Stereotypes in prim-eval

In this lesson we also discussed how gender is Re-presented through media's in particular the film prim-eval. I learnt that some characters could be atypically male or female these are e.g. a strong capable female protagonist or a feminine weak male antagonist. And stereotypical e.g. the strong, heroic male protagonist or pretty little female protagonist.

In this lesson, we learnt how to divide a video clip, into four or five sections, as this is what we will do in the first viewing for the exam, so that in the other three viewings we can write notes on camera angles, mise-en-scene, sound, and editing about the sections I have devised. we were set the homework to write an essay about the Primeval using the sections as a guideline for paragraphing. I also learnt that this will add a structure to my essay writing. The page below shows that I tried to find the four sections and didn't succeed, which means it will take practice to find the sections, and the notes on sections four as the other three sections are above.

Discuss the Way in Which the Extract Contrasts Representation of Gender
In the opening clip of Primeval, the director Michael Katleman represents gender through a mid-long shot of the male protagonist we know he is this because of his unshaven face and clothing of a grey t-shirt and jeans which connotes masculinity and therefore a stereotypical male. Also the female protagonist is established from a long shot in a JCB (digger) which connotes that she is an atypical female because the digger is hard, strong and angular. Her masculinity is reinforced through her non-feminine short haircut and wearing of dark clothing e.g. black jacket and trousers. Another long shot is used to introduce a character of an atypical male antagonist; the audience acknowledges that he is atypical because he is wearing a red scarf, and a pink top which connotes femininity as there is a weakness of being cold and the colour pink is usually worn by women. His body language reinforces this when he is placing bate on the ground as he gently puts it on the floor by stretching his arms out to balance because he is afraid that he might fall.

As the clip continues the audience hears a non-diegetic roar of a Saber-tooth the camera pans left and right quite rapidly blurring the audience’s vision connoting panic which is from the male protagonist’s point of view this connotes he is scared and therefore atypically weak. This is reinforced when the high camera angle from the Saber-tooth’s point of view is looking down on the male protagonist in the ditch connoting the Saber-tooth’s strength and the man’s cowardice connoting that the animal has higher status because it was in charge. The grey of his top could now symbolise being trapped in a cage or in this case trapped by the Saber-tooth. The atypical representation is reinforced when the female protagonist saves the male protagonist from the Saber-tooth distracting it with the yellow digger as yellow symbolises courage it connotes that she is an atypical female protagonist because females are not supposed to be strong, heroic, be good at driving or have courage. The diegetic drumming strings and high pitched choral creates a dramatic suspense because of the danger connoted. Also the diegetic roar of the digger’s engine and the non-diegetic roar of the edited animated Saber-tooth are the same volume connoting they are at equal statuses, so they are just as dangerous as each other. There is evidence that this trend in roles of a weak male and strong female continues, which reinforces the atypical representation, because, even though the male protagonist distracts the Saber-tooth from the women and for a short while, has control through a bird’s eye view looking down on the Saber-tooth acting stereotypically heroic, using his belt as a zip wire. The female protagonist runs after them and scares of the Saber-tooth with a riffle which connotes power because it is indexical to war because it has weapons in it that are linked to politics which refers back to power. This emphases’ her masculinity because she runs which is quite active and has a riffle which is linked to the army where there are mostly male solders.

The clip develops more by a use of a long shot of four of the characters the weaker –atypical female and atypical male are marginalized whereas the strong stereotypical masculine male protagonists are positioned in the centre of the screen. This connotes the importance of the characters given their position on screen, job title and status. A new idea has also been created which is that there is a decline in equality for it is male dominated this is conveyed through the number of men in ratio to women; in this scene it is 4:1.Moreover, Referring back to her costume characters have to take on a masculine persona despite their gender if wanting a job in this profession e.g. fighting Saber-tooth’s.

The last part of the clip mainly represents males and females stereotypically, for example the mid shot of Jennie connotes she is a business woman as she wears make-up, has her long hair tied up, wears a long white coat, a black expensive looking dress and jewellery. Whereas, the over the shoulder shot of West conveys a stocky masculine working class farmer as connoted by his costume of a blue long sleeved top with a green body warmer over it and grey trousers, also the setting of the barn reinforces the connotation of his occupation. Furthermore, the fact that he owns dogs expresses his masculinity as they are Alsatians big and are usually used for guard dogs. However, the over the shoulder shot communicates to the audience that these two characters are still at the same level of status, even though that Jennie feels as though she is in control and higher than West. The diegetic dialogue that Jennie says threatens West and so he turns against her with a gun symbolising his power. This is reinforced in the low to high slow motion shot from Jennie’s point of view which makes the spectator’s sympathize with her as she is fragile, startled and feminine, because Jennie thought that she was in control. The tension is built further from the gun shots making the dogs bark and the base increase with volume. Suddenly, the diegetic dialogue from the male protagonist stops all other diegetic and non-diegetic sounds and action as he and female protagonist save the day both pointing guns at West connoting power over him stopping him shoot Jennie, the stereotypical female. Then there is a mid-long shot of the female protagonist, male protagonist and the atypical antagonist comes into the barn late and picks up a spade to defend himself connoting lack of power. Nevertheless, the atypical women is still further back than the male protagonist with the atypical man reinforcing the connotation of the decline of equality as people still do not expect her to be strong even though she proved herself at the beginning of the clip. One of the last shots is hand held as the male protagonist is brave enough to edge forward and grab the riffle connoting that he is still feeling on edge.