Historical Text Task...

Rebel Without A Cause (1955)

Rebel Without A Cause has similar aspects of what we see in society's films today about teenagers. The similar aspects that we see in this historical film is the rebelliousness of teenagers and the constant resort to violence and the aggression in male teens especially. We see these actions in teenagers in Adulthood too. The main protagonist in the film, played by James Dean, is similar to the main protagonist in Adulthood as he shuts out everyone and causes trouble were ever he goes, this is similar to Sam in Adulthood, played by Noel Clarke.

The main protagonist in Rebel Without a Cause, 1955, has the similar characteristics as Sam in Adulthood. In Rebel Without a Cause, we see James Dean try to find a new path and change his old ways and wants a fresh start. We see this in Adulthood as Sam comes out of prison hoping to leave the past behind him and begin and start fresh. However, both characters in both films get puled back into their old ways and are once again pulled back into the violent cycle that never seems to end. We see similar use of props in both films as both films to tend to use guns and knifes.

However, the differences we see in this film are of the roles of females characters in both films. In Rebel Without A Cause we see the females as "The Madonna" pure, innocent and clean. The main female protagonist is the character Judy , whom James Deans Character likes, comes across as your average girl sweet innocent and pure. However, in Adulthood, we see the female character Lexi who is represented as "The Whore". Lexi comes across as promiscuous, provocative and sinful as she sleeps around and uses drugs. We see how society has changed in female characters of teenage films, however their is no change in the role of male characters in teenage films. Therefore it shows that there are similar conventions of both films but they differ in other aspects of these conventions.

First Paragraph Task...

Have the representations of teenagers in the British Media changed for the better or have they become worse? With particular reference to the film, Adulthood.

The modern teenage culture emerged during the 1950's, however according to Maltby "Self-conscious Subculture" actually developed between the 1920's and 1930's. Teenage representation within the media has progressed and developed over the years. In particular the British Media represents teenagers in a negative manner. In fact you could say that the British Media portray teens in the most unconstructive and degrading way than any other media across the globe.

1950 films such as "Rebel without a Cause" (1955), "Teenage Crime Wave" (1955) and "The Wild One" (1954), just to name a few, were about juvenile delinquency, Juvenile wildness and Juvenile crime that went as far back as the 20's and 30's. These 1950 films represented teens as rebellious and conniving which then indicated, what they thought, the authenticity of teenagers.
Overall the above shows that the media's negative and unconstructive representation of teenagers stretched back as far as the 1920's. The Media and films, named above, showed the "so called social problem" that was wrong with the teenage generation. As Adulthood is the most relevant and recent film text on teenager representation and shows how teenagers are portrayed within the Media, in particular the fact that it is a British made film, it is the most relevant film text to focus upon in this essay.

Essay Plan...

Have the representations of teenagers in the British Media Changed for the better or have they become worse? With Particular Reference to the film Adulthood.

My Independent study is going to focus on the way teenagers are represented in the British Media, by looking at the history of teens and how they are presented in today's media. I decided to use the film text "Adulthood as my main focus as it is the most updated media text on how teens are being represented. This will help to determine whether these representations are getting better or becoming increasingly worse. Overall teenagers are increasingly being represented in an unconstructive and negative manner within the British Media.

Introduction: (All about the Media history and teenagers)
Introduce my question, talk briefly about the history of the Media E.G:How they portray teenagers and whether they exaggerate their stereotypes and representations (H, R)

Paragraph 1: (All about the characters)

• How they represent teenagers
• Compare the past and present stereotypes and representations of Adulthood and Kidulthood and older film texts such as "Rebel without a Cause" (1955) and "Teenage Crime wave" (1955)
• Whether they challenge them or reinforce these stereotypes and how they achieve this? E.G: Through the use of props, clothing, setting, language etc
• Whether these representations are realistic or are they simply exaggerated
• Argue both sides ( R,H, ML)

Paragraph 2:

• Social issues, discuss and include this (SHEP) E.G: The use of drugs, how they are presented and whether or not it's accurate and to what extent this representation of the use of drugs is accurate
• Teenagers relationships and what happens between teenagers in today's society
• Make a comparison between both texts, Adutlhood and Kidulthood, in terms of this and to show if they have changed or are still the same (S, R, ML, H)

Paragraph 3:

• Narrative Plot: Adulthood is set in the space of 24 hours, just like Kidulthood, does it convey a true and realistic representation of characters (Teenagers) in such as short time period?
• Does it have an impact on the audience
• Does it portray an accurate representation of teens in such a minimal amount of time (R,N)

Paragraph 4:

• Stereotypes: How each character is presented?
• Are female characters seen as objects of desire, sexual objects through the use of skimpy clothing? I would Link this to Laura Mulvey's male gaze theory
• I will discuss whether it's a fair and accurate representation of females and would go on to discuss how both genders, male and female, are stereotyped
• I would then expand by discussing if they are realistic stereotypes and if they are the stereotypes that are being brought to our attention in today's society
• I will then go on to discuss how this would affect the audience and whether it would put a strain on the audience into thinking these are how all inner urban teens act
• Then I would talk about whether these representations are accurate and fair or are they simply exaggerated by the media (I, N,R,A)

Conclusion:

• Summarise all ideas and points
• Summarise points on how it challenges stereotypes and representations on teenagers and points on how it reinforces them and why
• State both sides of the argument
• Conclude on a final decision (R,A,H,I,S,N)

List of references to include:

• The Cinema Book, 2ND Edition. Pam Cook & Mieke Bernink
• Advanced Media Studies. David Probert & Andrew Graham
• Introducing Media Studies. Ziauddin Sardar &Borin Van Loon
• Gangs and Bullies. Rosemary Stones
• A2 Media Studies: The Essential Introduction. Peter Bennett, Jerry Slater & Peter Wall

Three Examples of Contemporary Adverts...

Diet Coke Advert (Female Gaze)-
This advert is simply were genders cross paths and switch roles and the males become the gazed rather than being the ones who do gaze. This advert shows the female gaze as the females go on their break and sexually gaze at the male and his physical appearance. This then puts males in a female’s position and allows them t feel how women feel when they are objectified and gazed at by the males. This shows how the females are the more dominant gender within this advert by having the big careers, being in control etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uL-YMCJlRY

Parazone Cleaning Product Advert:
This advert clearly shows that the maternal and domestic roles have been swooped as the males are now becoming more concerned with the house duties such as cooking and cleaning. This then helps to back up Cumberbatch’s 1995 study where he states that Men are shown cooking more than women. This then shows how as time goes on the maternal roles of women are now being injected and incorporated into Men which make them more interested in the domesticity and maternal role of the female’s values and views. However, this advert till shows the masculinity side of a male when getting involved in the housework, which shows that they still try to show a dominant side to the domestic side.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGBcVyiH58A

Rimmel Advert-Make-up:
This advert shows the objectification that females get on a regular basis. This shows the female products that help to incorporate and help to hide the imperfections of a female. This was seen in a study conducted by Greer in 1999 were she simply states that females are simply exploited and manipulated and need to “Conform to certain images of beauty”. This then shows how females are pressured by magazines into thinking that they need certain bits of make-up to make them look beautiful.
However, Natasha Walters fought back in her study that was conducted in 1998, stated that she disagrees with Greer as women do enjoy fashion and beauty. This shows that Walters simply tries to convey that women do enjoy beauty and fashion as it helps to bring up their confidence and make them more comfortable with themselves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeZc6hjW22c&feature=related

Three Examples of Historical Adverts...

Ben Sherman 1970's Advert:
This advert has no particular connection with the semi-naked females featured within the advert. Tuchman’s shows in his study in 1978 that women are “symbolically annihilated”, and this advert shows how true and at times accurate it can be. This advert is a true example of Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory as the women are just placed in this Ben Sherman advert to just be gawked by the male audience. This is a technique to help gain the male audience’s attention to the product being advertised to them, which then shows that the company are using “sex” to sell their products.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcnUA7JKbfg


Flash 1960's Advert:
This advert shows the stereotyped and typical representation of the female as the perfect housewife. The advert shows all the conventions that females cared about, that were shown in Scheibe 1979 study were he simply stated that women were more concerned about or with Beauty, cleanliness, family and pleasing others. This advert helps to incorporate these labels of the Housewife stereotype.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTQ6zTVr3qA


Johnson's 1907's Baby Powder Advert:
This advertisement for Johnson’s baby powder incorporates and reinforces two ways in which women are only seen as, which are as “sex objects” and “Housewife’s”. The advert starts off with the female wearing nothing but a towel showing that she is semi naked and rubbing the baby powder on herself. This helps to back up Laura Mulvey’s Male gaze theory as she is being objectified and only being seen as a sexual object of the male audience’s desire. Then the advert goes on to show archive footage of the maternal role of the “Housewife”, which then shows women as only being capable of being and taking on the maternal role. This shows the typical stereotypes of women as only being concerned with wanting the latest kitchen and bathroom products, which are the typical conventions shown when it comes to the “Housewife” stereotype.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbYfoCbVt0M&feature=related

5 FEMALE DIRECTORS...

1. Catherine Hardwickes directed the 2008 hit film "Twilight". It is a hard action packed movie about a love between a vampire and a human. It is based on the number 1 selling series "30 weeks and Counting".
2. Phyllida Lloyd directed the summer hit "Mamma Mia". It is a film about a bride-to-be finding her real father so that he could walk her down the aisle.
3. Nancy Meyers directed the film "What Women Want" starring Mel Gibson. The film is about a man who has an accident and gains the ability to hear women's thoughts and what they are really thinking.
4. Mary Harron directed the hit film "American Psycho". It's a film about a wealthy man working at his fathers company on Wall Street who goes deeper into his fantasies and kills for no reason.
5. Sharon Maguire directed the film "Bridget Jones Diary". The film is simply about following a women and her personal diary on her journey to fin love in a year.

3 Way To Improve This Issue...

3 ways we can improve and encourage more females to become directors:

1. Give more talks about it and get females interested about being female directors
2. Another way is writing, as it gets women to give their perspective which would be a huge impact on the film quality we get
3. Lastly, creating more positive role models of women to help encourage, inspire and interest future generations

Why are female directors so rare...

5 reasons why they are so rare:

• The Film industry is a male dominated area
• The industry is constructed at a men only level, which makes it hard for women to enter this industry
• Female directors just don't make the effort to actually send in their projects, which makes people think whether they really want to enter this industry in the first place
• One particular reason is due to having children, as if they were producers it easier for them to go back to work and if your a director you have to give your all and that's hard to do if your a parent.
• There are many points of view and sensibility from females as well as males, however we don't really here enough of these pints from females
• Another reason for fewer female directors is the inequality balance between female and male film makers

3 STILL PRINT IMAGES...

I'M CAPABLE TO DO MORE

THAN THIS JUST GIVE ME

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

TO PROVE IT!

WHAT DOES THIS ADVERT HAVE TO DO WITH ME BEING NAKED? WHAT IS THE CONNECTION?

ARE YOU HAVING FUN

OBJECTIFYING MY BODY?

1990's...(Fatal Attraction)...

1990's...

This is a film clip from the 1987, "Fatal Attraction", were this only one of a few films that show that this era is were it was a backlash against women having careers, being independent and women liberation's. This was a study that was conducted by Susan Faludi, (1991). The two female character roles show the comparison between "The Madonna" were the male characters wife is seen and comes across as pure, innocent and housewifely and "The Whore" were this character comes across as sinful and sexual.

1980's...(Aliens)...

1980's...

This is a film clip from the 1986,(sequel to Alien), Aliens. During this era the roles of film have increased a lot, however, there are more male roles. In this film sequel to Alien in 1979, Ripley comes back stronger and more superior, to show the changing roles of women and how they are become presented in a more central manner. This era saw the rise in males and females crossing genders and this was the era of "The New Man", with films like, "Three men & a Baby (1987)", forming and showing the new 'Family Structure'.

1970's...(Alien)...

1970's...

This is a film clip from the 1979, Alien. This era was the era of the Second Wave of Feminism were women fought to work and become more independent. This film had changed and challenged the female roles from the 50's and 60's. The character of Ripley, who plays a main female character, helps to do this by presenting herself as a strong, superior, surviving female character. Dyer, 1987, said that, "T.V in the Mid 1980's, take women more seriously", this shows that programmes feature women in a more central way.

1960's...(Sound of Music)...

1960's...

This is a film clip from the 1965 film, The Sound of Music. In this era the male characters are still more intelligent, assertive and dominant and prevalent (More of Them). However, this film represents women as "The Madonna" as the main female character plays a maternal role. This is a theory/study that was brought forward by McNeil, (1975), were he said that Men are twice as likely to give orders and make decisions, were as women are more interested in Romance and Family problems, and are only seen as Housewives.

1950's... (High Noon)...

1950's...

This is a clip from the 1952 film, High Noon. The film simplys shows the male hero roles and shows that the males are the dominant gender who make all the decisions. As there aren't many female roles, women are forced to cross gender and identify themselves with a male character. The Men are seen as assertive, confident and dominant, were as women are seen as frightened and need protection. This shows the binary opposititons of he male and female roles. This is a typical representation and theory made by Tuchman, (1978), were he said, "Women have been 'Symbolically Anihilated' ". This shows that women don't count as much in the 1950's television, were women have been "Marginalised".

Bibliography: BOOKS...

Author Surname: Sardar & Van Loon
Author First Name: Ziauddin & Borin
Year of Publication: 2000
Title of Book: Introducing Media Studies
Publisher: Totem Books
Place of Publication: New York

This book is very useful to me as it states and makes various points of representation and how the media distribute and put across these representations. The book states that various media "Mediate" the text through the use of words, sound and pictures. There is a chapter in the book (Page 71) on representation that shows that this is a "Re-presentation of reality". The book goes on to state that by constructing these representations of reality, the media goes on to construct meanings about the world we inhabit.
"Re-present the world to the audience"
"Representations have dual meanings, to "show" or present, and to "describe" or declare" (Page 71.)
The book has a chapter about "Youth Culture" and "Moral Panic" both theories and studies brought forward by the theorist Stanley Cohen.
This is useful as they are both studies that speak about and go on about how teenagers are represented and stereotyped within the media.
"Youth Culture" states that without Moral Panics, Youth Culture would have never taken off, even though it isn't a positive representations of youths.
Moral Panic is when a group of people are reported in an exaggerated way within the media,which then creates panic in society.
This shows that media texts and reports exaggerate the actions of teenagers which creates a negative representation and a bad image of teenagers.
(Page 77 & 78)

Author Surname: O'Sullivan & Jewkes
Author First Name: Tim & Yvonne
Year of Publication: 1997
Title of Book: The Media Studies Reader
Place of Publication: New York
Publisher: A Hodder Arnold Publication

This book is useful as it has a chapter that talks about these "Stereotypical Fashions" that are easily "Identifiable" and are often "Negative" traits that are used to help define an entire group. The book also states that there are two media representations which are " Typical" and "Stereotypical".
"The Media have frequently been criticised for representing social groups in a "Stereotypical Fashion". (PAGE 73)

Author Surname: Probert & Graham
Author First Name: David & Andrew
Year of Publication: 2008
Title of Book: Advanced Media Studies
Publisher: Hodder Education

There is a section which shows an article clip on which teenagers stated, " they feel adults attached the "label" to them simply on the basis that they were young and met up in a group, assuming that crime was their main purpose for meeting."
This shows that the term "Gang" was "Attached" and "labelled" to teenagers by adults. This then shows that due to the media representing teenagers in such a negative manner, all adults will "assume" that all young people that meet as a group are presented and automatically seen as a "Gang" and their main "purpose" as a group is to commit crimes.
This goes on to show that the media "Mediate" their texts to create a negative image of teenagers, which creates "Moral Panic" in society" and then makes the public think that all inner teenagers act like this and meet together this way to commit criminal activities. (PAGE 270)
(This article was published on Wednesday 23rd May, 2007 by the Daily Mail, by Steve Doughty).

• "Teenagers as a social group were first defined in the early 1950's".
• "Media attention on teenager behaviour became an early Moral Panic."
• Rock & Roll music was seen as encouraging sexual promiscuity and therefore threatening mainstream society".
• "The Young are seen as illustrating the Moral decline of society as a whole". (PAGE 135)

Author Surname: Bennett, Slater & Wall

Author First Name: Peter, Jerry & Peter

Year of Publication: 2005

Title of Book: A2 Media Studies: The Essential Introduction

Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)

The Book is useful and helpful to myself as it helps me to understand the wider contexts (SHEP) thoroughly and how I can apply these wider contexts to my independent study. It is a helpful and useful guide for how I can construct and structure my independent study and help me to form a focus on textual analysis. It also looks at how I can approach the methods and techniques that I could include my independent study such as Research Techniques and Structure & Presentation. (PAGE 14, 19, 31 & 35)

Author Surname: Stones

Author First Name: Rosemary

Year of Publication: 1998

Title of Book: Gangs & Bullies

Publisher: Evans Brothers

This book is useful as it shows and explains why teens ( even at a young age) form gangs and the social issues it talks about and brings attention to. This is then more useful as I am gaining research about social issues and I am then including SHEP into my independent study.

• "Boys tend to form groups with a hierarchical structure in which some members dominate others..." (PAGE 39)

This shows how the Hegemonic model has an influence and impact on even "Gangs", showing members of the "Gang" can be passive by believing and following others.

Author Surname: Branston & Stafford

Author First Name: Gill & Roy

Year of Publication: 1999

Title of Book: The Media Students Book (Second Edition)

Publisher: Routledge

This book is useful as it shows and has a detailed chapter on "Representation and Gender". It gives statistics of the difference between both genders and how these genders are represented in different media industries.

• "...13% of central characters in UK advertisements were women. while they made up 41% of UK employees..." (PAGE 125 & 127)

Author Surname: Davis & Dickinson

Author First Name: Glyn & Kay

Year of Publication: 2004

Title of Book: Teen TV: Genre, Consumption and Identity

Publisher: BFI (British Film Institute)

This book is useful as it shows the history behind "Teen Pics", such as when it was first brought forward and the history of teen programming. This then helps me to research on the history behind Teenagers, which shows that I would be including SHEP in my independent study, and would be referring to the wider contexts. (PAGE 72 & 73).