Exam Practice Q

 

Point

Explain

Example

Theory

*Jordan Peele's 2017 film Get Out

Analyse how genre conventions have been used to create meaning in a media product you have studied (12)

In Jordan Peele's 2017 film Get Out, horror genre conventions are used to create meaning through the use of editing. Typically horror movies may have slow pace editing and camera movement to create suspense, or fast pace editing to make you feel on edge. However, in the opening screen it is a continuous shot through. This could reflect a 'stalker' feel and that us as an audience are watching and following the victims every move. This foreshadows what will happen in the upcoming moments - he can followed by the car and kidnapped. This use of editing creates an enigma code. Barthes says that movies create an enigma code which make the audience wonder what will happen next which is defiantly the expected outcome of a horror movie. 

Additionally, another horror genre convention is used to create meaning through the use of sound. Sound is used in the opening scene to create suspense and an unsettling atmosphere. Once the car arrives into the screen it is playing a diegetic music, "Run Rabbit Run". This quickly becomes non-diegetic which instantly makes the audience paranoid - a positive outcome for a horror movie. The lyrics of the song matches perfectly with some of the action such as when the attacker kidnaps the victim and he goes all limb, the lyric "Rabbit" connotes weakness and vulnerability. However, despite the reference, the music is rather contrapuntal as it is upbeat and jolly, but the actions are graphic and scary - which could inform us that the attacker isn't mentally stable and he is use to this action, thus foreshadowing the storyline. Altman's genre pleasures theory is shown for this as the audience may feel all different sorts of emotions, such as visceral pleasures which makes them experience paranoia and fear. 

Lastly, another horror genre convention is used to create meaning through the use of character stereotypes. Stereotypically, black men are seen as being inferior to white men, and this is the case in this opening scene. There is a black male victim who even says "I stick out like a sore thumb" when he is walking through the suburbs. This further upholds the stereotype that black people aren't wealthy an typically poor. His clothing is also dull and dark - portraying he's insignificant in the film, and in society. As well as this, it is filmed a night time which automatically creates a sense of fear and paranoia. Levi-Strauss's binary oppositions theory supports these conflicts within films. Just in this opening scene we can see the conflict of black vs white, rich vs poor and day vs night.

Analyse how mise-en-scène elements contributed to the construction of stereotypes in a media product you have studied (15)

In Jordan Peele's 2017 film Get Out, mise-en-scène contributed to the construction of stereotypes. One stereotype which occurred in the opening scene was the setting. The location was a suburban street, but the character was a black male. He even says "I stick out like a sore thumb" which straight away portrays the division between the different classes. By the end of the scene there is a white, expensive car that ends up kidnapping him, supporting the ideas that the victim is of a lower class and middle class people have more power. This idea is supported by Levi-Strauss's binary oppositions theory where by he thinks that there are conflicting ideas in every movie, such as in this opening scene where he is of a lower class than the middle class setting which he starts in, this is the idea of poor vs rich.

Another way mise-en-scène contributed to the construction of stereotypes is through the costuming. The victim is a black male who is dressed in dull and dark clothing. Stereotypically, black may be seen as inferior and weak in society. The dark colours can connote, not only inferiority in the film, but also how black people are viewed as in society. This appearance is almost like a silhouette, representing insignificance. This can foreshadow what the film is about and get the audience thinking. For example, Barthes' theory of enigma and action codes certainly comes into play here due to the foreshadowing and many connotations surrounding the victims dark clothing. 

Lastly, another way mise-en-scène contributed to the construction of stereotypes is through the conflict of black vs white. The main difference in this opening scene is that the victim is a black male, and the attacker is a white male. Although men are stereotypically viewed a superior, there is stereotypes about races. In this opening scene, the stereotype that white men are more superior to black men is definitely met. The black male is conflicted twice: by the appearance of the white, expensive car and also by the white male attacker. Levi-Strauss' Binary Oppositions theory is evident here (black vs white), but also is Altman's genre pleasures theory. He believes that the audience gains different types of pleasures from films, and in this case the audience is getting an insight into how blacks are treated, therefore making them feel sadness and maybe even guilt, therefore urging to make a chance in real life.