Summer research project - Evaluation

http://www.slideshare.net/NickiEdwards/skins-presentation

Mr Bush's comments :

WWW
- Explained and contextualized clips well.
- Well rehearsed with fluent , good expression and body language.
- Passionate about the text and knows text well.
- Personal views of representations.
- Very well designed slides.
- Included reviews/research.
- Interesting background research - Skins party.
- Good conclusion.
EBI 
- Incorrect terminology used [ Social panic :( .. Moral panic :) ]
- Lack of technological rehearsal.

Significance: 2
Structure: 2
Simplicity: 2
Rehearsal: 2


Personal evaluation -
WWW
I feel that i completed background research well , looking into things outside of the program itself which are still linked eg. 'Le skins parties'
EBI 
To improve i think i could of looked into representations of individual characters and other theories etc.

Skins 4 - Background info into Institution

E4 Typically known for attracting a primary audience of youthful teens and young adults as well as their secondary audience consisting of more mature viewers aged 30-45 first introduced skins in January 2007.
The channel also has a direct link to Channel 4 , bringing in the more youthfull members of channel 4's more family based viewer.
The channel is known for shows such as The inbetweeners , Ugly betty , One tree hill , Misfits and Shameless combining both British and American comedy and drama .

What you can typically expect from Skins - Teen rebellion ? I think yes .

Skins - Secondary research

 The guardian - Saturday 23rd january

"Its fourth series is the kind of programme that inspires serious dedication . Its viewers officially number around a million per episode when its on tv , but unofficially the audience is much bigger than that"  "For a show that was written off by many critics as teen nonsense at the start of the first seires , its been hugely successful." "it's beena  narcissistic and painfully adult affair of some messiness , but it was the smaller , and far sweeter , story about two girls falling in love with each other that grabbed teh viewers"

NME magazine article - March 2007 
The article to the left explores the lives of the actors within the show and how their lives compare to the characters on screen . The article touches on music interests and their usual night life . This can be linked to many public issues which have been raised in connection with Skins in particular and the genre of British teen drama .



Bethinking.org
"There are many people who will have switched off during the first five minutes of Skins, E4’s notorious wild-child. The show is preceded by its reputation for an explicit and exaggerated portrayal of teenage misbehaviour, and the first episode – which involves one character’s quest to lose his virginity and sell three ounces of cannabis at the same party – does little to reassure."

Teen spirit: The 'Skins' sensation sweeping France

The Channel 4 teen drama isn't just a cult show in France – it has inspired a wild party scene.

By Holly Williams


" 'Le Skins parties' are organised by French fans of Skins, the Channel 4 series about misbehaving adolescents. First shown in the UK in 2007, its representation of sixth-form students' wild parties quickly became popular across the channel."

Summer research project - Skins episode 8 series 4

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/skins/4od#3052147


Who is being represented? By who ? Are these fair representations ?
In 'Skins' in general young british teens are represented very strongly . They are made to appear as independent , fun loving college students . These representations are immediately reinforced within the opening sequence with a series of shots of both boys and girls smoking Cannabis as well of scenes of two of the central protagonists kissing . There are also shots of the students running away from their school , thus presenting rebellion and free will .


Also in the first minute of the episode there are a number of shots of a black male running , this could be seen as presenting the stereotypical view that black men are often better at athletics etc .


Five minutes into the episode the issue of mental illness is represented with one of the main protagonists having a mental health disorder . The show both represents mentally ill individuals as well as also exploring the ignorance towards such illness' from the youth today when character 'Pandora' and 'Effy' laugh at the residents of the mental institute .


Same sex relationships are also represented by characters 'Naomi' and 'Emily' . The character of Emily is portrayed to be promiscuous and care free , fitting to a number of stereotypes of gay relationships .


It can be argued that a number of these representations are not fair , however in the context of where the show is set and the age of the individuals i feel that most of them are realistic and in many ways fair . Such as the lack of understanding of mentally ill patients and the promiscuity presented .


Media language & form.
The mise-en-scene/setting plays a particularly important role in the shaping of characters within the show . For example the eclectic style of Naomi's bedroom helps to present key features of her character such as the fact she finds it difficult to grasp certain elements of a relationship and has never really been able to understand herself and who she is . 
The setting of a mental institution is key in the portrayal of the isolation of Effy through only being shot inside rather than out with white walls . Also the fact she often secludes herself from others and is often seen to be the character furthest from reality .


The shot of the back of Effy sitting down in front of her Psychiatrist who is standing up connotes the power her psychiatrist has over Effy as she is seen to be inferior to him , this is then reinforced in later episodes .


Also within the scene between Emily and her 'bit on the side' at Naomi's house the minimal lighting connotes the secrecy of their relationship as well as emphasizing on the sinister nature of their relationship. 


The clothing the characters wear typically represents the youth of today , mixing both current trends with older trends in an informal fashion .


Narrative.