Media Theory in Film Opening

    The media theory that I want to integrate into my project is the Active Audience Theory, by Stuart Hall. This theory is basically the concept of how different audiences interpret different things they see on screen relating to past experiences and their own social context. The main message that wants to be portrayed may not be fully understood because of this. Our film opening is mostly based on a very deep topic that can be interpreted in many different ways, a teenagers mental health and her having suicidal thoughts. Based on the audiences past experience, they could all interpret the different scenes in different ways, receiving another message from what we really wanted to deliver.

    One example of when the audience could interpret things different could be when Maddie, the main character, is going through her phone in social media, she sees her friends hanging out with out her. Some may take this as the feeling of loneliness Maddie feels from her friends not inviting her, and how she feels excluded by them hanging out without her. While other might interpret it as the effects social media as a whole can have  in a teenagers day to day life.

    Another example could be when Maddie takes out her diary to write. By this point the audience knows she is very depressed and sad. Some people could see her writing as a way of venting her feelings or a way that might make her feel better, or being more relieved. It could also be taken as a symbol of isolation, since she doesn't talk to anyone she write what she feels.

    Lastly, when Maddies mom comes into her room that could be interpreted in 2 ways. It could be a hope for the audience that Maddies mom came right at the perfect time to help her and talk to her. But it could also be taken in as a sign that its too late, Maddie already wrote down how she felt and its too late for anyone to change the way she feels, even her mom.