Richard Dyer- The Matter of Images

Dyer said: 'How we are seen determines how we are treated, how we see them.' How we see them comes from representation.

I used this theory to help my analyse a programme.

The programme that I have chosen to analyse is 'Skins' which is an energetic drama based on the lives of a group pf 6 rowdy teenagers and is shown on channel 4. Stereotypes are very prominent throughout the series and teenagers are shown mainly in a bad light and scenes of unprotected sex, drug taking and a bad attitude towards education are shown frequently. After studying Rayner's theory of representation I have been able to further discover the decisions that the director/producer has made to display the way in which the 17 years olds have been represented.

All of the scenes shown at the school feature, truancy, complete disregard or utter lack of interest in learning, disrespect to the teachers and an overall bad attitude, the view of the teenagers that is represented within the programme is farcely stereotypical and shows a very narrow minded and one sided point of view.

Another theorist, Richard Dyer argues the importance of images and the way in which people treat people because of the way they look, what they are wearing and there overall appearance, in the programme I analysed.

The Constructionist Approach

-the representation is constructed with a set of ideas and values (producers intent/ intended meaning)

-the context of the representaion is part of the representation (media language choices, anchorage, media form, placement/location, genre expectations)

-the audience reacts to this representation and this depends on their own personal interpretational context: age, gender, political/religous beliefs, nationality etc. (negotiated meaning).

Gatekeeping

A theorist called White (1961) spoke to the (gatekeepers)- that is the people who are part of the decision making process in the construction of the media texts.

Who are gatekeepers?
-BBC commisioners
-Law makers
-Director
-Producer
-Editor
-Audience (recent phenomenom, test screening)

Representation

Rayner, a theorist came up with the theory of representation in the media. He explained representation as 'the process my which the media represent the 'real world'

He believed that this was done using a selection process, he though that the selection process was as follows:
-the decision over what is chosen to be represented and what is rejected.
-the choices made when organising the representation.
-the options taken the focus the audience in a certain way.

When thinking about representation within the media you have to consider the following:
-Who or what is being represented?
-How is the representation created? This could be through Mise en Scene.
-Why is the representation created in that way? What is the intention?
-What is the effect of the representation?

Binary Opposites

Levi Straus believed that the world was split into a series of 'binary opposites.' Essentially one thing can only be defined in relation to something it isn't, for example, there's only fat because there's thin.

Bianary opposites are also used to help to define the symbolic code.

Narrative Theory- Roland Barthes.

Action code- Applies to any action that implies a furthur narrative action, for example, non-diegetic music in the film 'Jaws' suggests an attack.

Enigma code- refers to any element in a story that is not explained, for example, who is the murderer. (Adverts only ever have one enigma code)

The Semantic code- any element in a text that suggests a particular, often additonal meaning by way of connotation.

Denotation- word with one meaning.

The cultural code- any element in a narrative that refers to 'a science or body of knowledge,' in other words the cultural codes tend to point out our shared knowledge about the world works.

The symbolic- Something that is used to symbolise something within a piece of media, a form of forshadowing. Can be noticed by looking at a series of binary opposite.

Editing

Continually- The viewer should not notice the cuts, and shots should flow together naturally. The shots should appear to be continuous.

Montage- This style of editing has two functions. The highly political soviet style of the 1920's which sought to create a new meaning out of seemingly unconnected shots. The audience is very aware of the 'cuts'.

Hollywood Montage- In classical Hollywood cinema, a 'montage sequence' is a short segment in a film in which narrative information is presented in a condensed fashion. Editing that alternates shots of two or more lines of actions occurring in different places, usually simultaneously.

Dissolve- creates soft or dream like effect.

Camera Angles

A medium shot- the most commonly used shot in cinema. It is used to show any character interaction.
Close up- used to show the audience something important

Shot reverse shot- used for dialogue, makes the audience feel they are part of the conversation

High angle shot- Camera pointing downwards towards character, connotes power over the object you are viewing. Makes the character appear inferior.

Low angle shot- camera points upwards towards character, makes character appear powerful, superior and stronger.

Tracking shot- camera is parallel to the action and follows the 'subject' or action.

Pan- camera sweeps from left to right.

Tilt- camera tilts to go up and down. Usually to show attractive women.