This is another theory we learnt in class a few weeks ago, and I have been thinking it could be important to our music video, as our main character in our film is a female. "The male gaze" is a theory that is thought up by Laura Mulvey in 1975. This is a theory that explores the visual pleasure of narrative cinema and it deals with the concept on how the audience view the people that are presented.
There are different ways that feminists are thought of:
How men look at women
How women look at themselves
How women look at other women
Some features of this theory are when the camera lingers on the curves of the women's body and an example of this shot would be a slow pan upwards from their feet to their face. These shots often show what men look at when they look at women. The face is the last thing they look at. It makes the women seem objects to the men. However we could critise this theory because some women like to be looked at, in a sexual way as they like the attention. Also some women rely on the attention of men as this can sell and they can sell their image as a living.
Other people have looked in to this theory, some of these people are:
In 1980 Marjorie Ferguson who researched female expressions and came up with four different categories:
the chocolate box- The description of this theory is half or full-smile, lips together or slightly parted, teeth barely visible, full or three-quarter face to camera
invitational-emphasis on the eyes, mouth shut or with only a hint of a smile, head to one side or looking back to camera
super-smiler-full face, wide open toothy smile, head thrust forward or chin thrown back, hair often wind-blown
romantic/sexual-a fourth and more general classification devised to include male and female ‘two-somes’; or the dreamy, heavy-lidded, unsmiling big-heads, or the overtly sensual or sexual
Another comment that had been made about this theory was Trevor Millum in 1975 who researched male expressions and produced five categoriss
Carefree-active, healthy, happy, vibrant, outdoor girl; long unrestrained outward-flowing hair, more outward-going than the above, often smiling or grinning
Practical-concentrating, engaged on the business in hand, mouth closed, eyes object-directed, sometimes a slight frown; hair often short or tied back
Seductive-the eyes are less wide, perhaps shaded, the expression is less reserved but still self-sufficient and confident; milder versions may include a slight smile.
Comic-deliberately ridiculous, exaggerated, acting the fool, pulling faces for the benefit of a real or imaginary audience, sometimes close to a sort of archness
Categorical-neutral look as of a dummy, artificial, waxlike; features may be in any position, but most likely to be with eyes open wide and a smile, but the look remains vacant and empty; personality has been removed.
Also a theorist Johnathan Schoeder in 1998, had an insight to this theory and believed that the "Gaze" was more than just to look at someone or something. He said that he signifies a psychololgical relationship to show power, where the gazer is superior to the object of the gaze.
This may apply to our music video because our lead role is a female but then we arn't showing she has the power because we want to show the sterotypical "Niave" of young women. We do want our female role to stand out and be the one that the audience feel most connected with. So we will consider this theory and see if it does apply to our music video when we start filming.
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Excellent work Jess.
ReplyDeleteRhys, try and keep up with Jess.
Try and get your storyboard on here asap