Smashing stereotypes competition & brief

The smashing stereotype competition gives us an opportunity to raise awareness on issues related with gender equality and equal rights. It is set for anyone to get involved in hope for future change.

Who 
Many artists are smashing stereotypes and raising awareness of political conflicts. Some may use social media, others using a medium they specialize in lunch and expressing themselves through. The most common example could be musical artists, one that I admire being singer Troye Sivan. Opening about his sexuality as an online influencer / Youtuber in 2014 to now becoming a pop star and gay 'icon' Sivan has broken stereotypes about men being feminine by wearing makeup, nail polish, wigs, dresses, etc, and the openness to express their feelings and sexual desires. A prime example being his music video for song "Bloom." The singer acts freely in a dress and makeup, with pink/ red rose petals marked throughout the video and overall vibrant colours, whilst making several references to David Bowie.

How
I feel that I smash stereotypes by supporting and promoting influencers who have power in the media, e.g retweeting their content, telling my friends about it, etc. I have also researched / kept an eye on a LGBT activist group for many years, called GLAAD. Buying products from makeup brands that support men wearing makeup and brands / clothing that is unisex is also something I partake in, and feel breaks typical gender norms/ some stereotypes. Explored further in my media projects and projects, smashing stereotypes and overall in equality is something I enjoy exploring. 

Why
Smashing stereotypes is important to help society become more equal. It means that those who express themselves 'differently' won't be seen as different, instead it'd be normalised therefore less frowned upon. It means more comfortableness and freedom.

Brainstorming ideas - 
1. - Transgender history & how the generation and world has changed
- Using a Transgender lecturer from Goldsmith University, Louise Chambers. Contacting and asking for an interview, to film some shots, etc.
- Moving image & sound/ audio focused piece.
- Use of Adobe Audition, sound being something I have not yet explored in depth.

2.  - Focused on audio again voice over of a LGBT persons story. How they realised they were gay.
- Visuals of Soho/ gay bars and clubs
- Possible footage of extroverted looking people, e.g men wearing makeup if found on location/ with consent.
- Edit voice in audition so it sounds different, distorted.
- Visuals of graffiti streets, quiet roads, going along locations in London.

3. - Continuing photography ideas of men wearing makeup, incorporating photographs into the moving image piece
- Photographs and an edited story voice-over
- Mixing two mediums / photography and moving image, photography and sound.

Proposal & following email

• Smashing the negative stereotypes that are put upon transgender people. Using a transgender woman who will describe the discovery of her identity. How she realised and overcame being transgender, how this was socially. 
• The story being the audio/ sound part of the piece.

• Cuts between the transgender woman telling her story and visuals
• Visuals of LGBT people kissing, contacted through the Transgender woman's group.
• Our transgender woman being Louise Chambers, will contact and ask. Met at Goldsmith university. She’s part of a group, ask to contact this group
• Photography of people, still images of people's faces. Edit text over their face, “I am Gay, I am Lesbian.”

Focus group -
Our feedback consisted of good and constructive feedback. The main points being the idea is good because it may motivate people to express themselves with transgender being a niche topic, but the age / selected persona being the lecturer may be too old and therefore not appeal to our target audience. The idea that the lecturer and students watching our piece are from different generations meaning that they can't relate, though we argue that the older generation have been through the movement and helped it form the younger generations today, meaning they can provide some insight and knowledge. We received further feedback from our peers, mentioning that we should ask young people about their biggest problems and research the young generation as a whole.

Change of Idea -

As our main participant Louise did not respond, we decided to go with idea 2. The concept remains similar, except we will explore a gay / lesbian storyline, with visuals of location more. Our planning will therefore consist of LGBT more broadly in research rather than just focusing on transgender personas, though we will attempt to include some information as they're part of the community.
Explored in more detail over the planning and pre production documents -
- Keeping ideas such as LGBT people kissing, contacted a LGBT group. If not them, we will use people around us to hold hands, look romantically, etc.
- Will incorporate footage from LGBT marching rights.