Timed paper

7 Explain the role played by the media in the construction of collective identity. [50]

In order to answer this question you will need to know off by heart:

• The details of your two contemporary Media texts Dr Foster and August: Osage County. Do you know the producers/dates/production company/awards for best actress etc
• The details of your historic text. Production company/dates etc. You also need to state the contextual detail of this text-what was going on historically/politically at this time for women?
• The details of your future texts. Production company/dates/actresses etc. You need to think what the future context of female representation in the Media may be like. Who will be producing the media in the future?
• Your media theorists. You will need some basic quotations from theorists such as Buckingham/Gauntlett and Mulvey in order to discuss the problems of representing collective identity and you will also need quotation from another two theorists to discuss Media construction or audience reception-look at Stuart Hall or Gramsci/Gillmor
• What you are going to say about representing women-try to summarise the different female roles in your texts in the introduction to make it very clear to your examiner that representing women is complicated! You will also need to be aware of the fact that they may still use stereotype traits in order to say something political about these representations-look at Kate and Karen. (Perkins 1979 may be useful here)
• Your structure- this will be defined by the different representations you are looking at. e.g. paragraph 1 - women as dominant (remember to discuss this in both your texts, paragraph 2- women as nurturing (again use both your main texts) paragraph 3 - women as manipulative/evil (again use both your main texts to compare/debate discuss. You will use your historic/future texts as single sentence to draw out further debate.
• Textual detail- you will need to have very clear/detailed examples from your two main texts (Foster and August:Osage) to discuss costuming/sound/editing/mise en scene etc to support your points about how complicated complex collective identity of women is. You will also need detail from your historic/future texts, but this doesn't have to be as detailed. 
• Media Terminology- you will need to make sure you keep using the media terminology you have been taught from your entire A-level studies e.g. signs/signifiers/semiotics/mise en scene/ shot reverse shot/ diegetic sound/ connotations/audience/reception/production/ etc etc

Try to fit all of this onto a storyboard design on A3 or A4 paper and check it through with me,

Phew!

Practice exam question with exemplar

June 2014

Media and Collective Identity

6 Media and collective identity: how does one affect the other?

7 “Media simply represent collective identity, they don’t create it.” How far do you agree with this statement? Make reference to one of more group(s) of people in your answer.


Media and identity seem to be in a symbiotic relationship where one is intrinsically linked with the other. This relationship is fluent, dynamic and ever changing. It is the 'collective' part of this relationship that is most complex. As soon as there seems to be a 'collective identity' that has recognisable traits and patterns, this is disrupted by new representations and new mediums to present representations. This is very true when investigating the representation of women in the media. In August Osage County, a SmokeHouse dramatic film 2015, the women in the Weston family clearly portray how complicated the representation of women has become. Even in this nuclear family, this microcosm shows women to embody the roles of sister, mother, daughter, wife, but also of matriarch, divorcee, submissive, tart and dominant leader.
During a scene where Barbara challenges a doctor's prescription of her mother's (Violet) many pills, Barbara is portrayed through the camera work to be in complete control of the situation. It is her god-like non-diegetic voice

Exemplar essay

'These perspectives in turn are products of distinct moments in time and are specific to the social realities of these times.' Samantha lay
How far do you agree with this statement. Refer to your case studies to support your ideas.


Representation is of course a product of the time and social influences surrounding it. The representation  of women in historical media texts such as Folger's coffee advertisements are denote a 'stay at home wife/mother' who is reprimanded by her working husband for making bad coffee and for not having the foresight to buy a better brand appear. Woman are portrayed as less intelligent than men and are constrained to the domestic environment. However, a more contemporary representation and future representation of women reflect woman's changing role in society as influenced by the social and political changes of the time . In BBC 1's 2015 TV Drama Dr Foster and Smoke House's 2015 dramatic film August: Osage County, it is clear to see that representations of women, in their many different roles, are products of an ever changing landscape for female representation. 

BBC 1's Dr Foster presents many different roles for women. The main protagonist Gemma is a professional, a GP holding down a medical practice, a marriage and fulfilling the role of mother to her son. Throughout the 6 episodes of this drama, this one character is represented as: a competent GP; an unprofessional and unethical GP; a loving wife and a revengeful seductress willing to use her body in order to manipulate her husband Simon's, demise; a kind and nurturing mother and a deranged mother willing to let her husband believe she has killed their only child in order to force a confession...

A bit more contextual information

2016 Bafta TV Awards. 

Leading actress

Winner: Suranne Jones, Doctor Foster

Claire Foy, Wolf Hall

Ruth Madeley, Don't Take My Baby

Sheridan Smith, The C-Word

New past paper practice question

'These perspectives in turn are products of distinct moments in time and are specific to the social realities of these times.' Samantha lay
How far do you agree with this statement. Refer to your case studies to support your ideas.

Consider the theories mentioned in past paper questions

”The media do not construct collective identity; they merely reflect it”. Michel Foucault. Who has the power in the relationship of collective identity construction? is it the audience or is it the producer of the text? Do the changing representations reflect changes in the audience?


"Media representations are complex, not simple and straightforward”. Stuart Hall.  How far do you agree with this? Do you think that their are some representations that are simple? Why is this?

What about the following quotes, could you use them in your writing?
 

‘The media do not construct reality, they merely offer a window on the world’. David Buckingham

It is unsatisfactory to assume that people somehow copy or borrow their identities from the media' David Gauntlett

'This (referring to the impact of the Media) could hardly fail to affect our own way of conducting ourselves, and our expectations of other people's behaviour.' David Gauntlett

'Identities are complex constructions.' David Gauntlett

"Each individual has a set of multiple identities which operate at different times and under different circumstances. People define themselves by gender, family, religion, ethnic group, class, city, region, nation" - Jeffrey Richards

"Of all the collective identities which human beings share today, national identity is perhaps the most fundamental and inclusive" - Anthony Smith

"For the nation is, above all else, … 'an imagined community', a focus of loyalty and a source of identity, providing a sense of belonging to something bigger than oneself" - Jeffrey Richards

"Every nation has a set of national values, desirable qualities that derive from the national identity and the national character" - Jeffrey Richards

"The practitioners of both elite and popular culture, an later the mass media, … play a central role in defining and disseminating national identity, values and character" - Jeffrey Richards

'how we are seen determines how we are treated, how we treat others is based on how we see them; such seeing comes from representation.' Richard Dyer

"Does the audience ultimately have more power than the media?" David Gauntlett 

"The power of the audience to interpret media texts, and determine their popularity, far outweighs the ability of media institutions to send a particular message or ideology to audience within their texts." David Gauntlett 

'These perspectives in turn are products of distinct moments in time and are specific to the social realities of these times.' Samantha lay

How about including these examples?

Please watch/research the ideas below.

Emma Watson speaking about the He for She campaign:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkjW9PZBRfk

Reactions to Ghostbusters new trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9NdSGka9EM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPrsg4vWNP8

Add these ideas to you inclusion of future representations of women. How do you think women will be represented? Will it continue to vary and change? Why?

Exam practice exemplar

Stuart Hall's theory on representation succinctly summarises the complexity of representing women in the media. Representations of women in the media have never been 'simple and straightforward' they are too influenced by the politics, social ideas and power struggle between genders that surrounds and constructs them. Some may argue that representation of women in historical media texts such as Folger's coffee advertisements are 'simple and straightforward'. The denotation of a stay at home wife/mother who is reprimanded by her working husband for making bad coffee and for not having the foresight to buy a better brand appear to be simple; woman are less intelligent than men and are constrained to the domestic environment. However, modern representation and future representation of women reflect woman's changing role in society and changing position in the power balance between men and women. In BBC 1's 2015 TV Drama Dr Foster and Smoke House's 2015 dramatic film August: Osage County it is clear to see that representations of women, in their many different roles, are hugely complicated and complex.


BBC 1's Dr Foster presents many different roles for women. The main protagonist Gemma is a professional, a GP holding down a medical practice, a marriage and fulfilling the role of mother to her son. Throughout the 6 episodes of this drama, this one character is represented as: a competent GP; an unprofessional and unethical GP; a loving wife and a revengeful seductress willing to use her body in order to manipulate her husband Simon's, demise; a kind and nurturing mother and a deranged mother willing to let her husband believe she has killed their only child in order to force a confession. Through this one very complex character it is clear to see that it is increasingly difficult to represent the myriad of personas/personalities and roles that a modern day woman can inhabit. We also have 'stock' characters such as Kate, the young, simple-minded seductress willing to believe Simon's every promise and ends up pregnant with his child, but they seem to have been included in this TV drama as an anathema to Gemma's tragically-flawed heroine. The 'gaze' here is clearly one that is perhaps 'feminine' or pro feminist. Perhaps Charlotte Moore, BBC One's controller, clearly understands her complex female viewers, the TV drama was aired at 9pm on a weekday perfect for an adult female audience desiring complex female characters to explore the complicated identity of what it means to be a woman in a modern context. Suranne Jones won Serial Drama Performance for National Television Awards 2016 for her portrayal of Gemma again highlighting the appreciation for a complex representation of what it means to be a professional working female, whilst still fulfilling the more traditional roles of wife and mother.


Smoke House's representation of women is no less complex. The all female Weston family are lead by a powerful matriarch Violet, held together by a powerful, aggressive and forthright eldest sister Barbara, softened by younger sister Ivy's compassion and shyness and in positioned in contrast to Karen's overt sexuality and desire to fulfil the role of wife.

Exam practice question

Media and Collective Identity

6 Discuss how the identity of one group of people you have studied has been ‘mediated’. [50]

7 “Media representations are complex, not simple and straightforward”. How far do you agree with this statement in relation to the collective group that you have studied? [50]

How to get an A* in the exam essay

WWW:

• student has clear knowledge of their texts with data and statistics to support their ideas
• student is discussing the theory. arguing with the essay question and also arguing against it 'however' 'on the other hand' 'in contrast'
• student continues to debate the exam question and uses evidence from both of their texts to draw out developments 
• students uses contextual information to further their debate e.g. changes in law/social change
• Student only uses media theory in order to make a point about evidence from her case studies and only uses four media theory throughout her whole essay
• Student recognises the context of her media texts and uses them to argue the essay question e.g. Dr Foster-British/London Osage County: America-deep south
• Student in their conclusion goes back to the essay question
• Student in their conclusion considers the future of their essay question and provides examples of recent changes

Peer marking

After reading the article 'It's all in the mind' consider what the writer has done well. Perhaps use the mark scheme to help you.


WWW:

• the writer focuses on how the group are represented in different mediums e.g. reality TV and TV drama
• the writer uses a wide range of examples trying to find common representation types within them e.g. short list in introduction
• clear understanding here that there is no such thing as collective identity 'many and various'
• the writer clearly understands the genre of the texts and the generic expectations we have of these fictional characters e.g. a staple of the crime genre
• the writer uses small sections of description from their texts to exemplify their point e.g. 'wedding speech'
• the writer investigates the representation e.g. uses phrases such as on the other hand
• the writer uses another text to compare/further your ideas e.g. takes things further
• the writer does describe, but turns the description into analysis. They continually use PEE structure
• the writer recognises the audience in their argument. They know the demographic of their texts BARB
• continual comparison of the texts and similarities/patterns shown where possible
• the writer understands the use of stereotypes to create familiarity, but also explores where it is challenged
• the writer recognises our need for these types of representation. e.g. stock characters, entertainment, but also investigates the need to distort them

Music used in Dr Foster

‘Never Tear Us Apart’ and it’s performed by Paloma Faith. What does this say about the representation of women?
Don't ask me
What you know is true
Don't have to tell you
I love your precious heart

I
I was standing
You were there
Two worlds collided
And they could never tear us apart

We could live
For a thousand years
But if I hurt you
I'd make wine from your tears

I told you
That we could fly
'Cause we all have wings
But some of us don't know why

I
I was standing
You were there
Two worlds collided
And they could never ever tear us apart

Details for Dr Foster and August:Osage County

August: Osage County

Smoke House Pictures. The company was founded in 2006 by George Clooney and Grant Heslov after the shutdown of Section Eight Productions.
Director:John Wells           

Writers:Tracy Letts (screenplay), Tracy Letts (play)

It is produced by George Clooney, Jean Doumanian, Grant Heslov, Steve Traxler, and Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

For their performances in the film, Streep and Roberts received Academy Award nominations for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively

Dr Foster
BBC one-flagship channel 'most watched television channel.
June 2013^[update] the channel controller for BBC One is Charlotte Moore,
Writer: Mike Bartlett
Director: Tom Vaughan
Screening: BBC One 9pm weeknights
The series was commissioned by Charlotte Moore and Ben Stephenson.The executive producers are Roanna Benn, Greg Brenman, Jude Liknaitzky and Matthew Read
Suranne Jones won Serial Drama Performance for National Television Awards 2016 for her portrayal of Gemma.

What does the use of soundtrack/music do to the representation of women?

"Lay Down Sally"

There is nothing that is wrong
In wanting you to stay here with me.
I know you've got somewhere to go,
But won't you make yourself at home and stay with me?
And don't you ever leave.

[Chorus:]
Lay down, Sally, and rest you in my arms.
Don't you think you want someone to talk to?
Lay down, Sally, no need to leave so soon.
I've been trying all night long just to talk to you.

The sun ain't nearly on the rise
And we still got the moon and stars above.
Underneath the velvet skies,
Love is all that matters. Won't you stay with me?
And don't you ever leave.

[Chorus]

I long to see the morning light
Coloring your face so dreamily.
So don't you go and say goodbye,
You can lay your worries down and stay with me.
And don't you ever leave.

Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory

After reading the article please consider the following questions: (use Dr Foster and August: Osage County)

1.  ‘who is looking at whom?’ Do we, as a spectator, see women through the male gaze?
2. Are women’s bodies are often represented as fragmented, through the use of close-ups, giving women ‘the quality of [an] icon’ rather than an active agent in three-dimensional space?
3. Is the editing from a male gaze?
4. Are, men are active, ‘forwarding the story, making things happen’ in contrast to women’s passivity?

Advert for Dr Foster

What does this advert suggest about the representation of women?

Apply these key questions to your two texts

1.The Code of Surface Realism (or ‘surface accuracy’ as John Ellis puts it) Key question: Does the representation of woman look and sound to you like the real world it claims to show? Dr Foster- it is a TV drama therefore we would expect some elements of the text to be 'dramatised' in order to appeal to an audience watching this for entertainment. However, the costume, setting and props are all realistic for a western British audience. Gemma's character dresses as we would expect a 'mother' to do-she is quite conservative in her dress code and favours black/grey and navy colours to perhaps symbolise a serious nature or a more professional nature when she is in her role of GP. Gemma's house, car and possessions also adhere to the conventions of a professional woman.
Osage County- it is
2.The Code of Social or Documentary Realism Key question: Does the representation present social reality ‘like it really is’? Or ‘as it really was’?
3.The Genre Code Key question 1: Is the representation what you’d expect to see and hear in this sort or genre of text? Key question 2: Does it make you suspend your disbelief?
4.The Narrative Code Key question: Are events likely to happen in this way and in this order? (Does b follow a in a believable way?)
5.The Code of Psychology and Character Motivation Key question: Does a fictional representation invest greater realism in the psychology of its characters than in the other codes?
6.The Code of Discursive or Ideological Truth Key question: Does a fictional representation construct for its viewers a particularly compelling and persuasive sense of truth?
7.The ‘Counter-Realism’ Code of Institutional Constraint Key question: Are representations shaped by the institutions that produce them in ways that constrain or limit their realism?

A2 G325 Section B markscheme

G325 Critical Perspectives Section B Mark-scheme
	Explanation/analysis/argument	Use of examples	Use of terminology	Quality of Written Communication
Level 4 (16-20 marks) (16-20 marks) (8-10 marks)	Candidates adapt their learning to the specific requirements of the chosen question in excellent fashion and make connections in order to present a coherent argument. The answer offers a clear, fluent balance of media theories and knowledge of industries and texts and informed personal engagement with issues and debates.	Examples of theories, texts and industry knowledge are clearly connected together in   the answer. History and the future are integrated into the discussion with conviction.	Throughout the answer, material presented is informed by contemporary media theory and the command of the appropriate conceptual and theoretical language is excellent.	Complex issues have been expressed clearly and fluently using a style of writing appropriate to the complex subject matter. Sentences and paragraphs, consistently relevant, have been well structured, using appropriate technical terminology. There may be few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Level 3 (12-15 marks) (12-15 marks) (6-7 marks)	Candidates adapt their learning to the specific requirements of the chosen question   well, in the main. The answer offers a sensible, mostly clear balance of media theories and knowledge of industries and texts, with a proficient attempt at personally engaging with issues and debates.	Examples of theories, texts and industry knowledge are connected together in places, and a clear argument is proficiently developed in response to the question. History and the future are discussed with relevance.	Material presented is mostly informed by contemporary media theory, articulated through use of appropriate theoretical terms.	Relatively straightforward ideas have been expressed with some clarity and fluency. Arguments are generally relevant, though may stray from the point of the question. There will be some errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar but these are unlikely to be intrusive or obscure meaning.
Level 2 (8-11 marks) (8-11 marks) (4-5 marks)	Candidates offer a response to the topic area with limited ability to adapt to the specific requirements of the chosen question. A partially coherent, basic argument is presented.	The answer offers some examples of theories, industry knowledge and/or texts and debates, with some basic evidence of an attempt to connect these elements. Inclusion of history and/or the future is limited.	Some of the material presented is informed by contemporary media theory, articulated through a basic use of theoretical terms.	Some simple ideas have been expressed in an appropriate context. There are likely to be some errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar of which some may be noticeable and intrusive.
Level 1 (0-7 marks) (0-7 marks) (0-3 marks)	Candidates offer a response to the topic area, with a limited degree of clarity. Personal engagement with the topic is either absent or implicit and there may be inaccuracy or a lack of conviction in presenting the response. The answer may be incomplete and/or lack relevance.	A narrow range of examples related to texts, industries or audiences is offered. Inclusion of history and/or the future may be missing.	Contemporary media theory is either absent or evident to a minimal degree.	Some simple ideas have been expressed. There will be some errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar which will be noticeable and intrusive. Writing may also lack legibility.

Updated exam questions

Section B: Contemporary Media Issues

Whichever question you answer, you must refer to examples from at least two media areas in your answer and your answer should include reference to historical, contemporary and future media.

Jan 2010

Media and Collective Identity

6 Analyse the ways in which the media represent one group of people that you have studied. [50]

7 ”The media do not construct collective identity; they merely reflect it”. Discuss. [50]

 

June 2010

Media and Collective Identity

6 Discuss how the identity of one group of people you have studied has been ‘mediated’. [50]

7 “Media representations are complex, not simple and straightforward”. How far do you agree with this statement in relation to the collective group that you have studied? [50]

 

Jan 2011

Media and Collective Identity

6 Analyse the ways in which the media represent groups of people. [50]

7 What is collective identity and how is it mediated? [50]  

 

June 2011

Media and Collective Identity

6 Discuss how one or more groups of people are represented through the media. [50]

7 Explain the role played by the media in the construction of collective identity. [50]

 

Jan 2012

Media and Collective Identity

6. How do media representations influence collective identity? You may refer to one group of people or more in your answer.

7. Discuss the different ways in which groups of people are represented by media. You may refer to one group of people or more in your answer.

 

June 2012

Media and Collective Identity

6. Analyse the ways in which at least one group of people is ‘mediated’.

7. Discuss the social implications of media in relation to collective identity. You may refer to one group of people or more in your answer.

 

Jan 2013

Media and Collective Identity

6 Analyse the impact of media representation on the collective identity of one or more groups of people.

7 Compare the different ways in which one or more groups of people are represented by media.

 

June 2013

Media and Collective Identity

6 Explain what is meant by ‘collective identity’ and the role of media in its construction.

7 “Media representations are just reflections of reality, not constructions or distortions.” Discuss with reference to one or more group(s) of people.

 

June 2014

Media and Collective Identity

6 Media and collective identity: how does one affect the other?

7 “Media simply represent collective identity, they don’t create it.” How far do you agree with this statement? Make reference to one of more group(s) of people in your answer.

June 2015

Media and Collective Identity

6 Analyse the ways in which media representations today construct collective identity, with reference to one or more group(s) of people you have studied.

7 ‘The media do not construct reality, they merely offer a window on the world’. Discuss this statement with reference to the representation of collective identities.

Comparison Essay

Discuss the social implications of media in relation to collective identity. You may refer to one group of people or more in your answer.


Right-it's time to start putting all our research together. Please ensure you use the structure given previously to adequately compare the two media texts.

WWW and EBI feedback from scene analysis

WWW: A clear overview of all of the shots in this scene. Well done!
EBI: What do you think the costuming and make up say about the women in these scenes?

WWW: a thorough investigation of the representation of women.
EBI: what patterns have you noticed regarding the camera angles in the construction of the representation of women?

WWW: excellent inclusion of theory and comparison of the film to your print media
EBI: please start to pull out the comparisons of the representation of women with Dr Foster too

WWW: a thorough understanding of this scene with lots of description of the content
EBI: Can you include a summary paragraph about how this does or doesn't show collective identity?

WWW: you have covered the individual incidents indepth
EBI: How does the role of matriarch compare with Dr Foster here?

WWW: excellent overview of Barbara's character here
EBI: Can you start to compare this to the violence displayed in Dr Foster?

WWW: a very good observation about the replacement of male roles with females
EBI: compare this to Dr Foster. Does a strong female always have to be paired with a weak male?

WWW: your understanding of the use of male and female stereotype
EBI: How does Ivy's representation compare with the issues discussed in Dr Foster?

WWW: very good analysis of Karen and Violet. These two are used in juxtaposition to each other
EBI: What links does this have to the representations in Dr Foster?

WWW: you are starting to look at the niche groups within the roles of women.
EBI: how is the overweight woman depicted? Is she seen as inferior? How about the ethinic groups? and Mentally ill women? Are they on the margins?

WWW: your analysis and comparison of your two media texts
EBI: Extend your analysis of Dr Foster characters here. What about Carly and Kate?

Useful blog sites

http://petesmediablog.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/collective-identity-exam-questions.html


http://www.slideshare.net/petefrasers/collective-identity-3353745


http://anikamediahomework.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/media-do-not-construct-collective.html

Past Paper Questions

Jan 2010

Media and Collective Identity

6 Analyse the ways in which the media represent one group of people that you have studied. [50]

7 ”The media do not construct collective identity; they merely reflect it”. Discuss. [50]

 

June 2010

Media and Collective Identity

6 Discuss how the identity of one group of people you have studied has been ‘mediated’. [50]

7 “Media representations are complex, not simple and straightforward”. How far do you agree with this statement in relation to the collective group that you have studied? [50]

 

Jan 2011

Media and Collective Identity

6 Analyse the ways in which the media represent groups of people. [50]

7 What is collective identity and how is it mediated? [50]  

 

June 2011

Media and Collective Identity

6 Discuss how one or more groups of people are represented through the media. [50]

7 Explain the role played by the media in the construction of collective identity. [50]

 

Jan 2012

Media and Collective Identity

6. How do media representations influence collective identity? You may refer to one group of people or more in your answer.

7. Discuss the different ways in which groups of people are represented by media. You may refer to one group of people or more in your answer.

 

June 2012

Media and Collective Identity

6. Analyse the ways in which at least one group of people is ‘mediated’.

7. Discuss the social implications of media in relation to collective identity. You may refer to one group of people or more in your answer.

How to open an essay question for collective identity

Media and Collective Identity
Analyse the ways in which the media represent one group of people that you have studied.
”The media do not construct collective identity; they merely reflect it”. Discuss.

Women in Dr Foster are represented as the strong, nurturing, emotional, educated, morally responsible gender. There are no ‘simple and straightforward’ representations each female character within the Television series is represented to be unique and individual. The character of Gemma is constructed to be….

Whereas within the print medium of female magazines women are represented as highly sexualised