Introduction g325

Key terms:

• Denotation 
• Connotation 
• Challenges
• Conforms
• Objectification
• Gaze (male gaze)
• Mediation
• Stereotypes
• Self Representation
• ideology
• dominant ideology 

SKET

The film sket challenges the stereotypes which the media would usually apply to women. Women in the media would generally most often be portrayed as caring, kind, attractive and polite people, however in this film the young women in the opening title sequence are seen violently kicking someone, whilst the girls swear at the man who is being attacked and spit on him. This challenges stereotypes as these girls are behaving more typically as a man would more usually in media productions. 

Near the start of the film opening at around 2:30 a male is seen walking up to a female and putting his arm round her as she passes him. This male gets angry and starts to abuse the girl verbally as she walks away after he tries to grab hold of her. This conforms to the stereotype that men often have control over women in terms of the relationship between the two. 

At 3:22 in the film a women is seen pulling on some jeans over her underwear in front of a male, the connotation of this is that she is simply getting dressed however the denotation is that this male and female have just had sex. This represents objectification that in a way this women is perhaps a sex object, this could also be seen as a way of conforming to a particular stereotype that men have more control over women in comparison to women having control over men.

Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines

Women in both versions of Robin Thicke's blurred lines video are objectified as sex objects for the men in the video. In the explicit version of the video the women are only wearing shoes and very thin underwear which is similar to the colour of their skin, so it looks as if they are not wearing any underwear at all. This video conforms to the male gaze theory as the women are not singing their only contribution to the song and the video, is to dance around the men within the video itself. It would be suggested that these women are in the video to catch the attention of the male audience as they are revealing themselves whilst the men in the video stare at the and dance towards them. It would further seem that this video is to appeal to male gaze as the men in the video are fully clothed and looking respectable, whilst the women are barely clothed and are revealing themselves.

The women in this video also conform to stereotypes of how a women's appearance can often be portrayed in the media. These women are all wearing red lipstick and makeup, this is a stereotypical way of portraying women to be attractive, and to care a lot about their appearance. Each of the women also have long hair which is another stereotype which is used a lot in the media in order to portray females as ladylike and attractive.

It is clear that the women in this video don't care about being objectified as they are not trying to cover themselves up as the dance around the males in the video. This perhaps adds to the stereotype that men have control over women in some instances as the audience of this video can see that the women are clearly their to please the men in the video, and therefore also the majority of the male audience.