For this research post i'm going to talk about representation theory, mainly based on Stuart Hall (since it connects really well with the story i'm planning and the themes im focusing on)
Representation theory is basically about how people and groups are shown in media,
and how that affects the way the audience understands them. Instead of just showing someone as a stereotype, media can either reinforce those stereotypes or challenge them by showing more realistic and "human experiences"
In my project this theory is important because the main character (which i'm not set on the name yet.) Cami, has a constant drug addiction (spoiler!). A lot of the time in films and shows addiction is either overdramatized or romanticized which can make it feel either craved in a way or just unrealistic.
I want to represent her in a more 'grounded' way by showing her more casually but not boring and dreadful instead of only focusing on extreme moments specially since its only the start of the film. Simple actions like organizing weekly pills, or listening to her dad’s voicemail unaffected as if shes used to it, or being alone in her kitchen help display her as mentally unstable/avaliable without pushing it to a whole dreamy, or even euphoric way.
This is something that is also done really well in Euphoria.
 |
| Euphoria - Rue |
The show represents addiction and mental health through everyday moments, visuals, and emotion rather than constant drug dialogue which always makes it so tiring to over hear about, and overall sounds forced but Euphoria really displays the characters and their actual personalities so well...
For example Rue is often shown alone or doing some voiceover from her perspective, or going through routines that show her dependence without needing to explain it directly. This makes the audience understand her situation while also feeling more connected to her as a character as well as actually enjoying the show.
By using representation theory in my project I'd really want the audience to see "Cami" or whatever name I end up using as a real person rather than just “a drug addict.” The overall goal is to show her struggle in a realistic way but intriguing way that just from my film opening someone would actually want to see more!
Using visuals and actions to communicate meaning, this theory will influence how I take certain shots, use lighting, and decide what moments to include in the opening so the representation feels intentional and not just random.
If representation theory caught your attention, these links might help give further understanding I probably didn't provide
https://guilsboroughschoolmedia
No comments:
Post a Comment