A-Level Media Studies
Laura Mulvey & Uses And Gratifications:
The Male Gaze;
Laura Mulvey, a feminism activist who created the phenomena of 'The Male Gaze'. The male gaze is a theory based upon the idea that a camera is symbolising a heterosexual males eyes, for example; when a camera lingers on a female body. Mulvey believes that the lingering of the camera is intentional and infact represents a mans sexual interest towards a female.
Mulvey and many other feminists believe that women are represented in 3 ways;
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How men look at women
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How women look at women
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How women look at themselves
The first point being how men look at women is a prime example that influenced Mulveys opinion on the male gaze.
Mulvey also argues that there are 2 types of viewing from a film spectators point of view, these are;
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Voyeristic- Tears down or degrades the point of viewing, the gaze itself is controlling.
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Fetishistic- Turning the object of interest into a fetish so it becomes reassuring. Overvaluing.
Uses And Gratifications:
Uses and gratifications are how the audience uses the media to get specific gratifications or pleasure.
There are 4 main types of these gratifications, these are;
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Surveillence- Information that is useful to the audience when it comes to understanding the world around them, for example the news
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Personal identity- Finding yourself reflected in different types of media, and learning from their behaviours or values.
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Personal relationships- Using the media for emotional and social interactions
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Diversion- Using the media to escape from everyday life