Research for Kidulthood & London to Brighton

"At the most basic level, audiences are vital in communication. It is for the audience that the media are constructing and conveying information, and, if it were not for the audiences, the media would not exist."

"Kidulthood"

1. Codes and conventions:

• The text (tag line) most certainly fits with the genre. For instance: ''Powerful'' defines the young man standing on the right hand side as he's holding a baseball bat for protection, which makes him Superior.
• Protagonists are displayed within the poster. This is conventional, due to the fact that it instantly draws attention, for example: Noel Clarke is well know for being in ''Doctor Who'' which is also targeted at the same age group.
• Romance shown within the poster (conventional in every film.) This is significant, because ladies might not watch Kidulthood, due to the fact that there's a lot of fighting and shooting. However, ever since girls are considered to be a lot more sensitive, a romance will always draw these sort of viewers.
• One of the protagonist is holding a baseball bat which points out and creates a negative mood and atmosphere and also indicating that this films theme is raising a particular issue within our community.
• Portrays today's youth as angry, annoyed, heartless. Also, the colours selected are gloomy and dull which shows that the subject is dark.

           2. Audience:

• This poster would be targeted at youths, due to the fact that the main characters within - Kidulthood are teenagers (around 15 year old.) Also, the poster would mainly appeal to this sort of age group, ever since it looks more interesting and not dull, unlike British films such as "Love Actually" that would not appeal to our age group, because they prefer exciting, thrilling and shocking films. Also, Kidulthood was set in Britain, so it investigates the issues teenagers experience today. Therefore, youths can relate to the narrative of the film.

       3. Representations:

• Place - Britain. The youth are represented in a negative way, due to the use of costumes, location and the lighting. A hoody worn by someone, usually suggests that person is in a gang, ever since hoodies are used to hide your face when you commit a criminal offence. Thus, Kidulthood is an urban drama, because it's set it London and appeals to our youth today.
• Culture - youth. This film portrays how teenagers live their lives, without their parents presence.
• Ethnicity - mixed. Different ethnicities within the trailer clearly portrays that it's not one kind of background that causes all this trouble, but it could be anyone.
• Social group - working class. This is suggested by the clothes they wear. However, within the trailer it's visible that the youths are smoking cannabis, which connotes that they could be living off cannabis and it's their way of making money. Thus, this portrays that they left school at a young age to spend the rest of their lives on streets. However, this could be due to the environment they live in, even if they have their individual identity.

"London to Brighton"

 

Crime thriller -genre, but it also plays on social realism. 

1. Codes and Conventions:

• In contrast to Kidulthood, London to Brighton seems more upbeat and positive film, due to the use of bright and clear colours within the poster.
• What's more, London to Brighton poster is focusing on release of the DVD, rather then focusing on the genre, narrative and characters. Whereas Kidulthood is more concerned about their appeal and how to best draw attention to their target market.
• Although, London to Brighton has more images taken out of the film, to sort of tell the narrative to the viewer then doing so, through the tag line. Whearas Kidulthood played it smart and didn't reveal the story through it's poster, but it's still very conventional and appealing.
• The close up shots show the facial expressions, reactions and emotions of the characters which is typical of a drama genre.

2. Audience:

• Also as the film is a British film it attracts it's audience. The film is targeted for an adult audience between 16-34, and social classes D and E. 
• "Child prostitution and runaway youth." These themes could also be targeted at young girls that seek advice and by watching this film it would show them that getting into prostitution isn't always the best way out of vulnerability.
  3. Representation:
  
  
  • Women - powerless. This connotes that men are in power and are represented in a dominant representation. Women are represented to be rough as the protagonist at the beginning of the trailer is trying to make money outside the tub station as she is a run away. We also see the female protagonist drinking which also connotes that she is under stress and that bad events are yet to come.
  • Also, the red lipstick worn by the protagonist when she's led away by a man - suggests she's a prostitute.
  • What's more, within the trailer women come across as desperate, vulnerable and illustrated as a sex symbol.
  • Men - physically leading and controlling women.This is shown in a medium-shot when the protagonist is led away helpless by the old male character this communicates that men are dominant in this film. Furthermore, this is is also shown through the cars they drive, clothes they wear and the money he offers to the protagonist.
  • Social group - working class.
  • Ethnicity - White British
  • Place - Britain (London and Brighton)