MINI MOCK - DEC

Compared with the past, David Gauntlett argues that in the media today ‘we no longer get singular, straightforward messages about ideal types of male and female identities.’ Evaluate the validity of this claim with reference to the set episode of Humans and Les Revenants

David Gaunlett is credited to theories of identity. Gauntlett believes that despite many negative perceptions of the media, audiences are capable of constructing their own identities though what they see on television. He writes how there are many more representations of gender than the traditional 'gender binary'. He constructs the belief that unconventional stereotypes can be used to help suggest individual perceptions of gender, race, identity. This is evidenced throughout both modern t.v series Humans and les revenants.

Humans is a sci-fi drama series that was first released June 2015. In this postmodern science fiction they illustrate the ideology that in modern day society (currently and to come in the future) the boundaries between the real world and the world of media have collapsed, creating overlap, they suggest this through the fight between robots and mankind. This emphasises Gauntlett's theory about how polysemic representations can be created, making it harder to distinguish what is reality and what is a simulation. A key scene where this can be seen is the flash back scenes which break the equilibrium of the narrative. In the muse en scene of this scene it shows the recently bought synth by Laura and Tom, with a bigger group of rebellious synths trying to escape or hide from something. The proairetic code of the synths running and trying to find safety is an enigma code for the audience showing they are in danger from something, this further intrigues the audience making them want to watch on. The group of synths are in scruffy, dirty clothes showing how desperate they are find some sort of safety. The clothes between the female synths and male synths do not have many differences, this is a subversive feature that emphasises the lack of importance to what gender they are. The use of setting in the scene is key as they use a wild natural woodlands. This shrub location resembles the synths desperation to become 'wild' and free much like the nature. The lighting is dark, connoting much darker themes of this series. The use of colour stereotypically can help identify gender, pink conveying girls, blue conveying boys. In this scene they use of lack of colour to be subversive and guide the audience that there shouldn't be judgement over what gender they are. This flash back scene juxtaposes the initial opening scene (showing very controlled and perfect looking robots); purposefully done to show how stereotypes of these synths are initially perceived as this simulacra copy of the 'perfect' human converted into a simulation, but as this series progresses the audience are taught to create a relationship with these robots and opinion for them. It can be viewed as a tool to create the parody of commonly held stereotypes of gender. This supports Gauntlett's theory of ideal types of male and female representations. Audience are made to concentrate on their own judgement of humankind vs simulation, and questioning their own ethical beliefs. This can be credited towards the negotiation reception theory by Stuart Hall. Showing how this polysemic media product can have a response on the audience. 

Similarly to Humans, Les revenants which is a French series released in November 2012, can also be viewed as a polysemic media product that offers multiple interpretations and messages about the ideal role women and men should play. This can resemble the theory by Butler of how gender can be criticised to be performed. This series can be considered to be of a cult genre, which is becoming more mainstream. In the cast the majority of the protagonists are female, and they are represented to be bold and rebellious much like Anita in Humans. In one of the opening scenes where Camille comes back to life, she plays a very bold character which much attitude and not much respect for her mum, this is a very subversive convention for her to play as it goes against the stereotypes of how a 13 year old should act. Camille's image is yet very innocent and shows adolescence, she is wearing lots of colour and no makeup. However, few moments of this scene go by stereotypes of gender and identity; as she is a teenager her behaviour emphasises her age by her lack of respect for her mum, evidenced in the proairetic code of her picking a cup on the kitchen counter and her stating it's ugly. Claire (Camille's mum) takes little action by her 'dead' daughter coming back to life, she calls her ex husband to get some advice and tell him what she has just witnessed. This is a stereotypical convention, for the woman to run to the man for help or guidance on what to do. The use of music and sound effects adds to the atmosphere, long prolonged sounds create an earry atmosphere, adding a sense of enigma for the audience to if anything is going to happen sudden, creating climax. 

In conclusion, there is evidence from both Humans and Les revenants supporting how subversive conventions of going against stereotypes of gender can help depict a diverse range subversive conventions which allow the producer to explore and to challenge dominant ideological perspectives.