Film & Media Students Enjoy Film Masterclass

Film and Media students enjoyed a Film masterclass yesterday with visiting lecturer, Dr Pete Deakin, from the University of Salford.
Pete’s lecture, ‘From Notting Hill to La La Land: Securing Dominant Ideology’ highlighted some of the most interesting areas of debate in A Level Media and Film Studies, including ideology and representation. 

Pete examined a range of British and American films, from 90’s British romantic comedies to American musicals, with a focus on La La Land, which is a set text for Film Studies.

Students enjoyed studying ideologies of nostalgia and the political context of the Trump presidency and its impact on the film. In addition, questions about representation of national identity, race, sexuality, social class and gender were illuminated through Pete’s lecture.

Julie Edwards, Head of Film and Media Studies, said: “Today was a great opportunity for our students to expand on their curriculum studies and experience an undergraduate-style lecture on politics and ideology in Film. The lecture was fascinating and linked well with our study of both of the films Black Panther and La La Land - texts that students really enjoy studying as they raise so many debates about the industry and stereotypes. The talk was really thought provoking and we were all thoroughly hooked.”

Dr Pete Deakin is a lecturer in Film Studies, an academic and author of the highly recommended study of gender in film, ‘White Masculinity in Crisis in Hollywood's fin de Millennium Cinema’. Year 1 Film and Media students are excited about plans to meet up with Dr Deakin again in Spring 2022, for a planned visit to the University of Salford.