The document discusses several ways that Star Wars: The Force Awakens represents and affects audiences. It addresses representations of gender, race, age and sexuality in the film. It also analyzes several communication theories that may influence audiences, such as uses and gratifications theory and the hypodermic needle theory. Finally, it discusses how legal considerations like the BBFC impact the film's production.

1. Task 5

2. The hypodermic needle theory
The hypodermic needle theory was an Idea that the mass media were
injecting thoughts into the public’s minds and they were believing it.I
think that this could be an effect on the audience as they are showing
that good and evil have to fight.

3. TWO STEP FLOW
The two step flow is the idea that someone gets news or something
from the mass media and then pass it on to other people. This could
also be an effect as people who didn’t watch the film could also be
informed about things and then it could affect them too.

4. USES AND GRATIFICATIONS
Uses and gratifications are 4 reasons people use the media. 1 diversion,
this is to escape everyday problems and get away from everything. 2
personal relationships, this is creating bonds with characters and
having an emotional connection. 3 personal identity, this is reflecting
yourself in media and connecting yourselves to characters you are like.
4 surveillance, this is the useful information that helps you live such as
the news. This could be an effect on the audience as people will have
bonds with the characters (mainly older ones as they’ve known them
for longer) so will like watching it. They may also connect themselves
with characters and their personalities. However they could also watch
it to get away from the normal life as star wars is so completely
different.

5. DESENSITISATION
The desensitisation theory is the idea that the more we are exposed to
something our reactions grow weaker, such as violence, death and sex.
I think this could affect the audience as there is lots of fighting and
killing in star wars but we don’t really react unless it is a main character.

6. Positive and negative effects the force
awakens has on the audience
There are a few positive effects on the audience. One is equality, I
believe this as there are many foreign and female lead parts in this film
for the first time in a Star Wars and I think that this is showing equality
and having a positive effect on the audience. This also boosts the self-
esteem of those represented as they feel like they have a voice.
Another positive effect is the audience having role models in these
characters. A negative effect of force awakens is the fighting. This can
affect the younger audiences as they may see It that fighting is
acceptable.

7. How is race represented
The institution has represented race by having many different race
main characters to show equality. This is a positive representation as it
is showing that they are equal to everyone else.

8. How is gender represented
The institution has represented male and females by having both male
and female main characters to be equal. This is a positive
representation as it shows that males and females are equal.

9. How is age represented
The film is popular to a wide range of ages, so they have to appeal to all
of the different ages. They use the younger characters and the fast pace
to entice the younger generation and use the older characters and
story line to entice the older generations. This would give a positive
effect on the film as it will rack in more viewers from all ages and shows
that the film is for everyone.

10. How is sexuality represented
In the film only one sexuality is explored (heterosexuality). This has a
negative effect as it only explores one sexuality so it looks like the film
is favouring it and not agreeing with the other sexuality's.

11. Does the film provide typical mainstream
representations or does it offer something that
challenges society?
I believe that the fact the film has both genders and different races as
main characters is something that challenges society as not many films
does this.

12. What are the current debates in society regarding
representation that could be related to the film?
The current debates are that female and males are equal and also all
races are equal and this film is related to that heavily.

13. discrimination
Discrimination is “the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different
categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex”. In
real life people discriminate against different races and genders so Star
Wars has made different genders and races main characters to get rid
of discrimination.

14. Copyright
Copyright is “the exclusive and assignable legal right, given to the
originator for a fixed number of years, to print, publish, perform, film,
or record literary, artistic, or musical material.” Force awakens and Star
Wars would be copyrighted so people can’t steal ideas or make money
from it.

15. Violence/sex/language
There is an issue about violence sex and rude language that it is
offensive to people and makes people more likely to do it. In star wars
there is a lot of fighting and violence.

16. How does legal considerations effect the film
The film has to be within the legal considerations or it won’t be alowed
to be published.

17. BBFC
The bbfc are the British Board of Film Classification. They censor and
give age ratings for films. They do this So only people old enough can
watch the films. They make sure films don’t promote drugs and don’t
allow discrimination. These rules effect how the film is made, for
example The film has to be within the legal guidelines or it will not be
aloud to be published e.g. not allowed to promote drugs or The film
has to be ethical e.g not much violence or the film will have a higher
age rating meaning only older people can watch it.