Slumdog Millionaire

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/24/oscars-india-slumdog-millionaire-ian-jack

Poverty Porn
This article is about how foreign directors have come to India to make films which have involved Inida as looking like a country full of poverty, cruelty and sqular and this outraged Indians. Now there is a film made four years later which follws similar ideas, (Slumdog Millionaire) but instead has won four Golden Globes and has 10 Oscar nominations. Ian Jack explains how a lot of research was carried out before the film was made, but the fact that some people from the indian industry alone disagree could mean that others may totally disagree with the way the asian lifestlyes and communitys are being represented in this movie.

Danny boyle on India
Boyle talks about how it was for him to go to india and to make Slumdog Millionaire. He talks about how he is not tryning to represent Inida i a negative light, but there are some aspects in the film where it may apper like this. Eg There are scenes shown from the movie of little kids running around through the streets of the indian shanty town areas; he says how this is just talking about the relasim of the film, and just creating awareness, rather then negativity like the media sometimes displays.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/jan/18/slumdog-millionaire-british-asian-reaction

This article shows how British Asians are reacting to the film. There has been a mixed view with some saying how it is good that Inida is finally being represented in it's true form and not glamourised as usual. where on the other hand others belive its just too negative against Inida.
(Gundip Judge, 27) says,''It highlights that there's more to Indian cinema than just Bollywood, but I thought it was a bit clichéd in parts, which the book isn't. Some turns of the narrative and styles of shots seemed familiar, like they'd been nicked from other Indian independent films and Indian 1970s cinema. It is significant, however, that it takes an English director to make this type of film mainstream."

[1]Kiranjit finds herself behind bars and her punishment is life time imprisonment but she is instead relieved. Why? Because behind bars she finally found life…and freedom.

HOW ARE ASIAN WOMEN REPRESENTED IN THE FILM 'PROVOKED'?

In 21st century there has been a great amount of change in the Asian lifestyle of living. Asian women however have always been seen as second class citizens by their partners and in the eyes of laws- looking back into the 19Th Century, and dominantly portrayed within Bollywood movies. In turn, Provoked(2006, Jag Mundhrah) allows audiences to address the issue of ‘domestic violence and marital rape’ amongst Asian women as well as creating awareness of what potentially occurs within Asian family households. Provoked belongs within a British drama genre, even though having elements of Indian/Bollywood film styles. These elements therefore add to the authenticity of the film as they allow Provoked to attract a wider audience and attempt to create consciousness amongst different ethnical cultures.

[1]www.apunkachoice.com/dyn/movies/hindi/provoked/provoked-preview.html

SELF EVALUATION

-Effort: 2
i do make an effort when it comes to Media Studies, prioritising quite a lot of my time to this subject. I also make my media folders up to date, and im keeping track of all the h/w set.

-Punctuality: 3
I'm not always on time to lessons, due to the fact i live quite a distance away, but i try my hardest but will be trying that little extra to get there on time from now on.

- Submission and quality of homework: 2
i do always hand my h/w in on time, with a lot of effort that has gone into it. i think this is an area that is quite good of mines.

-Ability to work independently: 2
i believe i can work well independently as well as in a group when i need to. when working independently i always make sure i get the work done, and i belive im more fucused this way.

-Quality of writing:3
i think my quality of writing is good, but can be improved. this could be done by reading more and practising time essays.

-Organisation of Media folder:2
my media folder is well organised, with the use of dividers and plastic wallets to keep all my work in sections and neatly organised. by having a neat folder its going to make it easier when it comes to revising for my exams, so i know its essential to do this.

-Oral contributions in class:4
i think i could probably contribute more in lessons, but sometimes its just a little to early so its hard to think. but i know this is an area i need to improve on, so i will try making more of an effort when it comes to oral conributions in class.

-Standard of Module 5 blog:2
my med 5 blog is easy to read, well organised with all the work posted on time. By having such a good med5 blog it is really helping me write my indepedent study, becasuse i have all essential research posted up on there.

-Standard of Module 6 blog:4
my med 6 blog is also easy to read, but sometimes i forget to add all the work on there, so that's something that could be improved.

WWW:
-i have all my work posted up on my med5 blog.
-quite a good understanding of med5 stuff.
-good media folder

EBI:
-contribute more in lessons.
-make sure i post up all my med 6 blog stuff.
-make sure i get to lessons on time.

Essay Plan

My Independent study is going to focus on the ways Asian women are represented within film. By looking at the history of women and how they are presented in today's media -I decided upon using the 2006 film Provoked as my main focus, as it predominately focuses upon an Asian woman’s’ fight for freedom, after being imprisoned for life for murdered her abusive and alcoholic husband.

Paragraph 1- My 1st paragraph is going to focus on the changes in women in general. –talk about how women were seen to be weak and passive in the 19th century (in both Bollywood and Hollywood films) and how its continuing into modern day film (Provoked).
-Introduce the characters and the film.
-Talk briefly about the film genre (British film drama) how it appeals to a variety of audiences. –talk about unfair justice

Paragraph 2- I will be including a detailed M-I-G-R-A-I-N and SHEP analysis to demonstrate links to the key and wider content of women in society today and how it relates to Provoked.
- I will be looking at how Asian women are stereotyped in the media- mainly film and television (i.e. weak/passive, token characters)
-include theorists to talk about these things.
(Firstly explain how stereotypes are formed- and how they can influence audiences in a way of thinking) along side talk about the Hegemonic and Pluralistic ways thinking.

Paragraph 3
Look at the historical text and talk about how it links with Provoked.
- How have women in film changed over the last 50 decades. Focus on ‘Mother India’ (1957).
Modern Day- look at how women in Hollywood movies are being portrayed as dominant instead of the "object of desire".
-look at theorists who say that females have always been unrepresented, ‘in need of a man’. Why have women always been portrayed like this? Why does society allow this happen?

Paragraph 4
-Talk about theorists- Laura Mulvey(1975) about how Kiranjit was seen by a sex symbol by her husband.
Also talk about theorists such as: Levi Strauss- Binary oppositions
-Good vs. Evil
-Husband Vs Wife
- What affect the film has on audiences? MIGRAIN

Conclusion
-Talk about the hypothesis, say weather I proved it or not.
-Answer the question ‘How are Women represented in ‘Provoked’?’
This will be done by summarise key information from the essay and concluding it so say whether women’s representations have changed over years (and if so, how) and have Asian women’s’ representations changed (relating to historical texts).

References
-Feminism, femininity and Popular Culture- (2000) Joanne Hollows
-Representing Women, Myths of Femininity in the Popular Media- (1995) Myra Macdonald
-Representing Men, Maleness and Masculinity in the Media- (2003) Kenneth MacKinnon

Historical Text: Mother India “ (1957)”

Firstly, the main conventions of Bollywood films is usually the representations of ‘male vs. female,’ ‘good vs. bad,’ as well as ‘good defeating evil.’ And both Provoked (2006) and Mother India meet this convention.

Mother India has a female protaginst, who is fighting to provide for her family.

Mother India’ is an epic, Nargis as Radha‘mother courage’ like character was spectacular in the film. A few years back, Basu Chaterji's "Triyacharittar" was a powerful film on exploitation of women. This relates back to ‘Mother India’ due to the fact that Radha was also exploited and requested to do sexual favours for an older man. It was a performance of a life time, a role to die for. It won her the Best actress award.

1st Paragraph

HOW ARE ASIAN WOMEN REPRESENTED IN THE FILM 'PROVOKED'?
In 21st century there has been a great amount of change in the Asian lifestyle of living. Asian women however have always been seen as second class citizens by their partners and in the eyes of laws- looking back into the 19Th Century, and dominantly portrayed within Bollywood movies.

In turn, Provoked(2006, Jag Mundhrah) allows audiences to address the issue of ‘domestic violence and marital rape’ amongst Asian women as well as creating awareness of what potentially occurs within Asian family households. Provoked belongs within a British drama genre, even though having elements of Indian/Bollywood film styles. These elements therefore add to the authenticity of the film as they allow Provoked to attract a wider audience and attempt to create consciousness amongst different ethnical cultures.

-http://www.apunkachoice.com/dyn/movies/hindi/provoked/provoked-preview.html