Representation

The media chooses what they want the audience to see. They know that the audience is bound to stare at a TV commercial or trailer and see what the business is releasing to them.  By doing this, they can skew a preconceived idea to make people believe something false may actually be true.  This occurs with how men are always seen to be strong and be aggressive.

This is a topic I may want to explore in my project because primarily, I am a male so this directly applies to myself and how people perceive me.  Regardless if it is reality TV, action flicks, or romance, the male protagonist is always seen with a full six-pack of abs.  The AntMan, Captain America, Ironman, and The Avengers movies all display men in a way that is almost intimidating to all others who do not maintain the same figure.  Romances such as 50 Shades of Grey also display men with defined features.

I don't feel that this representation is appropriate because it is creating an expectation of men.  Men needing six-pack abs and bulging muscles is creating the image that guys are only valid if they have the level of muscle the editing team gives the actors in post-production.  Guys can still be strong without the physique; strong mental state and emotional state is important as well.

I would retain some characteristics of this representation because the muscle is a stereotype of a jocky, rude antagonist character meant to be the rival.  However, for a male protagonist, I would portray them as strong-willed and compassionate. These are two traits that I value more than physical appearance because I agree with the statement that "you can't judge a book by its cover".  By talking with a person, someone will effectively be able to decree if they are a good person or not.