Q2

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

Megan Childs

We intended to show the news reporter as smart and professional as news reporter’s are usually formal. For example, we picked a costume that is the stereotypical professional attire e.g. the white shirt. Also, the use of a green screen to add a news room background and a logo makes it look more professional. Our audience can relate to her because they have all seen a news reporter before and know their role in society. The audience feedback we received showed us that we did this well as they all knew the purpose of her in our video.

We intended this character, Pamela Wattingham, to be seen as very upper class. However she portrays upper class people in a negative way. She has a high status job and is clearly from an upper class background. I think this can be easily understood from her posh name alone. She wears glasses and is wearing clothes that are more formal than what Chloe, the main character, is wearing. This shows that she is wealthy and intelligent. During the interview, Pamela interrupts Chloe several times. This shows her to be quite snobby which is stereotypical of upper class people. Our audience feedback showed us that we were successful in portraying her this way.

We intended to make this character, Chloe Turner, seem vulnerable and in danger. Throughout the video, Chloe wears red which connotes danger. This is to foreshadow that something will happen to her. Also, in the picture you see her standing in light with darkness behind her. This is to connote that something evil is lurking and it again foreshadows what will happen to her. Chloe is supposed to be of a lower working class and comes from a humble background. She had to work hard to star in a film unlike Pamela, her co-star, who has more likely had everything handed to her because of her higher status. We showed this by giving Chloe a normal house with simple furniture and simple clothes. The audience can relate to her more because she is from a background that is similar to their own.

We stuck to the conventions of a stereotypical villain with this character. The stalker is dressed in dark clothes which portrays their dark personality. Also, the stalker’s identity remains unknown which adds mystery to the opening sequence as you don’t know who has killed Chloe. However, the stalker is female which differs from typical thriller films as the villain is stereotypically male. This links in with Christian Metz’s theory of genre development. The villain is female which keeps this story fresh and interesting instead of being similar to other thriller films.