Internalised Stereotypes

Kidulthood, Adulthood and Fish Tank

1) Correct or Incorrect portrayal?
Kidulthood and Adulthood are directed by Noel Clarke who is a young black male who is more involved with the youth in society whereas Andrea Arnold is an older middle class white woman who has little knowledge of the 'real' youth. Although both films portraying 'typical teenage lives' are highly exagarated with characters such as Becky who sells her body for drugs at the age of 15 which to an adult would be a shocking scene and they would  therefore have a negative view whereas in reality this is a minority of teenagers. Although in more modern society it seems to be that teenagers are slowly turning into this stereotype with events such as the London Riots, the tuition fee protests and a rise in teenage pregnancy. With all the negative coverage and portrayals youths are seemingly becoming what they are in the media.

2) Accurate or actual experience?
In Kidulthood there are many experiences, as such going on at one time. Using drugs, being sexually promiscuous, bullying, violence and teenage pregnancy which are all current situations teenagers are associated with whereas in Fish Tank it solely follows Mia and her troubles living with her single mother and dancing as her escape. I think that in Kidulthood it does show contemporary issues but in a very exaggerated way and all of the events overwhelms it but in Fish Tank focusing on one person and their problems shows more of an actual experience that teenagers could personally identify with rather than what they see on the news.

3) An adult fascination of youth?
Noel Clarke is a young man who has grown up in an urban surrounding whereas Andrea Arnold is a 50 year old middle class woman showing that there is perhaps a fascination with youth as two people from two ends of the scale are making films about the youth of today showing different situations they are faced with. Although with Noel Clarke he has personal experience of growing up in an urban setting showing he has perhaps more real knowledge rather than Andrea Arnold when making Fish Tank would have the internalized stereotypes from what the media portrays in her mind.

4) Conforming to the stereotypes circulated by modern day media?
I think in both films the characters are conforming to the stereotypes the media circulate. Mia in Fish Tank is dressed in a tracksuit, hair scraped back and conforms to a typical 'chav' and her behavior reflects what people would see as an 'asbo yob'. Again in Kidulthood the characters in their style and behavior conform to the stereotypes although Becky when we see her home subverts what her upbringing and home life would be as she lives in a big house in a more middle class area. Fish Tank was made in 2009, the way Mia dresses is 'outdated' in the sense that youths especially girls aren't dressing like that so much anymore further emphasing that Arnold is portraying a youth based on the internalised stereotypes modern day media show us.

5) Who makes these media texts?
Adults create these media texts, youths are merely represented rather than presented. Adults are creating these films based on an adults perspective in the media of youths. All the people behind television, newspapers and all media formats are adults and their view is the only one we see. Youths are disenfranchised and represented without any say.