The Cultivation Theory applied to our production "The Disturbed"

The theory states that repeated exposure to the same message, such as an advertisement, will have an effect on the audiences attitudes and values. A similar idea is know as desensitisation-which suggests that long term exposure to violent media makes the audience less likely to be shocked by violence and more likely to behave in that manner. We apply George Gerbner's Cultivation theory to our film by using a black hooded murderer as the main antagonist. We also use the idea of a girl home-alone and being vulnerable in her own home which has a horrifying effect on the audience; they believe it could easily happen to them, even in the sanctuary of their own home. The mise-en-scene of the antagonist is another way we incorporated the theory into our film as the antagonist wore a black hoodie-creating a negative perception of those who wear hoodies, causing the audience to see them as dangers. The black hoodie could also be associated with gangs which could make the audience fearful of gang culture.