Essay Question
 In order to recover the investment which is involved in making a media product, it is necessary to include material which
aims to appeal to a range of different audiences. With close reference to a media text you have studied, analyse which
elements were included to target different audiences and how different audiences might respond.
 In your answer you must analyse Audience and at least two other key aspects.
Essay Plan
When writing this essay you should always bear in mind that for each main point you make you need to state the
section of the audience that it would appeal to, how and why.
To write an introduction you should include mention of:
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Title – “Little Miss Sunshine”
Writer – Michael Arndt/ Directors – Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton
Reference to Question – Recover the investment by targeting a range of different audiences through the Representations of
Ideologies and people. Also use Narrative Structures and Codes to appeal to a range of audiences to maximise profits.
State that they also use ”Road Trip” genre conventions and different types of comedy to appeal to fans of those genres.
State that the film makers use technical and cultural codes to emphasise/illustrate their points about the key aspects.
Key Point 1 – Representations of Ideologies to appeal to an independent film audience
Representation of Ideology of Family:
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Explain what the dominant/common ideology of family is – A harmonious group that brings happiness.
Explain how this is challenged by the film makers (preferred reading) and who this would appeal to and why – Families cause
stress, it is only through hard work, co-operation and understanding that families can become closer
Explain who wouldn’t agree with the film makers (differential decoding/oppositional reading) and why – Older
audience/Religious groups
Explain how the film makers use the Hoover family to make their preferred reading of family clear. – disunited at the
beginning/working together to overcome obstacles/ Push the van/get the body out the morgue.
Explain the symbolism of the VW van in relation to the ideology of family and the preferred reading about this. Van continually
breaking down reflects family issues/van never completely fixed shows how problems in a family can never be fully resolved.
Representation of Ideology of Success:
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Explain the dominant ideology of success – people can be divided into winners and losers based upon….
State that “Little Miss Sunshine” challenges the dominant ideology and explain what their preferred reading of
success is  Explain which audience sections this would appeal to – independent film audience/intellectuals/artists?(dominant
decoding) and which sections would disagree and why (oppositional reading) – A1 socio-economic class/business
people?
 State that there are two main ways that the film makers challenge the dominant ideology of success: - 1. Richard
adapts his views on success/ 2. binary opposites of Richard and Frank
1. Explain how Richard changes his views on success as a result of the journey (Use a quote from Richard to give
evidence that he has changed too.) – “winners are people who don’t give up” / “She’s kicking ass”
2. Explain how the use of Binary Opposites (comparisons between Frank and Richard) challenges the dominant
ideology of success.
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Explain the initial false impression of Richard and Frank using technical and cultural codes from the opening scenes
(Richard seen as successful/Frank seen as a loser) to support your answer then explain the different ways that the
film makers go on to contradict the initial impressions of Richard and Frank.
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Explain how this emphasises the film makers’ preferred reading of success.
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Explain how Olive is a winner (by performing her moves and helping to unite her family) despite her disqualification
from the competition (challenging the dominant ideology of winners and losers further)
Key Point 2 –Stereotypical and Non-Stereotypical Representation of People to Appeal to Different Audiences
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Analyse the stereotypical Representation of Sheryl as a stressed out overworked mother – dowdy clothes/smoking/lying to
husband/struggles to get family to table and/or Dwayne as a moody teenager, - Vow of silence/hates everyone/ how this
contributes to the equilibrium, - clearly unhappy in the family who this would appeal to and why. – mothers/teenagers
respectively who could empathise.
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(when you write about Dwayne also include analysis of the reference to Nietzsche, what this tells us about him and who it
would appeal to. – intellectual audience because they would gain greater appreciation/understanding of the character (following
Nietzsche by suffering, struggling and striving to better his condition (vow of silence/ intense training to get to flight school!)
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Comment on the stereotypical Representation of fathers through Richard’s character) and who this would appeal to and why –
“loser dad” – fathers/ mainstream/ American audience/
Explain the particular representation of homosexuals in the character of Frank (Intellectual, non-stereotypical homosexual with
real depth) and who this would appeal to and why – homosexuals/intellectuals
Explain the Referential code in relation to Frank, what it tells a particular audience about his character, who it would appeal to
and why (Please don’t say “they are both…” instead say “the reference made to Proust in the film helps us to understand…about
Frank.”
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Key Point 3 – Narrative structure used to appeal to a mainstream film audience
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Explain who the use of the Todorov narrative structure would appeal to – mainstream audience and why –closed
structure/linear. Explain how Todorov narrative structure adds to the film makers preferred reading of family – the clear stages
of the structure reflect the progress of the family
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Explain the 1st stage of Todorov’s structure in Little Miss Sunshine (Equilibrium) - Disunited family
Give one or two examples of how technical and cultural codes are used to emphasise the state of equilibrium. (Use the table
you filled in) Significant cuts/different settings/music changes
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Briefly state the 2nd stage of Todorov’s narrative structure in LMS. (Disruption of Equilibrium) –
Explain what happens to cause the disruption (how it affects them all) Olive getting a place in LMS/forced into the confined
space of the van together/
Explain how this relates to the preferred reading of the ideology of family. – individual members have to put own
problems/issues aside to be there for Olive
Also, explain the use of the enigmatic code here (questions created about the narrative/characters) who would this appeal to
and why? –disruption generates enigmas about family/ each individual member /maintain the attention of a mainstream
audience/simple questions help them to understand the narrative more clearly.
Give one or two examples of how the family are forced to work together. (Use notes) Push the van/get the body out the morgue
Give one or two examples of family members becoming closer. (Hint – use Frank and Dwayne) – bond in scene at the beach
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Briefly explain the 3rd stage of Todorov’s narrative structure (Climax and resolution of the disruption) –unite on stage/
unity/defiance
Give one or two examples of how technical and cultural codes are used to emphasise the climax and resolution of the
disruption – camera cuts/Dwayne is in the middle of the circle/family all join hands
State the new equilibrium that is formed (Final stage of Todorov’s structure) – Family are a closer/happier unit
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Analyse the codes used to emphasise this new equilibrium of family unity (Hint – family portrait) – technical code of camera
position/cultural code of family portrait
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Explain the closed structure and how the main enigma and the enigmas relating to each character have been resolved.
Explain the target audience that this would appeal to and why.
Please note – if you find that you don’t have time to write all this – summarise the use of Todorov structure - Don’t give too many
examples!!
Key Point 4 – Conventions of the “Road Trip” genre used to target fans of the genre
State that the film makers appeal to fans of the Road Trip genre through using many of its conventions.
Comment on the (Quest) that motivates the journey - quest to get Olive to the competition.
Explain the use of the genre convention (Self Reflection through new relationships) – Frank helps Dwayne realise his suffering hasn’t been
in vain/rebuilds his own self esteem through using knowledge of Proust to help Dwayne
Comment on the use of the iconic vehicle – the VW van and explain which target audience VW would appeal to and why – Older
audience/nostalgic about VW van
Key Point 5 – Different types of comedy used to target fans of the genre
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Analyse the use of (dark humour) smuggling grampa’s body– tragic but funny
Explain which target audience this would appeal to and why. Comedy genre fans/teenager
Analyse the use of satire and which audience this would appeal to and why. –Olive’s routine and costume and the fact that she is
unaware of the inappropriate nature of what she is doing/ sexualising young children/taking innocence away.
Brief Conclusion
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Summarise main points about how the film makers use key aspects of Narrative and Representation to target different
sections of audience such as a mainstream and independent film audience and comment on how well they target different
specific audiences too.
Summarise how effectively they use genre conventions to target fans.
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Give personal opinion about which key aspect feature or genre is most effective in targeting audience and why.