Task 1 - Bully trailer / opening of skins

BULLY TRAILER 
SKINS

1- Within the trailer for Bully teenagers are primarily represented to be aggressive and dangerous . This image is portrayed through the repeated shots of violence , reference to murder and a shot of one of the main protagonist holding a weapon.
This highly contrasts to the primary representation of teenagers within the skins opening (season 5) which represents teenagers to be rebels against the law etc , this is connoted through shots of drug use and promiscuity throughout the trailer. Although there is reference to drug use , drinking etc in the bully trailer , this is more of a secondary representation.
 However , one of the main differences between the two representations is that while skins shows both female and male teenagers to be equally placed in terms of power , where as in bully there is a clear hierarchy between women and men , with men shown to be in power , for example in a shot which seems to show one of the male protagonists raping a female , and in a number of shots were the male characters are shown to be more actively aggressive and stronger etc through shots of male characters punching each other , shouting and so on.


2- It can be argued that the representation of teenagers currently in the media is simply another moral panic through the over exaggerated and dramatic representations.
Texts such as skins , AdULTHOOD and music video by p-money 'slang like this' can be seen to strongly support this view. Whilst a large percentage of teens in todays society are no more rebellious , dangerous or troublesome than you're average 24 year old , a small percentage are fulfilling such expectations.
This small percentage is then represented in the media , for example in the music video for UK underground grime song 'slang like this' a number of shots showing the stereotype of the 'hoodie' is repeatedly shown which is probably the most common association with the teenage moral panic today.
Such stereotypes associated with the moral panic can also be seen in AdULTHOOD a film following ex-prison inmate 'sam' and enemies in the streets of London. Teens are typically represented to be troublesome through scenes involving selling drugs , weapon use and violence.
Although these representations could be said to be based upon reality , it is certain that such representations are highly exaggerated and dramatised fitting into the current moral panic surrounding teenage rebellion with the majority of teen representations fulfilling such stereotypes across the media landscape .


3- New/digital media can be said to have allowed younger audience members the chance to shape their own media representations in many ways through the growth of e-media sites such as Youtube , Facebook and Myspace.
Firstly user generated content on Youtube for example acts as a means of the youth presenting their own content , presenting themselves , the youth in a light which they have created. Through putting home videos etc on the internet , the wider population are being given access to such representations , putting forth an alternative representation to the "big players" in the media such as the print industry and television. Youtube sensation 'Diary of a badman' is a great example of how the youth can express their own representations of the youth although partially playing on the mass media's stereotypes , the video's have put forthe a character from the youth made by the youth which has in turn been seen by thousands , all of different ages etc.
However there are arguments which contrast this view. With television still largely remaining on top in the media landscape , representations of the youth are still inevitably set , reaching out to the mass population.