TV Genre

An Analysis of X-Files and Fringe

For this presentation I shall be analysing the similarities and differences of two TV shows from the same genre with an approximate gap of 10 years in which the shows were first screened on television. The two shows I have chosen are the third episode from Season 1 of the X Files which was first screened in 1993 called ‘Squeeze’ and an episode of Fringe which was screened in 2003. For this I shall be using the thirteenth episode called ‘The Transformation’ from the first season. Both shows are television shows that are from the Sci-Fi genre.

The use of genre in TV shows is used by both audiences and producers. An audience will identify what sort of programme they want to watch so that they are able to get an experience they wish to gain from watching the show. To aid the viewer to do so there are codes and conventions that any particular TV show will follow during the production process. Production companies use genre to identify their target audience so they know who their TV show will be aimed at. Science Fiction, in particular has a dedicated fan base that provide a ready made market for producers to tap into. For example, X Files have dedicated followers that call themselves X-Philes, as in an affection for something, while Star Trek have a passionate following called Trekkies. 

This is one example of how TV show genres differ from movie genres. In movies the films are categorised in their specific genres. For example, if one were to go to a video shop they would have numerous sections each dedicated to a specific genre. Horror films are segregated from action and comedy to name but a few. Watching a TV show differs to watching a movie as many people choose to watch films because of a specific actor or director. Because of this, many actors and directors will work on many projects across numerous genres, therefore the audience will, when watching movies, watch a cross section of movies regardless of the genre. TV audiences tend to watch TV shows based on the genre they wish to watch.


Many TV shows now have intermittent breaks through the show that advertisers spend lots of money ensuring their products are screened at particular times. It could be said that producers of TV shows are very much aware of this and the programme that is screened is developed in mind of the products and services that are being screened. To give an example a TV show that has technology in its theme may have advertisements such as mobile phones and laptops during the breaks in the programme.


Sci-Fi is an abbreviation of Science-Fiction, however, devotees of this genre repel at the thought this shortened expression and if they were to abbreviate the term at all, it would simply be, SF. The genre Science-Fiction, or SF, as not to offend the devotees, was first given the term by Hugo Gernsback the editor of the American magazine Amercian Stories in 1926, which was the first magazine to be dedicated to stories of this genre. Although many people may argue that there were Science-Fiction stories before this time, many were regarded as ‘scientific romances’, but I will save the debate on this for the experts!


Science-Fiction uses numerous concepts to tell stories in an extremely imaginative and plausible manner. The stories will often be about or contain within in it, the future, technology, space travel, parallel universes, aliens, the paranormal, and, of course, science. There are also other concepts that Science-Fiction may contain and in the two episodes from the TV shows I have chosen, it uses mutants and mutation as the basis of the story.


Every TV show must follow some legal and ethical codes, regardless of their genre. An example of this is a character must not represent a real life person either in name or appearance nor can the events of an individual’s life be portrayed that may reveal the person’s identity. It goes as far as changing, if need be, the gender of the character so that it bears no relation to an actual person. Details of certain events and circumstances should also not bear any resemblance. For example if a TV show has in its storyline a character who steals a car, although they may show some elements of the character hot-wiring the vehicle, they can not show a step-by-step procedure. This is because by doing so someone could learn how to do this, from the TV show, and then carry that act out. This could, in turn, be potentially dangerous to the public as a result of an accident, should this happen. For that reason, as it is both illegal and unethical to steal a car which could end up with far severe conclusions, the entire process is not shown in a visual ‘how-to guide’.


At the start of X Files and Fringe there is a short introduction to the episode before the credits. This sets up the main part of the story of the episode that the viewer is about to watch which is the investigation of the phenomena that the viewer had just seen in the pre-credit sequence. During the episodes X Files and Fringe take a different approach to the narrative of the story. The team behind the X Files create suspense as Mulder and Scully go about their investigation. They are able to do this through a number of techniques in the decision making in the pre-production process and then executing them during the production process. The visual techniques used to create suspense come from the way that they have lit the scene. In the X Files only certain elements are of the scene are lit meaning the actors have to find the light. This creates a feeling that something could happen as they walk in and out of the darkness. A good example of this is in the scene when Mulder and Scully go to the address where they feel their suspect is hiding. After they discover the lair that the mutant has made, the mutant appears out of the darkness, unbeknown to the two investigators. Due to the length of the shots and the pace of the editing, which is slower than the episode of Fringe, the story takes place over few days.


Fringe uses a more shocking approach. This maybe because of the atrocities witnessed on 9/11 desensitised audiences. Using the graphic imagery of the man mutating into a monster and the initial violence on the plane to the graphitisation of the autopsy makes a more powerful statement. Due to the amount and the variety of shots and the faster pace editing the narrative of this story is told over a longer period; for example a few weeks.

Both episodes come to a resolution at then end which makes these two TV shows a series. A series are a number of episodes that you can watch as one-offs, where if you were to miss an episode it wouldn’t make a difference as each episode is a different story.   


Prior to the terrorist attacks of the World Trade Centre in America on 9/11, X Files focus was on paranormal activity. During the early 1990s there was much public interest in paranormal activity including ghosts and unusual phenomena. This may be a reason as to why there was huge following in this TV show as a whole. Also this may contribute to why the show’s producers and television networks created and commissioned a show based on this genre as there was a made audience waiting for a show like this. Fringe is post-9/11 and therefore the audience that were once fascinated in the early 1990s by paranormal activity have moved on to what is current at that time are now interested in the storylines that have terrorism as the main story.


It must be said however, that although an individual’s taste in TV shows wain and change over time, the audiences are influenced by what is current in the media at that time. Because of this, where the media was once interested in the paranormal and supernatural in the early to mid-1990s, due to the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the media has had an obsession on terrorism. This creates a change of interest in people minds to which the programme makers and the television networks react to creating programming containing this within the storyline. Relaxing television censorship has enabled programme makers to create storylines where the potential of mass killing is allowed. In my opinion the media’s live minute-by-minute events on 9/11 enabling the world to witness the murder of thousands of human lives not only instilled fear into people’s minds but enabled TV censorship to be relaxed. Now programme makers can make shows about terrorism, not only for entertainment value, but to keep the fear within oneself.

Using the hypodermic needle theory, we could say that by slowly injecting audiences with messages would enable media organisations to make people respond to their ideology. This is because audiences may believe that they are unable to refute any messages through the media as they are subordinate and quietly accept what they are told as they are unwilling or unable to seek alternative sources of information.


According to the University of Twente website: The "hypodermic needle theory" implied mass media had a direct, immediate and powerful effect on its audiences. It is thought that significant increase of the popularity of radio and television, the birth of advertising and propaganda industries being powerful in persuading audiences, and not forgetting Hitler’s control of the Germanic mass media during World War 2 to feed ideologies to enable the German public to support his Nazi party, were results of a psychological behaviour change on their audiences during the 1940s and 50s.


I believe that this theory is very much a feature in today’s media as it was in the media industries and services of over 60 years ago. However, ideologies have since changed as social cultures have evolved and adapted influenced through the hypodermic needle theory.

As the years have passed since the end of the X Files and to the television premier of Fringe there have been changes in the tone and treatment of sex and violence. Again, this is partly due to the relaxation of television censorship reflecting people’s acceptance to sex and violence being shown on the television and allowing such imagery into our homes on a daily basis.

In X Files, the story is purely about the investigation of the case and sex does not feature in any part of this episode. Mulder and Scully are two professionals getting on with their work and their personal feelings and emotions are kept to themselves – until they exchange a “real” kiss in episode 4 of Season 7 called ‘Millennium’ - apparently.


The connotations of sex are played throughout the episode of Fringe. For instance Olivia Dunham is during the show, dressed in a suit but with some buttons on her blouse open, revealing some flesh. In other scenes she is wearing her underwear as she is in the submersion tank being regressed and in the scene where she is regressed; she is in a hotel room with her lover. These connotations create a sexual element to satisfy the ‘male gaze’ and to keep the male audience interested in the episode. A theory from feminist Laura Mulvey claims that the camera plays the role of a heterosexual man’s eyes to become the watcher and women are sexually objectified to become the watched. But Mulvey herself has questioned this and has reservations adding that although women may be objectified it could offer women to ‘gaze’ at female protagonists.


In 1978, a feminist theory by Gaye Tuchman, argued that women are represented in the media by what she called ‘symbolic annihilation’. Her theory claims that female interests are ignored, excluded, marginalised in the media’s representation of women through stereotypical roles such as housewife, wife and mother. She also claims women who are portrayed in an occupation are represented as ineffective and not as competent as men. Women are also under-represented, for example, women will be nurses and men will be doctors, women as secretaries and men as lawyers. There is also an approval of married women within the media but a condemnation of single working women. Although, I agree with this theory during the time it was written and it may have also been true for many years after, today, as social codes and conventions have changed over time this theory may appear not to be a true reflection of todays media. In X Files and Fringe Scully and Olivia Dunham are both in high profile positions within the organisations they work for, competing successfully with men for their roles and, in both cases, superseding their male counterparts.


There is too, ironically during the scene connoting sex and romance, a connotation of violence. This is denoted by a gun on the bed during the scene when Olivia Burnham is first regressed. Overall, the tone of Fringe is a lot darker in its content and it connotations of violence is more evident. This is evident by the storyline being about terrorism and bio-weapons; actions that could affect millions. This is a story which is in the now, and although I do not wish to panic you, it could happen tomorrow, without warning, and because of this the programme makers have made elements of the episode humorous. Peppering the show with sound bites of humour gives the show some balance in the tone without it being so dark that people would not want to see it.


In the early 1990s and during the creation of the X Files the world was still seen as a “man’s world”. To enable Gillian Anderson’s character to become a successful detective she would have had to work hard to succeed. This is a progressive representation of women and the suit that she wears represents a statement of power to gain respect but also to fit in with her male counterparts. Because of this Scully is not sexualised; but she sexualises herself by using make-up to make her feel and look more feminine.


Olivia Burnham in Fringe is in a prominent role, leader of men, which is seen as normal nowadays. She also wears less make-up which has been seen on other characters in lead roles in TV shows. This gives a progressive representation of women although it could be argued that she is being sexualised by wearing her blouse with a couple of buttons undone and the scenes where she strips to her under garments prior to climbing into the submersion tank. However, if it is deemed that the character has chosen to do so by her own decisions this shows that she is in control. Therefore, the fact that she is being represented both progressively and regressively cancels each other out and gives a neutral representation of women.


The communication equipment in the two shows has changed over time due to the advancements in technology. In the 1990’s mobile phone technology was still in its infancy and the mobile phone would have been bulkier. In Fringe the technology has evolved and the devices are smaller. Computers had also evolved in this technological era and this is denoted by the large bulky computers on X Files in comparison to the flat-screen slim versions of those used in Fringe. Storing, researching and distributing information to aide the investigators in their enquiries would have been easier and quicker than the ten years previous. In the rooms that the two investigations take place have evolved. X Files was more technological based by the way that they use information on their computers to aide the case solving whereas Fringe used science to assist their investigation which was denoted by the scientific paraphernalia.


The clothing worn by the investigative agents had more similarities than differences. Both wore suits but the main difference comes from the way it was worn. Scully wore her suit in a professional manner with the buttons on her blouse. This could have connotations that she was a more closed-in person, someone who may be trapped within herself. Olivia Burnham wore her suit with some buttons undone which could make her appear more relaxed and dressed as if she is ready to burst into action to fight serious crime that may have a detrimental effect on the human race.


As technology has got more sophisticated film making equipment has become much smaller and lighter and therefore has enabled production teams to be more mobile. This means that film cameras can go places where they couldn’t before. Also the technology has evolved which means more interesting and creative shots can be captured. This is evident in the differences in the cinematography between X Files and Fringe. In X Files, for example, probably due to the weight of the equipment and the technology of the time, a vast number of the shots are static shots, taken from the camera mounted on a tripod. Due to this, when Mulder and Scully are talking during a scene, we are looking on at them as if we are watching the conversation. The shots follow the Master Shot, Long Shot, Mid-Shot and Close-up conventions. Although not very aesthetically engaging to watch following these conventions the production team have been able to successfully capture the story. It is due to the weight and the lack of mobility of the equipment that the conventional shots mean that the viewer sees the scene as if they are looking through a window.


The TV show Fringe has been able to take a different approach to the cinematography, due to the light and mobile equipment, meaning more shots can be taken from variant angles making the scenes more engaging. It is also worth noting because technology has made film making equipment lighter and more mobile, and although film making is still an expensive process, more shots and the creativity of those shots are now within the budgets of the producers. The interesting and creative shots now mean that the viewer can seemingly get closer to the action as if they are involved. Taking the example of the characters having a conversation, when Olivia Burnham, Dr. Walter Bishop and Astrid Farnsworth are in the laboratory conversing, the closeness of the camera and the angle of the shot enable the viewer to see the conversation and to feel as if they are part of it.


There is a significant difference in the editing of both shows. In X Files for instance the shots are longer and the sequence of shots takes more time. Because of this the continuity of time in X Files may take place over a period of a couple of days. To aide the viewer and to speed the investigative process by Mulder and Scully, when they needed to find information regarding the case that they are working on a “do-doom” sound signifies that they have found what they are looking for and then we cut to the scene that they next need to be in. Although not a “jump-cut” itself it acts as one as the viewer can work out on their own the journey they have made from finding their information and going to the scene without the need of seeing the journey.


Fringe, however, uses the extra shots that they have been able to capture to seemingly make the pace of the episode more rapid. Because of the additional and variant shots more cuts can be made and this speeds up the flow of the action. As the story can be told at a quicker pace the story has been told over a longer period of time, a few weeks, maybe. Regularly in Fringe, we will cut to an establishing shot, more often than in X Files, and by doing to this the audience are given the continuity of space. Fringe also uses parallel editing as Olivia Burnham goes into a submersion tank to be regressed. As well as seeing Olivia in the tank, and other characters in the laboratory, we see John Scott in another realm. By using parallel editing it is if we are seeing two stories at the same time.


Despite the longer running time Fringe has over X Files by eight minutes due to the amount of shots, the variety of shots and the faster paced editing; the Fringe episode seems shorter than X Files. Just for the record, Fringe ran at 50 minutes and X Files ran for 42 minutes – and as they say – strange but true!

During X Files there are passages of silence during scenes to create a suspenseful atmosphere. Occasionally, the exclusion of sound can be more effective than sound effects, dialogue or music. However, when music was featured during elements of the episode it helped create the feelings of suspense, tension and horror, which often are used when the mutant is attempting to catch its next victim.


Fringe uses numerous sound effects to reinforce what is happening on screen. For instance, during the autopsy of the mutant we hear the sounds of the squelching of blood and body parts as the organs are being removed for analysis. During the action sequences of this episode the sounds are amplified to create drama and an intense atmosphere.


I would not be able to make a comparison of the sound between the two episodes without commenting on the dialogue. The dialogue in X Files makes references about the case, what they need to discover and what they need to do. It followed a beginning, middle and end format as Mulder and Scully went on their investigation.

Fringe uses more scientific and informative terminology. Again this is evident during the autopsy of the mutant. To enable the story to become more believable the writers use scientific phrases and terms that may be used in laboratories. This could be partly due to the expanding knowledge of the viewers and their understanding of the scientific terms and phrases.


Probably due to the technology of its time the X Files have used a human to represent the mutant. For this to work the mutations had to happen off-screen and this is reflected within the storyline. The mutant is able to squeeze down chimney’s, through air ducts and vents to capture his victims. The locations chosen for this story to be conceivable were house and workplaces such as office blocks. These are locations and/or sets that would have been cheaper to hire or build.


In Fringe the mutations happen on screen and this is achievable by the use of CGI, the Computer Generated Image. The ability to create almost anything using computer technology has enable film makers to develop more imaginative scenarios. The mutation of the man into the beast on a plane and then that plane descending from the skies would not have been possible ten years previous without the investment of vast sums of money.

During this presentation I have identified numerous similarities and differences of two Science-Fiction TV shows in X Files and Fringe. But, and in my personal opinion, I feel that X Files lacks believability because of the time it was made. Although no fault of the producers the technology available to them at the time may have hindered their desire to make this episode to appear as real as possible and because of this the TV show is more about escapism, relaxation and entertainment. Fringe, however, with its excellent use of cinematographic and technological advancements makes the viewer feel as if they are part of the team investigating the case. Added to that, the story involving terrorism is now – it is happening – makes this extremely believable. Although, trying to compare two excellent TV shows is like trying to compare a classic film against a modern day remake. It is whatever the individual viewer gets from it – it is purely subjective.


Science-Fiction is also futuristic and what we witness in these shows, it could be argued that many of these elements could become part of our everyday lives in years to come. If we take for example another Science-Fiction show, Star Trek, many technological concepts were born through this show. For example, flip phone and smart phone technology and doors that open automatically were first seen and physicists from the University College London and the University of Gdansk believe that teleportation will be possible in the future – but I’ll spare you all the scientific jargon on this occasion.


Anyway, even if some elements of X Files or Fringe do come to reality, I’m a big boy. I’m not frightened of mutating monsters underneath my bed. It’s the one in the wardrobe I’m really scared of.

Gender Representation

In 1999 the world saw a highly acclaimed movie directed by Sam Mendes starring Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening, titled American Beauty. This film went on to achieve 5 OSCAR awards including Best Picture and 6 BAFTAs including Best Film. The film is about Lester Burnham who has a mid-life crisis and during an infatuation with his daughters friend makes, what he thinks, are positive changes from his mundane existence.

I shall be analysing numerous aspects from a sequence in this film from choices that were made in pre-production, production and post-production that represent how the male gender is represented in this media text. The sequence I shall be analysing is between the second and ninth minute at the start of the movie.

In this short sequence Lester is seen getting out of bed, putting on his slippers and taking a shower. This is a normal day-to-day activity for men and it emphasises the repetitive and routine behaviour of men. For many men this routine is boring and mundane. We then see Lester masturbating in the shower which portrays men in a negative way because masturbation is associated with men who have a lack of sex and maybe lonely, unwanted or undesired. It also implies that men are sex driven and can’t function properly without performing a sexual act making men come across as primitive.

Another action in where men are portrayed negatively is when Lester leaves the house and walks up the garden path towards the car. At this point his briefcase opens and the contents cascade to the ground. The reason men are portrayed negatively in this action is because men appear to be nothing more than characters of mockery such as the class clown or a fool. Finally, when Lester is in the car he is in the back while his wife and daughter are in the front. This implies that the mature adults are at the front and the man is in the role of the child, who gets ignored, is in the back.

During this sequence we know that Lester is already dead and some of the dialogue is spoken as a voice over as non-diegetic sound. But whether the dialogue is diegetic or non-diegetic the pace and the tone is slow and mundane. This represents that men are bored with their lives and have no enthusiasm for what they are talking about. It is a sign of resignation and of someone who has given up looking forward to things in life.

As Lester looks out of the window while his wife is chatting to her neighbour he is dismissive of her. Lester’s comment: “I get exhausted just watching her” is an indication that men get worn down over the years of listening to their wives chattering about mundane things. This makes men come across as critical and unable to see the good in people. But also there is an element to men reminiscing about good times. Men look back on their past as opposed to looking forward in to the future or at the very least living in the present day.

The dialogue also makes men self-deprecating and resigned to the consciousness of their own short-comings. An example of this is when Lester describes himself as a loser after the contents of the briefcase spills onto the floor. Men would feel awkward and embarrassed and instead of laughing it off would punish themselves with negative affirmations. Lester also says that he feels “sedated” which implies motionless and a body that is in a “not-with-it” trance. When Lester is describing his daughter he says: “LIFE IS SHIT” represents that men have a view of life of someone who is in a rut in their lives in which they seemingly are unable to escape from and at this moment in time of their lives appears as “realism”.



When Lester is first approached by Brad at work, Lester sarcastically tells him that he has more time for him than he has been asked for. This indicates that men are bored in their jobs and the only way they can get through the day and are fed up with being run around. During the meeting through Lester’s character when men fear they are going to lose their livelihoods they get insecure and panic and feel like they are being backed into a corner. This makes men “come out fighting” and use whatever trick they can to make themselves appear important to save their employment.  

In the car on the way home we hear Lester moaning and whining about his day at work. Stereotypically it is women that are perceived as the moaners and whiners but in this instance the roles are reversed. When men are going through a period in their lives they are capable of being the worst at moaning and this is a complete opposite to what is conventionally expected of a masculine male.

Around the dinner table Lester asks disinterested questions about his daughter’s day but has an expectation of his daughter showing an interest in his day. Men’s feelings are often overlooked and are unable to express them as doing so makes them appear weak. Because of this men are unable to show compassion and when they feel they need to go on a rant when expressing their views. Soon after he mutters under his breath in response to a comment from his wife. When he is challenged his is unable to answer and walks out of the room. This represents that men have no confidence to stand up to their wives, or women in general, and that they are spineless and pathetic.

Middle-aged men have been represented negatively by Lester’s character relating to his physical attributes: he’s not fat he has some extra padding and his body type is non-descript; his hair is slightly balding on the crown of his head which is another indication of a middle-aged male. Lester’s height also appears to be of average which is deemed to be of the norm in society as people only really take notice of others that are either unusually short or tall. All in all his appearance is stereotypically average and therefore is negative.

The costumes worn by Lester during this segment are consists of a grey drab colour. We first see him in his pyjamas and they are buttoned up tight. This represents that men feel restrained within themselves unable to express their thoughts and feelings. His suit that he wears to work is a dark with a white shirt and black tie. This gives a representation to attire that would be worn at a funeral and represents mourning – a loss of life – or in this instance a loss of living. When the family are having their evening meal Lester is wearing a grey cardigan style sweater. Often people wear colours to reflect their mood and grey has connotations with misery and boredom. The cardigan style sweater is what would be worn by older men such as senior citizens – men that are in the twilight years of their lives – and therefore not much to look forward to.

In the first shot where we see Lester he is filmed from above and is in the centre of the shot. This represents men as small and insignificant and has a disassociation which makes men unimportant.  In the scene where Lester is masturbating in the shower he is representing men as exposed and vulnerable which is how women are usually portrayed. When Lester is looking out of the window as his wife talks to their neighbours he is framed behind a window in the centre of the shot. This gives a representation that men are imprisoned and confined within their lives and lacks the freedom they desire. When Lester is in the office facing the sack he is small in the frame. This indicates men are unimportant and can be disregarded of. This represents that men are dispensable and therefore easily replaceable reinforcing their unimportant role in the work place. The scene with the dinner table is a slowly dolly in shot. This represents creates and a tension within the family. In all the shots, apart from one, featuring Lester in this sequence he has been framed with fragmented body parts. Fragmented body parts mean that there is not a full body and it represents that he is not a full man. There is only one shot in this sequence where Lester whole body is in shot and this is when the contents of his briefcase cascades onto the floor.

The music that plays during the sequence is repetitive. This gives the indication that it’s just another day doing the same things. The sound of the shower connotes that Lester is washing his life down the drain. As Lester comes home from work with his wife they are discussing the issue with their previous neighbours about a sycamore tree. As Lester’s wife walks into the house there is a sound that represents a “here we go again” moment as if it is a metaphoric groan.

During this sequence a voice over by Lester is spoken. The tone and the pace of his voice could easily give a negative representation of men. He is mocking himself and being self-deprecating which can connote that men lack self-worth and self-respect. On the other hand, Lester is in control of doing the speaking in such a manner that is humorous and this can connote that men are able to make fun of themselves and appear comfortable in one’s skin. In this instance the voice over could therefore connote a positive representation of men. It could be that with the voice over being self-deprecating but told in a humorous way it cancels itself out and therefore is a neutral representation of men and whether it is deemed to be a positive or negative representation of men depends on the mindset of the individual viewer of this media text.

The sequence uses straight cuts in the editing. This gives the representation that all the shots or scenes are little insignificant snap shots of a mundane day in men’s lives. This creates a monotonous life whether that is at home or at work creating a disjointed relationship within the family and an unhappy working environment.

The mise-en-scene in most of the shots is low lighting in glum and gloomy rooms. This gives a representation that men’s lives are boring and depressing and the colour represents a prison like atmosphere. The framing of Lester sees him trapped. When he is at home he is framed behind windows, in the back of a car and at work he is in his booth. We see a reflection of him in the screen of his computer and the text runs vertically down the page making his seem like he is in a cell. A number of shots make Lester seem like he is in a cell of some description which represents that men are trapped and imprisoned within their lives and are always confined unable to live their lives freely. In the scene where Lester has his dinner with his family they are seated around the table but there is distance between them all. This represents that men are disjointed from their families and are emotionally unattached.  

Although this sequence represents men in a negative way throughout the film the questions of whether men are represented positively or negatively are continuously challenged. Lester carefully crafts a payout from a job that he was likely to get the sack from. This represents that men are able to make good out of bad situation and therefore gives a positive representation of men. However, the way that Lester achieves this, by lying, is a negative representation of men. Now that Lester has enough money he purchases his dream car. This gives a positive representation that men should pursue what they want and get what they desire, but a negative representation as it is a selfish act motivated by ego.

As well as the conflict throughout the film’s positive and negative representations of men there are also issues that are raised that may concern legal and ethical factors. The first issue that arises in the film is when Lester is smoking drugs with his neighbour that he has met at a social event. To smoke the drug, which in this film was cannabis, there are ethical issues to whether people should be allowed to smoke it, although smoking cannabis is not illegal. Lester’s neighbour is also his “drug dealer” and this reflects legal issues as the selling of drugs is illegal. It is also Lester’s neighbour that secretly films Lester talking to his daughter. This is an intrusion of privacy that is illegal and may also have significant issues in regards to ethical behaviour.

There are also legal and ethical concerns in the film in regards to sex and sexuality. Towards the end of the film the father of Lester’s neighbour attempts to kiss Lester and this act raises the issue of homosexuality. Although the sexual act between two men is not illegal there are people that would argue that a homosexual act is unethical.

But the main theme in the film is Lester’s infatuation with his daughter’s teenage friend. In the film middle-aged Lester is in a passionate clinch with the 18-year old. The act of a middle-aged man having sex with an 18-year old is not illegal but social conventions would deem this to be highly unethical. Because social conventions deem things to be right or wrong it certainly does not make them right or wrong. It should be the choices of consensual adults of legal age. In this film the 18-year old, played by Mena Suvari, represents young women in a negatively. This is because her character has been sexually objectified. Her character often talks about sex and having sex and in one scene she is fetishised when she is lying down with only rose petals covering her modesty.

Sexual objectification is a theory by French feminist Simone de Beavoir. She suggests that in media people are viewed as subjects of sexual desires instead of people with any emotional and psychological needs and desires. In the film American Beauty the scene of when Mena Suvari is dancing as part of a cheerleading troupe and the focus of the cinematography is soley on her. Lester’s gaze is transfixed on her and he shuts everything else out in that moment. This represents that men create an ‘us’ and ‘them’ with men being the ‘us’ and women being ‘them’. It makes men the watchers and women the watched and this gives the representation that women aren’t fully human and therefore, instead of subjects, they become objects - primarily for sexual objectification through the male gaze. 

The ‘male gaze’ is another feminist theory from Laura Mulvey. According to Laura Mulvey the default target audience for most film genres are heterosexual men and by the use of cinematography women are represented as objects of the gaze because of the use of the camera. The camera effectively plays the role of the eyes of the man and because of this many women that feature in films are shot in a manner where they are not represented as fully human, just as Lester is shot in the seven minute sequence I analysed.

In my opinion this seven minute segment is a true representation of men in the current world. The media is consistently man-bashing and because of this, men conform to a submissive role where they are not respected by their wives, society in general and more concerning - they don’t respect themselves. There has always been a debate if media represents society or if media creates society. Personally, I believe it is the latter!

In the sequence I analysed men have been represented in a regressive way. The film starts with men being represented in a mundane repetitive lifestyle and follows this daily pattern until he meets his neighbour at a social event. After Lester meets his neighbour he finds a new zest for life. He starts to live and feel young again. Lester also finds a backbone and becomes a “man” representing that men need to find themselves to be able to live their lives and to stop conforming. This represents men in a progressive way. I would have ideally liked to have analysed more of the film but was unable to do so to time constraints and word count limitations. But I would like to note that when Lester is shot in the head at the end of the film it is a representation for men not to act on their thoughts to try and improve their lives.

Introduction to the Media [1 of 3]

 

Semiotic Analysis of a Print Media Text

 

In April 2008, British magazine Gentleman’s Quarterly (GQ) published a magazine advert for the promotion of a new fragrance by “Davidoff” called “Adventure” that featured movie star Ewan McGregor. GQ magazine, is a monthly lifestyle publication which features many articles on high-end men’s fashion, and successful business people and celebrities as a guide to a sophisticated lifestyle. The target audience for GQ magazine are men who aspire to be successful between the ages of 20-40.

I shall be deconstructing the advert for “Davidoff” “Adventure”, which is a print media text, by using various tools to carry out a semiotic analysis.

By using a photographic sign which denotes Ewan McGregor, a successful movie actor, gives the fragrance kudos which enables it to be successfully marketed towards busy men that have the desire to achieve success. The preferred reading of the text is that by purchasing the fragrance you will be buying into the ideological lifestyle of escapism where you can leave all your day-to-day stresses behind you and set out on an exciting care free journey visiting and experiencing many places and environments. This supports the myth that men under pressure need to “get-away-from-it-all” and by getting on a motorbike and riding into the distance you are getting further away from anything that may be troubling you back home.

The producers of the text have used a syntagmatic choice to feature Ewan McGregor after his two successful TV series; Long Way Round in 2004 in which Ewan McGregor motorcycled from London to New York covering 20,000-miles crossing 12 countries and 19 time zones in 155 days and the follow-up Long Way Down in 2007, in which saw his journey from Scotland to Cape Town, through Europe and Africa in 85 days. By using this syntagm it helps to anchor the products meaning. This is because Ewan McGregor, as well as his TV series which was an adventure, is also a famous actor that is well known for his roles in the ‘Star Wars’ saga that depicts his character in dangerous escapades and in adventurous situations. Therefore, it gives anchorage to the product that the fragrance itself is a connotation of an “adventure”. The binary opposition of men and women includes two sets of competing ideologies which show men as adventurous, almost primitive ‘cave-men like’ versus the civilised ‘stay-at-home’ domesticated ‘cave-woman’. The connotations of this opposition favours the man because if a woman were to be used in the advert the socialised stereotypical myth assumes women lack a sense of adventure and like to stay in the safety of their homely environment where they feel secure in their current surroundings.

The attire of the actor denotes that of an old fashioned aviator which has connotations with travel and journey and “flying high” to which successful men ideologically aim for. The producers of the text have made a syntagmatic choice from the clothing paradigm to present a casual look as someone who is on a care free journey would wear. The iconic sign denotes the actor wearing jeans, t-shirts and a scarf which would be worn when you would like to feel relaxed. The clothing signifies a go-with-the-flow, laid-back and a calm appearance. The syntagamatic choice of the casual look signifies that the fragrance is a scent for the gentleman who wants to ‘get-away-from-it-all’. A binary opposition that help support this preferred reading of the text is that the setting is during the day as opposed to night. A night time setting would have connotations towards relaxation, eating and sleeping. Also, if the setting was at night it would make the excitement of the dangerous adventure riding through the mountains into an off-putting extreme danger and a risk of life. The picturesque landscape that helps make the appeal of an exciting adventure would not be possible at night as it would be dark and it would be hard to see the beauty of the journey.

The lighting of the text signifies that it is early in the day and anchoring this is the fresh clean clothing could signify that the actor is about to set of on another day of his journey. This gives the reader of the text the ideology that the actor is continuing on his expedition and therefore selling the mythical lifestyle the reader of this text aspire to. This also gives the audience the impression that the fragrance is a day time, any purpose, fragrance. 

The icon of the mountains which are signified by a photographic sign has connotations to danger and risk but also of the thrill of challenges and exploration. The preferred reading of this text is that a mountainous atmosphere is fresh, calming and relaxing and the height and scale of a mountain, where they often break through the clouds, is another connotation to tranquillity and stillness anchoring the text to the reader to escape away from their existing busy lifestyle. However, it could be argued with an oppositional reading that mountains are fraught with danger with the risk of injury or even death. Therefore making the oppositional reader of the text sceptical about the “adventure” that using this fragrance may bring.   

The text uses a sign of a motorbike. The signifier of this is a photographic image which gives us the signified representation of freedom, the exposure to the elements and the exhilaration of the open road. Motorbikes also have the capabilities of going anywhere, more so than other modes of transport, which is perfect for the scene that the advert is set in. By using a binary opposition of a car for example would mean being encased and entrapped but also safe and secure, therefore not being free and adventurous which is paramount for the preferred reading.

There appears to be two anchors in the text. Both are denoted by signs consisting of written text. The first is the word “Adventure” which is also the name of the fragrance has connotations of travel, challenges and escapism which the target audience both enjoy and seek. By using the anchorage of “Adventure” also tells us that this too is the genre of the text. The second are the signs, again signified by written text, are the words “featuring Ewan McGregor”. This links the celebrity to the product, therefore making the fragrance credible. Ewan McGregor is promoting the fragrance off the back of his travel TV series and adding to the fact that he also is a film star, including Star Wars – a popular series of films amongst the target audience of this advert – makes the fragrance appealing. The producers have also made a play on using the written text in the style of a movie poster, again to link the celebrity to the product. 

The producers of the text have made the syntagmatic choice to place the written text “Adventure” on the top right of the image above the photographic sign of the mountains to give connotations of the mythical socialisation that we should reach for the sky which gives anchorage to the reader that this fragrance is used by successful people and by using this fragrance you too can become successful. Also by placing the written text “Ewan McGregor” in a slightly smaller font and over the mountains gives two connotations. Firstly, Ewan McGregor would be a small element in comparison to the vastness of a mountainous landscape and this is reflected in the size of the text. Also, by placing the text over the mountains gives connotations that he will be going on his “adventure” through the mountains.

By making the syntagmatic choice of placing the written text “Davidoff Adventure” above, and in a larger font size, to the written text “Ewan McGregor” helps anchor the product to the reader that the fragrance is “bigger” than the celebrity endorsing it. At the end of the day the producers of the text are selling a fragrance to their target audience and not Ewan McGregor.

Adverts for fragrances often use the convention of using a photographic sign of a morphological bottle. In this instance this has been used to denote a hip flask which often accompanies an explorer on his “adventure” to bring refreshment and revitalisation on his journey. This gives the audience the ideology that this fragrance will refresh you and provides you with a boost which will enable you to continue with your endeavours as you progress on your journey.

The text has also used a doubling technique to take the audience back to the product. By using the chrome elements of the motorcycle and by using a grey coloured top gives the audience the association as Ewan McGregor as the rider of the bike, which match the colour of the top of the bottle bring the reader of the text back to the product.

The conclusions I have reached is print media use a variety of techniques to associate the reader of the text to the product and brand. If this advert were to be placed in a family orientated magazine it is clear that it would appeal to men for which it is aimed at as women are familiar with “Davidoff” as it has an expansive female range of perfumes. The text can be read in a number of ways which is dependant upon the individual reader of the text cultural and moral beliefs. Each person will have a different interpretation as our individual context makes us what we are. Different audiences will read the text different and this is very true in years to come as how the text is read will differentiate over time specific codes.