RE PRE S E NT AT I ON & GL OBAL I MPL I CAT I ONS

SKYFALL
CONVENTIONS
12/15 certificate, maximising youth audiences
Often hybridised with Sci Fi/Adventure/Romance/crime
Major Hollywood studio produced and distributed
High production values including CGI & SFX.
Classic Hollywood 3 act narrative structure - Todorov
Predictable chain of events - cause and effect
Single stranded, linear, closed narrative
Dramatic non-diegetic sound
More narrative action codes than enigma codes
Clear binary opposition Hero v Villain - Propp
Generic casting
Danger leading to action chase, explosions, escape
Romantic sub-plot, Humorous dialogue
Hero/ band of heroes on quest or in some kind of danger
Love interest that both hinders and supports the main quest.
A fast moving narrative with constant set backs that are overcome one by one,leading to
fairly complex plots.
Use of close up/Insert shots/High Key Lighting
Fast paced editing
Exotic or threatening setting
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

To identify how representations of gender
and place are constructed in Skyfall

To distinguish how the representations and
stereotypes interlink with the films global
implications
REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN



How are women represented in
Skyfall?

MONEYPENNY
Has her
character
evolved since
the 1960s?

HISTORY:
Doesnt participate in missions
More sexually charged
No name (until now)
Small part romantic tension
Understands Bond
Supporting role
CAROLINE BLISS THE LIVING
DAYLIGHTS (1987) MONEYPENNY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dZ_ycKRsyI

NAOMIE HARRIS SKYFALL (2012)
MONEYPENNY
TASK

In Skyfall, do you think Moneypenny
empowers the representation of women in
contemporary society?

In pairs, discuss and write down your thoughts.
Please explain your choice.
Aim for a good paragraph.
MONEYPENNY
At the beginning of the film, Moneypenny (Eve) is Bonds
partner on a mission to recover the stolen hard drive.

M instructs Moneypenny to shoot at Patrice on the train,
yet Moneypenny is hesitant and instead hits Bond with her
bullet. It could be argued this suggests Moneypenny is an
incompetent agent.

Moneypenny only appears a few more times in the film; as
a potential seductress for Bond, rather than assisting him
with his mission.

At the end of the film, Moneypenny decides to retire as a
field agent and instead work for Mallory as his secretary.
SEVERINE
SEVERINE
What are your thoughts on Severine and her
representation?

When Bond and Severine meet in the casino, her hands
start shaking indicating her fear, suggesting she is
vulnerable and in need of help. Propp?

Severine was served as an object of sexual gratification
for both men, Bond and Silva.

Her character reinforces Laura Mulveys male gaze
concept (1975), arguing women are often presented as
passive sexualised objects for the pleasure of the male
gaze.

DEBATE: GENDER POWER
Which character is represented as being more
dominant; M or Bond?

Discuss and write down your response. Please explain
your choice.





M & BOND
M may hold the highest position of power as the head of the
Foreign Intelligence Wing, but she constantly makes poor decisions
that cost numerous people their lives.

For example, Silva holds her responsible for being tortured by the
Chinese and plans a cyber attack against her and MI6. M is also
forced to go on trial to defend the competency of her programme.

M is asked to retire from her position, being informed she has
become too old to handle matters properly. Her position is then
filled by a presumably more capable man, Gareth Mallory.

Silva: Youre smaller than I remembered

Bond both kidnaps and recues M. This is surprising given M is Bonds
boss and in a superior position of power and authority.












REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN


Has the representation of women been
shown in a positive, empowered way?

Mini essay paragraphs and examples
from the film in support.




WOMEN

Has the representation of women been empowered?

All three women were shown to be inept at their jobs
and ended up dead or in a subservient position. It
seems the women are positioned merely to be
decorative foils for Bonds masculinity.

THE REPRESENTATION OF BOND &
MEN
REPRESENTATION OF BOND & MEN
How are men represented in SkyFall?

Through Bond, hegemonic masculinity (the dominant position of
men and the subordination of women) is reinforced throughout
the film.

In contrast to the representation of women, the male
characters, were made to be heroes and masterminds.

When Bond is questioned on M, he replies bitch, when
stating the first word that comes into his head.

Gamman & Marshment (1988) argued that men can also be
positioned as sexualised objects for the pleasure of the female
gaze.


SKYFALL

The representation of place:

London, Turkey and China (Shanghai)
LONDON
When watching the clip from Skyfall, identify which distinctive and
stereotypical features are used to represent London.

Big Ben Icon London
Hackney taxi, Jaguar car
Whitehall, Parliament Square
Prime Minister reference
M: Headmaster RP language
Distinctive British Police uniform

Churchills bunker (new MI6 base)
British bulldog prop (reference to Churchill)
The National gallery (meeting Q)
Union Jack flags over dead coffins
Charing Cross station












SHANGHAI
When watching the clip from Skyfall, identify which
stereotypical features are used to represent
Shanghai.

Skyscrapers
Neon city
Futuristic
Technologically advanced

Conveys image that China is more modern and
developed than Britain.






TURKEY
When watching the clip from Skyfall, identify which
stereotypical features are used to represent Turkey.
How does this representation differ to London and
Shanghai?

Foreign agents have no care for Turkey running
through and shooting freely regardless of innocent
citizens
Two Police men shot (seemingly dead) on
motorbikes
Fruit markets and old-town stereotypes Turkey as an
undeveloped country









ETHNOCENTRIC POSITIONING OF
AUDIENCE
Ethnocentric = evaluating other cultures according to
preconceptions originating in the standards and customs
of ones own culture.

Stereotyping was used so the audience could easily
recognise each place immediately.

For example, if London or Shanghai would have been
represented with poverty, this would confuse the
audience as it would go against their expectations.

British helicopters flying around Silvas Island, suggesting
international boundaries are not a concern.
SKYFALL




Global Implications
GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS




What are global implications?


TASK
In pairs, research how Skyfall was edited
for a Chinese audience.

1. Which bits of the film was edited? Why?

2. Are there any regulations on
international films being screened in
China?

SKYFALL EDITS
Politically and culturally controversial narrative events
taken place in Shanghai and Macau.

Patrice shoots a Chinese security guard

Silva was tortured by the Chinese government after
working for MI6 in Hong Kong. This has been softened
with all references to China removed.

The scene where Bond and Severine are at a Macau
casino and he enquires if her tattoo is the mark of an
infamous prostitution ring remains intact but the subtitles
have been changed to refer to a gang.



CHINESE FILM REGULATION
References to prostitution and corruption in China
have either been edited out or obscured in the
subtitle translations.

China has a cap on the numbers of foreign films it
shows, and refuses to screen those that criticise the
country or its government.

Other films which have been amended for Chinese
audiences include Mission: Impossible3, Pirates of
the Carribean: At Worlds End and Men In Black 3.

TASK
Research some of the key global implications of
Skyfall:

How much money has Skyfall earned so far?

Did Skyfall break any records with the box office?

Did Skyfall achieve any groundbreaking
accomplishments?













GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENTS
first Bond film to cross the $1 billion mark
worldwide
the 7th highest-grossing film of all time
the highest-grossing film in the UK
the highest-grossing film worldwide for
Both Sony Pictures and MGM
Second highest-grossing film of 2012

SKYFALL

Skyfall was the 50
th
anniversary of James
Bond.

Can you research on the internet what was
done differently in Skyfall to celebrate this
milestone?





50
TH
ANNIVERSARY OF BOND

Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson wanted
something really special and different

Sam Mendes British director (typically associated with intense
dramas, scripts and dialogues)

Pillars of British acting, self-parody jokes throughout Sam Mendes
plays with the generic conventions of the Bond franchise

Britain is stereotyped for international target audience

Although a British film, the $150-200m budget was financed by
USA. The Budget is required to appeal to a global audience in
order to afford the special effects to produce spectacular scenes
etc.






MARKETING
http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2012/oc
t/23/skyfall-marketing-james-bond/print

HEINEKEN ADVERT
Piggybacking

Heineken funded a 3
rd
of the films budget
over 28m for the privilege of seeing Bond
sip from a green bottle in an early scene
coolly covering almost a third of the film's
estimated 93.7m ($150m) production
budget in the process the producers are
willing to endure that
indignity.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=VHz30rlNHCc





JAMES BOND AND THE QUEEN
LONDON 2012 PERFORMANCE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AS-dCdYZbo

PRODUCT PLACEMENT
The new film raises the bar for onscreen product
placement, from
007's Tom Ford-tailored suits to
Q's Sony Vaio hardware,
as well as offscreen alliances ranging from Coke
Zero to perfume retailers.

Research other Marketing techniquesread the
handout The Skyfall's the limit on James Bond
marketing