CASE STUDIES
‘The role of Youth culture involves offering symbolic elements that are used by youth to construct and identity outside the restraints of class and education’- Michael Brake Collective identity refers to a homogenous group, each with common interests and a similar lifestyle. The mediation of these representations are the ways in which the media represent individuals, people, places and social groups to the audiences. Theorists like Richard Dyer argue that there are political and social reasons for maintaining hegemony and social dividers, sustaining the dominant culture and legitimizing the inequality present. We can explore mediation from the perspective of how messages (representation of youth) are conveyed by intermediaries within film such as the producers of the film. I believe that we can build upon the notion that the producers create films with the set intention to manipulate the effect on the target audience by using signs and codes that signify the representation of youth culture.
It is evident that there is always some degree of mediation of collective identity in film, but the extent to which the representation of youth culture is mediated varies considerably within different films. An example of this comparison comes from the representation of British youth culture in 2 films set in very similar time periods. ‘Quadrophenia’ and ‘The boat that Rocked’, two films set in the 1960’s, present us with two significantly different versions of youth culture within this decade. The way that these films have been received suggests a lot about attitudes towards the representations of youth culture in terms of ‘authenticity’ and more importantly, how the intermediaries of the respective films have deliberately conveyed a particular message to their target audiences. Both films depict youth culture in the 1960’s, but while one is dismissed as silly and easy, the other has earned its reputability as a cult classic, but why? In this respect the two films are unparalleled as one was produced as a light hearted comedy and the other as a true to life depiction of teenage issues- but only because of the extent to which these representations were deliberately mediated. The Boat That Rocked focuses on a commercialized and broadened version of the 1960’s, focusing on the image of the ‘swinging sixties’ and ‘dolly birds’ (attractive but unintelligent young women) that hold very little in common with reality. This suggests that the intermediaries created the film with the intention to appeal to a target audience that simply wanted to be entertained by the distorted representations of youth in the 1960’s.
Conversely, set in 1964 and telling the story of Jimmy, a mod from London, Quadrophenia tackles issues of identity and group belonging in one of the most iconic of all subcultures. Quadrophenia was released during the mod revival of the late 70’s and so became a part of the youth culture, not only a portrayal of it.
Quadrophenia can be used as a historical basis of reference to explore the significant mediation of the representation of youth culture. The film includes a visually iconic, recognizable narrative focused on a 1960 event on Brighton seafront by recreating the well-known fight between 2 traditionally opposed youth sub cultures. As the film builds to a climax during this scene, Stanley Cohen (director and so intermediary) described the event as a moral panic that was intended to show how youth had become out of control. However, it could be argued that elements of these subcultures are represented as aspirational and potential role models to viewers. Produced by The who, the film had a primary and initial objective to entertain target audiences and explore the issues and themes that Jimmy faces, making the film a musical and emotional journey.
The film enables representation of youth culture within several subcategories. The first example is the unconventional relationship between Jimmy and Steph, where the male character is chasing a popular and ‘untouchable’ female. The film involves an unconventional sex scene in a public area that I believe was deliberately driven by the producers in order to convey a message; that the representation of this relationship was mediated with the intent to help the film agenda have more freedom, as well as to encourage freedom in teenage viewers.
The second example comes from the ‘Ace’ character within the film, who is represented as the ultimate Mod with his Vespa that Jimmy drools over, as well as his good looks, smart dress and ability to pay his fine in court with ease. This representation is later dissolved when Jimmy sees Ace as a bell boy in a hotel, catering to the dominant classes. This leads to the complete break away from his perceived identity that was previously mediated earlier in the film. The new bellboy identity has connotations of being a push over, creating a dramatic juxtaposition with the identity that Jimmy had previously idolized. This comes back to the representation of these characters and how they are deliberately mediated to convey a message which in this case is that the represented youth are multifaceted, as they have multiple selves. We see this in Ace’s character as in the working world, Ace has to act differently to what he would when he is surrounded by his Mod social group.
We can shift the focus of the exploration within the extent to which representations are always mediated to a more everyday media within the representations of Women in Magazines. It is a common viewpoint that mediation of the representation of women is not as deliberate as it historically was due to the near-extinction of previously acceptable representations such as ‘domestic’ and ‘proper’ ideologies, however it can be argued that although the represented identity of woman has changed in nature, it has in fact become more mediated.
Cosmopolitan is a magazine targeted at 20-35-year-old women. Pragmatically, it can be said that the magazine accentuates femininity as an identity for itself, with stereotypically female colours within common house styles. In turn the feminine identity of the magazine is applied as a representation of the readers which reinforces the idea of apparent mediation of women’s identity. The magazine focuses heavily on beauty and fitness, further suggesting the dominant ideology of the ‘ideal woman’ where the reader will become fixated on a concept of beauty that is created by the intermediaries of the magazine.
Male-audience-targeted magazines such as Playboy and Nuts (lad’s mag) often feature sexually exposed women in suggestive poses which represent women as objects of sexual pleasure. Conversely, an example in the 2017 cosmopolitan issue covers a large image of Scarlett Johansson with fairly natural makeup and dressed in a moderately modest white dress. It is interesting to consider the possible message created with the colour of the dress, by using semiotic theory, we can identify that the white has connotations of innocence and weakness. Therefore, this represents her as innocent and weak, reinforcing the dominant patriarchal representations of women. Due to her status as a celebrity, her level of influence is significant and so due to her being a semiotic symbol of success and importance, those who take inspiration from her will likely take this deliberately constructed innocence and weakness and apply it to their own identities. This is a strong example of the mediation of identity within magazines as it suggests a passive audience that is influenced by the mass media.
It is evident that there is always some degree of mediation of collective identity in film, but the extent to which the representation of youth culture is mediated varies considerably within different films. An example of this comparison comes from the representation of British youth culture in 2 films set in very similar time periods. ‘Quadrophenia’ and ‘The boat that Rocked’, two films set in the 1960’s, present us with two significantly different versions of youth culture within this decade. The way that these films have been received suggests a lot about attitudes towards the representations of youth culture in terms of ‘authenticity’ and more importantly, how the intermediaries of the respective films have deliberately conveyed a particular message to their target audiences. Both films depict youth culture in the 1960’s, but while one is dismissed as silly and easy, the other has earned its reputability as a cult classic, but why? In this respect the two films are unparalleled as one was produced as a light hearted comedy and the other as a true to life depiction of teenage issues- but only because of the extent to which these representations were deliberately mediated. The Boat That Rocked focuses on a commercialized and broadened version of the 1960’s, focusing on the image of the ‘swinging sixties’ and ‘dolly birds’ (attractive but unintelligent young women) that hold very little in common with reality. This suggests that the intermediaries created the film with the intention to appeal to a target audience that simply wanted to be entertained by the distorted representations of youth in the 1960’s.
Conversely, set in 1964 and telling the story of Jimmy, a mod from London, Quadrophenia tackles issues of identity and group belonging in one of the most iconic of all subcultures. Quadrophenia was released during the mod revival of the late 70’s and so became a part of the youth culture, not only a portrayal of it.
Quadrophenia can be used as a historical basis of reference to explore the significant mediation of the representation of youth culture. The film includes a visually iconic, recognizable narrative focused on a 1960 event on Brighton seafront by recreating the well-known fight between 2 traditionally opposed youth sub cultures. As the film builds to a climax during this scene, Stanley Cohen (director and so intermediary) described the event as a moral panic that was intended to show how youth had become out of control. However, it could be argued that elements of these subcultures are represented as aspirational and potential role models to viewers. Produced by The who, the film had a primary and initial objective to entertain target audiences and explore the issues and themes that Jimmy faces, making the film a musical and emotional journey.
The film enables representation of youth culture within several subcategories. The first example is the unconventional relationship between Jimmy and Steph, where the male character is chasing a popular and ‘untouchable’ female. The film involves an unconventional sex scene in a public area that I believe was deliberately driven by the producers in order to convey a message; that the representation of this relationship was mediated with the intent to help the film agenda have more freedom, as well as to encourage freedom in teenage viewers.
The second example comes from the ‘Ace’ character within the film, who is represented as the ultimate Mod with his Vespa that Jimmy drools over, as well as his good looks, smart dress and ability to pay his fine in court with ease. This representation is later dissolved when Jimmy sees Ace as a bell boy in a hotel, catering to the dominant classes. This leads to the complete break away from his perceived identity that was previously mediated earlier in the film. The new bellboy identity has connotations of being a push over, creating a dramatic juxtaposition with the identity that Jimmy had previously idolized. This comes back to the representation of these characters and how they are deliberately mediated to convey a message which in this case is that the represented youth are multifaceted, as they have multiple selves. We see this in Ace’s character as in the working world, Ace has to act differently to what he would when he is surrounded by his Mod social group.
We can shift the focus of the exploration within the extent to which representations are always mediated to a more everyday media within the representations of Women in Magazines. It is a common viewpoint that mediation of the representation of women is not as deliberate as it historically was due to the near-extinction of previously acceptable representations such as ‘domestic’ and ‘proper’ ideologies, however it can be argued that although the represented identity of woman has changed in nature, it has in fact become more mediated.
Cosmopolitan is a magazine targeted at 20-35-year-old women. Pragmatically, it can be said that the magazine accentuates femininity as an identity for itself, with stereotypically female colours within common house styles. In turn the feminine identity of the magazine is applied as a representation of the readers which reinforces the idea of apparent mediation of women’s identity. The magazine focuses heavily on beauty and fitness, further suggesting the dominant ideology of the ‘ideal woman’ where the reader will become fixated on a concept of beauty that is created by the intermediaries of the magazine.
Male-audience-targeted magazines such as Playboy and Nuts (lad’s mag) often feature sexually exposed women in suggestive poses which represent women as objects of sexual pleasure. Conversely, an example in the 2017 cosmopolitan issue covers a large image of Scarlett Johansson with fairly natural makeup and dressed in a moderately modest white dress. It is interesting to consider the possible message created with the colour of the dress, by using semiotic theory, we can identify that the white has connotations of innocence and weakness. Therefore, this represents her as innocent and weak, reinforcing the dominant patriarchal representations of women. Due to her status as a celebrity, her level of influence is significant and so due to her being a semiotic symbol of success and importance, those who take inspiration from her will likely take this deliberately constructed innocence and weakness and apply it to their own identities. This is a strong example of the mediation of identity within magazines as it suggests a passive audience that is influenced by the mass media.