This the second question for my evaluation.

1. Note that Joan(left) is
placed higher than the
hostage, demonstrating her
power and control over the
situation.
The facial expression of
the hostage also shows
he is not confident or
dominant in the scene.
Question 2: ‘How does your media product represent particular social groups?’
The use of a female protagonist who is torturing the male hostage shows a contrast in how real
media products portray gender. Women are often perceived as the victims or the weaker
characters in media products, especially in the thriller genre. Thriller films are known commonly
to have women be objects of desire or affection and serve no real purpose in the actual events
that occur other than existing to be saved.
However, more recent thrillers in the last 10 years with female characters have portrayed them
as a hero or determined character. Films such as Salt, The Hunger Games and Lucy make use
of a strengthened female protagonist who rather saves, than waits to be saved.
In our product, the female protagonist is empowered and displayed as the strongest character in
the opening. We even made use of a high angle, over the shoulder shot to demonstrate her
dominance over the hostage. Using a strong female character will be well received with female
audiences and is a more realistic and positive representation of the gender in general.
She is the one whom
the gun is being aimed
at, rather than her
aiming the gun.
The helpless posture
and expression outline
her inferiority complex.
It never feels or looks
like she’ll be able to
save herself.
Notice how her stature
is much more defying
and threatening. She
rather looks like she’s
entirely in control of
her situation.
She seems entirely
confident and
professional with her
weapon, not clumsy as
some females are
presented.

2. Professional
killer; not a
gang
member.
Note Joan’s professional stance and
composure in the interrogation, striking fear
into the eyes of her hostage. She is not
represented as an unstable, poor or helpless
woman as often done with characters of her
ethnicity.
We also kept in mind casting foreigners in our product to bring diversity to our cast. A Russian
spy is introduced but neither his name nor purpose is revealed, making him seem quite
mysterious. The enigmatic Russian spy is a staple character in many spy thrillers. Stereotypical
readings of a usual thriller would suggest that the Russian spy is an enemy but in actual fact he
is working with the protagonist. The misconception would most likely fool viewers when it is
revealed he is an ally.
The racial diversity in the cast for our thriller is
quite wide. The protagonist, Joan, originates from
Jamaica and her ally Dimitri, coming from Russia.
There is also an unnamed black gunman and a
white hostage who are included in our opening,
spreading the diversity even further, however, the
representation of these characters is qute far from
the social norm. Black gunmen in films are very
often not spies but rather thugs in gangs wars in
bad neighbourhoods, making him far from the
usual. There also are not many half English, half
Jamaican, lead spies when it comes to thrillers,
particularly in the eye of the public. The use of a
protagonist of this ethnicity would be seen as a
breath of fresh air in a market dominated by white
males in that particular role.
Both seem to use emotionless
facial expressions and don’t
show any hints to any
information about them.