Research Topic Notes: How Story Concepts Influence the Audience in Films Targeted for Children

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Research Question:

How do Story Concepts Influence the Audience’s Mindset in Films are Targeted for Children?

What do you want the reader to know or learn – thought process notes:

Storylines/ moral/ morality/ social conduct/ moral and social conduct. in fluence in children’s behaviour. maturity, growth. Behavioural growth. Examples of how story concepts may influence topic/ subjects related to the growth of children.

Think of age groups. 11-14. Target audience. Movies TA age group are broader than tv.

Psychological studies.

Too much control over the… (this could be the question).

Extent of Censorship.

Post man pat. cant put cat in front of a van. Seat belt needed.

Is too much control a new thing or old. e.g. was that film a turning point in influencing children. Film that was rebellious.

Rol Dal. authur. Gore?

Independence, question the social norm.

Influence from the parents in their childhood media consumption, how does this effect their children’s social behaviour.

Story structure becomes indisputable.

Children are influenced by the films they watch. The sources of entertainment that children have access to, and those that are targeted to children are manipulated to shape the minds of children. This is done by controlling what the concepts that the film narrative contains. Hypodermic needle theory- shows that certain types of concepts and stories will shape the minds of the children in order to have a certain way of thinking while they are growing up, and therefore, their adult selves as well. Many storylines in films targeted for children have storylines such as:

  • Self growth – growth after facing an adversity.
  • Right from wrong – (e.g. how to train your dragon) Not conforming to opinion of the masses for moral reasons.
  • Politics- gender, ethnicity (less commonly seen), disability, discrimination.
  • Etc.

Case study – How to train your dragon

Hiccup is the epitome of an underdog. He is discriminated against and looked down upon as a useless, walking disaster by all his tribesmen. As a result, he feels inferior but always strives to improve and prove himself to others. The people of Burk find is admirable to kill the more dangerous dragon possible. Although Hiccup attempts to achieve recognition by slaying the ‘Toothless’, the Night Fury, but changes his mind in the last moment. He has a different mindset to his dragon-slaying tribe, that they could get along with dragons and tries to convince the others of this mindset. However, after much effort, he succeeds when he shows the tamed Toothless in front of everyone and Toothless saves Hiccup from dying. Life in Burk afterwards is better than before when there was the constant conflicts between the dragons, now they live and work together in harmony (mostly). This story concept conveys how important it is to continue to try and improve, maintain your own mindset if you believe it to be morally right and don’t simply conform to the opinion of the mass.