Characterisation

Conveying information about a character can be conveyed in many different ways:

• the clothes they wear
• the things they say
• their reactions
• their friendships/relationships
• their emotions

Understanding audiences in the 20th century relate to a lot of issues shown in movies. They also relate to stereotypes and can clearly understand/see the difference in the characters created. If a character created was to be wearing tracksuit bottoms, a hoodie, a lot of jewellery and spoke using the words 'innit' and 'bruv' they would be seen as a 'chav'.

An expected plot of a 'chav' character would be involving murder, robbery or some sort of violence/crime in general. It's the typical stereotype of a 'chav' which is expected as soon as they're spotted.


Pretty Woman

Pretty Woman conveys the characters to outline the different personalities as well as the individual backgrounds.

Firstly, the clothes they wear clearly tell the audience what working backgrounds they both are. Vivienne is lower class and she represents this by wearing high heels, fishnet tights, a short skirt and a revealing top. She is also cakes in make up and quite clearly doesn't show that she has any pride. Where as Edward is of a higher class. This is represented by the suits he wears; showing his business man status, as well as how nearly he presents himself. He has a high status which he is wary of as well as a reputation that he intends on keeping.

Within the first few minutes of being introduced to each character, the way they're spoken shows their differences. Edward is very well spoken; he knows how to talk to the ladies; he comes across as a bit of a ladies man. Vivienne talks like a 'proper commoner'. The scene shown between herself and her room mate Kit shows the audience that she's a worrier; she knows she's only human and has worries like the rest of the world. Vivienne conveys the fact that she also has a bit of an attitude which covers up her emotional side as she's quite opinionated and wants things her way which she believes the right way. You see this through the scene with Kit about rent money.

They both face troubles in life and things don't alawys seem to go their way. For example the scene where Edward is in his car; he starts the car a few times before he actually gets going and even when he drives away, he ends up going in the wrong direction. It reveals to the audience that he had to work hard to get where he is and the status he has, he truely has earned. He had to go through a few 'hiccups' and life wasn't always as smooth as it is shown in the film; things usually get in his way and Vivienne is in a similar situation. She's a prostitute but it's the only way that she's been taught to live/survive. The first camera shot of her lines up her body; it reflects the fact that her body's her main attraction, it also shows that she sells her body as it's all she knows; that's all she truely cares about as she hasn't been taught any better.

When things get tough, Edward tends to run away from his problems where as Vivienne faces them and tries to sort them as best she can. This shows the audience that although Edward may seem as though he has the upper hand in life with his lifestyle choices, some of Viviennes choices have helped her to become the strong person that she is. The differences between both of the characters are shown in various ways yet they're accesible ways which are quite clearly shown. The differences show that sometimes in life, opposites do attract; this creates a narrative through oppositions.