Throughout Australia’s television history, Indigenous people have faced considerable misrepresentation in both their characterization and absence from our screens. Graduate student and actress Josie Atkinson looks at three key case studies: Boney (1971-2; 1992) Neighbours (1985-), and The Secret Life of Us (2001-5), revealing that while problems still exist in the representation of Indigenous people in televised media dramas, there have been some groundbreaking developments in this facet of Australian media.
Category Archives: Podcast
A Good Man with a Gun
“The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun”. These are words spoken by NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary school massacre. Film scholar Dr Rodney Wallis argues this statement has a peculiar resonance with the mythic ideal of an armed saviour in American culture. He explores how Hollywood has contributed to this ideal through the 1950s Western, particularly focusing on George Steven’s 1953 movie Shane. He is joined by Ben Eldridge for a Q&A session, in which they chat about heroism, masculinity, gun culture, race and gender in the Western genre. Seminar: 0.00 – 16min Q & A: 16min – 1hr 02min Produced by the Sydney Screen Studies Network Visit our website: sydneyscreenstudies.wordpress.com Email us: sydneyscreenstudies@gmail.com
Icons and Politics in Spanish Cinema
What cultural and social value can be found in 1970s exploitation cinema? Doctoral candidate Váleri Codesido explores 1970s Spanish exploitation cinema to question what it can tell us about Spain in both a pre- and post- Franco era, and Spain’s relationship with the world, through its explicit portrayal of sex and violence. Váleri also proposes that aesthetic parallels can be found in the Ozploitation films of the 1970s, opening up further questions around the stark differences in Australia’s and Spain’s political and cultural histories. Váleri is joined by Assoc. Prof. Anne Rutherford (WSU) for a Q & A with the audience present on the day. Seminar: 0.00 – 22min Q & A: 22min – 1hr 13min Produced by the Sydney Screen Studies Network Visit our website: sydneyscreenstudies.wordpress.com Email us: sydneyscreenstudies@gmail.com
The Female Hero: The Research-led Screenplay
by Sophia Riley Kobacker e: sophia.kobacker@hdr.mq.edu.au This podcast is of a seminar presented by Sophia Riley Kobacker at UNSW Sydney for SSSN on 1st May 2018. Sophia’s paper is followed by a question and answer session facilitated by Dr Natalie Krikowa and involving the audience present on the day. SOPHIA RILEY KOBACKER, Media Researcher and CreativeContinue reading “The Female Hero: The Research-led Screenplay”
Fassbinder: As He Appears to Us
Dr Sharon Mee interrogates the role of the pulse and rhythm in film. She examines a series of experimental films – Brakhage, Kubelka, and Duchamp – which visually inscribe rhythm onto the image. She extends this analysis into horror film, specifically the work of George Romero, to argue that the pulse is a response to the experience of ‘felt’ time; the human pulse is integral to the connection between the viewer and the rhythmic images on screen. Dr Richard Smith responds to Sharon’s talk with his own analysis of Michael Haneke’s cinema, and the discussion continues with the audience present on the day.
Intersections of Media Effects Research: Developing Socially Responsible Media Production
Are we influenced by what we watch? Psychologist and media consultant Danya Braunstein talks us through some of the vital research into how individuals’ thoughts, attitudes and beliefs are affected by the media they consume. She dispels some of the myths around media effects, and she proposes how media producers can adopt a socially responsible approach to producing their content. Danya is joined by her Macquarie Uni colleague Chanelle Tarabay for a Q & A at the end.
Ways of Seeing and Feeling: Rhythm and Pulse
Dr Sharon Mee interrogates the role of the pulse and rhythm in film. She examines a series of experimental films – Brakhage, Kubelka, and Duchamp – which visually inscribe rhythm onto the image. She extends this analysis into horror film, specifically the work of George Romero, to argue that the pulse is a response to the experience of ‘felt’ time; the human pulse is integral to the connection between the viewer and the rhythmic images on screen. Dr Richard Smith responds to Sharon’s talk with his own analysis of Michael Haneke’s cinema, and the discussion continues with the audience present on the day.
New Intimate Cinema Spaces
Rebecca Lelli, a Macquarie Uni graduate student, examines the plethora of viewing environments and platforms used to watch films today. She challenges the traditional assumption that the public theatre is the ‘best’ place to watch a film. Rebecca uses a case study of queer cinema to explore how new, intimate, digital viewing spaces allow for queer youth identity development and drastically change queer politics around film and media engagement. Rebecca’s talk is followed by a Q&A session with Dr Tara McLennan.
Reframe: Considering Screens to Reconfigure Postmedia
UNSW postgraduate Charu Maithani explores the new kinds of interactions enabled between viewer/spectator and screen in the postmedia age. She examines changing aspect ratios, interactivity, and film production technology through the past 50 years, and questions: Can screens be studied as a new way to reconfigure postmedia? How do these technologies change the way we interact with screens? She is joined afterwards by Melanie Robson for a Q&A with the audience.
Gendered Vulnerability in Transnational Action Cinema: xXx, The Great Wall, and Kung Fu Yoga
Dr Timothy Laurie discusses masculinity in transnational action cinema. He looks at the numerous high budget action films emerging in the US, China, and India in the past decade that employ both international casting and transnational narratives. He argues these films create new kinds of masculine heroes as well as signalling deep cultural differences. Prof. Meaghan Morris joins Tim after his talk to further discuss masculinity, K-Pop stars, and underrated action films.
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