Q2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

What is representation?
The definition of representation is the portrayal of something or someone in a particular way. E.g. a gangster being represent with black clothes , broken English etc. Representation can be different depending on the specific conventions which are changed or altered. The main for components which define representation in films are:

• Sound 
• Editing 
• Mis-en-scene 
• Camera work

In this shot, Mis-en-scene is being represented through
 costume, lighting, hair and makeup setting etc.

In our opening sequence of our teen film we have explored a range of teen social groups due to the fact that each character has a different stereotype; Nerd, Jock, Princess and Criminal. These characters all come from different social groups normally presented at school/college. Differently in our teen film the four stereotypes are going to summer camp. 

I have created a montage using Slidely presenting all the different stereotypes representations in our teen film. 

Emmanuel Tedeku's Slidely by Slidely Slideshow



In my teen film the four different characters are displayed as clear stereotypes and are seen in the media as positive or negative due to their representation. In our teen film we have represented our four main characters in the way the media will see them, therefore we didn't challenge the representation of the characters in the opening sequence of our teen film.




Negatively represented in teen film & media
The Criminal: In the opening sequence of my teen film I have represented the criminal as the negative character due to the matter that he is involved in robbery's, anti- social behaviour and portrays himself with a negative attitude towards summer camp. Additionally in relation to the media the criminal is also seen as a threatening, antisocial, thief. In order to represent this, I used sound, camerawork, editing, and mis-en-scene.

Sound: In the opening of my teen film, I used sound in order to allow my audience to identify where my character lies in terms of representation and how the audience sees him (Positively or Negatively). Therefore I used spooky which created a damp, sucpicous sound which represented the criminal.


Positively Represented in teen film & Media
The Princess: In the opening sequence of my teen film, I have represented the princess as positive character. She portrayed a majority of elements which is represented in the media for e.g. beautiful, fashionable; good dress sense, popular and attractive. In the opening she is deemed to have no flaws socially unlike the Nerd (bike breaks). Her stereotypical character is also represented through the four elements which are mis-en-scene, sound, editing, and camera work.


Mis-en-scene: Through Mis-en-Scene the princess had a 'glamourous' room which represented how much of a princess she was. This automatically allowed the audience to tell what type of character she is during the first opening 2 minutes.

Nerd (Edward): Edward has been represented in the opening sequence of the teen film as unfashionable, exited, unattractive unpopular and smart etc. I contrast to the media this stereotypical representation of a Nerd has not changed due to the fact that the mass media's representation of a nerd is similar to our Edward 

In our teen film Edward is looked down upon and is an outcast to the school society. He is seen and portrayed as a negative character in the opening of our teen film as he is unlucky and has a flat tyre on the way to school





I interviewed someone who watched our teen film and gave us feedback on representation. He also gave us feed back on representation that we constructed within our teen film.