The document discusses representation in media and characters. It explains that representation refers to how groups, communities, ideas, or topics are portrayed from a particular perspective. Characters can be portrayed through stereotypes or counter stereotypes. Representation can be broken down along categories like age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and social class. The theorist Stuart Hall argued that representation shapes our perceptions of the world rather than just reflecting it.

1. By Sarah GhileREPRESENTATION

2.  Media representations are the ways in which the media
portrays particular groups, communities, experiences, ideas,
or topics from a particular ideological or value perspective.
 In relation to characters, representation refers to the way in
which a character is portrayed to the audience. It is the
manipulation of how a character dresses, communicates, is
perceived by other characters within the film and whether to
emulate a certain stereotype. In many cases characters can
be categorized as either a stereotype or counter stereotype:
though in many cases it is not as simple.
WHAT IS REPRESENTATION?

3. BREAKDOWN OF REPRESENTATION
 Representation can be broken down into different categorizes:
 Age
 Gender
 Ethnicity/race
 Sexuality
 Social class/status
 Able/disabled

4. THEORIST ON REPRESENTATIONS
Stuart Hall
 Hall argues that the process of
representation itself constitutes the very
world it aims to represent, and explores how
the shared language of a culture, its signs
and images, provides a conceptual roadmap
that gives meaning to the world rather than
simply reflecting it. Hall's concern throughout
is the centrality of culture to the shaping of
our collective perceptions, and how the
dynamics of media representation reproduce
forms of symbolic power.

5.  The genre of our short film falls as a drama.
 Drama’s often exhibit real life situations with realistic
characters, settings, and stories. They portray journeys of
character development, intense social interaction, ongoing
dilemmas focusing on the emotions of the characters.
 The heart of drama is the conflict, these conflicts can include
inner/outer realistic struggles depicting hardships, difficulty, and
pain.
 Usually thee audience can relate to the characters as they can
either relate the crisis the protagonists faces or empathies with
the emotional hardship the character endures. (Preferred reading
– Halls Theory)
 Drama’s are structured with climaxes and anti climaxes to keep
the audience emotionally attached and the tension ongoing. Hey
usually end in a form of realisation at the end/happily ending
though this is not always the case.
DRAMA

6.  Natalie is our main and only protagonist in our short film. She
is a troubled post-teen stumbling through her life as small
somewhat trivial matters keep dragging her down, but in
actuality she is her own anchor.
 Natalie is a 17 year old girl, living in suburban England. She
comes from a nuclear family home, made of a mother, a
father and two siblings. She faces no great war, no poverty, no
abuse; her great depression is her life.
 Physically, Natalie is an attractive girl: slightly above average
height, soft and feminine features, with a slender physic. She
is what you would expect a female protagonist of any film to
be, thus her issues do not come from not fitting social
implications based on her looks: her appearance aligns to
what is considered attractive by society.
NATALIE

7.  Our character is likely to instigate a divide in opinions and
reactions as some may sympathise with her while others may
find her-self-pity repulsive and problematic. Natalie’s faults
run a little deeper as the audience will see she has scars of
self-harm by her wrists and along her arm, this context is
highly sensitive and can be scrutinized if portrayed in a way
that speaks ignorance towards the matter. Though Natalie’s
self-harm plays a relatively climatic role in her story, it is
something we felt needed to be portrayed to give empathises
on the brokenness of our character. Unfortunately, some
people may be able to relate to this brokenness – others may
find it uncomfortable and alienating.

8.  The extremity of our character is
what distinguishes her from being a
generic stereotype that any teenage
girl can identify with. It instead,
makes her a character that can
concur with the likes of ‘Augusta’
from the film ‘Augusta Gone’ a
movie centred on a teenage girl who
abuses drugs, alcohol and inflict
self-harm. The film is teeth gritting
and at many moments; hard to
watch. We aim to emulate this on
our short film, creating tension,
moments of discomfort and shock
that make our character ‘Natalie’ a
memorable one.