Media language Representation and Stereotypes

 Media language Representation and Stereotypes

To explore stereotypes in media products

To question why they exist

To begin to analyse how they can be challenged

Stereotypes 

Defining individuals in ways which suggest that their behaviour, attributes, identity is ‘typical’ because they belong to a social group or category (such as age, gender, race, class, region, ethnicity)

Often stereotypes have negative connotations

Answer the questions briefly in relation to ‘Shelter’

Which stereotypes are represented in the short film?

That Black people are aggressive and thieves

Explain how the micro-features are used to re-present some of the stereotypes

Editing - The editing whilst he was buying cigarettes was really slow - made us think he wasn’t going to pull out money and instead something like a knife

Camera - During his therapy session, its shot reverse shot which shows how the two are very divided and different - Framing - They’re in a wide shot together but with space between the two to enhance their divided-ness 

Mise-en-scene - The paintings on the wall, Mr. Green noticed that they were fakes, but also that they were called white centre - Mr. Green is really smart which definitely goes against stereotypes

How does the writer/director subvert stereotypes

In your opinion does he successfully challenge common stereotypes