The document analyzes how social groups are represented in a media product. It discusses the representation of the antagonist (male) who is depicted as dominant through camera angles and dialogue. The victim (female) has little screen time and authority. Both the antagonist and victim are portrayed as generic middle-class individuals, though the victim is depicted as weaker. Elements like music, dialogue and location are used to represent the antagonist as abnormal and sinister while initially seeming normal.

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

2.  The antagonist (male) - Throughout the opening sequence the main character is represented as
having dominance and authority and this is presented through the use of camera angles and sound.
For example, the antagonist is shown to have the most screen time, he is the only character that
has dialogue and there is one particular scene which presents the main characters authority, such
as ; when he walks down the stairs a low angle is used. This then which implies that his role is
significant within the extract and results in the audience looking up at the antagonist and makes
the audience feel intimidated and being looked down upon. We decided to have a male actor
playing the antagonist as this is fairly common within a thriller movie and we wanted to try and
include as many thriller conventions as possible, which was to have a male actor playing the main
role. In addition his character reflects the common stereotype of men having more power over
women.
Gender (part 1)

3. Gender (part 2)
 The victim (female) – Throughout the opening sequence women are presented as being
the antagonists victims and therefore presents them as having very little authority in
the extract. This is again is shown through the use of camera angles. For example, the
women are shown to have very little screen time and when they are on the screen it is
only for a very short duration, whereas the antagonist has a lot of screen time and
when he is on screen it is for a longer duration. And again this implies that women
stereotypically have less dominance than men. In addition, it is common for women to
be the victim in thriller movies and theorist Laura Mulvey argues that this is because,
women are often represented in the media/films as sexual or as objects that don’t
have any power. In the ending of the opening sequence the antagonist is shown to be
standing on higher ground than the female victim and the high angle shows the
antagonist looking down at her making her look weak and vulnerable.

4. Class/status
 The antagonist (male) - We decided that the main antagonist should be represented as a
generic middle-class male, whose occupation is a maths tutor. The reason for this is
because, we felt that this representation would present him as common and a normal
male in society. However, because of this representation being shown it distracts the
audience away from the fact that he is a murderer/rapist and that that his role is
unexpected. In addition, he is represented as having two sides to his character, one
being a common, friendly maths tutor, the other a sinister, evil psychopath that
victimises women. Another point to note is that, this particular class is the largest group
in society which then suggests that the events which take place in the opening
sequence, could happen to anyone.
 The Victim (female) – We decided that the female victim should be represented as a
generic middle-class female, who is a college student. The reason for this is because, we
felt that this representation would present her as common and a normal teenage girl in
society. However this representation also depicts her character as sweet and innocent ,
which then makes her come across as weaker and vulnerable and that she has very little
authority compared to the antagonist.

5. The making of the psychopath
 In order to represent the antagonist as un-usual and ab-normal , we decided to include
small features that would convey his peculiar character. This was done through a
variety of ways, such as Mise on scene, the sound, camera angles and through our
editing. For example We decided to dress the antagonist in smart/casual clothing which
presented him as eccentric and tidy, the reason for this is because, the antagonist is
usually identifiable by wearing dark clothing , however we wanted to make his
character come across as normal and as the protagonist as this would make him more
sinister once the audience finds out about his true personality. We also included
intense/dramatic music which presented the main character as malicious and ab-
normal and caused the audience to be on edge throughout the extract. Another point
to note is that the dialogue of the antagonist is very eerie which again presents his
character as sinister and disturbing.

6. Location
 The location also adds to the representation, this is because it is set in a everyday
middle-class family home, which implies that the characters will be safe, however later
on in the extract this idea takes a turn for the worse. In addition it also puts across the
idea that being in a home doesn’t necessarily mean that you are safe which then
engages the audience as it is unexpected.