representation in film openings

 what is representation in media

The simplest definition of representation in the media is simply how specific groups of people or communities are portrayed in media like television, movies, and novels. Several groups are underrepresented in the majority of Western media. and so however these groups, people or areas are presented in films is what we call their film representation.

• Understanding representation is all about being aware of the choices that are made when something or someone is portrayed in a work of popular fiction. In order to create the representation that the audience can view easily and understand, some aspects of the subject's personality or look are frequently emphasized and exaggerated because it is hard to represent every part of a person in a shot, let alone a feature film. Media materials usually emphasize the following when portraying a person:

1. Gender
2. Age
3. Social status
4. Ethnicity/race/religion
5. regional identity
6. disability
7. sexuality

Visual representations of these traits are made using signs and symbols. In order to categorize and "read" these clues in context, we make assumptions about the identity of the character as we decode them (often by comparing them to similar characters we've seen before). Producers might, for instance, provide an elderly man with white hair and a walking stick or a wealthy lawyer a three-piece suit to wear and a briefcase to carry when developing characters for a television or film scene. Although not all old people need a walking stick and not all lawyers have briefcases, these are straightforward and speedy methods of expressing character. whereas representations related to for example gender can show distinct masculine and feminine features or with status difference in clothing and mannerism.

tho many movies and TV shows have had a lack of representation and diversity, most of the time directors would exclude other races altogether or only include those of other races for the sake of it. But representation is much more than just having a Black or a Hispanic person in a film, the way they r represented is also important.