Film Matters: Please tell us about your article that is being published in Film Matters.
Shaye Guillory: “Budget Sex: The Neglected Perspective of Youth in Contemporary Cinema” assesses the representation of youth sexual relations in films released between the 2000s and the present day. My article puts forth the notion of the millennial sexual experience as habitually distorted in contemporary film, often as a result of the budgetary and cultural implications posed by independent and Hollywood filmmaking. As a result, there exists significant neglect in the depiction of the “coming-of-age” sexual experience, propelling the societal perception of the young adult as either engaged in extreme sexual behaviors, or no sex to speak of.
FM: What research and/or methodologies do you incorporate in your article?
SG: “Budget Sex” draws upon significant works pertaining to feminist film criticism, analysis of the “indie” and mainstream Hollywood cinema. Works from Ortner (2013) and Newman (2011) help form the article’s understanding of these modes of filmmaking. Throughout the article, film style analysis is employed, assessing distinguishable filmic techniques.
FM: Describe the original context for/when writing this article while an undergraduate student.
SG: The original context for “Budget Sex” was defined by a moment of recognition, wherein I identified what I consider to be a clear lack of significant exploration of sexual relationships from the perspective of the teen or young adult. I continue to deem this “lack” as existing not only as a lesser quantity of representation, but equally as an absence of meaning afforded to the sexual experience of the millennial. Having studied the elective FITV12-211: Sex, Society and the Movies during my undergraduate education, I was provided a solid basis for further exploration of issues associated with human sexuality as depicted on the silver screen.
FM: How has your department and/or institution supported your work in film and media?
SG: The Film & Television Department at Bond University provided constant support throughout my undergraduate degree, with academic staff lending their time to assist and foster further growth. Working within the department post-graduation, I find that Bond University has continued to support my work in film and media, providing a platform to further discuss and explore research concepts.
FM: How has your faculty mentor fostered your advancement as a film scholar?
SG: My faculty mentor, Alison Taylor, has provided constant support and facilitation in my advancement as a film scholar. Performing as an academic lecturer during my bachelor’s degree, Alison has continued to offer guidance as I work toward further publications as an independent academic. Providing editorial notes and recommendations, Alison’s support has functioned as a significant accompaniment to my adopted research process for “Budget Sex.”
FM: How has the Film Matters editorial and publication process impacted the development/evolution of your article?
SG: The Film Matters editorial and publication process has aided in the development of my notion of “neglected,” supporting further exploration into the manner in which economic considerations might misconstrue neglected groups and their place within society. Furthermore, the editorial board encouraged a more extensive assessment of the future, notably the possibilities that accompany post-global politics and the opportunities these may lend to accurate representations of youth sexual relations.
FM: What audience do you hope to reach with your Film Matters article and/or what impact do you hope it has on the field of film studies?
SG: With the objective of targeting an undergraduate audience, I intend for “Budget Sex” to elucidate the lack of deeper meaning afforded by the depiction of youth sex, or reference to, within contemporary “indie” and mainstream Hollywood cinema. I hope for my article to contribute to the general impact offered by film criticism as an entirety, influencing filmic zeitgeist and bringing attention to the millennial as a neglected subsection of society. Such an effect has the potential to place pressure on the filmmaker or studio to provide substantive meaning in the depiction of the sexual experience of the adolescent.
FM: What are your future plans?
SG: For the future, I intend to conduct further research into the parameters associated with the depiction of graphic sex in contemporary independent cinema with a specific focus on Love (Gaspar Noé, 2015). Other future objectives include a continuance of research into topics, subcultures and viewpoints that may be marginalized or misrepresented in past or present filmic landscapes.
Author Biography
Shaye Guillory is an undergraduate alumnus and casual academic at Bond University. Graduating with a Bachelor of Film & Television in February 2017, her research interests include representations of sexuality, gender, millennial identity, and feminism. Shaye recently presented at the New Directions in Screen Studies II Conference at Monash University.
