Checklist of required lines of
enquiry
Audience
Texts
Institution
Research (Question 1)
Accounts of the kinds of
research undertaken, to include
the following:
• the producers, institution or
industry concerned
• academic criticism
• popular criticism
• audience reception, including
the candidate her/himself
Primary Research
• audience reception
research (focus groups,
work experience,
interviews, industry
visits);
• candidates’ own
textual analysis and
own critical responses/
theses.
Secondary Research
• use of books/study
guides and other
library resources,
such as newspapers,
magazines, journals,
video/DVD/television
resources, existing
research studies;
• industry, academic and
other related web sites
etc.
Example of an initial thought-shower for the Critical Research Study topic of Women and Film
male representations in films
are active
female representations in
films are passive
men do the looking
women are the objects of the
gaze
male audiences want to be the
active male character
women audiences want to be
with the active male character
Texts to study?
1950s?
1990-2003?
Working hypothesis:-
Mulvey’s theory of the male
gaze in modern society makes false
assumptions about both film-makers
and audiences.
based on psychological
Z
theories
Z Define Mulvey’s ideas based on feminist theories
Z
based on classical Hollywood
Faults? [ cinema of the 1950s
Premises?
Assumptions?
social-cultural background
to audience reception
Z
social-cultural background to film-
makers (stars, directors, studio
Reasons for findings? [ bosses)
Do film-makers today abide by
Z
these theories? (consciously/
unconsciously)
Z Test findings? [
Do audiences today abide by
these theories? (consciously/
unconsciously)