1. Who are the communicators?
2. What product or service is being advertised?
3. What are the demographic and psycho graphic characteristics of the audience at which the advertisement is aimed?
4. Which needs and gratifications are addressed in the advertisement?

1. Do the Non-verbal cues in the picture contribute to the non – verbal message?

Objective:

To apply the concepts and the theories of mass communications to a media example.

Media example:

Cartier:

Mass Communication

“The media exert a wide range of effects – immediate and long term positive and negative.”  (Potter) The media are pervasive and always around us.  It is difficult to predict its effects due to technological advances and the complexity of the information age.  “All media differences are blurring.  Some believe we are going towards a convergence of computing, telephony, broadcasting, motion pictures and publishing.” (Neuman) As a materialistic society we are more concerned with the kind of message than how we receive the message.  The media literally engulfs us in its messages and influences us daily, without us even knowing it.  We are being subconsciously taught how to act in society and what it’s value systems are.  Moreover, the media has shifted from:  “A product orientation to a marketing orientation.” (Potter) They no longer develop the product they first develop a need in the audience for the product.  ‘Cartier’ began as a watchmaker, and as it attained a large wealthy clientele it slowly merged into the jewelry business.  ‘Cartier’ is part of the European luxury goods market based in Switzerland.  It has worked hard to become a symbol of rich and elegant European living.

Why do we as a mass audience believe the above statement?  It is a long and successful approach at mass communication by large business with the focus on a mass audience and a niche group.  “Mass communication is a process of delivering information, ideas and attitude to a sizable and diversified audience through a medium developed for that purpose.”†  “Mass media is the technologies and social institutions that are involved in the production and distribution of messages to large audiences.”†  In the case of Cartier the media channels used are selective for a specific target market for the upper socio-economic level of consumers.  Particularly women with rich husbands.  They use the most modern art departments who in turn hire the most modern talent to produce very expensive stills and commercial advertising.  Nothing is spared on any level as the media channels represent a very high-level company.

When we as the recipients of mass communication by Cartier  (which is global) encounter their message we have no way of showing our opinion.  This veneer by the company protects it and fuels its exclusivity.  The correlation theory as that our attitudes and opinions are influenced by the impressions we receive from the mass media.  Cartier spends enormous amounts of money on promoting its image in very clever ways.  They take extreme care with the press often sending invitations to dinners and functions.  At the dinner the guests usually receive an expensive gift made by Cartier.  Enormous amounts of money are spent on celebrities wearing the jewelry to openings – particularly Oscar evening, where the right diamonds on the right personality can be very newsworthy.  Cartier also fits into the entertainment theory as a function of mass communication, because its advertisements and commercials are so expensively done.  Even thought commercially based, “It does present images which provide escapism and relaxation.”†

Cartier as a mass communicator hires an art director and publicist, who both have the role of gatekeeper.  “The Gate keeper is an individual in a group who has the power to select and reject messages, interpret and change them, influencing the information received by a recipient.”†

It is their strict job to make sure the image and exclusivity of Cartier remain in tact in the information received by the audience.  They also make sure that the magazines they advertise in reach the audience they expect.  The demographics and target audience are essential.  Examples of magazines that Cartier advertises in are:  Forbes, The Economist, New York Times, Condé Nast, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar…  The target market of the advertising is woman between the ages of 40 – 60 with a disposable income, and wealthy male businessmen.  Cartier endorses opinion leaders troughout the sports, business and fashion worlds.  In return for their advertising money: “The magazine editors tend to select material which will please the advertisers – material which will appeal to the type of audience the advertisers are aiming at, in this case Cartier.”†

Furthermore, the Cartier publicists are very concerned with agenda setting – particularly getting the media to focus on a positive, healthy and wealthy lifestyle obtainable only by a view, to promote the product with any luxury goods event, and to focus on other editors and opinion leaders in fashion.  This projects an image and a quality that will be talked about, and furthermore, entrenching itself in the opinion of the public.  Cartier has spent the last 100 years in building its image to one of quality and as a symbol of wealth; without it, it is just rock and metal.

The effects of Cartier as a mass media consortium and their message on society also fits into the two step flow theory:  “as they rely heavily on opinion leaders to retransmit the information with their own interpretation.”†  The focus on the opinion leaders are like clients and take very good care of them in order to ensure that the transmitted message gets first to their target market, and most importantly that it is favorable.

By doing careful analysis, Cartier “is able to predict its influences on the audience, depending on what type of mass communication they use.  They know exactly why certain media campaigns fails to alter audience attitudes and believes. “†

Cartier has identified two basic need categories of its audience:

1. Affective needs – pursuit of pleasure and entertainment – satisfactions of emotions. – The pursuit of a life-style where you can afford to wear expensive diamonds.
2. Escapist needs – needs relating to escaping tension, stress and the desire for diversion.  Diversion is the fantasy of the love that comes with diamonds and the symbolism of happiness related to materialism.

Cartier spent millions reaching its audience, understanding where and who they are, and knowing what kind of advertising appeals to them.

The non-verbal cues in the picture contribute to the verbal message in numerous ways.  The first impression is cleanliness, high energy and beauty.  Putting brilliant diamonds on a white background does this.  The macro photo shows the workmanship and the quality of the diamonds.  The choice of graphics is to blend in with the coloring and to subtly state its name.  The photograph is heavily computer manipulated in order to take away any mistakes.  The only verbal information is the name and the website. When going to the website one can see that a lot of money has been spent in creating a digital extravaganza for its audience.

Conclusion.

The mechanisms and complexity of mass communication is the beginning of understanding the effects of the media (as a mass communicator) on us, as a mass audience.  By analyzing and theorizing how mass communication works, institutions and big business can better understand the effects of the media on the audience.  This is essential, as economically, they must understand the effects on their target audience.  Cartier must do so simply because they are paying a lot of money for advertising that must be justified.  As a mass audience we must understand what the mass media are trying to do, so that we can select what we are interested in, and know when we are subconsciously affected.  These knowledge structures will protect us from being manipulated by big business, and being made to believe that rock and glass with make us happy.

Silence of the Lambs

Characteristics of Left and Right Thinking and Ideology

It is important to realise we are a combination of both and our complexity lies in combining them with our own unique ideology.

Social culture, religion and ethnicities

+ Institutions / Traditions / Arts / Myths / Beliefs

+ Historical context

+ Period

Understanding the ideology of a film.

• Ideological criticism questions a film’s ideological stance (an important part of contemporary film theory.)
• Refer to Graph
• Ideology is usually defined as a body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class or culture.
• Refer to characteristics
• The fact that films are visualised and made against the background of culture, experience and knowledge of both the filmmaker and the viewers, places it in the realm of ideology and ideological criticism
• Social culture, religion and ethnicity include traditions, institutions, the arts, myths and believe. Ideological analysis also involves the period and historical contexts. All these elements must be taken into account in the understanding of the ideology of the filmmaker, the characters of the film and the viewer that watches it.
• Ideological analysis: To analyse the relationships between a film, society and the ideology of society to determine whether it supports or attacks the dominant ideology.

Central Questions in Contemporary Film Theory and analysis emphasising ideology

• How does main stream cinema contribute to maintaining social order?

Silence Of The Lambs’ is mainstream American cinema. By criticising and analysing it we can determine its ideological stance. ‘Silence Of The Lambs’ is a rhetorical motif of the police and action genre in mainstream cinema portraying ideal behavioural models in the federal government system, the FBI, and Clarice as an individual agent. Ideologically the FBI represents the establishment which identifies with the right of Genetti’s model. The FBI is an elite group that works to a strict code, is strongly patriotic and emphasises the importance of leadership. In the movie the FBI agency is a subverted form of the actual American government, and is a subtle form of propaganda reinforcing the Republican value system.

The ideological stance of the characters create the conflict and hence the interest in the viewers. Actors or stars are less likely to be ideologically weighted, but if the character is strong enough (the character portrayed well) the ideology of the character can win over the audience. Moreover the skill of the filmmaker will determine us believing in the character’s values. It is for this reason that we identify and even project with Hannibal. Hopkins’ skills in acting, the script and the director have made one of the most brutal murders charming and intelligent; we even identify with his twisted ideology. This in itself is what makes American main stream cinema so frightening. We identify with characters that are shallow and often violent, not characters that are complex or deep thus creating a population of viewers that identifies with misguided values.

Analysing Clarice’s ideological values are more difficult as they have contradictory sentiments. On the one hand she is a female acting in an independent fashion with strong values and at other times she is shown as vulnerable and in need of male help. The killer is a regurgitation of Hollywood’s continued biased and stereo typed character of another mentally unstable homosexual. Linking homosexuality to perversion and murder again reflects the right-thinking ideology of the movie production industry. Any thing that threatens the family is treated with hostility, reinforcing heterosexual monogamy as the only expression of sexuality. The title ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ also has a biblical reference of Satan against God, making religion the moral arbiter.

• The next central question is: What form of oppositional cinema will break the hold of main stream cinema, and make films as instruments of social change?
• Oppositional cinema sets itself the goal of analysing and interpreting dominant ideology
• Ideological criticism questions a film’s ideological stance
• Films are produces by big production studios operating in terms of capitalist criteria with the purpose of propagating certain political ideas and values. (This makes it a powerful ideological state apparatus)
• Oppositional cinema is needed to counter media-ownership (controlled by the dominant culture of Western / male / white and heterosexual), and ideology being ‘sold’ trough the state institutions
• Examples include:
• African American cinema is the reaction to being portrayed in the first 50 years of US cinema in demeaning stereo-typical roles. Spike Lee’s movies have had a huge role in educating Americans about the ideology and culture of African-Americans.
• Independent American cinema opposition of its money making counter part. Michael Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine” won the Oscar for best documentary. (An attack on the American conservative gun club.)
• Fespaco lead by Sembene have reclaimed there space in world cinema with unique African pictorial communication reflecting their own ideology to counter the effects of colonialism.
• The gay-liberation movement inspired by feminism and the black liberation movement. (‘The Celluloid Closet’ documents the evolution of gay stars and gay roles in cinema.)
• Sally Potter’s feminist art movie ‘Orlando’
• Oppositional films have given voice, dramatizing tensions between the dominant culture and the values of a minority community.

Conclusion

Every film may be determined as an ideological statement as it is determined by, and hence reflects, the dominant ideology of society. By analysing and criticising films with the emphasise on ideology we are better able to understand the motivation, reasons, aspirations, and values of the filmmaker, the characters and how it will be interpreted by the audience. By putting it in the context of culture and the period of history we are able to understand its significance. Film is the most powerful medium of story telling and is an ideological statement. It is therefore our duty to treat it with respect, dignity, and fairness.

Hollywood - Capitol of Global Ideology

“The economics of film determines its infrastructure and therefore it’s potential.  The politics of film determines its structure:  that is, the way it relates to the world.” (Monaco)

Film is our society’s modern equivalent of story telling:  A film’s value system will reflect in the style of the movie.  When a director makes a movie it becomes a reflection of his or her political beliefs and ideology.  “Whichever way we look at it, film is a distinctly political phenomenon.” (Monaco)

While the potential of film can change society’s dominant ideology and be revolutionary; the reality is that it is a controlled political landscape of media ownership.  Who ever controls the systems of distribution and production in essence, controls the political message and the belief systems of society.  Mainstream cinemas are movies that amplify certain aspects of culture and attenuate others.

Movies are a part of Louis Althusser ideological state apparatuses, a part of the institutions that the state (linked to media ownership) uses to literally sell its ideology.  This is done through the control of screening, distribution and its links to broadcasting systems.  An example is Ted Turner’s Time/Warner which is a huge conglomerate of mass publishing, broadcasting, production and distribution of movies.  Turner, a democrat in theory, has an American political agenda that reflects the dominant ideology of American Democratic Party to a global market.  The problem lies in that this dominant culture in film is western, written, white, male, and heterosexual negating the stories (films), of minorities, woman, different cultures, gender cultures and the marginalized.  Opposition cinema today is working, but without the clout of money and politics to back it up, the films are often not distributed.

Film as ideological constructs

The fact that films are visualized and made against the background of the culture, experience and knowledge of both the filmmaker and the viewer, places it in the realm of ideology and ideological criticism.  Ideology is usually defined as a body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class or culture.  Ideological analysis of a film lets the viewer understand the relationship between a film, society and the ideology of society to determine whether it supports of attacks the dominant ideology.  Social culture, religion and ethnicity with the inclusion of traditions, institutions, the arts, myths and beliefs determine a society’s ideology.  One must also take into account the period and historical contexts.  All the elements lead to the understanding of the ideology of the filmmaker, the characters of the film and the viewer who watches it.

A simpler way of looking at it is Giannetti’s left/centre/right model that differentiates political ideologies.  The value systems incorporated in a film usually reflect in the style of that movie.  “We can differentiate a film’s ideology by focusing on some key institutions, values and analyzing how the characters relate to them.” (Giannetti)

It is important to realize that neither left or right thinking in ideology is better or worse, but that people are usually a combination of both and our complexity as filmmakers lies in combining elements with our own unique ideology.  The extreme left or right is where the problems lie, as proven by communism and fascism.

This essay uses Giannetti’s L-C-R model to classify the ideological position of Leni Riefenstahl’s ‘Triumph Of The Will’ and Sally Potter’s ‘Orlando’.  It also looks at Potter’s contribution to feminism in cinema.  The bipolar categories of Giannetti support the classification.

Triumph Of The Will

Triumph Of The Will Germany (1935) directed by Leni Riefenstahl, celebrates Nazi mystique.  Hitler commissioned her to film the Nazi Convention of 1934.  The event was staged for the cameras of over 30 cinematographer’s under the direction of Riefenstahl. “The film uses objective seeming film language to present an intensely partisan view of Hitler.”  (Rabiger) It contains no voice overs and seems to ascribe power and inevitability to her subject.  Its purpose was to create the illusion of Hitler as a myth, a Deity and master.  The film is regarded as a pinnacle in the exploitation of non-fiction’s cinematic potential.  The composition and musical elements combine into a very slick advertisement of Nazi ideology.  The film is one of the first organized media political campaigns backed by the money and technology of the party.  Riefenstahl was a tool used to fuel the propaganda machine; she just happened to be a very talented filmmaker with a genius of manipulating the visual.  She had demonstrated this with her previous iconic Olympia films.  The Nazi’s realized the potency of film in a generation addicted to cinema; they made propaganda films using carefully selected actors to show Aryan supremacy.  ‘Triumph Of The Will’ is an aesthetic masterpiece, it is sad that it eulogizes a monster.  At the root of the film is the attempt to condition rather that to communicate.  Ultimately Riefenstahl would spend four years in prison for her participation in Nazi propaganda.

“The film stands as a reminder of how reality needs wise and responsible interpretation if art is to be on the side of Angles”. (Rabiger)

Sally Potter.

In her literature Wolfe helped radically to redefine what poetry and fiction could be and do.  Sally Potter also helped to redefine what scripts and films could be and do in oppositional cinema giving voice to feminist concerns.  Orlando was one of the most popular art movies of the nineties.

Feminism in film arose from the militant ideology of the woman’s liberation movement.  Up until that point woman, as categorized by Hollywood, was socially inferior to men.  Unable to tell their own stories, their main function was to support men.  Their roles were eternal, unchanging, and of no historical significance; where as men were presented as shapers of destiny and history.

The roles of woman were mundane.  It wasn’t until the late sixties that feminist oppositional cinema took form.  It was clear that Hollywood had sought to discourage woman from acting in an independent fashion.  Feminist filmmakers, like Sally Potter opposed main stream cinema’s biased and stereo-typed depiction of woman’s roles.  They were concerned with how woman in society have been affected by this depictment and treatment on film.  Feminist filmmakers both male and female are attempting to overcome prejudice by providing fresh perspectives and insight of woman in society.

Riefenstahl showed the power of woman filmmakers by making this century’s most discussed documentary.  She would have been a champion of early feminism had she not used the power of the Nazi’s to advance her talent.

“We want nothing less, on or off screen than the wide variety and dazzling diversity of male options.” (Mulvey)

Orlando

The movie Orlando is based on Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel, Orlando: A Biography.  It is about an English nobleman born in the Elizabethan times that does not grow old or die.  Orlando is a central figure passing through history right up until the 20^th century; at a certain point – near the end of the 17^th century – Orlando discovers that he has turned into a woman.

The movie confuses historic reality with an illusion of reality at those times; sleep and dreams are the links between the stages in history.  The movie is divided into headings which stand as cognitive texts.  Orlando often speaks directly to the viewer and acts as a guide through English history.

1600 Death

The Virgin Queen Elizabeth is played by Quentin Crisp (a man)

1610 Love

Orlando questions stereo types and prejudice.

1650 Poetry

The lines of the poem by Robert Greene refer to Marxis theories and class struggle.  “So fortune smiles on those who own the land, and frowns at the trivia from the dabbler’s hand.”

1700 Politics

Orlando turns into a woman after being in a deep sleep.  She must now face society and its politics from the point of view of a woman.

1750 Society

Orlando receives several invitations to literary gatherings.  She attends one of the most famous in history; Jonathan Swift 1667 – 1702 had formed the Scriblerus club.  Invited were guests Joseph Aderson 1672 – 1719 and Alexander Pope 1688 – 1744 who were both poets.  Orlando realises in the gathering her lost of status by being a woman.  This is a further reference to feminism and it is interesting that Woolf acknowledges “the glass ceiling” (an invisible barrier that stops woman from reaching the same positions as men) through the misogynistic portrayal of other great writers.

Orlando’s receives lawsuits for her property as she is legally dead, and now a woman.  She realises the probability of spending a life alone and as a spinster.

1850 Sex

Modernism is linked to a desire to change society we begin to see the possibilities and success of the female as a single mother, individual and strong careerist.

The last scene of the movie is Orlando’s daughter hand holding a camera and filming Orlando.  Orlando is free and happy in the post modern world of New York.

Bipolar Categories (All quotes by Giannetti)

Democratic VS Hierarchical

“Leftists emphasise the similarities of people and believe societies resources should be distributed in equal portions.  Institutions should be publicly owned with authority representing the people.”  (Giannetti)

Potter’s Orlando explores the woman’s role in history and politics.  By switching from male to female the viewer understands Orlando’s position as how she was treated as each sex.  We are made to understand how society treats the male and the female in a political context.  In poetry we are told the predicament of the workers with no land ownership.  Orlando is Potter’s feminine point of view on politics; her film being the pen for her own political comments.  Potter emphasises the benefits of the collective and the communal.

“Rightists believe social institutions are guided by strong leaders and they should be privately owned with profit as the main incentive.   The emphasis is on the individual and the elite managerial class.”

Triumph Of The Will, is the most extreme example of right value systems of ideology.  The Nazi party controlled all the state institutions and used them as ideological state apparatuses.  It was considered one of the great advertisements of a political campaign.  Was it Riefenstahl’s skill in visualising the movie or was the Nazi ideology her own political belief?  This is the question she went to jail for and is still debatable, but the political effects and subsequent chaos were real enough.

Environment VS Hereditary

“People of the left believe that human behaviour is learned and can be changed by proper environmental incentives.  The person’s environment is responsible for their behaviour and not their character.”

In essence this is the subtext of Orlando as Potter show’s the centuries it took for woman to be accepted as equals.  As Orlando travels through different environments we see the constraints of society on Orlando as a man and a woman.  Orlando in 1600 is a young uncomfortable prince and in the 20^th century is an open and in control woman.

“Rightists believe that character is largely inborn and genetically inherited.  Emphasis is on lineage.”

Riefenstahl’s film used carefully selected actors to show Aryan supremacy, lineage being the focal point of the party.  Although Hitler comes from a dubious past the film shows him as the master of the master race.

Relative VS Absolute

“People on the left believe we ought to be more flexible in judgement.  Issues of right and wrong must be placed in a social context before we judge them fairly.”

Orlando in the last scene is being videoed by her daughter whom the audience can perceive as being the future in a fair society.  In the ages before you see Orlando controlled and not judged impartially.

“Rightist expects discipline, right and wrong are clear cut and violations are punished.”

Triumph Of The Will shows in its composition of form the neat and orderly system of the Nazis.  Discipline above all is what kept the Nazi government system functioning – any violations were dealt with in the most extreme manner.

Secular VS Religious

“Most leftists are humanists with religion being a private matter.  They are openly critical of organised religions and are attracted to progressive denominations.”

In Orlando religion is tied to politics as run by the monarchy.  As Orlando changes gender the viewer realises the church will not accept her.  Potter pokes fun at religion in how it constrains its subjects.

“Rightist accord religion a privilege status and are respected as moral arbiters.  ‘Triumph Of The Will’ presents Hitler as a Deity.  By this time Hitler had full control of the church and any opposition was dealt with.  The documentary places him above religion and his dictatorship has become the moral arbiter.

Future VS Past

“The leftists view the past as dominated by class conflict and exploitation.  The future is viewed with hope; the idea of progress and evolution towards a more just society.”

The value systems of Potter are shown in her belief of the future.  She shows the conflict and exploitation of woman in history and progresses to show Orlando in a post modern society.  She justifies her own position as a woman filmmaker by showing what she had to endure to arrive as a woman of social position.  This is reflected in the character of Orlando passing through time.

“People on the right have a deep veneration of the past and tradition.  The future and change bring moral decline and do not emulate the glories of the past.”

Triumph Of The Will documents the rise of a party that is a result of German societies dissatisfaction of what change has brought.  In a time of depression Hitler emphasise the past and glory of Germany to drum up his support.  The entire style of the party was based on past grandeur.

Co-operation VS Competitions

“People of the left believe social progress is achieved by co-operative effort of all citizens to a common goal.”

In this case Triumph Of The Will shows co-operation of the military which represent the people.  Hitler’s genius lies in his manipulation of people to work together for ultimately his own gain.  He is willing to use ideas from the left to support his right ideology.

“Rightists emphasises open market principals and the role of the government is to protect property and security. “

Orlando is a result of competition between men and woman in the sense of equality.  Orlando’s strength is shown in her ability to break the glass ceiling and to become a script writer in post-modern New York.  However, it is important to note that Orlando’s rights are the result of a co-operative effort of feminists in gaining respect for woman.

Outsiders VS Insiders

“Leftists identify with the poor.  They respect and value ethic diversity, and are sensitive to the needs of woman and minorities.”

Potter explores this in her section ‘Love’ where Orlando falls for the daughter of the Russian ambassador.  We see Orlando’s sensitivity to the foreigner as a woman and immigrant in England.  Potter identifies with the poor with her ridicule of the class system and monarchy.

“Rightists, tend to identify with the establishment, featuring protagonists who are authority figures as Riefenstahl does with Hitler.”

Her documentary was essential in maintaining and dictating social order with the power of the military to back it up.  Hitler was shown to stand as the symbol of authority.  The illusion of power leads to Hitler actually achieving it with Riefenstahl’s documentary helping to fuel and visualise his ideas.

International VS Nationalistic

“Leftists are global in their perspective, emphasising the universality of human needs.”

Orlando shows the universality of human needs when she travels to Turkey and deals with its people.  The character shows common humanity in ethnic diversity.

“Right wingers tend to be strongly patriotic, often regarding people from other countries as being inferior.  They believe criticism weakens a nation.”

Triumph Of The Will could be no more patriotic attempting to condition rather than communicate.  Anybody outside of the pure German was seen as inferior.  The control of the press and media ensured criticism was not heard.

Sexual Freedom VS Marital Monogamy

“Leftists emphasise sexual freedom, privacy, personal choice and non-interference.  They accept homosexuality as a valid life style. “

Potter identifies the struggle of woman with the struggle of minorities, and in particular gay rights.  Quentin Crisp is a gay icon, and Jimmy Summerville sings “Elisa The Fairest Queen” as a cherub up in the sky.  With these two characters Potter laughs at the rules of authority and religion.  By linking her movie to gay icons Potter shows her respect and alliance of The Woman’s Liberation Movement to The Gay Liberation Movement.

“Rightist regards the family as a sanctified institution and anything that threatens the family is viewed with hostility.   Heterosexual monogamy is the only form of sexual expression.”

Hitler persecuted any form of sexual expression outside of heterosexual monogamy.  Homosexuals represented by a pink triangle were an aberration of everything he believed to be pure.

• How did Triumph of the will contribute to maintaining social order?
  • Triumph of the Will could be regarded as the ultimate ideological agent in maintaining social order by visualising the power of Hitler.  In Giannetti’s model it is on the extreme right under fascism.  It was a propaganda tool used to show the power of the party and create Hitler into a myth.  By realising the potency of film the Nazi’s manipulated the medium to show their supremacy.  Riefenstahl’s skill in filmmaking was a major factor in creating the illusion of fear the Nazi’s needed in order to control.

• Sally Potter’s form of oppositional cinema has helped to break the hold of mainstream cinema and in doing so has made films as instruments of social change.
  • Orlando’s position in Giannetti’s model is near the far left under socialism.  Potter as an art filmmaker and feminist ideologically identifies with the rights of minorities and the marginalised.  In all her movies she explores issues of gender the role of the female and opposes the dominant ideology controlled by big production.  Unfortunately Potter’s audience is limited due to distribution, her films not reaching enough people to make a huge difference.  However her contribution lies in the fact that she has a voice and has used her cinema to advance her concerns as an artist and a woman.

Conclusion

Every film may be determined as an ideological statement as it is determined by, and hence reflects, the dominant ideology of society.  By analysing and criticising films with the emphasis on ideology, we are better able to understand the motivation, reasons, aspirations, and values of the filmmaker, the characters and how it will be interpreted by the audience.  By putting it in the context of culture and the period of history we are able to understand its significance.  Film is the most powerful medium of story telling and is an ideological statement.  It is therefore our duty to treat it with respect, dignity, and fairness.