Evaluation of Representations in Coursework

• Representation is usually only discussed when the media use common representations (stereotypes) to convey their ideas.

• More unconventional representations are only evern discussed against the context of gthe stereotype. 

• The use of stereotypes can be advantageous in certain situations - they allow us to quickly convey a narrative structure to the audience and allow them to make predictions, which is imprtant to their enjoyment.

• They also have their disadvantages too - they can make the film predictable and can be criticised more generally if they reinforce negative ideas present in society.

• In our piece we use mise en scene, camera movements/angles, editing and sound and create quite a complex representation of teenagers. There are some elements of stereotyping but the representation is detailed and complicated and therefore overcomes some of this. 

• This is because of our genre.  Verisimilitude is an important aspect of our piece, because our piece relies on on being engaged to the audience emotionally because its important to the genre of our piece which is coming of age/social realism. Many stereotypes are too exaggerated to seem realistic so we have avoided this and our representations are quite muted.





                                     

                                                        Band Scene group involved in prductive action



      


                        

                                                   (Negative representation) Gang culture amongst teenagers

• We used the band scene during the news scene photograph to represent teenagers in a positive way as it shows that they are ambitious and successful, this is normally the opposite to what we normally see in media as teenagers are represented in a negative way (use of alcohol, drugs and gangs).
• The news caster talks of a cult following growing to a big fan base, so we know they worked for their success and it did not come easily - one of the reasons for setting this in the past to avoid a kind of X Factor representation.

Childhood photo

• We also used the pictures of our main character when she was a child, this could be used to shows the innocence, as let the audience infer that teenagers are still children, and they can choose the wrong path, and sometimes this can be wrong. In this case we see the childhood photograph during the news flash which announces Ruby Maverick to be dead from a potential overdose. 

• This is a use of common stereotypes as teenagers are normally shown throughout media as drug abusers. The use of childhood photo gives a mixed representation as it shows both innocence and immaturity, and it makes us wonder how the character came to their end.

Similar Image used in Stuarts Life Backwards

• The use of childhood photos being used to show innocence is normal in media, an example of this is in the  movie 'Stuarts Life Backwards' the movie has a similar plot as the main character also is a drug abuser and it also uses the childhood scenes to create sympathy and emotion.
• The flashback structure helps make the representation clear - because we already know what happens to Ruby, we look for clues in her early life. Makes us judge her actions carefully because we know the serious consequences.

Fan mourning the death of Ruby Maverick

Jimmy unable to cope with his sisters death

• Both our male and female characters show strong emotions in the opening. The female fan and Ruby's brother, Jimmy, clearly distressed, although Jimmy's grief is internalised. This might reinforce stereotypes about the ways men and women handle emotions, but our pieced is more complex - it also contrasts real emotion (Jimmy) and the emotions brought about by famous people (more shallow but somehow 'bigger'). Media representations of groef are being criticised in tis representation and so conclusions about gender are a bit superficial.

Stacy from Eastenders - strong emotion

 

         

           News Report

Sophia from Skins

• The fact that we suggested it could be possible suicide during the news report fits into a common representation that teenagers often go for drastic actions, this is a negative representation of teenagers. An example of this is in Skins when the character Sophia commits suicide due to an emotional breakdown.
• We might seem to be backing up media stereotypes of teens as unstable and emotional, but other representations in our sequence show them as more relaxed and happy.

Happy and friendly

• Our piece is full of strong and complicated emotions.

• Our characters are teenagers - but the whole point of a comingof age film is that they are learning to be adults so what they experience is seen as 'adult' so the representation is more general than it appears.