Study Task 3- Triangulation

 There are many theories based upon ideas about the role of men and women within film, one of which can be found in British feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey’s essay ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’, written in 1973 and published in 1975. The text uses ‘psychoanalysis’ to explain ‘socially established interpretation of sexual differences which control images, erotic ways of looking and spectacle.’ (Mulvey, 1975, p.14). Mulvey first talks about the idea of Scopophilia, or in simpler terms, the pleasure one experiences in the act of looking. She suggests that women in movies are exclusively there as a means of fulfilling a man’s erotic desires, as an object, whether here referring to the male protagonist within the narrative on-screen or the spectator within the confinements of the cinema (p.20). She suggests that women appear to possess a ‘to-be-looked-at-ness’ and that in most situations, the male watches not to follow the story, but for the images presented (p.19). This is supported by English Academic John Storey in his text titled ‘Cine-psychoanalysis’ (1996), which proceeds to break down Mulvey’s text and explain in detail the ideas and opinions suggested. He states in response to Mulvey’s explanation of men as spectator and women as object, that ‘Women are therefore crucial to the pleasure of the (male) gaze’, here referring to a phrase coined by Mulvey to describe the above proposition.  However, there have been many arguments constructed against Mulvey’s theories, one of which is suggested by English academic and film critic, Richard Dyer. In his book ‘Stars’- published in 1979, but more specifically his chapter on ‘Stars and Audiences’, he challenges Mulvey’s statements by suggesting that narrative film ‘includes looks directed at the male body and also looks between male characters’ (Dyer, 1979, p.188), a factor Mulvey chooses to exclude in her argument.

Notes On Triangulation

Chosen Theme: Books vs. Films

I have chosen to explore into the argument of which is better, books or films? I want to look at this from the point of view of children's education and which is more effective in conveying information. I also thought about how I could potentially investigate the practical side with this theme in mind. For example, I could maybe look at fairy tales or neurology:

New Change of Plan

I've been having a think and have changed my mind once again.
I found it really interesting to research into the way children learn last year for cop, and have decided it would be more beneficial to choose a subject that I have begun to investigate into already. I don't want my question to be the same however, so I am going to try and look at a different angle. I have drawn a spider diagram of ideas:

Change of Plan

I have decided against my original subject choice because I think I might become disinterested in it over time, even if it is quite interesting at the beginning. I want to change my subject to something I know I will enjoy researching into and producing work for over the course of the whole year. I love Disney, and I know it's probably overdone but I'd rather do COP on this. Possible angles to look into:

• Gender- roles of male and female characters, Traits. Heroes/ Heroines etc. 
• Audience (Kids)- Lessons/ morals taught etc. 
• Animation- Traditional (hand-drawn)/ New technology, ect.
• Genericness (doesn't seem like a word but apparently it is)- nearly all Disney films send the same message. Same type of animation etc. 

I feel as though it could be really interesting to explore animation as a theme. I've heard discussions about whether we still need traditional means of animating (2D) or whether the rise in technological development and methods of 3D animation have taken over/ are the way forward. I found this article arguing why 2D animation should be abandoned- 

http://www.animatorisland.com/why-2d-animation-should-be-abandoned-part-1/

This could be a good starting point? 

Study Task 2- Establishing A Research Question

Study Task 1: Illustration & Authorship

‘The Death of the Author’ (1968) written by French Literary theorist Roland Barthes presents ideas about the power of the reader of a text as opposed to the power of the author.

Bathes states that ‘writing is the destruction of every voice’ (p.142), suggesting that the role of the author is no longer essential to the understanding and appreciation of a text immediately after it has been composed and exposed to public perception. The reader, approaching the text with a fresh perspective, begins to hold more responsibility to the text than the writer himself. In other words, a power-shift occurs between the two opposing parties, resulting in the author entering ‘into his own death’ (p.142).

A further point made by Barthes suggests that ‘To give a text an author is to impose a limit on that text’ (p.147). This proposes the idea that being aware of the creator would obstruct the message or the impact that the text has on the audience. In conjunction with this, Graphic Designer Michael Rock suggests that ‘the primary concern of both the viewer and the critic is not who made it, but rather what it does and how it does it.’ in his essay concerning ‘Graphic Authorship’ (1996) which discusses the same argument made by Barthes, but in a non-literary sense. Rock’s statement suggests that the knowing of the author does not hinder the ability of the outcome (as Barthes states), but would simply serve no purpose. The importance lies within the text or product itself. An example of this is French Graphic Designer Jean Jullien’s ‘Peace for Paris’ illustration, created as a means of providing a recognisable symbol of support for those involved in or affected by the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris.

The piece was wrongly mistaken as the work of renowned artist Banksy and was shared and widely distributed through social media by other supporters alongside this false attribution, resulting in its tremendous amount of recognition and popularity. However, in an interview composed for The Telegraph, Jullien expresses the following- ‘I didn't care. It's not the time to claim ownership, or a price on something. It's not a time for concerns like that.’ in response to being questioned on the subject matter. The artist was not concerned with the idea of authorship due to the weight and importance of the matter he was responding to. This therefore reinforces Rock’s comment on the significance of the content of the outcome as opposed to the significance of its creator.

 In conclusion, this reiterates the initial discussion presented at the beginning of this argument in relation to the idea of the unimportance of the creator and as a result suggests that ‘the birth of the reader must be at the cost of the death of the Author’ (p.148), in the words of Roland Barthes.

http://artsites.ucsc.edu/faculty/Gustafson/FILM%20162.W10/readings/barthes.death.pdf

http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/the-designer-as-author

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/art/what-to-see/jean-jullien-peace-for-paris-symbol/

Possible Themes

This time I want to pick a theme that will continue to interest me throughout the whole year. I struggle a little with motivation when it comes to Context of Practice so I need to make sure I pick a subject that is interesting to learn about and that I will enjoy working on. (Or something that I know I will be able to find out a lot of information on to make things easier for myself):

Possible themes:

1. Gender in Advertising - stereotypes, representation of men and women in society and how this is reflected in advertising 
2. Gender in Children's Advertising- same as above but focused on advertisements for aimed at children
3. Gender in Film/ TV- how men and women are portrayed in the realms of entertainment
4. Art Therapy- How art is used as a means of psychotherapy 
5. Semiotics- Signs & symbols/ the idea of art as a means of communication 
6. Creativity in Children- the importance of imagination and creativity in children 
7. Children's Literature- the importance of children's literature in this day and age
8. TV/ Film (Society)- and the impact technology has on society 
9. TV/ Film (Children)- and the impact technology has on children
10. Colour Theory- the visual effects of colour 

Reflecting On Last Year

Interesting themes from last year:

• Social issues concerning children
• Our ideas about society being molded before we're able to talk properly
• Colour- pink and blue 
• Disney- stereotypes of gender 
• How children's drawings reflect their views on gender in society
• Gender in advertising aimed at children 

Processes that worked well:

• Research: children's drawings as primary research
• Digital processes- Photoshop 
• Repeat pattern/ repetition 

Theories:

• Social Learning Theories- Albert Bandura 
• Cognitive Theory- Jean Piaget
• Sociocultural Theory- Lev Vygotsky