Visual Research

Lynx's "Is it ok for guys..." Campaign shows masculinity in todays society, a new generation of man who wears pink, shows his emotions, be a virgin, experiment with guys and so forth. The tagline it ends with being "Is it okay to be yourself?" typed into a google search bar, I find this really powerful especially for the Millennial generation, who relies a lot on the internet as a diagnosis for their illnesses, an information point and general agony aunt, through fear of actually opening up to other people.

Lynx's audience targets young men, which is perfect as they seek to educate about a new age of masculinity, a man can do all these things. Throughout the video there are serious notes for example "Is it okay to be depressed", alongside more light hearted humorous anecdotes "Is it okay for me to be the little spoon?" I want to harness this use of humour in my visual outcome, as I feel often people especially of my generation, would rather watch a funny viral video than one with dark or serious undertones.

I feel the crudeness (increasingly large phallic imagery) in my animation is justified and will appeal to a Millennial audience, as a funny video, the serious undertones are more accessible and light hearted.

CALM campaign 84 I actually looked into for last years cop, it's as relevant as I'm also looking at how social media platforms can boost awareness. The striking heart-wrenching visual of the sculptures is a perfect example of how the visual is so much stronger than words.

CALM's other campaign #ChangeThePicture proves how the visual and written communicate well together, furthermore trying to deconstruct this facade of perfect lives on social media.

Colour theory suggests that in China black is the colour for little boys, in Western circles black is more representative of darkness, death and something sinister. It seems only right therefore that black is used as the contrast to the bright vibrant imagery alongside it, this stark visual symbolism speaks volumes as the images juxtapose the text so much. 

 

Delving more into colour theory, for the essay I want to compare film posters. The first being Die Hard (1988), a hollywood hit starring Bruce Willis who embodies the perfect Western man, harnessing ideals of masculinity through his physical and mental strength, he plays the aggressive hero. Contrasting this is Enter the Dragon, this is actually part aWestern film where Bruce Lee is made to be more 'appealing' to a Western audience, as it was produced by Hong Kong and American cinema. Director Robert Clouse attempts to "kick the strut out of Lee", alluding to a dilution of culture, the film furthermore combines martial arts cinema with an emerging sub genre 'Blaxploitation':

"Blaxploitation or blacksploitation is an ethnic subgenre of the exploitation film that emerged in the United States during the early 1970s. The films, though receiving backlash for stereotypical characters, are among the first in which black characters and communities are the heroes and subjects of film and television, rather than sidekicks or victims of brutality. The genre's inception coincides with the rethinking of race relations in the 1970s." 
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaxploitation]

It's interesting how culturally the men are placed, the black 'stud' character goes with many women and doesn't survive until the end while the Chinese character has the 'strut' taken out of him to appeal to Western audiences while the white male protagonist goes with the white women who is in charge.

COP practical feedback

Overall the group crit was really positive, they seemed to really like my idea, thinking it was different, a little weird but amusing. I wanted to further find out wether the blatant crudeness was necessary and wether some people may find it offensive.

Is it offensive?

audience will take it different ways, those who are sensitive may do but it is not overall offensive, it's definitely more humorous. 

Do you think it's clear it relates to masculinity / toxic masculinity?

not specifically but this isn't a negative

add statement at beginning/end OR make sure that the audio track relates message clearly 

I will...

think about adding a title sequence including facts

experiment with hand drawn type for the titles 

experiment with coloured background as opposed to colouring in every frame

consider audio - sound samples discussing masculinity- use old advert samples, e.g "man up" "man enough" etc

I'm currently more drawn to the idea of utilising audio as I feel adding titles will distract from the power of the visual imagery, plus with audio it will become a more well rounded sensory experience. I plan to take audio samples from old advertisements and create an audio track much like I did in my first year COP for the Body Dysmorphia video, where I used 1950s ads to get my point across. This will be even more fitting to use old ads as it will highlight the construction of masculinity is an age old phenomena, from the teachings of Wen-Wu in China and the pressure applied by the patriarchy for men to conform to such ideals.

Practical Outcome Visual Research

Confucious: Icon of the Wen principle representing literary and scholarly pursuits.

As my outcome is to be a hand drawn-animation, this will take a considerable amount of time so I need to get drawing as soon as I have set out as storyboard and have my visual mood-boards. Here to start of is one of King Wen, King Wu and Confucious (icon of the Wen principle representing literary and scholarly pursuits).

Normally my animations take weeks or months excluding research and planning, so I plan to have this simplified in terms of content, I'd rather the message and quality be to a higher standard regardless of how much this shortens the piece, the detailing particularly on the Chinese drawings and clothes I want to stand out, contrasting the Western ideals with bulky hairy men. 

Chinese masculinity Visuals:

I'm in love with the sculpture of Confucious that looks like it's bathing, I could extend this as a metaphor for drowning in toxic masculinity, social pressure quite literally suffocating men as they feel unable to discuss their emotions.

Weaponry 

I want to include another form of masculine ideal which has historically championed physical prowess, this being of tribesmen. Whilst researching my essay I found a section in Kam Louie's Chinese Masculinities in a Globalising World discussing different cultures masculine initiation ceremonies, from the Westen public school boy's slightly violent or even sexual initiations which usually was soothed with copious amounts of alcohol, proving you're "a man". Different cultures obviously have different, arguably more worthy initiation tactics surrounding actual survival tactics such as diving for fish, capturing prey for the rest of the tribe. This image of an Indonesian tribe highlights the use of weaponry as an extension of manliness, a tool to enhance their physical threat. It seemed only right this should be included as a hint to weaponry aiding manliness, this also applies to American men owning guns or 'roadmen' with knives, they all use weapons to signify dominance. 

Western masculinity visuals:

Examples from Baywatch, Mick Jagger to Elvis. The latter I feature in my essay in quotes commenting on the switch of masculinity through the 50's onwards, as men become sexualised. 

Tribal Tattoos 

I also want to include tattoos, especially tribal tattoos. This introduces cultural appropriation as the latter image shows a Westernised version of traditional tribal tattoos which have historical cultural significance. 

The concept of the animation being that the cultural clashes are too intense to the point the 'masculine monster' dies supports this idea then, as the tribal tattoo ink gradually spreads and morphs it's a metaphorical representation of the dilution of cultural significance, as the rest of the world often appropriate sacred meanings, for the sake of fashion and aesthetic. 

Video Research

Looking into masculinity in a visual sense, animated characters throughout Disney films have reinforced this toxic masculinity which is bound to stick with us as a child, we may not notice it but from a young age we've been exposed to masculine and sexist ideals.

Everything from the power men have over sexualised women, to the desired physical embodiment of man is shown. Men are shown to gain power from physical dominance over other men and have to fight for the woman, who again is more of a trophy won over by the most masculine. Other male body types featured in Disney films highlight a kind of heirachy, those without a muscly physique are less important characters, taken less seriously and will never 'get the girl'.

I want to incorporate this stereotypically masculine physique for the Western part of the 'masculine man'. Like a monster, this 'masculine man' will have different body parts directly representing different cultures masculine ideals. 

Artist Research for Masculine Monster animation 

Cronenberg Rick and Morty animated characters from the popular cartoon Rick and Morty illustrated by James McDermott

Merging different bodies, different alien species results in Cronenberg creatures, I want to create a fused monster that embodies multiple different identities, different cultural ideals represented visually through body parts much like this alien monster only mine will not be able to sustain itself as it's ever changing.

The simple line drawings work well as you can see veins and folds of skin, it would be easier for me to adopt this style as opposed to my usual sketchy style with lots of shading, it will increase smooth transitions especially with something as detailed as I plan to have it as I want to incorporate many different limbs, weapons etc.

The Fly directed by David Cronenberg 

Rick and Morty's Cronenberg people were named after this director, as a homage to the first director in the horror genre who played on people's fear of bodily mutations. I've always been fascinated in horror and not easily put off with gore or.. mutations. 

The fly is a ridiculous film, it's a laughable concept which I enjoy, I want to inject a hint of humour to keep people's attention as often on social media people are prone to avoid serious or sad things, I know I do rightly or wrongly just scroll until I reach the funny feel good videos. Through the contortion of the fallic imagery I think this will be achieved. The body will mutate, skin tear and so on, like Cronenberg's monster.

Statement of Intent

How can visual design raise awareness of toxic masculinity

Through my research, I've looked at Making Sense of Men's Magazines by Peter Jackson, Nick Stevenson & Kate Brooks,  White Guys: Studies in Post Modern domination & difference by Fred Pfiel, Chinese Masculinities in a Globalizing World by Kam Luoie and Chinese Masculinity: Theorizing Wen and Wu by Kam Louie and Louise Edwards. The two latter offer a look into Chinese masculinity, I wanted to make it aware the lack of study on Asian masculinity, if there is it's lumped into 'Asia' which itself is half the worlds population, so honing in on Chinese masculinity my research takes a break from the Western test subjects and perspectives. I will focus on how toxic masculinity effects all cultures, making note as I speak from a Western perspective, the majority will be on Western masculinity however a section will delve into the Chinese masculinity complex modelled on Wen-Wu. 

For my practical outcome I plan to create a hand drawn animation, taking viewers on a journey through toxic masculinity. Imagery of King's Wen and Wu of the Zhou Dynasty in China are the embodiment of masculinity in Chinese culture, while men with large muscles and body hair for example are that of the West. For my outcome I plan to combine these elements into one monstrous figure that eventually cannot support itself, it's body becoming like that of a monster, parts rejecting others as the fusion of different cultures masculinity clashes until the body decomposes, the animation will loop highlighting the cycle of this toxicity is never ending if the course is not altered.