- Quadrophenia - 1979
- This is England - 2006
- Grange Hill - 1978
- Harry Brown - 2009
Contemporary film and TV examples:
- Attack the Block - 2011
- Ill manors - 2012
- Sky News on London riots - 2011
- Young Apprentice series 3 - 2012
- Sket - 2011
Representation Theorists:
- Giroux 1997 - Representation of youth is an empty category in the media, as is constructed by adults and not by youth themselves
- Dyer 1979 - Stereotypes are always about power, those with power stereotype
- Acland 1995 - representations of delinquent youths reinforces hegemony, by showing what will and won't be accepted by society
- Cohen 1972 - representations of youth can create moral panic and folk devils
- Hebdige 1986 - Youth join subcultures to show opposition to society
- Define either collective identity or mediation
Collective Identity - is the individuals sense of belonging to a group, the idea is that through participating in social activities, in this case watching film and television, individuals can gain a sense of belonging in essence and identity which transcends them.
Mediation - The process of taking an image from reality, interpreting it and representing it back to an audience.
- Mention that you are going to talk about youth representation and self-youth representation across historical and contemporary examples of film and television
Para 1:
Collective Identity - In quadrophenia (1979), a historical film example, youth are represented as being dependent on subcultures to gain a sense of 'belonging' in society. This is evidenced by the divide between mods and rockers, as the members within the two individual groups dress and act in the same way too their piers. For example the rockers wear leather jackets and ride motorbikes, whilst the mods wear parka jackets and ride scooters. Hebdige's theory (1979) suggests that 'youth join subcultures in order to show opposition to society'. Quadrophenia could be seen as a film which reinforces this theory when the deviant youths collectively oppose society together as they meet to have fights in their groups, however as individuals the youths generally seem to conform to societies norms and laws.
Mediation - In quadrophenia (1979), a historical film example, youth are mediated in a way which focuses on them being violent and aggressive towards each other. The plot and storyline of the film is largely based on the real life events of the fights between the mods and rockers. In relation to Cohen's (1979) theory, focusing on such events could create 'moral panic in society' as the film mediates true events and therefore intensifies and creates anxieties in society. In a particular scene, a group of mod youths are mediated in dark lighting down an alley - commonly a setting which creates anxiety and perhaps fear of danger - ganging up on a single rocker. The setting and what would be classed as an immoral action which is taking place, could therefore lead audience's to see youths in society as overly aggressive, and unnecessarily violent towards each other through the way the scene is focused and been mediated. On the other hand although this mediation of youth could create moral panic in society, the youths are not represented as being dangers to the adult community, but rather only towards one another.
Para 2:
Collective identity - Ill Manors (2012) which is a contemporary film example, represents youth as being criminals as they break many laws in society from taking and selling drugs, to possession of fire arms, kidnapping and even murder. In a particular scene a youth is shown walking into a house and then shooting two people, this represents youth showing ultimate opposition to societies laws as one of the most punishable crimes has been committed, therefore presenting youth as criminal and perhaps impulsive. However Giroux's (1997) theory would suggest that such representations of youth are inaccurate to real life and 'an empty category' as these representations have been constructed by adults and not youth themselves.
Mediation - Ill Manors (2012), which is a contemporary film example, mediates youth in a way which puts focus on them breaking laws, showing them to perhaps be dangers to society and remorseless as they show little care in committing crimes. For example a group of youths in the film laugh about kidnapping an adult and tying him up against his will, the shots in this scene allow the audience to focus on the distress of the victim whilst the youths look down on him and laugh. The way this scene is mediated therefore leads audiences to feel sympathetic towards the victim, making the youths seem like dangerous, remorseless criminals. Gerbner's (1986) Cultivation theory suggests that such mediations of youth can lead to society perceiving them as delinquents over time. Alternatively Giroux's (1997) theory that 'youth are an empty category in the media', would suggest that mediations of youth as being dangerous and remorseless criminals are inaccurate and do not reflect youths within society, as these representations are created by adults.
Mediation - In quadrophenia (1979), a historical film example, youth are mediated in a way which focuses on them being violent and aggressive towards each other. The plot and storyline of the film is largely based on the real life events of the fights between the mods and rockers. In relation to Cohen's (1979) theory, focusing on such events could create 'moral panic in society' as the film mediates true events and therefore intensifies and creates anxieties in society. In a particular scene, a group of mod youths are mediated in dark lighting down an alley - commonly a setting which creates anxiety and perhaps fear of danger - ganging up on a single rocker. The setting and what would be classed as an immoral action which is taking place, could therefore lead audience's to see youths in society as overly aggressive, and unnecessarily violent towards each other through the way the scene is focused and been mediated. On the other hand although this mediation of youth could create moral panic in society, the youths are not represented as being dangers to the adult community, but rather only towards one another.
Para 2:
Collective identity - Ill Manors (2012) which is a contemporary film example, represents youth as being criminals as they break many laws in society from taking and selling drugs, to possession of fire arms, kidnapping and even murder. In a particular scene a youth is shown walking into a house and then shooting two people, this represents youth showing ultimate opposition to societies laws as one of the most punishable crimes has been committed, therefore presenting youth as criminal and perhaps impulsive. However Giroux's (1997) theory would suggest that such representations of youth are inaccurate to real life and 'an empty category' as these representations have been constructed by adults and not youth themselves.
Mediation - Ill Manors (2012), which is a contemporary film example, mediates youth in a way which puts focus on them breaking laws, showing them to perhaps be dangers to society and remorseless as they show little care in committing crimes. For example a group of youths in the film laugh about kidnapping an adult and tying him up against his will, the shots in this scene allow the audience to focus on the distress of the victim whilst the youths look down on him and laugh. The way this scene is mediated therefore leads audiences to feel sympathetic towards the victim, making the youths seem like dangerous, remorseless criminals. Gerbner's (1986) Cultivation theory suggests that such mediations of youth can lead to society perceiving them as delinquents over time. Alternatively Giroux's (1997) theory that 'youth are an empty category in the media', would suggest that mediations of youth as being dangerous and remorseless criminals are inaccurate and do not reflect youths within society, as these representations are created by adults.
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