Theorists

Theorists in Media 

LO3: Theorists

Genre

• David Bordwell (1989) - Any theme or ideology can appear (same as Tim O'Sullivan 1998) and certain themes are common across specific genres (unique to David Bordwell 1989).

• Barry Keith Grant (1995) - All genres have sub-genres.

• Patrick Philips (1996) - Genres offer comfortable reassurance, audiences know what type of media they are consuming because of the genre (e.g. they know horror will be scary).

• Branston and Stafford (1999) - Media industries use genre to sell their products to audiences because they know what they are going to see.

• Rick Altman (1999) - Media gives specific pleasures such as: visceral pleasure (John Wick 3), emotional pleasure or intellectual puzzles.

Representation

• Laura Mulvey (1975) - Male gaze theory, objectifying women.

• Richard Dyer (1983) - Audiences should question stereotypes to see if they are typical or not such as a weak woman following stereotypes but a strong one challenging them.

• Alvarado (1987) - Cultures in media misrepresent minorities/ethnicities via stereotype. Examples of these are outsiders, evil, pitied or humorous.

• Tim O'Sullivan (1998) - Representations reflect ideologies and these are stereotypes.

• Earp and Katz (1999) - Men feel a pathological need for violence

• Carl Rogers (1980) - Ideal Self/partners

Narrative 

• Vladimir Propp (1928) - Stock characters exist to fill in the roles of a narrative (e.g. Heroic protagonist, villain/antagonist, prince/princess character) - John is the heroic protagonist and The Adjudicator is the antagonist therefore, this proves Vladimir Propp's (1928) theory.

• Levi Strauss (1958) - Binary opposites exist such as good vs evil which is best shown via editing and camerawork - There is a shot reverse shot structure between John and Winston in the scene where John has come for revenge to display a binary opposite in good vs evil. This is furthered In a binary opposite between The Adjudicator and John/Winston in another shot reverse shot structure where there is good vs evil, male vs female (with female in power) and old vs young therefore, this proves Levi Strauss' theory (1958).

• Todorov (1977) - Narratives follow a set structure (equilibrium - break of equilibrium/enigma - attempt at repair - new equilibrium) - John Wick 3 challenges Todorov's narrative structure theory (1977) due to starting at the enigma and ending at another new enigma however, there is still attempt to repair and the enigma in parallel to the start of the film can be seen as a new equilibrium.

• Pam Cook (1985) - Enigmas no matter where they appear in the narrative (such as a fight) are resolved - John fights people and beats them therefore, resolving enigmas proving Pam Cook's (1985) theory.

• Tim O'Sullivan (1998) - Narratives represent ideologies through stereotypes (stereotype = Tim O'Sullivan) - John is a powerful male in an action setting (David Bordwell 1989 as a theme) which is a stereotype and therefore, follows Tim O'Sullivan's 1998 theory.

LO6: Theorists

Passive Audience - Negative Effects

• Stanley Cohen (1972) - Moral Panics: Demonizing certain parts of cultures by the mass media; targeted demographics which are demonized and viewed negatively due to media are: Teenagers, racial minorities, those of differing sexuality and people of certain religions (especially middle Eastern). - Stanley Cohen's Moral Panics theory is seen through the character of A train within The Boys where he (as a POC) is signified to be a villain character within the narrative. This is seen at the very beginning where he is the first ever introduced super hero in the story and he kills the heroic protagonist's girlfriend to therefore, set him as the enigma within the narrative and the primary antagonist. This is signified by his costume which is now covered in blood to depict him as a murderer before he runs away with a dashing sound effect to connote the enigma which is now present for Hughie in his girlfriend's death. 
• Another example would be Homelander whose costume is representative of patriotism (featuring an American flag on his cape) and would therefore, be the hero however, he kills groups of Middle Eastern POC, believing they're terrorists who would be seen as the villains due to their costume denoting them as Middle Eastern who are stereotypical the villains. This is therefore, demonising Middle Eastern culture through stereotypes and use of juxtaposing Mis En Scene in costume which represents Stanley Cohen's moral panics theory. This is also reflective of Adorno's hypodermic syringe theory in the verisimilitude of representing Middle Eastern wars in the Middle East and the war between America which links into real life and could influence American/patriotic audiences to take action against those of Middle Eastern backgrounds. This also demonstrates Gerber and Gross' theory as audiences may relate to their own conflicts within current wars such as Gaza and act out racist events to replicate this scene. 

• PACKARD (1979) - Hypodermic Syringe: Mass media is injected into audiences like a hypodermic syringe. Audiences will copy what they see in media. - Adorno's Hypodermic Syringe theory is seen within Red Dead Redemption 2 and the level in which the heroic protagonist assists a suffragette protest. However, within the level there are sexists against the movement. Players used the game's freedoms to shoot the suffragettes with YouTube videos such as 'annoying feminist fed to alligator' to represent sexist ideologies. This also then reflecting Tim O'Sullivan's theory regarding the representations of ideologies within media. However, talking to the suffragette also demonstrates sexist attitudes which audiences may reflect with quotes such as 'men are such judgmental pr****'. 

• Craig Anderson (2007) - Desensitisation: Audiences who play video games have become desensitised to violence. This links into the visceral pleasure theory presented by Rick Altman (1999). - Audiences can be desensitised to violence due to scenes in The Boys such as Homelander killing a shooter and whispering to him before he dies slowly. Audiences can become desensitised to violence because of this therefore, proving Craig Anderson's theory. However, the effects of this may be temporary therefore, proving Chris Ferguson's theory.

• Chris Ferguson (2012) - 'There is no long term effect' - This theory is that the desensitization is only a temporary and not long-lasting effect of media in direct response to Craig Anderson.

• Gerbner and Gross (1979) - Cultivation Theory: The more you access media the more you believe it's real life. - Realistic relationships and reactions are demonstrated such as Hughie losing his girlfriend and going out so much to do illegal activity to get vengeance on the person that killed her. Audiences may replicate these illegal actions because of the relatable scenario of losing a loved one therefore, proving Gerber and Gross' theory. This is also shown in The Deep who is portrayed as a loser who has lost his touch and does also illegal activity (stealing a dolphin) to try and bring spotlight onto himself which teens may relate to and replicate in their own way. 

Active Audience - Positive Effect

• Gauntlett (1995) - We filter and adapt content: Audiences can filter the way that they allow themselves and their children to moderate the ways that they access media through self regulation. These include: censorship, parental controls, age ratings and not following the hypodermic syringe (Adorno 1979) theory by copying what they see in media. - This also is shown by the digital economy bill which filters content for audiences to prevent them accessing media they shouldn't. - This is seen in The Boys due to its platform: Amazon Prime which has child lock features that parents can interact with to set an age restriction so that younger audiences do not access the series due to its 15+ age rating. 

• Blumler and Katz (1972) - Uses and Gratifications: Audiences can find gratifications in media; these are: Surveillance, Escapism/Entertainment, Ideal Self/Partners and Social Interaction. 

• Rick Altman (1999) - Genres offer pleasures: These include: Visceral, Emotional and Intellectual pleasures. 

• Hall (1980) - Different readings (preferred, negotiated and oppositional): Audiences can interpret media in different and unintended ways. An example of this would be in The Boys with the scene of Home lander deafening a blind superhero and saying 'What makes you think I would want to work with a cripple in the Seven'. The preferred interpretation would be to villainise Home lander further through an act the show clearly knows is horrific and intends to reflect onto the audience. The negotiated aspect is to still represent a capable disabled hero within the narrative beforehand but then putting them back down anyways. The oppositional reading would be the audience seeing the show as against disabilities and in support of stereotypical patriarchal, patriotism male characters instead. This scene also demonstrating this through Rick Altman's visceral pleasures, Blumler and Katz due to the shock leading to social interaction in support of this and Earp and Katz against it with the pathological need of male violence. Home lander continues to state to Ashley 'the only reason you're here - is because I brought you here' therefore, furthering male stereotypes of patriarchy over women which is representative of Tim O'Sullivan's ideologies and Richard Dyer with stereotypes being conveyed rather than challenged.