Future

I haven't written in this blog for a while, so I'll just mention what I've recently been up to. Firstly, I will be graduating in July and hopefully have some full time employment. Secondly, I went to Bath for a week to help set up a new beautiful Boux Avenue store, which was a great experience. Not only did I meet many people but it gave me a great insight in to what I see myself doing in the long term.

Visual merchandising and advertising are two things which I'm greatly interested in. I love the artistic aspect and with my three years studying Media and Visual Cultures I have gained a lot of theoretical knowledge.

Year Two Study Skills - What is meant by the terms ideology and hegemony and to what extent do they differ? Give examples of these terms in relation to gender and sexuality to your illustrate your point.

The aim of this essay will be to consider the terms ideology and hegemony and how they differentiate. They will then be related to gender and sexuality for the point to be illustrated.


Hegemony is a term that was introduced by Gramsci in the 1970's. It refers to power rather than domination and is gained through ideology and culture. A set of specific aims are given according to taste, knowledge and society. The groups or parties are able to claim social, political and cultural leadership. Instead of domination, ‘Gramsci emphasized the need to win approval’ (Gramsci, cited in Gill, 2007).

There is also hegemonic masculinity, which defined by Connell is not a single type of masculinity. There is a hierarchy of masculinities depending on how masculine someone is. This might be according to their clothing, hair, facial expressions and body language. Masculinity is considered as being active, be based on the body, middle class, working class, black or gay.

Ideology is a system of ideas that explains and makes sense of society. The dominant ideology would be one that consists of the middle class, middle aged, possibly parliament and within the western world (Hayward, 2000).

Bibliography
 
Gill, R. (2007) Gender and the Media, Polity Press: Cambridge

Reflective Diary: Plans for future employment

After I graduate I either hope to work for a women's magazine, possibly advertising, writing or editing, but ideally in fashion.




A job like this will require a strong knowledge in fashion, good skills in written and verbal communication, imagination and willing to work long hours.



There may be an assumption that when women work for a magazine those they are very fashionable, thin and good looking people. Also there may be an idea that the job is very rewarding, the staff get given free clothing and attend parties and events all the time.



At the moment I'm working for a retail company called Boux Avenue! It is a great opportunity to learn about consumerism and aspects of advertising. I am really interested in visual merchandising and that is another possible idea for future employment. I was able to be involved with the company from the start and helped with the store building itself, especially with displaying stock.



VISUAL MERCHANDISING

• Promotes the sale of goods, by the presentation of them in retail stores

• The products need to be displayed in an attractive environment so that they are engaging to the customer, in order for there to be a sale. This can be done through the use of mannequins, window displays shelf displays

• It is a form of art and presentation of a store and its merchandise.

• Colour, lighting, product information and space are all used by the visual merchandisers.

• It educates the customer, sets the company apart from other retailers, draws the attention of the customer into buying.

• There is a link between fashion, product design and marketing.

• It informs customers on the latest fashion trends by highlighting them at strategic locations

• Requirements: Visual merchandising requires knowledge of fashion, design, business, customer behaviour, psychology, inventory, and architectural principles.



Passion for design and creativity are essential to be a good visual merchandiser. Awareness of happenings in fashion world is needed so as to keep up-to-date with the dynamics of the market constantly.



According to prospect.ac.uk visual merchandising entails:



 conducting research based on lifestyle concepts and trends, as well as store and/or regional attributes;

 developing floor plans and sketching designs;

 sourcing materials and display elements, such as lighting, props and accessories;

 maximising the space and layout of the store;

 installing and dismantling displays, using available space to the best advantage;

 dressing mannequins and making use of creative lighting for window displays;

 preparing for promotional events and dismantling displays at the end of promotional periods;

 giving feedback to head office and liaising closely with merchandisers and buyers;

 visiting other stores in the area, working with in-store sales staff and helping to develop their understanding of presentation;

 setting up a 'model' or ‘mock’ store according to the company's latest design directives, and then photographing the store's windows, walls and displays in order to create a visual merchandising pack to send out to other stores (to ensure consistency with the company brand and image);

 implementing the designs and plans created by the visual merchandising manager and the creative director, which may involve work such as lifting, carrying and climbing ladders.





How to improve as an undergraduate student!



1) To read every day in order to build on knowledge of theory



2) To participate fully in the lectures and seminars



3) Better organisation of time with assignments and ensuring to meet deadlines



4) Speak to lecturers with regards to extra tuition or help



5) Make good use of the I.T and library facilities at the university



6) To gain as much work experience, as possible this will benefit for the future

7) Good interaction with other students on the course or in university in general







Public Speaking!



It is has enabled me to not just inform but convince the audience of the point I am making. To be professional and that I am in control is necessary when engaging an audience with speech. It had taught me how to organise my thoughts logically. Have very good eye contact with the audience by being in control with my eyes and my body. To be clear when enunciating, so that the speech is effective.



Developing skills in I.T by constructing a PowerPoint presentation with the use of images and videos, using visual aid creates a better result.



• Builds a great amount of confidence and self esteem.



• Has helped me to focus by keeping the message clear and simple.



• Preparation and practice is vital



• To be natural and concise



Employment


Public speaking is highly useful for employment as it builds confidence, making easier to communicate with people, improving eye contact and bad habits.

Public speaking will also help at job interviews, as they can be very nervous situations. My handling nervous habits, eye contact, speaking slowly and planning will enable success in employment.

How to improve essay writing!

1) Make sure the question is fully understood and is answered
2) Plan the essay and decide what to put in and what to leave out
3) READ
4) Include introduction, middle, conlusion and bibliography
5) Get to the point quickly
6) Conclusion should refer back to the question
7) Use programme handbook

Supermarket Sweep Activity - Social Class in Supermakets

The task was to buy two of the same small food products from different ranges, value and finest. The aim was to then analyse the products using semiotic analysis and finding the social differences that are created from them.

Tesco Value Milk Chocolate Vs Tesco Finest Swiss Chocolate

They are both pieces of milk chocolate, though to the consumer they are much more then that. The first image, Tesco Value Milk Chocolate, is a simple product. The design of the packaging suggests no fuss and what the customer will get is a piece of milk chocolate. The font on the packet is bold and clear to see to the public eye. It is making a statement amongst the the other various branded goods on the shelves, Tesco Value Chocolate is noticeable. The colours used on the design are red, blue and white, typical colours of the Tesco Brand. The packaging material is plastic, it is efficent and the product is easy accessible.

Social Differences - The younger market are more likely to purchase value goods within the supermarket as they will get more for their money, whereas the older generation, with good incomes are likely to go for more luxurious chocolate. The lower class may also prefer to spend less money in the supermarkets and go for the lower end price in products.

With the Tesco Finest Swiss Chocolate the design of the product is very different. The design has been carefully created to achieve the most desired looking piece of chocolate bar. The product oozes quality and is perhaps seen as more desirable to the consumer. The colours and the use of the coco bean are carefully created to produce an authentic look, it suggests that what you get is a pure piece of chocolate. The material used on the product is cardboard which may suggest the product has a solidity to it and is neatly presented to show the utmost quality. This product is likely to appeal from the middle to the higher end of the social class.

According to John Fiske, 'the supermarket is a densley woven texture of commodity, information and display' (Fiske, 1992, p160).

Films Reviews!

The Karate Kid

Cast:

Jaden Smith - Dre Parker

Jackie Chan - Mr. Han

Taraji. P Henson - Sherry Parker, Dre's mother

Zhenwei Wang - Cheng, the bully

Even though I had not seen the original Karate Kid I had an idea of what I was about to go and see. Except I did not realise how entertaining the film was going actually going to be. The joyful and uplifting story of 12- year old Dre Parker, who leaves Detroit with his mum for a new life in Bejjing, China.

He struggles to adapt to the culture and attracts some unwanted trouble to the boys in his school. Dre is soon guided by Mr. Han, the maintenance man, who in time teaches him martial arts, resulting Dre being entered into a kung fu tournament.

There are many comical moments in the film, especially with the repetition of 'Jacket on, Jacket off'. Mr Han's method of teaching begins with teaching Dre respect, by telling him to place the jacket on the hook rather than throwning it on the floor.

One thing that is more noticeable then anything else in the film are the use of the numerous scenic chinese locations, including, the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. The film is certainly not let down by these.

The climax of the film comes during the final showdown of Dre and his bully from school.

Media Studies with Visual Cultures

Level One - Modules covered during first year!
Term 1: September - December
MSVC 101: Being Academic
The topics that were looked at in this module include:

• studentship
• mitigating circumstances
• defining academic study
• referencing using the harvard system
• plagiarism
• forms of assessment
• paraphrasing
• bibliography
• the learning centres

MSVC 102: Introduction To Theory
Topics include:

• the representation of women
• the representation of men
• the representation of race and/or ethnicity
• concepts relating to marxist theory and the frankfurt school
• postmodernism

MSVC 103: Constructing Meaning: An Introduction
Topics include:

• signification
• encoding and decoding
• myth
• ideology and hegemony
• case studies on hollywood cinema, continuity editing and the 180 degree rule

Term 2: January - May
MSVC 104: Genre
The topics that were looked at in this module were:

• the approaches to genre study
• analysing iconography, narrative and generic conventions
• deconstructing genre conventions - similarities and difference
• ideology and spectatorship
• representation
• historical, social and cultural perspectives
• constructing and stereotyping audiences through genre

MSVC 105: Stardom and Performance
Topics include:

• studying star personas
• representation and ideology
• socio-cultural approaches to stardom
• star persona from screen to subsidiary media texts
• constructing authenticity in performance and photography
• the quest for the 'real' in a glamorous industry
• stars as commodities: brands, lifestyles and identities
• fashion: industry and audience perspectives
• contemporary stardom: summarising concepts and debates

MSVC 106: Institutions
Topics include:

• culture, society and the media
• ideology and control
• case study on the BBC
• critical theory and culture industry
• institutions, power and the media

Text and the City

'The St David's 2 (Dewi Sant) took ten years of planning and three years, but it is finally here and was a significant scale and importance to Cardiff. It was important for 'St David's 2' that the building design reflected Cardiff's unique arcade shopping experience whilst drawing on inspiration from European styling and cutting edge architecture. Inspiration for its design is a reflection of the pride of the City's and builds upon the hope for Cardiff as an international destination whilst fitting effortlessly into the mature and well loved existing fabric of the city centre.

Striking a balance between the engineering quality of the arcade and a lighter, more delicate touch for the finishes is important as we aimed to echo the discreet sense of scale and texture, unique to Cardiff and South Wales. Natural stone, light coloured timbers, reflected light and other natural materials will be employed to create a true sense of Welsh space. Interesting and exciting pieces of art will all help to create an identity for St David’s giving it a truly Welsh sense of place'.

(http://www.stdavidscardiff.com/)

It opened to the public during a grand launch on 22 October.

The photos that I have taken here are just a few of the many main entrances. The use of the orange text enables it to stand out. The whole shopping centre does seem to have a colour scheme of yellow, reds and oranges. The fact that the colours white, red and green have not been used which is significant as those are colours which represent Wales. The text is positioned just above the doors and is very clearly seen by the public passing by. The site that St David’s sits on is the same footprint area as the Millennium Stadium.

I feel that this new shopping complex is enabling Cardiff to become one of the major cities in the U.K, not only terms of a place for keen shoppers, but also becoming an international tourist destination. It will certainly put Cardiff on the map.

Working in a group with Kirk, his chosen text was of the Oceana Club.

Theoretical Concepts

Hegemonic Model


Hegemony is the power of the ruling class to convince to convince other classes that their interests are the interests of all; dominant groups have to convince other groups. It acknowledges the other positions of different people in society, and suggests they cannot have their own way by just producing something.

The media support and perpetuate dominant ideologies based on traditional values that are viewed by most as normal. This occurs due to the predominant ownership of media industries by middle – class, middle aged white men. This affects the messages and ideology within the media product, example, and subconscious fears of anyone outside the dominant ideology, or what is normal.


I found this concept facininating, because the truth of the matter is, they are all extremely true. Most women in todays society feel the need to change their appeareance in order to feel socially accepted.

Representation of women through consumerism

Liberation through consumer culture, fashion and beauty. Typical feminine preoccupations include shopping for clothes and shoes, spa pampering and beauty products which are all seen as empowering to women. The ‘L’Oreal’ notion, ‘because I’m worth it’ which is driven my makeover programmes and magazines show that this sort of consumerism defines a woman. As Bette Midler would say, ‘give the girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world’.

Visit to the Cardiff Museum / No Such Thing as Society - Photography Exhibition

From spending time in the exhibition I noticed a variety of social class in the photographs. The middle class and the working poor class particularly came across quite clearly. The differences in the social class in some photographs are strongly conveyed between the working poor, middle class and the capitalist class. One photograph which stood out for me, representing the capitalist class, was ‘Ascot’ 1973 by John Benton Harris. They show typical characteristics of top level executives and politicians. However, Paul Graham’s ‘Crouched man, DHSS Waiting Room, Bristol 1984, shows characteristics of the underclass.

From looking at the photographs in colour and then comparing and contrasting them with those in black and white, I do notice a different impact. Many of those in colour appear to be more uplifting, the times seem less harsh and the social class seems to be in a very fortunate position. It emphasises a more joyous view on life.

I would say that the main difference is that with the photographs that contain people we immediately see how they are mentally and physically represented in that social class. We then immediately assume that they may be middle class, for example. With the photos that didn’t contain people they created an impact that the situations of the social class, such as working class, were very difficult, harsh and unnecessary.

I feel that the photo that resonates with me the most is the ‘Portrait of a village’ 1977 by Jurgan Schadeburg. I found this photograph quite haunting to look at in the way that each face was separated from the other by darkness. This helped to encourage the emotions on each face so that I would just see each person at a time. I found it particularly interesting because I feel social class is more often judged by how people look and how they are contrasted from everyone else in society. As I come from a small village it is interesting because there is a variety of social class within the village and each person is different from the other.

Another photograph that I did find quite disturbing to look at was Chris Killip's, Youth on Wall, Jarrow, Tyneside, 1976. It was beautifully framed and shows a young skinhead boy in the very district, that 40 years before had come to symbolise Depression-era England, with the 1936 Jarrow March against poverty and unemployment.

Going into Cardiff High Street, it was certain that I could read what type of social certain class some people were in, though some were harder then others. Those selling magazines and those who sat in the doorways of shops were easier to read. The people in the photographs were all in situations which they are accustomed too, so I found it easier to read the social class of the photographs compared with the people on the street.