1. Question 2: How does
your media product
represent particular
social groups?
2. Demographics
Demographic information is used in media marketing to classify an
audience.It is the categorisation of different physical
characteristics. It refers to the target audience and audiences are
often defined through demographic factors. Categorising is
important for researchers as it can help them when determining
the audience.
The most common demographic groups are:
• Gender
• Sexuality
• Age
• Race
• Social Class
3. In our thriller opening there is a representation
of gender. A common stereotype is that females
are often at the Centre of being targeted by
crimes that may occur in a forest setting such
as kidnappings. Females are often stereotyped
to only have an interest in things such as their
personal image and relationships etc. however
our media product challenges this
representation as it sees a young female going
for a run in sportswear rather rather than being
all dressed up and going out with friends.
Despite the fact this stereotype has been
challenged, it also follows the stereotype as it
shows our young female character still wearing
make-up.
Our character also shows the stereotype of age.
In today’s society young teenagers are often
seen to be focused on their body and keeping
fit. In our thriller opening, it sees a young girl
going for a run representing the idea that she is
following this common stereotype. The
representation of age is also challenged by our
character as young females are often
stereotyped to constantly be in the company of
friends however our media product sees a
young girl independently going for a run.
4. In our thriller opening there is a representation
of gender. The detective in our scene is male.
This is a common stereotype as the majority of
detectives in today’s society are said to be
male. This can relate back to the history of
females typically being seen as ‘less able’ to
take on particular job roles. Our detective is
male therefore this sees our media product
representing the social group of gender.
The representation of social class is also shown
in our media product. Our male detective is well
dressed and smart in a suit which may follow
the stereotype that detectives come from a
higher social class and receive a higher income
due to their occupation.
Another social group that our male detective
may be categorized into is race. In today’s
society you see a wider range of different races
and backgrounds in the employment industry.
This means that people of different races are
shown more to take on different jobs. Our
media product lives up to this representation as
it sees a male detective with an Asian
background taking on the job role of being a
detective.
5. Overall, I believe that my media product represents
particular social groups in many ways. The main social
groups that are represented throughout our product is
age and gender. This is due to our main character being a
young female. The way in which we have portrayed our
female character both replicates stereotypes and
challenges them however we have presented her in a
way that make it effective for the viewer.