"Hegemonic masculinity is necessarily defined only in relation to other less favoured masculinities, to the extent that the 'interplay' among these various forms is key to the functioning of patriachy. Hegemonic masculinity 'marginalises other masculinities and defines other all feminities'. These features can be seen clearly as common elements of police and detective dramas, and hegemonic masculinity and crime dramas are often discussed together. Male characters who do not fit the traditional parameters of masculinity and do not use violence to solve problems are contrasted to the heroic protagonists, illustrating imperfect versions of masculinity that help define and delimit the parameters of the hegemonic ideal"

Rape on Prime Time: Television, Masculinity, and Sexual Violence

 By Lisa M. Cuklanz





http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_p73blXxnE8C&pg=PA19&lpg=PA19&dq=crime+dramas+and+hegemony&source=bl&ots=m9eK7vdQSv&sig=RYe0OvbiNHionVqy80tNuc76nQo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tx_AUuHzBsbAhAejioDgAg&sqi=2&ved=0CEEQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=crime%20dramas%20and%20hegemony&f=false

"Crime texts are usually set in a contemporary urban environment"

"Iconography as a term was derived in Erwin Panofsky's (1955) art criticism and referred only to the visual signs"

"We also associate aural signs with particular genres"

"We associate guns and decrepit city streets with the crime genre"

"Iconographic sounds refer both to diegetic and non-diegetic sounds. In crime texts, the sound of a police car's siren (diegetic) is usually endemic"

"Maybe all genre texts follow the conventional narrative structure described by Todorov and Propp, they tell their stories in different ways" 

"The typical crime story involves the hero solving the crime in order to catch the villain"

"The detective story formula centres upon the detective's investigation and solution of the crime"

"The six main phases of this pattern: (a) introduction of the detective; (b) crime and clues; (c) investigation; (d) announcement of the solution; (e) explanation of the solution; (f) denouement" - cited by Edgar Allan Poe 

Nick Lacey (2000). Narrative and Genre - Key Concepts in Media Studies. Hampshire: Palgrave. 

"The usual relationship in a Film Noir is that the male character (private eye, cop, journalist, government agent, war veteran, criminal, lowlife) has a choice between two women: the beautiful and the dutiful. The dutiful woman is pretty, reliable and always there for him, in love with him, responsible - all the things any real man would dream about. The beautiful woman is the femme fatale, who is gorgeous, unreliable, never there for him, in love with him, irresponsible - all the things a man needs to get him excited about a woman. The Film Noir follows our hero as he makes his choice, or his choice is made for him. "

Paul Duncan (2000). Film Noir: Films of Trust and Betrayal. Vermont: Trafalgar Square Publishing. 

Fish Tank: Social Realism Conventions

How typical is your chosen text to its genre?

The chosen text is the 2009 social realism film 'Fish Tank' directed by Andrea Arnold. It gives an insight into what life is like for a dysfunctional family in Essex by using social realism conventions such as natural lighting and unknown actors. 

The use of hand held camera shots create a social realism convention. The shots that the camera captures are somewhat jumpy and follow the on-screen action directly. It creates the sense of physically being alongside the characters and it gives the audience the ability to empathise more as they can to see and feel what the characters see and feel. This is typical to the genre because social realism films aim to force the audience to empathise with a usually under represented group of people. The hand held camera shots follow the gaze of the protagonist Mia, and as her head tilts or her eyes wander the camera follows this movement too. After she has met Conor portrayed by Michael Fassbender, she watches him walk up the stairs. Her eyes tilt upwards to follow Conor up the stairs, and so the camera tilts upwards and follows the movement of climbing the stairs. The camera then slowly pans down to Conor's feet and then the shot cuts back to Mia. This camera movement represents Mia's gaze and again allows the audience to really experience what Mia is experiencing. This is again typical as the audience can empathise with her. 

Another typical convention of social realism is the aspiration to lead a better life. Mia believes the way to achieve this is by becoming a dancer, especially in music videos. In this particular clip while in the kitchen, Mia gazes adoringly at the TV and after a while begins copying the dancers in the video and she starts moving along to the music. This shows the audience she is unhappy with her lifestyle and desperate for a new life and better future. The music video portrays wealth and luxury, and this is ultimately what Mia wants. This is thought provoking and upsetting for the audience as it becomes apparent she has little or no money or luxuries in life, which represents the so-called under class.

The Hunger Games: Sci-fi Conventions

Within the 2012 film 'The Hunger Games' there are several sci-fi conventions present. The use of modern and new technology is a frequently used sci-fi convention. The handheld scanning machine used for recognising a person from their blood is a never before seen device that has been 'invented' for the purpose of this movie. This use of modern technology is iconic to the sci-fi genre and by using this machine the audiences are engaged by what this device is capable of. The uncertainty of it's power, and what other technology will feature, will draw in viewers.

The use of quick tracking shots throughout the crowds of people create a speedy and intense introduction to develop excitement and tension regarding what is going to occur. The audience gets a sense of anxiety and a feeling of the unknown as these quick shots generate the illusion of eyes darting around.

Drive: Noir Conventions

The use of low key lighting is a convention of the noir genre. In the beginning of the clip, the face of the protagonist (portrayed by Ryan Gosling) is mainly covered with darkness, with only a few minor areas in light. This represents Gosling as having a hidden side to him and it shows he has secrets and guilt that he does not wish to reveal. The larger the proportion of his face in darkness, the more wickedness is within him. As Gosling's face is almost entirely in the dark it connotes that he is a negative character. When Gosling commits crimes, for example committing a murder in a motel bathroom, he leaves the shadows and momentarily his face is lit up, as if he feels that the crime he has just committed is acceptable. However he soon physically retreats back into the shadows until his entire body is engulfed with darkness as the guilt and self doubt settles in. This is another convention of noir films as the protagonist often has a physical or mental flaw. In this case Gosling has a lack of confidence following his actions and feels guilty and remorseful despite constantly commiting crimes.

Ryan Gosling's facial expression also shows this flaw. He constantly has a featureless and emotionless face with a dull stare and no smile. This shows he is constantly thinking and worrying, and also that he suffers from depression. It also shows Gosling's constant    with regard to the people he has became involved with. 

One of the technical conventions of noir films are non-linear structures. In Drive flashbacks are used to give further detail on situations and regarding characters' lives and personalities. Whilst Ryan Gosling is eating a meal with the characters portrayed by Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac and Kaden Leos, the scene cuts to a flashback with a conversation featuring Gosling and Isaac. This informs the audience of what has occurred and gives them a context for what happens next, which is a scene with Gosling stealing a car and proceeding to act as the getaway driver for a crime committed by Oscar Isaac's character. The use of a non-linear structure is to give the movie depth and information over a longer period of time.