly because some of the early racial stereotypes were so obvious and offensive.

• Little Black Sambo (1935)— demonstrates rigid, reductive stereotyping. But back in 1935 it was seen as harmless entertainment. If nothing else, this clip helps show the tremendous cultural shift that has occurred, as this kind of representation is no longer acceptable.
• The Coon Caricature— from the Museum of Racist Memorabilia

In recent years, the success of actors as diverse as Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Halle Berry, Taraji P. Henson, Naomie Harris, Laurence Fishburne, Keke Palmer and Morgan Freeman in roles across the board has meant that black characters in movies and on TV are no longer 'stock' types. Some of the time. However, there are many negative representations of black people, portrayals which seem deliberately designed to inflame the fear and hatred of other cultures - how positive a representation is the archetypal African-American gangsta? Yet these are representations coming from within black culture itself...

• Stop Whining About the Media - is black representation now 'proportional'?
• The Persistent Issue of Black Representation on Television and why more roles won't fix a thing
• I Know Black People— effective satire from Dave Chappelle

Race on UK TV

Racism on TV in the UK exploded as a global issue in 2007, as Shilpa Shetty was subjected to vicious racial slurs by her (white) housemates. As Shetty is a well-loved Bollywood star, there was an outcry in India, and there were widespread objections to both her treatment and Channel 4's decision to broadcast it. A record 40,000+ complaints were logged by the broadcasters' watchdog, OFCOM. The row reached the House of Commons, and became part of a national debate on the undercurrents in the UK's supposedly multi-cultural society. Subsequently, Channel 4 became very sensitive when it came to allegations of racism, and housemate Emily Parr was speedily removed from the non-celebrity house later that year for using a racial epithet.

• Anger Over Big Brother Racism
• Some TV Contestants Feel More equal Than Others— New York Times
• Channel 4 Rapped Over Racism Row

However, race remains a hot button issue on UK TV, both in fiction and non-fiction programming, largely because it's always going to attract headlines — and sell copies of the Daily Mail. Race is inextricably tangled with the immigration issue and questions of national identity. What does it mean to be British in the 2010s? Given that modern Britain is populated by a diverse range of people, do national media outlets represent different colours and ethnicities proportionally? Fairly? Whether it's an "all black" episode of Eastenders or a hard-hitting edition of Panorama about teenage racists on a London housing estate, there will continue to be heated discussions about how different races are represented, and how that representation affects the way people treat each other in reality.

• Being Black—Video Nation clip
• 2007 (post-Celebrity Big Brother) Channel 4 report on Race, Representation and the Media (pdf)

 

Marxist Media Theory

A central feature of Marxist theory is the 'materialist' stance that social being determines consciousness. According to this stance, ideological positions are a function of class positions, and the dominant ideology in society is the ideology of its dominant class. This is in contrast to the 'idealist' stance that grants priority to consciousness (as in Hegelian philosophy). Marxists differ with regard to this issue: some interpret the relationship between social being and consciousness as one of direct determination; others stress a dialectical relationship.


Stuart Hall

Stuart Hall, now Professor of Sociology at the Open University, was a major figure in the revival of the British political Left in the 1960s and '70s. Following Althusser, he argues that the media appear to reflect reality whilst in fact they construct it.
Janet Woollacott (1982: 108-110) offers a useful critique of Policing the Crisis, a key work by Stuart Hall et al.(1978). The work reflects an analysis of the signifying practices of the mass media from the perspective of Marxist culturalist theory inflected through Gramsci's theory of hegemony, and 'an Althusserian conception of the media as an ideological state apparatus largely concerned with the reproduction of dominant ideologies', claiming relative autonomy for the mass media (Woollacott 1982: 110). For Hall et al. the mass media do tend to reproduce interpretations which serve the interests of the ruling class, but they are also 'a field of ideological struggle'. The media signification system is seen as relatively autonomous. 'The news' performs a crucial role in defining events, although this is seen as secondary to the primary definers: accredited sources in government and other institutions. The media also serve 'to reinforce a consensual viewpoint by using public idioms and by claiming to voice public opinion' (Woollacott 1982: 109).

Describe  how you developed research and planning skills for media production and evaluate how these skills contributed to creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples in your answer to show how these skills developed over time.

Planning and Researching where a key factor that I followed. I planned my story board and script before I created and filmed my teaser trailer. Throughout my teaser trailer I followed the story board and I handed out a printed script to the actors, so they knew exactly what they were doing. In doing so I found it much easier and it was well planned seeing as I am working on my own.  

Before I recorded my teaser trailer, I planned which camera I will be using and I planned how it will be structure in doing so I did I schedule and a shot list telling me exactly where the shots will be. And in my schedule I followed it and handed it out to all cast members I did this to be well planned and organised.

Furthermore I was influenced by the film called ‘Paranormal Activity’, I thought this teaser trailer was really well edited and it did not give away the whole story.  I chose specific edits which I envisioned would look great on my teaser trailer for example, the night-vision scene, I added it to my teaser trailer; I did this to get more colour and more suspense to my trailer.

I developed my idea in several ways such as, I made a to do list and I followed it.  i also researched the what I will do in my poster, I looked at paranormal activity and I liked hot the poster was a well photographed screenshot of the movie, I then did the same, I re-took a photograph that was seen in the trailer, I thought it would catch the viewer’s attention, I also wanted it to look real; so the audience can relate to the idea. I then researched more movie posters and I really thought the poster ‘Rec’ was great so then I added a few references that ‘Rec’ has and applied it to mine. I thought this was a creative decision because it made my poster and the main product connected.

Overall I thought researching and planning for my teaser trailer are vital because it helped me make creative decisions to make my teaser trailer look professional.  And overtime my main product and ancillaries developed. As the time went by I kept adding notes to my domain website (weebly).

Precious & Fish tank

Write a comparison of the representation of Mia in fish tank & Precious

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-xCcoG6Wlc

Precious clip:

This clip shows ‘black’ people; to be more specific Black women as the general stereotype loud and rude. What i noticed is the mother is seen as more dominant just by using her voice she is seen as the predator thus her daughter ‘Precious’ is seen as the prey.   In this clip the mother is using vile language and blaming everything on her daughter; she is angry and frustrated at precious.  This film represents more so the black poor community. 

It is a film that stereotypes black women; ‘Jerry Springer’ a well-known TV Series ; it is a TV series  that generally shows the more negative side to the more poorer community in America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg1yMOdjyp0

Fish Tank Trailer.

The comparison between ‘Precious’ and ‘Fish tank’ are that both this female character live in a dysfunctional family; this is generally the stereotype to people living in council houses & have less income.  They are being targeted by their mothers and are seen as ‘Rejects’. Arguably both their mothers are frustrated and want some-one to blame for their life mistakes. 

Both these clips show no male figure ; there are no father figures in these films; this represents women as needing a man or they will just turn out angry at the world. Arguably precious mother blames her for her husband’s bad choices. 

Moreover both these films represent single parent households and both Mia and Precious feel alienated and frustrated and they both want to escape the life there living. 

Furthermore  In precious mostly all the darker skin characters where seen as evil &terrible whereas the two lighter skin characters the teacher and the doctor where seen as the protagonists ; the representation  was un liked .

essay pracitse prepration

Representation

The film represents sub working class culture. Poverty, social housing and single parent families are foregrounded as audiences voyeuristically see the grim realism of south east Essex ‘chav’ culture unfold. The central character Mia is the typical social realist central protagonist – angry, frustrated and alienated with an abusive, overtly sexualised irresponsible mother.

There is no apparent father, her younger sister drinks (as does Mia), swears but ultimately remains faithful to the family unit and almost at times has a parental type of representation.

The key problem for Fish Tank would be hegemonic cultural stereotyping which would be dependent on the cultural capital of the target audience but arguably the character of Mia is pluralistic eventually in the struggle to leave her urban and dysfunctional family environment.

It is a film that represents a specific regional identity but uses the familiar stereotype of Jeremy Kyle ‘trailer park trash’ to pin its narrative themes to. Representations of gender and age predominate as Mia experiences humiliation as a stereotypical female victim and sexual exploitation at the hands of Connor, her mother’s boyfriend - she is 15. Patriarchal ideology is arguably challenged though by the narrative outcomes.

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 FISH TANK & PREC..
arguably- good term

make comparisons e.g. Precious
class issue amongst the black community
she is seen as a 'black' charcter

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 Hypermedic needel theory- makes you want to do things

Uses and gratification theory
 -watch to be entertained
-compare our own personal identity
-social interactions -
-observation- observe things because we are intrested . e.g. news-intrested in the world

moral panics
stanley

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essay HOMEWORK

find specific clips- ananlyse it
e.g. paragraph

add theories
hegemony, realism, sterotyping, feminism

wider secondary research: news articles, academic studies, goverment, research, audience responcses

find studies- specific ones

presentation: essay with clips

The media is responsible for biased and inaccurate representations. Discuss this statement in relation to the area you have studied and consider the impact of media representations on collective identity

do a comparison between mia fish tank and precisous

How do the contemporary media represent nations, regions  and  ethnic/social/collectivegroups of people in different ways?

Media is a very powerful source, and for most people it is where they get there information from. Media can form people opinions . So therefore media can represent nations, regions and ethnic/social/collective-groups of people in different ways. Gypsies is going to be my key focus throughout this essay. I will expand on how they are represented through the media and how the stereotypes are shown through the media.

There are many stereotypes shown in the media such as ‘My big fat Gypsy wedding’ this documentary follows the travelers and it shows the audience what they do and how there life is like.  In this documentary we see them with big fancy weddings; this shows that they do have money. Also in some episodes we see them traveling long distances this also shows they have money to be moving around.

In addition to how the stereotypes are weaken in ‘My big fat Gypsy wedding’ are that the gypsies in this documentary do not steal and this breaks the general stereotype towards gypsies. However watching this documentary on gypsy weddings what i noticed is that most of the girls want to get married in an early age. That is there main goal in life. Thus the women that are already married are mainly housewives and do the domestic role.

The programme is mainly for entertainment, so they have to make it entertaining; this could cause them to take the  editing scenes out and manipulating the audience; also since the viewing public know such little information about ‘Gypsies in general’ they will use that as an advantage.

There are other forms of media witch do stereotype gypsies such as ‘Shakira – Gypsy’ This is a song which has all forms of general stereotypes, One of the lyric says ‘I might steal your clothes And wear them if they fit me’ This song lyric is labeling gypsy women as thieves.

To conclude there are gypsies are represented in mostly negative ways; they are seen as thieves, and that they all get married at a young age (14+18). The stereotypes towards gypsies could go on. However Documentaries such as ‘My big fat gypsy wedding’ can sometimes influence the stereotype or weaken it. The stereotype that gypsies are thieves is broken in the documentary ‘My big fat Gypsy wedding’ however re-opened in the song ‘shakira- Gypsy’. Thus the stereotypes towards gypsies still go on to this day and age. An example is the Poster which was made for ‘My big fat gypsy wedding’ It was quite a known poster some may argue it is racist. It says ‘ Bigger, fatter, Gypsier’ It sounds like a good catchphrase  however to the gypsy traveling society it caused offense.

what i have finish:

i have to finish my magazine ancillary

i have to finish my evaluation:
Surveys
questionnaires

and i have to add more things to the blog

such as research and add more power points

Research on price tag

i also need to do a storyboard the real one

what ideas/words are associated with the term gypsies and travellers.

Thieves= asking for money in the streets
scamming
In documentries such as gypsy weddings they are living in caravans and traveling the country.
Young marriage
family orientated

Snatch (2000) clip:
accents
how are they being represented
viloent language
very poor
there called 'pikey'
they squat; behind the van
they drink alot


How do the contemporay media represent nations, religions and ethnic/ social/ collective groups of people in diffrent ways. (50 marks)

analyse the content you have been given
how are gyypsis and travellers represented?
which institution is it? how does this affective the reading?  how is it meditated?
which theories  could help to support your  answe?

PLAN:
WEB

With reference to any group you have studied discuss how their ‘identity’ has been mediated

The term race refers to groups of people who have differences and similarities in biological traits deemed by society to be socially significant. Within this essay I will approach how Race has been represented throughout the media and how identity has been meditated.

Theorist such as Stuart Hall give emphasis to the importance of visual representation.  Hall argues that black people are often stereotyped and this is due to the media and how it represents black people.  Hall  argues that the ‘blacks’ appeared on TV often in a racially stereotyping position. An example could be the movie ‘Kiddulthood’ The representation of black youth is portrayed by the stereotypical idea of street crime with youth's. The features of the film mainly consist of violence, drugs and sex.

Television and visual representation are important in today’s society especially when it’s through someone’s identity.  In our society it is hard to find your own ‘identity’. Theorist such as Akiniti (2003) argues that the television coverage of the ethnic minorities on Black people always focuses on AIDS in Africa, Underachievement of black people in schools. Akiniti states that it focuses on the down side.  Furthermore other sociologists such as Hall somewhat agree; In 1971 he made an appearance on BBC television where he criticized the portrayal of the blacks. ‘’There is something wrong  with the way black immigrants, west Indians, Asians, Africans – are handled by and presented on the Mass Media.  This clearly shows that the portrayal of Blacks are being down sided and it makes it harder for the upcoming youth to find their own identities without the media representing them in a charitable way.    

However visual representation such as ‘Hitch’ which is a movie stared by a black protagonist who is doctor who helps clients who are mostly white. This movie does break out of the stereotypical ‘black man’ character and his clothing tells us he is quite a wealthy man. However in some scenes we do see stereotypical prospect such as when he teaches the white man how to dance. The stereotype is that white men can’t dance and black men can.  This shows that a stereotype in race happens to every ethnic group/race. 

Race can become an issue when looking at identity. The visual representation of Race and identity are somewhat being mediated. Sociologists such as Hall argue that media do represent races in a stereotypical manner which can influence someone’s identity. To conclude the place someone’s from genetically  can somewhat influence them to change their identity and make them socially aware  of how to peruse themselves.