by lea.haas -

Road to M.A. 3: Literature pt2.

Book 3

Donnenberg, Wilbirg: Frauen und Wahnsinn im Film. Filmschau  17. Bis 30. April 1998; Symposion 18. Und 19. April 1998. Wien: Sixpack 1998

Overview:

The book Frauen und Wahnsinn im Film (Women and Madness in Film), written by Wilbirg Donnenberg, was part of a symposium held in April 1998 in Vienna. The text explores the representation of women and madness in film, addressing how mental illness and psychological distress are portrayed, particularly in relation to female characters.

Questions:

  1. How does Donnenberg analyze the portrayal of women and madness in film?
  2. How does the book connect representations of madness to broader social and cultural issues, particularly gender?
  3. Does the book offer any critical perspective on the historical treatment of women in cinema, especially in relation to mental health?
  4. Is there an intersectional approach in the analysis of women and madness in these films?

Read:

Donnenberg provides an insightful exploration of the portrayal of women in a psychological or mentally disturbed state in cinema. She examines films from various periods and genres, considering how mental illness is framed within gendered narratives. She critiques the way women’s mental health issues are often depicted in a sensationalized or stereotypical manner, sometimes reinforcing negative cultural perceptions of women’s psychological experiences.

The book also delves into the socio-cultural implications of portraying women in this way. The selection of films referenced in the text includes both famous and obscure titles. While these films vary in style and genre, the common thread is how they use mental illness as a lens through which to examine women’s roles in society.

Recite:

Donnenberg’s analysis emphasizes that the portrayal of women and madness in film is not just a question of individual psychological pathology, but also a reflection of cultural and societal anxieties about women’s roles.

The book provides an in-depth look at how these portrayals have evolved over time, from early film depictions of women as the ‘madwoman in the attic’ to more contemporary portrayals that engage with themes of agency and self-determination. Donnenberg’s critical eye is also focused on how feminist theory has influenced and challenged these portrayals.

Review:

The text is logically structured, moving from an analysis of early film representations of women and madness to more recent developments in cinema. The book’s structure is straightforward, with a clear division between the theoretical discussion and film examples. However, the book could benefit from a more explicit discussion of its theoretical framework. Her insights are valuable, particularly for those interested in the intersection of gender, mental illness, and film. However, the text could have delved deeper into the socio-cultural impact of these representations, particularly in the context of modern feminist discourse. The style of writing is academic and critical, suitable for a scholarly audience, but might be inaccessible to readers without a background in film theory or feminist studies. It’s filled with a lot of analysis.

Wilbirg Donnenberg is an expert in the field of film studies, particularly in the areas of gender, representation, and the intersection of mental illness and cinema. Her academic background and focus on feminist theory suggest a deep understanding of how films portray gender and mental health. However, her expertise might be more specifically rooted in feminist film criticism and the portrayal of women in cinema rather than in a broader spectrum of film theory.

The structure of Wilbirg Donnenberg’s text, „Frauen und Wahnsinn im Film,“ appears to follow a scholarly format that emphasizes critical analysis and the exploration of themes related to gender and mental illness in cinema.

The quality of the content is likely high.

In terms of style, it’s formal and analytical, clearly aimed at an academic audience. The language might be overwhelming at times, using specialized terminology from film theory and feminist studies.

Is it useful for me?

This book is not very useful for my research purposes, but still Donnenberg’s analysis is valuable in understanding how societal views on women and mental health are reflected in cinema.

Source 4

Laura Mulvey and The Male and Female Gaze

by lea.haas -

Road to M.A. 2: Literature pt1.

Book 1

Goddard, Kevin. „Looks Maketh the Man“: The Female Gaze and the Construction of Masculinity. In: The Journal of Men’s Studies (2000)

Overview: The article explores how the concept of the female gaze redefines masculinity and its representation in media. Goddard examines how men are increasingly subject to objectification, traditionally reserved for women, and how this shift affects societal norms and expectations of masculinity.

Important Headlines/Chapters:

  • Introduction
  • Theoretical framework
  • Analysis of media examples
  • Implications on masculinity
  • Conclusion

Questions:

  1. What is Goddard’s main argument about the impact of the female gaze on masculinity ?
  2. How does the female gaze differ from the male gaze?
  3. What evidence does Goddard provide to show how men are perceived in media ?
  4. How does the female gaze affect gender roles in society?
  5. What conclusions does Goddard draw about the implications of these shifts in media ?

Read:

While reading the text I came across these anwers:

Goddard argues that the female gaze does not simply reverse the dynamics of the male gaze but instead introduces a nuanced perspective on masculinity.

  • He provides examples from advertisements and popular media.
  • The female gaze impacts men by placing new aesthetic pressures on them.
  • This shift has broader cultural implications, as it challenges the idea that only women are subjected to the pressures of physical appearance.

Recite:

The article delves into how the female gaze influences modern representations of masculinity. Goddard argues that the objectification of men in visual culture reflects changing gender dynamics, where both men and women are subject to aesthetic pressures. This shift challenges traditional gender norms by presenting masculinity as an idealized, consumable image.

Review:

  1. What is Goddard’s main argument about the female gaze?
    • The female gaze reconfigures masculinity by introducing new expectations of physical attractiveness and objectification.
  2. How does the female gaze differ from the male gaze?
    • While the male gaze is often about power and control, the female gaze focuses on aesthetics and desire without necessarily aiming to dominate.
  3. What examples does Goddard give?
    • Goddard discusses advertisements and film scenes where men are depicted as objects of desire, highlighting the shift in how masculinity is portrayed.
  4. What effect does this have on gender roles?
    • It complicates the concept of masculinity by introducing traditionally associated with femininity.
  5. What can be concluded?
    • The article concludes that both the male and female gazes contribute to the construction of social expectations around gender, indicating that objectification is not limited to women.

Kevin Goddard is considered an expert in the field, particularly in the areas of media studies, gender studies, and the sociology of masculinity.

Structure: The structure of Kevin Goddard’s article is clear and logical, with a well-organized flow that guides the reader through complex ideas. It begins with an introduction to the concept of the female gaze, followed by a detailed analysis of how masculinity is constructed and perceived in media.

Quality of Content: The content is of high quality, demonstrating a deep engagement with both feminist theory and masculinity studies. Goddard effectively integrates theoretical perspectives with concrete examples, making the arguments compelling and well-supported. He draws on established scholars like Laura Mulvey while also contributing his own insights, adding value to ongoing academic discussions.

Style: The writing style is scholarly yet accessible, striking a balance between theoretical depth and readability. Goddard uses precise language, avoiding overly complex jargon, which helps to communicate ideas in a way that is understandable to readers who may not be specialists in gender studies. However, at times, the theoretical explanations may require a re-reading to fully grasp his point.  

Is it useful for me?

Yes, Kevin Goddard’s article, „Looks Maketh the Man: The Female Gaze and the Construction of Masculinity,“ is very useful for my purposes, particularly in exploring how gendered gazes function to shape societal perceptions of masculinity and power dynamics. The sections that delve into the female gaze and its impact on the portrayal of men in media are especially relevant for my research.

Additionally, while the article effectively discusses the construction of masculinity, it lacks a deeper analysis of intersectionality, such as how race, class, or sexuality might alter these representations.

Book 2

Malone, Alicia: The Female Gaze. Essential Movies Made by Women.Mango Publishing: Florida 2018, E-Book

Overview:

The book, published in 2018, offers an in-depth exploration of movies directed by women and how they embody the „female gaze“ in contrast to traditional cinematic portrayals shaped by the male gaze. Malone highlights key films made by women and discusses how they shape the portrayal of women, the male characters, and the entire narrative.

Question:

  1. What is the „female gaze“ in cinema, and how is it defined in the context of this book?
  2. How does the female gaze challenge traditional portrayals of women in film?
  3. How does the book connect the feminist movement to the evolution of film by women?

Read:

While reading the book, I focus on sections that explore key films and directors, noting how the book links the cultural and historical context of feminist movements with the films. The sections addressing the treatment of gender and the role of women in these films are particularly valuable for understanding how the female gaze differs from the traditional male gaze.

Recite:

  • The „female gaze“ is a concept where films directed by women bring new perspectives on narrative, power dynamics, and gender roles. The book highlights how women directors challenge stereotypical female roles and portray men in more nuanced ways.
  • Essential films discussed include works by directors like Kathryn Bigelow, Greta Gerwig, and Jane Campion, showcasing how their films provide alternative portrayals of women’s experiences.
  • The book argues that the emergence of female filmmakers and their unique storytelling approach has created space for a broader, more inclusive definition of masculinity, femininity, and sexuality.
  •  

Review:

The book is well-structured with a clear narrative that moves from the historical context of women’s involvement in film to analyzing specific films that exemplify the female gaze. It organizes the films into categories based on themes like female empowerment, complex masculinity, and romantic relationships.

Malone provides insightful commentary, but some sections could benefit from deeper theoretical analysis. While the inclusion of specific films is valuable, a more expansive exploration of intersectionality—particularly with race, class, and sexuality—would have enriched the discussion.

Malone’s writing style is accessible and engaging, making complex feminist film theory approachable for a broad audience. However, the tone sometimes feels more like a general overview rather than a academic critique.

Evaluation:

The book is useful for my thesis because it’s exploring how women directors challenge traditional gender roles and how these films offer new ways of looking at masculinity and femininity. It provides a good introduction to the female gaze in film.

Alicia Malone is a well-known film critic, author, and host, particularly recognized for her work in promoting women filmmakers and advocating for a more inclusive representation of gender in cinema. She has written several books on film and women in cinema, and she frequently appears as a presenter and commentator on film-related topics. While Malone may not have the academic credentials typically associated with „experts“ in the field, she is certainly an established authority in the world of film criticism.

The structure of The Female Gaze: Essential Movies Made by Women by Alicia Malone is clear, well-organized, and accessible. The chapters are arranged around a series of essays, and each section explores specific films or movements, providing both analysis and context. However, the book is more of a survey and celebration of films, rather than a deeply academic or theoretical examination of the female gaze.

Is it useful for me?

Yes, The Female Gaze: Essential Movies Made by Women by Alicia Malone is useful for my purposes. The book highlights the significant contributions of women filmmakers, which aligns with my interest in how female perspectives and narratives are represented in cinema.

It helps to contextualize and define what constitutes the female gaze as distinct from the male gaze, showing how women filmmakers challenge traditional gender dynamics and representation in cinema. The chapters that discuss the historical context of women in filmmaking, as well as the impact of feminist movements on cinema, are also quite relevant. However, while the book does a great job of introducing films and filmmakers, it lacks a deeper theoretical exploration of the „female gaze.“ It focuses more on film analysis and less on the cultural, social, or academic frameworks that underlie the concept.

by antonia.muszi -

Analysis of a Master’s Thesis

The Master’s Thesis “Im Abseits oder am Fußball-Thron? Anstoß für eine Debatte über Frauenfußball” is written by Christian Hetzenauer. The Master’s Thesis is an analysis of the reporting and online debates of the Austrian women’s national football team during the UEFA European Championship. There is no practical work. 

Level of Design:

Since there is no practical work, I cannot judge the level of design or the degree of innovation. Instead I will comment on the way the writer has brought football terms into his Master’s Thesis. It starts with the title, where football terms were forced into the title, which can be a nice idea as long as the title still tells the reader, what the Master’s Thesis is about. That was lost in this case seeing as one cannot tell what the thesis is written on, except for women’s football. The subtitle being “Eine Analyse der Berichterstattung und Online-Debatten zum österreichischen Frauen-Nationalteam bei der Fußball-Europameisterschaft 2017” is needed for that. In the eighth chapter the different sub chapters are called “first goal”, “second goal”, “third goal” and so on, which has nothing to do with the content of the chapter. When reading the table of contents it is hard to tell what each chapter is going to be about. The conclusion is called “final whistle”, which I believe is rather unprofessional.

Scope of the Work:

In the empirical research there are 30 online articles from the Standard, Presse and Kurier as well as 150 user comments analysed. This qualitative content analysis has been done in a thorough manner, using common ways of empirical research. The 30 texts that have been sampled, where not simply chosen by the writer, but selected with the help of theoretical sampling. The writer illustrates the results of the empirical research in a clear and comprehensible manner, including all necessary labels. Even the gender of the author of the articles is analysed and illustrated in a graph. 

Independence:

The author has used common ways of empirical research and has based his work on these concepts. He has shown hardly any initiative and has not developed his own ideas. 

Outline and Structure:

The author uses a lot of sub chapters for example 7.2.1.2.1, when most of these chapters are made up of four sentences or less. These sub chapters could have been merged together into one sub chapter, making it easier to follow the outline. The names of the chapters could be more precise, seeing as one cannot tell what the chapter will entail. On the plus side, the chapters go well into each other therefore the structure is logical.

Degree of Communication:

In the beginning of each chapter the author gives an overview what the following chapter will entail. Furthermore the intentions are made very clear in the abstract, which are then proven throughout the Master’s Thesis. It is very plausible to use a combination of articles and user comments, to get a feel of the viewer’s opinions as well as the overall feeling towards women’s football in Austria. 

Orthography and Accuracy:

I have not seen any orthographical faults in the Master’s Thesis. The Master’s Thesis was not gendered, and there was also no disclaimer saying that the male form of the word includes the female form too. That is rather unusual.

Literature:

The bibliography is more than 14 pages long, and the literature is high quality with many academic journals and academic books. 

Overall, I believe the master’s thesis could have been better in stylistic features but the research was done thoroughly. 

Sources:

Hetzenauer, Christian. “Im Abseits oder am Fußball-Thron? Anstoß für eine Debatte über Frauenfußball.” Master’s Thesis, Universität Salzburg, 2019.

by stefanie.weber -

#01 Ideenfindung

Für dieses Semesterprojekt in Design&Research habe ich wirklich sehr lange überlegt was ich machen sollte und lag definitiv nicht an einem Mangel an Ideen! Einige meiner verworfenen Ideen und nun meine finalen Projekte sind die folgenden.

  1. Interaktives Video (x)
    Ich hatte überlegt ein Video zu drehen und dieses interaktiv zu gestalten so, dass der Zuseher auswählen kann, wie es weiter geht bzw. welche Szenen als nächstes kommen. Dieses sollte ein Fashion-Video werden, wie in einem Dress-up Spiel, wo ein Model abgefilmt wird mit mehreren Outfit-Optionen und der Zuseher kann selbst entscheiden, was das Model anziehen sollte. Das Drehen dieses Projekts wäre ein großer Aufwand gewesen, da sich die Möglichkeit wortwörtlich multiplizieren und so in das unmessbare steigen könnten. Zur Veranschaulichung, wenn man 3 Hosen, 3 Oberteile und 3 Accessories hat, dann müssten 27 Outfitoptionen abgefilmt werden. Die Rechnung dazu wäre alles multipliziert also 3x3x3 = 27.
    Genau aus diesem Aspekt habe ich mich dann schlussendlich auch gegen dieses Projekt entschieden, da der Drehaufwand für allein so wenige Kleidungsstücke so groß geworden wäre und ich wollte aber definitiv nicht nur 3 Optionen per Kleidungsstück haben, leider.

  2. Projection Mapping auf Blumen (x)
    Inspiriert von dem Kurs Projection Mapping dieses Semester hatte ich die Idee auf Blumen eine Projektion zu gestalten und sie so ästhetisch zu filmen und ihnen durch verschiedene Animationen und Lichtstimmungen eine Storyline und etwas Leben einzuhauchen. Diese Idee habe ich nicht wirklich verworfen, sondern eher aufgeschoben, weil ich dies wirklich alleine in Ruhe einmal machen möchte und innerhalb des Projection Mapping Kurses war es nicht möglich, da wir hier Visuals oder Projection Projekte für das Spring Festival gestaltet haben in Teams.

  3. Color Grading Day to Night (✓)
    Durch bereits gemachte Projekte, die im Dunklen oder in der Nacht handelten habe ich mich mehr mit dem Thema Color Grading Day to Night beschäftigt. Aus Behind the Scenes Filmen, weiß ich, dass in etwaigen Filmen und Serien Szenen am Tag gedreht werden und dann im Nachhinein so gegraded werden als wäre es Nacht. Basierend darauf habe ich Recherche darüber betrieben und bin auf einige kleine Tutorials gestoßen und auch Input von Filmproduktionen in Making-Ofs. In bisherigen Projekten, haben meine Teams und ich diese Szenen immer wirklich im Dunklen gedreht und das hat immer funktioniert bis zum Punkt des Color Gradings.

  4. Production und Color Grading für ein Tennis themed Videoprojekt mit @lea-haas zusammen (✓)
    Da ich im letzten und diesem Semester gemerkt habe Color Grading macht mir Spaß und ich möchte mich mehr damit beschäftigen habe ich mich mit Lea zusammengeschlossen, da sie für diesen Kurs ein Projekt macht, wofür sie etwas von sich selbst drehen möchte und sie zu diesem Real-Footage etwas mit VFX hinzufügt. Hierfür werde ich die Szenen von ihr mit der Kamera drehen und danach das gecuttete Video graden.

Für die Weiterführende Gliederung meiner Blogposts werde ich in den Schlagwörter immer das Blumen-Icon markieren, das darauf hinweist, auf welches Projekte es sich der Blogbeitrag fokussiert:

✿ = Tennis Videoprojekt
❀ = Day to Night Projekt

by andreas.riegger -

Language of shapes

„Shapes in themselves have their own language.“

Maddy Zoli

With this quote, I wanted to begin my journey for this semester’s project for Design and Research. I have finally made a decision to pursue something that I have wanted to do for a very long time – creating my very own character/character design.

As I have a passion for drawing and illustration, I want to use the knowledge that I’ve already acquired and expand it with new information. In the end, I hope that this will lead me to a point where I have developed something that I can use for further projects in the future, possibly even for my Master’s project.

For every new project, the first step is always research. So, I searched for character design, or to be more precise „how to develop a character design“ on Google, which led me to the article for my first blog post.

In the article, „7 character design tips to make your design stand out“, by Lavinia Aparaschivei, you get a better overview of how to develop a character design from scratch. Plus you get a better understanding of what you must consider when setting up your character in its natural environment.

Something that caught my interest and gave me a chuckle was the fact, that some of the things mentioned in the article were kinda covered in the first weeks of the ongoing semester at FH. For example, when creating a character, consider their role in the universe or the place they live. Ask yourself questions about their purpose in the story, their role in society, why is the character acting the way it is, or what is their current life situation like and some more. You have the freedom to expand your character’s backstory as much as you want by adding more substance, details, or information.

Thinking about the origin, personal goals, interests as well as weaknesses, personal problems, and daily struggles of your hero can also be useful.

Before beginning the actual design work, I will first focus on setting up the backstory and giving more attention to the world and universe in which my character will exist.

So my next steps include thinking about what my character actually will be like, writing down some first ideas, and starting to create the world and universe it will live in.

I plan to start by creating a mood board, sketching out some ideas, and collecting inspirations that will help me define the character and their surroundings.

I will also do some further research and collect some more information. And I am curious to see where this will lead me to.

I will see you in my next article. Take care and have a great day! 😉

Sources

https://www.linearity.io/blog/character-design/

by mathilde.bogen -

05 | Consumer habits

This weeks focus has been to research consumer habits when it comes to footwear. My research is mostly based of a research paper written by Alena Pospisilova who wrote the paper as a part of her study program BA (Hons) European Business at University of Huddersfield. The article explored gender and generational differences in consumer habits in the UK. It is important to have in mind that the paper was written in 2012/13 and Pospisilova writes about other articles from 2003. Both the article and the sources used in the article are a bit outdated, but the paper is still useful to gain a better understanding of the habits of different consumers and some aspects might be similar today.

THE PERCEPTION OF FOOTWEAR

The perception of footwear has gone through considerable changes. The footwear’s original purpose is to protect the feet. In the past, footwear has amounted different roles in peoples lives, while footwear is now representing fashion style, power and richness. It is a way to show social status. People are influenced by the people they surround: friends, family, co-workers or classmates. The shoes people buy can reflect the peoples inner feelings and how they want to express themselves to others.

GEOGRAPHICAL MARKETS

The footwear market can be split into different geographical markets. The different fashion trends in different cultures leads to different needs. However, due to mass media the differences are not that big and the world could also be seen as one big market (Pospisilova, 2013). Some might think that there will be different needs for people living where there are rough winters compared to where there are no snow, but it is not always like that. The shoes that UGG originally produced were for surfers. However, today, you can find these shoes globally, used not only by surfers on the beach but also by people in Nordic regions during the coldest winter days.

GENDER

To understand the differences in consumer behaviour, women’s and men’s purchasing habits must be distinguished. Women’s shopping tendencies often mirror their relations to others, while men typically emphasize personality and functional benefits (Pospisilova, 2013). A woman pays in general more attention to her appearance, investing more extensively in apparel and footwear compared to men.

GENERATIONS

Another important factor to take into consideration when it comes to consumer habits are the different generations. The teenagers are the most powerful people that strongly control the world market. Teenagers‘ minds and preferences are changing all the time, and it is therefore difficult to understand their wants and needs (Pospisilova, 2013). People belonging to generation X make rational decisions and purchase goods, which are practical rather than good looking. When it comes to the mature consumers, the most important factors for them is recommendations from friends and family, as well as sales and special offers.

HABITS

It is difficult to find any noticable tendencies in habits because there are a lot of differences in different studies. Some studies show that there is a strong predominance of female shoe shoppers, while others show that men shop equally often as women do. Mintel (2012) examined motivators for shoe shopping. The most commonly mentioned motivator was to replace a worn out shoe or find something comfortable, but many people also reported that they bought shoes to reward themselves. Other commonly mentioned reasons was reduced price and change of season.

RESULTS FROM SURVEY

Pospisilova made a survey with questions about consumer habits. There were 81 responses, and the result from the survey mainly disproves the information from other researchers, but this may be caused by a quite low response rate.

Key findings from survey

  • Most people shoe shop from practical reasons
  • More than half of the men own less than five pairs of shoes
  • Women own in average more than 10 pairs. Keep in mind that this is not representative, because there were some extreme cases, showing women with more than 50 pairs
  • Most women shoe shop every three months
  • 51% of the men shoe shop every six months

It is difficult to draw any conclusion due to several factors, such as old and conflicting research findings and research from another geographical area und culture. I will in the upcoming week try to gather more relevant information about the topic and create a survey to gain a better understanding of todays‘ consumer habits.

🩴 🥿 👠 👡 👢 👞 👟 🥾 🩴 🥿 👠 👡 👢 👞 👟 🥾 🩴 🥿 👠 👡 👢 👞 👟 🥾 🩴 🥿 👠 👡 👢 👞

REFERENCES

  • Mintel (2012) Footwear Retailing – UK. Minteloxygen reports platform. [online] Available at: http://academic.mintel.com. (Accessed 9th December 2023)