In the opening scene we see a montage of men using heavy work tools. This co notates they are of an older age where it is the norm for the man to do hard work in order to receive a good income and feed his family. Also this can refer to the time period in which the actual media text was set.
Observing the costume we can see that the girl character is dressed in basic casual clothing, through age representation this co notates how she is young or more specifically juvenile , as she is wearing the stereotypical teenagers ensemble (jumper and jeans). Whereas the male character is dressed in work attire. Through age representations this co notates he is of an older, more mature age, where he is working and receiving and income, which also reflects on this idea of Independence and maturity (typically in an older age band). This also shows the contrast between their age gaps.
An older generation is reflected in the costume of the headmaster as he is wearing formal attire, although his clothing is closer categorized as old fashioned rather than contemporary, so the audience can understand he is older again through the contrast of the other characters costumes. The same can be said about his beard. The fact that he has grey hairs in his beard co notates how he is an old man, as young man rarely even wear beards, and particularly are not yet able to grow grey hairs.
Through body language we can also see aspects of age representation. In the first still analysed, she is holding the car steering wheel, whilst maintaining a baffled facial expression. This is done in a clever manner in order to represent the idea of her youth and inexperience as she is obviously too young to drive, which pursues the continuity of the narrative as she discovered to be 16, and both legally and literally unable to drive.
Another scene observing body language, when she has crashed the car and is being shouted at by her headmaster. We can pick up on very child-like features of her reaction, as she pulls away and cowers behind the woman (who reflects a mother-like figure to her in the scene); which mirrors how a young child, who is scared may run to their mother and hide behind them for protection.
These infantile gestures are also shown in the scene where she is running from the room after being shouted at by the man responsible for her (posing as a father-like figure in the scene). The idea that she is running from the room also represents typical teenage behavior of trying to escape or rebel against any shadow of authority upon them. Which co notates she is a teenager following the norm of teenage behavioral patterns. This sense of authority is also shown in the scene where the man is wagging his finger at her. This represents the man as being a part of an older (adult) generation because not only is this an old fashioned manner of telling of which co notates his era, but also the idea that he is shaking his finger in her face reflects how an older person is expected to undermine a minor person, as they are typically the ones who have authority to command.
Looking into props, we observe the camera panning across the magazines pitched across the bed. Not only does this alone represent stereotypical teenage behavior, as all teenagers are expected to be messy and unorganized, but if carefully watched you can recognize the magazines themselves are of a teenage nature. Using bright colors and playful font which co notate youth and innocence, whereas a more mature magazine would be expected to have softer and more sophisticated colors.
Equally the teddy bear posing with a letter co notates the same aspect of a younger age (including youth and innocence). The concept of a teddy bear reflects on infantile behavior which revolves around playing with toys and dolls etc. This co notates how she is young and of an immature stage still. The font on the lettering of the note again co notates youth and innocence, being of a soft 'baby pink' color which already unpacks itself within the phrase, but also because the actual font is swirly and creative which co notates playfulness, and ambrosial or sophomoric stages in childhood.
As for location, when the headmaster and the man are conversing in the study we can identify wood paneling which is very formal but old fashioned which co notates their older age groups under which they can be described. Referring back to props in this scene, the use of alcohol, broadly speaking shows age references with an older age group (adults) which can legally and are most likely to been seen socially drinking. Going into further detail (following the narrative) we understand the alcoholic drink is Brandy. This co notates old age as it is liqueur well known for old/older men to drink. The idea that the alcohol has been placed in a 'decanter' equally co notates old age and antiquity as they are very old fashioned forms of storing liqueurs, also very formal and sophisticated which would be expected from an older age group.
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