THEORISTS TO DATE

HABERMAS theory from notes: Habermas theory of collective identity is all develops from ideas, feelings, perspectives and arguments in rational discussions from the “public sphere”. The main issue is from the publice sphere is from the media through film, TV news and TV which all effect the public sphere through:
- Genre
- Narrative
- Representation

HABERMAS from THORTON: Habermas develops the normative notion of the public sphere as part of social life where citizens can exchange views on matters of importance to the common good, so that public opinion can be formed. This public sphere comes into being when people gather to discuss issues of political concern.

DYER theory: Dyer has written extensively about the role of stars in film, TV and music. Irrespectively of the medium, stars have some key features in common:
- A star has an image that is constructed out of a range of materials.
- Stars are commodities produced and consumed on the strength of their meanings.
- Stars depend upon media: magazines, TV, radio, internet in order to construct and image for marketing.
- Star image is incoherent, that is incomplete and ‘open’ and based upon two paradoxes. ONE – the star must be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary. TWO – the star must be simultaneously present and absent.
- Performance provides the completion of the stars image.

RYALL describes the media industry within a triangle, the three points are: production company, audience and film (in our case a pop video). There is a swirl going between the three point which suggests that it’s a circle of the production company producing a film (pop video), the audience eventually gets tired/bored of that view or genre so the production company changes the view on it.

SCHATZ suggests that mainstream films essentially fall into two categories of genres of social order or genres of social integration.
Genres of social order focus on a single (male) protagonist and often an ‘outsider’. The hero attempts to resolve a conflict that occurs in a contested space, possibly uncivilised or outside normal moral boundaries. A threat to social order is eliminated.
Genres of Social integration focus on a couple, group or family in a ‘civilised’ space, with established social conventions. The conflict involved is internal and is based upon emotional challenges.
Schatz details the process through which various genres develop, in four phases:

1. Innovation phase

2. Classical phase

3. Parodic phase

4. Deconstruction phase

“As a genre’s classic conventions are refined and eventually parodied and subverted, its transparency gradually gives way to opacity; we no longer look through the form… rather we look at the form itself to examine and appreciate its structure and cultural appeal”