Stereotype 17: Film and television works and stereotypes

Film and television works and stereotypes

Stereotypes originate from people's prior knowledge or prior experience of things in their minds and influence their value judgments and behavioral responses. As one of the most influential media, movies are inseparable from stereotypes in their production and dissemination. The image of the country in movies is mutually constructed with the formation and dissemination of stereotypes. Based on the current situation of stereotype research, this paper explores the mutual relationship between movies and stereotypes, and proposes that in the strategy of globalization of Chinese movies, Chinese filmmakers should establish a sense of cultural self-awareness, shape a positive Chinese image, and improve China's international status.

Films and stereotypes construct and influence each other. Due to the influence of national culture, social groups and personal upbringing, film creators will form a fixed perception of a specific group of people, i.e. stereotypes. On the one hand, such stereotypes can help film creators quickly find the characteristics of a certain group of people and simplify communication with audiences through such characteristics; on the other hand, the creators integrate such stereotypes into their films, thus influencing the stereotypes in the minds of audiences. The stereotype in the creator's mind constructs the stereotype of a certain group in the film, and the stereotype in the film constructs the stereotype in the audience's mind. 

The characters in a film are the exponents of the film's plot and ideas, and they are the main means of shaping stereotypes. The audience will carefully figure out the characters and make them the carriers of stereotypes. The figure of a character is an immediately recognizable symbol, and when this character image enters the screen, he is already a finished product that has been defined. In addition, identity, occupation, and character are also important features in the representation of a character's image. Most Chinese people in foreign films are of medium stature, and most of their occupations are those of the lower middle class, so Chinese people are seen by many foreigners as being less stout and less cultured and civilized. The storyline in movies often achieves a certain purpose through the desired effect, reflecting people's intellectual needs, cultural habits, etc. This is the influence of stereotypes on people's aesthetics and receptivity. The images and sounds in movies are also related to stereotypes. For example, in a certain situation, the director wants to show a certain identity of a person, then the picture or sound associated with this identity will be repeated in the movie constantly in order to make the viewer feel that this picture or sound is connected with this character. Yet this stereotype may or may not be correct. If it is incorrect, it will lead the viewer to have a prejudice against that character image or scene, and this prejudice, once formed, is very difficult to change. In many movies, the images involving China are often traditional Chinese culture, such as lanterns, cheongsam, Tai Chi, dragon and lion dances, etc. For example, in Figure 17-1, when we look closely at the characters in "Big Fish Begonia", we will find that some of them have a floating belt, which is a common image of "immortals" in traditional culture. This is a common image of "immortals" in traditional culture.

Various elements in the film condition and influence the national image of a country, such as the characters, professions, social classes, scenes and customs chosen by the creator, but these materials do not necessarily reflect the entire social state of the group, but may be due to the fact that some of the characteristics of the group are exotic and different from the creator's own culture. In this sense, stereotypes can make people's perceptions not conform to the actual objective existence. This is because even within the same group, individuals have individual cultural attributes in addition to the cultural attributes of the whole, which are not identical and sometimes are even diametrically opposed to each other. This tends to lead viewers to make wrong evaluations and judgments about the objects they know through movies. Therefore, stereotypes tend to create control over ideology. "Stereotypes are mixed with prejudice against certain social groups, especially some groups with lower social status or relatively disadvantaged, and through dissemination they are bound to have a subtle effect and influence on the social cognition and value judgment of the public, and even increase social differences and group division, which are not conducive to social harmony and human progress." In his book "Orientalism" completed in 1978, Edward Said wrote that during the 19th century, the East observed in the eyes of the West had no real basis and was imagined out of thin air, which led to a huge prejudice against the culture and people of the East in the Western world. Western culture's long-standing false stereotypes of the East provided a pretext for the West's colonialism, especially cultural hegemony.

As China becomes more and more involved in international affairs and activities, Chinese elements in American or European films are increasing, and Chinese faces are gradually beginning to appear on the Western screen. However, "a series of limitations such as single character type, slight status and negative image also show us that the stereotypical image of China in Western cinema, formed in a long period of divide and prejudice, cannot be easily changed." In response, Chinese filmmakers should be culturally conscious and culturally responsible about the image of China in films, and in the process of Chinese films going global, Chinese directors should create diverse faces of China and recreate a positive and positive image of China. As the image of China in films improves, the image of China in the hearts of people around the world will surely improve as well.

(17-1)

Reference.

Jing Jing. Experiment on the Presentation of Chinese Elements in World Cinema [D]. Chongqing: Chongqing University, 2011