This document analyzes how the media product represents various social groups. It discusses that the primary audience is working class white British ages 15-24, while the secondary is ages 25-34. The main character Anna represents the working class through her low income and struggle. Her identity appeals to both audiences. Stereotypes of gender, sexuality, and age are both challenged and reinforced through the characters. Ideologies around class, technology, and gender roles are also examined through a critical lens. In the end, the document evaluates if the representations suit their target institutional audience.

1. EVALUATION Q.2
How does your media product
represent particular social groups?

2. AUDIENCE
Primary audience:
Class:
 Income bracket: C2-D
Race:
 White (British)
Age:
 15-24
Gender:
 Males and Females
Sexuality:
 Heterosexuals
Secondary audience:
Class:
 Income bracket: B-C2
Race:
 White (British)
Age:
 25-34
Gender:
 Males and Females
Sexuality:
 Heterosexuals

3. CLASS (INCOME BRACKET)
 Our main protagonist, Anna is very similar to our primary
audience as she is a working class woman within the C2-D income
bracket as the audience. Within the main film narrative, we have
mentioned that she is a university student which confirms the modern
stereotype that working class people are hard workers, which would
be represented in the film. Her unstable income helps to create an
empathetic link with the audience as they then struggle together as
they have either had or are having the same experience concerning the
limits and setbacks that low incomes result in.

4. RACE
 Anna is British and stereotypically white, same as the audience
which helps to gain personal identity as they are of the same
nationality. This would also appeal to our secondary audience as they
are more traditional and take pride in nationalism. A common
representation of white/ British is that they are ambitious and more
affluent tan others, however this is challenged by Anna as she has
throne away any ambition except to survive. It can also be seen that
she subverts the affluent stereotype as she is isolated in a simplistic
tent with nothing but a torch – further emphasising her distance from
civilisation.

5. AGE
 The age of the primary audience is 15-24 which is the same category
that Anna falls into at the age of 19. According to the hierarchy of needs,
people within this age group look towards media product to satisfy their
needs for safety or love and belonging, however our film rejects both as
Anna runs away from her dangers and the violence, to a tent that provides
no protection. Similarly the look for love and belonging is also rejected as
Anna was with her friends and family, however even that has been taken
away from her against her will. This may create personal identity with
those in the audience who may have had their loved ones taken by death.
 This age group would also be considered digital natives however even
this is taken away from Anna, placing her into a secluded world where
even the oldest of technologies are know where to be found. This only
acts to highlight how she has been separated from urban society.

6. GENDER
 As Anna is a female, this will create personal identity with the female
half of the audience. She would also create a link to the male audience as
she is the stereotypical ‘Damsel in distress’ that needs saving.
 The antagonist confirms the male stereotype as he is strong, powerful
and has dominance over Anna. His violent and aggressive personality also
represents that of a working class man as his behaviour also connotes that
he only kills people for pleasure. When he picks up the knife, we can see
that it represents a phallic symbol showing sexual imagery. This only
further connotes and confirms the stereotype that only men are rapists.
 The use of Anna's red clothing connotes her femininity where as the
antagonist dark brown and black clothing only further highlights his
stereotypical masculinity and threat.

7. SEXUALITY
 As only a single man and a single woman are featured within our
production, only heterosexuals would find any identity or connection
as they are of the same sexuality.
 Furthermore, the heterosexual relationship between all of the
group of friends from the whole film narrative help to develop
ideologies that relationships should only be between man and woman
as they are the only types of relationships featured.

8. CONSTRUCTIONIST
THEORY
The constructionist theory can be applied to any representation as it is made up of
three things: opinion of the producer/ reality/ social content.
1. Women are physically and mentally weaker than men.
 Opinion: women are physically weaker than men as they cannot do what men
do.
 Reality: women are biologically built differently to men, with less capability to
build muscle mass.
 Social content: Traditionally, women were weaker than men as they were stay-
at-home housewives, where as the men would do the heavy lifting. Although
many people have accepted that men and women are of the same status.
Emotionally speaking, women have learnt to give voice to their opinions and
emotions, where as men stereotypical have not – remain silent/don’t share their
feelings.

9. HEGEMONIC IDEOLOGIES
 A hegemonic ideology is a message that seems to be positive but is actually negative and acts to
keep the lower classes in their place.
 An example of this would be the ideology that you should spend lots of money on expensive
trips, of travel e.g. go camping. This seems like a positive message. nonetheless, Anna and her group
try to attempt to go on a camping holiday and act as a higher class/standard than they are, however
they are then inevitably punished for this (by getting killed), telling the audience not to spend their
money on get-a-ways as they may encounter hardships such as this within the narrative. This
ideology keeps the working class community below those who are in the modern upper/higher
classes.
 Another hegemonic ideology would be that as Anna was able to survive, despite being separated
and secluded from urban civilisation, this promotes a positive ideology that it is okay to become
over-reliant on technology as it wouldn’t effect our chances of survival. However the underlying
negative ideology would make us over reliant on technology, urging us to buy more - satisfying
shops and sellers – resulting in the population becoming lazy, fat and unable to fight against those
of the higher class who control everything.

10. FEMALE REPRESENTATION
 We are able to apply Mulvey's male gaze to Anna’s character as she is objectified through the eyes
of the male antagonist. This is because he sees here merely as ‘prey’ and himself the ‘predator’.
This de-humanises Anna to an animal, taking away her femininity and instead sexualises her.
 Instead, however, we are able to apply Janice Winship’s notion of complicity. This is because even
though Anna is running away from the male antagonists, she is attracting him even more due to her
bright red clothing. The colour red connotes romance an pleasure, however this can be changed
into connoting a dangerous sexual desire from the antagonists male perspective.
 On the other hand we could apply Gauntlett's empowered female as Anna is represented as a
strong, brave and independent woman when she tales her initiative to save her self – without
relying on anyone else. Even more so, when Anna escapes by herself and survives, this connotes
the power of woman and how they an accomplish things even without the hemp of men – as
stereotypically women were seen to be weak and reliant on men.
 Barthes striptease theory cannot be applied as Anna is wearing thick clothing, connoting that she is
controlling her sexuality, further shown as she doesn't take it off, and doesn’t attempt to sexualise
herself, even in the presence of a male.

11. DO THEY SUIT OUR
INSTITUTION?
 I think all our representations that we have included within our production is not
conventional for independent companies as representations are usually challenging, as they
appeal to the older sophisticated audience, however in terms of our primary and secondary
audience, I think we were able to use all the appropriate representations that would appeal to
both our primary and secondary audience. Also as we had incorporated traditional stereotypes –
which is conventional for our institution of an independent - of males and females, this would
appal more to our older audience who prefer more original and traditional stereotypes.
 I think we could have improved this if we had incorporated more conventional
representations and ideologies that challenged or subverted stereotypes as this is more appealing
to the older audience.