Moving Image

Mock Exam: Representation of Ethnicity - Hotel Babylon

The extract begins with a close up of a man's face. When a mid shot of the man is later shown, this displays his upper body and that he is wearing a suit. This suggests he is a man who has a fairly respectable job. The diegetic sound explains that he is British. There is a straight cut to a reception desk which screams wealth and opulence. The woman, shown in MS at the desk wears an expensive looking all white outfit, and her blonde hair is well groomed, illustrating the cleanliness of the hotel lobby and reinforcing its opulence. Her accent also tells the audience that she is British. This tells the audience that, again, a character of high position in the hotel is British.
When the immigration officer enters the hotel, he is followed by two other men. A shot reverse shot is used between him and the woman as they converse. The smooth voice with which she delivers her dialogue suggests that she is unphased by the man. However, a close up of his face displaying his menacing facial expression indicates that the audience should fear this character. His cockney accent presents him as a stereotypically dangerous British man, supporting my previous point.
This fear is later demonstrated by the black man, Ben, who is shown in a series of quick shots running through the hotel's corridors. When the British woman talks about him to the immigration officer, she uses a patronising phrase "he has a brain like a sieve". Though Ben wears a suit and appears to be well groomed, the British woman still does not display as much respect for him as the immigration officer whose costume isn't as smart as the Ben's. This could suggest underlying feelings of the British woman that the ethic workers in the hotel are beneath her.

The dialogue "immigration" sparks a tension building sequence, in which incidental music begins. The fast pace of this contributes to the pandemonium displayed in the handheld camera movements and quick cuts. Various ethnic minorities are pictured running in the same direction. This contrasts the calm of the British dominated hotel lobby. Within the series of handheld camera shots, there are a few short LS of the foreigners running in panic filmed through bars. This creates the idea that they are all trapped together, contributing to the tension built by the continuing incidental music. As the music builds in both volume and pace, the shots used become shorter and the movement within them more frantic. For example, there are fast panning movements.
The audience are also presented with shots of the kitchen in which Jackie, the woman alerting the illegal immigrants, speaks to them in various foreign languages, implying that they speak limited English. This is a stereotypical assumption of illegal immigrants in Britain and therefore the representation of ethnicity conforms to this.

However, when eye line matches are used as Jackie checks all the illegal immigrants are safe, the directors intention was clearly to keep the audience's perspective sided with the illegal immigrants, as their fear is clearly depicted in the CUs of their faces, two shots and sometimes three shots of the group. Furthermore, the MS draws the audience's attention to the costumes they are wearing. The Eastern European women wear stereotypical hotel maid uniforms, conforming to the stereotypical assumption. The costumes of the black men are boiler suits, stereotypically placing them in a 'hum-drum' manual labour postition.

A cutaway is then used to show the audience Ibrahim, the immigrant who was not warned of the immigration officer. The cutaway wars the audience of the impending danger and builds tension, because the audience have already been led to side with him. His uniform and current activity, the hoovering, displayed to the audience by a tilt, adds to the sympathy felt by the audience, because this presents him as an unintimidating individual.

A straight cut returns to the group of immigrants, in which a black cleaner saves a diabetic woman's life. Continuity editing is present throughout to allow the audience to focus on the narrative. A close up is used on the man's face along with the dialogue "I wasn't always a cleaner". This indicates that in his home country he had a job of far greater value and is most likely very intelligent. The CU is the only moment in which the audeince focus on the man's face. This implies that the foreign manual labour workers are 'all the same' as their uniforms strip them of their identity. This is further reinforced by the fact that the black man has just commited a heroic act and this gets dismissed fairly quickly. The black man is presented as a quiet and humble person who does not seek glory for what he has done, presenting the foreign characters in a very positive light. Again, this reinforces why the audience should feel sympathy for them.

When the scene cuts again to Ibrahim, this part of the extract becomes part of the parallel editing. An OSS with shallow focus allows the audience to focus on the lift doors, as they open to reveal the immigration officer and his two 'heavies', who are part of the mise-en-scene used to make him seem intimidating. The man walks slowly towards the camera, juxtaposing the quick zoom CU on Ibrahim's panicked face and the brief LS as he tries to run away. The immigration officer's expressionless face contrasts Ibrahim's wide eyes. Overall, this presents the British man as someone with a great deal of power, making the black man feel powerless.
Furthermore, giving the man a name "Ibrahim" allows the audience to connect with the character more personally, creating a more emotional response. This contrasts the overall depiction of the ethnic community, as they are presented as being 'all the same'.

When the policemen drag Ibrahim out of the hotel lobby, the mixed race girl, Jackie, attempts to beg from the man's freedom. The stereotypically British woman hisses her name in an attempt to silence her. At this point, incidental music has ceased and merely diegetic sound is present. This allows the audience to focus on the narrative, as the British woman apologizes to her predominantly white guests for the event. Slightly low angle shots and higher positions give the white guests higher importance. The black guests presented in three shot are depicted wide eyed, to suggest they feel more sympaty for Ibrahim than the British.

In the following scene where Jackie clears out his locker, there is a CU and eye-line match of his lockers as she locks it. This focuses the audience's attention on the locker number '75', suggesting that Ibrahim is really 'just a number', and that his is not regarded to be of any importance. The incidental music is far slower paced than the previous tension building piece with long notes created by string instruments. This allows the audience to feel sadness for the character, as do the other illegal immigrants who weren't taken.

In the final scene of the extract a long panning shot presents the foreign workers eating, each table filled by those of similar ethnicity. This suggests that people of the same ethnicity tend to stick together. The shot lingers on the table where the black man and the woman are seated. The lack of diegetic sound and praying stance suggests that, as they are the same ethnicity as Ibrahim, they felt the sadness of losing him more than the other charactrs. This is also depicted by the ambient sound of the others talking, which fades when the panning shot reaches the final table.

Doctor Who Clip Analysis – Representation of Gender

The clip begins with a close up of a man, the Master. The shallow focus allows the audience to focus on his facial expression, yet acknowledge that the female character, Martha, has entered the room. Instantly, the mise-en-scene places her in a disadvantaged position. There is a tall soldier on either side of her, both are male. In such close proximity, it is clear that she is as tall as their elbows. Also, the Master is placed closer to the camera, whilst Martha is placed in the background of the shot, her entrance almost being dismissed as unimportant. The incidental music is western sounding, guitar being the most prominent instrument. As this continued into a shot reverse shot of Martha and the Master, the non-diegetic sound suggested that these two characters are about to ‘face off’, as would be stereotypical in Western movies. The stereotype in this instance would be to have two men ‘facing off’ against each other. Therefore, the audience can assume that this female breaks the usual stereotypes of women.
This is further supported by her costume, which is entirely black. Through a series of mid shot, the audience are presented with the other characters, who are also dressed in black. This colour is symbolic of the impending doom the characters are feeling. There is only one character who is dressed in a colour other than black, and this is the blonde woman. The character wears a striking red dress, which is noticeable even in a LS. Red is symbolic of power, which seems unusual on a woman who is only shown in MS once. However, the woman stays fixed in the same position for the entirety of the scene, and stands nearby the Master, suggesting that the woman is a possession of the man. Therefore, her red dress expresses the power of the male character.

The costumes of the other characters conform to the stereotypes of men and women. The muddy male character, Captain Jack, clearly represents the traditional male, whose instinct is to take a more physical, hands on approach in any given situation. The characters opposite him are dressed in working class uniforms. The two women wear stereotypical maid outfits and the man wears a boiler suit, commonly associated with manual labour. This follows the stereotype that cleaning is a more feminine job and that the female characters would be unable to do manual labour.

At the beginning of the clip, both Martha and the Master are shot at eye level. However, when the Master says the word “Kneel”, there is a shift of power which is demonstrated in low angle shots of the Master and the high angle shots of Martha that follow. The dialogue is an order, of only one word. This displays the amount of power he has at that moment. The non-diegetic sound ceases temporarily as this word is said, allowing the audience to focus on the diegetic sound. Furthermore, the camera is tilted down, following Martha as she follows his order. This places emphasis on the power shift, drawing the audience’s attention to how Martha did not fight back. In another shot reverse shot between these two characters, these are shot in CU. This exaggerates the high and low angle shots, as you can see Martha’s eyes look upwards towards the Master and towards the high angle the camera is placed at.

There is a cutaway to a LS of spaceships. The amount of these, along with the Master’s communication with them, further supports his power, informing the audience that his control spans much further than the room the scene is set.

There is a second cutaway to a panning LS of aliens. The diegetic sound, the dialogue, is a female voice. As the Master has referred to these aliens as his “children”, the male character is seen to have dominance over the female ones.

The Master’s dialogue about Martha is spoken to the Doctor. He speaks of her in the third person, which indicates the male character has a lack of respect for Martha. The MS of the Master is from an extremely low angle, highlighting this as the Master’s most powerful moment. He points a sonic screwdriver in the direction of Martha, which follows a stereotypical representation of men; that they will always resort to violence to solve issues and even to assert their dominance.

When CUs of the Doctor are introduced in a shot reverse shot between Martha and the Master, there is dialogue between the two male characters. In this, they talk about Martha, the female, in third person again. This suggests that they are dismissing her, as if they are excluding her from the conversation. This is made even clearer by the dialogue of Martha, who speaks despite not being acknowledged.

A MS of the two maids in the scene following a close up of Martha indicates that they are supporting her. It is a stereotypical female response to seek support from other women. Therefore, the audience are reminded of her femininity.

During the flashback sequence, there is a MS of Martha. The fade to white before fading into this shot illustrates to the audience that this is happening in a different time period. A cold blue tint has been placed over this, to establish the cold weather conditions, along with the mist that appears from her mouth. Her reaction to these conditions is particularly expressive, clearly portraying how cold she is feeling. This is a typically feminine response, as a man would be expected to hide the fact he was feeling cold. This is accompanied by Martha’s non-diegetic voiceover, in which she explains that she was “all on her own”. A male action hero would prefer to work alone, highlighting the difference between the genders as the female seeks support and help from others. There is then a further fade to white before a panning shot is used to draw the audience's focus to the facial expressions of the people listening to Martha's story. The costume and low key lighting illustrate poor, difficult conditions, highlighting the people's need for the doctor to return. This again places men as the dominant gender as, though Martha is fulfilling the stereotype of the female action hero in this instance, the world still needs the doctor. The reverse zoom on Martha as she sits on the stairs, draws the audience into her story, focusing them on the diegetic sound as she delivers the dialogue "I love him". This implies that women are driven by more caring and loving motives, whereas the men in this extract are motivated by selfish drives, most obviously, power. 

During the shot reverse shot between Martha and the Master, incidental music slowly begins to build. This is barely noticeable at first. However, when a power shift is fully established, the music builds in both dynamic and volume. From this point, the female is no longer one of the main characters in the scene, and she is replaced by the second male character, the Doctor. The use of loud, powerful and slightly euphoric music gives the male character greater importance than the female, despite her having ‘saved the day’.

The character’s return is marked by a CGI blue glow that fills the entire shot. This makes his appearance rather Godlike, which emphasises his importance over the female.

The CU of the Master, as he puts his arm out in attempt to assert his dominance, conforms to aggressive masculine traits, as his stance is similar to someone who is preparing to fight.

The only MS of the woman in the red dress is accompanied by her single word of dialogue. This essentially reveals her shift in alliance from the Master to the Doctor. This implies that women simply ally themselves with the strongest male, rather than standing as an equal alongside them.

There is a panning shot as Martha runs to the two women in the scene. This is a stereotypically feminine act, as it demonstrates that she is caring for the other weaker characters in the scene.

A MS of the Master shows him holding his sonic screwdriver out in front of him. This follows the previously mentioned aggressive and violent stereotype of men, as he attempts to attack the Doctor, without any provocation. When the sonic screwdriver is taken from him, there is a CU of the significant object which symbolises his complete loss of power, as he no longer has a way to fight the other male.

The final, high angle dolly shot towards the Master asserts the dominance of the Doctor over him. This places the male gender as the most powerful, dominant and important in the scene because, ultimately, the control over the situation was held by one of the two male characters and never by Martha.

G322 – Representation of Gender: Primeval

The clip begins with a two shot of a man running to catch up to a girl. Immediately, this establishes a stereotypical representation of gender, as a man is always left to chase after the girl. Both male voices in this scene offer a calm, steady source of diegetic sound, whereas the woman’s voice sounds much more distressed. For this reason, we are lead to believe that the woman simply cannot handle the situation. We are yet to discover what this is.

There is a sound bridge into the next scene, where we see a woman, Abby, operating a digger. It is stereotypically a man’s role to operate heavy machinery. However, the mise-en-scene, presents Abby with far more masculine characteristics than the other women in the clip. This is seen most notably in the costume, particularly her short cut ice blonde hair, which is presents her with a much more ‘edgy’ and strong look than if her hair was longer – as long hair is intrinsically feminine. Furthermore, Abby’s clothing is black, with a leather jacket that reinforces the idea of strength and edginess.

The parallel editing between Abby and the man, dressed in pink, highlights an element of role reversal. Both dolly shots move towards the character, drawing attention to the tasks which they are undertaking. Where the female’s role is fairly masculine, the man’s work is fairly careful and intricate. This is something that is stereotypically a more feminine task. Combining this with the colour of the man’s costume, it is indicated that he has feminine qualities.

Also, the incidental music builds tension and complements the building action. However, during the dolly shot of the man, the camera has been focused onto the object he has placed onto ground, which we see to be a piece of meat. The tension building from the non-diegetic sound and the caution with which he placed the object onto the ground creates an element of humour, which undermines the man’s ability.

From these two characters being juxtaposed in this way, we can see two modern representations of gender, in which the man is not always the strongest.

This idea continues through the scene, though not with as strong contrast. Using the heavy machinery, Abby distracts the CGI saber tooth from the other man in the scene, who is nowhere near as strong as the animal. This is portrayed in several high angle shots, which clearly establish the animal as the one with the power. The point of view shots of the saber tooth are low angle, further reinforcing the animal as superior.

When Abby fights the saber tooth, the shots of her in the machine are at the same angle as those of the tiger, indicating that they are more equal opponents.

When the man begins to run away, the shots of the man are followed by shots of the tiger in the same location, highlighting the idea of chase. With the incidental music, this builds the tension, which is maintained by a small ellipsis when he reaches the top of the tree.

A sequence of long shots is used, in which the CGI animal fills up a much bigger portion of the frame than the man. This contributes to the lack of power he is portrayed to have.

Though this clearly breaks the stereotypical representation of gender, there are elements of this scene that suggest that men are still stronger than women. Firstly, the man’s costume is plain and basic, with fairly neutral colours. These clothes are stained with dirt. From the beginning of the scene, the man has a more hands on approach, digging into the dirt with his bare hands rather than using a machine to do so. Abby’s costume could represent armour, as the black colouring and leather jacket would suggest this.

Furthermore, the man uses his belt to create a zip wire as he tries to escape the saber tooth. He is portrayed to have a far more primal survival instinct than the girl, as he did not have any weaponry or defences; he merely runs from the animal. When Abby appears again, she is holding a gun, supporting the idea that, as a woman, she would be unable to survive without other man made devices such as the digger and a gun.

In the following scene, there is a panning shot across four characters. This would suggest that these characters are equal. From the mise-en-scene, it is clear that each of these characters represents a clear gender stereotype.

On the right, there is the stereotypical ‘buffoon’, dressed in clashing clothes and layered with accessories. Next to him is the ‘jock’, whose costume is quite casual but also accentuates the shape of his body. The third man along represents the ‘metrosexual’, clearly displayed in his smart suit. Finally, Abby is on the left, whose army coloured clothing, green and black, suggests she is the stereotypical ‘female action hero’.

This is followed by a long shot of the main male character. From his costume, a muddy t-shirt and messy hair, it is clear that this man is representative of the male action hero. This is a common stereotype in TV drama.

The male character arriving alone in this way highlights his importance and sets him apart from the other characters, clearly defining him as the main character. This is a typical representation in TV dramas, were the male action hero is of highest importance and the female action hero is only equal to the other male characters.

The next scene introduces two new characters; a man and a woman. Continuity editing is used throughout this scene, in the form of a series of shot reverse shots. There are mid shots of the two characters as they begin their conversation. The editing juxtaposes the two characters visually, drawing attention to the difference in their costume. The man wears much darker clothes that are slightly faded and dirty, whereas the woman wears an immaculately clean white coat, with perfect, tidy hair and make-up. The mise-en-scene suggests that men are more comfortable in manual labour positions than women, who are more likely to be well presented. This is a traditional stereotype of women, tracing back to the idea that women were ‘housewives’. Though this ‘housewife’ stereotype is not presented in this clip, some ideas that stem from this remain. Throughout the clip, the women’s costumes are far better presented than the men’s. This suggests that women need to look ‘good’, regardless of the role they are playing. At this point, there is solely diegetic sound, focusing the audience on the dialogue of the two characters and therefore the storyline.

The introduction of non-diegetic sound in the form of incidental music indicates that there is a change of atmosphere in the scene. This builds tension and tells the audience that something is about to happen.

As the tension builds, more sound is introduced. These are diegetic sounds such as the gunshot on the barking dogs; both of which are indexical signifiers of danger. The woman remains in mid shot as she backs out of the barn. The backlighting creates a white glow around her, adding to the white of the coat. Overall, this conveys innocence and purity to the audience, indicating that she is unable to deal with this dangerous situation.

As the man pulls her to the ground, her coat falls off to reveal a black dress. Removing the white coat takes away that sense of innocence previously portrayed.

The slow motion reinforces the danger of the situation. The mid shot of the man followed by the two shot of the dogs creates a comparison between him and the animals. The long shot of the woman, wide eyed, compares her to prey. These comparisons create quite an exaggerated image of which is the stronger gender, while also suggesting that men are more animalistic or aggressive than women.

Finally, when Abby and the man enter the scene, holding guns, the two shot has the man centre of the frame, with Abby slightly further back and to the right of the frame. Despite the capabilities she has been portrayed to have, the female character is still slightly further behind the male. 

   

Coming Down The Mountain – Representation of Disability

The clip begins with an aerial shot of the boys’ bedroom. Immediately, the mise-en-scene reveals the contrast between the two characters. The frame appears to be split down the middle, one half displaying the personality of Ben, the other displaying the personality of David. Ben’s half of the room contains bright, vibrant colours that are stereotypically associated with the bedroom of a young child. A mess of toys covers the bed and floor, again stereotypical of a child’s bedroom. Ben lies in his bed, arms sprawled out carelessly. In contrast to this, David sits on the edge of his bed, in a natural, ‘normal’ posture. His side of the room is the antithesis of Ben’s, displayed in everything from the dull, neutral colour scheme, to the neatly made bed. One particular note is that both boys have a pair of shoes by their bed. David’s are positioned neatly by his bedside table, whereas Ben’s appear to be placed where he took them off his feet the night before. From this first shot, it is clear that Ben is rather childlike and David is conservative and sensible.

The opening statement of the scene “last summer, I decided to kill my brother,” is set apart from the rest of the dialogue by a slight pause. This gives the statement impact, allowing the audience to consider how extreme the idea is. It informs the audience that David hates his brother and therefore establishes the way in which disability is being represented, this being as a burden to those around them.

There is then a fade into a mid shot of David. As it pans around him, the subject of the shot is clearly David, presenting to the audience which character speaks in the voice over. The entirety of the shot contributes to the idea that the non-diegetic sound reflects David’s thoughts.

A montage of evolutionary images follows this. This is a visual aid to the voice over and visually explains the ideas David has about disability. It is clear to the audience that David sees his brother as an example of evolution gone wrong. 30 seconds into the clip, a negative outlook on disability has already been presented to the audience. The old film, black and white filter which has been placed over the shot makes the audience feel as if they are watching a movie playing in David’s head. There are simultaneous shots of dinosaurs and cavemen, both symbolic signs of survival. This suggests the idea of ‘survival of the fittest’, and this is possibly the way in which David is justifying his intention to kill Ben.

The establishing shot of the family home returns the clip to colour. The abrupt introduction of the non-diegetic sound, the music, tells the audience that they are no longer being shown David’s thoughts. Instead, they are being shown the world that surrounds David. The sound bridge, where the music changes from non-diegetic to diegetic sound, presents the family as stereotypical and idyllic. This seemly upbeat environment contrasts greatly with the reality of David’s family life, which is revealed over the course of the scene. This creates a sense of irony. The lyrics of the song “wouldn’t it be nice if we were older” reflect David’s desire to grow up. The importance of these words is compounded by several things. Firstly, this conforms to the stereotypical teenager, who desires to be older. Second, David feels over burdened by the responsibility of his brother and could feel that he would not have this responsibility if he was older. Finally, later in the kitchen scene, David’s mother tells him to ‘grow up’, and the song could reflect David’s feeling that he needs to grow up.

Basic continuity editing is present in this scene; however the series of shot reverse shots between David and Ben are particularly effective in emphasising the binary opposition between the two characters, who are seated opposite each other at the table.

Towards the end of the scene, there is a close up of the mother as she kisses Ben, which is followed by a lingering close up of David’s face. This explains to the audience why David hates his brother, as Ben’s disability means that their parents give him more care and affection. David’s hate for his brother could be explained better as resentment rather than dislike.

The long shot of David and Ben as they walk to the bus stop shows Ben walking behind David. This highlights the fact that Ben is always with him. One walking behind the other presents David as the character with the control, as he is in the leading position. Furthermore, the positioning represents their lack of relationship, as they do not communicate with each other as you would expect brothers to. This indicates that Ben’s disability prevents them from having friendship, as David has to be a carer to Ben.

The series of jump cuts at the bus stop show Ben acting in a way that would be viewed as socially undesirable. As the technique suggests that time is passing, particularly as their clothes change, this suggests that Ben behaves this way regularly. Again, this presents Ben as a burden to David, but also as being different from the majority of society. This represents the disabled as outcasts, and even embarrassments to their able bodied relations.

In the classroom, David draws a picture of a horse. The talent and sophistication of the drawing emphasises the difference in ability between David and Ben, as Ben has previously been shown struggling to ride a bike. This could also refer to the fact that David doesn’t have much time for himself, as he is always looking after Ben. This would be why David was drawing in class.

Shot reverse shot is used in this scene, this time between a mid shot of the teacher and a long shot of the entire class. This reinforces the idea of ‘normality’, and indicates that David fits into a normal society. As Ben is always portrayed to be the opposite of David, we can assume from this that Ben does not.

In the following scene, David is talking to a friend. Though David is often in the same frame as his friend, Ben is always shot alone. This raises a previously mentioned idea that Ben is an outcast and does not fit in. Furthermore, he clutches his backpack in front of him, similarly to the way a child holds their toy. This symbolises Ben’s need for security and how vulnerable he is, and feels, out in the world.

This need for security is displayed again in the next scene, where Ben clutches the bar in front of him tightly when he sits on the bus. The shallow focus draws the audience into Ben’s emotions and allows them to consider his vulnerability. Here, the audience begins to feel sympathy for Ben. However, this still represents disability in a fairly negative way, as the audience are lead to view the disabled as weak and unable to fend for themselves. 

 Tuesday 26th November 2013 

Representation of Gender: Women

Traditional Representations:

• Domesticated - housewife/mother

This would be assumed to be an outdated idea, with many single mothers and the 'working woman'. However, you will always be more likely to see a woman in a housekeeping/childminding role

• Sexualised/Objectified - included in the film/tv drama to entertain the male audience

Women are made to look alluring/appealing to attract a certain portion of the audience. This has become the most defining representation of women in the media.
Laura Mulvey (1975) claimed that women are sexualised by the cinematography. This is through extreme close ups that show only body parts rather than the entire person.

Modern Representations:

• The strong, confident, independent woman. This woman is still stereotypically 'sexy'.
• The Female Action Hero - retains stereotypical representations of women, while also giving them some masculine qualities. E.g. strength, good at fighting
• The super-mum - the 'ideal' mother. Possibly a working mum.
• The femme fatale - flirty, leads men along with little/no interest.
• The corporate climber - horrible woman. Selfish. Possibly sly/cunning. May use people to get what she wants/get ahead in her career.

Issues:

• There are a narrow set of representations for women
• Are the representations of women a reflection of society OR are they shaping society? Is the idea that women are supposed to take on the domestic role created by the media?
• Are our expectations of the 'perfect' looking woman too high? Has the media made our idea of the perfect woman too heavily based on looks, rather than intelligence and personality?
• The media industry is heavily male dominated. This could effect how men and women are represented in the media.
• Feminists often disagree with the way women are represented in the media, as they believe women should be represented in a way that is equal to men.

The Idea of Femininity:
Femininity and masculinity are both cultural ideas, that do not stem from us, biologically. Therefore, what femininity/masculinity is varies in different parts of the world.

In western cultures, much of what femininity is has changed through the years. This has been reflected in its representation in the media.
However, while some aspects have drastically changed, other representations have remained the same.







 Monday 4th November 2013 



 Friday 25th October 2013 

The original clip was shot at a bus stop. We chose a different location for our remake because we felt the location demonstrated which characters held the power very well.

The 'pretties' stood at the top of the stairs, with Saz and Viva walking towards the bottom of the stairs. This immediately displayed the level of power the 'pretties' hold over Saz and Viva.

The first shot of the clip was a close up of Saz and Viva's feet as they walk. This was slowed down and an orchestral piece of incidental music played over the top.

We used the same music that featured in the original clip, to make sure we were creating the same level of tension as the previous clip.

The music fades just before Viva begins to speak. The high angle over the shoulder shot makes Saz and Viva look much smaller than the other three characters.
When one of the 'pretties' retorts, a low angle mid shot is used, presenting them as the characters in control and holding the power. Furthermore, this shot is closer to the subjects than the former, contributing to the way in which Saz and Viva are made to look 'small'. Moreover, the 'pretties' outnumber them, making Saz and Viva look weaker and more hopeless.
This presentation contrasts the previous incidental music, and this is the reason why we decided to use the same music. The non-diegetic sound suggests they're quite heroic, like they're about to go into battle. This gives the audience hope. The presentation of the characters after this would suggest the opposite, as you would not have much hope for them to succeed in this confrontation. However, the reason for this could be that people like to support the underdog, and this is exactly what the clip wants from its audience.
Following the low angle mid shot of the pretties, there is a close up of Charlie. She does not say much throughout the entire clip, rather one of the 'pretties' talks for her. Therefore, when Charlie speaks, we used a close up so her words have bigger impact.
Also, when the dialogue gets more aggressive, the usual two-shot of Saz and Viva is replaced with just simply a mid-shot of Viva. This leads us to believe that Saz is a weaker character and incapable of being involved in the argument. This is reinforced by the mid-shot of Saz as she attempts to beg - particularly as the high angle shot is even more exaggerated and severe (the camera higher and Saz lower down).
There is a close up of the 'pretty' when she says "weird". This emphasises the difference between who is popular and outcast and further reinforces who holds the power in the school 'heirarchy'. The 'pretties' are then the ones who walk away from Saz and Viva. Therefore, they remain in power til the end, and the audience are sadly disappointed that Saz and Viva lost the argument.

 Tuesday 22nd October 2013 

The scene begins with loud, orchestral incidental music. The non-diegetic sound is reminiscent of the build up of a superhero and this builds tension. Paired with the dolly close up of the girls' feet and slow motion, this tells the audience who the protagonists are and which characters they should support. In one continuous shot, the camera now pans upward slightly - still close to the ground. 

This creates a low angle shot of the antagonists, 'the pretties'. This shows that 'the pretties' are the characters who hold the power in the situation. Relating this to the school setting, it suggests that they are popular. 

Following this, the incidental music fades and one of the protagonists, Viva, begins to speak. There is a low angle master shot, containing all of the characters in the scene. This establishes the divide between the characters, as they are facing each other off. The shot also highlights the contrast in costumes. Where Saz and Viva wear trousers and coats over their immaculate uniform, 'the pretties' wear short skirts and waistcoats with undone or loose ties. Using stereotypes, this clearly reinforces the previous idea that 'the pretties' are popular and Saz and Viva are not.

The two shot of Viva and Saz is from a high angle, creating the idea that this is a point of view shot from 'the pretties' who are looking down on them. Their lower position makes them more vulnerable, meaning the audience will sympathize with them and builds tension, as the audience want the protagonists to succeed.

When the 'pretty' speaks, she is speaking for the other, suggesting that "Charlie" leads the group. She uses third person when referring to Charlie, giving the impression that she is above the other characters. This reinforces the idea of hierarchy previously presented in the camera angles and mise-en-scene. 

When Charlie speaks, she looks and leans slightly downward, again reinforcing this idea. There is a slight patronizing tone to her voice as if she is talking to children. A quick cut is made to a close up of Viva's face as she delivers her retort. This is an unexpected response considering the representation of their characters.

Throughout the clip, a pattern forms following these ideas in a variation of two shots, mid shots and close ups. 

The scene's setting (a bus stop) is brought to the audience's attention by the ambient sound, and this makes the situation even more embarrassing when Saz gets down on her knees to beg, as it is outdoors and likely someone else is nearby to see. This could display her desperation, as she is willing to humiliate herself in public to get what she wants. The distressed expression on her face (captured in the close up, which contains her clasped hands) indicates that she isn't happy about what she is doing. Therefore, we are again shown who has the power in this scene (the pretties).

 Tuesday 15th October 2013 




Bullet Points:

• POV diegetic sound - sound perspective: volume
• Gradually building volume to crescendo followed by near silence
• Asynchronous sound - danger
• Volume of breathing increased
• Orchestral incidental music - highlights realisation
• Sound effect - explosion
• 7 second silence
• Ambient sound for another 23 seconds
• Sense of normality, straight dialogue
• Turbulent sound effect - rebuilds tension, expecting something to happen

Sound Meaning Keywords (within the clip):

• Diegetic/Non-Diegetic sound
• Synchronous/Asynchronous sound
• Sound Effects
• Dialogue
• Sound Perspective
• Score - Incidental Music
• Sting
• Ambient Sound

The clip begins with a blurred canted angle shot. We hear creaking and muffled, distant voices. The diegetic sound (the creaking) causes the audience alarm, because it is clear that the structure is unstable. The sound perspective is established by the volume, adding to the danger the sound poses. We are then presented with a close up of a man's face (Jack), telling us that the previous shot was a point of view shot. Therefore we know the sound we are hearing is also presented to us through his point of view. As his hearing is slightly distorted, this is an indexical sign that he has been involved in some sort of action previous.
The sound fades from Jack's POV to the audience's, increasing the volume of both the dialogue and the diegetic sound, and we are presented with the situation as a whole. The volume of the diegetic sound reaches a crescendo before gradually reaching a near silence. This is unnerving for the audience, as it creates tension and suspense - exaggerated by the dark setting.
A quiet, high pitched sting is then introduced, building suspense. This overlaps with the intermittent asynchronous sound, which constantly reinforces the dangerous surroundings of the character trapped inside (Juliet). However this is only for a moment, as soon after the audience are left with only the ambient sound, and the breathing of Juliet (the volume of this has been raised to highlight her panic and weakness).

The audience's attention is then brought to an object of significance - a bomb. Orchestral incidental music begins. There is a distinct uplifting quality to the music, reminiscent of the score to a superhero movie. This suggests a moment of realisation for Juliet, as she decides what to do. Ambient sound is no longer present, as the focus has shifted fully to Juliet. The character coughs, a sign that she is hurt and therefore weak. Juliet's shouting, combined with the crescendo of the music, displays her desperation. In the context of the show, this creates an emotional moment for the audience, as they have gotten to know the character over the course of the series.

All sound ends with an explosion sound effect. There is silence for 7 seconds, juxtaposing the previous loud sound. There is an odd calm following the tension that had just been built. This silence then fades into ambient noise (air circulation in an aircraft). However, this sound is very subtle and dialogue does not begin until 30 seconds after the silence began.
The dialogue continues in a way that suggests normality - the mise-en-scene creating a relatively normal setting. Again, this is a far cry from the previous scene, to the point where we almost expect something to happen.

There is a close up of the object of significance (the glass) in conjunction with the turbulance sound effect. This draws the audience's attention to the element of danger and builds the suspense again. 






 Thursday 10th October 2013 

Diegetic Sound:
Sound that is implied to be coming from the film world (e.g. voice of characters, noise made by objects within the scene, music coming from within the scene).

Non-Diegetic Sound:
Sound that does not come from the film world (e.g. music that sets a mood, narrator commentary).

Synchronus Sound:
These are sounds that match the action on screen. These create a sense of realism and are often only picked up sub-conciously by the audience (e.g. the click of a door as it opens). Synchronus sounds can sometimes be used to draw attention to an important action (e.g.  the click of a door as a burglar opens it) and in this case, the volume of the synchronus sound is often turned up.

Asynchronus Sound:
Sound of which the source is not visible in the shot. For example, this could be traffic noise (ambient sound) in the background of a city scene, to add realism to the setting.

Sound Effects:
Sounds (other than music and voice) created artificially for the purpose of the production (e.g. explosions or thunder).

Sound Motif:
A sound (often music) which is used throughout the production in association with a particular setting, character or situation. This was used notably in the TV Drama 'Heroes', where each character had an incredibly recognizable sound motif.


Sound Bridge:
A sound bridge is where a sound is carried from one scene to another (often changing from non-diegetic to diegetic). This is used for continuity.

Dialogue:
The speech in the production (usually scripted lines).

Voiceover:
A piece of non-diegetic speaking. This can be by a character present in the scene (that is not speaking within the shot), an off screen character or a narrator.

Mode of Address:
The way in which the narrative is presented to the audience. This includes the style of language (tone, etc.).

Direct Address:
A technique that breaks the realism in the production, as the dialogue is spoken to the audience directly (not to other characters within the story).

Sound Mixing:
A part of post production in which all sounds are put together into one or two audio channels. This process also involves adjusting the sound (often volume) for effect.

Sound Perspective:
Where the sound is perceived to be in the shot when considering volume, pitch and timbre (quality).


Soundtrack:
The music that accompanies the production.

Score:
Original music written to support the production, that often enhances the dramatic effect and contributes to the emotional feel of a scene.

Incidental Music:
Music that accompanies the action or dialogue in the production, often to aid the audience's understanding of a scene.

Theme:
Music that is always featured in the production and is easily identifiable by the audience.




Stings:
A short burst of music which can be used to highlight dramatic moments or at the end of a scene.

 (Sting at 0.30)

Ambient Sound:
Sounds that are part of the background noise. These contribute to setting the scene.





 Tuesday 8th October 2013 

Semiotic Image

Semiotic Image Analysis:



The girl in the photo is dressed expensively. This is an indexical sign that she has money. This is further supported by the chair in the background (unusually placed outside) and the grand house in the distance.

However, there are many signs which suggest that she is not the person who has earned this money.
For example, if we consider the size of the house, she is unlikely to live alone. As a young girl, we can use stereotypes to decide that it is either her husband or father who owns the house.
Also, the location of the house is fairly rural. This is an unusual location to place a girl of this age. This is further support for the idea that the girl does not own the house.
The china plates suggest that she has been having tea, which further supports the idea that she does not work (and therefore does not earn the money). This would indicate that she is maybe a lady of leisure.

The egg timer and the hat the girl is wearing (along with her overall height in the picture in relation to the house) associates the picture with Alice In Wonderland. This further supports her age.

Finally, the main focus of the image – the handbags, clutched tightly in her hands, coupled with the wide eyed expression on her face, instantly express that she has an obsession with handbags. The amount of them further reinforces the fact that she has money.
The Alice in Wonderland quality exaggerates the obsessional quality of the photo, as the story is very much exaggerated.






 Tuesday 1st October 2013 

Representation of Social Class in Gossip Girl

The clip begins with a shot of two young girls. Despite their age, this shot is low angle, fully displaying the grand building behind them. A combination of these elements immediately displays their high social class and status. As the girls enter the ostentatious building, we then realise that this is in fact an establishing shot for the main action.

Entering the building, we see the main characters of the series congregated together. The ever so slight dolly shot contributes to creating a grand image of The Met. This in itself contributes to the upper class image the group are represented as.

The first man we see, dressed very smartly in a tuxedo, uses commanding and powerful body language you would expect from a host (open arms and broad chest). In a building of this stature, most people would be tourists and appear very small in relation to the scale of the building, however the character, Chuck, does not seem intimidated by this. The diegetic sound – his voice – is low and calm, adding to his sense of power.

We are then shown the other characters, who would all be considered to be ‘overdressed’ to visit a tourist attraction.

We see extras in the background, but these appear to be very far away and small. They all look up and around them, reinforcing the ostentatiousness of the building.

In contrast, the group of main characters do not look up once at the artwork (all very expensive and grand). Again, this suggests that these upper class characters are used to seeing things of such grandness regularly.

It takes us longer to notice one character, Dan, as he seems to be shadowed by the other characters. Their clothing is much lighter and formal than his. Beneath his jacket, he is wearing a t-shirt. This is a stark contrast from the shirts and ties worn by the other characters. At this point we could think that Dan is trying to fit in to the world of the upper class (the jacket), but is unable to fully fit into the world (the t-shirt and unshaven face).

The last character to join the group, Blair, steps right into the centre of the shot. Arriving to the scene last (and placing herself in such a prominent position), highlights her status as the one with the highest power. She flashes her ring at the other characters, suggesting that these upper class characters value material items and money more than they do relationships.

In the second scene, the shot pans up from the floor, showing the full length of Blair’s dress. The dress stands out clearly from the seemingly ‘normal’, everyday and natural location of the scene. Again, this highlights the characters’ focus on material items over ‘values’.

When Dan enters the scene, the other characters do not see him. However, his lower social class is still shown.

The high angle shot (from the top of the steps), shoots down on Dan showing his lower status than Blair and her friend, simply because of his social class.

 Tuesday 24th September 2013 

 Wednesday 17th September 2013 

Camera Techniques

Shots

Establishing shot: Establishes the location of the following scene. This explains to the audience where the scene is taking place.

Extreme close up: Focuses on a detail of the subject. Not usually used to portray emotion, there is normally a specific reason for an XCU (or ECU). Often they are used to create tension and used within a sequence of shorter shots.

Close up: A close up is used mostly to convey emotion. It focuses on the detail in the subject and draws the audience in - often allowing them to feel the emotion of the subject.

Mid shot: A mid shot is often used when someone is speaking - during a conversation or presenting the audience with information. This style of shot is usually what you would see if you were in that person's physical presence. The effect of this shot is often to convey information rather than emotion.

Long shot: Focus is still on the subject, however background detail is still an important part of the shot. A long shot implies that the setting of the shot is somewhat important to the scene or the storyline. 

Wide shot: Positioned in a place that captures the majority of the action in the shot. Often requires the use of a wide angle lens.

Two shot: Used to show the relationship/bond between two people. It also often shows that the two people have equivalent status. 

Over the shoulder shot: Used to show both angles in a conversation. Having the other person in the shot gives the impression that you are seeing the action from their point of view. This can give the shot a sense of realism. Can often be accompanied by a point of view shot.

Point of view shot: Gives the audience a view from the subject's perspective. Used to place the audience in the place of the character. Sometimes effects can be used (such as blurring to suggest that the subject is dizzy). 

Master shot: This shot is of an entire scene from start to finish, keeping all characters in view. This gives the viewer an outsider perspective to the action, as it allows them to see what is going on for the entirety of the scene.

Aerial Shot: Involving the use of a helicopter, an aerial shot is commonly used as an establishing shot (setting the scene for the general location - image above would suggest Wall Street, NYC). It can also be used during action sequences to add tension and excitement, whilst also placing the action in a real place that the audience can relate to.

Angles

High angle shot: The angle of a shot often suggests status. A higher angle tends to create the idea that the subject has a lower status (particularly if there is another person in the scene). If used from a distance (e.g. High angle long shot), the angle can suggest vulnerability.

Low angle shot: A lower angle suggests that the subject has a higher status, particularly if they are in the presence of other individuals who aren't shot in this way. 

Canted angle shot: The unnatural angle of the shot creates a sense of unease in the viewer. Often used with hand-held camera movements, this can give the feel of more frantic action.

Movement

Panning: The effect of panning relies heavily on the context. For example, you could pan across a location to add further detail to an establishing shot. Panning across objects could give the shot a reminiscent quality - panning is often used at the beginning of movies during the title sequence. It can also be used to follow a subject.

Tilt: Often used to show the scale of something. When tilting upwards, the subject's largeness will be exaggerated. The opposite occurs when tilting downwards. 

Reverse Zoom: A technique first used by Hitchcock in the film Vertigo, reverse zoom is used most commonly to create suspense. Also, when the director moves the camera toward the character, it draws the audience's attention to the character's face.

Zoom: Often used to draw the audience's attention to an object of significance.

Handheld: Most commonly seen in action sequences, where the handheld style contributes to the frantic feel of the scene. This technique is used often in the Bourne movie series. It has also been used in horror movies to add realism to the movie as a whole (in horror movies this contributes to the scare factor).

Steadicam: Follows the action, without the jerks or shakes from using a handheld technique. It allows the audience to focus on the character and what they are doing (or their expression). 

Crane: This is often used for establishing shots, as it can swoop down to the location where an event is taking place. A crane shot tends to draw the audience's attention to a scene as a whole, rather than a specific character or object).

Dolly: Moves closer or further away from a subject. Can also be used to follow a character (in front or behind). 

Tracking: Can sometimes be called a dolly shot, however the main distinction between the two is that a tracking shot moves alongside the subject rather than moving closer or further away. Depending on the speed, the shot can sometimes create excitement when used during action sequences (such as car chases), because it gives the audience a feeling of being 'in the action'. 

Composition

Framing: This draws the audience's attention to the subject and suggests that there is an importance about it.

Rule of Thirds: Placing the important things in the shot off center, makes the audience notice these things first. Therefore placing something along the lines (as determined by rule of thirds), draws the audience's attention to it. It also makes the shot more visually interesting and prevents the audience from becoming bored.

Focus Pull: This technique is used frequently in movies and TV shows This is used commonly in a conversation between two characters, where the focus will shift between one and then the other as they talk. This forces the audience to focus on the character they can clearly see. 

Deep Focus: This gives the shot depth and lets the audience focus on the whole scene. This can be used when there are features of the setting are important to the story line (e.g. showing the audience more about a character). 

Shallow Focus: This places the focus on the important parts of the shot. It may be that because of either their expression or dialogue that they are important. When two people are in focus it can be used to suggest a connection between them. 

 Friday 13th September 

Representation of Age

The clip begins with a long shot of Scotland’s countryside, immediately setting the scene. This pans down to a group of men going about their work. Mise-en-scene is clearly used, in this shot, to present a stereotypical image of an adult. Dressed in traditional, practical clothes, the working men epitomise the idea of manual labour.

Adding another dimension to the scene and reinforcing the aforementioned devices is the non-diegetic sound that begins at the start of the clip.

Overall, this opening scene introduces a mature, rural setting, most likely home to the middle aged or older.

This increases how out of place the girl is that appears in the next shot. Framed by the doorway, she appears to be separate from the other characters that have been shown. Costume clearly identifies her as someone who does not belong. Her clothes are light and pastel coloured in comparison to the dull, muted tones of the workers. Her yellow top is most noticeable as something that does not belong.

When the girl begins to speak, she is interrupted by the middle aged man coming into shot and immediately speaking.

His voice is much louder and forceful, and he quite quickly talks her down. This is reminiscent of a parent dismissing a child and could represent the way in which children (and teenagers) are often not listened to.

From the diegetic sound we are brought back to mise-en-scene and camera angles. In the following shot, panning is used to get closer to the girl and her expression, as she is seated in a large, dark blue vehicle. The colour, again dull and practical, causes her to look like she doesn’t belong. The size of the vehicle, engulfing her and making her look smaller. These components reinforce the uncertainty displayed on her face as the camera pans round to a close of up of this. From this we view her in a more childlike manner, even though we are yet to discover her true age.

From the moment she crashes the car, there is an identifiable change in her actions. She begins to almost hide behind the older characters. There is also 2 very contrasting changes in the other characters as they discover her true age.

Some characters became more protective of her, shielding her from the other older characters who seemed to raise their voices at her and become more ‘stern’ (displayed in the head teacher, for example).

Furthermore, the fact that the girl doesn’t simply explain to the older characters that she cannot drive is an immaturity in itself. This introduces the idea that teenagers want to ‘fit in’ and appear older than they actually are.

We are then presented with a new scene, in an oak room. The panning shot brings your focus onto the tray of glasses and decanters which are then spoken about in the characters’ dialogue. This gives the room a sense of maturity, and the fact that the two men are the only ones to enter the room, adds to this feel. It is here that we discover that the girl has run away from sitting her exams, an idea that presents an incredibly stereotypical view of a teenager.

The argument between the girl and the middle aged man is a key moment in this extract for the representation of age, as the characters appear to have a father/daughter style relationship.

Firstly, the subject matter is a stereotypical thing for a parent and teenager to argue about. This creates a bit of a ‘roll your eyes’ moment because the event seems expected.

The camera angles are by far used to greatest effect in this scene. Shots of the two characters change rapidly. The mid-shot of the girl is shot from her level, catching only the man’s shoulder to the left of the scene. From this you notice the height difference between the two characters, giving the man an heir of authority, further reinforced by the low angle shot when the man is speaking. At this point, it is clear that the man is in control of the girl and this gives him a father-like quality.

Following the girl’s words “I hate you”, the scene is taken over abruptly by another and non-diegetic sound is immediately introduced. The tune is upbeat and diminishes the credibility of the girl’s anger. This again could suggest that teenagers aren’t listened to and that their words and feelings don’t have much impact on life and what is going on.

Bringing another scene of the working men into play reminds us again of the mature, adult world the girl is surrounded by and further diminishes her credibility. It also reinforces the mise-en-scene when the scene changes to the next.

The girl’s room provides an excellent example for mise-en-scene in this extract. The room is light and contains a lot of pink elements. This is a stark contrast from the dull, slightly dirty outdoors construction previously shown. Magazines on the bed and pictures around the mirror present stereotypical elements of a teenager’s bedroom.

Contrast is used heavily throughout the extract to highlight the alienation of the teenage girl in a heavily mature setting and focuses heavily on a young adult’s childish qualities rather than their more mature ones.

In the final scene of this extract, we see a different representation of age.

We once again see the middle aged man in a place of power, however this time it is against an older man.

The older man does not move much throughout the scene, clearly wanting to talk to the middle aged man. Conversely, the man moves a lot throughout the scene, continuing with his work. The camera follows his movement, placing him in control.

Like with the teenager, this could present the idea that the older generation are also not listened to, and that it is the middle aged that are in the highest position of power.