- Patriarchal society dictates how women see themselves.
- Men run society; women are a threat so this disempowers them.
- To be looked at / ‘looked-at-ness’
- Women bearer of meaning – not maker of meaning
- Scopophilia – reducing women to objects to be looked at and for men to gain pleasure from looking – e.g. men’s magazines. [MEN BEHAVING BADLY pornography episode.]
- Leads to voyeurism at its extreme. [SKINS!! / REAR WINDOW.]
- Cinemas pander to this – dark, comfortable, private, separation – fantasy up there on screen, grants anonymity; gives impression we are given access to an otherwise private world.
- Active/ male vs. passive / female – binary opposition – Levi Strauss
- Camera becomes a male eye.
- Most directors are men!
- Camera operators likewise!
- Production companies controlled by men!
- Women hold the look and play to the male’s desire.
- Women unclothed – men never! [SKINS!]
- Women often slow the narrative down; i.e. get in the man’s way, need rescuing, misunderstand, become the reason for the male’s actions.
- Men speed the narrative up, are responsible for the action; women are there to be looked at ‘eye candy!’
- Implications – women are used to being subjected to the male gaze and see themselves as men do: idealised. Image consciousness is FOR men’s benefit!
Charity Advertising
You will be given an envelope the kind which comes through your door from a charity.
DO NOT OPEN IT YET!
On paper:
- Comment on the envelope and everything which is on the outside or visible from the outside e.g. colour / pictures / font / words used particularly examples of persuasive language etc
- Now open it. How many items are included in the envelope and what are they? (list and describe each)
- One by one analyse these items e.g. what is their purpose? How do they achieve it? What words are used? What specific techniques are employed to engage your interest and your support? Do they have a logo? Slogan?
- Draw up a list of things necessary to a charity campaign – I’m looking here for a list of things you think all charity campaigns would have in common in terms of the techniques used and material posted to the consumer.
- On paper write a critique of the leaflet you received in prose (i.e. not notes!)
- With a partner (just one!) devise a questionnaire in which you would aim to find out, among other things, to which charities people give, how much, how often and why……. The answers to these questions will help you devise your own campaign.
- Conduct your questionnaire among as wide a range of people as possible.
- Write an evaluation of your findings – can be jointly done but must have a copy each.
- Discuss in class.