REPRESENTATION 1.3
Representation - Plan
Bechdel Test
Comparison between Apartment and The Office (USA)
The Apartment - Office Party scene
I believe the scene I have shown in my final representation video doesn't pass the Bechdel Test. This is because it has two women (Fran and Miss Olsen) discuss about Mr Sheldrick's previous affairs with other employees. Although it has two women talking towards each other, it doesn't pass because they only discuss about a man (Mr Sheldrick).
The scene in the Office that I show in my representation video does pass the Bechdel test. This is because it includes more than two women and they are all discussing their plans for the party they are hosting, and are not discussing about men. The Office in comparison between The Apartment is a good example of how women should be represented as it reflects the women united. The Apartment differs from this as it reflects the women to be dependent on men and see their lives as only for their lovers, not themselves.
The similarity between the two scenes is that the setting the characters are captured in is their working environment of an Office. This is important as their similarity reflects the key divide and difference between the two representations of the female characters in that period of time. The main difference for having the Bechdel test pass in the Office is the period in time which the programme is shot in (present day). To capture a modern/present day office environment the female characters discuss their ideas for their party and how they will organise it around the office. This captures the women to be independent and collaborate as each of them have their own voice and ideas within their workplace. Giving the women their voice in the scene is important as it not only captures a realistic setting of a workplace (in modern day) but sets an example of how the Apartment lacked in representing women fairly.
The Apartment is captured during the 1960s and doesn't pass the Bechdel test because of the period it is set in. The Apartment captures the women in the workspace to be distracted with their discussion of their love life. This is because during the 1960's women were seen as 'damsels in distress' and were stereotypes to depend on their male lovers financially and emotionally, which was not the case and is solely to blame for the lack of representation. The Apartment captures this old fashioned stereotype of women at work, by not passing the Bechdel Test.
The similarity between the two scenes is that the setting the characters are captured in is their working environment of an Office. This is important as their similarity reflects the key divide and difference between the two representations of the female characters in that period of time. The main difference for having the Bechdel test pass in the Office is the period in time which the programme is shot in (present day). To capture a modern/present day office environment the female characters discuss their ideas for their party and how they will organise it around the office. This captures the women to be independent and collaborate as each of them have their own voice and ideas within their workplace. Giving the women their voice in the scene is important as it not only captures a realistic setting of a workplace (in modern day) but sets an example of how the Apartment lacked in representing women fairly.
The Apartment is captured during the 1960s and doesn't pass the Bechdel test because of the period it is set in. The Apartment captures the women in the workspace to be distracted with their discussion of their love life. This is because during the 1960's women were seen as 'damsels in distress' and were stereotypes to depend on their male lovers financially and emotionally, which was not the case and is solely to blame for the lack of representation. The Apartment captures this old fashioned stereotype of women at work, by not passing the Bechdel Test.
Other examples of the Bechdel Test - explained in my representation video
The scene from Call Me By Your name to show in my representation video does not pass the Bechdel test as it doesn't include two women in any scene alone. Also Marzia (the only women in the scene) is questioning Elio whether she is 'his girl' meaning is she the on he wants to be with. This also shows how this scene doesn't pass the test because the only female is discussing about her relationship with Elio (male).
American Horror Story - Vivien and Constance first greeting/encounter
The scene from American Horror Story I chose for my representation video does pass the Bechdel test and it has two female characters and they are talking/introducing themselves to each other.
American Horror Story - Vivien and Constance first greeting/encounter
The scene from American Horror Story I chose for my representation video does pass the Bechdel test and it has two female characters and they are talking/introducing themselves to each other.
Theme - Gender
The Apartment
The Apartment is a clear example of how a film uses gender stereotypes from real life. During the 1960's (the year the apartment is based) the men in society, for the majority were in higher positions than the women. For example, in this scene of the apartment it captures Baxter's new office and how only then men were given the private offices (because they had higher status job than the women). The Apartment represents the lack of equality there was between genders during the 1960's, through its evolving plot around the workplace. The Apartment relies on stereotypes when representing a office workplace during the 1960's.
The Office
The Office is an example of show that uses some gender stereotypes through its character work. For example, Michael Scott (the boss) is a stereotype of a masculine male, by trying to dominate any scenarios he's in. Which is a trait scene in stereotypical male characters. As seen in this scene.
However, Michael challenges his stereotyped masculine personality as the show progresses. The Office proves most gender stereotypes wrong when representing a workplace. This is because it has both women and men across the workplace have the same roles. The Office relies very little on gender stereotypes as it focuses more on how to break them.
The Office has a very balanced representation of gender as both the men and women are equally represented throughout the show. The Office represents the same example of gender for both the men and women stereotypes through its characters as the Apartment does. However, they differ as the Office challenges these stereotypes and over time and eventually breaks them. Which is what the Apartment doesn't lacks, they represent gender stereotypes but don't challenge them, unlike the Office.
Call Me By Your Name
Call Me By Your Name is an example of a film that lacks in gender representation of women. However, it defies male stereotypes very well. For example, Elio (the protagonist) defies the stereotype of a being man being only heterosexual, Elio defies this stereotype wrong as he experiments with both a man and woman in this film and eventually comes out as homosexual. A character who also challenges these gender stereotypes is Oliver. Oliver in the beginning is a stereotypical representation of a physically masculine male, tall and built. As seen in the scene.
However, as the film progresses Oliver goes against the heterosexual stereotype of a man too as he has a sexual relationship with Elio (male). Call Me By Your Name breaks the mold of stereotypical heterosexual men as it uses it's two main characters (Elio and Oliver) love for each other to drive the plot. Call Me By Your Name relies very little on gender stereotypes as it, alike the Office tries to break them.Call Me By Your Name represents the LGBTQ group in a very positive way as it captures and explores sexuality in a free and accepted environment, when representing gender. The Apartment are very different in their representation of gender and gender stereotypes. Call Me By Your Name challenges stereotypes and their stereotyped sexuality through them, but the Apartment doesn't challenge the sexual stereotypes around the men or women. Nor does it challenge the gender stereotype, instead it follows them.
American Horror Story - Murder House
American Horror Story breaks many gender stereotypes and has a lot of female representation throughout the seasons. In season one, one of the main characters (Violet Harmon) breaks the stereotype of a feminine women as she doesn't follow the typical pink and girly stereotype society creates, but instead enjoy's poetry, believes in ghost stories and is has a very melancholic aura, as seen in the scene.
Another way American Horror Story goes against gender stereotypes is through the dominance within a heterosexual relationship. Viven Harmon breaks this stereotype as she takes the stereotypical 'male' role in her relationship. For example, when her and her husband (Ben Harmon) break up. She kicks him out the house and has the most dominance over their relationship.
American Horror Story doesn't rely on gender stereotypes and explores how they characters challenge them. American Horror Story's gender stereotypes become more dilute over time as season one (murder house) progresses. American Horror Story and The Apartment are opposites in how they represent gender stereotypes. The Apartment uses and keeps the gender stereotypes throughout. However, American Horror Story differs from the Apartment as it breaks the stereotypes around both genders.
However, Michael challenges his stereotyped masculine personality as the show progresses. The Office proves most gender stereotypes wrong when representing a workplace. This is because it has both women and men across the workplace have the same roles. The Office relies very little on gender stereotypes as it focuses more on how to break them.
The Office has a very balanced representation of gender as both the men and women are equally represented throughout the show. The Office represents the same example of gender for both the men and women stereotypes through its characters as the Apartment does. However, they differ as the Office challenges these stereotypes and over time and eventually breaks them. Which is what the Apartment doesn't lacks, they represent gender stereotypes but don't challenge them, unlike the Office.
Call Me By Your Name
Call Me By Your Name is an example of a film that lacks in gender representation of women. However, it defies male stereotypes very well. For example, Elio (the protagonist) defies the stereotype of a being man being only heterosexual, Elio defies this stereotype wrong as he experiments with both a man and woman in this film and eventually comes out as homosexual. A character who also challenges these gender stereotypes is Oliver. Oliver in the beginning is a stereotypical representation of a physically masculine male, tall and built. As seen in the scene.
However, as the film progresses Oliver goes against the heterosexual stereotype of a man too as he has a sexual relationship with Elio (male). Call Me By Your Name breaks the mold of stereotypical heterosexual men as it uses it's two main characters (Elio and Oliver) love for each other to drive the plot. Call Me By Your Name relies very little on gender stereotypes as it, alike the Office tries to break them.Call Me By Your Name represents the LGBTQ group in a very positive way as it captures and explores sexuality in a free and accepted environment, when representing gender. The Apartment are very different in their representation of gender and gender stereotypes. Call Me By Your Name challenges stereotypes and their stereotyped sexuality through them, but the Apartment doesn't challenge the sexual stereotypes around the men or women. Nor does it challenge the gender stereotype, instead it follows them.
American Horror Story - Murder House
American Horror Story breaks many gender stereotypes and has a lot of female representation throughout the seasons. In season one, one of the main characters (Violet Harmon) breaks the stereotype of a feminine women as she doesn't follow the typical pink and girly stereotype society creates, but instead enjoy's poetry, believes in ghost stories and is has a very melancholic aura, as seen in the scene.
Another way American Horror Story goes against gender stereotypes is through the dominance within a heterosexual relationship. Viven Harmon breaks this stereotype as she takes the stereotypical 'male' role in her relationship. For example, when her and her husband (Ben Harmon) break up. She kicks him out the house and has the most dominance over their relationship.
American Horror Story doesn't rely on gender stereotypes and explores how they characters challenge them. American Horror Story's gender stereotypes become more dilute over time as season one (murder house) progresses. American Horror Story and The Apartment are opposites in how they represent gender stereotypes. The Apartment uses and keeps the gender stereotypes throughout. However, American Horror Story differs from the Apartment as it breaks the stereotypes around both genders.
Theme - Class
Apartment
The Apartment focuses mainly on the upper and middle class of society during the 1960's. Class is used as a way for character's to over power others. In this scene it shows how Mr Sheldrick uses materialised things as a way to satisfy his love (Fran). This scene shows how those in the upper class (Mr Sheldrick) uses his money (his power) as a way to win over his love.
Another example is Baxter (main character) is middle class and is controlled by his bosses who are upper class (e.g Mr Sheldrick) as they have more power because of their wealth and status. This is also because the bosses could take away his only source of income at any moment. The Apartment uses class as a microcosm for those in real life (during the 1960's) who have a lack of control and freedom because the class system sets them up as a slave for those above them. The Apartment subtly exposes the reality of how those with more power and status become greedy and take advantage if those 'below' them.
The Office
Call Me By Your Name
American Horror Story
The Office
Call Me By Your Name
Another example is Baxter (main character) is middle class and is controlled by his bosses who are upper class (e.g Mr Sheldrick) as they have more power because of their wealth and status. This is also because the bosses could take away his only source of income at any moment. The Apartment uses class as a microcosm for those in real life (during the 1960's) who have a lack of control and freedom because the class system sets them up as a slave for those above them. The Apartment subtly exposes the reality of how those with more power and status become greedy and take advantage if those 'below' them.
The Office
The Office focuses mainly on the middle class. All of the characters are financially stable. The Office captures a typical middle class work office environment with humour that is dramatized. The Office's class examples represent present day. The Apartment has the foundation of the Office when relating it to the theme of class. As it presents the TV/Film through the perspective of a middle class status in society. However, the Apartment shows more of the upper class treatment towards the middle class, which is what the Office lacks.
Call Me By Your Name evolves round the Perlman family's middle class lifestyle. Elio's (main character) father is a Professor and they family have a summer home in Northern Italy. Call Me By Your Name captures class through a lavish lens. As nearly all the characters are financially fortunate. The only working class characters are the housekeeper and the maid. Call Me By Your Name uses these two minor characters to represent the wealth the Perlman family have. However, Call Me By Your Name breaks the idea that those who are middle class mistreat the working class. As in this example, The Perlman's treat the housekeeper and maid (working class characters) like family. Call Me By Your Name sets an example of how people should treat each-other and that class shouldn't change the treatment or divide others, but bring them together. The Apartment has the same message, but instead shows the audience of what no to do, mistreat people because of their class.
American Horror Story
American Horror Story alike Call Me By Your Name, evolves it's plot around the middle class status of the main characters. American Horror Story uses a middle class representation that can be seen in today's society. The show doesn't show a clear class divide between characters but uses money as an object to represent this instead. For example, in the first season, the Harmon family move into a large house and can afford it. As seen in the scene. However, the plot takes a turn as complications cause them to struggle to afford the house and they then struggle to sell it as time goes on. This gives an example of the issues and problems middle class people in our society would relate to.
Th Apartment uses the same idea of having an object that symbolises the issues the middle class face. However, the Apartment uses the Apartment as the symbolism instead of money. The Apartment uses the threat of Baxter's Apartment being abused and overused by his bosses as an example of how the middle class struggle with mistreatment from the upper class. This is because in the Apartment captures class from a 1960's perspective/setting and the middle class weren't viewed to have an equal status and wealth as the upper class during that period.
Th Apartment uses the same idea of having an object that symbolises the issues the middle class face. However, the Apartment uses the Apartment as the symbolism instead of money. The Apartment uses the threat of Baxter's Apartment being abused and overused by his bosses as an example of how the middle class struggle with mistreatment from the upper class. This is because in the Apartment captures class from a 1960's perspective/setting and the middle class weren't viewed to have an equal status and wealth as the upper class during that period.
Theme - Sexuality
The Apartment
The Apartment has no diversity when representing sexuality. As the film was released in 1960, it was still illegal to be gay in America (became legal in 1967). The film only has heterosexual characters throughout the plot. This would have been the typical legal couple during that period in time. The Apartment was restricted on representing sexuality as it was still illegal.
The Office has very little representation of sexuality as it mostly made up on heterosexual characters. However, they do represent sexuality in a positive light. This is because it the show expresses through its characters how society should be accepting towards everyone's sexuality. This is shown when the character, Oscar Martinez comes out as gay to all of his colleagues. All the colleagues accept his sexuality and embrace it. The Office represents sexuality as something to feel empowered by and not something to be shamed for. The Office is different from the Apartment as they could represent diverse sexuality through the characters. Unlike, the Apartment as
it was still illegal to be gay in America.
it was still illegal to be gay in America.
Call Me By Your Name expresses and represents sexuality through two homosexual loves (Elio and Oliver) journey. The character's aren't labelled because of their sexuality and the film fluidly represents sexuality as simply a symbol/form of love. Neither character's are judged and sexuality is represented as something special shared between people as seen with Elio's father's description in the scene. The Apartment and Call Me By Your Name both follow a love story, but through different sexual orientations. Call Me By Your Name also represents a comparison with the Apartment as sexuality was more accepted in the 1980's (when Call Me By Your Name is set) compared to the 1960's (the Apartment was set, when homosexuality was illegal.
American Horror Story
American Horror Story
American Horror Story (season one) represents sexuality but with little diversity. Throughout the whole season of American Horror Story, the audience only encounter one homosexual couple. The other couples are all heterosexual. However, American Horror Story captures sexuality through the unstable relationships on the show. Both the gay couple and homosexual couples all split up, at least once throughout the show. American Horror Story does this to represent how sexual relationships are something that are sensitive and can break trust in certain relationships (as seen with two out of the four couples are dis loyal) on the show. This disloyalty and lack of trust in sexual relationships is represented in the scene.
The Apartment is very similar to American Horror Story as both use sexuality as way to represent how fragile sexual relationships are between partners. This is shown in the Apartment through Mr and Mrs Sheldrick's relationship (she leaves him when she finds out he has had an affair with Fran). Alike this, American Horror Story has two heterosexual characters (Viven and Ben Harmon) when Viven discovers that Ben has been cheating on her, she becomes distant and cold to him, this damages their relationship throughout the show. Overall, both shows capture the fragility of sexuality and sexual relationships that society can relate to in both periods ,(1960s and 2000s) through the two perspectives of heterosexual couples in both shows.
The Apartment is very similar to American Horror Story as both use sexuality as way to represent how fragile sexual relationships are between partners. This is shown in the Apartment through Mr and Mrs Sheldrick's relationship (she leaves him when she finds out he has had an affair with Fran). Alike this, American Horror Story has two heterosexual characters (Viven and Ben Harmon) when Viven discovers that Ben has been cheating on her, she becomes distant and cold to him, this damages their relationship throughout the show. Overall, both shows capture the fragility of sexuality and sexual relationships that society can relate to in both periods ,(1960s and 2000s) through the two perspectives of heterosexual couples in both shows.
Oscars - Lack of Representation - Female Directors (2020)
Link to article - https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/02/oscars-2020-female-directors
The Oscars have always lacked in equality and representation since it was formed in 1929. In the 2020 Oscars, the lack of representation for females was provident in the director's category. I believe this year's Oscars show how little the film industry has progressed in being equal. This is not only damaging for female directors currently working in the industry, but also for aspiring filmmakers as they feel excluded from being represented. Aspiring filmmakers may doubt their career path as their lack of representation causes a division between genders. This year in film was successful in terms of many excellent films were directed by women, such as Greta Gerwig, Mati Diop, Lulu Wang, Lorene Scafaria and many more. All of these women were given little recognition for their incredible films due to the Oscars director's category being dominated by male directors.
To solve these issues, I believe there needs to be a transformation of who has power and decision. The Oscars are voted by those who are part of the Academy. The Academy's lack of diversity restricts both race and gender representations because the majority of academy is made up on upper class white male men. If the Academy allows for more diversity (by including more women, more LGBTQ members and include more people of colour and race as a whole) within their voters, there would be more representation as the votes would be decided by a more diverse crowd of creatives and set a better, hopeful example of the film industry to aspiring filmmakers and the youth.
To conclude, the Oscars to me will only be improved once the voters at the Academy include a more diverse range of creatives. The lack of representation is appallingly and there is no excuse for their dearth of representation of those in the film industry.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/08/metoo-one-year-on-hollywood-reaction
The Me Too campaign is a movement formed from a woman called Tarana Burke who started the phrase 'Me Too' on social media to raise awareness of sexual abuse and assault, as she was a survivor herself. The 'Me Too' phrase sparked more attention in 2017 when it was used a hashtag to support those who had been sexually abused by Harvey Weinstein, while allegations were being made against him. This hashtag transformed into a empowering movement that encouraged people who had been sexually assaulted to speak about their experience and let them take power.
The movement helped influence the decision for people in the film industry to be excluded and banned from the Academy. For example, Roman Polanski was banned from attending the Academy awards after being convicted of rape. The 'Me Too' movement had such an impact across the globe and gave survivors more of a voice. By having previous knowledge of the movement and researching more into how it came to be. It has impacted how i will approach my future filmmaking projects at college. As I will take into account the legal and ethical reasons for everyone's particular role within the team/crew. I also will take into account when making a film at college that the environment is safe for all of the crew. To do this I will create legal forms for the crew to abide, so that everyone is collectively comfortable and feels protected, both mentally and physically. To avoid the abuse of power within projects, I will need to make sure that the each role within the crew knows their responsibilities and fulfills them. Without anyone else interfering to exclude complications or abuse of control.
The Oscars have always lacked in equality and representation since it was formed in 1929. In the 2020 Oscars, the lack of representation for females was provident in the director's category. I believe this year's Oscars show how little the film industry has progressed in being equal. This is not only damaging for female directors currently working in the industry, but also for aspiring filmmakers as they feel excluded from being represented. Aspiring filmmakers may doubt their career path as their lack of representation causes a division between genders. This year in film was successful in terms of many excellent films were directed by women, such as Greta Gerwig, Mati Diop, Lulu Wang, Lorene Scafaria and many more. All of these women were given little recognition for their incredible films due to the Oscars director's category being dominated by male directors.
To solve these issues, I believe there needs to be a transformation of who has power and decision. The Oscars are voted by those who are part of the Academy. The Academy's lack of diversity restricts both race and gender representations because the majority of academy is made up on upper class white male men. If the Academy allows for more diversity (by including more women, more LGBTQ members and include more people of colour and race as a whole) within their voters, there would be more representation as the votes would be decided by a more diverse crowd of creatives and set a better, hopeful example of the film industry to aspiring filmmakers and the youth.
To conclude, the Oscars to me will only be improved once the voters at the Academy include a more diverse range of creatives. The lack of representation is appallingly and there is no excuse for their dearth of representation of those in the film industry.
Research - The 'Me Too' Movement
Research 'Me Too' movement on google, summarise the movement and detail how this might this affect a film you make at college?https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/08/metoo-one-year-on-hollywood-reaction
The Me Too campaign is a movement formed from a woman called Tarana Burke who started the phrase 'Me Too' on social media to raise awareness of sexual abuse and assault, as she was a survivor herself. The 'Me Too' phrase sparked more attention in 2017 when it was used a hashtag to support those who had been sexually abused by Harvey Weinstein, while allegations were being made against him. This hashtag transformed into a empowering movement that encouraged people who had been sexually assaulted to speak about their experience and let them take power.
The movement helped influence the decision for people in the film industry to be excluded and banned from the Academy. For example, Roman Polanski was banned from attending the Academy awards after being convicted of rape. The 'Me Too' movement had such an impact across the globe and gave survivors more of a voice. By having previous knowledge of the movement and researching more into how it came to be. It has impacted how i will approach my future filmmaking projects at college. As I will take into account the legal and ethical reasons for everyone's particular role within the team/crew. I also will take into account when making a film at college that the environment is safe for all of the crew. To do this I will create legal forms for the crew to abide, so that everyone is collectively comfortable and feels protected, both mentally and physically. To avoid the abuse of power within projects, I will need to make sure that the each role within the crew knows their responsibilities and fulfills them. Without anyone else interfering to exclude complications or abuse of control.
Final Representation Video - Youtube video link
For this task, I had to analyse how my Long from TV show, Short form TV show, Favourite film and The Apartment (film) all represented the themes, Gender, Class and Sexuality. As well as analysing whether each one successfully passed the Bechdel Test. By analysing these TV shows and Films, it allowed my to break down and understand what themes the show lacked in representing. For example, I learned that the Apartment lacked in representing different sexualities. It also helped me understand how they represented them. For example, the theme sexuality was represented through the struggle between sexual relationships, in American Horror Story. I created this video by having the scenes ordered next to each other, this gave a visual and audio comparison between my chosen film and TV shows compared to the Apartment. To conclude, I created this video to give examples of how Film and Television represents different themes and the different ways they represent them, in comparison to the Apartment.
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