Representation of Youth

Do you think the media stereotypes young people? What would you say these stereotypes are?

Think about how youth is represented in soaps, television news, magazines like Heat, films, etc.

Watching the Kidulthood trailer which stereotypes of youth are present?

- Can you identify any stereotypes?- Do you think they are accurate?

In a 1999 research paper Ann Gould identified 6 key stereotypes in the media’s representation of youth. These are:

•Rebellious•Artificial tribe•Sexual•Nihilistic•violent •Self-destructive

• Watch the Skins extract and try and identify these stereotypes in the extract.

• How are they constructed through mise en scene, shot types and movement, lighting, editing and sound?