THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
Size-zero debate: fashion industry is told to 'grow up'
By Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor
Published: 22 May 2007
The chairwoman of an independent inquiry into the fashion industry's relationship with size-zero models warned yesterday that it was time for the industry to grow up.
Baroness Kingsmill, a former deputy chairman of the Competition Commission, said stronger measures may have to be taken to protect young women aspiring to be top models.
She was speaking at the launch of the inquiry by a panel including a psychiatrist, an academic and leaders of the fashion world into the casting and selection process for models and the impact on their health of the demand for the super-skinny look.
But critics said it was hard to see how a minimum size could be imposed without incurring charges of discrimination.
The three-month inquiry, backed by the British Fashion Council, comes in response to growing disquiet about the risks of modelling to young women desperate to meet the industry's waif-like norm. The deaths of a Uruguayan model, Luisel Ramos, 22, and her sister, Eliana, 18, within months of each other last year fuelled the debate. Luisel died of heart failure after starving herself for days before a fashion show and Eliana died of a heart attack. In November, the death of Ana Carolina Reston, a Brazilian model aged 21 who lived on a diet of apples and tomatoes, sparked worldwide concern.
Leading actresses have condemned the pressures on young women. Kate Winslet said: "I feel very strongly that curves are natural, womanly and real." The demands on women to pursue size-zero figures was "unbelievably disturbing, " she said. Billie Piper, the former Doctor Who star, described the trend as disgusting.
Their views have been echoed by ministers. Rosie Winterton, the Health minister, said the impact on girls aspiring to be super-skinny was "deeply worrying," and the Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, called for extremely thin women to be kept off the catwalk.
Last September, Madrid Fashion Week announced that it was banning models with a body mass index of less than 18, the lowest weight considered healthy, equivalent to 8 stone 4 lbs for a woman of 5ft 6ins.
London also refused to follow suit, with the British Fashion Council, which runs London Fashion Week, instead urging designers to use only healthy-looking models aged over 16.
Lady Kingsmill said the issue could no longer be ignored.
"It is time, in a way, for the fashion industry to grow up," she said. "It is a real and a very important industry and the people working within it have to be taken seriously and have to be treated well."
She added: "We are going to explore what the legal obligations are both domestically and internationally. There are lawyers who have said they could put up quite an interesting personal injury case on behalf of a model whose health has been damaged by her working environment or on behalf of a model who has been denied work because of her model size."
http://news.independent.co.uk/health/article2567983.ece
Sunday 30 September 2007
Saturday 29 September 2007
TV Review (new york times)
TV Review 'Ugly Betty'
A Plucky Guppy Among the Barracudas
By VIRGINIA HEFFERNAN
Published: September 28, 2006
“Ugly Betty” is indeed cute. But she’s the new girl. Let’s not all pounce on her at once. It’s too much to ask of this mostly guileless, slightly ungainly series that it be another “Lost” or “Desperate Housewives” for ABC this year, so maybe we should watch aloofly, starting tonight. Let’s let Betty find her locker and her lunch table, and observe her without asking that she be more than she is.
Of course we can still gossip. This ABC melodramedy, which has attracted big attention both for being an American telenovela and for being funny and good, has a slight premise: an ungorgeous Latina goes to work at a fashion magazine. She’s hired by the father of the party-boy editor in chief because she’s too homely to tempt him into dissipation. Can this sitcom setup work in an hourlong format?
Seems dubious, but “Ugly Betty” is onto the doubts about it and stands ready to turn them into plot. As Betty Suarez, the sexy actress America Ferrera, here defaced by braces and bangs, sets her mouth, squares her shoulders and takes on the part like a linebacker. She’s bravely playing a character who’s coded as ugly, which means she’s still eating food, which is apparently about the bravest thing a television actress can do.
Nourished, braced, standing firm, Betty asks that the world come at her, and come it does: fink boyfriend, vain sister, ineffectual father, trampy neighbor. And that’s just in Queens, where she lives. In Manhattan, at the Vogue-like Mode magazine, Betty finds conniving executives, ruthless monomaniacs, strivers without principles, chubby clock watchers, Uriah Heeps and Iagos and the usual New York office crowd.
So who is Betty in the midst of these grotesques? She’s meant to be nothing but smart and good, though in life the two traits rarely fit perfectly together. And because she’s also “ugly” she’s assumed to have made the ultimate personal sacrifice in our vain world, and her intelligence and wholesomeness are meant to be not only absolute but perfectly compatible. This improbability causes some problems in characterization. The big joke of tonight’s episode is that Betty interprets the comeback of the poncho as permission for her to turn up at work in a red eyesore emblazoned with the word “Guadalajara.”
Naïve and touching, yes, but just to play devil’s advocate what kind of college graduate, as Betty is supposed to be, wears a gift shop poncho on her first day at work, thinking it’s what she’s seeing in magazines? This error is less evidence of a mind on higher things than it is a cognitive disability.
For a serious-minded girl not to understand couture or street-trash ensembles like the designs of Jeffrey Sebelia on “Project Runway” might be admirable. But for a literate, sentient, self-aware young woman to prefer bulky belted layers in clashing patterns and cacophonous shades of red and orange to (at least) the affordable A-line skirts and cotton button-downs at Old Navy or Target, that makes no sense. Commedia characterization on pseudorealist television can be exhausting: just as not every rich person has to wear an ascot, not every provincial girl has to dress like a mental patient.
Betty’s clothes, in other words, the most flamboyant side of her, have not been integrated into her character. They’re a free-standing gag, and that gag cannot last long. Whether there’s a show without that gag, though: that is the question.
Salma Hayek, an executive producer who will also appear sporadically on the show, adapted “Ugly Betty” from a Colombian telenovela called “Yo Soy Betty La Fea.” Ms. Hayek has an uncanny aptitude for blending comedy and melodrama, and she’s managed to infuse the show upstairs and downstairs with soapy fun. There’s a dark corporate plot at Mode, and outrageous catfights in Queens. The ambience of telenovela is everywhere, and conspicuously on the television set in the Queens house, where everyone is addicted to the makeuppy theatrics.
Betty also likes the show — she’s smart but not skeptical — and that’s a nice touch. That wonderful moony side of her comes through even more in her scenes with Daniel Meade (Eric Mabius), her boss; Mr. Mabius, who is handsome, and Ms. Ferrera have a sparkling rapport that is the making of this show. He can hold his own with her, and Betty’s crush on him is so hopeless as to seem genuinely and tragically muted.
Daniel, for his part, is sexually drawn to Betty too, but out of perversity — She’s his servant? She’s ugly and thus would be grateful even for abuse? — that this show should probably never make explicit. In any case the two have a valet-hero back-and-forth that, if the writers really explore it, might make them a prime-time Wooster and Jeeves.
But I’m getting ahead of things. Way ahead. “Ugly Betty” is a sweet, funny show. It’s worth watching. And we’ll see.
A Plucky Guppy Among the Barracudas
By VIRGINIA HEFFERNAN
Published: September 28, 2006
“Ugly Betty” is indeed cute. But she’s the new girl. Let’s not all pounce on her at once. It’s too much to ask of this mostly guileless, slightly ungainly series that it be another “Lost” or “Desperate Housewives” for ABC this year, so maybe we should watch aloofly, starting tonight. Let’s let Betty find her locker and her lunch table, and observe her without asking that she be more than she is.
Of course we can still gossip. This ABC melodramedy, which has attracted big attention both for being an American telenovela and for being funny and good, has a slight premise: an ungorgeous Latina goes to work at a fashion magazine. She’s hired by the father of the party-boy editor in chief because she’s too homely to tempt him into dissipation. Can this sitcom setup work in an hourlong format?
Seems dubious, but “Ugly Betty” is onto the doubts about it and stands ready to turn them into plot. As Betty Suarez, the sexy actress America Ferrera, here defaced by braces and bangs, sets her mouth, squares her shoulders and takes on the part like a linebacker. She’s bravely playing a character who’s coded as ugly, which means she’s still eating food, which is apparently about the bravest thing a television actress can do.
Nourished, braced, standing firm, Betty asks that the world come at her, and come it does: fink boyfriend, vain sister, ineffectual father, trampy neighbor. And that’s just in Queens, where she lives. In Manhattan, at the Vogue-like Mode magazine, Betty finds conniving executives, ruthless monomaniacs, strivers without principles, chubby clock watchers, Uriah Heeps and Iagos and the usual New York office crowd.
So who is Betty in the midst of these grotesques? She’s meant to be nothing but smart and good, though in life the two traits rarely fit perfectly together. And because she’s also “ugly” she’s assumed to have made the ultimate personal sacrifice in our vain world, and her intelligence and wholesomeness are meant to be not only absolute but perfectly compatible. This improbability causes some problems in characterization. The big joke of tonight’s episode is that Betty interprets the comeback of the poncho as permission for her to turn up at work in a red eyesore emblazoned with the word “Guadalajara.”
Naïve and touching, yes, but just to play devil’s advocate what kind of college graduate, as Betty is supposed to be, wears a gift shop poncho on her first day at work, thinking it’s what she’s seeing in magazines? This error is less evidence of a mind on higher things than it is a cognitive disability.
For a serious-minded girl not to understand couture or street-trash ensembles like the designs of Jeffrey Sebelia on “Project Runway” might be admirable. But for a literate, sentient, self-aware young woman to prefer bulky belted layers in clashing patterns and cacophonous shades of red and orange to (at least) the affordable A-line skirts and cotton button-downs at Old Navy or Target, that makes no sense. Commedia characterization on pseudorealist television can be exhausting: just as not every rich person has to wear an ascot, not every provincial girl has to dress like a mental patient.
Betty’s clothes, in other words, the most flamboyant side of her, have not been integrated into her character. They’re a free-standing gag, and that gag cannot last long. Whether there’s a show without that gag, though: that is the question.
Salma Hayek, an executive producer who will also appear sporadically on the show, adapted “Ugly Betty” from a Colombian telenovela called “Yo Soy Betty La Fea.” Ms. Hayek has an uncanny aptitude for blending comedy and melodrama, and she’s managed to infuse the show upstairs and downstairs with soapy fun. There’s a dark corporate plot at Mode, and outrageous catfights in Queens. The ambience of telenovela is everywhere, and conspicuously on the television set in the Queens house, where everyone is addicted to the makeuppy theatrics.
Betty also likes the show — she’s smart but not skeptical — and that’s a nice touch. That wonderful moony side of her comes through even more in her scenes with Daniel Meade (Eric Mabius), her boss; Mr. Mabius, who is handsome, and Ms. Ferrera have a sparkling rapport that is the making of this show. He can hold his own with her, and Betty’s crush on him is so hopeless as to seem genuinely and tragically muted.
Daniel, for his part, is sexually drawn to Betty too, but out of perversity — She’s his servant? She’s ugly and thus would be grateful even for abuse? — that this show should probably never make explicit. In any case the two have a valet-hero back-and-forth that, if the writers really explore it, might make them a prime-time Wooster and Jeeves.
But I’m getting ahead of things. Way ahead. “Ugly Betty” is a sweet, funny show. It’s worth watching. And we’ll see.
My View:
I do agree with this review as it summons up what the show is about. However I do disagree to a certain extent as the review states that Betty’s clothes are the most colorful and loud side of her, which, has ‘not been included into her character’. This can be seen as untrue as Betty’s character in Mode building is not seen as bold and loud due to her clothing only- it is also due to her perspective being different, and her view and background are symbolized via her appearance, as this way she stands out from the rest overtly and covertly.
Moreover, the review talks about Daniel being sexually drawn to Betty, and that Betty has a crush on Daniel. Although this is an interesting viewpoint, and could be true because and audiences expectations are mainly that Betty becomes pretty gradually in time, and then gets together with Daniel- at the moment it seems unlikely that they are drawn to each other or that Betty even has a crush on him- as she is shown to take on the mother role and look after Daniel, and Daniel is shown to be the lost little boy who needs guidance (which is provided by Betty) so he is very child-like in a sense. However, as the show progresses, the characters will change and grow so there is a possibility that Daniel and Betty will get together.
Moreover, the review talks about Daniel being sexually drawn to Betty, and that Betty has a crush on Daniel. Although this is an interesting viewpoint, and could be true because and audiences expectations are mainly that Betty becomes pretty gradually in time, and then gets together with Daniel- at the moment it seems unlikely that they are drawn to each other or that Betty even has a crush on him- as she is shown to take on the mother role and look after Daniel, and Daniel is shown to be the lost little boy who needs guidance (which is provided by Betty) so he is very child-like in a sense. However, as the show progresses, the characters will change and grow so there is a possibility that Daniel and Betty will get together.
Is Ugly Betty de-uglifying ?
it seems as if Betty Suarez has been slowly de-uglifying ever since. Many of our readers have noticed that America is noticeably slimmer than she was when the show started. But I've also noticed that her hair (is it a wig?) isn't as much of a shaggy mop as it has been, her clothes aren't as loud (still frumpy, but not as silly), and her brace-face isn't quite as prominent.
All this may be in an effort to shape the character -- in other countries' versions of the show, Betty eventually goes through a transformation into a gorgeous woman. At the very least, it may be showing that Betty's time at Mode might be rubbing off on her in small ways. But, according to TV Guide's Mike Ausiello, some of the changes might be coming from Ferrera's reps, as he reported in a blind item today. In other words, he doesn't mention the name of the show, but most of the commenters seem to think he's talking about Betty
Some of Ausiello's readers cited other sources that said that Ferrera requested that Betty lose her braces because they're painful to wear during what I'm sure is a pretty grueling shooting schedule. I can understand that; people don't wear braces forever, and it's perfectly realistic to see Betty lose the metal and either go with a retainer or nothing at all..
And America might be feeling the usual Hollywood pressure to lose weight. But I can tell you from personal experience, she still looks more natural and normal than 90 percent of the actresses I encountered when I was out in L.A. Most of them were so skinny, their dresses just hung off their shoulders, not showing any evidence of a figure.So is Betty Suarez getting a little less ugly? Sure. But she's not becoming a beauty queen, at least not yet. And the character is still kind at heart. That's why we started liking her in the first place, anyway...
Glamour interviews America Ferrera
Glamour Asks America Ferrera What It's Like To Be Fat
How in the world is America Ferrera making it in Hollywood despite not being white or thin? That is the question Glamour seeks to answer in their latest issue. Sure they call her a bombshell and praise her for being the actress women love, but they also photoshopped the fat out from under her arms, gave her a hip and breast reduction and tanned that hide. As witnessed by the comparison at right to a recent file photo snapped in August.So we decided to translate some of the more interesting parts of the interview to reveal what’s really being said. Join us while we read between Glamour’s lines:
GLAMOUR: So 11 Emmy nominations for Ugly Betty, two new films in the works. You’re huge!
[Translation: How can you be successful? You’re huge!]
AMERICA FERRERA: What’s crazy is that when opportunities to work come along, they are countered by just as many opportunities to piss it all away. Thank God I’m too busy to say yes.
[Translation: Thank God I’m too Latin to pull a Lindsay Lohan.]
AF: If this is my chance, I’d hate to look back and say I sacrificed it for partying.
[Translation: Unlike Dina Lohan, my mamá would kick my ass.]
GLAMOUR: Have you ever felt limited by your status as a Latina?
[Translation: Have you ever felt you should be cleaning someone’s house?]
AF: …[W]hen I came around with Real Women Have Curves…[w]e screened the film all over the world—in Jewish communities, black communities, Greek communities, German communities— and people across the board said, “That’s my family.”
[Translation: Fat people rule the world.]
GLAMOUR: So do you think Hollywood is moving away from the tall, skinny blond as the actress ideal?
[Translation: Should we be frightened?]
AF: At the end of the day, studios are learning there is a market out there that doesn’t necessarily want to go with predictable choices.
[Translation: No.]
GLAMOUR: Do you still pinch pennies out of habit?
[Translation: Are you the first in your family not to live on welfare?]
AF: My first big, extravagant purchase was a convertible BMW […] but a month after I bought it I was biting my nails, waiting for my tax refund to arrive. Eventually I thought, What’s the point? I just need something to get me from A to B. So I traded in my BMW for a Toyota. But I’ll spend any amount of money on tickets to a show I want to see. This weekend I’m going to New York City with my boyfriend to see Patti LuPone in Gypsy, my favorite musical ever!
[Translation: Like many Latina women, I’m uncomfortable with treating myself. On a side note, my boyfriend could be gay.]
GLAMOUR: How do you feel about being the newest spokeswoman for curvy figures in Hollywood?
[Translation: How do you feel about being fat?]
AF: I’m a size 6 or 8, which is totally normal.
[Translation: Bitch, get some perspective.]
GLAMOUR: Did you ever go through a Betty-like awkward stage?
[Translation: You grew up wearing a serape, right?]
AF: I never wore braces, but I did wear retainers.
[Translation: No more than any other White girl.]
AF: But the most awkward stage I went through has to be my freshman year of college: I had really frizzy hair [and] that extra freshman 15
[Translation: And I went to college, Esa.]
GLAMOUR:Do you have any leftover body insecurities?
[Translation: You’re not thinking of STAYING this size, are you?]
AF: Totally. I never liked my legs and I can’t remember the last time I wore a bathing suit in public.
[Translation: Another year of this success and I’ll make Nicole Richie look like Carnie Wilson.]
[Translation: How can you be successful? You’re huge!]
AMERICA FERRERA: What’s crazy is that when opportunities to work come along, they are countered by just as many opportunities to piss it all away. Thank God I’m too busy to say yes.
[Translation: Thank God I’m too Latin to pull a Lindsay Lohan.]
AF: If this is my chance, I’d hate to look back and say I sacrificed it for partying.
[Translation: Unlike Dina Lohan, my mamá would kick my ass.]
GLAMOUR: Have you ever felt limited by your status as a Latina?
[Translation: Have you ever felt you should be cleaning someone’s house?]
AF: …[W]hen I came around with Real Women Have Curves…[w]e screened the film all over the world—in Jewish communities, black communities, Greek communities, German communities— and people across the board said, “That’s my family.”
[Translation: Fat people rule the world.]
GLAMOUR: So do you think Hollywood is moving away from the tall, skinny blond as the actress ideal?
[Translation: Should we be frightened?]
AF: At the end of the day, studios are learning there is a market out there that doesn’t necessarily want to go with predictable choices.
[Translation: No.]
GLAMOUR: Do you still pinch pennies out of habit?
[Translation: Are you the first in your family not to live on welfare?]
AF: My first big, extravagant purchase was a convertible BMW […] but a month after I bought it I was biting my nails, waiting for my tax refund to arrive. Eventually I thought, What’s the point? I just need something to get me from A to B. So I traded in my BMW for a Toyota. But I’ll spend any amount of money on tickets to a show I want to see. This weekend I’m going to New York City with my boyfriend to see Patti LuPone in Gypsy, my favorite musical ever!
[Translation: Like many Latina women, I’m uncomfortable with treating myself. On a side note, my boyfriend could be gay.]
GLAMOUR: How do you feel about being the newest spokeswoman for curvy figures in Hollywood?
[Translation: How do you feel about being fat?]
AF: I’m a size 6 or 8, which is totally normal.
[Translation: Bitch, get some perspective.]
GLAMOUR: Did you ever go through a Betty-like awkward stage?
[Translation: You grew up wearing a serape, right?]
AF: I never wore braces, but I did wear retainers.
[Translation: No more than any other White girl.]
AF: But the most awkward stage I went through has to be my freshman year of college: I had really frizzy hair [and] that extra freshman 15
[Translation: And I went to college, Esa.]
GLAMOUR:Do you have any leftover body insecurities?
[Translation: You’re not thinking of STAYING this size, are you?]
AF: Totally. I never liked my legs and I can’t remember the last time I wore a bathing suit in public.
[Translation: Another year of this success and I’ll make Nicole Richie look like Carnie Wilson.]
http://guanabee.com/2007/09/glamour-asks-what-its-like-to.php
Betty: a negative role model?
Ugly Betty now in South Africa is an Ugly Role Model
Ugly Betty is meant to make women feel like there is more to life than being a physically attractive woman. And most men would likely agree, to avoid being labelled a sexist, or a misogynist, that this is true. Now let’s look the reality of the situation.
There have been many studies to show that more attractive people get more opportunities in the workplace, in social circles, etc. So this negative role model does not in my opinion help any woman understand what the reality is in the world. In America where obesity is now almost at epidemic proportions there is anecdotal evidence that this show is giving fat women an excuse not to try and loose weight. Most people are plain lazy when it comes to working on their physical appearance yet these same people are likely to judge others on their first impressions and therefore on the their physical appearance. So what I am saying here is that we should rather point women to role models like Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie. These women work exceptionally hard in their careers and still manage to look stunning whenever they make a public appearance or film.
http://ramonthomas.com/ugly-betty-now-in-south-africa-is-an-ugly-role-model/
Ugly Betty is meant to make women feel like there is more to life than being a physically attractive woman. And most men would likely agree, to avoid being labelled a sexist, or a misogynist, that this is true. Now let’s look the reality of the situation.
There have been many studies to show that more attractive people get more opportunities in the workplace, in social circles, etc. So this negative role model does not in my opinion help any woman understand what the reality is in the world. In America where obesity is now almost at epidemic proportions there is anecdotal evidence that this show is giving fat women an excuse not to try and loose weight. Most people are plain lazy when it comes to working on their physical appearance yet these same people are likely to judge others on their first impressions and therefore on the their physical appearance. So what I am saying here is that we should rather point women to role models like Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie. These women work exceptionally hard in their careers and still manage to look stunning whenever they make a public appearance or film.
http://ramonthomas.com/ugly-betty-now-in-south-africa-is-an-ugly-role-model/
America the Beautiful
America Ferrera is the “fresh face” that television has been missing for many (very many) seasons. I’ve known a lot of people like “Ugly Betty”. Not just women either, men often feel this way about themselves. However, this girl (excuse me, woman) shows a side of society that is so obsessed with looks that the everyday person feels inferior and not meeting the standard the world (not the real world, but the business and fashion world) has set on them. In the interview with America, she said this series was not about an “ugly girl”, “It’s a look past what you see”. I have to agree with her. I find it amazing that Hollywood and television, is actually looking at the image (of women especially) it has produced for the past four or five decades. As Betty, it’s not about what you look like (well, not 100%) but how you feel you look like that matters and Betty feels she look great. It doesn’t take long to fall for America’s character. Ugly, Betty isn’t!
Is Ugly Betty a good role model for young women?
On the one hand, I think it's GREAT that there's a show that has a strong, young female lead as a character. Not enough of those since things like My So Called Life disappeared...and junk like that Pepper Dennis show is really just an excuse to have people ogle supermodels like Rebecca Romijn.
But from what it sounds like, Ugly Betty could be a venue for some interesting portrayals/representations of femininity etc.
But what I'm a little uneasy about is the whole "ugly" thing. Because first of all it plays into the idea that what this character looks doesn't match up with the accepted, common definition of "pretty"...and that there are two kinds of women in the world: pretty ones and ugly ones.
I also feel a leeetle queasy about what's going to be in store for Betty. LIke, are they going to let her stay "ugly" yet somehow validate her for that? Or will she have to follow the Devil-Wears-Prada-Mean-Girls-She's-All-That evolution set out in so many movies etc, where she morphs into the epitome of pretty..but still keeps enough of herself to still be HER.
http://audreybrashich.blogs.com/audrey_brashich/2006/10/is_ugly_betty_a.html
But from what it sounds like, Ugly Betty could be a venue for some interesting portrayals/representations of femininity etc.
But what I'm a little uneasy about is the whole "ugly" thing. Because first of all it plays into the idea that what this character looks doesn't match up with the accepted, common definition of "pretty"...and that there are two kinds of women in the world: pretty ones and ugly ones.
I also feel a leeetle queasy about what's going to be in store for Betty. LIke, are they going to let her stay "ugly" yet somehow validate her for that? Or will she have to follow the Devil-Wears-Prada-Mean-Girls-She's-All-That evolution set out in so many movies etc, where she morphs into the epitome of pretty..but still keeps enough of herself to still be HER.
http://audreybrashich.blogs.com/audrey_brashich/2006/10/is_ugly_betty_a.html
America Ferrera's political viewpoint
At 'Spirit Awards,' Star of ABC's 'Ugly Betty' Quips U.S. Won't Be 'Free' Until Bush Gone
A preview of the political commentary we can expect at Sunday night's Academy Awards? As a presenter at Saturday's “Film Independent's Spirit Awards” carried live at 2pm PST/5pm EST on the Independent Film Channel (IFC), actress America Ferrera (IMDb page), the title role star of ABC's Ugly Betty, interjected a bit of political commentary suggesting the U.S. will not be “the land of the free” again until President Bush leaves office. Taking the stage inside a tent on the Santa Monica beach, Ferrera was joined by actor Zach Braff, a star on NBC's Scrubs, to present the award for the “Best First Feature.” In the scripted exchange, Braff asked: “So do you think that you have any traits in common with the country that is your namesake?” Ferrera replied: “I guess I'm a free-spirited person and America's supposedly the 'land of the free,' right?” She then added, to loud applause from the left coast film industry audience: “Or at least we will be in 2008.”
Ugly Betty: Skin Deep or Down to the Bone?
After a rough start, The Devil Wears Prada-style plot twists force Daniel and Betty to realize they need to look out for each other, if not at each other. After all, how else are they going to prevent fashionista Wilhelmina (Vanessa Williams) from taking over the company? Bradford's certainly no help. He's too busy covering up what appears to be murder.
If all this sounds to you like a soap opera plot gone prime time, consider yourself fashionably astute. Ugly Betty is actually an Americanized adaptation of a wildly popular Colombian telenovela—a type of Spanish-language soap that takes viewers on a 13-week roller coaster and then lets them disembark for the next series/ride. In many Spanish-speaking homes in the U.S. and in South America, telenovelas have been as much a part of the nightly routine as David Letterman and Jay Leno have in English-speaking ones. So for co-executive producer Salma Hayek, it was only natural to bring Ugly Betty to ABC and a wider American audience that's becoming increasingly Latino.
So far, Hayek's instincts are right on target. Her show's ratings have been solid. But what of its morals? On the comely side of things, Ugly Betty regularly bashes the impossible standards and negative influence of a fashion industry that "seems intent on making any normal human being feel like an outcast," as one character moans. "It's all fake and unattainable, but nobody seems to get it," adds another. Great messages, especially for young, self-conscious girls taking mental notes on what's hot and what's not. To top it off, in this intentionally broad-stroked world of over-the-top caricatures, the good guys win on a weekly basis, while the villains' evil plans are repeatedly foiled.
Tune in to this prime-time lead-in and you'll find that, as the 22-year-old Ferrera states, "[It's] not about being ugly at all. More than anything it's just about looking past what you see. Achieving that image is not all that we're on this planet to do." That's a beautiful and true idea. But it's woven into fabric that is both snagged and torn.
http://www.pluggedinonline.com/thisweekonly/a0002958.cfm
If all this sounds to you like a soap opera plot gone prime time, consider yourself fashionably astute. Ugly Betty is actually an Americanized adaptation of a wildly popular Colombian telenovela—a type of Spanish-language soap that takes viewers on a 13-week roller coaster and then lets them disembark for the next series/ride. In many Spanish-speaking homes in the U.S. and in South America, telenovelas have been as much a part of the nightly routine as David Letterman and Jay Leno have in English-speaking ones. So for co-executive producer Salma Hayek, it was only natural to bring Ugly Betty to ABC and a wider American audience that's becoming increasingly Latino.
So far, Hayek's instincts are right on target. Her show's ratings have been solid. But what of its morals? On the comely side of things, Ugly Betty regularly bashes the impossible standards and negative influence of a fashion industry that "seems intent on making any normal human being feel like an outcast," as one character moans. "It's all fake and unattainable, but nobody seems to get it," adds another. Great messages, especially for young, self-conscious girls taking mental notes on what's hot and what's not. To top it off, in this intentionally broad-stroked world of over-the-top caricatures, the good guys win on a weekly basis, while the villains' evil plans are repeatedly foiled.
Tune in to this prime-time lead-in and you'll find that, as the 22-year-old Ferrera states, "[It's] not about being ugly at all. More than anything it's just about looking past what you see. Achieving that image is not all that we're on this planet to do." That's a beautiful and true idea. But it's woven into fabric that is both snagged and torn.
http://www.pluggedinonline.com/thisweekonly/a0002958.cfm
America Ferrera
America Georgine Ferrera (born April 18, 1984) is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Emmy-winning role as Betty Suarez on the ABC television comedy-drama series Ugly Betty and also for her roles in the films Real Women Have Curves and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants .
In 2006, she landed the lead role in Ugly Betty, an adaptation of the Colombian hit telenovela Betty La Fea, in which she portrays a girl whom her peers find extremely unattractive, thus the series title. As Betty Suarez, Ferrera wears fake braces on her teeth, bushy eyebrows and a disheveled wig, and make-up and clothing intended to downplay her own looks. Ferrera’s famous smile is reportedly insured by Lloyd's of London for $10 million.[2]
According to Ugly Betty hair department head Roddy Stayton, “She’s a gorgeous girl with an incredible style sensibility in her personal life. What we do is Bettify her in the morning. It’s in contrast to the rest of the show, where everybody else is glammed up”, adding that it was Ferrera herself who coined the term “Bettification” to describe the process.[3]
For her role in Ugly Betty, Ferrera won the 2007 Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical, beating out fellow nominees Marcia Cross, Felicity Huffman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Mary-Louise Parker. As a result of the award, she was congratulated by the US House of Representatives as being a role model for young Latinas.[4] On 28 January 2007 Ferrera won the prestigious Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Female Actor in a Comedy Series. She also starred in and executive produced the poignant short film Muertas. In 2007, Time Magazine chose Ferrera as one of the top artists and entertainers in their “Time 100: The Most Influential People In The World” issue.[5] In July 2007, America Ferrera also won Imagen Foundation’s Creative Achievement Award.[6]
According to Ugly Betty hair department head Roddy Stayton, “She’s a gorgeous girl with an incredible style sensibility in her personal life. What we do is Bettify her in the morning. It’s in contrast to the rest of the show, where everybody else is glammed up”, adding that it was Ferrera herself who coined the term “Bettification” to describe the process.[3]
For her role in Ugly Betty, Ferrera won the 2007 Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical, beating out fellow nominees Marcia Cross, Felicity Huffman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Mary-Louise Parker. As a result of the award, she was congratulated by the US House of Representatives as being a role model for young Latinas.[4] On 28 January 2007 Ferrera won the prestigious Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Female Actor in a Comedy Series. She also starred in and executive produced the poignant short film Muertas. In 2007, Time Magazine chose Ferrera as one of the top artists and entertainers in their “Time 100: The Most Influential People In The World” issue.[5] In July 2007, America Ferrera also won Imagen Foundation’s Creative Achievement Award.[6]
Silvio Horta
1) Silvio Horta (born 1974 in Miami, Florida) is a Cuban-American writer and producer most notably for adapting the South American telenovela Yo Soy Betty La Fea into the current ABC series, Ugly Betty. Horta serves as head writer and executive producer on the series.
2) In 2007, he accepted the Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series "Ugly Betty", stating "Like most of us up here, Betty is an immigrant and The American Dream is alive and well and in reach of anybody who wants it".
3) Silvio Horta is gay; he came out to his family at nineteen
The fact that he is gay is important because the show also deals with serious issues and Marc has difficulty with saying he is gay to his family. So in this case, characters could reflect personal experiences. 'Ugly Betty' is a programme about being an outcast to an extent and being gay may make people feel like an outcast, so the show is about acceptence of different things such as sexuality and image etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvio_Horta
2) In 2007, he accepted the Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series "Ugly Betty", stating "Like most of us up here, Betty is an immigrant and The American Dream is alive and well and in reach of anybody who wants it".
3) Silvio Horta is gay; he came out to his family at nineteen
The fact that he is gay is important because the show also deals with serious issues and Marc has difficulty with saying he is gay to his family. So in this case, characters could reflect personal experiences. 'Ugly Betty' is a programme about being an outcast to an extent and being gay may make people feel like an outcast, so the show is about acceptence of different things such as sexuality and image etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvio_Horta
Institution
The institution for ‘Ugly Betty’ is ABC (American Broadcasting Company) which owned by the Walt Disney Company and is part of the Disney-ABC Television group. ABC is a major U.S. Television network and has sold ‘Ugly Betty’ to different networks such as Channel 4.
‘Ugly Betty’ adverts were shown on Channel 4 saying ‘coming soon’ so the text was distributed via television. Also, TV magazines such as TV Quick etc had Ugly Betty in them.
‘Ugly Betty’ adverts were shown on Channel 4 saying ‘coming soon’ so the text was distributed via television. Also, TV magazines such as TV Quick etc had Ugly Betty in them.
Ideology
The major ideologies being promoted are:
Patriarchy: As Daniel Meade is the boss of Betty so he has all the power and control over her. It can be argued that the females are shown to be inferior as they seem to hit the ‘glass ceiling’. For instance, Wilhelmina is shown to be a very successful business woman yet she is struggling to obtain Daniel’s position. In order to obtain it, she manipulates his father and decides to marry him, which goes to shows that the structure is not fair and that sacrifices need to be made in order to get anywhere-especially for women.
Heterosexual relationships: Although there is sexual diversity in the program (as Marc is homosexual), the majority of the characters (including the main protagonist) are shown to be in heterosexual relationships.
Consumerism: this is much promoted as in Mode building, the materials a person owns determines them and brings them status. For instance, the designer labels such as Gucci etc bring the characters more status.
Capitalist society: The whole ‘dog eat dog’ world is promoted as the characters try and succeed however they can and meritocracy is not prompted as the characters such as Wilhelmina manipulate etc to get what they want.
Image/appearance: this is the most vital ideology being prompted as the whole fashion industry is based upon image and ‘Ugly Betty’ shows that we should all be concerned to an extent, as all the characters are shown to be pretty, however it also promotes the idea of inner beauty being more important-as the protagonist Betty is shown to be ugly.
Patriarchy: As Daniel Meade is the boss of Betty so he has all the power and control over her. It can be argued that the females are shown to be inferior as they seem to hit the ‘glass ceiling’. For instance, Wilhelmina is shown to be a very successful business woman yet she is struggling to obtain Daniel’s position. In order to obtain it, she manipulates his father and decides to marry him, which goes to shows that the structure is not fair and that sacrifices need to be made in order to get anywhere-especially for women.
Heterosexual relationships: Although there is sexual diversity in the program (as Marc is homosexual), the majority of the characters (including the main protagonist) are shown to be in heterosexual relationships.
Consumerism: this is much promoted as in Mode building, the materials a person owns determines them and brings them status. For instance, the designer labels such as Gucci etc bring the characters more status.
Capitalist society: The whole ‘dog eat dog’ world is promoted as the characters try and succeed however they can and meritocracy is not prompted as the characters such as Wilhelmina manipulate etc to get what they want.
Image/appearance: this is the most vital ideology being prompted as the whole fashion industry is based upon image and ‘Ugly Betty’ shows that we should all be concerned to an extent, as all the characters are shown to be pretty, however it also promotes the idea of inner beauty being more important-as the protagonist Betty is shown to be ugly.
Friday 28 September 2007
Audiences
‘Ugly Betty’s target audience is mainly young females, as Betty is the main character so all the females can identify with her. It is also aimed to attract ethnic minorities because Betty herself is Latino and there is an increase in Latino’s in America. As the text deals with issues such as sexuality, image etc Ugly Betty is also shown to attract teenagers but its primary target audience is young women because females are considered to be more engaged with fashion and are more image obsessed, which is what the show is about.
‘Ugly Betty’ is scheduled to be shown on channel 4 at 9pm on Friday nights, the assumption is made that the audience will be back from school or work and will be relaxing at this time- so will tune in to watch this show. The show appears at after water-shed hour which goes to show that it is not suitable for younger audiences. ‘Ugly Betty’ is also shown on the weekends (on T4) around 1ish- which is a catch up for people who missed it on Friday. This shows that the fact that the audience has a social life is taken into consideration- as the audience that goes out on Friday night get to see the program on the weekend when they have a lie-in.
It can be assumed that the show is very popular as it must have been very successful in America for it to be aired in the UK. As there are a variety of characters and issues, this program probably attracts as many people as ‘Desperate Housewives’ (which has been a great success) if not more. Furthermore, it can be predicted that series 3 will attract even more viewers than series 2 due to the star appearance of Victoria Beckham (playing the role of a bridesmaid).
The audiences are likely to view the text as fun and light-hearted with serious issues. They are likely to perceive Betty as a warm and caring character compared to the rest. They will also view the business world as harsh and brutal where survival of the fittest is defiantly the case. The female audiences are also likely to see Betty as a role model as most females can identify with her at one point or another.
I think that ‘Ugly Betty’ is a really good text and think it deals with much serious issues as well as keeping us entertained. The fact that there is much diversity in ‘Ugly Betty’ of different types of people – (e.g. Marc is gay, Betty is Latino), is important as it reflects the zeitgeist- as we live in a modern society where there is less social stigma attached to being gay etc. Despite this, even though Betty is supposedly ugly (which is the view of a passive audience), it can be argued that in fact she looks just like an average person, and that she is not that ugly. Moreover, America Ferrera is not ugly yet she is not the conventional beauty either. It can be argued that Betty represents an average woman and is more real than all the other characters- but she is not as ugly as she’s made out to be.
‘Ugly Betty’ is scheduled to be shown on channel 4 at 9pm on Friday nights, the assumption is made that the audience will be back from school or work and will be relaxing at this time- so will tune in to watch this show. The show appears at after water-shed hour which goes to show that it is not suitable for younger audiences. ‘Ugly Betty’ is also shown on the weekends (on T4) around 1ish- which is a catch up for people who missed it on Friday. This shows that the fact that the audience has a social life is taken into consideration- as the audience that goes out on Friday night get to see the program on the weekend when they have a lie-in.
It can be assumed that the show is very popular as it must have been very successful in America for it to be aired in the UK. As there are a variety of characters and issues, this program probably attracts as many people as ‘Desperate Housewives’ (which has been a great success) if not more. Furthermore, it can be predicted that series 3 will attract even more viewers than series 2 due to the star appearance of Victoria Beckham (playing the role of a bridesmaid).
The audiences are likely to view the text as fun and light-hearted with serious issues. They are likely to perceive Betty as a warm and caring character compared to the rest. They will also view the business world as harsh and brutal where survival of the fittest is defiantly the case. The female audiences are also likely to see Betty as a role model as most females can identify with her at one point or another.
I think that ‘Ugly Betty’ is a really good text and think it deals with much serious issues as well as keeping us entertained. The fact that there is much diversity in ‘Ugly Betty’ of different types of people – (e.g. Marc is gay, Betty is Latino), is important as it reflects the zeitgeist- as we live in a modern society where there is less social stigma attached to being gay etc. Despite this, even though Betty is supposedly ugly (which is the view of a passive audience), it can be argued that in fact she looks just like an average person, and that she is not that ugly. Moreover, America Ferrera is not ugly yet she is not the conventional beauty either. It can be argued that Betty represents an average woman and is more real than all the other characters- but she is not as ugly as she’s made out to be.
Thursday 27 September 2007
Genre
‘Ugly Betty’ belongs to a hybrid of:
Romance: The conventions of a romance usually tend to be that there is misunderstanding and obstacles in the way; however the couple unites in the end. In the case with Betty, this is shown as when she first meets Henry- he and herself are both in relationships with different people (Walter and Charlie), and the obstacle in the way is Charlie who announces that she is pregnant.
Moreover, Hilda Suarez is engaged and is meant to be marrying Santos. However, in the finale episode (23rd) of series 2, Santos is shot dead and there is a reference made to ‘West Side Story’ (1961). ‘West Side Story’ (adapted from Romeo and Juliet) is a classic love story where the main protagonists Tony and Maria’s relationship ends in tragedy. ‘West Side Story’ is shown directly as Justin is in a play starring as the main character (Tony) yet it is used to reflect Hilda’s and Santos’s relationship. While Justin gets shot in the play, Santo gets shot in real life which creates much dramatic tension for the audience. In a sense, ‘West Side Story’ could also reflect Betty’s relationship with Henry, as it ends in a tragedy (with Henry leaving), hence it could be argued that a part of ‘Ugly Betty’s narrative is a modern and updated version of ‘West Side Story’.
A major convention of romance genre is that the two main characters (the hero and heroine) get together in the end, and although Betty and Henry are supposedly meant to be together, in the finale series and finale episode, it can be predicted that Betty will get a make-over and then will get together with Daniel Meade (her boss).
As for now, ugly Betty’s character does not conform to the genre’s characteristics as in romances, the heroine is always attractive-yet Betty is not.
Despite this, the audience can clearly see that Betty has great qualities and can predict a make-over which would fulfill the audiences generic expectations, giving us a sense of satisfaction, as Betty and Daniel will get together.
Drama-Comedy: meaning ‘Ugly Betty’ has an equal amount of humor and serious content. The convention of comedy is that it usually has stereotypical characters and these are provided in the program. Marc is gay- and gay people are stereotypically viewed as feminine, bitchy, sly etc and Marc is represented as all of these things. Nevertheless, serious issues are attached to Marc as he finds it hard to come out with his sexuality in front of his family (his mother).
Moreover, Amanda provides much humor as she is gullible and naïve, and at the same time she is catty and rude. Her occupation as a receptionist has lower status attached to it and she behaves very childlike and can be viewed as ditzy. Again, she has a serious side too, as she has feelings for Daniel who does not acknowledge her.
To add to this, Betty herself is seen as humorous due to her appearance and because of the first impression she gives (even to the audience). For instance, when she newly starts work at Mode- she walks right into a glass door without realizing it’s actually there.
Overall, the fashion industry is made a joke out of- as there’s fashion news channel in the episodes with reporters sensationalizing some minor story about appearance of celebrities. This just makes them look ridiculous and makes the audience laugh at them.
Romance: The conventions of a romance usually tend to be that there is misunderstanding and obstacles in the way; however the couple unites in the end. In the case with Betty, this is shown as when she first meets Henry- he and herself are both in relationships with different people (Walter and Charlie), and the obstacle in the way is Charlie who announces that she is pregnant.
Moreover, Hilda Suarez is engaged and is meant to be marrying Santos. However, in the finale episode (23rd) of series 2, Santos is shot dead and there is a reference made to ‘West Side Story’ (1961). ‘West Side Story’ (adapted from Romeo and Juliet) is a classic love story where the main protagonists Tony and Maria’s relationship ends in tragedy. ‘West Side Story’ is shown directly as Justin is in a play starring as the main character (Tony) yet it is used to reflect Hilda’s and Santos’s relationship. While Justin gets shot in the play, Santo gets shot in real life which creates much dramatic tension for the audience. In a sense, ‘West Side Story’ could also reflect Betty’s relationship with Henry, as it ends in a tragedy (with Henry leaving), hence it could be argued that a part of ‘Ugly Betty’s narrative is a modern and updated version of ‘West Side Story’.
A major convention of romance genre is that the two main characters (the hero and heroine) get together in the end, and although Betty and Henry are supposedly meant to be together, in the finale series and finale episode, it can be predicted that Betty will get a make-over and then will get together with Daniel Meade (her boss).
As for now, ugly Betty’s character does not conform to the genre’s characteristics as in romances, the heroine is always attractive-yet Betty is not.
Despite this, the audience can clearly see that Betty has great qualities and can predict a make-over which would fulfill the audiences generic expectations, giving us a sense of satisfaction, as Betty and Daniel will get together.
Drama-Comedy: meaning ‘Ugly Betty’ has an equal amount of humor and serious content. The convention of comedy is that it usually has stereotypical characters and these are provided in the program. Marc is gay- and gay people are stereotypically viewed as feminine, bitchy, sly etc and Marc is represented as all of these things. Nevertheless, serious issues are attached to Marc as he finds it hard to come out with his sexuality in front of his family (his mother).
Moreover, Amanda provides much humor as she is gullible and naïve, and at the same time she is catty and rude. Her occupation as a receptionist has lower status attached to it and she behaves very childlike and can be viewed as ditzy. Again, she has a serious side too, as she has feelings for Daniel who does not acknowledge her.
To add to this, Betty herself is seen as humorous due to her appearance and because of the first impression she gives (even to the audience). For instance, when she newly starts work at Mode- she walks right into a glass door without realizing it’s actually there.
Overall, the fashion industry is made a joke out of- as there’s fashion news channel in the episodes with reporters sensationalizing some minor story about appearance of celebrities. This just makes them look ridiculous and makes the audience laugh at them.
Wednesday 26 September 2007
Narrative
The episodes tend to a start with a recap of the previous episode and they all usually end with a resolution for the small problems which occur (the day to day tasks and problems), so ‘Ugly Betty’ does follow Todorov’s narrative structure. However, all the major problems are usually continued on to the next episode leaving the ending with a cliff-hanger.
The audience are positioned as outsiders looking in on what’s going on in Mode building or in Betty’s home. Occasionally, the audience are sutured into the narrative often taking a characters role and seeing things via their perspective. For instance, when the audience are placed in Daniel’s shoes when he is describing this geek girl to Betty and Betty is looking over at him (shown via a medium shot and a low angle). We the audience and Daniel see that Betty is being described and we along with Daniel get the reproaching look. There is also much dramatic irony as the audience knows the schemes and scans going on yet the characters do not.
The two separate categories of hero and villain is broken down in ‘Ugly Betty’ as - clearly Wilhelmina the villain is shown to be manipulating and she is much alienated via the shots used to show her. She is the villain as she is the one that creates obstacles for Daniel. Despite this, we are shown that she has a daughter and a softer side of Wilhelmina is revealed. Looking at her poor relationship with her daughter, the audience feel sympathetic towards her, and high angles shots are used while the camera moves away from, making her seem even more isolated. We are shown that she has no one which increases our sympathy.
However, a clear hero role has not been established. On one hand, Daniel can be viewed as a hero as although he makes mistakes, he is shown to be a good character. On the other hand, Betty can be viewed as the heroine because she saves the day and resolves all the problems. She is the main character and we sympathize with her more than any other character.
The sound, iconography, genre, mise-en-scene are all vital in allowing the narrative to flow and make sense.
The audience are positioned as outsiders looking in on what’s going on in Mode building or in Betty’s home. Occasionally, the audience are sutured into the narrative often taking a characters role and seeing things via their perspective. For instance, when the audience are placed in Daniel’s shoes when he is describing this geek girl to Betty and Betty is looking over at him (shown via a medium shot and a low angle). We the audience and Daniel see that Betty is being described and we along with Daniel get the reproaching look. There is also much dramatic irony as the audience knows the schemes and scans going on yet the characters do not.
The two separate categories of hero and villain is broken down in ‘Ugly Betty’ as - clearly Wilhelmina the villain is shown to be manipulating and she is much alienated via the shots used to show her. She is the villain as she is the one that creates obstacles for Daniel. Despite this, we are shown that she has a daughter and a softer side of Wilhelmina is revealed. Looking at her poor relationship with her daughter, the audience feel sympathetic towards her, and high angles shots are used while the camera moves away from, making her seem even more isolated. We are shown that she has no one which increases our sympathy.
However, a clear hero role has not been established. On one hand, Daniel can be viewed as a hero as although he makes mistakes, he is shown to be a good character. On the other hand, Betty can be viewed as the heroine because she saves the day and resolves all the problems. She is the main character and we sympathize with her more than any other character.
The sound, iconography, genre, mise-en-scene are all vital in allowing the narrative to flow and make sense.
Media Language and forms
There are many denotative and connotative levels of meaning within ‘Ugly Betty’. Firstly, the structure and character positions are very important, as Daniels father owns everything and this connotes a patriarchal society, as Daniels father has all the power and is at the top of the hierarchy. This patriarchal society is also connoted by Betty’s position as she works for Daniel and take orders from him. In the swag episode, Betty gets a Gucci bag, the denotation is that she just receives a bag, yet the bag is so much more than that, as it connotes high status and Betty gets respected and acknowledged due to it. This connotes that it’s not important who you are, it’s about what you own. As what you own is vital, the audience see that Betty is from a lower class in comparison to Wilhelmina, who is of a higher class, so has more material, giving the impression that she is better.
Meaning of facial expressions:
Amanda is usually shown to have a smirk on her face when she says something mean to Betty, which makes her seem almost childlike.
Wilhelmina tends to have a little smile and raises her eyebrows or even rolls her eyes, which suggest that she views herself as superior and she suggest that she disregards everyone because they are inferior to her.
Betty has a smile revealing her braces and this could be intended to reveal her ugliness yet it could also be to show she’s confident and doesn’t care what people think, as she’s happy with herself. Betty tends to give a look of disappointment when Daniel has done something wrong which again reflects her mother role.
Meaning of positional communications:
Amanda is shown with her hand on one hip and head held high whilst walking. This gives the impression that she is confident and comfortable in her surrounding. Her walk makes her seem catty, competitive and straightforward. As her head is high this suggests she thinks she’s superior yet she comes across as childish.
Wilhelmina usually has her head held high and her posture is straight, which connotes her superiority. However, she (in comparison to Amanda) comes across as much classier and elegant-this makes her seem covert and sly.
Betty stands with her hands in front of her together and waits for orders which make her seem like a good obedient worker. She also stands with both hands on her hips when telling Daniel off revealing her mother role. She tends to be rushing around completing endless tasks. In the swag episode, when Betty has the Gucci bag she doesn’t rush around-she even holds her head up high, showing she feels happy and confident. However, when she gets rid of the bag, she doesn’t feel so happy; it also in a sense makes her shrink back into the background.
Props: In the swag episode, Betty has a Gucci bag and the bag has much significance as the episode shows that it’s not about who you are, instead people gain status via their possessions. This is the case with Betty as she is acknowledged due to the bag.
‘Ugly Betty’ is set in New York as it’s viewed as a busy environment and the mise-en–scene is a working environment-it is the mode building and mainly Daniel’s office. This is important as this is where all the cunning plans are created and secrets are revealed or hidden. It is also almost like a school due to all the bitching and bullying. The other mise-en-scene is Betty’s home, as the program focuses on her lifestyle, so it shows all aspects of her life.
The sound is always parallel to what’s happening on the scene. The beginning often starts with fast music while different face features of Betty rearranged to match up with pretty models. The music is fast which connotes the pace of the environment as it’s shown to be busy. It also connotes that Betty’s life is like a whirlwind and that she is always rushed of her feet. The face is rearranged to show how ‘ugly’ Betty really is, as all her features make other pretty models look really ugly.
The dominant image which appears frequently is of Betty’s face, and this is because the program is about her so it has much relevance to the major themes, as she’s the main character and majority of the time the themes tend to include and revolve around her.
Meaning of facial expressions:
Amanda is usually shown to have a smirk on her face when she says something mean to Betty, which makes her seem almost childlike.
Wilhelmina tends to have a little smile and raises her eyebrows or even rolls her eyes, which suggest that she views herself as superior and she suggest that she disregards everyone because they are inferior to her.
Betty has a smile revealing her braces and this could be intended to reveal her ugliness yet it could also be to show she’s confident and doesn’t care what people think, as she’s happy with herself. Betty tends to give a look of disappointment when Daniel has done something wrong which again reflects her mother role.
Meaning of positional communications:
Amanda is shown with her hand on one hip and head held high whilst walking. This gives the impression that she is confident and comfortable in her surrounding. Her walk makes her seem catty, competitive and straightforward. As her head is high this suggests she thinks she’s superior yet she comes across as childish.
Wilhelmina usually has her head held high and her posture is straight, which connotes her superiority. However, she (in comparison to Amanda) comes across as much classier and elegant-this makes her seem covert and sly.
Betty stands with her hands in front of her together and waits for orders which make her seem like a good obedient worker. She also stands with both hands on her hips when telling Daniel off revealing her mother role. She tends to be rushing around completing endless tasks. In the swag episode, when Betty has the Gucci bag she doesn’t rush around-she even holds her head up high, showing she feels happy and confident. However, when she gets rid of the bag, she doesn’t feel so happy; it also in a sense makes her shrink back into the background.
Props: In the swag episode, Betty has a Gucci bag and the bag has much significance as the episode shows that it’s not about who you are, instead people gain status via their possessions. This is the case with Betty as she is acknowledged due to the bag.
‘Ugly Betty’ is set in New York as it’s viewed as a busy environment and the mise-en–scene is a working environment-it is the mode building and mainly Daniel’s office. This is important as this is where all the cunning plans are created and secrets are revealed or hidden. It is also almost like a school due to all the bitching and bullying. The other mise-en-scene is Betty’s home, as the program focuses on her lifestyle, so it shows all aspects of her life.
The sound is always parallel to what’s happening on the scene. The beginning often starts with fast music while different face features of Betty rearranged to match up with pretty models. The music is fast which connotes the pace of the environment as it’s shown to be busy. It also connotes that Betty’s life is like a whirlwind and that she is always rushed of her feet. The face is rearranged to show how ‘ugly’ Betty really is, as all her features make other pretty models look really ugly.
The dominant image which appears frequently is of Betty’s face, and this is because the program is about her so it has much relevance to the major themes, as she’s the main character and majority of the time the themes tend to include and revolve around her.
Friday 21 September 2007
Swag Episode
Media Representations Who is being represented?In what way?
By whom?
Why is the subject being represented in this way?
Is the representation fair and accurate?
What opportunities exist for self-representation by the subject?
Ugly Betty: Betty is represented as a geek in every way- via her appearance as well her characteristics. She is shown to have thick spectacles, extra shiny braces and to add to this, thick frizzy hair! Betty is shown to be very hardworking as Daniel always relies on her and she is given tasks which are either difficult or jobs which are not liked and are considered to be tedious. However, despite Betty’s hard work and commitment to her job- she is not acknowledged at all, as others don’t know who she is.
Betty is also represented as a mother figure to Daniel and this role is further reinforced by Daniels father who says ‘protect him Betty’. Betty’s character is shown to be mother-like in other ways too, because in the swag episode, Betty sells her Gucci bag in order to obtain medicine for her father. This goes to show that she is very self-sacrificing as well mother-like as mothers usually are shown this way.
However, although Betty may be this geek/mother-like/ugly girl, this episode (swag) shows that she is followed by her ex-boyfriend whilst she also has feelings for Henry. By adding this, the program shows that even a geek girl has relationship troubles and that she is in fact like any other ‘normal’ person as she has feelings and troubles. Although it could be said that this is not a fair representation because ugly Betty has relationships, (which could be seen as inaccurate as people who are considered to be geeks are more likely to remain single), it can be argued that it is fair because she has relationships with geeks, and people who- like her are unattractive on the outside but have good personalities.
Betty is also represented as a mother figure to Daniel and this role is further reinforced by Daniels father who says ‘protect him Betty’. Betty’s character is shown to be mother-like in other ways too, because in the swag episode, Betty sells her Gucci bag in order to obtain medicine for her father. This goes to show that she is very self-sacrificing as well mother-like as mothers usually are shown this way.
However, although Betty may be this geek/mother-like/ugly girl, this episode (swag) shows that she is followed by her ex-boyfriend whilst she also has feelings for Henry. By adding this, the program shows that even a geek girl has relationship troubles and that she is in fact like any other ‘normal’ person as she has feelings and troubles. Although it could be said that this is not a fair representation because ugly Betty has relationships, (which could be seen as inaccurate as people who are considered to be geeks are more likely to remain single), it can be argued that it is fair because she has relationships with geeks, and people who- like her are unattractive on the outside but have good personalities.
Willamina: she is represented as a classy sophisticated career woman who is very sly and cunning. She is shown to be the typical business woman in a ‘dog eat dog world’, as she only has her own interest at heart. Willmina is portrayed as a very duplicitous character in every way, as she pretends to be nice yet she manipulates situations to her advantage. For instance, in order to gain Daniels position, Willmina manipulates his father and tries to twist his mind against him. She is also shown to be attractive, which could also suggest her duplicity, as she looks pretty on the outside but on the inside she is not. Her character also suggests that being attractive is essential, as only attractive people are successful.
This representation is accurate as Willamina is shown to be career focused and she does represent business women who are harsh. Not only this but she has a daughter who she doesn’t spend time with due to her job. Overall, this is a fair representation and is accurate as there are females who put their career before everything else.
This representation is accurate as Willamina is shown to be career focused and she does represent business women who are harsh. Not only this but she has a daughter who she doesn’t spend time with due to her job. Overall, this is a fair representation and is accurate as there are females who put their career before everything else.
Amanda is represented as an attractive woman who is straightforward – as in the swag episode she makes it clear to Betty that she wants her Gucci bag and tries to trade. She also only cares about herself and makes this quite clear. She comes across as ditzy and weather this representation is fair and accurate is questionable as the audience may not view her character as realistic.
Wednesday 5 September 2007
Amanda (dress)
This clip has been chosen as it shows Amanda in a stereotypical role of being a ditzy gullible woman who is image obsessed. She is portrayed as a sex object who would do anything to fit in to the fashion world. Her new ‘dress’ causes her discomfort yet despite this she wears it assuming it’s from a designer, which bring forward the idea of ‘no pain no gain’
Betty saves the day
This clip shows the two conventional roles- the two blonde women are the sex objects which is shown via their costumes whereas Betty is represented as the nurturing mother.
The clip portrays females in a negative light as the so called ‘mother and daughter’ are portrayed as very cunning and sly, as they try and manipulate Daniel (the boss).
Yet Betty again manages to save her boss as she figures out that the blonde women are lying. Her stereotypical image of a geek suggests she’s smart which is reflected as she saves the save.
summary clip
This clip summons up what the programme is about which is why I chose it. It shows Betty and different aspects of her life. We are shown exactly what she’s like and the way she is treated by others due to her appearance. All the other females have clear established roles in the sense that they are all attractive hence are shown to be the sex symbols. However some such as Wilhelmina are also shown to be very successful yet cruel. The clip demonstrates the ugly side of the fashion industry and shows how cruel people can be if you do not ‘fit in’ via your appearance which is the case with ugly Betty.
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