This document discusses representation and stereotypes in science fiction films. It notes that all representations are biased by what is included or left out, and reflect the ideas of the producers. Stereotypes are oversimplified views of groups that are commonly used in films for convenience. While stereotypes can be easily recognized, they do not represent the full diversity of people and can reinforce false impressions of what is normal. The document examines common stereotypes in science fiction films, such as the hero always being young, white, and male, and calls for more non-stereotypical representations in films.

1. AQA 2016
Science Fiction Films
REPRESENTATION

2. Representation
• Representation is the way the media reflects the ‘real
world’ back to us.
• The media’s presentation is never ‘transparent.’
• Every representation is biased, even by what is included
and what is left out.
• All representations reflect the ideas, biases and
assumptions of the producers.
• The audience can also read the representations in a
biased way, or from a particular point of view.
• It can be a problem if we believe the media represents
reality, and if we forget that it is a constructed, created
and biased view of the world.

3. Representation in science fiction
Science fiction films often rely on ‘stock’ characters:
• The main hero
• The sidekick
• The evil villain
• The victims who need saving
• The authorities / experts / scientists who can be arrogant
or foolish, and the hero has to fight them too
Watch the trailer for Monsters
Watch the trailer for Mad Max Fury Road
Try to identify the character types. Are there other
categories needed?

4. Stereotypes
• Stereotypes are simplified views of groups of people.
• Often one or two characteristics are used to represent the
whole person, and the whole group they belong to.
• For example, ‘dumb blondes’: the whole person is
characterised simply as a ‘blonde’, and all people with
blonde hair are grouped together as being the same.
• Does it matter? It can do if the stereotype is negative, if it
used against people, or if certain social groups have more
power to create and use stereotypes than other social
groups.
• Stereotypes are often used in the media as they are easy
to recognise and understand. They are a convenient
‘shorthand.’

5. Stereotypes in films
• Films often use stereotypes as a shorthand to
communicate ideas.
• The audience finds stereotypes (e.g. the good-looking
but untrustworthy woman; the self-sacrificing mother;
the daredevil teen; the brave old man) easy to
recognise and easy to understand.
• It is easier for producers to present an easy
stereotype rather than a more complex character.
• People who don’t fit the stereotype aren’t represented
in films – they become ‘invisible'
• Do you think this is true? And if it is true, is it OK?

6. Stereotypes and countertypes
• Countertypes are characters who are not stereotypes.
• They may be almost the opposite of a stereotype, or just
different.
• Countertypes can challenge traditional stereotypes and
offer new ways of representing people.
• For example, Sigourney Weaver played Ripley in the
Alien franchise – she was one of the first female action
heroes in a sci-fi horror. At the time, she was a
countertype, although now it is more common to have
women action heroes.
• For example, Attack the Block featured a black urban
teen as the hero – another countertype.

7. Heroes and villains
Heroes and villains are often stereotyped.
o Villains tend to be:
 Evil, cowardly, less intelligent, charismatic, easily
tricked…
 They can tend to be: old, ugly, ‘foreign’
o Heroes tend to be:
 Resourceful, strong, brave, determined, good…
 They also tend to be American, male, white and young
or middle-aged.
o This reinforces the idea that good-looking people are good
and trustworthy and ugly people are evil or untrustworthy.
Is this fair?

8. Gender representations.
• Consider how men and women are
represented. Who looks big and strong? Who
looks sexy? Who has most / least clothes on?
Who is positioned to show their body the most?
Who is in control / the leader?
o Poster for The Matrix
o Poster for X Men 2
Find some posters which have non-stereotypical
representations of gender.

9. Comparing representations of gender
Comment on these aspects of
representation in Jurassic World
Female
characters
Male
characters
Role in the film
body size and shape - what features are
emphasised?
costume- what do they wear?
props - what items to they tend to have /
use?
facial expressions?
gestures?

10. Comparing representations of gender
Comment on these aspects of
representation in The Fifth Element
Female
characters
Male
characters
Role in the film
body size and shape - what features are
emphasised?
costume- what do they wear?
props - what items to they tend to have /
use?
facial expressions?
gestures?

11. Comparing representations of gender
Comment on these aspects of
representation in Alien
Female
characters
Male
characters
Role in the film
body size and shape - what features are
emphasised?
costume- what do they wear?
props - what items to they tend to have /
use?
facial expressions?
gestures?

12. Representations
• The stereotypical hero is usually a good-
looking, white, American man in his 20s-50s,
who fights alone.
• How is / are the hero(es) of Attack the Block
different to this stereotype?

13. Ideology: messages about the
world
• What kind of messages do typical science fiction films
contain?
• Do they suggest certain things are normal or right? For
example, certain ways of looking or dressing or
behaving?
• Do films rely on old-fashioned ideas of feminine and
masculine, or black and white, or ‘foreign’?
• Do films present an impossible body image to girls (‘thin
is beautiful’), and boys (muscular and buff)?
• Do only good looking, young, usually heterosexual
people feature in films?
• Does this all give viewers a false impression of what is
‘normal’?

14. Does it matter?
• The cultivation theory suggests that the more time
someone spends watching TV the more they believe
the version of the world it promotes.
• Similarly, the reinforcement theory says the media
can only reinforce or confirm our existing beliefs.
• What do you think?

15. Are non-stereotypical films possible?
Plan a pitch for a film – a brief outline of the plot,
characters and setting for one of the following:
o A mostly female cast, including a female hero and
villain
o A film where the Americans are the villains and the
heroes are Russian, or middle-eastern, or…..
o A mostly teen-aged cast
o A mostly ‘differently abled’ cast
o A mostly homosexual cast (male and female)
o Do you think audiences would enjoy non-stereotypical
films? Why / why not?

16. Further reading
Read these articles / blogs about
representation in science fiction:
• Where’s the diversity, Hollywood?
• It sucks when sci-fi reinforces stereotypes
• 6 insane stereotypes that movies can’t seem
to get over

17. Explain these terms. Use examples.
Representation
Bias
Stereotype
Countertype
Ideology
Cultivation theory
Reinforcement theory