Question 1b. Analysing through Media Language

For my A2 Portfolio I chose to make a five-minute short in the social realist genre, ‘I am Phoenix’, which introduces the story of a girl who seeks to make a living for herself in the dire circumstances she faces. Within media language, my analysis focuses primarily on the mise en scene, camera work, sound and editing to show how my film opening represents my strong female character and how her hope in the capitalist system allows her to become something.

Mise en scene plays a vital part in my film opening to establish the genre and narrative. In line with Todorov’s narrative theory, my film subverts having an initial establishment of equilibrium as being a social realist it’s not common we begin in a state of harmony, but life is constantly upsetting the piece, this is a typical convention for social realist films. Somewhat similar to Mia in ‘Fish tank’ it opens in state of disequilibrium as her mother and her are arguing. My protagonist’s journey to get out of the house symbolizes a greater journey that she embarks to find her freedoms and this continues throughout the narrative. My first few seconds are set on a roadside and within the town area, a place that is familiar to the audience. This helps to introduce them to my as we see her archetypal chav outfit connotes her economic status. A semiotic analysis of her costume suggests strength but a sense fear as the camera is dead set facing her back with her hand in her pockets, giving the impression she is alone and wants to project an image of need and fearlessness. A close-up of her ‘peace hoop earrings’ establishes her further want for harmony and confidence in her appearance.

As theorist Stuart Hall states, ‘Media does not merely reflect the world, but contributes to the shaping of it.’ Verisimilitude is established with the use of real-life locations and carefully-planned mise en scene: once my protagonist walks through the town there is great deal of attention to detail, with lots of busy people arranged on the around the square of shops, local newsagent shops and other actors in the background riding bikes to give the impression of a busy low economic town environment. This enables the audience to recognize very quickly from these signs, and before the use of dialogue, the sort of environment my protagonist is living in.

As for Hall’s ‘contributing to the shape’ of the world, feminist ideology is present in my film opening as it adheres to modern societal expectations of a strong female. My protagonist sets an ideology many women could relate, as it is a 21st century film for a young, contemporary audience. David Gauntlett also argues that “Femininity is not typically a core value for women of today; instead, being feminine is just one of the performances that women choose to employ in everyday life.” Which is exactly what my protagonist is showcasing through being herself.

According to Blumler and Katz’s ‘Uses and Gratifications’ theory, one reason an audience watches a film is to reinforce personal identity and to use a text to judge how to behave in reality. Modern audiences are increasingly demanding strong female characters to whom they can relate, and my film opening provides this through ‘leading by example’. We see a young female character, as Judith Butler theorizes, ‘performing’ a particular identity; My protagonist, Phoenix, is portrayed to show particular interest in a pamphlet, clearly engaged and actively trying to change her ways.

In terms of camera work, my film opening conforms to Claude Levi-Strauss’s theory of binary oppositions by having a demanding and antagonist parents juxtaposed with an innocent young female daughter. This is shown in my camera work by a low angle shot of her father slapping her. By having the audience ‘look up’ to him, I establish him as an intimidating and dominant character, to emphasize the daughter’s circumstances.

Barthes’ enigma code is also at work here as, before the audience is introduced to the father, they see a close-up of Pheonix, the protagonist, stealing a chocolate bar. This creates a mystery as to why she does what she does, that the audience wants to see solved later on in the film. Explained in her final dance sequence.

In terms of editing, the flashback between her dancing and her past – showcasing the victim versus the villain, causes empathy for her and the audience rooting for her to win. Furthermore, the quick cutting of the journey walking through supported by sad music that changes to more upbeat music after locating the pamphlet confirms my aim that, according to Angela McRobbie “There has been a change in focus from the representation of the passive, dependent female to a more confident focus on self.”

Question1b. Applying Theories

According to theorist Tilley “narrative is a complex process with important implications” and this is highly applicable when concerning my coursework portfolio, a social realism short film, “I am Phoenix”. I will examine and apply in this essay a number of theories in order to deepen my analysis.
The concept of binary oppositions, developed by Levi-Strauss is relevant amongst most social realism films, as this idea explains how opposites are created within a story to help propel the narrative. In my short film, the protagonist, Phoenix is portrayed as the ‘archetypal chav’, to which has a negative connotation due to the stereotype of people needing welfare being referred to as scum. However as seen in the opening sequence of non-linear flashbacks and long held wide shots, it’s apparent her mother is abusing her shown in their contrasting body language, but that also she is suffering as a result. Therefore introducing my protagonist as the “good” character and her mother, the antagonist, as the “bad” character.  This is exemplified when a later scene of her mother and father fighting results in her father hitting her, its more obvious that the protagonist’s parents are in fact the antagonists of this film, whilst she in confirmed as the binary opposition protagonist, as she is portrayed as lonely and weak.

Furthermore, Bulgarian theorist Vladimir Propp, who studied fairytales, developed the ‘theory of character function’. This is whereby certain characters help to propel the narrative due to given functions matching his theory. In my coursework, the protagonist, Phoenix, is presented as the “hero” when she plucks up enough courage to make something of herself, despite her rough family life with the antagonist and go to a dance audition. The idea the protagonist is the hero, is because in her dance, the flashbacks of the antagonist abuse and the camera low angle shot suggests she’s becoming superior, succumbing to the socio-economic circumstance she’s been presented with.  The short camera time the antagonists are seen for implies their villainous characterizations.

My coursework doesn’t however entirely follow the theory presented by Todorov, as my film doesn’t start in a state of equilibrium assumed from the shots of her parents but does has a state of disequilibrium. This is the chaos of her flashbacks and life falling apart around her, presented through the non-linear structure of the shots and confusing narrative. However although it doesn’t agree with step one off Todorov’s theory is does agree with their final premise where the story resolves to a new equilibrium. So assumed from the clap at the very end, following her dance suggest she will move onto new things in her life.  Driving the narrative of the film towards a happy ending.To conclude, Tilley’s theory that ‘narrative is a complex process with important implications’ is greatly applicable to my movie, supported by Levi-Strauss, Vladimir and Todorov’s theories, suggesting how elements of my movie push the narrative along.

Exam Question 1b. Narrative: Todorov

Todorov's narative theory basically states that most story's plot lines follow the same pattern or path.
1. Equilibrium.
The first part of the story will display a happy start, where the majority of characters are content and everything is as it should be.
2. A Disruption (disequilibrium)
The second part of the stroy will feature a problem or somthing will disrupt the happiness.
3. Realisation
This part of the plot is when everyone realises the problem and it is chaos.
4. Restored order
This part of the plot os when the characters attempt to repair the damage and restore the problem.
5. New Equilibrium
This is the final part of the plot where the problem is resolved and normality can resume again.

Exam Question 1b. ALL: Roland Barthes

Barthes was a french media theorist who was writing from the 1950s through to the 1970s. Barthes has unravelled or deconstructed a number of texts and came to the conclusion that texts may open (with numerous semiotic threads to pull) or closed, (with only one obvious thread to grasp). The most obvious aspect of enigma codes is that they are constructed primarily to attract and hold the attention of the audience want to see solved.

The five codes which are woven into any narrative are:
1. The Hermeneutic Code (action)
Is the story avoids telling the truth or revealing all the facts, in order to drop clues in through out to help create mystery.
2. The Engima Code (puzzle)
The way the tension is built up and the auidence is left guessing what happens next
3. The Symbolic Code
This is very similar to semantic but acts at a wider level, organising semantic meanings into broader and deeper sets of meaning. This is typically done in the use of antithesis, where new meaning arisis out of opposing and conflict ideas
4. The Semantic Code
The semanitc points to any element in a text that suggests a particular, often additional meaning by way of connotation which the story suggests.
5. The Cultural Code
Looks at the audience wider cultueral knowldge, morality and ideology.

Exam Question 1b. ALL: Claude Levi-Strauss

Levi-Strauss was a french lingustic theorist who wrote many books on how culture and meaning relate. Narratives we realate to each other unconsciously reflect the ideologies, obsessions and fears of our society. These naratives are constructed using opposites, such as dark and light. We see in texts many binary oppositions, this slideshare explains how Levi- Strauss uses the concept of opposition:

Strauss binary opposites from laurenminns

Exam Question 1b. Narrative: Vladimir Propp

Vladimir Propp was a russian media theorist, known as a formalist, who analysed over 100 Russian folk tales and realised that certian characters recurred in completley different stories:

- the villain, who struggles with the hero (formally known as the antagonist)
- the donor,
- the helper,
- the Princess, a sought-for person (and/or her father), who exists as a goal and often recognizes and marries hero and/or punishes villain
- the dispatcher,
- the hero, who departs on a search (seeker-hero), reacts to the donor and weds
- the false hero (or antihero or usurper), who claims to be the hero, often seeking and reacting like a real hero (ie by trying to marry the princess)

Propp also realised that certain narrative themes were used again and again: prepartation, complication, transference, struggle, return and recognition. Propps narrative functions cover 31 different functions, some of which can be applied and some of which wont apply, depending on the narrative.

1. A member of a family leaves home (the hero is introduced as a unique person within the tribe, whose needs may not be met by remaining)
2. An interdiction (a command NOT to do something e.g.'don't go there', 'go to this place'), is addressed to the hero; 
3. The hero ignores the interdiction 
4. The villain appears and (either villain tries to find the children/jewels etc; or intended victim encounters the villain); 
5. The villain gains information about the victim;
6. The villain attempts to deceive the victim to take possession of victim or victim's belongings (trickery; villain disguised, tries to win confidence of victim); 
7. The victim is fooled by the villain, unwittingly helps the enemy; 
8. Villain causes harm/injury to family/tribe member (by abduction, theft of magical agent, spoiling crops, plunders in other forms, causes a disappearance, expels someone, casts spell on someone, substitutes child etc, commits murder, imprisons/detains someone, threatens forced marriage, provides nightly torments); Alternatively, a member of family lacks something or desires something (magical potion etc); 
9. Misfortune or lack is made known, (hero is dispatched, hears call for help etc/ alternative is that victimised hero is sent away, freed from imprisonment); 
10. Seeker agrees to, or decides upon counter-action; 
11. Hero leaves home; 
12. Hero is tested, interrogated, attacked etc, preparing the way for his/her receiving magical agent or helper (donor); 
13. Hero reacts to actions of future donor (withstands/fails the test, frees captive, reconciles disputants, performs service, uses adversary's powers against them); 
14. Hero acquires use of a magical agent (it's directly transferred, located, purchased, prepared, spontaneously appears, is eaten/drunk, or offered by other characters); 
15. Hero is transferred, delivered or led to whereabouts of an object of the search; 
16. Hero and villain join in direct combat; 
17. Hero is branded (wounded/marked, receives ring or scarf); 
18. Villain is defeated (killed in combat, defeated in contest, killed while asleep, banished);
19. Initial misfortune or lack is resolved (object of search distributed, spell broken, slain person revived, captive freed); 
20. Hero returns;
21. Hero is pursued (pursuer tries to kill, eat, undermine the hero); 
22. Hero is rescued from pursuit (obstacles delay pursuer, hero hides or is hidden, hero transforms unrecognisably, hero saved from attempt on his/her life); 
23. Hero unrecognised, arrives home or in another country; 
24. False hero presents unfounded claims;
25. Difficult task proposed to the hero (trial by ordeal, riddles, test of strength/endurance, other tasks); 
26. Task is resolved; 
27. Hero is recognised (by mark, brand, or thing given to him/her); 
28. False hero or villain is exposed;
29. Hero is given a new appearance (is made whole, handsome, new garments etc); 
30. Villain is punished;
31. Hero marries and ascends the throne (is rewarded/promoted).