Homework - Issues, debates and theories

Why is it that despite the success of Slumdog Millionaire that there is a lack of successful south Asian actors in Hollywood


Issues and debates
- Representation and stereotyping – (This would be something is portrayed in different light to its original context) And (This would be classing a person by a group, and puting them into a category because of certain atributes that they may have - Blonde = Dumb)
Is there an effect to the stereotype of South Asians, that restricts them being seen as individuals rather than as a group.
Link from the Guaridan - http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jul/17/channel4.television1
Academic Link - http://psp.sagepub.com/content/36/7/911.abstract
Other Link -

Media effects?
Reality TV ?

- Post 9/11 and the media (moral panics) – ( This would be the media and how it is has impacted after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, such as the degrading of muslims and other ethnic minoritys and the high security risks and carefull choice of presenting texts in formats that are not offensive and de sensitive to the subject area) (Panics that are in society today as a result of media, and that are highlited in the media)
Bollywood - why is it only films such as ‘My name is khan’ that are related to Muslims and terrorism that are filmed in America and screened in cinemas worldwide.
Link from the Guaridan - http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/06/british-muslims-disenfranchised-july-bombings
Academic Link - http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/3/7/0/3/pages137033/p137033-1.php



Ownership and control – (This would be the owners and lead figures in the media such as rupert murdoch, and large companys such as MTV, Disney, Fox, who own and control the media contiously and subcontiously)
Would there be an influence played by the owners of media firms and filming company’s who would frown upon casting an unknown South Asian actor as opposed to an unknown actor in general?
Link from the Guardian - http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/aug/01/citynews.pressandpublishing
Academic Link - http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/sociology/comments/media-ownership-and-the-bbc/
Other Link -

Media technology and the digital revolution – (This would be the technology thats involved in media and how its vast adavances recently over a short amount of time that have impacted the media and how they play a factor in the media today)
changing technologies in the 21st century and how they are impact movies which would take focus and attention away from the question of equal opportunities in media.
Link from the Guardian - http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/oct/17/newspaper-abcs-websites-internet-news
Academic Link - http://bucks.ac.uk/about/structure/academic_schools/applied_production__new_media/new_media__technologies.aspx
Other Links -

The effect of globalisation on the media - ( )

Theories

Postmodernism and its critiques?

- Gender and ethnicity – (This would be whether someone is male or female) And (Is the class of ethinic group in which someone fits into, such as African, Caucasion, Asian)
There have only been small roles that have been given to both genders of the south Asian ethnic groups to have cameo roles in American TV and film. What’s restricting them from appearing in bigger productions?
Link from the Guardian -
Academic Link - http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-33628227_ITM
Other Links -

- Audience theories – ( The theory that different audiences have different prefferences)
Could there be an element to of what audiences would judge an actor by reputation, and due to audiences being more interactive, would this push directors away from casting smaller actors for bigger roles, although (Robert Pattison – Twighlight) broke through to be a star from virtually a nobody. Would race play a card in this theory?
Link from the Guardian - http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/sep/29/big-brother-channel-5-endemol
Academic Link - http://www.mindlab.org/images/d/DOC1030.pdf
Other Links-



Genre theories – (The theory that different genres are suitable for and created for different audiences as they offere different gratifactions)
Could there be case for, there not being any film scripts or roles that are suitable for them. Although why cant South asian actors act in contempory genre's.
They could easily of added some in the twighlight saga, as a few of the wearwolves, as those characters are portrayed from an indian cult background.
Link from The Guardian - http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/sep/16/bbc1-controller-jay-hunt
Academic Link -
Other Links


Texts
- Slumdog Millionaire (Dev Patel)


- My Name is Khan (Bollywood film) ?

- Kal Penn (Arguebally the most succsesfull indian actor, but how well known is he?)
(He was the 1st indian american actor to break through into hollywood)




The Namesake - Kal Penn



- define in my own words each theory debate issue
- one academic link
- one net link to each theory and issue and debate
- how does it link to investigation
- Guardian.co.uk - 5 relevant links, highlight main 2.