In their A2 coursework production, the author created representations of gender, class, and location in their British soap opera. Specifically, they constructed gender performances of femininity through female character archetypes like "the tart" and "the gossip" that related to each other in supportive or combative ways. They also created representations of working class masculinity through male character archetypes like "the villain" and "the hero." The author analyzes how these representations may be received by the audience based on media theories like gender performance theory, audience reception theory, and mirror theory. They consider whether the audience may identify with or reject the various representations presented to them. In conclusion, the author reflects on whether their work presented a variety of

1. Representation
Q1 (b) “Discuss how you used representation in one of your coursework
productions.”
Use A2 coursework for this question as you had a number of different representations compared to your
AS coursework. Remember with 1b you must include media theory, otherwise your answer is not
analytical.
There will be a certain amount of crossover between representation and the other 1b areas.
INTRODUCTION
State what you made for your A2 Production
• What is “representation”? – filtering of images, social groups, stereotypes, ideas, places to attract
and create meaning for target audiences. Think “re-presentation”.
• All media images are representations that are constructed.
• In A2 soap main areas of representation were gender, class and place. Reps were created for target
audience to relate or aspire to.
• For music video main areas of representation were gender and negotiated or oppositional
ideologies. Music videos challenged dominant value systems as they were not part of the “pop”
genre
• How did you create a representation of “reality” in your soap?
MAIN BODY OF ESSAY
MOVING IMAGE PIECE: Find two or three examples for each area so you have clear points to discuss.
EXAMPLE TABLE:
Representation constructed Example Meaning created
Gender- female
Gender- male
Class and location (did you
brand Manchester as
working class, middle class,
upper middle class?)

2. Reality British soaps try to maintain the
illusion of reality through:
1. Lighting – selected to appear as if
diegetic. Light appears to come from
natural sources – daylight, streetlights,
lamps etc;
2. Music – rarely non-diegetic. Pub
jukeboxes and radios are
often seen to be the source of music
which is often carefully selected to
parallel the dramatic action;
3. Editing - mainly straight cuts to
create invisible editing;
4. Camera work – predominantly eye-
level shots. Mid-shots and close ups
are the main choice as they depict the
action from the audience’s eye-level
as if they are there observing the
scene. Extreme close ups are also used
when the director wants to show the
significance of a specific item or facial
expression;
5. Mise–en-scene – soaps try to
emulate a very ordinary setting. Extras
are used to populate public areas and
houses are decorated to look ‘lived in’.
Dialogue is written to reflect real
conversations and clothes chosen to
reflect current fashions.
ANCILLARIES
Representation constructed Example Meaning
Gender- female
Gender- male
Class and Location

3. Reality
THEORY
For this essay ANY theory from the other essay areas will work, as will Collective Identity theory. Some
examples are below.
This table only contains examples for guidance: you should fill the boxes with your own examples
Theory Main points Apply to your work
Gender performance-
Judith Butler
• Different reps of femininity.
• What gender performances did
you construct and what impact will
this have on the audience?
• Use character archetypes e.g. the
tart/the gossip to demonstrate
what kind of women you
portrayed in the soap and how
they related to each other.
• Do the women support each other
or fight? Does this create a
positive or a negative rep of
women for the audience to aspire
to?
• Do your female characters
conform to the male gaze?
Gender performance-
Judith Butler
• Different reps of masculinity.
What gender performances did
you construct and what impact will
this have on the audience?
• Use character archetypes e.g the
villain/the hero/Jack- the- Lad, to
demonstrate what kind of women
you portrayed in the soap and how
they related to each other.
• Do the men support each other or
fight? Does this create a positive
or a negative rep of men for the
audience to aspire to?
Stuart Hall- audience
reception
• Are the audience encouraged to
have a hegemonic/dominant
reading of your soap? (one that
agrees with social norms)
• Do you take into account that the
audience may have had similar
experiences to your characters
that will change how they perceive

4. things?
• Does the location of your soap and
how it’s represented affect how
the audience perceive events in
your trailer?
Jacques Lacan- mirror
theory
• Do you create representations that
your target audience can relate to
(reflect)?
• Are your characters aspirational?
Do any of your characters aim to
show the audience their ideal self?
• Do you create characters that the
audience can reject?
• Do you want the audience to
accept/ reject/ negotiate/escape?
CONCLUSION:
• A variety of representations is important in moving image media texts so the audience have a
number of reflections to respond to. Did you do this? Be honest.
• The audience’s personal experiences will affect how they perceive the representations portrayed in
the text.