Made in Chelsea

How does the Made in Chelsea trailer use media language to engage it's target audience?

In the Made in Chelsea trailer, sound, camera angles, editing and mise-en-scene are all used to engage its target audience.

Throughout the trailer, we only hear non-diegetic sound. The music used throughout could be seen as the type of music the target audience enjoy, which immediately captures the attention of the viewers. This type of music could also be considered the type that the audience they wish to gain may enjoy; meaning new people are attracted to the show.

At the very beginning of the trailer, we are shown a close up of a woman holding up a lace mask to her face, presumably attending a masked ball. Typical, non-diegetic classical music is playing, and we cannot see the surroundings, which may engage the audience’s attention immediately as we are unsure of what is going to happen, or what is going on.

As soon as the music changes, so does the tone of the trailer. The camera suddenly cuts to an over the shoulder shot of a man smiling and partying, automatically creating a party atmosphere. Some of the audience for Made in Chelsea may watch the programme for escapism. If we are being shown a happy, party atmosphere, this may attract the audience, as they want to watch the programme to watch a different, and possibly ‘ideal’ lifestyle.

In the trailer we are shown the cast wearing posh, old fashioned clothing as they are at a masked ball, however the atmosphere on the party doesn’t fit the conventions of the ball, which may suggest that the programme doesn’t fit the conventions of what everyone expects from the rich, possibly spoilt cast that everyone believes them to be.

Apart from the music, we are shown another example of non-diegetic sound at the very end of the trailer, which is an E4 voiceover, which provides the audience with the key information needed about when the programme is being aired etc. As this is such a change from the party atmosphere, it is more likely that people are going to take this in, hopefully drawing in more of an audience.

What sort of representations are created of young people in the trailer?

This trailer represents young people in a number of different ways.

One way young people are represented is as party animals, and wanting to have a good time. With the people in the trailer specifically, this cast are shown as breaking one stereotype (that they are posh, rich, and are attending masked balls and enjoying classical music etc.) but they are also complying to another (they are young, they want to party, drink, and have a good time etc.). At one point in the trailer, a cast member is seen on a space hopper.  This defies the stereotype and the cods of conventions of what we perceive to be true when it comes to this trailer. The space hopper shot could also represent young people in a different light, suggesting that although they are seen at a party drinking and dancing etc., they are only having harmless fun with their friends.

Another representation could be that they are considered to be sexual and flirtatious. As soon as the trailer starts, we are shown the woman with the lace mask, presumably looking on towards the ball, in a seductive manner. We are also shown a woman sat on horse statue looking down on the men, which could be considered to have sexual connotations, as if she is looking out onto the men and admiring them. We are also shown a shot of a woman leading a man up the stairs at the party. Most of the sexual connotations are of the woman leading/provoking the situation, which could suggest that women are being seen in a more flirtatious and sexual light, whereas men are being shown as the party animals, and are maybe more immature than the women.