The document discusses how the media product represents various social groups through the use of stereotypes in its opening scene. The first killing adheres closely to stereotypes by having a mysterious male killer and a scared female victim. However, the second killing challenges stereotypes by having an upper-class male killer and a lower-class teenage female victim. By starting with stereotypes and then challenging them, the film keeps the audience engaged by surprising them while still maintaining understandability. The killers are also portrayed as working as a team, while the victims are isolated, further playing with stereotypes. The film is set in Suffolk, and represents it as both isolated and dangerous, challenging stereotypes of it being a safe rural area.

1. How does your media product
represent particular social groups?
Question Two

2. The Killer (1)
Because of the concealed camerawork we chose to use, the
audience never discovers the identity of the first killer. However,
we carefully chose the killer’s costume in order to assure the
audience understand that the killer is a male.
Therefore, this killer represents males as mysterious – and
potentially dangerous – characters. This is similar to male
stereotypes. For example, in Pyscho, you know that the killer is a
man but are originally unaware of his identity.
We chose to use this stereotype because generally, males are
thought to be more mysterious and scary than females because
of stereotypically, men are stronger – and thus more dangerous –
than women.
The killer’s body language throughout the opening scene appears
to be relatively relaxed – his hands are open, not clenched. We
carefully chose to do this because it shows that the killer is not
worried about not catching the victim – he is confident that he
will succeed. This also adheres to male stereotypes, seen as the
more powerful figure who would succeed in doing what they
need (or want) to.
We chose for the killer to wear black because this connotes evil
and danger.
Gender: Male
Age: Unknown
Class: Unknown
Ethnicity: White

3. The Victim (1)
The victim also adheres to their stereotypes. The victim is clearly
a girl, because of her hair and choice of clothing. She is running
from the victim. We chose to use the stereotype of scared,
innocent, helpless females because this made the plot more
interesting. The audience were able to anticipate what was going
to happen when two contrasting personalities clashed.
We made the victim wear white, because this colour connotes
innocence and helplessness. As stereotypically, women are
innocent and undeserving of suffering, this linked with what we
chose to represent our victim as in the film.
We chose to use the stereotypes of the innocent girl and not-so-
innocent boy because this meant the audience we easily able to
understand what was happening, despite us being able to still
conceal the plot. Had we of chosen to have a woman chasing
after a man, the audience may have found this more complex to
grasp an understanding of what was happening. Doing it the way
we did meant that the audience could understand what was
happening but did not know why, and so continued to ask
questions – one of the most important aspects of a Thriller film.
Gender: Female
Age: Unknown
Class: Unknown
Ethnicity: White

4. The Killer (2)
We got to see a lot more of the second killer.
Firstly, it is clear that this killer is also male. Again, this adheres to
male stereotypes – mysterious, aggressive.
We can also tell a lot from the fact this character is wearing a
suit. This implies that he is a young adult – probably slightly older
than a teenager. This creates the stereotype of young adults
being dangerous to be around. Stereotypically, adults are caring
towards younger people and seek to protect them. Thus,
challenges the general stereotype of young adults. We chose to
do this because it keeps the film more interesting for the
audience. If every film adhered to the stereotypes, there would
be no uniqueness to films. Additionally, this would mean that the
film would be a lot less shocking. At the start of the opening, the
killer is represented as being polite and kind. However, the
sudden challenging of stereotype means that the film is a lot
more shocking for the audience.
We also challenged class in this scene. The suit that the killer
wears suggests that he is of an upper class, and because of this,
he would be thought to be less harmful. However, we also chose
to challenge this stereotype.
Gender: Male
Age: Young adult
Class: Upper
Ethnicity: White

5. The Killers
In the opening, both of the (male) killers are seen speaking to
each other on the phone. This represents males as being more in
contact with each other – possibly more supportive of each
other.
Both of the (female) victims in our film are represented as being
a lot more isolated, and having nobody to help them when they
are in need of it. Therefore, this is the opposite of how the killers
are represented: staying in touch with each other and making
sure that they support each other and keep them updated.
We chose to show the scene of both of the killers talking because
this allowed the audience to develop a connection between the
two opening ‘assassinations’. They were able to gain a slight
insight into what was happening, but it still left them asking
questions. Showing both of the killers as a ‘team’ also acted as a
tense moment because the audience are left wondering what
would happen if they were together – one of them alone was
enough to kill a person.

6. The Victim (2)
The second victim is also female – again representing females as
being innocent and helpless.
We chose to use a teenager as our victim. We dressed her in a
hoodie because this is quite a stereotypical teenage dress item.
However, the teenager is breaking stereotypes of being the
‘antisocial’, dangerous one. This is what teenagers are thought of
being, but in this opening the teenager is seen to be quite scared
and defenseless.
Because of the hoodie, we can also make assumptions that the
victim is of a lower class than the killer. We chose to represent
her as this because it broke the stereotype that lower class
people were more devious and unjust than upper class people.
This kept the opening more interesting.
Gender: Female
Age: Teenager
Class: Lower
Ethnicity: White

7. Contrast in Stereotypes
There were two killings in our opening.
During the first killing, the characters were represented
very stereotypically. We did this so that the audience could
gain an understanding of our film. It showed them that it
was a thriller and they were able to grasp what was
happening.
However, during the second killing, we challenged many
stereotypes – this completely contrasted with the first
killing. The reason we chose to do this was because it
made our film more interesting to the audience. This was a
way of introducing the relationship between the two killers
but in a way that the audience would be intrigued by. If
both killings adhered to stereotypes, then the film would
have been less interesting. If both killings challenged
stereotypes, it would be a bit more confusing to
understand what was happening.
Therefore, this contrast in stereotypes meant that we were
able to introduce the main antagonists of the film in a way
that the audience were able to understand and be
interested by.

8. Representation of Suffolk
Our film is set in Suffolk. We chose to set it here because it meant we were able to ‘play’ with the
stereotypes of the area in order to make our film more interesting.
Firstly, we represented Suffolk as being an isolated place. In the first killing, there is no sign of houses,
people or any form of help. This meant that the victim was represented as being helpless and isolated.
We chose to do this because it made the killing more interesting.
However, we did choose to break a stereotype of Suffolk as well. Usually, Suffolk is thought to be a
quiet countryside area with minimal danger. Despite this, we showed Suffolk as being a place where
assassins work together. Not only did it make the film more interesting, but it would have made the
audience question themselves about whether they are safe in their own location. Even if it seems it –
like Suffolk did – there could still be danger. The breaking of this stereotype made the film a lot more
scary for the audience.