1. +How does your
Media product
GENDER? ETHNICITY?
represent
particular social
groups?
AGE?

2. +
GENDER
Within our opening sequence we moved away from the conventions of horror films, were the
female characters are always portrayed as vulnerable, weak, and are always the victim. I thought
it was important to move away from this conventions, and portray the females within our film as
strong independent teenage girls, who are the only ones to survive, showing their intelligence as
well. However we showed the white male as being a victim, were he is bitten by the young boy
and contracts the deadly virus. Within films men are portrayed as the fighters, survivors, showing
a lot of aggression and becoming violent, however once again we moved away from this
convention as we all felt that men are able to be just as caring and considerate as females. Once
again within the media men are portrayed as “being bas fathers” and so to contradict this we
showed the sympathy of the teenage male towards the small child. However staying to the
conventions of portraying males within movies, we ensured the male was also portrayed as brave
and confident as he approaches the ill looking child.
Furthermore we challenged the codes and conventions of horrors by having only female
survivors. Rarely if there is a female survivor it is insinuated that she survived because of the
male character. However having only female characters show the intelligence, power and
determination of the females within our film.

3. +
Teenage female girls
being portrayed as
independent strong
characters who like to
attend popular parties.
We moved away from
the typical conventions
or teenage males
being portrayed as
aggressive and violent.
We did this by
portraying the teenage
male character as
caring and affectionate
towards the young
child.

4. +
ETHNICITY
Creating a urban horror movie, we felt that it was very important the portray the
multiculturalism of south London, and we managed to do this by using a variety of
ethnicities. Within our film we have actors of a white background, black
background and mixed background of both black and white. This is important to
portray and variety of ethnic back grounds to highlight the diversity of today's
society. By using a variety of ethnicity's, allowed our target audience to also
expand, were anyone of any ethnicity is able to relate to the film. Although we
didn’t have an actor of and Asian background within our opening sequence, I feel
that it would be important to use one if we was to develop the film further.
Teenage girls of
various ethnic
backgrounds. Black,
white and mixed race
ethnicities.

5. +
Conventions of many horrors is to have a middle class white male
actor, however we pulled away from this convention by using a
working class male. However he is still well spoken, and attracts our
target audience of young urban white males.

6. +
AGE
Within our opening sequence we mainly featured teenagers, considering it is a teen
horror, we thought that this would attract our target audience more. However we are
aware of the media portraying teenagers in a negative light, so we decided to work on
these serotypes, and challenge everyone's expectations of teenagers, by portraying
them in a positive light of being caring, and not taking drugs smoking or drinking as they
are going to a party. However we did follow the stereotyping that teenagers like to go out
to party as we included a party scene within the opening sequence, which I believe a lot
of teenagers will be able to relate to. Altogether we portray teenagers in a positive light
were they are able to have fun, without intoxicating themselves, and still participate in
ordinary teenage activities.
Teenage girls
participating in
steortypical
teenage activities
such as attending a
party.

7. +
Moving away from the conventions of teen
horrors we decided you use a four year old
child as the villain. We believe by doing this it
will contradict the innocence and vulnerability
of a four year old child, and prove rather
disturbing for the audience. As a group we felt
that the younger the child the more effective it
would be to portray the powerlessness and
passiveness of the young child.