Task 4 - Additional Web Search . . .

1. www.bbc.co.uk/films/2008/03/17/step_up_2_the_streets_2008_review.shtml

"Teenies wanting amazing moves, tight abs all round and cheesy romance will lap this up."

The website above links to my critical investigation as it is a review on Step Up 2 which is a film based on teenagers and is a Hollywood film. This will relate to my critical investigation as I will be able to look at Step Up 2 and see the way in which teenagers are being represented. This shows that I will be able to see how teenagers are being represented in different Hollywood films and see how this review mentions teenagers in the film.

2. http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/04/12/movies/12prom.html

"Ms. Curtis (who nowadays seems to prefer tasteful public disrobing to shrieking) would probably be insulted to learn from the press notes of this new film that it has been reimagined for a “more sophisticated audience.” (Because that’s just what you hope for in a slasher-movie audience: sophistication.)"

This website relates to my critical investigation as it has some information on the film Prom Night which is a Hollywood film. This will mean that for my critical investigation, I can also look at this film and see how teenagers are being stereotyped. The article mentions that the "typical" teenage prom is used in the film which shows that this is a common stereotype of teenagers as the one thing they really look forward to in high school if prom. This will allow me to explore more in to the different representations of teenagers in Hollywood productions.

3. www.mediaed.org.uk/posted_documents/repsyouth.html

"The fact is that the media have the power through selection and reinforcement to give us very influential portrayals of a whole range of groups, situations and ideas. We make sense of these representations in different ways according to the values and assumptions we carry around in our own heads. So representation is not just about the way the world is presented to us but also about how we engage with media texts in order to interpret and assimilate such portrayals."

This website above related to my critical investigation as it explains simply the representations of teenagers in Hollywood films. For example, it mentions how female teenagers are being represented in films which mentions that the representation of female teenagers is created through girls magazines. This website also looks at different theorists view on the representation of teenagers which will be useful for my critical investigation as I will be able to look at these theorists more and refer to them.

4. http://teen-culture.suite101.com/article.cfm/teen_stereotypes

"A common misconception for parents is that every middle school kid of this generation is conceited, gossip-ridden, hormone-raging and naive. This is a stereotype. The irony of labeling children with stereotypes is not just hypocritical, but a huge overgeneralization. In middle schools and high schools today, there are ‘groups’ of these stereotypes."

This website relates to my critical investigation as it mentions the different stereotypes of teenagers which are commonly used. For example, this website looks at the representation of Emo's, Prep and Wannabe which are the common stereotypes that have been referred to teenagers. This shows that when looking in to my critical investigation, I will be able to look at how teenagers are being represented commonly and how this is affecting the way that they are being represented in films.

5. children predict more negative behaviours later on,' said Christy Buchanan, professor of psychology."

This website shows the different representations of teenagers and how they may have been created. The website states that parents are to some extent responsible for the way in which their children begin to behave due to the expectations that parents have of their teenager children. This shows that this will relate to my critical investigation as it shows the way in which teenagers are being represented and why this stereotypes are created. This means that I am able to gain a better understanding of the representations of teenagers and understand why they are being created.

7. http://www.momaroo.com/696329679/a-teenager-speaking-out-against-teenage-stereotypes/

"First of all, I would like to make it perfectly clear that there are definitely plenty of us that are bad people, that are underachievers, that are disrespectful, and that overstep their boundaries. I'm not the type to just say, "Oh, we're so misunderstood! You need to feel bad for us! We need to be treated just like you, just like adults!" But I do want to make it clear that we're people, just like everyone else."

This website related to my critical investigation as it is a article which is based on a teenagers view of the representation of teenagers. This shows that by looking at this website, I can see what teenagers believe of the way in which they are being represented. This website mentions that some teenagers are the way in which they have been stereotyped but not all teenagers are like that which makes it wrong for all teenagers to be represented negatively. This will be useful for my critical investigation as it is a teenagers view on the stereotypes of teenagers.

8. http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2009/05/18/hollywood_s_obsession_with_the_perfect_p
"But for those that do, be aware of how Hollywood creates unrealistic expectations for teenagers that want to make prom infamous instead of simply enjoyable."

The website above relates to my critical investigation as it looks at the typical representations that are used of teenagers in Hollywood films. This website mentions that Hollywood productions are fond of assuming that prom is a time that teenagers want to lose their virginity which shows that Hollywood is using unrealistic stereotypes of teenagers in Hollywood productions. This shows that this will link to my critical investigation as I am able to look at the different representations that are being created in Hollywood of teenagers.

9. http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2008/07/01/in_secret_life_stereotypical_teenagers_talk_about_sex/

"Teen pregnancy has been so glamorized, analyzed, and magnified in pop culture that it was bound to become the subject of a television series."

The website above relates to my critical investigation as it is based on the programme "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" which is broadcasted on the channel ABC. This will relate to my critical investigation as it shows the typical ways that teenagers are being represented in that programme and how it reinforces the stereotypes of teenagers. In this programme, there is a constant time where teenagers talk about sex and there is teenage pregnancy in there too. This shows that this will relate to my critical investigation as it it shows how teenagers are being represented in Hollywood programmes too.

10. http://www.helium.com/items/1438882-teenagers

"This prejudice stems from the narrow, stereotypical view that the common media attaches to teenagers. It has gotten to the point that parents are willing to pin these stereotypes to their children, and then judge them accordingly."

The website above is related to my critical investigation as it looks at the different representations of teenagers and shows that stereotypes sell which is why Hollywood productions are enforcing them in order to sell their films. This article mentions that the way in which teenagers are being represented has resulted in parents believing that their teenagers are like this too which shows that because of the negative representation of teenagers, they are being viewed negatively by the media and their family.

11. http://www.frankwbaker.com/teenmedia.htm

"Good ol' Webster defines youth as follows: Youth (yooth): 1. the state or quality of being young, esp. of being vigorous and lively, or immature, impetuous, etc. 2. the period of life coming between childhood and maturity; adolescence 3. An early stage of growth or existence."

This website links to my critical invstigation as it looks at how teenagers are being represented in the media. This is shown as the website looks at different theorists and looks at examples of media texts that show how teenagers are being represented. For example, the article looks at the Scary Movie.

12. http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/special_initiatives/toolkit/stereotypes/youth_stereotypes_news.cfm

"This impression has been created largely through media coverage of alarming stories about high school shootings, property crimes, and incidents involving so-called youth gangs."

This website will be useful for my critical investigation as it looks at the representation of teenagers in the media and why they have been created. This website states that representations of teenagers have been created due to the media which shows that I will be able to see different ways in which representation of teenagers are being created.

Bibliography - Internet Sites

1. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/hoodies-louts-scum-how-media-demonises-teenagers-1643964.html

This website shows the way in which teenagers are represented in the media and shows that teenagers are being represented negatively continously. This is shown through them being shown in a phase of 'bad light' and negatively shown as they are getting involved in crime and violence. This will link to my critical investigation as the way in which teenagers are being represented in the media reflects the way in which institutions are producing films on teenagers as they are beginning to be represented as negatively in the media and films.

2. http://www.scribd.com/doc/20702360/Teen-Representation-in-US-films-Edel

This website shows the different representationsof teenagers in the media especially in Hollywood productions. The website shows that teenagers in Hollywood movies are being represented as thugs, trouble makers and many more. This website will link to my critical investigation as it shows the way in which Hollywood productions are representing teenagers. For example, this website states that Hollywood films could deliberatelycreate a false representaiton on teenagers for their own benefit of gaining a audience.

3. http://www.mediaed.org.uk/posted_documents/repsyouth.html

This webstie shows the way in which teenagers are represented in Hollywood movies. This website suggests that teenagers girls are being represented as "sex obssessed" which is shown in American Pie. This connotes that there are different representations occuring in the media based on teenagers which will be linked to my critical investigation as I will be able to see the different representations that are being created on teenagers shown from Hollywood movies.

4. http://www.talkingpix.co.uk/ArticleTeenSpeak.html

This website gives a background on ty that teenagers are being represented in the media. It states that delinquency is not only in the "ghetto" but is in lone parent children too which shows that to some extent, parents are also responsible for the way that their children are behaving. This will be useful for my critical investigation as I will be able to explore all the examples that are mentioned in this website and see the different representations of teenagers.

5. http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/fashion-and-entertainment/hollywood-exclusive/foxworthy-part-of-effort-to-combat-negative-stereotypes-of-teens-george-hamilton-why-failure-is-valu.html

This website looks at the stereotypes of teenagers which is why it links to my critical investigation. The website states that 71% of the press on teenagers is negative which shows that teenagers are being stereotyped in a negative way which is having an impact on the way that the public is reacting to teenagers. This will be useful for my critical investigation as it is using satistics and research that will be useful.

6. http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/parents/movies/teens_movies.cfm

This website looks at the scenes which are used in teenage films and how this may affect the way in which teenagers begin to behave. This website shows that teenage films usually have "raunchier" scenes which usually only come out on dvd. This shows that this will be related to my critical investigation as it is looking at the different stereotypes of teenagers in movies such as violent and etc.

7. http://usftherapist.wordpress.com/2009/07/29/adolescence-and-the-portrayal-of-teens-in-film-and-television/

This website shows the typical representation of teenagers in movies. This website also states that these representations, teenagers are able to relate to which encourages them even more to behave the way in which they are represented which is leading to the self fulfilling prophecy. This website looks at the physchological and emotional effect of this representation of teenagers in movies. This will link to my critical investigation as it will mean that I will be able to understand how teenagers respond to this representation.

8. http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-2835258/As-if-Hollywood-s-view.html

This website is based on the fact that many of the public are buying in to the stereotypes that are shown in Hollywood movies which is mainly of teenagers. This website shows that Hollywood movies are always representing teenagers in a negative way which many people find to be true. For example, a teenage girl being represented as "a venal, vindictive bitch" which most of the audience would begin to believe about teenagers which shows how the public is easily misled by Hollywood productions. This will link to my critcal investigation as it is based on the fact that the audience is believing into the stereotypes that are shown of teenagers in Hollywood productions.

9. http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2009/05/18/hollywood_s_obsession_with_the_perfect_p

This website would be useful for me as it shows that Hollywood usually have productions based on teenagers "perfect prom". This leads to the stereotype of teenagers wanting to lose their virginity on prom night and become adults which is a typical stereotype shown of teenagers in Hollywood productions. This results to the audience also believing in this sterotype. This links to my critical investigation as it is based on how teenagers are typically being represented in Hollywood productions.

10. http://www.proyouthpages.com/sugarandspice.html

This website looks at the representation of teenagers in different movies and how they are being shown to the audience. For example, this website mentions that teenagers are also being represented as evil kids which is shown in the film Menace II Society. This will be useful for my critical investigation as I will be able to explore these different media texts and see how the stereotype of teenagers is constructed.

Bibliography: Books

Critical Investigation - An investigation into the representation of teenagers in Hollywood productions and how this has changed over the years.

1. Blandford, Steve (2001): The Film Studies Dictionary, London; Arnold.
Page 238.

"Lewis (1992) sees the teen film as addressing major issues like alienation, delinquency, rebellion, sex and gender, consumption and nostalgia"

This quote will relate to my critical investigation as it is stating that there are films that address these issues due to them being important in the media. This connotes that the media is representing teenagers negatively but some films are being produced to address these issues and make the public see that teenagers are not all delinquent.

2. O'Sullivain, Tim, Jewkes, Yvonne eds (1997): The Media Studies Reader, London; Arnold.
Page 75

"Perkins understanding of stereotypes is that they are ideological concepts; they select personality traits, mental, sexual or personal, that have particular ideological significance."

This quote will relate to my critical investigation as it based on stereotypes. This shows that Perkins believes that stereotypes have a variety of impacts which can be personality traits, mental, sexual or personal. This relates to teenagers as they are being stereotyped from their personality due to the way they are beginning to behave which has labelled all teenagers in this way.

3. Neale, Steve (2000): Genre and Hollywood, London; Routledge.
Page 119

"During the course of the twentieth century in America and elsewhere in the industrialized west, a series of social policies, practices and institutions have increasingly begun to treat those under 20 as both distinct and separate from adults, two key terms have emerged in America to mark it: 'adolescence' (term used by psychologist G.Stanley Hall in 1904) and 'teenager' (a term first used in the popular press in the 1920's)."

This quote will link to my critical investigation as it is showing the way in which America is beginning to view teenagers which is in a negative way as they are being treated as if they are not equal. This connotes that because of this representation, it may be why that in Hollywood productions that teenagers are being represented negatively and shown as a threat to the public.

4. Bennett, Peter, Slater, Jerry Wall, Petter (2006): A2 Media Studies: The Essential Introduction, Abingdon Oxon; Routledge.
Page 77

"Marshall Mcluhan dubbed the mass media 'an extension of our senses', he meant that the sheer speed of contemporary media channels reflects the speed of our senses in face to face communication. The media rarely 'see' by accident and never without interest, although it is often known to 'cover its tracks' by allowing reportage and 'realise' to be casually confused with reality."

This quote will relate to my critical investigation as it shows that the media represent groups/places without having a care as they will just want the story to sell and interest the public. This will relate to my investigation as similarly this must be happening to teenagers as the media is creating a moral panic out of teenagers which has interested the public and made the story very popular.

5. Sardar, Ziauddin, Loon, Borin (2000): Introducing Media Studies, UK; Totem Books.
Page 77

"Stan Cohen argued that the media labelled youth culture in a stereotyped and negative way, thus creating "folk devils" and were reported in a way to create a moral panic."

This will link to my critical investigation as it shows that Stan Cohen also believes that the way in which teenagers have been stereotyped has resulted in them be labelled as "folk devils" which has meant that they gained a negative image in the media. This connotes that the public now find teenagers a threat and believe that they are a group that will cause trouble in the society.

6. Carter, Cynthia, Weaver, C.Kay (2003): Violence and the Media, Buckingham; Open University Press.
Page 52

"Barry (1999) remembers that Blackboard Jungle and Rebel without a cause were deeply alarming in their portrayal of teenagers willing to defy school teachers and beat up other students. This response provides an interesting indication of the emotional impact that the films had upon Barry in that they promoted consideration of the morality and consequences of the students violent acts."

This quote links to my critical investigation as it shows that due to the behaviour of teenagers in movies, it has resulted in teenagers in reality behaving like this. This connotes that Barry believes that the representation of teenagers has been created due to the movies that are influencing teenagers and by watching movies that are represented teenagers negatively, it has resulted in the public also believing this representation which makes teenagers be represented more negatively in the media.

7. Nicholos, Joe, Price, John (1998): Advanced Studies in Media, United Kingdom; Nelson.
Page 44

"Murphy believes that these ideas become stereotypes which are 'unrealistic' and 'unsatisfactory'."

This quote will relate to my critical investigation as it is based on stereotypes which shows that the representations that are created are unrealistic and unsatisfactory. This connotes that stereotypes that are created in the media are not always realistic and are stereotypes that cannot be believed on as they can be exaggerated at times. This will relate to my topic as it is based on the representations of teenagers in Hollywood productions and I can look at if this is the case in Hollywood productions.

8. Branston, Gill, Stafford, Roy (1996): The Media Studies Book Second Edition, London; Routledge.

Page 133

"It is important that debates over representation should not keep simply to the level of textual analysis. Other activities are also crucial in shifting taken per granted assumptions. These include:

- Political change and the ways it can widen.

- Employment patterns and production achievements in media industries.

- Access to dissenting mechanisms like the right of reply.

- Audiences ability to come across, and feel comfortable with a wide range of media forms."

This quote will relate to my critical investigation as it shows what representations are based on. When looking at my critical investigation, I can see whether this representation is being creates which will allow me to understand the representation of teenagers in Hollywood productions.

9. O'Sullivian, Tim, Dutton, Brian, Rayner, Philip (1994): Studying the Media Second Edition, Great Britain; Arnold

Page 86

"Martin Barker (1998) goes further, to the extent of dismissing the concept of the stereotype as a 'useless tool for investigating texts'. Its first objection is that stereotypes are condemned both for misrepresenting the 'real world'."

This quote will relate to my critical investigation as it shows that the media represent certain groups in a negative way which results to the public misrepresenting certain groups. This is possible in the representation of teenagers as they may be represented negatively because of the media and this is then making the public believe this about society too.

10. Curran, James, Gurevitah, Michael eds (2005): Mass Media and Society, London, Hodder Education.

Page 341

"One way that the media organise power is through stereotypical representations which re inscribe social rules and roles that are often simultaneously sexist and racist (Fair, 1996) troubling images that some believe are harder to detect in visual representations than in the written or spoken work (Wallace, 1990)".

The quote relates to my critical investigation as it is showing the way in which the media organise power through stereotypical representations. This shows some representations are harder to detect. This connotes that all representations are not easily formed but can be difficult.