Evaluation Question 2

HOW DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT REPRESENT PARTICULAR SOCIAL GROUPS?

Our media product represents a variety of different social groups and individuals in a variety of different ways. These include:

ISABELLA PARK (PLAYED BY HAYLEY JACKLIN)

In our film opening, we follow the character of Isabella Park in the final moments of her life, before she is killed via tracking shots, and as such, we portray her as tense and innocent/ vulnerable. (thus making her the protagonist) This feeling is enhanced by the presence of tense music leading up to the moment of her death. We also use a lot of walking scenes to build up this level of tension.

We portray Isabella as a sensible, mature person (a stereotype of females) who doesn't want anything to do with Tibble (as she shuns him when he tries to walk her home.) This also conveys a sense of independence within the character.

JOHN TIBBLE (PLAYED (BY TOM CARLTON)

This character is portrayed in our film opening as a drunk party goer in his teens/mid 20's. He is seen as a stalker who will not leave the main character alone. It is because of the stereotype that drunks are often violent that we initially portray him as the person who murders Isabella, thus making him the antagonist. (we decided to challenge this stereotype as it is later discovered that he is not the culprit)

This feeling of tension that he gives off is enhanced by the fact that he is wearing black and because the tense, dark music begins right at the end of his scene where he is looking angry and upset. Also, in his close up, we use a combination of a low angle camera shot (to show power and dominance, a trait commonly attached to male characters) and low key lighting, to convey a sense of mystery and dread about the character.

In terms of the representation of social groups in our film opening, all of the characters in this film opening are teens/mid 20's. This is an age group that is usually related by the audience to late night parties, excessive drinking etc. This is a negative stereotype that I feel we have conformed to.