Kristin's Blog: November 2020

Representation can be defined as the act of portraying certain groups of individuals in a certain way. The use of characterizing specific groups can leave positive and negative effects on viewers and their society. In media productions, the utilization of representation is vital to the viewer's eyes.

Axe Body Spray Commercial-

In Axe's commercial, women are portrayed as savages and beasts rummaging for men in the wild. The majority of females appear to be white, youthful, and with the typical model physic, creating one beauty standard for women that is sexualizing. The women running in loose fitted bikinis appeal to men creating the "male gaze." The setting of this commercial depicts women running in a wild forest, which contributes to their dehumanization as if they were animals. The fact that all women are competing for this ideal man conveys to viewers that their main focus and existence is to find him. The facial expression on the women's faces displays how they crave his scent, which communicates to the audience the central idea of female dependency on men. At the end of the ad, the quote that is revealed reads, "Spray More Get More- The Axe Effect." This phrase encourages men to believe that using this cologne will entice women in order to satisfy their sexual desires. The effects that this commercial has on audiences leads them to conclude that women are animalistic beings who act instinctual for mens pleasure.

Tide Laundry Detergent Commercial-

In this commercial, a mother is complaining about her daughter's lack of femininity. The high class suburban mother is a symbol for the stereotypical female from the sixties. There is a large contrast between the mother's pink, girly aesthetic and the daughters camouflaged sweater. The daughter is pictured playing with blocks instead of dolls, which resembles typical "tomboy" traits. The mom wishes to project her traditional feminine norms onto her daughter, which is apparent when she says "We tried the whole pink thing." The mother is disappointed when she finds out that Tide removed the stains from her daughter's hoodies, because the hoodies represent her boyish attributes. This commercial appeals to mother's who are set in their ways, and do not particularly approve of venturing out of social standards. The generalization of a specific gender in this ad does not effectively communicate to individuals who are more accepting to different gender expressions.

Becoming a Hopeless Romantic...

Romance films are known to be love stories between individuals, displaying raw emotion and passion. The plot proceeds with focusing on the affectionate relationship between the two main characters, traditionally between a man and a woman, and the journey that love takes them on. These films follow with breathtaking scenery, two attractive main characters, and usually a scene that involves a cliché kiss in the rain. These popular tenderhearted movies became the go to genre for all hopeless romantics.

Content:

The content romance films exhibit engages viewers through all ages ranging from teenage years exceeding to the elderly years. Mostly woman prefer romance movies, setting expectations for their future relationships. Teenage viewers are usually captivated by the elements included in romantic films, since they can often relate emotionally to them. Almost every teenager grows up romanticizing about love, hoping that one day they will find a love of their own. As viewers grow older and settle down with their significant others, the desire of maintaining "young love" remains.

Production techniques:

A couple production techniques used throughout romance movies are the use of natural lightning effects and music. The combination of soft and natural lightning offers these films to be more believable allowing it to keep in touch with reality. A common technique in romance movies are the soft gentle music soundtracks that play throughout the movie in order to represent the relationship between the two characters. The music incorporated in these scenes create an emotion of suspense and sensitivity which is a key component to aid in the feel of the film. In the movie The Notebook (2004), the characters Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) and Allison "Allie" Hamilton (Rachel McAdams), allow audience members to feel the vulnerability the two characters are experiencing. The soft yet faint music including the rain droplets demonstrates the tension of the scene and poses questions as to what will happen next. The use of close-up shots plays a vital role in romance films, since it draws attention to the emotional reactions the characters have toward one another.

Marketing:

The utilization of famous actors such as Ryan Gosling, Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Julia Roberts, and Jennifer Aniston are frequently used for marketing purposes. Due to the fact that they are notorious actors in the romantic film genre, viewers are more likely to want to watch these films. In romance movie trailers, the production makers often show the climax of the movie to grab the viewers' attention and encourage them to want to know what will happen next. They also use scenes that express the true admiration both characters share for one another, targeting the audiences' emotional side.

Samples:

In the film A Walk to Remember (2002), the two main characters Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore) and Landon Carter (Shane West) find love through a journey filled with pain, faith, and hope. The two characteristics have completely different lifestyles that end up clashing with one another's for the greater good. As Jamie and Landon battle high school drama and a dangerous illness, the pure love the two have for one another overcomes the challenging obstacles thrown their way. This movie contains multiple scenes showing the care and devotion the two protagonists obtain, allowing viewers to be filled with strong emotions such as sadness and hope. The authentic lighting and gloomy instrumental music used during the most important scenes of this movie contribute to the difficulties that each relationship faces. There is also a copious amount of close-up shots to capture the facial expressions the characters communicate to each other, which helps to further advance the plot. This feel good movie also introduces the spiritual aspect of love and a binding relationship. This offers audience members to feel reassured of the concept of love and have faith that they will find something as real as Jamie and Landon's relationship.

In the romantic movie Love, Simon (2018), the protagonist Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) is a closeted gay teenage boy navigating through high school, trying to figure out his identity and what he truly wants from life. With the help of his best friend Leah (Kathrine Langford), Simon is informed that a closeted gay boy in his high school made an online confession stating that he was also closeted, going by the name of "Blue". This mysterious character who is later revealed as Bram played by Keiynan Lonsdale intrigues Simon, leading him on an expedition to find out who this boy really is. Throughout Simon's crazy journey, he experiences true friendship and unconditional love from those who mean the most to him. The lighting techniques accompanying the subtle upbeat music at the end of the movie reflects romantic genres by showcasing the "happily ever after" ending. The close-up shots of Simon and Bram embracing in a joyful kiss, emphasizes the positive outcome of a difficult journey to finding true love. This movie is one of the first major studio films about a gay teenager searching for love. The representation the movie has embodies what true love is. No matter someones sex, race, age etc. love is a beautiful thing that should never be denied. Love, Simon uses multiple lessons throughout the film to allow audience members to understand the hardships love has to offer, especially when others' opinions stand in the way.