Representation
Within this section I will be critically assessing representation within my three research films and illustrating how I intend to construct the representational messages within my own short film.
I will define and explain the representation theory that relates to my film and convey how the processess of the theory affect my work. I will also look at the typical conventions of representation within the genre of poetic realism. I will then discuss whether my three research films deviate or conform to these expected conventions.
Representation indicates a construction in any medium of aspects of 'reality' such as places, objects, events, people, cultural identities and other abstract concepts. It is the expression or designation by some term, character or symbol.
The word representation refers to the processess involved as well as to its products. As an example, in relation to the key markers of identity; class, age, gender and ethnicity. Representation involves not only how identities are constructed within the text, but also how they are formed in the processes of production and reception by people whose identities are so differentially marked in relation to such demographic factors.
A film under the genre of poetic realism usually recreates a reality. It is typical within the genre to see the film having a fatalistic view (the acceptance of all things and events being inevitable) with the protagonist generally living on the margins of society, as an outcast. The protagonist, prior to the films the beginning, would have experienced a life of disappointment and the film will usually explore the one last chance the protagonist has of love. There is also a typical convention of a heightened aestheticism - which is the emphasis of artistic beauty.
I will define and explain the representation theory that relates to my film and convey how the processess of the theory affect my work. I will also look at the typical conventions of representation within the genre of poetic realism. I will then discuss whether my three research films deviate or conform to these expected conventions.
Representation indicates a construction in any medium of aspects of 'reality' such as places, objects, events, people, cultural identities and other abstract concepts. It is the expression or designation by some term, character or symbol.
The word representation refers to the processess involved as well as to its products. As an example, in relation to the key markers of identity; class, age, gender and ethnicity. Representation involves not only how identities are constructed within the text, but also how they are formed in the processes of production and reception by people whose identities are so differentially marked in relation to such demographic factors.
A film under the genre of poetic realism usually recreates a reality. It is typical within the genre to see the film having a fatalistic view (the acceptance of all things and events being inevitable) with the protagonist generally living on the margins of society, as an outcast. The protagonist, prior to the films the beginning, would have experienced a life of disappointment and the film will usually explore the one last chance the protagonist has of love. There is also a typical convention of a heightened aestheticism - which is the emphasis of artistic beauty.
'Ivan's Childhood'
October 2012
'Ivan's Childhood' by Andrei Tarkovsky represents a child during World War II in the Soviet Union of Russia.. It touches on the lives of the soliders that Ivan is associated with throughout the film. Therefore it also partially represents the life of soliders on the front line. They are represented through Barthes' 'enigma code' with the audience only discovering what happens at the end during the reveal. It is in the genre of poetic realism, meaning the protagonist is seen as an outcast with a life of disappointment, allowing the audience to sympathise with them, representing them as vulnerable. Those who were not in the Soviet Union and other countries that were in World War II are not represented in the film. The representations of the characters and events are presented through fragments of Ivan's memory.
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The representation of Ivan comes across as true because although it is an adult world that Ivan is currently living in, he still dreams and acts like a child, as if it is all in his imagination. The war itself wasn't predominately shown within the film. It was mainly presented as the setting rather then the narrative. there was aslo no insight into what was happening to the civilians and how the war affected them, there was also no indication of the opposing side. The film was targeted at the then contemporary audience of those living in the Soviet Union, this representation is targeted to those specific people because it is seemingly from their perspective on the war and it dealt with Ivan loosing his family who the audience would be able to relate to. From the film, one can gain the perspective that everyone is in danger in a war zone and it tears families apart. The representation essentially reflects a reality from the point of view of Ivan. This particular representation challenges the dominant ideology that states that the war was a productive and important event. However, it supports the ideology of those who were in the Soviet Union with expressing that people were killed. The representation definitely could be considered a hegemonic, Ivan immediately follows the instructions of the soldiers he stays with, he perceives them as dominant and believes that they will keep him safe. The soldiers themselves take care of Ivan as a result of an order from a higher authority. All the actions that take place are from a hegemonic structure by instructions given to the soldiers. The concept of this representation can be considered to be problematic because it is from the point of view of the protagonist's memory, it cannot be disproved, it is an individual reflection of a realistic situation.
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'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'
November 2012
'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' represents inevitability of life and how no matter how advanced scientific discovery is, life cannot be altered. It conveys a more religious ideology that life is preempted before one partakes in it and will always occur the way it was 'written' out to be. Rather then the film representing a particular society, it more represents scientific developements across the world and the constant need to fix ones life with new technology. The film represents people involved in a relationship and those who have experienced or are experiencing love. Thus, those being left out of the representation are those who cannot relate to these particular experiences. It is represented through a 'typical' romantic relationship under the genre combination of romantic science fiction. The film takes place in a naturalistic setting of a city in New York, the characters are realistic and believable. The relationship between the female and male protagonists illustrate the difficulties couples can experience. The encounters they have with a memory erasing process are presented as realistic - even though the product does not actually exist in reality. The memory erasing product is conveyed as a scientific development and thus is depicted as a realistic item. Although both Joel and Clementine become involved with this memory alteration programme, the film is mainly a portrayal of Joel's experience. This is made clear as the film illustrates Joel's memory and the audience witness the erasing process taking place in Joel's brain.
'Memory'
January 2013
The short film, 'Memory' by Andrei Tarkovsky represents life in the Soviet Union of chaos and destruction. It illustrates the significance and inalienable of history. As the film is so particular to its audience those left out of the representation are those who were not involved in the Soviet Union in Russia. The representation is presented through mainly through visual and auditory codes, however, to set up the film, Tarkovsky opens the film with a passage explaining the setting and the reason for the setting. This is the only linguist code utilised within this short film. Due to the content and opening of the film, this short is clearly directed at those who were part of the Soviet Union as that is what the film is representing. The spectators of the film can make sense of the representation primarily from its setting. With the film being directed at a particular audience the setting is of upmost importance. It relates specifically to those who can recognise and comprehend the meaning and representation of the film and what it relates to in a wider context.
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My Film, 'Minnie'
I want my own film to represent an inevitability of life. My intentions are for the representations to be shown through an enigma. Much like in the beginning of 'Ivan's Childhood' the way Ivan's desire for freedom is illustrated through him being in an open forest. I also want to use images of nature to represent both memory recall and the appetite to escape.