Textual Analysis of‘CYBERBULLY’ By ABC Family

• Despite the fact ‘CYBERBULLY’ by ABC family is a feature length documentary, it is still helpful for me to analyse as the layout of the documentary is similar – there is still use of Todorov’s equilibrium theory: Equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium – which is a theory we want to apply to our documentary :)

• The medium close up on the female connotes intensity and concentration, this suggests the common stereotype that teenagers are addicted to the internet.

• The females stern facial expression connotes distress and alarm, implying something is bothering her online.

• The placing of the laptop towards the right of the shot connotes a presence of the online world, as the converged device gives access to online risks.

SHOT 1.

SHOT 2.

• This shot connotes iconography of the internet, through the layout of chat sites.

• As we can see beside the chat conservation are their names – this reinforces the idea that people give too much information out online, connoting danger and risk.

• The shot is seen through the eyes of the female, this encourages the audience to relate by putting them in the position of the female.

SHOT 3.

• The close up on the converged device connotes the focus and reliance on mobile phones.

• The green and grey messages connote iconography of real conversations on converged devices, this with the audience looking through the females eyes combine to help the audience relate to the female.

SHOT 4.

• The big close up connotes the pressure the female is under answering personal questions such as ‘What underwear are you wearing?’.

• Also, the closeness of the shot connotes the idea that the internet forces you to answer questions about yourself that you may not answer in person.

• The blue background connotes innocence and suggests the site is harmless, this reinforces the idea that the internet can be deceiving.

SHOT 5.

• The comment beneath the picture says, “LARDO AND DOG FACE”. Clearly, these comments are intended to offend someone, and the comment combined with the use of caps lock connote the common idea that people become braver over the internet.

SHOT 6.

• This medium shot of a group of females looking at a converged device suggest the idea that people are too public about themselves online.

• Also, the fact there is a group of them connotes the idea that many people cyberbully online for attention, and to big themselves up.

SHOT 7.

• This medium wide shot of the female crying up against a tree connotes distress and suggests a wounded troubled girl.

• This suggests the effects of cyberbully and is useful to us as we want to use shots like these for our disequilibrium to display the effects of cyberbullying.

SHOT 8.

This long shot of the hallway with students aimlessly walking round connotes a sense of being lost and suggests the idea, that even though the internet is such a busy place you can still feel so alone.

SHOT 9.

This medium shot of the female with her head in her hands connotes her distress, upset and suggests her loneliness. The low key lighting acts as a connotation for misery and loss, and may represent the way she is feeling.This is useful for our disequilibrium side of our documentary as we want to show the effects cyberbullying can have on so many people.

SHOT 10.This medium close up connotes the females difficulty and the burden she feels she is carrying under her pressure received online.Her sad and confused facial expression highlights how many victims of cyberbullying wonder why they are targeted.The female blurred out in the background connotes a loss, and indicates that its hard to stick up for someone online.

SHOT 11.This low angle shot consumes the female, connoting the pressure she is under and undermines the idea that she feels she has a large weight bringing her down.Her tears represent how she is effected by cyberbullying and she has broken down.As she is central to the shot it indicates she feels destroyed and consumed.

SHOT 12.

• This shot of the tablets the female was about to take show the extremes victims will take. This gives us an example of just how series cyberbullying is and the consequences it can lead to.

• The colour of the tables, red and white connote the conflicting battle she has been facing.

SHOT 13.

• This medium two shot of the mother and the daughter lying down, with the mother supporting the daughter connotes the weakness the daughter has now. This effects of cyberbullying have caused her to attempt suicide, her painful facial expressions reinforce her exhaust with her experience.

SHOT 14.

• This big close up of the doctor handing the mother information leaflets on how he can help her daughter highlights the fact that there are always people there for the consequences of cyberbullying.

• This is helpful for us in our new equilibrium as we want to show the audience that there is always a way of solving the issue.