representation keynote

1. Representation

2. 1)What does Samantha Lay say should be
acknowledged about film?
Samantha Lay says that it should be acknowledged
that film is a large commercial medium rather than an
educational tool. This suggests that Lay recognises
that Tv and film are created for money and profit
rather than to educate.

3. 2)What is Williams’ observation?
William's observation was the representation of
specific character types in realist texts. This meant
that the characters attitude, characteristics and
appearance was correct for the scene rather than
contradicting the surrounds. An example of this
would be that if the film was set on a estate the
characters would be wearing trackies and baggy
clothing rather than suits.

4. 3)What is meant by the phrase "social
extension"?
The phrase social extension means the extending of
the range of characters to be included groups and
individuals seldom represented on screens in
mainstream cinemas.

5. 4)what is noted by Hallam and
Marshment?
Hallam an Marshment note that social realism films
draw in characters from society who might appear in the
background of a Hollywood film. This shows that
social realist texts allow most people to fulfil their
dreams of becoming a film actor as well as saving money
by using untrained actors who would not star in a
Hollywood film.

6. 5)what point does Hill make about social
extensions and how does he develop his thinking?
Hill makes the point that social extension has involved
the representation of the working class during
economic and social change. He developed his thinking
by choosing people who had been under-represented
before but by choosing them when they are the right
person to represent them from specific social
perspectives.

7. 6)what has the social extension urge led
British filmmakers to do?
The social extension urge led British filmmakers to redress
(apologies or amend) social and representational inequalities
in connection to class.

8. 7)In addition to depicting the ‘working class way of
life’ what does Lay argue is also constructed by
social realist directors?
Samantha Lay argues that visions from specific political
points made by assumptions of what realism is and the remits
of social realism is constructed by social realist directors.

9. 8)What do Dodd and Dodd argue about the
representation of the working class in the
documentaries of the 1930s?
Dodd and Dodd argue about the representation of the
working class in documentaries of the 1930s because
documentaries fetishise over the working class male body
engaged in hard labour. Counter-representation of victim
that a male is a hero. They argue these types of
representations are patronising and unfair.

10. 9)What was Lindsay Anderson’s opinion of cinema’s
treatment of the working class and what did he strive
to do?
Lindsay Anderson's opinion of cinema's treatment of
the working class was that they seriously under-
represented the working class. He strived to show
through his work why social realist film-makers aim to
improve previous conceptions of realism.

11. 10)What did the work of Anderson and his
contemporaries signal a departure from?
The work of Lindsay Anderson and his
contemporaries signalled a departure from stuffy and
sterile documentary realism.

12. 11)Describe the representation of working class people in
their films and explain the rationale provided this.
The representation of the working class in their films
were more energetic and happy.The reason for this
was the fascination for the newly forming youth culture
and out of respect for the earthy and unpretentious
traditional working class.

13. 12)Leaving their differences aside, what did both
the 30s and 50s documentary movements share?
The 30s and 50s documentary movement shared the
overwhelming preoccupation with the working class
men.

14. 13)Describe the representation of women
in the New Wave films of the 50s and 60s.
The representation of women in the New Wave films
of the 50s and 60s were either the target of horrible
attacks of their working class heroes and often a
threat to masculinity with their obsession to marriage,
motherhood and settling down or a agent of
consumption and partially to blame for the fading of
traditional culture.

15. 14)What were the exceptions to the way women were typically depicted
during this period and what was different about their representation?
The exception to the way women were typically
portrayed were Tony Richardson's A taste of
Honey and Ken Loach's feature debut Poor Cow.
The representation of working class women were more
prominent on television.

16. 15)What changes occurred in the way
women were represented in the 80s?
The way women were represented in the 80s changed
as women were seen as more important in the
workforce and society than before.More female-
centred social realist texts were become known.

17. 16)How did the situation change again in
the 90s?
The situation then changed again in the 90s as the
portrayal of women took a different turn with women
being portrayed as adept consumers,unsupportive of
their partners or the victims of some sort of abuse
eg.domestic violence and sexual abuse.

18. 17)What has Hallam suggested about the shift in the way the
working class has been represented in realist film texts?
Hallam suggested that the shift in the ways the
working class had been represented changed from the
working class being producers of goods to consumers
of goods.

19. 18)What significant change in
narrative accompanies this shift?
The significant change in narrative accompanies with
this shift was from depicting working class characters
in communities and workplace.This is where they are
more collective towards bargaining as individuals.

20. 19)What is Higson’s contention and how is it
explained by Hill?
Higson's contention is that a feature of British realism is
bound up with changing definitions of public and private
space.Hill explains it by suggesting it was a shift from
political to private because their focus on cultural aspects
frequently stopped work and their focus on the
discontented male involved making them look less important
then they actually are in favour of the individual and the
personal.

21. 20)What point does Samantha Lay make about ethnicity
when drawing her initial conclusions about representation?
Samantha Lay makes the point that ethnicity is rarely
touched upon within British social realism so could be
part of the social extension to include other religions
and faiths but it is seen as deplorable and damning as
it shows a lack of working class.

22. 21)What does this lead her to observe about
new areas that representation could explore?
Samantha Lay observes that other areas could be
explored and represented such as refugees, asylum
seekers and illegal workers as they are normally only
seen in news bulletin and documentaries.

23. 22)Summarise Lay’s conclusion in her final paragraph
about representation in social realist film texts.
Samantha Lay in her final paragraph explains the two ways in which the
working class are being represented on one hand they're working within
the terms of social extension but then on the other they're are making
working class men seem more important.In issues and themes the working
class are more then likely going to be the victim of unemployment,
violence or addiction.The constant changes in narrative
contentions.Some films offer the memorable alternative to film rather
than looking forward and moving on they offer the audience a
perspective of the past from how they see it instead of looking forward
and trying to improve things further.