The document discusses how the media product represents various social groups including social class, age, and gender. For social class, it represents the middle class through the rural village setting and characters' clothing and possessions. Younger females are portrayed as more mature than males of the same age. Older females take on stereotypical homemaker roles while older males are protective of their daughters. Younger males are depicted as immature for comedic effect, though one shows maturity by introducing himself properly. The film opening aims to use familiar stereotypes while challenging some expectations.

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

2. Social Groups.
• Many media products represent certain social groups
within society. This need to be carefully thought
about and represented to either challenge, accept or
develop certain stereotypes.
• In our film opening ‘I can Explain’ we are
representing three main social groups these are age
gender and social class. However to represent these
social groups correctly we have to research and
carefully think about the ways in which we want to
represent our characters.

3. Social Class
• Upper Class
Inherited wealth, ascribed status. Owners of the ‘means of
production’ e.g. landowners, titled gentry, aristocracy etc.
• Middle Class
Those in skilled non-manual and professional occupations
(white collar workers). Middle class may be ascribed or
achieved.
• Working Class
Manual occupations, both skilled and unskilled.
• Under Class
Excluded groups, usually due to poverty and lack of
employment. Often presented by the media as deviant –
addicts/spongers etc.

4. • These Social Classes are often very stereotypical
and represented by the media in a very particular
way.
• Within our media product I believe we have
represented very much the Middle Class as the
area in which we filmed in is an upmarket rural
village along with the costumes and the settings. I
feel we certainly don't represent the lower
classes however this is the opening first few
minutes and I don't feel often romantic comedies
have the right feel if it was to be set within the
lower class environment as it doesn't have that
fairytale setting or environment.

5. Young Couples.
• Young couples are often seen as uncertain and not very stable
proper relationships. However this often isn't the case with
some relationships and the fact they show commitment to
one another by formally going to meet her parents. And
throughout the movie they are keep strong and love triumphs
over in the end and they end together.
• Lucy and Jay seem very confident about going over and
meeting the parents and seem like well mannered young
couple. This is a good representation of a young couple and
shows independence from the parents.
• Jay has also dressed very respectively to go and meet her
parents which shows he cares about their approval and the
meal which represents him in a good light.

6. • Lucy is defiantly represented as the controlling
one within the relationship and I believe this is
well represented as young women seem to be
more prepared and mature than the males.
This is something we believe is very relatable
for our target audience as they will be able to
relate with the situations they are facing.

7. Young Females
• Young females are represented generally as the mature
steady headed of the two genders and this is
something we've developed within our media product.
• We feel representing Lucy as the more mature in the
relationship is realistic and contrasts his silly mistakes
he makes as funnier in contrast. This is something we
have developed within our film opening.
• We carefully chose Lucy’s costume to portray her as a
very mature young woman who also cares about her
appearance but has kept that innocent look.
Representing Lucy in this way was important as it
shows she does care about taking her boyfriend home
to meet the parents.

9. Older Females.
We have chosen to represent the older female within
our film opening as very stereotypical and we use
that stereotype within our film opening. We depict
Lucy’s Mum as a very motherly figure being the go
between Lucy and her Father. She is also doing the
cooking wearing an apron and is seen as the home
maker.
She is also quite in control within her relationship
however her husband does challenge her within
the film opening.

11. Older Males/ Fathers
• We have chosen to represent and develop this
stereotype of the Older Male.
• He is very grumpy and negative about meeting
Lucy's Boyfriend this represents the protective
side of a father figure. This is sometimes
represented and sometimes not we chose to
have a very protective father figure within our
film opening.
• This is obviously going to be a comical thing
throughout the movie and will cause loads of
problems for the young couple.

13. Younger Males
• Younger males are often seen as immature
and relaxed compared to females of the same
age. We chose to develop this stereotype and
incorporate this within our media product.
• He refers to sex within our film opening and
makes silly immature quotes or sayings.
• We decided to have him as a clumsy younger
male with a lack of common sense as he uses
Lucy’s lipstick to write ‘BJ’ on his hand.

14. • However I think we used this as a positive
within our media product as a cute boy who
supplies comedy aspects.
• However he does challenge the expectations
towards the end of our film opening as he
introduces himself to Lucy’s dad showing
some sense of maturity.

16. Social class.
• Our media product we believe does connote
middle class. The locations are in a small
country village. And they are all dressed in
quite nice expensive clothing. Lucy is also
using an expensive iphone has an expensive
handbag this connotes wealth.