Evaluation Questions- No. 2 (Opening Sequence)

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In my opening sequence I try to stick with the obvious stereotypes. The first one that I stuck to was the British family in the beginning and how they contrast massively from the Turkish people around them in the market. The family look innocent and naïve like most other tourists do, especially in films like mien where a kidnap happens as it highlights this. Having the family look so vulnerable means that when the kidnap happens it seems even worse as from the beginning they looked like victims. An even more stereotypical representation is of the Turkish people in the market. Compared to the tourists they look seedy and corrupt. The contrast is huge, as they don’t look middle class, like the family, with their cheaper looking clothes and the quality of the market that they are in. In other parts of Turkey this representation wasn’t wholly right as there were richer parts as well, but setting my opening sequence in a dodgy area meant that it was more likely for a young girl to get kidnapped and from the outset that something bad will happen.

 The kidnappers are also a stereotype as they are foreign with a sleazy look that as soon as the viewer’s spot know that they aren’t the good guys. This, when first shown on scene, that they are dodgy and when they are able to lead Lucy away it is clear that they are evil. This is a classic stereotype as in other films like Taken the kidnapper is always foreign as well. Their accents as well highlight their danger as it is always given that when in a foreign country you are cautious when one of the locals who seem to be of a lower class talks to you, and like the kidnapper does lure you away from the public. Having the main kidnapper talk in a very strong accent brings attention again to the danger of him.

Finally, there is the stereotype of a young girl who seems completely oblivious to the world around her and her parents who seem more wise and cautious when in the market. The daughter is wearing quite inappropriate clothing that shows that she wasn’t aware if the dangers that Turkey held. From this it is clear that she is naïve, innocent and young, as she is not yet experienced yet with the dangers when going away to countries less developed then their own. Her clothing states that she does want the attention but she attracts the wrong sort. However, on the other hand the parents are represented oppositely. They seem more conscious of their surroundings and the dangers that they hold. Mainly they stick together when walking through the market and as they are adults they are already less likely to be taken, unlike the daughter. These are obvious stereotypes as in most movies the parents are always correct and more wise then the children. So when Lucy is kidnapped you can see the panic of caring parents that is how most parents would react. Having such stereotypical characters will draw the viewer in as it is what they can relate to as they have seen similar movies like it before, which have been successes, and hear about these stories on the news. If I were to change these stereotypes around then I may lose potential viewers.