Identities and Film - blog task

The media we choose to watch says a lot about us as people – it helps to construct our identity. 

1) Read Media Factsheet 142: Identity and Film.

2) Complete the Twenty Statements Test yourself. This means answering the question ‘Who am I?’ 20 times with 20 different answers. What do they say about your identity? Write the 20 answers in full on your blog.

[] I am a female 

[] I am the youngest sister

[] I am Muslim

[] I am British Pakistani 

[] I am a student 

[] I am 17 years old

[] I am a feminists

[] I am a daughter 

[] I am sociable

[] I am willing to come out of my comfort zone

[] I am not afraid to try new things

[] I am a quick learner 

[] I am a person who has a long attention spam

[] I am a hard worker 

[] I am a photographer

[] I am a Greenford High School student

[] I am kind 

[] I am a team-worker

[] I am going to travel and explore

[] I am interested in other cultures

3) Classify your answers into the categories listed  on the Factsheet: Social groups, ideological beliefs, interests etc.

Social groups

 I am a Greenford High School student 

I am 17 years old

I am a daughter 

I am the youngest sister

I am a female

Ideological beliefs 

I am a British Pakistani 

I am Muslim 

I am a feminists 

Interests 

I am a photographer 

Ambitions 

I am going to travel and explore

Self-evaluation

I am kind

I am a team worker

I am sociable

I am not afraid of trying to new things 

I am willing to come out of my comfort zone

I am a person who has a long attention spam

I am a quick learner 

I am a hard worker

4) Go back to your favourite film (as identified in the lesson). What does this choice of film say about your identity? Are there any identities within the film (e.g. certain characters) that particularly resonated with your values and beliefs?

One of my favourite film is "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey". This movie is where a reluctant hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, sets out to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of dwarves to reclaim their mountain home - and the gold within it - from the dragon Smaug. This movie reflects with my identity because it is a adventurous movie which reflects my identity interns of wanting to travel and explore, going to sightseeings etc. In addition as the protagonist is a Hobbit and it shows their struggles of being small and how people can undermine them, I am able to create a personal identity and relationship for the characters as being quite small too and the urge of myself wanting to prove people wrong when I feel though as if people undermine me. 

5) Watch the trailers for the five films highlighted as examples of gay/lesbian representation in mainstream film. How are LGBT identities constructed in the trailers and how are audiences encouraged to respond to these representations?

For each of the five films that highlight the examples of gay/lesbian representation in the mainstreams film. The LGBT identities were constructed as opening themselves up to the public and making the society become more open minded and not keep the LGBT community alienated due to their sexuality. Example like Pride, it makes the audience encouraged to represent positively to these representations and the feel of acceptance because of the "Trodov narrative" thats built up. These mainstream films are now also representing gay/lesbians in a positive way and making the audience know that they are just normal people and should be treated the same way as any other person that you would see.