Representation in an Opening Scene- Harry Brown

Representation in an Opening Scene- Harry Brown

In today's lesson we went over representation in media and how it affects peoples interpretations of groups and people and how it can be so easily changed. We were then asked to analyse the opening to a movie and see how representation is used in it. 

In Harry Brown the main focus of the clip is on inner city youths in London related to gang violence and drugs. The primary focus is on the teenagers and newer members of the group and shows them as being uncontrollable, violent and the delinquents of society.

The amateur film that is used makes it appear more true and natural to the audience. The foreground of the shot shows hooded teenagers and youths while the background shows either a dark and grey atmosphere of the tunnel and even the grey sky above the park. There is no bright colours on display as to lighten the mood of the scene and only adds to the depressive nature of the teenagers.

The representation is that of adults upon how inner city youths are viewed by them and creates justification to their stereotype. This is obvious as there is no other representation of teenagers other than that shown in the scene meaning that no other representation could be taken by the audience. People interpret it this way because of the obvious media attention that has already been directed at teenagers by the news and other movies which leaves a pre-determined image of what teenagers supposedly are.

The semiotics of the opening are obvious with it instantly denoting that the movie involves inner city youths but the connotations linking a sense of peer pressure to entering the gang and how many teenagers do not have a choice in how they live and enter they lives.