Re-presentation

First of all in class we looked a photograph of a man, women, young girl and two young boys portraying the perfect family image. The people in the image are most probable not related and are professional models. The facial expressions connote happiness and the proxemics show unity and physical closeness. The mother acts as a nurturer as she has her arms around two of the children and the 'father' holding a child, equals in a caring, masculine strength. The framing and angle shot focuses the attention to the characters faces showing that there happiness together is the most important aspect of the group. The fact that the women is dressed in a baggy shirt and trousers which colour co-ordinates with the rest of family suggest that she is not trying to impress any other men and that she is 'owned' by her husband and doesn't feel the need to attract attention. The idea that they are all wearing casual clothing may portray the couple are extremely comfortable with each other and also there lifestyle, picnic's in the park, long walks, dad plays football with the boys. The family are also white which in cultural more representative to the majority of Briton. If the family were of a other ethnicity it would change the audience. The roles of each person are typical to idealistic roles; the female child is holding a soft, cute toy which portrays sweetness and sensitivity. The smallest boy is boisterous and a bit of a handful but controlled by a strong yet gentle father. Both 'parents' seem to be kind and patient. This photograph of a 'family' could be used to sell anything from holidays to sofas to pasta!
The way this image has been constructed is done in all media texts taking every aspect of mise-en-scene into context to create the right impression to the viewer.

'The process by which the media presents the 'real world' - Rayner
IE - the decision over what is chosen to be represented and what is rejected.
- the choices made when organising the representation
- the opinions taken to focus the audience in a certain way

who
what
how
why
(Mr Smith said that he was going to blog this information as he didn't want us to copy it down in the lesson as it would take to long, I have sent him a blog message, once he has put it on I will read, learn and then blog it.)

Gatekeeping - theorist White 1961 -
gatekeepers = the people who are part of the decision making process in the construction of media texts, I am the decision maker in my animation but also ICA my institution.
A fantastic example of this is the show Big Brother, the directors and editors can portray different people in different lights for example if someone likes to shout every once in a while they may only show audiences this side to there personality. This gives the directors and editors the power not the contestants.

Constructionist approach - (and this)

Richard Dyer - The matter of images
'How we are seen determines how we are treated, how we treat others is based on how we see them. How we see them comes from representation.'

After looks at the Mr Smiths power point he gave us a picture of Eva Mendes modeling for Calvin Klien and analysed the images using Laura Mulvey's 'male gaze' theory, Trevor Millum's and Marjorie Furguson's analysis on facial expression.

- dominant
- mysterious
- boobs/cleavigde
- tanned
- healthy
- wet/oil
- garters
- suspenders
- thin
- legs open
- heels/elongates legs
- tall
- shadow = bigger/powerful
- camera angle = reflects power
- black underwear
- sexy
- 1/2 see through pants
- face not important, body is the focus
- see doesn't care about us
- secutery women/business women = men's fantasies