Media representations are codified symbols that re-present reality to audiences. Representations often focus on social groups like women, minorities, and subcultures in ways that can lead to stereotyping, such as portraying black people as criminals. Representations categorize and evaluate groups through emphasized features that audiences easily recognize to draw conclusions about them, with evaluations often being negative. For example, horror films frequently represent women as vulnerable targets through the "male gaze," though some allow stereotypical views of women to be challenged as characters grow stronger.

1. Representation
Every media form, is a representation of someone's concept of
existence, codified into a series of signs and symbols which can be
read and identified by an audience.
Therefore media texts are re-presentation of reality.
Representation has dealt with particular social groups such as
focusing on women, ethnic minorities, age, gender, sexuality and sub
cultures. Examples of this can be representing black people as
criminals which can lead to stereotypes.

2. Representation and Stereotypes
Branston and Stafford state that there are characteristics to representation
such as:
-A categorising and evaluation of the group being stereotyped.
-Emphasise on specific features which are easily recognised by the audience
for them to draw the conclusion of the represented group.
-The evaluation is often (but not always) a negative one.
Representation can be linked to horror films such as the representation of
gender. This is because women are represented as vulnerable and an easy
target within horror films. However the horror genre also allows this
stereotypical view of women to be challenged, because as the story
progresses we can see how the woman can become stronger and overcome
the villain.
Horror and gender can also be linked to Laura Mulvey’s male gaze theory
such as in ‘Halloween’ where we see women through the male’s perception
which can lead to the stereotypical view of vulnerable.