Identities: Identity & Film blog task

The media we choose to watch and engage with says a lot about us as people – it helps to construct our identity. 

Complete the following tasks using Media Factsheet 142: Identity and Film. You'll find it in our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets

1) Complete the Twenty Statements Test yourself. This means answering the question ‘Who am I?’ 20 times with 20 different answers. What do they say about your identity? Write the 20 answers in full on your blog.

2) Classify your answers into the categories listed  on the Factsheet: Social groups, ideological beliefs, interests etc.

3) Go back to your favourite film (as identified in the lesson or simply choose your favourite film if you weren't present). What does this choice of film say about your identity? Are there any identities within the film (e.g. certain characters) that particularly resonated with your values and beliefs?

4) Watch the trailers for the five films highlighted as examples of gay/lesbian representation in mainstream film:

• Wilde (1997, dir. Brian Gilbert)
• Philadelphia (1993, dir. Jonathan Demme)
• The Wedding Banquet (1993, dir. Ang Lee)
• The Kids are Alright (2010, dir. Lisa Cholodenko)
• Pride (2014, dir. Matthew Warchus)

How are LGBT identities constructed in the trailers and how are audiences encouraged to respond to these representations?

5) How have representations of LGBT issues changed in recent years? What examples from across the media (not just film) can you provide to support this view?

Complete for homework - due date set by your exam class teacher.