Film Studies - Mulvey Film

Storyboard for Mulvey Film

Mulvey Film Evaluation

Overview 

For this unit we created a short film based upon Laura Mulvey's theory of the male gaze; in this theory, Mulvey theorised that when viewing a text , the audience is described as viewing as if they were a heterosexual man, and therefore from their point of view they view women as objects and sexualise them. AJ - my partner in this assessment, and I, decided to implement this into a film which reveals how the male gaze is applicable in both media and real life. This was achieved with a narrative that depicted a real-life situation, a girl working out in a gym that is majorly dominated by men. The idea we had initially was to display how both men and women do the same routines and exercises in the gym, but ultimately women are seen as objects for visual pleasure. Our narrative loosely resembles a workout video, we see the protagonist (AJ) doing numerous different exercises with the help of a personal trainer (Kieran), however through techniques of fragmentation we were able to sexualise an everyday activity. AJ took on the role of editing, and I elected to shoot the film, with the help of Kieran for some shots which required me. I believe we captured the male gaze theme effectively, through the use of fragmentation and cut-in shots we were able to focus on parts of the body which would serve as visual pleasure for the audience; we also used the hand-held camera technique and a variety of point-of-view shots in order to highlight that this objectification was a result of a man's point of view. 

Improvements

First of all, we were filming in a public location, therefore we had to be aware of people that maybe didn't want to be in the background of our video. This affected our filming as we had to alter the position of some shots to make sure that certain people were not in the footage, meaning that we were not able to get some of the shots we desired. However, we accounted for this by reshooting some clips on different days or using a different shot altogether instead. Regarding the lighting - the light levels in the gym remained the same throughout our filming, though some shots had the windows in frame, in which the sky looked overexposed; we couldn't do much about this problem as we had to keep the camera settings similar in order to maintain the same quality of picture throughout the film.

Applying Lacan's Theory

Good Will Hunting (1997) 

In order to apply Lacan's Mirror Stage to a film, I am choosing to analyse a scene from the film 'Good Will Hunting'. This scene explores the macho attributes of Will (Matt Damon) and the parental perception of Sean (Robin Williams). In the beginning of the scene, Will hunting - the protagonist, enters an already tense environment, providing some form of premonition that Will's mind is on the verge of snapping. As the scene progresses, the space between each moment of speech is filled with the diegetic sound of the rustling of papers, and the footsteps of the characters; the use of purely diegetic sound creates a more intimate setting as the conversation shifts to an intense moment. Will's counsellor, Sean (Robin Williams), finds out that Will suffered severe physical abuse as a child,  and this is the reason for his detachment from society and his feelings; the past trauma has caused will to develop a lack of trust and commitment. As Sean reveals the story of his abusive, alcoholic father, a close-up of Will's face and eyes shows how familiar he is with his experience. Will explains if his 'fear of abandonment' is the reason for his breakup with his girlfriend and lets out a nervous laugh, displaying that he tries to subdue his feelings anyway possible, whether it be humour or violence.  Sean himself states that Will's 'tough guy' facade is just because he is scared. When asked to talk about his feelings, Will hastily replies 'no', however the prolonged mid-shot focusing on Will displays his body language clearly; the fact that his smile fades and that he is hunched over, avoiding eye contact, highlights that it is a subject that affects him directly. Will longs for support and effectively a 'shoulder to cry on', but what he lacks is the ability to open up to someone for fear of seeming vulnerable - hence the recurring confrontations, and the only way he believes he will fix this is by trying to impress everybody. Interestingly, the conversation is shown using only over-the-shoulder shots, providing a greater sense of personal relation between the two, but also a sense of integrating the audience into the perspective of each character with each cut. The defining moment of this scene arises when the emotion is Sean's voice becomes clear and apparent, as he begins repeating 'it's not your fault' to Will, in an effort to break down his walls and get the reaction he desires. Will intentionally avoids the true meaning of these words by simply shrugging off the statement by replying with a brief 'i know'; again, Will resorts to confrontation as a coping mechanism, as he stands up to tower over Sean, to attempt to gain some sort of authority in the scene. Despite this, Sean presses on, repeating the phrase, as Will begins to break down, he retorts with a shoving Sean accompanied with 'don't fuck with me Sean', showing a brief moment of aggression and vulgarity - which clearly reveals that in all his life he has only ever learned to deal with his emotions in this manner and that he lacks the ability to confront himself and his feelings. Will accepts Sean's words as truth, and begins to cry hysterically, as he finally allows someone to show him the love he was refused during his childhood, it is in this moment that Will finally has fulfilled his lack, and his desire for someone to care; this is shown by the strong embrace, that emphasises the strength of Will's pain, and how much Sean has become a father figure to Will.

Planning for Mulvey Film

Brief Synopsis:

Follows a girl working out at the gym throughout the week, who is sexualised and objectified by those at the gym and her personal trainer. There is also a 'stalker' who is seen at numerous points throughout the film who pays closer attention to her is seen taking photos videos of her.

Equipment

Camera

SD Card

Tripod

Spare battery

GoPro

Micro SD

Props: Gym clothing (sports bra / running shoes / shorts)

            Gym equipment (dumbbells / weight machines)

Script

Kieran:

Motivation and encouragement for AJ during workouts throughout the video; 

     e.g. "keep going", "nearly finished", "just two more reps"

AJ:

The final scene of the film;

     "How does that look?" / "Was that shot ok?" / "Is that all the recording done?"

Ben / AJ:

During the scene where to two meet when going to grab weights;

     Ben: "oh sorry did you want these weights?"

     AJ: "no don't worry you use them"

     Ben: "honesty don't worry about it, after you"

     AJ: "oh alright then, thanks"

Mulvey Film - Health and Safety

Equipment: Camera and recording equipment needs to be kept in a place out of the way to avoid people tripping over them and damaging the equipment.

Dropping Weights: Be careful when handling free weights as there is a potential to drop them, which could result in injury. This can be avoided by avoiding weights that are difficult to lift.

Correct Form: When exercising, make sure that you are doing so with the correct form, to avoid injury and muscle strain. Stretching is also important to ensure you don't pull any muscles during exercise. (We have researched exercise forms to ensure we are doing it correctly).

Spotting (Helping lifting weights): The spot is there to support whomever is exercising, and help them lift heavier weights. If the person is struggling with the weight the spot will help and make sure they are don't drop the weight.

Gym Machines: Be respectful of the machinery and equipment of the gym and use them properly. This is to make sure that the equipment isn't misused and broken, and also to avoid the user getting hurt.

Awareness: Be aware of other gym users that may not want to be in the shot, and be careful not to intrude as they will be wanting to exercise and work out, we need to work around that.

Applying Mulvey's Theory

Transformers (2007)

I decided to use a scene from Steven Spielberg's 2007 film 'Transformers' to apply Mulvey's male gaze theory. I chose this scene because it is a prime example of a director using the camera to fragment Megan Fox's character - Mikaela, as she checks the car; thus sexualising a scene that without the use of male gaze, would not be sexual.

When Mikaela first opens the hood, a mid-shot is used to display her body and figure, it then zooms in, on her waist to emphasize she's wearing a crop top; this also completely cuts off Mikaela's head from the shot, highlighting that the director's aim is to focus the audience's attention on her body and view her as an object. Within the same shot, our protagonist Sam can be seen staring at Mikaela's body, which further demonstrates what the camera wants the audience to be looking at. Women may also be affected by this scene as they might notice that all the attention is focuses on the character's slim figure and flat stomach, and because of this they may believe that this is the ideal body type and as a result will want to achieve this look.

A close-up shot from what seems to be Sam's point of view focuses on Mikaela, again on ther crop top and the skin she is showing. The high-key lighting lighting seems to create a sort of golden highlight her skin, making her almost glow, therefore making her seem more attractive and almost airbrushed. When Mikaela bends over the camera yet again focuses on her body, cutting off her head. She is merely checking the engine, but from the camera, and a heterosexual male's perspective, the position seems alluring and provocative.

Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory

Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze theory states that in an industry dominated by male associates, producers turn the camera into a heterosexual man, in order to appease the audience by sexualising women using camera, lighting, and sound techniques. This is often seen in films and adverts when they use attractive women and use them to turn non-sexual situations into scenarios with a sexual undertone. Despite the male gaze theory majorly being used to appeal to men, it can also be used in an attempt to appeal to women. Through the lens of the camera, women will see effectively what the male looks for in women, and therefore they will take influence on how they act and what they wear based on how they want men to see them. It can affect women in a way that women want to see themselves. A study has shown that 60% of heterosexual women have admitted to regularly being attracted to other women - reinforcing the validity of the male gaze theory. Mulvey's theory was created in 1975 when she made the statement that in order to watch a film, the audience has to be put in the position of a heterosexual male in order to enjoy it fully. It is often presented in the camera movement, the camera often lingers on the body of the female almost in the way a man would look a woman up and down. The shots used are often longer takes and this is done to prolong the pleasure of looking, known in media terms as scopophilia.

Applying Freud's Theory

Fight Club (1999)

In order to apply Freud's theory, I decided to use David Fincher's 1999 film 'Fight Club;. This is because it is a deeply psychological film, revolving around the mind of an unstable man; thus allowing me to conduct a psychoanalysis of the character. 

The protagonist's alter-ego - Tyler Durden, represents the Id within the film. He is irrational and impulsive, and expresses only his primal and physical desires, rather than discuss and contemplate his feelings on a physical and intellectual level, just as the SuperEgo and the Ego do. Tyler focuses on trying to get the narrator to rid himself of his controlling ego traits. This is evident in the car crash scene, in which Tyler is behind the wheel and Edward (The Narrator) is passenger. Tyler is constantly undermining Edward with comments such as "your fucking pathetic" and "just let go", drilling him and threatening to crash until he finally submits, saying: "Fine I wouldn't feel anything good about my life is that what you want to hear?". It is at this point that the id finally has control over the ego, this is evident from the non-diegetic music that begins to play, that is deep and similar to that of a heartbeat; the deep tone of the music, I believe, is representative of how the id personality resides in the depths of the mind. This is also reinforced by the dark, low-key lighting throughout the scene; at one point the light from an oncoming van even produces a shadow on half of Edward's face, signifying the conflict between light and dark - reason and desire. Another scene where the Id triumphs is when Edward rejects and shuts out Marla - the superego of the film. In this particular scene, for one, the Id is physically situated within the basement of the setting, in the depths, thus signifying the repressed urges of the mind and the ID. He is also not apart of the conversation between the Ego and the SuperEgo, the id does not concern itself with the social restraints of the Ego and the Super ego, it is almost a completely separate consciousness. Edward Norton (The Narrator) is the Ego. The Narrator focuses on material things, like how much he can buy from an Ikea catalog - he says himself that his apartment alone is what defines him as a person, while Tyler lives his life with the belief that "the things you own end up owning you". The film’s narrator is not a whole person; he is merely the representation of a person’s ego that, for the duration of the film, lets go of the reigns of control attached to his id.  In the scene with Marla, the Ego is dominated by the id, by submitting to the primal urge of confrontation by essentially commanding the superego. Marla Singer is a representation off the super ego, the aspect of the mind that rivals the id. In this scene she is essentially begging the narrator for an explanation for the mark on his hand, she isn't compassionate or emotional, she simply wants the practical, objective answer to the question. She is not concerned with the subjective, emotional answer (essentially provided by the ID), she wants the facts, the truth. Additionally, Marla (The Super Ego) never listens to Tyler Durden, she is fixated on the Ego (the narrator).

Lacan's Mirror Stage Theory

Jacques Lacan's idea of the 'Mirror Stage' is a psychological development in which a child first recognizes itself in the mirror for the first time, and becomes conscious of it's image and self-hood. This stage is believed to occur between the age of 6 and 18 months of age, when the child first realizes it is individual from others. At this point the child begins to develop an identity that is distinct from others and yet, at the same time, inspired by and dependent on the images of others in order to achieve that image. It was from this theory that the idea of 'lack', and the concept of desire, arose. "Desire is a relation to being to lack, The lack is the lack of being properly speaking. It is not the lack of this or that, but lack of being whereby the being exists".

The foundation for the 'Mirror Stage' theory is built on Sigmund Freud's notion of the id and ego. During this stage, a child forms a sense of identity, and discovers a separate 'I' and 'other', by developing the ability to distinguish self from other; the child recognizes that they are unique and an individual, and not just a body reliant on others. This occurs before what is known as the linguistic stage of childhood, when a child's desires consist of basic human needs. This is reference to the 'Id' structure of Freud's theory of personality as the child has only the most basic and innate human desires. As the child begins development in the linguistic stage, it starts to use language and construct their identity, therefore the child's 'ego' begins to develop as it learns what is socially acceptable and forms morals. It is in this stage that the child subconsciously suffers an initial identity crisis, the sense of identity gives the child a foundation on which they are going to develop their personality. If this fundamental identification is not recognized, the child will resort to using external influences as examples to base their personality upon. Additionally, this will limit the child's ability to develop it's own ego, and therefore result in the child acting more to satisfy the needs of the id structure.

As an additional note, in relation to how we live our lives, Lacan theorizes that throughout our lives after our linguistic development, we will never be satisfied, due to the fact that ultimately we desire to return to the simplicity and convenience of life before we discover our identity, and that as we grow older, we become more comfortable as we come to the realization that what we want will not occur, and so the desire fades.

Freud's Theory of Personality

Sigmund Freud's structural theory of personality argues suggests that human behaviour is a result of the interactions between three components of the mind: The id, ego, and superego structures; and that the conflict between these three structures determines our behaviour and approach to the world.

Freud theorised that humans are born with a primitive yet unconscious instinct that requires gratification of only the basic physical human needs and desires, this is known as the Id. Though as we grow older we begin to develop morals, as a child learns in society what is right and wrong, this 'moral compass' that humans develop is known as the superego structure. The third and final structure in Freud's theory is known as the ego; in contrast to the other structures, the ego is a conscious part of your mind, and is the rational part of your personality. Freud considered the ego to be the compromising component between the two unconscious structures, with a sole purpose of balancing the demands of the id and superego in order to develop a rational solution to each situation.

The Id: The id acts as our unconscious and is where we get all of our "instincts" from. The id also contains a "pleasure principle", where we have this need to fulfil all of our desires, whether they be sexual or primal. If we do not fulfil these needs, the result can cause us tension.

The Ego: The ego is where our conscious lies, and this is the part of our brain which deals with reality. Essentially, the ego takes into consideration what the id wants, and will act upon it in the most socially acceptable way.

The Superego: This idea of social acceptance is where the superego comes into play, as it represents our morals and our sense of "right and wrong". There are two different components to the superego, which are: the ego ideal, which are the ideas of "good behavior" that have been instilled in us by our parents or guardians; and the conscious, which are the ideas that our parents or guardians tell us are bad and we shouldn't do. This is the part of our brain that makes us realize that if we do bad things, we will be punished and there will be consequences to our actions.