The document discusses several theories about the potential effects films can have on audiences and applies them to the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It analyzes how the hypodermic needle theory and two-step flow theory may influence audiences to accept the modern representations in the film. It also examines how the uses and gratifications theory shows that audiences watch for different reasons, such as diversion or connection to characters. Both positive and negative effects on audiences are considered. Legal and ethical issues regarding content are discussed, along with debates around representations of gender, race, age, and sexuality in media. Regulatory bodies like the BBBC that set content rules are analyzed in terms of their effect on the filmmaking process.

1. Legal and Ethical issues
Katie McQuillan

2. Possible effects of film upon an audience - A
THEORY/EFFECT EXPLAIN WHAT THIS IS CAN THIS BE AN EFFECT THAT THE FORCE AWAKENS HAS ON AN
AUDIENCE? HOW?
HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THEORY This theory suggests that all intended messages conveyed
through media are wholly accepted by the receiver.
Through Rey, this would convey to the audience that females are
able to be heroes to which is both accepted because of the film
but also because of the modern world which is very focused on
equality. As further shown through Fin who represents diversity.
Furthermore, the hypodermic needle theory suggests that the
audience would be wholly acceptant of space travel and aliens
which is not true as todays society tends to challenge things and
therefore makes the theory not very effective regarding the
force awakens.
TWO STEP FLOW This theory suggests that the communications in
media flow from mass media to opinion leaders, and from them
to a wider population.
Rey shows that women can be strong individuals thus making
women more accepted into society.
USES AND GRATIFICATIONS This was created by Blumler and Katz as a way of defining the
audience by putting them into specific categories regarding why
they watch movies, TV shows, etc. This theory is an approach to
understanding why and how people actively seek out specific
media to satisfy specific needs, it assumes audiences are not
passive consumers of media.
Conveyed through the primary and secondary audiences who
watch for different reasons but do so in order to satisfy needs
for entertainment, such as a diversion from their everyday lives.
DESENSITISATION Suggests that the Exposure to too much violence in
entertainment may alter cognitive, affective, and behavioural
processes, leading to desensitization.
Some deaths in the film are not over dramatized (unlike one of
the main characters; Han Solo) this implies to the audience that
characters who have not been properly introduced to the
audience, thus not allowing the audience to gain a personal
relationship with, are insignificant meaning their deaths don’t
matter, e.g. the Storm troopers.

3. As shown by the uses and gratifications theory by Blumler and Katz; audiences of the
Force Awakens would be likely to watch the film because it is a diversion from their
lives as shown by the codes and conventions of action and sci-fi, which often appeals
to the secondary audience because they would be more enticed by these specific
parts of the film rather than the primary audience who are more likely to watch the
film for the cast, older characters and continuation of the storyline. Additionally the
audience of the Force Awakens would watch because they would have a personal
relationship with the characters which could be sprung through the personal identity
which they use to identify themselves with significant characters. This would lead to
the audience being even further enticed to watch the film, thus linking back to the
film being a diversion for the audience which is a likely positive effect of them
watching the film. Additionally, the primary audience would find the continuation of
the storyline a main reason for watching because it allows them to discover what next
happens in the story. Furthermore, the female protagonist (Rey) makes the audience
more accepting of the fact women can play a strong independent character through
the hypodermic needle theory which would make the receiver (audience) accept the
modern way of society. In addition this is shown through Fin which makes the cast
more diverse to further add the idea of acceptance for an audience in the modern
world.
WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF THE FORCE AWAKENS ON AN
AUDIENCE?
Some negative effects of the Force Awakens on the audience is more specific to
particular audience members such as the primary audience who may not have
appreciated the changing of the storyline (regarding the introduction of a black
storm trooper) just to add more diversity in order to modernise the films.
Furthermore, the secondary audience who may not have seen the previous films
would be likely to have only a basic understanding of the storyline because they
would not know the full storyline which is introduced in the previous films,
therefore they would only have a limited satisfaction when watching the film as
they may feel left out as they only enjoy watching the sci-fi because, unlike the
primary audience, they do not understand the full plot of the Star Wars story.
WHAT ARE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE FORCE AWAKENS ON AN AUDIENCE?

4. Issues of representation - B
WHO/WHAT IS BEING REPRESENTED WHY HAS THE INSTITUTION REPRESENTED THEM IN THAT WAY WOULD THIS BE CONSIDERED A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE
REPRESENTATION- EXPLAIN
Race Multiple races are included in the film to make it more diverse
and thus modernise it to increase viewings. This is shown by Fin
who was one of the first black actors in the Star Wars films.
Furthermore, the large number of aliens and creatures in the
film could be seen as the films way of adding more diversity
through adding a range of space creatures.
This would be a positive representation because it modernises
the film and brings across the message of acceptance of all
cultures and thus makes diversity more known.
Gender The fact that a female has been the protagonist within the film
shows that the director is trying to modernise Star Wars by using
Rey to represent the strength and individuality that women have.
This is a positive representation because it modernises the film
by using equality to appeal to a modern audience and to show
an older audience that women can be a strong protagonist.
Age The age gap in the film is used to appeal to either the primary or
the secondary audience which would increase viewings and
therefore sales.
Primary audience members would recognise the older
characters (Han Solo, Princess Leia, etc.) as they will have
recognised them from previous films and will therefore already
have gained a personal relationship with them. This is a positive
representation as it shows that older people can still take part in
the action despite their age. The secondary audience would find
more of a personal identity in the younger characters (Rey, Fin)
as they are younger and would be more likely to relate to the
younger audience members who are usually the secondary
audience. This is a positive representation of younger people as
it shows that despite their age they can still play main roles and
act as strong individuals. However, because they rely on the
assistance of Han Solo it could imply that the younger characters
do require assistance from older characters from time to time,
suggesting they are not as independent as the original

5. The film does challenge society in the sense that it includes
Rey as a strong independent female protagonist which
contrasts all previous Star Wars films, as they all had male
protagonists. However, this could be seen as a mainstream
representation because many modern day films do include
female protagonists, so arguably the directors’ intention
could have been to modernise the Star Wars films rather
than to challenge society. Furthermore, as there is not a
wide range of sexuality portrayed in the film, it could suggest
that other sexuality’s are not yet accepted into today’s
society.
Does the film provide typical mainstream representations or
does it offer something that challenges society?
One of the strong debates within the film are the fact that Rey is a strong
individual woman who could be seen as a representation of gender
equality by showing that women can be strong protagonists as well as
men. Furthermore, the sidekick of Rey (Fin) is a black character to show
that the film is more diversified and that society is more acceptant of
diversity. However, the lack of range of sexuality could suggest that
society is not yet acceptant of other sexuality’s and that we still to
modernise to expand the message of equality. In spite of this, the age
range could show that older members of society should not be
discriminated against as they can still be fully capable and reliable, as
shown through Han Solo. It also shows that younger people can take
charge and make a change by being strong independent individuals.
What are the current debates in society regarding
representations that could be related to the film?

6. Legal and Ethical issues - C
LEGAL Explain the issue: Example in relation to THE FORCE AWAKENS
Discrimination: The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories
of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
Discrimination is being slowly shut down through making
people more aware of what exactly it is. However,
discrimination still happens daily despite the
modernisation of today’s society, there is still a way to go
until discrimination is ultimately defeated.
The robot C3-PO is seen as slightly beneath the characters as
shown by how he is represented to not have the same
emotions as the other characters and is therefore treated as
beneath them.
Copyright:
The exclusive and assignable legal right, given to the
originator for a fixed number of years, to print, publish,
perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical
material.
None
ETHICAL –Offensive material Explain the issue: Example in relation to THE FORCE AWAKENS
Violence/sex/language: Too much of these offensive features may lead to
desensitisation.
There is a large amount of violence within the Force Awakens
as shown through the fights, e.g the lightsaber battle and the
storm troopers invading cities and towns. This could result in
desensitisation for the younger viewers of the film.
Children: The age rating of a film has to be appropriate for children
to watch so they are not exposed to too much offensive
material.
The age rating of the film may mean that children will watch
the film and see too much violence which ultimately could
result in desensitisation.

7. The age rating must be considered so the amount of violence is appropriate for the target audience who will be
watching, so there isn’t too much violence but there is enough to attract the target audience who will be watching
because of the age rating. Furthermore, considerations such as sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. must be acknowledged in
order to allow the directors and producers of the film to justify what age rating the film will be so they can target the
correct target audience in order to maximise the success of the film through how many viewings it receives. In
addition, the type of audience must be considered as it is likely that the force awakens would appeal to the primary
audience who would be likely to be older because they had watched the previous films and could therefore influence
the age rating. However, the previous films’ age ratings must be considered in order to make the film consistent and
thus appeal more to the primary audience. Despite this, the secondary audience must be considered because they
would be younger audience members who may not have seen the previous films and may therefore lower the age
rating because the director would want to maximise audiences in order to increase appeal.
HOW DO THE LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS HAVE AN
EFFECT UPON THE MAKING OF THE FORCE
AWAKENS?

8. Regulatory Bodies - D
BBFC
Who are the BBFC?
They stand for the British Board of Film Classification
What role does the BBFC perform?
They are a non-governmental organization, founded by the film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films exhibited at
cinemas, radio stations, TV programmes, etc.
Why does the BBFC exist?
They provide the age ratings for films in order to make sure the film is aimed at the correct target audience, so too younger viewers won’t be exposed to extensive
amount of violence but younger viewers can still watch some films classed U or PG.
What rules does the BBFC set that have to be followed by film institutions?
In 1984 Parliament passed the Video Recordings Act. This act stated that, subject to certain exemptions, video recordings offered for sale or hire commercially in the
UK must be classified by an authority designated by the Secretary of State.
HOW DO THESE RULES HAVE A DIRECT EFFECT UPON HOW A FILM IS MADE?
EXAMPLE 1: (LEGAL)
The film would have to include appropriate content in order to meet the specifications of the BBFC so that it is suitable for the age rating expectations.
EXAMPLE 2: (ETHICAL)
The rules of the BBFC would affect the film made because it would make the director of the film have to consider how much violence, sex, swearing, etc. must be
included within the film in order to meet the age rating chosen by the BBFC. If there is too much it would not be suitable for their chosen target audience and
therefore it would be unlikely that the film would become a success.