Final Project

Lexington Leib

Professor Doris Caçoilo

Media 384

December 9, 2016

Final Project

For my final project for Women in Media I assembled two videos using a compilation of archival footage, home photos, and my own footage. Each piece has a unique perspective on the topics covered in this class. My favorite forms of art, whether they be films, poems, or paintings are emotionally honest, truthful, and speak from the heart of the artist. Through this approach, I made one video discussing the state of feminism in 2016 and the other is about my grandfather, a man who embodies the patriarchy.  

Year of the Thot is based on the idea that feminism in 2016 has become a dichotomy between the values we say we possess, and the reality of the willful participation in hyper sexualization. The focus is on explaining why the current wave of feminism is so rooted in sexuality and why that matters. The video serves also as a timeline that looks at the way advertising to women has progressed in the last 60 years, showing that things really haven't changed as much as we would like to think. 

He Burned Off His Fingerprints is a deeply honest look into the life of my Grandfather. the link to feminism in this piece is less obvious than in my previous video. My aim here is to illuminate the qualities of a person who was shaped by war and violence and the damage it inflicted on his family. His actions shaped the lives of his 4 children and his subsequent grand children. His legacy is an an unavoidable link between my life and my understanding of men, society, and family. 

Ultimately my goal moving forward is to continue making films that are honest and close to my heart. I think these kinds of values are what make people feel most connected to art and other people, and I strive in life to foster those connections. 

References

Berger, John, Sven Blomberg, Chris Fox, Michael Dibb, and Richard Hollis. Ways of Seeing. London, England: British Broadcasting Corportion, 1973. Print.

"Betty Friedan to Beyoncé: Today's Generation Embraces Feminism on Its Own Terms." The Washington Post. WP Company, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2016.

Hooks, Bell. The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love. New York: Washington Square, 2004. Print.

Lees, Paris. "There's a New Prudishness in Feminism and I Hate It | VICE | United States." VICE. N.p., 13 Nov. 2014. Web. 09 Dec. 2016.

Mooney, Jessie. "The Most Follow-Worthy Instagram Models of the Year (Thus Far)." GQ. N.p., 30 Sept. 2016. Web. 09 Dec. 2016.

Shulevitz, Judith. "How to Fix Feminism." The New York Times. The New York Times, 11 June 2016. Web. 09 Dec. 2016.

**All archival footage collated from Archive.org