Critical
Investigation: Project proposal
Working title
To what extent does
Narcos reflect the representation of Latinos/Hispanics in American media?
Angle
What impact has the representation of
Latinos/Hispanics in American Television have had on their struggles in
society.
Hypothesis
Latinos are represented in a negative light
by American media.
MIGRAIN
Institution
The institution of the show ‘Narcos’ is of course the
well-known online network ‘Netflix’. The series was announced in April 2014,
through a partnership deal struck between Netflix and Spanish language network
Telemundo. The series is primarily written by Chris Brancato and directed by
Brazilian filmmaker José Padilla, who directed the critically and commercially
successful Elite Squad (2007), before directing its sequel in 2010,
which became the highest grossing film ever in Brazil. The facts that show
hired the main character of the Elite Squad Wagner Moura helped promote and
endorse the show especially the Brazilian audience. This is the case as he is a
well-known respected actor in Brazil. Also hiring the former Game of Thrones
star Pedro Pascal also helps the institution to target, appeal and intrigue
their target audience as well as their loyal fan base. The genre the show
belongs to is a typical American crime show. I can gather that this is indeed a
American crime show due to the fact the network is a American network and also
due to the utilisation of the character Pablo Escobar. This clue that suggests
that it’s also a crime is that main character has some legal issues.
Audience
The target audience for this particular
series is 16 to 40 year olds. Netflix employed Narcos as they want to tackle a
new audience. The Latin American actors in the cast relished the opportunity to
tell the Medellin story through a native prism. Despite the centrality of the
D.E.A. to the story, “Narcos” is “not going to be about American good guys who
go to a poor culture to save these poor people.
Representation
The representation of Hispanics and Latinos in ‘Narcos’
reinforces the several of different stereotypes in our society and in American
Television. In the Netflix original series Wagner Moura plays and portrays the
Colombian drug lord as an egotistical, intelligent, murderer and power driven.
I believe that this is the exact representation to expect from a drug lord.
Wagner Moura has previously worked on a successful Brazilian crime film called
Elite Squad. Moura is a Portuguese speaking native and to play Pablo Escobar in
Spanish was completely out of his comfort zone. This representation of the main
protagonist fits the normal expectation as drug lords are typically associated
with power, money and homicides. The physical appearance of Moura enhances his
likeability as a protagonist appearance is indeed accurate of Pablo Escobar.
There are several different representations of Latino women in the TV series.
Some women in the TV series are portrayed to be sexual objects. This could be
the case as the show is set in the late 80’s and early 90’s, where men at the
time were still the predominate figures in the ear. Women were still recovering
from a misogynistic society. Another factor that showcases women’s role in
Narcos is due to the fact that TV series fits into the genre of American
crime. This emphasises that due to the
genre of the show and the time the series is set, it is very unlikely to see
many women in greater leading roles for example the prostitutes in show. However, the female character Judy Moncada challenges
this statement as in the show she is one of leaders of the small vigilante
group Los Pepes. She is based on the real life story of Dolly Moncada. She
becomes one of Pablo Escobar’s main enemies in the show. Pablo Escobar’s wife Tata
Escobar reinforces the typical stereotypes of a Latino woman. This is the case
as she in the show is portrayed as family oriented and loyal person in the
show. This is the case as her husband did cheat but stayed with him as her love
for her family clouded her judgement. Additionally, the Americans in the show
are positively represented as very generous. This is the case as the do United
States send aid and supplies to many countries for example Columbia in Narcos.
This links to Perkins theory of stereotypes being positive and often true. Another
common stereotype is that Americans want to be "the world's
policemen", believing that the entire world needs their help for example
in Narcos they send their Drug Enforcement Administration agents to aid the
Medellin Police. This relatively recent stereotype spawned from Cold War and
post-Cold War military interventions such as the Vietnam War. Interestingly,
there is no main character of black ethnicity. This could perhaps reinforce the
prejudice against black people in the 80s and 90s, where there was deep
segregation between black and white people. However, there is one recurring
black character in Narcos called ‘Blackie’ who is a hit man for Pablo Escobar.
Narrative
Narcos tells the true-life story of the growth and spread of
cocaine drug cartels across the globe and attendant efforts of law enforcement
to meet them head on in brutal, bloody conflict. It centres around the
notorious Colombian cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) and Steve
Murphy (Holbrook), a DEA agent sent to Colombia on a U.S. mission to capture
and ultimately kill him.
The Netflix Original series Narcos employs many different
narrative techniques typical of an American Crime TV series. By applying
Propp’s character theory, I can gather there is no clear hero in the show to
the audience but a clear protagonist in the character of Pablo Escobar. As he
is the main character in the show and that we largely see the story from
Escobar’s point of view, the audience starts to rather feel attached to him.
This whole narrative of Narcos gives the audiences a sense of dramatic irony as
they already know the fate of the main protagonist as the story is a based on a
true story. However, as the audience have had some sort of bond they do still
perhaps want him to succeed with his battle with the Medellin Police. This is the case as in many ways even though
he is shown to be a devious, egotistical, murdering character and is destined
to be killed off by the DEA and the Medellin Police which drives the narrative,
the audience do sympathize with him as he is the main vocal point of the show
and the main protagonist. In the first season his cousin Gustavo offers the
classic sidekick character while his .These well-known character types quickly
help establish Propp’s theory of narrative.
There are many enigma
codes in the first episode and throughout the first season using Barthes
theory. For example: Is this legal? What will happen to the money? Will Pablo
Escobar get arrested? These enigma codes are effective as they intrigue and
interest the audience to go watch the film. There are also quite a few action
codes relating to tension in the show. When the car pulls up in front of the
brothel in Medellin takes place is one key event supporting Barthes theory.
Another action code is when Escobar was holding the gun signifying, something
unpleasant might occur linking to Barthes other theory of enigma codes as it
makes the audience question whether they will make the right decision.
SHEP
Social
- ·
Negative representation of Latinos in social
media
- ·
Socially,
in America Latinos tend to stay in their cultural ethnic groups.
Historical
- ·
US Election 2016 (Donald Trump)
- ·
Death of Pablo Escobar 1993
- ·
Latinos in the USA have always been looked down
on due to the increase in immigration.
Economical
- ·
In the 1960’s there has been a significant
increase in migration of Latinos into the United States. People in the states
felt threatened.
Political
- ·
US Election 2016 (Donald Trump)
- ·
There is hardly any Latino politicians
Issues/Debates
Representation and stereotyping:
Does Narcos portray negative representations of Latinos? The Stereotypes
of Latino/Hispanics, historical context and also modern day social issues.
News Values:
Coverage of the events that
have recently taken place and how the news industry portrays them, i.e. Latino
crime representation on the news
Media
effects/Moral Panic
The media affects the way people consume the information. Negative
coverage will create a sense of moral panic
Research plan (media texts, academic
texts and websites)
Theories
Genre theories
Marxism
Gender and ethnicity
Media texts
What your main focus will be, E.g.:
Narcos
US Election
Other media texts
Person of interest
Linked production
A short intro to a film.
Academic
texts/books
(a minimum of five,
including author/full title/year, e.g.:)
- ·
U.S.
Latinos and Criminal Injustice By Lupe S Salinas- July 1, 2015
- ·
Linking
Political Violence and Crime in Latin America: Myths, Realities, and
Complexities -March
10, 2016
- ·
Latinos in
the United States: Diversity and Change - August 28, 2015
- ·
Latino
Immigrants in the United States - February 6, 2012
- ·
Gangster
Warlords: Drug Dollars, Killing Fields, and the New Politics of Latin America -
January 19, 2016
Internet
Links
1. At least FIVE from Media Guardian or
Guardian Culture or another newspaper website.
·
2. At least FIVE from university
websites/academic papers online. Use Google Scholar as a starting point.
·
3. Any other relevant
sites/articles - the more the better.
