BoOk ReSeaRcH..x

Downes, Brenda (1998) : Media Studies. UK: Hodder Headline PLC.

This text is relavant to mine as it discusses sterotyping in detail and the differences between representation and its realities from its assumptions.

Burton, Graeme (1999) : Media & Popular Culture. UK: Hodder Headline PLC.

This text links to my study as it focuses upon the representation of races. It features a range of theorists that we have not yet covered which could relate to the views that I am expressing throuhgout my study.

Clark, Vivienne & Barker, James & Lewis, Eileen (2000) : Key Concepts & Skills for Media Studies. Malta: Gray Publishing.

This text was useful for me as it discusses representation and ideologies as a key comcept in more technical and academic detail.

Mullard, Chris (1985) : Race, Power & Resistance. London: Routledge & Ledge Paul PLC

This links to my study as it looks at how and when it was that ethnic minorities protested for their rights and post-colonialism was challenged, it also looks at the white ideologists and the black utopians.

Jones, Marsha & Jones, Emma (1999) : Mass Media. Hampshire: Macmillan Press LTD

This text links to my study as it focuses on representation of gender, ethnicity and stereotypes, it looks into these areas in depth and it also gives examples regarding such issues which would help me to extract information for my own study.

SeLf DiReCteD ReSeaRcH..x

http://www.miramax.com/bride/

http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/bride_and_prejudice/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miramax_Films

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286499/

http://monsoonwedding.indiatimes.com/celebrat.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_is_East_(film)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/g/goodnessgracious_66601650.shtml

KeY WoRdS aGaiN..x

Culture...
the social practices of a group of people usually involving shared language history, values, beliefs, lifestyle, appearance and entertainment.
This is relevant to my text as 'Bride & Prejudice' showcases Asian culture. Although, there is a collaboration between negetive and positive or realistic or unrealistic representations of Asian society and culture.

Binary Opposition...
a term used by Claude Levi-Strauss as part of his argument that narratives are structured around oppositional elements in human culture, for example, good and evil, life and death, night and day, raw and cooked.
This is relevant to my text as there are a few binary oppositions that my text is inclusive of, these include family & independence and western lifestyle & eastern lifestyle.

Post Modernism...
literally meaning 'after the modern'. a Description of generic variation in media texts and as a definition of cultural attitudes. Postmodern texts do not follow traditional narrative or genre expectations.
My text does not have a traditional narrative with regards to Asian stereotypes.

Hybrid...
a cross between one film genre and another
The genre of my text is a hybrid between a drama/musical/comedy & romance film

Feminism...
political movement to advance the status of women by challenging values, social constructions and socioeconomic practices which disadvantage women and favour men.
This is relevant to my study as in my text the Asian women have more dominant roles than they may previously have had as they are represented as being strong & independent women whom are the ones in control of their lives and make their own decisions.

Protagonist...
the leading character or hero in a film with whom the audience can identify and from whose point of view the action is positioned, often set in binary opposition against the antagonist.
'Lalita' (Aishwarya Rai) is the protagonist of my text. We identify with her as we witness what is happening from her point of view. This is important as she is a female protagonist in a film based around Asian culture which could say alot about the point of view that the director wants us to identify with.

mY bLoG BuDdiEs..x

My blog buddies are PuJa from 13D & aJaY..x from 13C...


Ajay's Independent Study:
How are stereotypes used against Asians? Paying particular attention to, 'Harold & Kumar go to White Castle'

I have chosen Ajay as one of my blog buddies because his independent study also focuses on the representation of Asians in a film. Although the way that Asians are represented in both our texts may differ slightly there are still comparisons which can be made. Because his text focuses more on the way Asian males are percieved by the audience and their growing interest in issues such as drugs, there is an idea that he steers away from Asian stereotypes in this sense. Simarlarly, my text also challenges the typical Asian stereotypes because my text focuses on certain Asian women and how they are in today's society - much more independent and in control of situations regarding issues such as marriage, in comparison to how they may have been in the past.

Puja's Independent Study:

'Page 3'

I have chosen Puja as one of my blog buddies as she has chosen a Bollywood text to study. Although she may not necceserrily be examining the representations of Asians in particular in the film, the representations that are portrayed in her film are of Asians as her film is set in India and so is mine - predominantly. This may help me to make comparisons between the representations of particular characters and the way they are expressed in either of the films - showing the difference between Bolywood & non-Bollywood productions regarding Asians.

'BriDe & PreJuDiCe' tRaiLeR...

KeY WoRdS..x

Bollywood...
term for the Indian film industry, based in Bombay.
The industry produces a large number of films, based on traditional Indian themes involving exotic sets and dance routines, complicated romances between females and idealised male hero figures.
Indian films are aimed specifically at an Indian audience but in recent years their influence has been felt more widely with themes bridging Western & Indian culture.
This is relevant to my study as I will be creating a comparison between a typical Bollywood film to 'Bride & Prejudice'. This will help me to identify the similarites and differences between the two.

Miramax...
a film corporation founded by Harvey & Bob Weinstein in 1979, under the ownership of Walt Disney Studio Entertainment from 1993.
Miramax graduated from the production of low - budget, art house movies to more prestigious and financially rewarding mainstream productions.
This is the institution that produced the text that I am studying, therefore this is relevant information for me as I gain an insight into what the institution is about and how I could possibly link their characteristics to the nature of this film.

Musical...
a film genre that incorporates songs as part of the film's narrative.
The genre has proved versatile, adapting to different musical tastes and changes in expectation.
My text is a musical, therefore this definition can relate to the genre of my film and help to identify the way in which such films work.

Representation...
the process whereby the media construct versions of people, places and events in images, words or sound for transmission through media texts to an audience.
Representations can provide models of how we see gender, social groups, individuals and aspects of the world we all inhabit. They are ideological in that they are constructed within a framework of values and beliefs - they can therefore be mediated.
No representation is real - only a version of the real.
Can be positive/negetive.
As I will be discussing the representation of Asians in this film, representation is a very important factor towards my study and this helps me to gain a full idea about what representation includes and how I can relate this to my study.

Romantic Comedy...
a film genre developed in 1930's Hollywood where the two main protagonists are a man and a woman who seem to be at odds with each other but end up romantically involved.
Although my film is a hybrid of several genres, one of them is it being a romantic comedy. The description of a romantic comedy here clearly highlights the genre and narrative of my text in a sense.

Stereotype...
the social classification of a group of people by identifying common characteristics and universally applying them in an often oversimplified and generalised way, such that the classification represents value judgements and assumptions about the group concerned.
As I will be discussing the stereotypes of Asians that are used frequently in my text and in society today, this is relevant as it helps me objectify what exactly a stereotype is and how they may be expressed in my text.

cLoSe tExTuaL aNaLySiS..x

...of a scene from 'BriDe & PreJuDiCe'

This particular scene takes place towards the end of the film where there is a form of resolution between the two lead protagonists of the film – Lalita & Mr. Darcy. There is a wedding taking place and Lalita and her family are at the event, although she did not expect to see Mr Darcy there. This scene shows their union at the end of the film – a typical happy ending?

• Initially there is a long shot at the scene of the wedding. This helps to show the audience what exactly is going on in the scene and allows them to view the setting and mise en scene.
• This long shot then zooms into a medium close up shot of Lalita. This shot focuses on the facial expressions and reactions of the protagonist. This allows the audience to be able to relate to and identify with her as they are able to view exactly what she is doing and how she may be feeling – which in this case is happy and even slightly coy.
• The scene then cuts to a long/medium long shot of Darcy and several other ‘dhol’ players, this scene then too similarly zooms into a medium close up shot of our other protagonist – Darcy. Both these scenes seem parallel to each other in terms of expressing the facial expressions and attitudes portrayed by each character. This can be said as Darcy’s facial expressions are reminiscent of Lalita’s.
• The scene then cuts back to Lalita in a medium shot and pans across with her until she reaches Darcy where they both embrace; showcased via a medium close up. The scene ends with a high angle shot of the two in each others arms which could connote the fact that no matter how much they may be or have been looked down upon they still ended up happy and with each other.
• This particular scene is significant to the film as it displays a ‘typical’ happy ending that you would usually expect from a Bollywood film. In this sense you could argue that this scene conforms to the stereotypical vision that we have of asian texts and is a predictable and characteristic end to a Bollywood film.
• The clothing is this scene is generally traditional Indian apart from Darcy’s. This is also usual of the nature of Bollywood films which is the feel that the director has managed to maintain throughout the film which this scene is an example of. There are not many props -apart from the drums (dhol) used to portray the feeling of a traditional Indian wedding. The set seems to be outdoors and is not focused upon too much within this scene as the real importance of this scene is on the facial expressions and actions of the characters.
• The lighting used throughout this scene is bright, high key natural lighting as the shot is filmed outdoors. This connotes the happy and bright nature of this scene - allowing the audience to expect a resolution.
• There is only one line of dialogue in the scene which is spoken by a non central character at the beginning of the scene. There is a sound bridge between the non diegetic sound of music building up till the two embrace and the diegetic music of the dhol that Darcy is playing. This is parallel to the scene as the sound is building up to the resolution.
• This text has been produced by a non – Hollywood institution by the name of ‘Miramax Films’. Miramax are renowned as the producers of more independent films. However, ‘Bride & Prejudice’ was distributed as mainstream film in multiplex cinemas.
• 'Bride & Prejudice' was a heavily advertised and promoted film. It was hyped up due to director, Gurinder Chadha's previously successful release 'Bend it Like Beckham'. However, considering general ratings for both films 'Bride & Prejudice' was not as much of a success as Chadha's former film.
• The genre is a hybrid between drama/musical/comedy & romance. Style and narrative in this case are a combination of both Hollywood/Bollywood, this blend has been constructed intentionally in order to give audiences a bit of both worlds.