Media Literacy Topic #3

Subjective or Objective? 

PART A.

Bias: The preference for certain viewpoints, ideologies, values, or beliefs.

Filmmakers want the audience to respond to their movies, whether with laughter, sorrow, anger, excitement, or fright. Generally, movies try to appeal to as many people as possible, but every viewer responds in a different way for different reasons. You and your parents might both like the same movie, but while you relate to the characters in the story, your parents might respond more to the movie’s theme. The qualities that make you like or dislike a movie reveal your biases. Just like you, all media have biases. Identifying these biases helps you evaluate the information you get from them.

·         List some movies that you really like and some of the things they have in common.

·         Now list some movies that you dislike and some of the things they have in common.

·         List the qualities that would make you see a movie.

·         List the qualities that would make you avoid a movie.

·         Pick one medium that you use regularly, such a magazine, television show, or blog. What biases can you find? Are they similar to your biases? If so, how?

PART B: STEREOTYPES AND GENRES

Genre: Categories of media united by style, form, or content. Movie genres include: Western, romance, mystery, and comedy.

Stereotype: The assumption that all members of a specific group have certain traits in common. It can be positive or negative.

To stereotype a person or a group is to assume that people who share certain characteristics are all the same. For example, political stereotypes would suggest that all Republicans are for mainstream businesspeople, while all Democrats are for minorities and the poor. Some people believe that stereotypes are based on actual fact. Others believe they are always false. In films, stereotypes can be a quick way to define characters. A high school drama might include a popular girl, a nerd, a jock, and a student body president as character types people will instantly recognize.

·         List as many stereotypes as you can.

·         Is there any truth to the stereotypes you listed? If yes, how?

·         Give an example of one of the stereotypes being used in a movie and why you think it was used.

·         Was your reaction to the stereotype positive or negative, and why?

·         List as many film genres or types as you can.

·         Do any of the genres you listed use specific stereotypes? What are they and how are they used?