7.2 Star studies and persona analysis
2 min read•july 24, 2024
Star personas shape how we see actors both on and off screen. They're built from roles, media appearances, and public image, influencing our expectations and engagement with films. This complex interplay affects box office success and fan culture.
Creating a involves on-screen factors like roles and performance style, plus off-screen elements like public appearances and social media. Industry influence and also play key roles in shaping these public images.
Star Studies and Persona Analysis
Concept of star persona
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Top images from around the web for Concept of star persona
Clark Gable - Wikipedia View original
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- Star persona constructed public image of film actor combines on-screen roles and off-screen personality cultivated through media appearances, interviews, publicity
- Informs analysis of actor's performance choices influences interpretation of character portrayals shapes expectations for future roles
- Affects viewer expectations and engagement with films contributes to box office success or failure influences fan culture and celebrity worship (Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep)
Creation of star personas
- On-screen factors include film roles, character types, performance style, techniques, collaborations with specific directors or co-stars (Leonardo DiCaprio with Martin Scorsese)
- Off-screen factors encompass public appearances, red carpet events, social media presence, interviews, talk show appearances, personal life events, relationships
- Industry influence through studio publicity campaigns, agent and management team strategies, media coverage, gossip columns
- Cultural context shapes persona through societal values, norms, current events, political climate, generational shifts in audience preferences
Persona's influence on performances
- previous roles inform audience expectations off-screen persona affects character believability
- Persona-driven acting choices vs. (John Wayne in Westerns, Heath Ledger as Joker)
- Integration of star's known traits into roles subversion of audience expectations for dramatic effect
- Leveraging star persona in film advertising tailoring film narratives to fit star image
- Critics consider star persona in reviews audience interpretation based on familiarity with star
Impact of persona on careers
- Career longevity depends on persona adaptability to changing industry trends reinvention strategies to avoid typecasting
- Influence on scripts written specifically for stars impact on casting decisions and director choices
- Persona-driven genre specialization challenges in crossing genre boundaries (Jim Carrey in dramatic roles)
- Career transitions from actor to director or producer persona influence on non-acting endeavors
- Collaborations based on perceived star compatibility impact on studio investment and project green-lighting
- Role choices to maintain or expand audience appeal balancing artistic growth with fan expectations
Key Terms to Review (19)
Against-type casting: Against-type casting refers to the practice of casting actors in roles that differ significantly from their established on-screen personas or previous roles. This technique can challenge audience expectations and highlight the actor's versatility, while also adding depth to the character being portrayed.
Audience Reception: Audience reception refers to the way viewers interpret and respond to a film, encompassing their emotional, cognitive, and cultural reactions. This concept is crucial for understanding how films are received by different demographics, influencing their overall impact in society, genre evolution, celebrity personas, and representations of gender and sexuality.
Branding: Branding is the process of creating a distinct identity for a product or individual, which includes a unique name, design, symbol, and overall image that differentiates it from others in the market. In film and celebrity culture, branding involves shaping how audiences perceive actors or movies, influencing public image and audience expectations through strategic marketing and persona construction.
Celebrity culture: Celebrity culture refers to the societal phenomenon that idolizes and extensively follows the lives, behaviors, and personas of public figures, particularly in the entertainment industry. This culture shapes how individuals perceive fame and success, often blurring the lines between personal lives and public personas. It also influences consumer behavior, media production, and the way narratives are constructed around celebrity figures.
Cult of personality: A cult of personality is a phenomenon where a public figure, often a political leader or celebrity, is deliberately presented and perceived as an extraordinary, almost god-like figure through media, propaganda, and public appearances. This manipulation of perception often elevates the individual above criticism and fosters a strong emotional connection with their followers, which can significantly influence public opinion and cultural narratives.
Cultural Context: Cultural context refers to the social, historical, and cultural background that shapes the production and interpretation of a film. It encompasses the values, beliefs, norms, and practices of a particular society or community at a specific time, influencing how stories are told and received by audiences. Understanding cultural context is crucial as it informs narrative structures, character portrayals, and audience expectations.
Digital persona: A digital persona is the online identity that individuals create and curate through their interactions, posts, and content shared on various digital platforms. This identity reflects personal values, interests, and how one wishes to be perceived by others in the online space, often shaped by both personal choices and external influences.
Feminist film theory: Feminist film theory is a critical framework that examines the representation of women in film and the ways in which cinematic practices reflect and reinforce gender inequalities. This theory seeks to analyze how films shape cultural attitudes towards gender and challenge traditional narratives by promoting alternative perspectives that highlight women's experiences and identities.
Hollywood Blacklist: The Hollywood Blacklist was a period during the late 1940s and 1950s when many actors, writers, and directors were barred from working in the film industry due to their alleged ties to communism. This phenomenon arose from the fears of communist influence during the Cold War, leading to investigations by organizations like the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). The blacklist severely impacted careers and lives, creating a culture of fear that stifled artistic expression and led to the erosion of trust within the industry.
Image management: Image management refers to the strategic control and cultivation of a public persona, especially in the entertainment industry, where individuals or brands seek to influence how they are perceived by audiences. This involves various tactics such as marketing, public relations, and social media engagement to create a desired image that resonates with fans and the general public. In this context, it's crucial for stars and their teams to manage public perception effectively to maintain relevance and foster loyalty.
Intertextuality: Intertextuality refers to the way that texts (including films) reference, influence, and connect to one another, creating a network of meanings through their relationships. This concept emphasizes that no text exists in isolation; rather, each work is shaped by its connections to other texts, which can be direct or indirect. Understanding intertextuality helps to unpack layers of meaning, context, and cultural significance that influence how audiences perceive films.
Laura Mulvey: Laura Mulvey is a prominent feminist film theorist known for her groundbreaking essay 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema' (1975), where she introduced the concept of the 'male gaze' in film. Her work critiques how cinema reflects and reinforces patriarchal society by objectifying women and positioning viewers to identify with male perspectives, influencing various critical methodologies and perspectives in film analysis.
Online branding: Online branding refers to the process of promoting a brand through digital platforms to create a distinct identity and engage with an audience. It encompasses various elements like social media presence, website design, content marketing, and search engine optimization, all aimed at building a cohesive image that resonates with consumers. In the world of film and entertainment, online branding is essential for stars and personalities to shape their public perception and connect with fans.
Richard Dyer: Richard Dyer is a prominent film scholar known for his work on star studies, which examines the cultural and ideological implications of film stars and their personas. His approach emphasizes how stars embody certain ideologies and how their images reflect societal values, making them crucial in analyzing both mainstream and independent films.
Star persona: Star persona refers to the public image and identity that an actor or actress constructs and maintains through their film roles, personal branding, and media representation. This persona goes beyond just the characters they portray, encompassing their off-screen behavior, public statements, and how they are marketed by the industry. Understanding star persona is essential for analyzing how stars influence audience perceptions and the broader cultural significance of their images.
Star power: Star power refers to the influence and appeal that a particular actor or actress has in the entertainment industry, often leading to significant box office success and fan loyalty. This allure can stem from their on-screen persona, public image, and the roles they choose, which contribute to their overall marketability and ability to attract audiences.
Studio system: The studio system refers to the dominant production and distribution model used by major film studios in Hollywood from the 1920s to the early 1960s, characterized by vertical integration, contract actors, and a focus on formulaic filmmaking. This system allowed studios to control almost every aspect of film production, from talent contracts to marketing and distribution, creating a highly organized environment for producing films that appealed to mass audiences.
Textual analysis: Textual analysis is the systematic examination and interpretation of a film's visual, audio, and narrative components to understand its meaning, themes, and context. This approach considers how elements such as cinematography, editing, sound, and narrative structure contribute to a film's overall message and the audience's experience. By dissecting these components, textual analysis allows for deeper insights into the artistic choices made by filmmakers and how those choices communicate specific ideas or emotions.
Typecasting: Typecasting refers to the tendency of actors to be repeatedly cast in similar roles based on their previous performances or perceived persona. This phenomenon can shape an actor's career trajectory, limiting their opportunities and leading audiences to associate them with specific character types.