Which media theory should I incorporate in my Portfolio Project?

Hello again! Today I will be talking about which Media Theory I'm choosing to incorporate into my project. I had a couple in mind but I've decided on Representation theory.  I chose this because I wasn’t interested in showing violence in an obvious or exaggerated way. Representation theory  uses choices like specific angle shots , sound, or editing to shape how the audience sees the character. 

Now the main goal of how I wanted to use representation theory was to show our main character, whom we have chosen the name as Asher, to be shown as a psychopath with little to no emotion. 

I was thinking of using just silence as a sound to show the unsettling atmosphere as well as portraying Asher as unsettling. We can also use tight close ups , to give discomfort to the audience from his awkwardness. As well as using mise-en-scene to portray Asher as a teenager who is emotionally detached.  This makes the character feel more realistic and unsettling. It also reflects how media can influence perception without being graphic.

And I wanted to do that without having to say anything or rather than showing violence directly, I wanted to explore how we can suggest madness through little details.

 By doing this, I am  shaping the audience’s perception of the character, demonstrating how media representations can be shown in our own way. :D

Heres a movie example! 

NIGHTCRAWLER

This movie here Nightcrawler is a strong example of Representation Theory because the film shows the main character, Lou Bloom, as unsettling and morally ambiguous without relying on any kind of action. Instead, the audience’s perception of him is shaped entirely through behavioral cues and stylistic choices.  

The filming methods that they chose to show the character as:

• Blank facial expressions and forced politeness create discomfort, implying a lack of authentic emotion.

• Long pauses and awkward silences , which have the audience to question his morality.

• Camera framing that isolates him visually reinforces his separation from societal norms 

• Cold lighting s produce an atmosphere of emotional emptiness, amplifying his unsettling presence.

Overall, I will be using representation theory and add it on to my portfolio project! :)

Citations:

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/nightcrawler-2014

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightcrawler_%28film%29