How does your media How does your media product represent product represent

particular social groups?particular social groups?

Evaluation Question 2Evaluation Question 2

The overall pictureThe overall picture

• The filmmaker uses micro elements The filmmaker uses micro elements to to encodeencode the specific macro the specific macro representations in the narrative for representations in the narrative for the viewer. the viewer.

• The viewer then The viewer then decodesdecodes these these constructed representations to constructed representations to interpret meaning from the text.interpret meaning from the text.

MicroMicro• The micro levels make up narrative, The micro levels make up narrative,

character, and technical elements, character, and technical elements, which all fall under codes and which all fall under codes and conventions made to represent the conventions made to represent the macro.macro.

• The technical elements include The technical elements include – SoundSound– Mise-en-sceneMise-en-scene– CameraCamera– Editing.Editing.

MacroMacro• The macro level is the overall The macro level is the overall

representation of the film.representation of the film.• These are made up by These are made up by

– IssuesIssues– ThemesThemes– Character codesCharacter codes

• My media product offers a My media product offers a mediatedmediated version of the world. version of the world.

• I aim to re-present reality by I aim to re-present reality by specifically representing particular specifically representing particular social groups, using micro elements social groups, using micro elements from the four different technical from the four different technical categories previously mentioned.categories previously mentioned.

• I aim to do this by looking at these I aim to do this by looking at these social groups in the wider sense social groups in the wider sense (citizens from a particular economic (citizens from a particular economic class), and in a more targeted sense class), and in a more targeted sense (truants, victims of bullying).(truants, victims of bullying).

• The seven key areas of representation The seven key areas of representation concern us, in terms of looking at people, concern us, in terms of looking at people, places, events, time periods and themes.places, events, time periods and themes.

• These seven key areas are age, gender, These seven key areas are age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, class and status, physical ethnicity, sexuality, class and status, physical ability/disability, and regional identity.ability/disability, and regional identity.

• All of these areas adds up to All of these areas adds up to verisimilitudeverisimilitude..• Verisimilitude is “truth to life”, the Verisimilitude is “truth to life”, the

appearance of being true or real. It refers to appearance of being true or real. It refers to the construction, in a text, of a plausible, the construction, in a text, of a plausible, believable world.believable world.

Mise-en-sceneMise-en-scene

• Micro elements from the technical Micro elements from the technical category of mise-en-scene are category of mise-en-scene are employed in my product to construct employed in my product to construct specific representations of a social specific representations of a social group. One of the social groups group. One of the social groups looked at in a targeted sense is a looked at in a targeted sense is a truant.truant.

• My product contrasts between two My product contrasts between two different social groups, both from a different social groups, both from a similar economic class. Whilst one is similar economic class. Whilst one is a truant, the other is a victim of a truant, the other is a victim of bullying. These two targeted social bullying. These two targeted social groups extremely oppose one groups extremely oppose one another, but they both fall under the another, but they both fall under the same economic class.same economic class.

• The key representative area focused The key representative area focused on in my product is class and status. on in my product is class and status. Issues of personal hygiene and poor Issues of personal hygiene and poor dress sense of the truant, dress sense of the truant, accompany the connotations of a accompany the connotations of a negative attitude towards uniformity.negative attitude towards uniformity.

Technical ElementsTechnical Elements• Specific technical elements of Specific technical elements of

production design, such as costume and production design, such as costume and make-up, set design, and properties, are make-up, set design, and properties, are all employed in my product.all employed in my product.

• The arrangement of technical elements The arrangement of technical elements evokes a sense of disgust and pity, due evokes a sense of disgust and pity, due to the degrading characteristics of the to the degrading characteristics of the truant.truant.

Costume and make-upCostume and make-up• The character’s make-up – The character’s make-up –

extravagant hairstyle, extravagant hairstyle, irrational hair colour – is irrational hair colour – is designed betray the facial designed betray the facial characteristics of a truant. characteristics of a truant.

• The rebellious nature of the The rebellious nature of the character is represented character is represented through costume – loose tie, through costume – loose tie, school shirt (undone top school shirt (undone top button), and trainers [not in button), and trainers [not in shot in this example], - shot in this example], - which exemplifies the which exemplifies the defiance and disregard of defiance and disregard of the normal code of a the normal code of a students character, and students character, and portray the characteristics of portray the characteristics of a truant.a truant.

Extravagant hairstyle

Earphone Loose tie

Irrational hair colour

Undone top button

• Taking the tie as an example, a tie Taking the tie as an example, a tie usually symbolises formality, and carries usually symbolises formality, and carries a cultural meaning. Certain connotations a cultural meaning. Certain connotations of a tie consist of respect, importance, of a tie consist of respect, importance, and a business attitude.and a business attitude.

• However, our minds are drawn away from However, our minds are drawn away from that symbol, due to the other symbolic that symbol, due to the other symbolic aspects of costume, which do not execute aspects of costume, which do not execute a representation of etiquette.a representation of etiquette.

Set DesignSet Design• The set design, The set design,

consisting of consisting of scattered leaves and scattered leaves and withered, broken withered, broken trees, recognises the trees, recognises the untidiness of the untidiness of the area, which is also area, which is also characteristic of the characteristic of the truant’s attitude and truant’s attitude and well-being.well-being.

Scattered leaves

Withered, broken trees

Bare bush

PropertiesProperties• Props in the form of Props in the form of

cigarettes, serve a cigarettes, serve a more obvious purpose, more obvious purpose, identifiable as the identifiable as the archetypal trappings of archetypal trappings of a user.a user.

• The cigarettes also The cigarettes also condemn the society in condemn the society in which the character which the character associates themselves associates themselves with.with. Cigarette butt

Issues addressedIssues addressed• Mise-en-scene addresses issues Mise-en-scene addresses issues

around the key representative area around the key representative area of class and status, by delivering a of class and status, by delivering a harrowing visual image of how harrowing visual image of how people in a low economic state live people in a low economic state live life. It offers us “a slice of life”, which life. It offers us “a slice of life”, which is a view on the way life is really is a view on the way life is really lived. lived.

• Together with character codes such as the Together with character codes such as the protagonist’s disregard for hygiene, and protagonist’s disregard for hygiene, and slow movements, they communicate the slow movements, they communicate the ignorance of a capable student, who has ignorance of a capable student, who has chosen to defy school codes, with no care or chosen to defy school codes, with no care or thought of the consequences of truancy, thought of the consequences of truancy, smoking, and poor hygiene. These smoking, and poor hygiene. These undermine the health and well-being of the undermine the health and well-being of the user and affect their ability to live properly user and affect their ability to live properly and work efficiently for their own benefit.and work efficiently for their own benefit.

CameraCamera• Camera Shots, Angle, Movement and Camera Shots, Angle, Movement and

Composition are at work in my product.Composition are at work in my product.• Due to the establishing shots used in my Due to the establishing shots used in my

product, it gives us a clearer idea and image product, it gives us a clearer idea and image of the area. From the person washing the car, of the area. From the person washing the car, a bus going around local streets, and hooded a bus going around local streets, and hooded people walking around, it evokes the idea people walking around, it evokes the idea that the area is suburban, and in some way that the area is suburban, and in some way cut off from the rest of society, therefore cut off from the rest of society, therefore adjudged to be of a lower economic class and adjudged to be of a lower economic class and status.status.

• Movement consists of steadicam, Movement consists of steadicam, with the camera very stable with the camera very stable throughout the product. This creates throughout the product. This creates a feeling that the circumstances are a feeling that the circumstances are steady and easy-going, whereas in steady and easy-going, whereas in contrast, they are not adjudged to contrast, they are not adjudged to be, due to the actions that take be, due to the actions that take place.place.

EditingEditing

• My product often crosscuts to My product often crosscuts to different scenarios, and there is a different scenarios, and there is a large amount of parallel editing at large amount of parallel editing at work. This increases tension and work. This increases tension and evokes a sense of interest and evokes a sense of interest and eagerness to find out why, and what eagerness to find out why, and what will happen as a result of this will happen as a result of this increased anticipation.increased anticipation.

• At the beginning of my product, there is a At the beginning of my product, there is a long take, and as my product continues, long take, and as my product continues, they become short takes. This shows the they become short takes. This shows the variety of transitions I used is high, and variety of transitions I used is high, and represents the wider social group of a low represents the wider social group of a low economic class, as frantic and dramatic. It economic class, as frantic and dramatic. It also supports my ellipsis, as it allows the also supports my ellipsis, as it allows the viewer to fill in the narrative gaps.viewer to fill in the narrative gaps.

• Exterior scenes are used entirely throughout Exterior scenes are used entirely throughout my product, giving the viewer a wider berth my product, giving the viewer a wider berth of the location and the class and status that of the location and the class and status that comes with it.comes with it.

SoundSound

• The ambient sounds used in my The ambient sounds used in my product, such as the whistling of product, such as the whistling of birds, gives the viewer a wider birds, gives the viewer a wider picture of the immediate picture of the immediate surroundings. The dialogue is surroundings. The dialogue is infrequent and very short, infrequent and very short, symbolising the antisocial nature of symbolising the antisocial nature of the low economically deprived area.the low economically deprived area.

• Diegetic sound is visible on the screen, Diegetic sound is visible on the screen, including dialogue, and sounds of objects. including dialogue, and sounds of objects. These sounds are both on screen and off These sounds are both on screen and off screen, exemplifying the dynamic nature of screen, exemplifying the dynamic nature of a suburban low class area.a suburban low class area.

• Non-diegetic sound gives my product mood, Non-diegetic sound gives my product mood, and can lead us to pre-anticipate the nature and can lead us to pre-anticipate the nature of the storyline. This can create suspense, of the storyline. This can create suspense, ambiguity and a nature of surprise.ambiguity and a nature of surprise.

ConclusionConclusion• Independently and in combination with Independently and in combination with

each other, these micro elements (camera, each other, these micro elements (camera, sound, mise-en-scene, editing), present an sound, mise-en-scene, editing), present an overall picture of a deprived class and overall picture of a deprived class and status. It delivers a visualized rendering of status. It delivers a visualized rendering of life in turmoil, and an environment life in turmoil, and an environment representing the character himself, through representing the character himself, through different camera angles, a variety of different camera angles, a variety of production design, a comparison of diegetic production design, a comparison of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds, and continuous and non-diegetic sounds, and continuous crosscutting.crosscutting.