QUESTION TWO:

How does your film opening represent particular social groups?

CONVENTIONAL REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SOCIAL GROUPS IN OUR OPENING

SEQUENCE – TWO EXTREMESFrom Parents’ Perspectives:

• Rebellious• Irresponsible• Uncontrollable

• Loud

• Helpful• Hard-working• Motivated• Important

From Teachers’ Perspective• Formal• Polite• Studious• Thoughtful

• Rude• Ill-mannered• Impossible to

discipline• Hyperactive

In the mass mediaTeenagers are portrayed as very

negative figures in the mass media; words like ‘rebellious’ and ‘violent’ are often connotations of the word

‘teenager’ amongst the mass media. They are also portrayed as fun-loving

‘party animals’ addicted to technology – particularly ‘apps’ and

social media platforms.

So, does our opening sequence stick to these stereotypes, and does it present other groups, if

yes, how?

• Teenagers in our opening sequence are presented as many of the

things mentioned in the previous slide;

• Fun-loving• Rebellious• Loud

Fun-LovingBy having a relatively speedy changes in our varying types of shots, we presented

teenagers as fun-loving because this conveys a sense of fast-flowing action

and thinking. Exhilaration is also conveyed.

Our choice of music also conveys a fun-loving presentation of teenagers as the

lyrics are suggestive of young people staying young through their actions –

“Don’t tell me our youth is running out”

RebelliousTeenagers are presented as rebellious in our

opening sequence through aspects of the mise-en-scene be it props such as the alcohol

resembling drinks which, the characters in our movie are not of age to drink, the cigarettes and

drugs which are illegal due to their nature and the age of the characters, the promiscuous costumes worn by many of the female characters which are not socially “correct” in the eyes of stereotypical adults or the facial expressions of the characters which suggest enjoyment of the rebellious acts.

LoudThe characterisation of teenagers as loud is present in our opening sequence through

the use of sound which, though is non-diegetic, is the type of track that is likely to

be popular in a party.The diegetic sound is conveyed as loud through the facial expressions ad body

language of the characters.

The mise-en-scene

Facial expression suggests he is enjoying himself

Hands in the air represent teenagers as fun-loving as it is an action commonly done amongst young people today to show appreciation of music

Her body language – tightly pressed against him – represents teenage girls as fun-loving.

The non-diegetic soundtrack and the suggestive lyrics – “Don’t tell me our youth is running out” – represents teenagers as both rebellious and loud as it seems to be challenging a notion against teenagers whilst being played at a very loud level.

This represents teenagers as fun-loving and rebellious as the shot of a closed bedroom door suggests sex which is rebellious because of their age and fun-loving due to the act of sex itself.

The fact that the majority of the characters are white and that all of the females are in the foreground represents social groups within teenagers as being based around ethnicity and sex.

Tilt down Tilt up

The contrast in shots and the speed at which they alternate creates an atmosphere of fun and enjoyment and represents teenagers as fun-loving

Camera and editing

Medium close-up of character taking drugs and alcohol is present in the background; presents teenagers as rebellious and anarchic as well as fun-loving as they seem to get a thrill out of noise and intoxication.

Music playing in the night, music typical of teenagers presents them as fun-loving and anarchic; the dialogue’s bitchy quality presents teenage girls as rebellious and confrontational.