Question 2 - How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In our thriller the two main characters have been represented as two different types of characters. The hostage has been interpreted as a much more casual, laid back character; this has been represented through his clothing, he is wearing a hoodie, pair of jeans and a pair of trainers. The interrogator on the other hand has been presented as a much more organised, this has been represented through his clothing being much more serious and neat, he wearing a large over coat, a shirt and tie and a pair of ‘office ware’ trousers.

Both of the characters have been represented in the same age range, approximately between 20 and 25. We chose this age range because more and more younger people are interested in crime thriller movies so they can relate/ understand a character. Also we decided that when planning our thriller opening the two characters would both be male. This is because male characters are much more ‘violent’ and we can do more with them, for example the torture scene would not fit as well if a woman was the hostage because most people would not agree with a male torturing a female.

The two main props which were included in the thriller opening was the document and the guns. Both are in possession of the interrogator and the hostage appears to have no props, this gives a sense of weakness because the hostage has nothing to protect himself with. The props also show that the interrogator is powerful and organized, it appears that he as been collecting/ organising the documentation ready to use against the hostage when the time comes because when he shows the hostage the documents he knows exactly what they show. Also to be able to acquire a gun the individual needs to have power of some kind, whether this is police power or gang power you never find out in the thriller opening.

The clothing which the two characters are wearing also hints to which social group the are part of. The hostage is wearing casual clothing which hints towards him being a criminal, although a lot of people wear the same sort of clothing he must have done something or witnessed something which has resulted in him being taken hostage. The interrogator on the other hand is wearing much smarter clothing which hints towards him being organized or part of some kind of organisation, the police, gang etc.

We also used different camera shots to get across the power and social groups of the two characters. To do this we angle the camera in such a way that it changes the appearing status of the character. For example when we are looking at the hostage we are looking down at him, this gives the effect that he is weak and powerless but it also gives the effect that he has done something bad and he deserves what is going on. The interrogator on the other hand is viewed very differently because the camera is angled up looking up to him, this gives the effect that he is powerful and in control but it also gives the effect that what he is doing is right.