Representation Analysis

Women seem to be a very misinterpreted and unique group in media. Either used to appeal to men or to break away from them, women seem to have a unique place in the way they are portrayed in the world of media. In an Axe commercial from 2006, a single man is spraying what seems to be a lot of body spray where suddenly a wild pack of women run towards him from every direction. Happens every day right? Personally, I believe that if that commercial would have come out about a decade later, it would have gotten completely different reviews and criticism for being degrading and completely freaking stupid. For example, in a recent H&M ad, H&M is promoting sustainability and recycling old clothes, where they show a group of women and men in all shapes and sizes and styles portray a stereotype or label. H&M certainly put such diverse group of people to highlight and represent a big group of people to appeal to a larger background (even if it has nothing to do with recycling clothes) but is that not a good thing? Some people may believe it is forced and superficial to forcefully try to include all colors, shapes and cultures but if done for the right reasons, I believe can be a good thing. The two commercials and their lack of similarities in representation show the growth of society over 10 or more years and how instead of women needing to be 5’10 with hourglass figures running to a single man, they can be any shape and size and be unapologetically alone.

Research Genre

Genre Research: Horror 

What makes horror films so horrifying? 

   When you think of horror, you think of death, violence and graphic images that either intrigue you or completely scare you away. Most young audiences are not put off by these factors, but are instead drawn in by them. Generally the target interests of horror films are blood and intense violence, additionally they are targeted at individuals aged 15-25 that have an interest in the supernatural, the unexplained, mystery, and illusion. Teenagers also like the idea of being scared as a group and gives them something talk about and analyze together, making horror films the prime genre for this age group. 

The main narrative and objectives of horror movies is to make the audience fearful and have a firsthand perspective of the main character in the plot. Common tropes of the horror genre help develop this narrative through incidental scary music, low key settings such as rundown buildings or abandoned houses with basements or attics, and having masked or disguised figures as the antagonists. Set design is an important part of horror films since they help by creating and sustaining terror. In The Shining for example, the rooms are open and eerie and the corridors endlessly twist and turn, creating confusion and unsettle its audience. Horror movie settings like worn down houses in the middle of the woods and unfamiliar places add suspense since viewers do not recognize the area, making them unsure of what will appear and happen next. Brutal and absurd weapons and gothic items are also used to create iconic and memorable aspects to the film. An example of this is in A Nightmare on Elm Street, where Freddy Krueger’s razor-glove is a staple for the film and is recognizable anywhere.

Horror films include several different characters that support the plot either by adding humor or drama. For example, traditional roles presented in horror films include the dumb blonde, the hero and the virgin. These are the innocent characters that either manage to prevail or end up being the first ones dead by investigating places they should not be and making generally stupid decisions. Creepy or dead children are common characters in horror films, where they present innocence in a monstrous way.

   Sound is a crucial aspect to horror films, which adds the most suspense and depth to horror films. Slow paced non diegetic sound, usually a piano or violin, is used to create creepy and eerie atmospheres, build suspense and change the mood for the audience. Silence in a horror films also creates the "sitting at the edge of your seat" feeling, since the audience knows something is about to pop up and creates an unsettling and uncomfortable feeling. 

The marketing techniques used for horror films is by presenting contradicting view on the film.
Hereditary received a D+ on Cinemascore; however, it is currently 89% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, highlighting the contrast between critics and the general public, which also makes others who haven’t seen the movie yet more inclined to do so. Snapchat stories are also effective ways of marketing for horror films. For example, The Nun displayed a filter where there was an ad which at first is a black screen with the volume icon displayed. It creates the illusion that the user accidentally hit their volume button before suddenly, a demonic nun screams through the phone. These marketing conventions target the audience of horror films perfectly, since young adults like teenagers communicate through social media. 

Embodying the genre

Hereditary is a perfect example of the horror genre. It stars Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro and Gabriel Byrne as a family haunted by a demon after the death of their secretive grandmother. The movie includes a creepy child, presented in the movie poster intriguing young audiences, which (spoiler alert) gets decapitated, adding a shocking and gruesome surprise advancing the horror plot. The set design in this film supports the genre where the upstairs bedrooms had to be arranged in a kind of T shape, to suggest a cross. As Satanic practices are the subject of the film, these small details in the set design help boost the film’s power to haunt. 





In The Shining, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes winter caretaker at the isolated hotel, hoping to cure his writer's block. He settles in along with his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and his son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), who is plagued by psychic premonitions. As Jack's writing goes nowhere and Danny's visions become more disturbing, Jack discovers the hotel's dark secrets and begins to unravel into a homicidal maniac hell-bent on terrorizing his family. The Shining demonstrates the conventions of horror films through the twin girls, the axe and the knife and the river of blood which are all factors that create the iconic and recognizable aspects to the horror genre. 




Film examples of the horror genre

1. Get Out
2. The Boy
3. The Nun
4. Annabelle
5. The Conjuring