Evaluation Task 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Representation is the way certain themes are being shown in film and how they are used to transfer messages and ideals to the audience. Many stereotypes make it easy to identify what roles characters posses and how certain themes are represented through adhearing and subverting stereotypes, especially when targeting gender.

Throughout the entire clip, the male character who is introduced first is interacting with several objects such as paintbrushes, a canvas, an easel, and what seems to be red paint (blood), which connotes that his profession is that of an artist. As he is the one doing the work, it would suggest that he is the one who is in-charge in this scene and who is responsible for any actions of any other characters which may appear in the scene. This adheres to the stereotype of men often being in charge of the entire situation.

Furthermore, he is shown to have a more elated facial expression, which connotes that he is happy about what he is doing, and probably passionate about his work. It continuously suggests that he is happy with the current situation, and adheres to a negative representation of a mental disability, as nobody in their right mind would kill someone and then use their blood to create a painting with.

Next to this, the high key lighting which focuses on his face a lot directs a lot of the attention towards him, connoting that he is the one who has the upper hand that he is someone who will continuously be important within the rest of the thriller. This would adhear to the stereotype of men being the more dominant and important gender within the opening sequence. On the other hand, the other male character whom is introduced a little later on in the thriller, is shown to be more vulnerable than his opponent. This is shown through the clothes the second character is dressed in; he is dressed in a white tanktop and white shorts, which subsequently looks like undergarments.

This connotes that he is very vulnerable as he has no proper clothes on to protect himself from any kind of harm; this subverts the stereotype of men being strong, and in opposition to the first character introduced this character is no where near being dominant and confident in his work. This is amplified by the fact that the character is positioned on a table, and doesn't seem to be moving throughout the entirety of the thriller. Not only does this subvert the stereotype of what men are usually represented as, but also shows him to be weak and have a disability and disadvantage towards the first character introduced. The character is also negatively portrayed in the sense that his disability of being terribly hurt, shown by the way he is lying on the table and being covered in blood, makes him unable of protecting himself against what the first character is doing to him and has no ability of saving himself. This also subverts to the stereotype of men being the hero, and rather adheres to the stereotype of women being the damsel in distress.

The camera often focuses on the character introduced first, and often focuses on his eyes, which gives the audience the ability to be closer to the character. This is used to make the audience feel slightly intimidated and show them that he has control over everything. It also suggests, as the camera is on him more often, that he adheres to the stereotype of being dominant and important.

Next to this, due to many close-ups which focus on this character it connotes that there is something secretive about this character, and that the audience is purposely forced to be so close with him to suggest that he is different to what most people would be like when concocting this type of work/activity. It may adhere to the stereotype that he has a certain type of mental disability, as people would usually not be shown to be so closed minded and, in film, they would not shot as closely.

However, the victim is never shown fully – there are many close ups that suggest his existence which consist of parts of his body which have been badly injured. There are also several pans and tilts which slowly reveal more and more of the character as time goes by. By introducing the character this way, it connotes that there is some kind of disability which hinders him from being revealed to the audience immediately. 

Next to this, by not being given so much screen time, it also connotes that he may not be as dominant as males would usually be, which adhears from the stereotype of men often being the more prominent gender.

The killer, or character who was introduced first, often has many shots of him being close to the painting he is creating. These shots tend to linger for a little bit longer, connoting that he is either enjoying his work, or may be interpreted as a negative representation of a mental disability as he could seem to be obsessed with what he is doing.

Because there are many shots that focus on the killer, it suggests that he is the more important character, and that he seems to be the leader of the situation. On the other hand, the victim is edited to be shown way later on in the thriller sequence, and even then there are only short clips of him, until his face is revealed and lingered on in the very last shot in the end. This connotes that he is not of as much importance, subverting from the stereotype that males are strong, independent leaders, and makes the two characters binary opposites. Furthermore, the short, rapid shots which show several wounds and injuries of the victim connote another negative representation of a disability.

Because of these specific cuts and quick shots of these injuries it connotes that the audience would not want to look at the way the victim has been hurt and therefore would rather be ignored and looking at him would like to be avoided in any way possible.

The non-diagetic sound used in the thriller sequence is heavily juxtaposed with what is going on. The blood and other things that suggest the activity going on within the thriller would suggest for more a more tense soundtrack to be played, whereas the soundtrack chosen here is Vivaldis Concerto for Four Violins in B-Minor, First Movement.

This soundtrack is of the classical genre, and would usually not be placed in a scene which portrays a grotesque image. However, by using this juxtaposed soundrack it intensifies the fact that one of the characters may be mentally disabled. It gives the entire scene a much more sadistic feel as the main character is finding joy in creating a painting by using someone's blood, and the soundtrack is quite calming and uplifting. It connotes that there is a serious problem with the killer and that there is something wrong with the entire situation. It also juxtaposes the state the victim is in, and makes the entire situation look even worse.

Overall, in this clip, both male characters are shown in two completely different ways. One is represented to be the strong leader, whereas the other is restricted and viewed as not being as important, which subverts the usual stereotype. Throughout the entire thriller sequence, a negative representation of a disability is shown through the ways both characters have been shown, one suggesting to have more of a mental disability, whereas the other is more physically disabled. This is an example of how within one sequence representations can vary.