HOW THE REPRESENTATION OF GENDER IS CONSTRUCTED IN 'MAD MEN'
After watching a short clip from season 1, episode 1 of Mad Men, there are many points that I can pull from the scenes - looking at gender representation and techniques used. Firstly it is clear that the scenes are set in the typical 1960s era, with the mise-on-scene including 1960s suits and skirt styles. The scenes also showed an old-fashioned office building, with a shot of 1960s cars and the traditional yellow taxi cabs of New York. The scenes within the office showed typewriters and black and white pictures, again showing how the mise-en-scene is of the 1960s era.
In the clip, the director uses many different types of camera shots to showcase the whole scene, providing the audience with a full insight into how the director wants to represent the 1960s era. For example, at the beginning of the clip, an ariel shot is used. This shows the side of a office building, where you can see old fashioned cars and the typical New York yellow cabs.
It is clear, for a modern audience watching back on this programme, how gender representation wasn't fair and the language used would be inappropriate if used in todays society. For example quotes such as 'easy enough for a women to use' and 'put a paper bag over your head', were used in the clip. This sexist language towards the women, objectifies their body and reinstates that men were of a higher rank, having the power.
At the beginning of the clip an establishing shot is used, hence giving an appropriate overall feel for the typical 1960's era. Another technique which the director uses to create this sense is the non-diegetic sound at the opening of the scene; which is of the typical 1960's music taste. Again, this mise-en-scene is also shown during the tracking shot of the first section of the office scene; this showed the two female characters walking through sections of the office building, passing their male workers. As well as this, synchronous sound is used in this scene, as the audience can hear typewriters in the background of the focus conversation.
In 'Mad Men', the director also uses continuity editing, as the scenes flow easily from one to another, helping to keep the audience engaged on the storyline. When the conversation between the two women in the scene is shown, a shot-reverse-shot is used; tracking from one character to the next, depending on who is speaking. With this, shallow focus is also used, blurring out the background of the character so that all the audiences attention is focused on them.
In the clip, the director uses many different types of camera shots to showcase the whole scene, providing the audience with a full insight into how the director wants to represent the 1960s era. For example, at the beginning of the clip, an ariel shot is used. This shows the side of a office building, where you can see old fashioned cars and the typical New York yellow cabs.
It is clear, for a modern audience watching back on this programme, how gender representation wasn't fair and the language used would be inappropriate if used in todays society. For example quotes such as 'easy enough for a women to use' and 'put a paper bag over your head', were used in the clip. This sexist language towards the women, objectifies their body and reinstates that men were of a higher rank, having the power.
At the beginning of the clip an establishing shot is used, hence giving an appropriate overall feel for the typical 1960's era. Another technique which the director uses to create this sense is the non-diegetic sound at the opening of the scene; which is of the typical 1960's music taste. Again, this mise-en-scene is also shown during the tracking shot of the first section of the office scene; this showed the two female characters walking through sections of the office building, passing their male workers. As well as this, synchronous sound is used in this scene, as the audience can hear typewriters in the background of the focus conversation.
In 'Mad Men', the director also uses continuity editing, as the scenes flow easily from one to another, helping to keep the audience engaged on the storyline. When the conversation between the two women in the scene is shown, a shot-reverse-shot is used; tracking from one character to the next, depending on who is speaking. With this, shallow focus is also used, blurring out the background of the character so that all the audiences attention is focused on them.
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