Marxist Theory Application (AS Coursework)

Apply the concept of Marxism to your AS Coursework production.

For my AS Media Studies Coursework, I created and produced a three minute moving image sequence that was to be representative of a segment from a potential film. Marxism in the realm of media is identified through different variables, such as a hegemonic view of society. This specific view of society entails the fundamental inequalities in power experienced between differing social groups. With a Marxist view of society, it could also be argued that representations are encoded into mass texts to reinforce dominant ideologies. The way in which my coursework reinforces dominant ideologies surrounding the notion of the supernatural is seen through the conveyance of a ruthless and immoral protagonist who is incidentally a vampire. Various frames exhibit this ruthless creature, more notably through close up camera angles to show the lust for blood and the remorseless attitude - thus reinforcing the archetypal image of a vampire who is depicted as dominant, shocking and remorseless through many supernatural films. However, as the narrative of my product unfolds, we see a subversion in the stereotypical attitudes of the vampire, as it transitions to more of an intelligent and helpful figure. Although we can argue that the main intention of the media is to reinforce and circulate dominant ideologies, it can also be a catalyst for the diminishing of these ideologies by undermining them and through subversion. In this case, my product exhibits examples of both, making the product unique as it shows two parallel views.

As my aforementioned point states regarding a hegemonic view of society, the power struggles between different social groups are witnessed between the vampire and the victim within my product. Although, there is a transferal of power as the victim then becomes the predator – does this reflect attitudes within a hegemonic society? In this case, I argue that it doesn’t reflect the attitudes of a hegemonic society, as my product doesn’t blatantly explore the way in which the ruling capitalist classes protect their financial and economic interests, as my product is founded upon supernatural fiction – something of which doesn’t tackle this fundamental view of society. However, the economic differences through materialism may be inferred through my media text. Various camera shots of the protagonist (the vampire in the first instance) show him to be adorned in baggy and tattered clothing, which is most reminiscent of the working class. Contrastingly, a wide-angled mid-shot captures the secondary protagonist (who will later become the final vampire) wearing jeans and a smart top and walking whilst interacting with an iPhone. This is a clear distinction of social class between the two protagonists, highlighting the higher status of the latter character.