Media Studies Brief for my Independent Project
I will be producing a date rape awareness advert for my independent project. The genre is informative and alerting as it is a date rape awareness advert. In any genre there are codes and conventions, which familiarise the audience with the type of text they are being invited to consume. Repetition of these codes and conventions is a key element in the way an audience understands and relates to the text. For example the iconography, which an audience may associate with this particular genre and topic, is a club scene, alcohol, teenagers etc. This advert has to be believable and realistic to emphasize to the danger to the audience that it is something that could happen to them. It also has to make a powerful impact on the audience so they are aware of the consequences the drug can take, and do feel slightly threatened and at risk, so consequently the advert has informed and alerted them to the dangers of date rape. Finally it must be enigmatic and gripping so the audience feel compelled to watch the whole advert as the main message will be at the end. The characters in the advertisement are essential, as they have to assimilate with the whole advert, and the viewer must be able to relate, sympathise and learn from the characters actions. According to research I have undertaken, i.e. looking at adverts of this type that have been produced before, the protagonist/victim in date rape adverts stereotypically tends to be female. This is because conventionally females are supposedly weaker then males, vulnerable and generally easier targets. The attacker or date raper is typically male, as males are depicted stronger and more dominant. Also, from the research I have carried out, I have found out that the identity of the attacker is usually hidden, thus being represented in a more ominous, sinister and threatening manner and the viewer then infers that date rape is something people will be completely oblivious too and will not be prepared for. This therefore creates a suspenseful atmosphere making the advert powerful and ensuring it has more of an impact and hopefully makes everyone watching more aware. The setting is also normally in a club/pub where the date raper can easily slip the drug into the victims drink, so a bar and alcohol needs to be present in the setting, so I have followed these genetic conventions and am using these conventions in my advert. This advert will be shown on TV, in between programmes that older teenagers would stereotypically watch e.g. Hollyoaks. It will be on mainly in the early evenings as this would be the prime time for the target age group of 18-25 to be watching TV. Just before watershed would enable younger teenagers to see the advert, so they too will be aware of the dangers before they are even legal to drink and potentially get it spiked, and it is also possible it is not late enough for the target age group to already to be out in clubs etc. If they were to watch the advert before they went out to a club as the advert will be powerful and thought provoking, they will be left with a lasting impact of how they must be careful and as they know it is to protect themselves they will be.
