media studies portfolio: November 2019

Representation Analysis

Representation in media is extremely important because it creates an accurate sense of reality to audiences. Without representation everything would look the same, and frankly a uniform world would be a boring world to live in.

In the H&M ad, a wide variety of people were represented from different ages, races, ethnicities, body types and more. The casual representation of such a diverse group of people led to an inclusive effect to audiences, making every type of person feel represented in a positive way. This ad focuses on going against the stereotypes or constructs that are places on society and owning your own power and was successful in its representation because any person can look at the ad and feel as if they are represented in a positive and powerful way.

In the tide ad, a mother and young daughter are shown and they contrast greatly. The mother, who is seen to have a very feminine and neat appearance, wearing bright pinks, is speaking about her young daughters style which consists of cargo shorts and very gender neutral colors. This type of representation relies heavily on the use of stereotypes in order to convey the message. The mother is representative of femininity and the general representation of women in media while the daughter strays away from the normal representation by presented more gender neutral. The effect that this has is that audiences can see social constructs manifested in a physical form.

Musicals!

Musical films are so spectacularly unique because of the use of music in order to advance the storyline. This genre of film intertwines music and acting in order to create meaning and add depth to the overall narrative. The emergence of this genre occurred with the introduction of sound in films. The inclusion of synchronized sound allowed filmmakers the chance to explore the idea of showcasing music in another medium besides the stage. The realm of musical films is closely intertwined with stage theatre, and there have often been interchangeable adaptations such as West Side Story which has been both a long running broadway show and a classic film.

Due to the theatricality that is such an important characteristic in musicals, technical categories such as costuming and set design are often a vital aspect in the overall achievement of a musical style film. In films like La La Land, the use of color in the costumes provides context and adds definition to the characters and also helps keep track of where the story is at, using brighter colors during the more vivid scenes and more neutral choices when the characters are in conflict. Set design can also add specific context to the storyline, such as the importance of set design in Moulin Rouge.

Musical films often focus on an escapist form of reality, using elaborate musical numbers to convey ideas or thoughts that cannot be expressed through spoken word. Themes that are generally prevalent are the search for love, fame or wealth. Many times musical films feature music from other artists that are used in the film, and would be part of the film’s soundtrack or films can also be original works which feature music written specifically for the film itself, which would be the film’s score.

Musical films have gained popularity over the years as filmmakers continue to explore the possibilities that music can add to a film. There are so many different musical films that can be made such as the classic love story, the biographical depiction of an artist’s life, or just a fun tale that is an enjoyable watch. The range of possibilities that this genre of film offers makes it a type of genre that any age group can enjoy.

A star is born is a film that has had various remakes over the years, with the most recent version being released in 2018, staring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Music in this film was written directly for the narrative, and was a very popular film, earning multiple nominations and

Awards. The film centers around the love and struggles of two characters, Jackson Maine, an established musician who has many obstacles and demons that he struggles dealing with, and Ally, a struggling artist whose career begins to take off when she meets Jackson Maine and falls in love. Through the musical numbers in the film, the audience can see the progression of Ally’s professional career, Jackson’s ongoing struggle, and the unfailing love between two people. Musical numbers such as “ I’ll Never Love Again” and “Shallow” are instrumental to the development of the characters emotions and inner conflict.

The Last Five Years was originally a Broadway show in 2001, but was later adapted for the screen in 2014 featuring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. This film movie exclusively through musical numbers and focuses on the failed marriage of a couple through their respective perspectives. The story also has a reverse crossover storyline, with the character of the wife, Cathy Hyatt, going in chronological order and the husband, Jamie Wellerstien, going in reverse chronological order. Each song acts as a timestamp in their own retelling of the progression of their failing marriage.

Other examples of Musical films!