Representation is how the media shows us things about society through carefully mediation. For representation to be meaningful to audiences, there needs to be a shared recognition of people, situation and ideas.
Richard Dyer (19830 posed a few questions when analysing media representation in general.
1. What message is being convey about the world?
2. Is it a true representation of the world or different? How?
3. Who is it speaking to? For whom? To whom?
4. What is being represented to us and why? How to we respond?
Ideologies and representation (Marxism)
A hegemonic view of society - the inequalities in power between social groups. Groups in power exercise their influence culturally, through film, rather than through force. Karl Marx suggested concepts have origin and ruled capitalist classes are able to protect their economic interests. It is the idea that the ruling class can manipulate the value system of a society so that their view becomes a world view.
Gender and ideology (feminism)
The male and female characters in Attack The Block are represented as binary opposites. The girls are represented in a very positive way. They are presented to be tough and streetwise despite the fact they are in their room painting their nails and having a chat when first introduced. They are protected from the aliens but also help to protect the boys from them.
However, Sam is represented as a typical damsel in distress at the start of the film as she is brutally mugged by the gang, leaving the viewers feeling sympathy for her. This creates a stereotypical weak and helpless presentation of this woman in the film. As well as this, Sam is a beautiful, young woman who was perhaps casted in this way to create a greater emotional response to her being mugged and also to create a male gaze.
Stereotypes
Youth - Represented as disruptive and self centred, disrespecting all those around them.
Race - The representation of black characters at the beginning of Attack The Block is that they're violent, dangerous and come in gangs that all wear hoodies, bandanas and intimidating dark clothes.
As the film progresses, a sense of the characters individuality is presented, reminding the viewers that there is another side to those gangs and gang members that can be seen on the news frequently. A side that is not often represented that is less sinister and threatening.
At the end of the film, Moses can be seen hanging from a British flag which is a powerful image depicting that these boys our part of the British community despite their race and age. Moses is depicted as a national hero here, protecting his people.
Analyse how mise-en-scene elements contributed go the construction of stereotypes in the media product you have studied [12 marks]
In Attack The Block the stereotype of race is represented, with black characters presented as violent and frightening at the start of the film. The characters are introduced as a gang which depicts them to be intimidating and they all wear hoodies, bandanas and dark clothing to connote their danger. This alarming presentation is contrasted with the binary opposite character of Sam who is a white woman in a vulnerable situation. Whilst Sam is presented as well put together and well spoken, she is also represented to be helpless compared to the fierce violence of the black gang. Despite this initial racial stereotype, as the film progresses, a sense of the characters individuality is presented, reminding the viewers that there is another side to those gangs and gang members that can be seen on the news frequently. A side that is not often represented that is less sinister and threatening. For example, at the end of the film, Moses can be seen hanging from a British flag which is a powerful image depicting that these boys our part of the British community despite their race and age. Moses is depicted as a national hero here, protecting his people.
Additionally, first scene not only reinforces the racial stereotypes but also the gender stereotypes. Sam is represented as a typical damsel in distress at the start of the film as she is brutally mugged by the gang, leaving the viewers feeling sympathy for her. This creates a stereotypical weak and helpless presentation of this woman in the film. As well as this, Sam is a beautiful, young woman who was perhaps casted in this way to create a greater emotional response to her being mugged and also to create a male gaze. Although the male and female characters in Attack The Block are represented as binary opposites, the younger girls are represented in a very positive way. They are presented to be tough and streetwise despite the fact they are in their room painting their nails and having a chat when first introduced. They are protected from the aliens but also help to protect the boys from them.
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