Cutting It Essay - Gender

How is Gender represented in this clip?

In this clip, lighting is used to highlight both the atmosphere and the feelings of both people, but during the first scene mainly the woman. During the first scene, the scene where the couple are in the car, the sunlight is shining from behind the woman, basking her in light. This creates an angelic effect and makes the woman seem innocent to the audience. I think that the natural, bright light reflects the woman's happiness at being married. This links to the stereotype that all women's aim in life is to get married and are obsessed with love and marriage. The audience will be able to relate to both the couple's elated feelings and due to the lighting feel that they are part of this special time.
The woman in the clip is dressed very nicely, with her make up and hair done. The woman is wearing a floaty dress with heels. Her make up is natural and her hair is styled. Both the costume and make up join together to create a very feminine look.  This feminine look reinforces the stereotype and expectation that women are always well dressed and are obsessed with their looks. The audience will not really have a reaction to how the woman is dressed in this clip because for them that is how women are majorly represented in the media therefore for them it will be nothing abstract therefore not sparking a reaction.
During the third scene, the scene of the doctor's appointment, the woman is shown to be alone in the doctor's room. This scene, I think, is quite empowering to women. The scene subverts the stereotype that women are always dependent on men to support them. The scene shows a very sensitive topic being discussed, possibly about cancer, and the scene shows the woman being able to deal with this subject on her own. She is shown as strong and independent therefore representing herself and women in a positive light. During this scene the audience would feel a sense of protectiveness towards the woman because they will be able to recognise how hard this appointment will be for the lady and will want to support her through this.
The ending shot of the clip, just after the woman has been run over by the car, the couple are laying down on the pavement with flowers scattered around them. Flowers are traditionally linked to being quite feminine objects and the presence of them in this scene brings to the audiences attention the woman in this scene. The flowers are scattered around on the pavement quite violently. They reflect the way the woman is violently scattered on the pavement. The audience would feel the loss and the flowers bring forth the woman's innocence of the scene which the audience will be able to pick up on.
The framing in the clip is important with how the genders are represented. At the very start of the clip, both the man and the woman are in the cente of the screen and on the same level as each other. This framing at the start highlights that in this situation they are equal in status. The scene is just after they have got married and the fact that they are both framed equally in this clip portrays to the audience how happy they are and this feeling reflects onto the audience putting both genders in a positive last.
Framing is used again in the first scene, but this time the genders are not portaryed as equal as they were before.The framing of this part of the scene centers the couple but also highlights the way they are sitting. The framing shows the woman leaning into the man. The man has his arm around her pulling her close. This position brings forth the stereotypical couple image with the man acting as the protector and the woman wanting support. The audience will be able to relate to this image because they know the stereotypes and the different 'roles' that men and women have in relationships and are able to see this reflected in this clip.
Later on in the clip, after the woman has just been run over by a car, the movement of the camera changes during this scene. There is hand held camera movement and it's point of view is from the man running towards his injured wife. The hand held camera movement highlights the man's panic and shock of the situation. In a relationship, as shown before in the car, the men are stereotypically cast the role of the protector and the fact that he could not protect his wife goes against this role. Therefore his panic, shock and desperation of trying to get to his wife and protect her is shown through the jagged and quick movements of the camera. The audience would be able to pick up on the despration and panic of the situation and the feelings the husband is having through the camera work.
During the clip , after the car has hit the woman and her husband has run over to her, the angle of the camera shows the man leaning over his wife. This angle of the man being above the woman suggests two things. One being that the man is above the woman in status. The other one, which I think is the most plausable representation , is that the angle is highlighting to the audience how vunerable the woman is at this moment in time and how her husband is still trying to protect her - therefore fitting to the stereotypical roles of the relationship. The audience will be able to pick up on the husband's desperation and him still trying to protect his wife.
In the first scene of the clip, where the couple are in the car, they are discussing their realatioships and past ones. During this discussion the woman says "I know about Melissa" and at this the man's reaction is one of guilt and regret.This discussion brings to the audience's attention that the man has a history of cheating. This conforms to the ideas that men are sex obssessed and cheat on their wives. I think the audience would be shocked at this because during this scene the couple seem very much in love and the fact that the man has cheated slightly breaks the facade of their 'perfect' love.
During the second scene, where the couple get out of the taxi outside the hospital, the man says "You planned this" and his face shows a reaction of slight betrayal and confusion. The fact that the woman has taken the couple on their wedding day to the hospital and the man's negative reaction and the line "You planned this", casts the woman in a negative light. It presents her as manipulative. This conforms to the stereotypical idea that women are planning things behind their husbands backs and twisting good things to suit themselves. The audience would feel sympathy towards the husband because he has had his day ruined by the woman's visit to the hospital and her potentially changing a good day to a bad one.
In the clip, during the scene where the woman has been hit by a car, her husband is running towards her across the road. When he is running the sound is muted but the silence is cut off harshly by a car horn blaring. The audience usually associate men with driving and the fact that the sound is aggressive and abrupt leads the audience to associate men with aggression. Men are usually classed as aggressive and the sound of the car horn in this clip reinforces this idea. I personally think that the abrupt car noise reflects the sudden realisation of the situation for the man.
Again during the scene where the woman gets hit by the car, when the bus pulls away to reveal the woman on the floor, a slow motion effect is shown. This makes the reveal of the woman on the floor a lot more tense for the audience and creates a greater reaction of shock for the male character and the audience. Not only does it create a bigger sense of shock it also represents the woman in a negative light. The slow motion also makes the audience think of the situation. The woman was standing in the  middle of the road when she got hit. This presents the woman as quite niave and stupid for standing in a dangerous place. It links to the stereotype of women being stupid and naive and the woman plays to this by standing and getting run over by a car.
When the woman has been run over and she is laying on the floor there are multiple cuts between the man and the woman. One of the cuts are an eyeline match. The cut highlights the mans eyes and to where he is looking at the woman on the ground. By having this editing in it portrays how vunerable the woman is lying on the ground. It will bring to the audiences attention the panic and seriousness of the situation.

Task 7 - Audience cinema going habits

In 2015 there was a 9% increase in ticket sales. 171.9 million tickets were sold in the UK. January is the most popular month for cinema goers, due to big headlines being released e.g. A Monster calls, Hidden figures in 2017. Audiences usually hear about  films from trailers via the Internet or TV. A good way of seeing the trailers early is during the trailer section before a movie at the cinema. Cinemas advertise the newest movies coming out on the big screen, this is really good advertising because people will tell others about the trailers they have seen and therefore people will hear about the film usually before the trailers are shown on TV. Trailers are also shown and shared on the Internet.Big titles are released during January because not only does the month include school holidays, people also want to start a new year with new films. People will also have money from Christmas and would be willing to spend it on going to see the new films that are being released.  For families weekends are the most popular days to go to the cinema because the whole family can be there and going to the cinema can be a cheaper, fun day out. The least busiest times to go the cinema would be weekdays. During the weekday lots of people work so the cinemas would be less busy.
In 2017, the top 3 most popular genres are Adventure, Comedy and Action. Currently the most popular Adventure film is Kong Skull Island .This is both a family film but appealing for adults who know the history of King Kong.
New technology has recently become really popular for example Netflix. Film viewing websites have become really popular recently, for example Netflix, Amazon prime and more. These legal websites provide wide ranges of films and TV programmes. Subscription and monthly payments are needed to use these websites - Netflix is £5.99 per month. Sometimes people don't want to pay for these websites and therefore go to free, usually illegal, websites. There are lots of websites where wide range of movies can be watched for free. These websites have recently become very popular especially with teenagers and young adults who have lots of access to this different technology.

Task 6 - Cinemas

Genesis -
In London.
Target audience would be over 18s/ young adults. This is because it serves cocktails and has a more adult environment.
Films being shown currently:
Beauty and The Beast
Logan
Kong Skull Island
Moonlight
#DirectedbyWomen2017
It differs from the mainstream cinemas because it shows both independent and mainstream films, therefore gaining a wider audience. It also has a bar that serves cocktails throughout the film and has a kitchen that serves food. It also has a more adult atmosphere therefore not entirely catering to children


The Rex-
In Berkhamsted.
Target audience is again mainly over 18s, the films are more adult films due to the mature themes of the films e.g. Drugs in T2 Trainspotting.
The Rex's design is of a 1938 art-deco proscenium. The seating are big, soft chairs with tables next to each set. Wines are served, as well as snacks. Open 362 days a year and show a different title every night.
Films being shown currently:
T2 Trainspotting
La La Land
Christine
Jackie
Fences

It differs from mainstream cinemas because it shows mainly independent films. It also has different seating that are more luxurious than mainstream cinema chairs. There is also wine served and food served and instead of having to balance it on your lap there is a table provided for your things.


Cornerhouse -
In Manchester.
It houses three floors of contemporary visual arts and catalogues, working with over 95 publishers.
Films being shown currently:
Julieta
T2 Trainspotting
Moonlight
Certain women
The Love Witch
Target audience would again be over 18s due to the mature themes of the films. Independent films usually have a more mature theme therefore they would not be suitable for younger children.
The cinema differs from mainstream cinemas due to its three floors of contemporary art and celebrates independent films and different publishers work more than mainstream films do.


The Electric
In Birmingham.
The Uk's oldest working cinema - established in 1909. It is a cinema and a sound recording facility.
Films being shown currently:
Moonlight
Lion
Elle
Logan
Beauty and the Beast
T2 Trainspotting
The target audience of the cinema is a wide variety. There are lots of different films showing that attract both older and younger audiences. The cinema also runs film festivals and educational tours specifically designed for school children.

The Tyneside
In Newcastle - upon-Tyne.
Refurbished 3-screen with 2 cafes and a bar. It also offers tours and and a newsreel display.
Films being shown currently:
Viceroy's House
Hidden Figures
Moonlight
Elle
The Love Witch
The target audience would again be an older audience. The films being shown have mature themes and would appeal more to an older audience.


Hyde Park Picture House
In Leeds.
The Hyde Park Picture House is a cinema and Grade II listed building in the Hyde Park area of Leeds, West Yorkshire.
Films being shown currently:
Moonlight
A Silent Voice
Again the films have a more mature theme to them therefore catering to an older target audience. The history of the cinema though will attract a variety of people wanting to see the architecture of the building.


The Grosvenor
In Glasgow.
Offers a wide selection of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages. There are two restaurants for costumers to dine at.  There are two cinema screens which have spacious, luxury leather seating, with a back row of leather sofas for extra comfort.
Films being shown currently:
Kong: Skull Island
Sing
Logan
Moolight
T2 Trainspotting
The cinema shows both mainstream and independent films. This attracts a wide range of audiences from children and their parents to older audiences wanting to see a more mature film.


The Orion
In Burgess Hill.
Cinema with art deco facade and 2 screens showing the latest mainstream releases.
Films being shown currently:
Logan
Beauty and The Beast
Kong: Skull Island
Viceroy's House
Again the target audience is wide due to the cinema showing lots of mainstream films that attract both young and older audiences.

Zeffirellis
In Ambleside.
Independent cinema with an authentic pizzeria attached and relaxed jazz cafe for live music.
Films being shown currently:
Kong: Skull Island
Logan
Hidden Figures
Lion
Moonlight
The Time Of Their Lives
Again showing some mainstream films but also showing a wide range of independent films which attracts a wide, different audience.

Prince Charles
 In London.
The Prince Charles Cinema is a repertory cinema located in Leicester Place, 40 metres north of Leicester Square in the West End of London.
Films being shown currently:
T2 Trainspotting
La La Land
Split
Manchester By The Sea
Your Name
2001: A Space Odyssesy
Showing more independent films than mainstream films but some of the independent films are more well known than others so they will attract bigger audiences.

Independent film company

TV Drama - Coming Down The Mountain

The Rule Of Third camera technique comes into play in this clip from Coming Down The Mountain. The character Ben, who is disabled, is shown in the bottom, side frame of the screen during his able bodied brother David's conversation with his friend. The positioning of Ben in the frame highlights how Ben is isolated from normal teenage conversation and how he doesn't fit in with the other children at school or even his own brother. It makes the audience have a sympathetic view of disability and Ben.
Another camera technique used is the angle of the camera at the start. The opening shot is a bird's eye shot of the two boys shared bedroom. This shot shows the difference of the two characters. Ben's side is bright and chaotic whilst David's side is dull and organised. This could suggest that the life of  Ben is much more fun than the life of David. This makes the audience feel envious of Ben's childish innocence. It makes them reminisce about their childhood and allows them to see Ben's disability in a positive light.
The bird's eye camera shot links in with the setting and props of the boys' bedroom. The decoration and the obvious divide of the decorations highlights the difference between the boys. Ben's side of the room is chaotic, bright and childish.This shows disabled people as childish and chaotic. The fact that Ben's side of the room is messy creates a feeling of exasperation for the audience because they (especially parents) can relate to the tidying up after the chaos. This shows disability in a negative light unlike the last point.
The last point is reinforced by the bus stop scenes and the props used there. At the bus stop, Ben always has to have something to do. It shows he has a short attention span, like a child, and needs to be distracted. The method he is distracted by is child toys. For example he plays with a slinky or a stress ball. This highlights and reinforces the audience's ideas that disabled people are childish, once again representing disability in a negative tone.
At the beginning of the scene there is a short sequence of black and white clips showing evolution. The sequence shows clips of odd/ugly creatures, dinosaurs and cave men. It highlights how the world has evolved since then but the first person the audience sees after this clip is Ben. The audience then make a link between the unevolved creatures from the past, creating the image that Ben is some kind of prehistoric creature that hasn't evolved. This creates the idea that disabled people are not as evolved as able bodied and outcast's them from today's society.
Later on in the footage the pace quickens during the school scene. The quickening of the pace shows the confusion of disability. It highlights that for Ben everyday situations can be confusing and chaotic. It shows that the mind of disabled people can't take in and register what would be normal situations.
During the entire opening scene, there is a constant voice over of David. The dialogue continuoulsy refers about looking after and wanting to murder Ben. The first line said in the clip is "Last summer I decided to murder my brother", this just shows how Ben is a burden on David's life and that he is unwanted in society and David's life. In part of the clip, David has to assist Ben to the toilet.  This creates emphasis on the fact that Ben can't be independent and will need assistance throughout his life. This again makes the viewer's view Ben as a burden on his family's life and society.
Throughout the clip, Ben does not have many lines. If he does have a line it is a short simple sentence.  Overall in the clip, Ben talks the least whereas the able bodied people talk a lot more, The lines of the able bodied people are longer as well, for example David has an entire voiceover that lasts the whole footage. It conveys to the audience that Ben does not really have a voice, not just at home but in society. By not being able to talk in both school and at home it shows how people do not really value his opinion. Also by Ben only saying short, simple sentences it creates the impression that Ben is not of high intelligence. This fits in with the stereotypical disabled people are less intelligent than non disabled people.
The main positive aspect of the entire clip is the actor who plays Ben. The actor who plays Ben actually has down syndrome. This is really empowering to disabled people because it shows that they still have the same opportunities as able bodied people. It shows that they can do the same jobs and fill the same roles as anybody else. They have the same rights as anybody else does and this programme highlights that.

Independent Film Presentation

AMERICAN HONEY