Thursday 20 October 2016
Update
I have been finding more secondary sources and continued to fill in my logging research table.
Empire Magazine- Secondary find
EMPIRE MAGAZINE
http://www.empireonline.com/movies/room/review/
This secondary source is extremely useful to my investigation as it supports my point that one of my films I have chosen; Room, entails a strong female character. This can be supported through the use of language in which Empire Magazine describe her. These descriptions she is given are so very different to a lot of film reviews, this is because films are usually using female characters in a very stereotypical way.
http://www.empireonline.com/movies/room/review/
This secondary source is extremely useful to my investigation as it supports my point that one of my films I have chosen; Room, entails a strong female character. This can be supported through the use of language in which Empire Magazine describe her. These descriptions she is given are so very different to a lot of film reviews, this is because films are usually using female characters in a very stereotypical way. 
Geena Davis interview on gender in films
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAJvfsOCkG0
Facts from this interview that help my investigation:
Facts from this interview that help my investigation:
- 3 male to 1 female in film lead roles.
- Korea has 50% female lead characters in their films.
- Female characters are narrowly stereotyped.
- The Media wants us to believe that it has improved, for example when we get shown one film we believe things have changed; bridesmaids.
- 13 men to 1 women are working on films in the industry.
- Children who watch films can receive a very unbalanced message about gender.
Monday 17 October 2016
Top Find this week!
I found some interesting statistics from The Geena Davis Institute showing how little time women spend on time with screen time and speech time. This supports my investigation as I am exploring how there are a lack of strong female characters in popular US contemporary films and how there needs to be more women breaking that mould of a stereotype like Gravity does.
BFI Screenonline- Female Protagonists
This piece of secondary research is very relevant to my topic as it expresses how female characters have usually always been restricted in the roles they play, for example it states that people complain that women in film are typically: mothers, virgins or whores. This shows how stereotyping has taken over, which proves even more so that my 3 key films, especially my focus film shows how the female characters break that mould of a stereotype and transform it into a realistic and equal view of women and female characters in film.
Reference:
Reference:
Bonham-Carter, H. (no date) BFI Screenonline: Female protagonists. Available at: http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/824016/ (Accessed: 17 October 2016).
Primary Research
My primary research for my focus film Gravity is underway, including analysis of the scene and its relevance to my topic. I have already collected a survey to contribute to my primary research, however I feel as though I might do another one as it is a very affective way of gathering evidence to support your main key points in the investigation.
Thursday 6 October 2016
http://www.btchflcks.com/2013/10/gravity-and-its-unique-female-hero.html#.V_ZiFk2V_Gg
"As Natalie Portman recently said, feminism in film is about more than just kicking ass..."
This quote from this article/blog is extremely useful to me as it justifies my main points. For example: the films I have chosen are films that represent women in a strong way, physically and mentally, however this doesn't just mean they are good at 'kicking ass'. They use their strengths in better ways than this.
"As Natalie Portman recently said, feminism in film is about more than just kicking ass..."
This quote from this article/blog is extremely useful to me as it justifies my main points. For example: the films I have chosen are films that represent women in a strong way, physically and mentally, however this doesn't just mean they are good at 'kicking ass'. They use their strengths in better ways than this.
Tuesday 4 October 2016
Sight & Sound- Ghostbusters (source rejection)
Why I have rejected this piece of secondary material
I have chosen to reject this piece of secondary material as this article explains more about the process of the film rather than going into any detail about how they decided to choose the female cast. Therefore, I have realised this will not be a help to my investigation as it does not explore the areas I need to gather evidence for.
Monday 3 October 2016
Room - Analysis
Chosen scenes relevant to my topic:
First scene: Practise Escape Scene.
This scene is powerful in many ways, from building intensity of escaping from the abuse they have been experiencing and hope for the two of these strong characters. Ma, who is played by Brie Larson shows a range of emotions, from extreme hurting to powerful strength in order to do what she possibly can to help her son Jack to escape. This represents her selfless persona, caring most for her son. Her single mother figure alone expresses her hard work keeping her son well, healthy and alive. Living in a small space like this is enough to make you go crazy. Ma's plan to help her son escape is a little crazy and risky, however, this reflects her courageous and intelligent personality, not what you would usually associate to a female character stereotype. You can argue that she has qualities in which are stereotypical such as: a mother who cooks and cares for her child. However, this is done in a way in which seems much darker, the context of the situation of the scene reveals just how much strength she has to reassure her son Jack that everything will be alright.
(Insert Gif from scene)
Second Scene: Ma's Drug Overdose.
This scene contrasts her persona in which she reflects when in 'room', as this is the aftermath. The years she has been trapped inside there takes a toll on her. This scene especially raises awareness about mental health illnesses, especially suicide, showing her diverse elements within her character. Although we see her struggle, we see her get back up. It allows us to feel sympathy towards her due to the experience she has had to go through including bringing up her child for five years whilst having to be raped in order to survive, such as, receiving essentials like food and clothing. This scene supports my investigation as it shows how this strong female character does not just go by the stereotypical rules of a woman. She expresses so many different emotions and succeeds in saving her son, making her a hero. In most cases you would find a male hero, however, if it was a female hero, she would usually be sexualised in order to accommodate male needs.
First scene: Practise Escape Scene.
This scene is powerful in many ways, from building intensity of escaping from the abuse they have been experiencing and hope for the two of these strong characters. Ma, who is played by Brie Larson shows a range of emotions, from extreme hurting to powerful strength in order to do what she possibly can to help her son Jack to escape. This represents her selfless persona, caring most for her son. Her single mother figure alone expresses her hard work keeping her son well, healthy and alive. Living in a small space like this is enough to make you go crazy. Ma's plan to help her son escape is a little crazy and risky, however, this reflects her courageous and intelligent personality, not what you would usually associate to a female character stereotype. You can argue that she has qualities in which are stereotypical such as: a mother who cooks and cares for her child. However, this is done in a way in which seems much darker, the context of the situation of the scene reveals just how much strength she has to reassure her son Jack that everything will be alright.
(Insert Gif from scene)
Second Scene: Ma's Drug Overdose.
This scene contrasts her persona in which she reflects when in 'room', as this is the aftermath. The years she has been trapped inside there takes a toll on her. This scene especially raises awareness about mental health illnesses, especially suicide, showing her diverse elements within her character. Although we see her struggle, we see her get back up. It allows us to feel sympathy towards her due to the experience she has had to go through including bringing up her child for five years whilst having to be raped in order to survive, such as, receiving essentials like food and clothing. This scene supports my investigation as it shows how this strong female character does not just go by the stereotypical rules of a woman. She expresses so many different emotions and succeeds in saving her son, making her a hero. In most cases you would find a male hero, however, if it was a female hero, she would usually be sexualised in order to accommodate male needs.
Focus Film Scene Analysis
Gravity: Chosen scenes relevant to my topic
1) During the opening scene, the female lead character is doing some engineering work. This can immediately be contrasted with your stereotypical female character, this is because this act that she is doing during the opening of Gravity is seen to be a 'males job', therefore she is beginning to break the mould of your typical female character in films. She works for NASA which is a very high class job knowing to bring in a lot of money. This generates a positive outlook on her character, messaging across that as a woman you can make money too and be whatever you aspire to be.
2) My second scene to support and give evidence of her strong female character would be the scene at 56 minutes. This scene is when she is completely on her own, all other astronaughts have died due to the debris. This shows her independence as a character and how she is surviving by herself without any help. The way in which the film maker has constructed her character is in a way of breaking that ideology that women can't survive on their own or have to have male help.
3) The third and final scene I am going to use is the final scene were we see her land herself and finally touches land being the only survivor of that mission. This can be applied to the Final Girl theory by Carol J. Clover.
1) During the opening scene, the female lead character is doing some engineering work. This can immediately be contrasted with your stereotypical female character, this is because this act that she is doing during the opening of Gravity is seen to be a 'males job', therefore she is beginning to break the mould of your typical female character in films. She works for NASA which is a very high class job knowing to bring in a lot of money. This generates a positive outlook on her character, messaging across that as a woman you can make money too and be whatever you aspire to be.
2) My second scene to support and give evidence of her strong female character would be the scene at 56 minutes. This scene is when she is completely on her own, all other astronaughts have died due to the debris. This shows her independence as a character and how she is surviving by herself without any help. The way in which the film maker has constructed her character is in a way of breaking that ideology that women can't survive on their own or have to have male help.
3) The third and final scene I am going to use is the final scene were we see her land herself and finally touches land being the only survivor of that mission. This can be applied to the Final Girl theory by Carol J. Clover.
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