Critical investigation tutorial 09/12/16

Question – excellent, clear question and hypothesis. This will really help the essay – make sure the argument runs clearly through each section.

Introduction – Your introduction needs to answer the question, lay out the argument and mention the primary text and any secondary/historical texts. Present your angle/hypothesis. 200 words. 

Section 1 – Primary text: Narcos. You’ve currently got this over three different sections – I completely agree that you’ll want multiple paragraphs here (you always will for a major section of an essay) but I think it’s easier to view it as all part of the main primary text section. This means introducing the text, textual analysis and any related research/reviews etc. Make sure you’re addressing media key concepts, film language etc. Very detailed deconstruction please! You also need to make sure you offer quotes that analyse the issues (representation; Hispanics) rather than just tell the story from the programme. 600 words.

Section 2 – Wider context regarding Hispanics and American society. Statistics, social context etc. BUT you must link this to media – so make sure you’re looking at Hispanic representation (or under-representation) and perhaps discuss the fact that the rapid rise in Hispanic population has not been reflected by mainstream media. 300 words.

Section 3 – American TV; institutional context of Hispanic audience and importance to TV Networks. This should follow well from last paragraph but make sure it still is focused on the question… will the financial pressure on networks actually lead to more positive representations of Hispanics in American TV? 300 words.

Section 4 – secondary & historical texts: Breaking Bad and Tequila Sunrise. You could look into ‘24’ as a potential secondary/historical text (pretty sure one of the villains from a season was Hispanic/Mexican). 300 words.

Section 5 – Research: representation of Hispanics in the media. Stereotypes etc. Loads of potential here to discuss research, Guardian/MM articles. This is where you need to bring in your academic research from the BFI and the PDFs in your notes and quotes etc. 500 words. 

Section 6 – How will Hispanic representations change in the future? How will technology change this? Are Hispanics starting to take influential jobs in the media or using technology to attract a new audience? Will Trump change things? 300 words.

Conclusion – sum up your argument, snappy ending please! 150 words.

Next steps… update/finish your plan based on this tutorial. You don’t need to stick to the above by any means but hopefully it has at least clarified your thinking and provided a potential structure that will be easy to follow.

I need to have a quick read of your opening paragraph when it’s written but otherwise you are good to go.

This essay has great potential – the key is making sure that the research section in the middle about Hispanic representation is really strong – that is where the marks will come from. You may need to do a lot of additional research to have enough to write about here. 

Publish this tutorial to your blog with your next steps as usual.

Essay Plan

Essay Plan

1.       Introduction - A brief description of my independent study and a discussion based on representation, stereotypes and moral panics (100-150)

Essay Question: ‘’To what extent does Narcos reflect the representation of Latinos/Hispanics in American Television?’’

Hypothesis: Latinos are represented in a negative light by American Television.

Introduction

My critical investigation is going to focus on the representation of Latinos/Hispanics in American Television. I will be analysing whether or not Latinos are being presented unfairly and negatively. I also be investigating whether different media text challenge or reinforces certain stereotypes.

Introduce Primary Text (100)

The media text I have investigating throughout my critical investigation is the Netflix original series ‘Narcos’. 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. 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.

Narcos Representation (300)

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…

Theories:  Perkins,

Narcos Textual Anaylsis (350)

Narcos - Pablo Escobar’s Shootout

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5QaaYtxB-

In this scene we can see the shootout between Los Pepes and Pablo Escobar in one shot. At the beginning of the scene there is an encounter between Escobar’s wife Tata, Escobar and his mother in where they emphasises on how Escobar’s mother going to the church has put the family in risk as they are in hideout from Escobar’s sworn enemies Los Pepes and the Medellin Police…

Season 1 Episode 3: The Men Always

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXveW5p8h6Y

In this scene we can see that Pablo is with Valeria Vélez, who is Colombian journalist who also serves as Pablo Escobar's mistress throughout all of season 1, are in bedroom about to have intercourse. We can see Escobar’s intentions to move away from his drug trafficking operation and into the political sphere.

Latinos struggles in American society (200)

There is no surprise that the Latinos have indeed struggled  in American society. Latinos have now become ‘’Hispanics are the nation's largest minority group and among its fastest growing populations. According to the US Census Bureau (2013), the Hispanic population in 2012 was 53 million, making up 17% of the US population.’’ (the guardian)

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)- hardly any Latino political representations

Social -Socially, in America Latinos tend to stay in their cultural ethnic groups.

Latinos Importance to American Networks (100)

Key Quotes

‘’Nielsen Company found that Hispanics in the US have over $1 trillion in purchasing power and represent more than half of US population growth between 2000-2010.

‘’Latino viewers are not just critical for cable news, but for scripted programming as well. ABC’s overt attempt to target a Latino viewership with the sitcom Cristela has seen a major ratings win for the network.’’ The Guardian

Representation of Latino Men in US TV (Secondary Text Breaking Bad) (150)

There has been no shortage of Latinos playing thugs, drug dealers and gangbangers in U.S. films and television shows, especially police dramas. This is evident in American TV dramas such as critically acclaimed show Breaking Bad

Theories- Marxists view on stereotype, Perkins

Representation of Latino/Hispanic Women (250)

While Hispanic men are often reduced to Latin Lovers in television and film, Hispanic women are commonly typecast as sexpots

Theories

Historical Text- Tequila Sunrise (150-200)

In a seaside California town, best friends Mac (Mel Gibson) and Nick (Kurt Russell) are on opposite sides of the law. Mac is a former drug dealer trying to clean up his act, while Nick is a high-profile detective trying to take down a Mexican drug lord named Carlos (Raul Julia)

-talk about the similarities and differences in stereotypes