TOPIC #1:
Title
Harana Para sa Dalaga: A Comparative Study Between GMA7’s “Destiny Rose” and Abra’s “Gayuma” on the Portrayal of Love Among Trans Identities in Filipino Media
Rationale
In a Catholic-dominated country, the perception of LGBTQ+ people is often misguided or stereotyped in mainstream media. Most identities are depicted as a funny side character or the main character’s best friend. What do these portrayals tell us about how Filipinos perceive life experiences of a trans person? This paper will study the role of popular culture in presenting trans identities outside mainstream media portrayals, specifically how they give and receive emotions, challenging the stereotypical characterization of a queer person based on the GMA7 TV Show, “Destiny Rose” and Filipino Rapper Abra’s “Gayuma.”
Objectives
This paper has the following objectives:
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To analyze the characteristics of Destiny Rose and the Trans Girlfriend in the music video of how they represent societal expectations of the LGBTQ+ community
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To compare the narrative and character progress for both trans identities in the selected media
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To examine how emotional experiences of love (such as lust, affection, or rejection) are depicted in the respective story
Methodology
This paper will use The Cultural Politics of Emotion by Sara Ahmed as its framework. Emotions are viewed as social aspects that create a collective perception of gender. It will utilize the framework to analyze how common emotions are experienced by trans characters as well. The paper will compare how love is given and received by Destiny Rose from family and romance (based on accessible scenes on online platforms), and how Gayuma shows the implications of being in a queer relationship with a transwoman based on Filipino culture and perception of the LGBTQ+ community.
TOPIC #2
Title
Ayokong Magulo: A Comparative Study on the Visual Depiction of the Filipino Community Experience in “DUNGKA!” by SB19 and Eat Bulaga’s “All for Juan, Juan for All”
Rationale
Classic Filipino households are often a reminder of our youth. The music video of “DUNGKA!” by SB19 depicts a stylized representation of the Filipino community experience, while Eat Bulaga’s “All for Juan, Juan for All” broadcasts the livelihood of Filipinos, especially the underprivileged. This paper will study the similarities between two different representations of the same reality of Filipinos to learn how visual elements and symbolisms create cultural meanings in media.
Objectives
The paper has the following objectives:
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To analyze the visual elements used (lighting, color grading, cinematography) in both the music video and the live show segment that depict a community experience
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To compare how both media forms utilize entertainment to broadcast the lived realities of a Filipino household
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To study the role of artistic direction in a music video and the framing of a reality-based telecast in shaping audience perception and emotional response to a Filipino community experience
Methodology
This paper will utilize Sara Ahmed’s Affective Economies as a framework to analyze the role of emotions in popular culture to affect viewer experience. It will relate the elements and personalities present in the music video and the show segment. This theory will shape how certain feelings from the visual elements such as “nostalgia” and “resilience” might be emphasized amid class differences and social conditions. The paper will also compare the scenes, clothing, activities of DUNGKA! to the reality of All for Juan, Juan for All and note its accuracy as a stylized interpretation of Filipino culture.
TOPIC #3
Title
Sayaw Nene: A Comparison on the Storytelling of Bita and the Botflies’ “Sisikat Ka Iha” and Maalaala Mo Kaya’s (MMK) Narratives on Women Abuse in the Workplace
Rationale
In popular media in the Philippines, the experience of women in workplaces often involves abuse of power and gender difference. This paper will study the themes of “Sisikat Ka Iha” by Bita and the Botflies and episodes of Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK) and compare the storytelling of an exploited Filipino woman. This study also aims to learn how women become products of a system that enables abusive behavior in a work industry through the creative manifestations of media.
Objectives
The study has the following objectives:
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To analyze how women exploitation and abuse are represented in two different media forms with consideration to how medium affects narrative delivery
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To compare the themes of labor, ambition, and gender-based violence in both the song and selected episodes
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To examine the role of class, gender, and authority in progressing to the character’s experience as depicted in the show and music video
Methodology
This study will be using Postcolonial Feminism as a framework. It will utilize the theory to find commonalities of both narratives in regards to how gender, race, or social class result in these experiences of women. It will study Sisikat Ka Iha’s music video elements along with the context of its lyrics. It will also examine MMK episodes “Passport” and “Abby” which are both on the topic of female abuse in popular media.