1) The document discusses the representation of social groups in the opening sequence of a film. It introduces a young, middle-class British woman as the main character who is portrayed as victimized. 2) Camera angles, close-ups, and dialogue are used to convey the sense that the character is vulnerable and in need of help. However, little information is given about her or other characters. 3) The character's portrayal draws on typical representations in the psychological thriller genre, such as mentally ill characters who are initially confused but later gain strength. However, the film avoids portraying mental illness as villainous. 4) While the opening leaves many details ambiguous, it suggests themes of mentally ill people being taken

1. Representation of Social
Groups Within our Film

2. Characters Included in the Film and the Social Groups they Represent.
Our group's opening sequence represents various different social groups such as gender, age, race,
ethnicity and class. Our opening sequence shows a victimised woman as our main character, personally I
don’t like the idea of showing women as the weaker more vulnerable sex as there is already much stigma
on this particular subject but with the time and people we had that was how we had to cast it, as it is only
the opening sequence audiences won't be able to bow what happens to the woman so for all they know
she may become the strong character rather than a victim. We mainly show this character as a young,
middle class, British woman but not much more can be suggested from our opening as we wanted to build
an idea of mystery and tension and not necessarily tell the whole story. The room used to film in doesn’t
give much idea of the character(s) either as it’s very simplistic allowing the audience come come up with
their own ideas. In all not much information is given about our main character or other characters that will
be used other than the fact we know the first character seen is the victim in the situation.

3. Construction of Ideas About Character(s) Through Mise en Scene,
Camerawork, Editing and Sound.
We created the idea of a victimised character through our use of camera angles, the high angle shots
looking down on the character show the vulnerability and lack of power, furthermore we made sure the
audience can see the distress and confusion of the character with the use of close up and medium shots
of her facial reaction and bodily movements. We were also able to present the victimised character
through the little narrative dialogue that we used, simply the line “Olivia. I’m here to help” tells the
audience that she is in some sort of trouble or is weaker than the person helping her. Not much else gives
an idea of the character as the montage scene doesn’t tell much about the characters other than small
short flashbacks. There isn’t a strong portrayal of our character and the one given is very minimalistic and
open to ideas of the audience.
The image shows one of the shots
we used to create the feeling of
lacking power for our main
character.

4. Typical Character Representations of the Genre.
Our character representations are quite typical of our chosen psychological
thriller genre. Nicole Kidman plays a similar character to our film in Before I Go
To Sleep, she plays a victimised, woman with mental health issues. Both
characters show dazed expressions as they and the audience at this point are
unaware of what’s going on and what’s to come. The liable and defences looking
characters both struggle with mental health issues and both films cover the
struggles they face when being taken for granted because of these issues.
In cinema mental illness has often been depicted with an evil or monster type
character. “Cinema's treatment of mental illness has been growing more
sophisticated as well as more sympathetic.” Our film does not follow the idea of
having a villainous character and their mental illness being the root of their
motives but shows a mentally ill character first shown vulnerable but later
becomes strong (unfortunately the opening only shows the character looking
seeming weak).

5. Social Stereotypes in film and our Representation
In our film we have a character with mental health issues, reports of mental illness in film claim
“depictions haven't moved on from the silent era, revealing that characters with a mental illness are either
evil or simple, with nothing in between.” Our film instead shows a woman battling with her mental illness to
save herself, when the film started the opening sequence shows her as a confused and vulnerable
character and the audience at this point are not yet aware of her mental illness which is late explained.The
audience are then able to come up with their own thoughts on how the story will unfold with a mentally ill
character as the victim rather than the villain.
Villainous characters
with mental illnesses
in HollyWood
(Donnie Darko and
Split)

6. Overall Message and Representational Construct
Although our opening sequence doesn’t give much information to the audience on what’s going on, what’s
going to happen or who the characters are, it still allows many ideas from the small suggestions given.
Our opening sequence suggests that those with mental illnesses can sometimes be stepped on for other
people's enjoyment or advantage, our film highlights this issue in a light way just in the opening sequence
and allows the film open for interpretation from the viewers and gets them thinking.