Shrek 2- Reception Theory
The media text that I have chosen is the second instalment of the Shrek films. This film follows Shrek, his fiance (Princess) Fiona and Donkey as they travel to 'Far Far Away' to meet Fiona's parents (The King & Queen of Far Far Away) and ask for a blessing on their marriage.
The target audience for this film is mainly children. This film features characters from well known children's rhymes and stories eg. Princesses, Fairy Godmother, Puss 'n' Boots, Pinocchio.
When defining the typical audience member I think that it would be a child aged 5 or above, I think that when using the income status model they would be in groups C2-E. They don't need a high level of education since the storyline is fairly simple and easy to understand. I also think that they would be drawn to this film because of the bright colours that are used. However, I don't think that the audience for this film is limited to just children, I think that some adults would be part of this audience and find the film entertaining as it could possibly make them feel nostalgic as they see there favourite childhood stories come to life. When considering Young & Rubicam's 4C's I think that the audience for this film would be in the Mainstream group, I think they would be in this group because this film has a strong link to friendship and companionship and a person who is part of the Mainstream audience would prefer to make their life choices with a group of people rather than independently, they prefer 'We' rather than 'Me'. The Mainstream audience is also the biggest out of the 4C groups and I think that this film can appeal a lot of people. Also, people who are in the Mainstream audience look for familiarity in the media texts they consume and I think that this film is fulfils that purpose, they know a lot about the film already since that it is based upon childhood stories. The Mainstreamer's core need in life is security and I believe that they do gain security from this film because they already know a lot about the film, the storyline is about friendship and how people should not make judgements just because people look or act a certain way even if it may be different which would help fulfil their needs for security.
The encoder's of this film want the audience to relate the this film, they use well known childhood story characters so that children can see their favourite stories coming to life and are entertained by the funny events that occur in the film, however the encoder's also want to make the older audience feel nostalgic. The use of these characters is very clever, just from watching a film like this can make people re-live childhood fantasy's and remember memories that could be linked to any of the story characters that are in the film. Throughout the film there are certain ideologies used for example, 'friendship is important'. This ideology is used people the film can see and realise how people people depend on there friend's, through certain characters it shows that friends can help get you through any situation.
Another ideology that is used in this film is that 'you shouldn't treat people differently just because they don't look or act the same way as you' through the use of an ogre that is seen as 'hideous' they show Shrek being accepted by people, also by showing our favourite childhood story characters eg. Pinocchio and the three little pigs in a certain way that they could be seen as 'outcasts' can make the audience realise how much people judge others just because they look or act differently. This film celebrates people's uniqueness and shows that it doesn't matter if you don't look or act 'normal' and that 'it is our differences that make people unique'.
Overall, this film tells people that being different is ok and that people should accept other's even if they are different to what society decides is 'normal'
However, instead of believing the preferred reading that's shown above they could have an oppositional reading. People may see the meaning of the film but decides to look at it in a different way due to other reasons, for example someone who could have been bullied. Someone who had been a victim of bullying may disagree with the idea that in the end people's difference's will be accepted by others, however due to bullying they may have a different view instead of believing the ideology that 'Friendship is important' they may decide that friendship actually isn't too important and that people can manage to get through life without the support of a 'best friend'.
In someone's life they may have felt as if they where an 'outcast' that nobody seemed to like, this may affect there reading they may not agree with ideology 'It is our differences that make people unique' and believe instead that our differences do not make us unique and could actually worsen our position in life.
The encoder's of this film want the audience to relate the this film, they use well known childhood story characters so that children can see their favourite stories coming to life and are entertained by the funny events that occur in the film, however the encoder's also want to make the older audience feel nostalgic. The use of these characters is very clever, just from watching a film like this can make people re-live childhood fantasy's and remember memories that could be linked to any of the story characters that are in the film. Throughout the film there are certain ideologies used for example, 'friendship is important'. This ideology is used people the film can see and realise how people people depend on there friend's, through certain characters it shows that friends can help get you through any situation.
Another ideology that is used in this film is that 'you shouldn't treat people differently just because they don't look or act the same way as you' through the use of an ogre that is seen as 'hideous' they show Shrek being accepted by people, also by showing our favourite childhood story characters eg. Pinocchio and the three little pigs in a certain way that they could be seen as 'outcasts' can make the audience realise how much people judge others just because they look or act differently. This film celebrates people's uniqueness and shows that it doesn't matter if you don't look or act 'normal' and that 'it is our differences that make people unique'.
Overall, this film tells people that being different is ok and that people should accept other's even if they are different to what society decides is 'normal'
However, instead of believing the preferred reading that's shown above they could have an oppositional reading. People may see the meaning of the film but decides to look at it in a different way due to other reasons, for example someone who could have been bullied. Someone who had been a victim of bullying may disagree with the idea that in the end people's difference's will be accepted by others, however due to bullying they may have a different view instead of believing the ideology that 'Friendship is important' they may decide that friendship actually isn't too important and that people can manage to get through life without the support of a 'best friend'.
In someone's life they may have felt as if they where an 'outcast' that nobody seemed to like, this may affect there reading they may not agree with ideology 'It is our differences that make people unique' and believe instead that our differences do not make us unique and could actually worsen our position in life.
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