On and Off-screen Representation based on my Critical Investigation

My critical investigation revolves around the creation of a moral panic upon issues surrounding ethnic minorities. The on-screen representation of these ethnic minorities can be put into perspective by the way in which they are represented within films and news reports. Ethnic minorities can be represented in a number of ways, but they are mainly represented in a negative way. The majority of cast members within films such as Kidulthood, and Bullet Boy are predominantly black, and within these films there is a lot of gun and knife crime. This representation could create a possible moral panic upon issues within society, as the increase in gun and knife crime has continued to grow over the years, as a result showing how the on-screen representation could affect the off-screen representation. For example, due to the fact that within these films, the majority of black teenagers are carrying weapons, the way in which they are represented on-screen could reinforce the use of stereotypes upon them within today’s society. Black teenagers have been subjected to a lot of negative portrayals, which as a result has led on to them being branded as "thugs", and "criminals". The use of representations could lead people to stereotype black teenagers and assume that they are like the characters within these films purely based on their physical image. This as a result puts into perspective that the on-screen representation of the ethnic minorities can have a huge impact on the off-screen representation of ethnic minorities as it allows for the creation of stereotypes and the development of a moral panic.