Exam Question 1 'prep' - gender

Game of Thrones

The women 
In the clip, the main women can be categorised under different sub-categories of a women - such as: the 'sexy' women, the 'traditional' women and the 'lesbian' women. This has been portrayed through many features such as: camera, sound, mies-en-scene, performance etc. 

I believe that through the camera shots and movement the women is represented under the 'sexy' women category - this is because, when she was walking towards her just announced army the camera was looking up at her. This shot allows the audience to be placed underneath her meaning she stereotypically has the most power which is a connotation of being sexy. The track camera movement ensured that this analysation continued throughout this scene. This also had a 'head and shoulder' shot which allows the audience to see that she is clearly not intimidated whereas a 'traditional' women may feel under pressure in front of that many people, nerves in fact due to the timid conventions it withholds but this character is the complete opposite. By being the most powerful in this scene, above the men clearly denotes her as a dominant character whether this is good or bad she falls within the 'sexy' women category. In the last scene, the camera moves away from the action into a birds-eye view shot of all of the army and the women. This is significant due to the fact that there are hundreds of people there and she is the leader clearly showing the amount of power she has over these people. Coincidentally, each character in this shot are moving to the right in which is stereotypically used to announce the 'future' and this clip is used to announce the 'new beginning' for the army rather than stay as slaves. 

The sound used in the scene could be argued to let the women fall within both the 'sexy' women and the 'lesbian' women category. Firstly, the diegetic chain sound in the scene at the beginning can imply power and authority due to the masculine connotations it comes with (masculine being the stereotypical gender for power therefore challenging this stereotype through using a women associated with this). Also, the sound motif that the women is represented with - the pulsing sounds when she is approaching her new army and then the final scene when she is walking with her army off into the distance creates tension within the scene. This tension builds the audience's awareness of the power she withholds. This characteristic falls into both the 'lesbian' and 'sexy' women's category however, does not fall within the 'traditional' women's one due to the fact women are stereotypically known to be the one following the man's orders which is not the case within the scene. Therefore, allowing the audience to seek entertainment, identification and also, escapism from the traditional reality through the Blumler and Katz 1959 uses and gratification theory. 

Mise-en-scene also offers factors in which determines how to categorise the women. Her costume is an element of mine-en-scene, this could be argued to fall within the 'traditional' women category due to the 'girlyness' the outfit withholds due to being a dress but the colour of this clothing offers something opposite. Blue stereotypically is related with men therefore for her to be wearing such colour allows her to again, withhold the power to defeat and challenge original stereotypes. It can also have the connotations of hope and calmness which she defiantly portrays within her character. The calmness she has is lined parallel with her confidence (a 'sexy' women characteristic). The colour of her hair being white is very significant. White has the connotations of purity which relates to the 'traditional' women category however, this bold colour to have as a hair is significant to showing the confidence she has within herself, which is stereotypically a 'sexy' trait. 
The lighting (another aspect of mine-en-scene) when the battle is over is low-key lighting surrounding her but where her silhouette stands there is chiaroscuro lighting which has the connotations of authority. By not needing her whole body shown to know who it is can conclude the potency she withholds. The Laura Mulvey 'Male Gaze' theory can be closely linked to this scene due to the use of the women's body to offer the male demographic a sexualised women for their entertainment. Therefore, this theory allows the women to be categorised under the 'sexy' stereotype. 

Her performance and characterisation, I believe is completed in a way to show the 'sexy' female stereotype. Throughout, she presents herself with a 'bitchy' tone, especially when she is declaring the army to kill. The stern manner allows her to gain this convention of the stereotype amazingly. Also, the way she holds herself with the poised posture is a clear relation to confidence falling back into this category - the 'traditional' women would look fragile whereas this contradicts that. 

Overall, throughout the clip there are different aspects that you could relate the main character,  "the women" into the different stereotypes. She falls into all three: "sexy", "lesbian" and "traditional" women. 

Notes

• She could be categorised as a 'sexy' because the role she plays allows her to have power over a vast amount of people, mostly men which is a clear connotation 
• The white she is wearing could also be a connotation of a 'sexy women' however hints at the purity she might withhold due to this being the colour to represent purity. This could portray the woman as sexy due to being able to wear it with confidence - this characteristic is a stereotypical convention of this role. 
• The 'bitchy' convention could be seen through the fact that she is continuously named one. Also, through her action within the scene allowing her 'army' to kill right in front of her so she therefore has a stern manner about her - again, seen as sexy.
• sound of the chains - diegetic - power and authority
• camera looks up to her when she's walking towards the army POWER
• pulsing sound (non-diegetic) building tension 
• the low-key lighting surrounding her silhouette shadow shows she doesn't need light to promote power
• Blue connotes hope - white is our (hair - physical representation)