Evaluation Question 2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The key figures presented in the opening sequence are proposed to target various social groups. The social groups that our product focuses on is young males (aged 7-15), still in education and those who have an interest in ninjas/ superheroes. In order to achieve representation we made the main character, ‘Ninja Child’; fit the role of a typical character that is normally associated with children’s comedy. A prime example that demonstrates similar attributes would be Dave Lizewski, an average teenager who one day decides to become a superhero despite having no powers, training or reason to do so.

Likewise ‘Ninja Child’ shares similar goals. Dave and ‘Ninja Child’ both believe in their fantasy and attempt to reinforce it into the real world.  The main character in the opening sequence is

• White British male
• 11 years old.
• He is an only child therefore is use to isolation. His loneliness results in him being established as an outcast that is until he follows his ambition to become a self made superhero.
• Ninja Childs outer presence demonstrates a sense of immaturity and confidence. His belief in his goal and ambition is evident in the opening sequence and his childish behaviour is represented throughout. 
• A child who previously got bullied and called names soars to popularity when he dresses and acts like a real life ninja. Soon discovers he is accepted and not deemed as the social outcast when he is being his alter ego ‘Ninja Child’
• However the confidence is only shown when he is as his alter ego, ‘Ninja Child’. Without the superhero persona he is displayed as timid and introvert.

In the opening sequence the audience have the ability to identify the ninja child’s outer presence. His immaturity is established throughout the opening sequence therefore goes in relation to his young age. The series of long shots gave the opportunity to portray the child’s age, therefore successfully representing the social group. The costume is a fundamental aspect of the character, his dressed in black to blend in and remain unnoticed like a real life ninja would. The school trousers reinforce his immaturity and the fact that he is ammeter who lacks the funds to supply proper ninja attire. The props include a plastic sword; with this the ninja child fails to be taken seriously and therefore exhibiting a comical effect. His overall image relates to the average teenager social group, who remain relatively unnoticed until they do something or dress a certain way to gain the attention.

The camera shots capture his actions, therefore providing the audience with the assumption that the ‘Ninja Child’ is attempting to carry out a challenge which is not directly revealed in the opening sequence. From this the audience can gather that the ‘Ninja Child’ takes the challenge seriously, in oreder to represent social groups who have a particular interest in ninjas and superheroes. A figure who exhibits similar interests in Scott Pilgrim v The World who still maintains the drive to rise up to the challenge. To conclude, the characters mentioned and the main character effectively manage to represent different social groups.