Super. Human. Flashcards
What is the main focus of the 2020
Channel 4 Paralympic campaign “Super.
Human.”?
The campaign focuses on presenting
Paralympic athletes as human beings with challenges in everyday life, not just as
“superhuman” athletes. It emphasizes their sacrifices, determination, and struggles.
Who was the cinematographer behind the campaign?
The campaign was shot by Bradford Young, the Oscar-nominated African American cinematographer known for Arrival (2017).
What are the technical codes used in the advertisement?
Close-up shots to convey athletes’ emotions and physical effort, slow motion to emphasize struggle, and the use of diegetic sound like grunts and alarms to underline the intensity of training.
What role does sound play in the campaign?
The soundtrack “So You Want to Be a Boxer” from Bugsy Malone adds a positive, upbeat feel, juxtaposing the harsh realities of training. Sound effects like breathing, grunting, and alarms emphasize struggle and determination.
What visual codes are used to communicate meaning in the ad?
Clothing and settings signal the athletes’ sports (e.g., track cyclist gear, swimming goggles), contrasting with domestic settings (e.g., hospital clothing, casual wear), creating a sense of normality and humanizing the athletes.
How does the advertisement use narrative structure?
The narrative juxtaposes athletes’ intense training with their everyday lives, like a father trying to sing “Happy Birthday” while cycling. It also includes dreamlike
sequences and humorous elements to balance the serious tone.
What theoretical concept does Barthes’ Semiotics theory explain in this context?
Semiotics explores how signs (e.g., athletes’ clothing, prosthetics) convey meaning. The ad uses these signs to challenge myths about disability, showing the athletes as normal people with real lives, not victims or superheroes.
What is the significance of the slogan “To be a Paralympian, there’s got to be something wrong with you”?
This slogan challenges the audience’s misconceptions about disability and encourages them to reflect on how they view Paralympians, turning the phrase into a positive assertion of the athletes’ strengths.
How does the ad represent disability differently from previous campaigns? (Cultivation theory)
Previous campaigns focused on the
‘super’ aspect of athletes. In contrast,
“Super. Human.” emphasizes the ‘human’ side, showing the personal, everyday struggles of disabled athletes alongside their training.
What does Stuart Hall’s theory of representation explain in this campaign?
Hall’s theory suggests that meanings are constructed through signs, and in this ad, the athletes are portrayed as ordinary people with extraordinary challenges, avoiding stereotypical representations of disability.
How does the campaign challenge traditional representations of disability?
The campaign avoids presenting
Paralympians as victims or ‘superhumans.’ Instead, it shows them as real people with complex lives, presenting a balanced and authentic portrayal of their experiences.
How does David Gauntlett’s theory of identity apply to the ad?
Gauntlett’s theory highlights how the ad gives a voice to underrepresented groups, offering a diverse and positive representation of disabled athletes, which helps broaden the public’s understanding of disability.
What are the primary target audiences for the “Super. Human.” advertisement?
Channel 4 viewers aged 16-34, sports fans, and those interested in more inclusive representations of social groups, particularly those with disabilities.
What is the significance of the use of close-up shots in the advertisement?
Close-up shots focus on athletes’
emotions and physical challenges, making the audience empathize with their struggles and enhancing the connection to their real, human experiences.
How does the advertisement engage with the concept of “compassion fatigue”?
The ad avoids overly sentimental portrayals of disability, instead offering a positive and realistic representation of athletes’ lives, which aims to engage the audience without exploiting their compassion.
