Target Audience for Our Thriller 'From the Night'

Doctor Who: How is gender represented in this extract?

Gender is represented in many different ways and can be a very controversial topic. All types of media conform or challenge gender representations, which may be outdated or newly exposed. A prime example of this is Doctor Who.

The clip starts off with a low angle of The Master; already we see a representation of gender. The low angle of the Master places him at the top of the screen; this gives the audience an impression of power and dominance and suggests he is at the top of the hierarchy. Immediately a representation of gender is clear. By putting the male at the top of the screen and the female at the bottom of the screen, this scene is conforming to the common stereotype that males are seen as more dominant. In this same scene, there is another representation of gender. The low angle represents the Master (male) as the superior figure and Martha (female) the inferior figure. Close ups are often used on the Master, so that the audience can relate to the power he possesses, whereas a lot of mid shots are used on Martha, therefore the audience do not feel much empathy for her.

The woman on the balcony of the clip is wearing a long elegant red dress, and has no emotional stance. The colour red is often linked to sophistication and is seen as a passionate colour, but may also represent danger. The red dress could suggest the woman is sophisticated, but may also have a fiery side to her, which may not be portrayed in this clip. The emotional stance, red dress and long blonde hair, could suggest she is seen as some sort of trophy, that the Master feels he has won. The understanding within our society is that women are often seen as objects by men, and by showing the woman as a trophy, this scene is not only conforming to this statement, but is also showing how costume and colour can make a difference to how the audience can interpret the roles of gender. Compared to the ‘trophy woman’, Martha is a complete contrast, she wears a casual jacket and jeans, symbolising an informal dress code, therefore the audiences attention is drawn to the authority figure – the Master, wearing a suit, symbolising power – who just so happens to be a male. This shows that Martha is of less importance than the Master, and that the Master has all the power.

The non-diegetic sound during the opening of the clip creates an important atmosphere, backed up by the use of a long shot to establish the location. The non-diegetic sound plays throughout the Master’s dialogue, but seems to stop, when Martha speaks. The non-diegetic sound ups the pace of the Master’s dialogue, and reinforces the power that he has over Martha. In contrast the clip of Martha struggling through the storm, may suggest that the Master does not control all of the power, and that Martha posses something the Master does not know about, Unity. The scene of Martha, sitting on top of the stairs could contrast with the Master. The Master is stood on the stairs to show his dominance and independence, whereas Martha is seen sitting on the stairs surrounded by people. This could suggest that Martha has an alliance with these people, which the Master does not possess, and could ultimately, be his downfall.

The Master’s dominance is shown throughout the extract, until the tables are turned. The camera angle goes from being a low angle, showing the Master’s dominance, to a high angle, showing the Master’s vulnerability. In the end, unity is seen as the key factor, which was able to reverse the role of the characters. When the Doctor returns to his normal form, the angelic light suggests he has all the power, compared to the Master who no longer has any power or authority. Once again, the camera is lower to the ground, raising the Doctor and suggesting he now has the power. Towards the end, Martha is clearly shown as saving the world, which could suggest how much influence she has on the situation, which also challenges the typical female stereotype, that says males are more influential and dominant that females.

The representation of the male is much greater than the representation of the female in this extract; this has been shown through various aspects of mise-en-scene, such as costume, camera angles and lighting as well as the use of sound. This extract both conforms and challenges to common stereotypes, and is very important in the representation of gender, in TV drama.

G321: Evaluation Question 2

2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?


My group’s thriller is mainly dominated by the male gender. The main character is male; therefore the male audience may be more capable of connecting with the main character and enjoying the film more than females. To add to this, the only female featured in our thriller is found dead. The common stereotype is that woman are glamorous and sophisticated. In our thriller the woman is wearing a not so glamorous costume; this challenges this stereotype and suggests that not all women are glamorous and sophisticated. In ‘Once Upon a Time in America’ Eve is shown wearing glamorous clothes, linked to the classic femme fatale of the thriller genre. The woman in our thriller is a complete contrast.

The enigmatic figures in our thriller are all males. The common stereotype is that the male gender is more dominant and powerful. The enigmatic figures in our thriller are shown to be in power, and have full control of the boy and mother’s fate, suggesting dominance and authority. As shown in the opening sequence of ‘Once Upon a Time in America’ the mobsters also have complete control over Eve’s fate, which is also shown in our thriller. The use of three mobsters emphasises how outnumbered and powerless Eve is. A common convention of the thriller genre is that the death of somebody else often effects the main character, often male. Male characters are seen to be more dominant in the thriller genre, for example, in 'Once Upon a Time in America' the three mobsters are in total control over Eve's fate. Also in 'Essex Boys' Billy and Jason are the main focus for the film. Furthermore, in 'The Third Man' the emphasis is more focused on Holly and Harry, than Anna, although she does play a big role in connecting with the female audience. Despite this there are films like 'Thelma and Louise' and 'Heavenly Creatures' which are dominated by females.

The location, in which we shot the films, is clearly shown as a mid-priced, large and ordinary house, linking to the house of the Cody family in Animal Kingdom. Because of this, the house could be associated with a middle class family, like in Animal Kingdom, and is also backed up by the normal white t-shirt and blue striped pyjama bottoms, worn by the main character in our thriller.

The site www.filmsite.org, suggests that the primary moods of the classic film noir are melancholy, alienation, pessimism, corruption and many more. My group's thriller taps into those moods, whilst mixing in problems with contemporary Britain. Our thriller represents the corruption of present day Britain, and reflects the pessimism and alienation caused by the effects of the recession and the cuts in public spending, and how this is effecting not only the younger generation but also the older generation. This is shown through the corruption of the enigmatic figures featured in our thriller, and the alienation of the main character Jonathon.

Shameless Essay: How is class represented in this extract?

Q: How is social class represent in this extract of Shameless?

Class is a very controversial topic, where opinions differ depending on how you are affected by the world around you. There are many different opinions on social class, and with that comes, challenge. There are various programmes which challenge social class, one of these is Shameless.

In this certain clip, it starts with a close up shot of two characters – possibly husband and wife – slouched on a couch. Already the audience see a representation of class. If the two characters were sitting in an upright position, audience may interpret them as upper class. But the fact that they are slouched, may suggest that they are not upper class, but almost working class. As previously stated opinions differ, some people may think slouching may be misrepresenting class, others may think otherwise. Costume is very important in this particular clip. Costume is often thought to be associated with the social hierarchy. Stereotypical costume such as suits with bowties, are often associated with the upper class, and tracksuit bottoms and hooded jumpers are often associated with the working / lower class, like before, opinions differ. In this clip it clearly shows the costume of the characters, which would suggest that these characters were lower class.

The first few scenes of this clip, shows strong relationship between the man and the woman. The constant close ups show the emotions of the characters towards each other, and the shot reverse shot, links the two together. A common stereotype is that lower class people have no responsibility for their own actions, and only form relationships that benefit themselves, rather than worrying about others. But this clip goes against that stereotype. It clearly shows that these two characters have a special relationship, which can benefit them both. By adopting, they are taking on the responsibility of the child, therefore challenging this specific stereotype.

In this clip the adopted mother is shown as the house keeper, who does the washing, cleaning and looks after the children. The scene when the boy and adopted father come home, clearly shows the adopted mother is doing the washing up. Also the shot of the boy and adopted mother, suggests that the adopted mother is looking after the child, acting as his protector, which is a very common stereotype. In this particular clip, Shameless is conforming to the stereotypical motherly image, but this may be a misrepresentation, compared to the present day. From the 20^th century and backwards, women were often seen as the house keeper, and looked after the children, whilst the father went to work to earn money. Therefore this clip may be a representation of the past, but not the modern day, as women are no longer seen as the house keeper, and are on par with the men of the modern day.

Certain scenes of this clip show that males, in particular are not responsible for their own actions. For example, the scene of Frank in the pub is a prime example of this. Frank is consuming alcohol and smoking, in front of his recently born children. This does not give off a good impression, and clearly shows that Frank does not and will not take responsibility of his children, therefore conforming to a lower class stereotype. A common stereotype is that fathers are supposed to lead by example, and be some who you can look up to, as you grow up. But in this case, Frank is not setting an example for his children, and is not taking on the responsibility of bringing up his children. This is a complete contrast to the adopted parent’s story. The adopted parents show clear signs of responsibility for a child, whereas Frank does not. The fact that Frank is drinking, may also be a common stereotype. Drinking alcohol was seen as a masculine act, before the realisation of the effects of alcohol, being consumed heavily.  This particular scene is suggesting that lower class males, are masculine, but this compared to modern day views is not accurate.

Steve is portrayed as a petty criminal in this clip. Chiaroscuro lighting is used to create shadows, connoting mystery, and deviousness. As the policeman enters, we realise that Steve has committed a crime, and is indeed a criminal. The use of this lighting is very significant, as it clearly outlines that Steve is guilty of a crime, before the audience even knows it. The body language of Steve is also an important part of establishing him as a criminal. Like Frank, Steve does not want to take responsibility for his actions. The slouching suggests he doesn’t care, and shows he doesn’t want to take on responsibility for his actions.

In this clip of Shameless, it clearly shows a mixture of representations of the lower class, both challenging and conforming to common stereotypes. The representations of males and females may seem outdated, compared to the modern day, and may be a misrepresentation of the lower class. Despite this, the clip uses, camera movement and angles to help portray the characters, and allow the audience to make their own judgement, before revealing the truth.

G321: Evaluation Question 1

1) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

My group’s thriller is mainly inspired by the films ‘Se7en’, ‘Animal Kingdom’ and ‘The Third Man’; it combines the twisted psychological aspect of ‘Se7en’ the distorted corruption of ‘Animal Kingdom’ and generic conventions used in ‘The Third Man’. The low key lighting within scenes of the film can cause a sense of concern and anxiety, often associated with the thriller genre. For example, the scene of the enigmatic figure looking at the boy sleeping creates a sense of fear, perturbing the audience and suggesting corruption within the figures mental state. Various tilt shots are used within my group’s thriller. For example, the tilt shot used in the scene where the boy is walking down the hall creates a sense of mystery, nightmare and illusion suggesting the boy has woken up to a nightmare reality. The tilt shot could also represent the boy's alienation from society, and could show how mcu hhe is yet to understand about his surroundings. The trilby hat is a classic feature of noir thrillers, as shown in films such as ‘The Third Man’ and ‘Once Upon a Time in America’. The enigmatic figures used in our thriller, all wear a trilby hat; this connotes deviance, whilst adding to the mystery and unknown identity of the enigmatic figures. This is used in ‘The Third Man’; Harry Lime is often wearing a trilby hat, which suggests he is a menacing and mysterious character, and has no feeling of empathy for any of his victims.

My group has decided to call the main character (the boy) Jonathon Cody, and the Mother, Eve Cody. The surnames of the characters are a direct reference to the Cody family in ‘Animal Kingdom’. The Cody family are linked to criminal actions such as drug dealing and theft, but Smurf (the mother) and Joshua (the son) have a strong bond with each other, which we tried to portray in our thriller. The boy’s first name, Jonathon, means a gift of god. In our thriller, the audience does not know of Jonathon’s fate, Jonathon could be killed, but he could also survive, this keeps the audience guessing. The name of the mother, Eve, relates to the story of Adam and Eve. Eve is seen as the perfect being, but her greed gets her in trouble. We thought Eve would be a good forename, because it’s suggests the mother’s greed eventually got her killed, which has a dramatic effect on her son, which may break the bond they share with each other. The name Eve is also a reference to the classical femme fatale, in 'Once Upon a Time in America'. The mother is similiar to Eve, as she gets gunned down, in the opening sequence, this could therefore have negative connotations and may suggests the mother's  fate, before revealing her death.

Costume for Thriller 'From the Night' Unfinished

Costume for Enigmatic Figures:

The Trilby Hat is a type of Fedora, Fedora's are mostly linked with Mobsters from the 1940's and 1950's. We thought it would be a good idea to use this hat, as it covers half of the face, which could add to the enigmatic feel of the character. This hat will be worn by all of the enigmatic figures.

The main influence for this costume feature is Harry Lime in The Third Man.

The trilby hat connotes a sense of mystery and unknown identity, and can often be linked with deviousness. For example in The Third Man, Harry Lime is the mysterious and devious character, who sold watered down penicillin to hospitals.





Costume For Jonathon (main character):




The colour blue produces a calming effect, and is strongly linked to tranquillity. This makes reveal of the dead mother more dramatic, suggests quite the opposite.









The white t-shirt could connote the boys purity, and could represent that has been drawn into the situation with limited understanding of his mother's actions.










Costume for Mother:

The costume for the mother is deliberately chosen to look middle class, this reinforces the middle class environment, along with the location (a middle class house).

Thriller Character Names & Summary

The Main Character

Played By: James Winterburn

Character Name: Jonathon Cody

Why?

Jonathon means 'gift of God', this could add a slight twist storyline, in our thriller opening, and the audience will not know what actually happened to Jonathon. Although the meaning would suggest that God will look after him.

We chose the surname Cody, after the Cody family in Animal Kingdom. We thought this would be a good idea, because the Cody family in Animal Kingdom are mainly linked to criminal actions, such as armed robberies and dealing in drugs.

The Mother

Played By: Sandra Winterburn

Character Name: Eve Cody

Why?

We chose Eve, as the first name because it relates to Adam and Eve. Eve is seen as a good person before she gets herself in trouble. We felt that it would be a good name to use as it would relate to the characters role in our thriller.

The surname Cody as stated before, relates to Animal Kingdom, but we felt that the Mother could relate to the mother (Smurf) in Animal Kingdom, as she too wants to protect her children.

The Gang

So far we are unsure what to call the gang, as it relates to the name of our thriller. We decided to put a tattoo on the majority of the characters to relate them all. We were not sure whether to use some sort of mark or crest, or use a code. Going with a mark, would then produce the title 'Marked', which was our original idea. But during filming, we had another idea, and decided to use a code instead; this would then produce the title 'The Code'. After some advice from our teacher, we decided to eliminate the code idea, and stick with the mark. We then brainstormed about what the mar would be. We decided it would be an animal, but we were not entirely sure what animal it was going to be.

*Update*

After much debating and thought we have decided not to go with a code or a mark, we have decided that the mark will not be needed, instead we could add continious cuts between the boy and the enigmatic figure, this would then link the boy to the figure, therefore resulting in the mark being abolished. 

*Further Update*

Me and my group spent a long time debating about what our thriller should be called, me and James debated about the title The Visitor(s), until Miss Barton suggested 'In the Night'. I wasn't too keen on it, but then Will suggested the title 'From the Night' and we decided to go with that. This title could suggest that the night time is a 'killers' time, that when the night descends, awful things can happen. We thought this title would go well with our thriller, as it suggests exactly what we wanted our to suggest, making a perfect fit.