Representation of Age

After gender and ethnicity, age is the most obvious category under which we file people, and there are a whole range of instant judgements which go along with that categorisation. Age is the easiest way to categorise someone as "other" than yourself —everyone you meet will be, to some extent, older or younger, a different age than you. And with difference comes... a tendency to stereotype.

Age	Stereotypical Characteristics
Young	Immature, stupid, greedy, lazy, selfish, unfit, obese, violent, callous, gullible, unreliable, careless, self-entitled, never going to achieve anything
Old	Grumpy, out-dated, slow, weak, whining, unable to use technology, unhealthy, miserly, hard-of-hearing, ugly, never go anywhere

Age is explored through many different ways, such as Sound, Editing, Mis-en-Scene and Camera Shots/Angles. 


Age Seven:

• Restricted Language
• Childish/Immature behaviour
• Early years of Primary School
• Toys and Books
• Lack of Power
• Innocence
• Some "geeky" children subvert the stereotypical portrayal of a child
• Seen with a teddy/blanket to depict infancy
• Troublesome child could be depicted by hitting a dolly, conveying violence

Age Sixteen:

• Editing - Quick cuts to portray lots of energy 
• Fashionable Clothing
• Stroppy
• Lazy
• Rebellious
• Colloquial language - slang
• Lots of Make-up, suggests teenagers concerned in appearance
• Stressed - due to exams
• Independant, however, there is a power struggle with parents, as they're not an adult yet
• Often associated with Smoking/Drinking
• Not a lot of money due to being a student or only a part-time job
• Causing trouble
• Sound - Mainstream Music

Age Thirty-Five:

• Mature
• Dressed in smart clothing
• Focussed on Family/Career
• Money - been working in a professional career for a while
• Disposable income - some TV Dramas relate to the 18-35 year old age group as they are in this category
• Can relate to people and identify with characters and their problems
• Escapism - relating to viewers

Age Sixty-Five:

• Smart
• Elaborate language - no slang - use old phrases and sayings
• Not really very old - others perceive them as being old
• Retired - Hobbies, such as golf
• Elderly people - dependant upon others, and not capable by themselves - ill/frail/boring/doddery
• Retired - look after grandchildren in spare time which keeps them young
• Wise/Intelligent - lots of advice through personal experiences
• Props - Walking Stick/Tweed Clothing/Perm (Haircut)
• Editing - Slow cuts - resembling their body language/movements

*Stereotypes can be subverted.