Representation

Tayla, Paige and Callum

Starter

What is meant by representation?

What is representation?Representation is about understanding the choices that are made

when it comes to portraying something or someone in a mass media text. Certain features of personality and appearance get highlighted, and are often enhanced, when it comes to constructing the representation.

When representing a person, media texts often focus on their: Age Gender Race/Ethnicity Financial Status Job Culture/nationality

Activity!

Find as many things as possible that connote and denote the horror genre.

Write down 10 things that are associated with the horror genre

Representation Theory

The term refers to the processes involved as well as to its products. For instance, in relation to the key markers of identity- Class, Age, Gender and Ethnicity. Representation involves not only how identities are represented within the text but also how they are constructed in the processes of production and reception

Representation Theorists

Gill Branston and Roy Stafford state that there are characteristics to representation such as:

A categorising and evaluation of the group being stereotyped. Emphasise on specific features which are easily recognised by the audience for them to draw the conclusion of the represented group. The evaluation is often but not always a negative one.

Representation Theorists Representation can be linked to horror films such as the

representation of genre. This is because women are represented as vulnerable and an easy target within horror films. However the horror genre also allows this stereotypical view of women to be challenged, because as the story progresses we can see how the woman can become stronger and overcome the villain.

Laura Mulvey, gaze and feminist, is a representation theorist. Her theory is that she believes that in film, audiences have to view characters from the perspective of heterosexual male.

Activity

Do you know any horror films that are linked to Laura Mulvey’s male gaze theory?

Plenary

When representing a person media texts often focus on……..