Question 2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Representation is a way that a person is portrayed. Representation in film is shown through camera work, mise en scene, sound and editing. It varies in different films. In our teen film we have represented four stereotypical teenagers and have explored different social groups. 

The Nerd

All of the shots that the nerd is in can be seen in the video above. In our opening sequence the nerd has been represented in a negative way. This is because everything that happens to him is bad although he was represented in that way for comical reasons. He is seen as the unlucky/unfortunate kid this is represented through his bike braking and him hurting his leg. He can also be perceived as the unpopular and uncool kid, as this is the stereotypical view of nerds in teen films. His shirt and glasses add to his appearance as he dresses very smartly which also shows his commitment to education.

On the left you can see two 'nerds' that are in 'Weird Science' they just like the nerd in 'T.E.A.M' are used for humour purposes and are surrounded by things linked with education.

The Jock

The representation of the Jock can be seen in the video above. The Jock has been represented in a positive way as he is a stereotypical masculine character that is always loved by everyone in the film. He wakes up to a girl in the morning, which suggests he is a popular character but has settled down. He also drives a car and lives in a nice house which suggests that he is rich and likes to look after himself. He is perceived as a character that everyone would look up to or want to be like. His costume which is very bright brings a lot of attention to him which also highlights the fact that he might be the popular kid in the school.

The jock in 'T.E.A.M' is similar to a jock in 'Not another teen movie' which is a global film. By looking at these two images of the jocks, you can tell that our jock is very stereotypically represented as he is wearing the same type of clothing as a jock from a real film. The bright colours in their baseball jackets show that they are very enthusiastic and the baseball jacket itself emphasises that they are interested in sport. 

Princess

The princess in our film has been represented in a positive/negative way. This depends in what type of way people will portray her. She can be seen as a positive character as she comes across jolly, glamorous and fashionable. In all of the shots you can tell that she looks after herself and cares about her appearance. Although she might come across a bit stuck up and vain. This is how a lot of princesses are stereotyped in the media.

The character from 'T.E.A.M' and the character from 'Mean Girls' are both princess in their films. They can be compared to each other as they are similar in a few ways. Mainly, they come across very glamorous and they are both wearing pink which is the colour associated with princess. 

The Criminal

The criminal in our film has been represented in a negative way. This is because he is first seen answering the phone from another criminal. This suggests that he is up to no good and may be involved with gangs. We then see that he is running away from someone, which could indicate he is a thief. His attitude when he walks toward the summer camp also shows that he doesn't want to be there, which indicates his personality that he doesn't suit this environment. The criminal is wearing all black which is how most criminals are portrayed as you wouldn't see them wear bright colours.

These two characters on the left are from 'Adulthood' and can be compared to the criminal as all of them wear dark clothing. These characters are represented in a negative way, meaning that the lives that they live are dangerous and their everyday lives may include dangerous things.