*10 Cliches Framed in Comedy
We’ll begin the discussion by showing a clip from Parks and
Recreation, during which Amy Poehler’s character, Leslie Knope, takes the blame
for shooting Ron Swanson. Although this clip is from a comedy show, Poehler’s
character plays into a variety of very real clichés about women.
(extended version- http://www.imdb.com/video/hulu/vi3091268889/)
*The “Shared Experience” and Artistic Accountability
Let’s begin to think of media literacy as a filter that can
be applied to the media you consume and create. Whether watching television,
out at the movies, or reading a magazine we are constantly being bombarded by
stereotypes of what women should be.
Author, feminist and social activist, Bell Hooks, describes
movies as providing “a shared experience,
a common starting point from which diverse audiences can dialogue about these
charged issues.”
In her writings, Hooks brings up the idea of artistic
accountability, meaning that artists are
responsible for the views portrayed in their work. According to Hooks,
“Thinking in a constructive way about accountability never diminishes artistic
integrity or artistic vision, it strengthens and enhances it.”
*The Bechdel Test
The Bechdel Test is an uncomplicated test to determine if
there’s gender bias in a film. Although it appeared in a 1985 comic strip,
few Hollywood features pass this test. In the comic, one of the characters says
she only watches movies if it satisfies the following requirements:
1. It has to have at least two women with names
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something other than a man
This video looks at the 2012 Oscar nominees and where they
stand with the Bechdel test
(screening from 01:06- 4:47)
Additionally, here’s a list of 10 Famous Films That
Surprisingly Fail the Bechdel Test:
*War Zone
The film War Zone,
by Maggie Hadleigh West, shows what it's like to be a woman on the street
in a cultural environment that does little to discourage the heckling,
following, touching or disparaging of women in public places.
As a class, discuss the students’ reaction to the film. Was
her filmmaking method effective in showing a woman’s perspective? What shocked
you? What creative choices did you like? What changes would you make (if any)?
*Beyond Beats and Rhymes
Director Byron Hurt created the documentary Hip Hop- Beyond Beats and Rhymes to look at the negative ideology portrayed in mainstream hip hop. Not only does the documentary look at how women are objectified, it also explores the complex idea of masculinity.
*The Future
(15:25)
Filmmaker, author, and performance artist, Miranda July,
takes a comedic approach to dealing with the influence of the media in her film,
the Future. Sophie, a character played by Miranda July, decides to quite her
unfulfilling job and follow her dream of being a dancer by releasing a video
series called 30 Days, 30 Dances.
Afterward, discuss the class reaction to the clip. Has
Miranda July incorporated the pressures of society into her film? Does it seem
realistic?
Shut Up and Sing
(38:07)
Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck’s documentary, Shut Up and
Sing, looks at the Dixie Chicks’ career following an anti-George W. Bush
statement at a 2003 concert. Both the subjects and filmmakers in this
documentary faced creative choices regarding the portrayal of women.
The Dixie Chicks were propositioned by a number of
documentary filmmakers, including Michael Moore, but decided to have female filmmakers
Kopple and Peck share their story. Rather than having a narrator or text
explain the events in the movie, the filmmakers decided to let the women speak
for themselves.
After watching the clip, discuss class reactions. What
choices did the filmmakers make? What emotions did that evoke? Do you think the
Dixie Chicks would have received a different media reaction if they were the
Dixie Dudes?
Additional Sources of Inspiration:
http://sexistads.tumblr.com/
-This is an editorial photo shoot that had a skinny model and a “plus
size” model pose in the same clothing:
- Here's a fascinating TED talk led by author Chimamanda Adichie. She tells several stories that explain the danger in telling only one side of a person or community's story:
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