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OH:

  • Oh Comely is an independent magazine published by Iceberg Press, a small London publisher which publishes only one other title.
  • Oh Comely constructs a representation of femininity with its focus on creativity and quirkiness.
  • Oh Comely is part of a development in lifestyle and environmental movements of the early twenty first century which re brand consumerism as an ethical movement.
  • Its representation of femininity reflects an aspect of the feminist movement which celebrates authenticity and empowerment.
  • It is possible to apply feminist critical thinking to this CSP for example theories of representation including:
  • Hall
  • Bell hooks
  • Van Zoonen
  • Gender performativity – Butler

Media Industry Analysis:

Key words:

  • Media concentration / Conglomerates / Globalisation (in terms of media ownership)

A company that owns large numbers of companies in various mass media including television, radio and publishing.

  • Vertical Integration & Horizontal Integration

A strategy whereby a company owns or controls its suppliers, distributors or retail locations to control its value or supply chain.

  • Gatekeepers
  • Regulation / Deregulation
  • Free market vs Monopolies & Mergers
  • Neo-liberalism and the Alt-Right
  • Surveillance / Privacy / Security / GDPR

Memento and narrative:

Many narratives are usually Linear and Sequential, which means they normally have a beginning, middle and end (Tztevan Todorov) – Memento doesn’t have this.

Todrov`s equilibrium theory – equilibrium, disruption, new equilibrium.

Vladimir Propp – character types and function.

  • Hero
  • Helper
  • Princess
  • Villain
  • Victim
  • Dispatcher
  • Father
  • False Hero

Roland Barthes: proairetic and hermenuetic code.

Proairetic: action, movement.

Hermenuetic; character, dialogue.

Enigma code: the way in which intrigue and ideas are raised- which encourage an audience to want more information.

Narrative theory can be applied to moving image texts but in many ways, narrative theory transcends a specific media form, such as, film and television.

Narrative is the overall structure involved in communication, which can be broken down into: ‘story’ and ‘plot’.

Elision and ellipses: Not played in real time; time can move backwards and forwards (flash backs and forwards);stuff missing.

Simultaneous or parallel narratives: time can run simultaneously, in that it is possible to play-out different narratives at the same time.

Dramatic irony: Knowing something important that the characters do not.

Post Modernism:

  • Postmodernism is a way of seeing and understanding the world, yourself and the community at the moment.
  • A good way to think about post-modernism is through music videos.
  • The media is part of understanding the world.
  • Post modernism is characterised by things like copying.
  • Copying can be a way of learning.
  • Referential and referring to things.
  • Parody vs Pastiche.
  • Pastiche is a work of art that imitates an original or work of a previous artist.
  • Parody is a work or performance that imitates another with ridicule or irony.
  • Bricolage is a useful term to apply to postmodernism.
  • It involves rearrangement and juxtaposition.
  • Intertextuality.
  • Surface signs, gestures and play.
  • Shuker.
  • Fragmentary, decentred nature of music videos.
  • There is argument that postmodern culture is a consumer culture, where the emphasis on style eclipses the emphasis on utility or need.
  • Fragmentary consumption.
  • About fragmentation of identity.
  • Alienated fragmented individuals.
  • Jean Baudrillard.
  • The world is imploding in on itself.
  • Simulacrum, not just a representation of the real, but the real itself.
  • Jean-Francois Lyotard.
  • Metanarrative.

Feminist Critical Thinking:

Systematic Societal Sexism:

“Systemic sexism has been woven into our social fabric.”

Misogyny is a term that refers to the hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women or girls. You could look at many famous or influential typically mael figures in socierty today and realise that their behaviour is seen as a away of excerting their power other women who can still be viewed as fundamently “weaker” individuals. This may be known as the Patriarchy.

Different times/waves of feminism:

  • Suffragette movement (formed in 1903).
  • Second wave (1970s).
  • 1990s began third wave feminism . Sees womens lives as intersectional. Gender and Racial positivity; cyberactivisim; religion and nationality looked upon as factors.
  • Fourth wave feminism; The MeToo movement. New media technologies that help the world-wide spread of feminism.

postColonialism:

Postcolonialism is the academic study of the cultural legacy of colonialism and imperialism.

Orientalism is the imitation or depiction of aspects in the Eastern world.

However, orientalism is also the link between culture, imperial power and colonialism.

” Orientalism was what he described as a form of Western imperialism that the East had been subjected to since Colonial times. Said talks of the earlier Orientalist writers who never seemed to capture the true nature of the Orient. They wrote or painted the stereotypes that had been a custom by others to record. ”

This quote above is taken from an online essay on the concept of orientalism, and in a simpler way shows how stereotypes and idea`s about certain cultures have been formed, taking note of research by Edward Said.

Edward Said:

The power to narrate, or to block other narratives from forming or emerging, is very important to culture and imperialism.”Culture and Imperialism, 1993: xii.

Both Orientalism, written in 1978, and Culture and Imperialism; 1993, are key etxts that have been written by Edward Said.

In this view, the outlying regions of the world have no life, history or culture to speak of, no independence or integrity worth representing without the West.” Said, 1993: xxi .

Louis Althusser:

French philosopher Louis Althusser developed the ideological state apparatus (ISA), a theoretical concept which is used to describe the way in which structures of civic society serve to structure the ideological perspectives of society, which form our individual subject identity.

Althusser said: “The category of the subject . . . is the category constitutive of all ideology.” This on a simpler level means that we are controlled by our social constructs which is “the ideology of the ruling class”.

Frantz Fanon:

  • The wretched of the earth.
  • French West Indian psychiatrist and political philosopher.
  • “Brought up out of the depths of his memory; old legends will be reinterpreted.”

Antonio Gramsci:

  • Negotioation and consent.
  • Certain cultural forms predominate over others, which means that certain ideas are more influential than others.
  • Dominant ideas, attitudes and beliefs are slowly, subtly woven into our very being.

Paul Gilroy:

  • Double Consciousness.
  • His concept of double consciousness involves ‘Black Atlantic’ striving to be both European and Black through their relationship to the land of their birth and their ethnic political constituency.

Narrative essay:

Narrative within a music video is often the hook that will draw views in. It can also be claimed that narrative has a lot to do with the idea of “time” and how it is used within the space. In comparison of both Letter to the Free and Ghost Town; very alternating music videos themselves- there are different approaches to narrative that are used for both.

For example, in regards to Ghost Town; this high-energy, angsty video almost has the feel of teenage drama to it that could so easily draw viewers of that certain calibre in- no matter the lyrics. Also, with this tension and energy that is created, you could say that there is a lot to do with Tztevan Todorov and his approach on Narrative. Todorov speaks of a clear beginning, middle and end- something that Ghost Town with its underlying political messages and bustling streets it is enough to tell a story.

However, in terms of Seymour Chatman with satellites and kernels, a lot could also be said for Ghost Town. The way this video is filmed casts a spotlight on the band members and pays close attention to details; even irrelevant figures on the busy streets. Therefore, the kernels within this video could be the when the band are within the car and they are driving through the tunnel, and the satellites could be the contrasting coloured shirts that the member wear.

Furthermore, in terms of Letter to the Free, this is a music video that has a lot less of a structure and is not as easy to analyse within a narrative. However, although there isn’t a clear chronological order to the events of the music video; I could perhaps claim that the video has come together by many different theorists and narratives merging into one.