How representations of gender are created using cinematography, editing, sound and mise-en-scene in HOLBY CITY



There is digetic sound throughout the whole of the scene, so we hear the sound of patients beds being pushed down the corridor and people's foot steps down the corridor where the sounds are very echoed. We also hear the sound of phones ringing, other people's conversations and beeps from machines in different rooms. The sound used represents life in a hospitalas if we were in the scene.

In the first scene we see Michael being very agressive to Lulu. His voice is loud and firm which shows that he is in the stronger position in this conversation. When Lulu threatens to tells their boss about his mistake in an operation his voice changes from being agressive to being very worried. When he meets his collegue he doesn't seem to be as strong as he portrays himself to be. He seems very worried about her threat so his voice is quieter and a bit shakey. Michael's collegue is seems very demanding as his voice is raised and firm telling him what to do. When Hal (Amelia's friend) introduces himself to Michael he seems calm and relaxed but also trying to get the attention of him. Michael is clearly in a rush so his voice is quite sarcastic. Hal obviously realises this and becomes angry. His voice is raised and is shouting at Michael about how he has ruined Amelia's implants. He is sticking up for her as though she is the weaker sex and can't speak for herself so he has to do it for her. When the two men are talking about their broken bones whilst playing sports, they refer to eachothers sports as 'girl's games'. This shows that they think that they are the stronger sex and that girls are silly and weak. Michael comes and apologises to Amelia. This shows that he definitely isn't as strong as he thinks he is and gives into what other people have been telling him to do.

In the first scene Lulu is definately shown to be the weaker out of the two. She is being shouted at and dumped which she is not happy about. She changes this around when she threatens to tell their boss about Michael's mistake. Here she seems dominate in the conversation but is soon put down again when she says that he doesn't care. The next scene when we see Lulu, she is screaming down the phone trying to call her dad as though she were a child. This shows that she is very weak. When Amelia is told by Hal that he loves her, it seems as though her confidence completely changes. She goes from thinking she was a 'minger' and now thinking of herself to be perfect the way she is, and asks Michael to put her back to the way she was before the operation.

Throughout the scene there is a quick movement bewteen the transitions to up the pace of the scene and create tension and suspense when the couple are arguing. The use of shot reaction shot when Michael tells Lulu that she is dumped tells the audience that he clearly does not care about her anymore as his face is stern and angry. Where as Lulu looks worried and upset that she has been dumped and is feeling weak and vulnerable. Continuity editing is being used when the two men are talking about the broken bones they have got whilst playing sport. They start talking about broken bones and are looking at something. We find out that they are looking at the x-rays of people who have got broken bones. There is a deliberate cut to the man on the left's girlfriend once the two consultants have finished talking because the two men have been flirting which gives the audience a clue that there is something going on between the two men. Different editing is used throughtout the scene to build enigma which gives clues to the audience about what could happenlater on the in the scene or in the next episode. An example of this would be when the lady is screaming down the phone acting like a child demanding to speak to her child. the audience do not know what is going to happen once she has got hold of her father.

An over the head tilted angle shot is used in the first shot we see in the clip. This is used to be like CCTV which creates a sense that there is something wrong. The CCTV camer make it seem as though the audience have been placed within the hospital, as though they're not meant to be there. We see Michael and Lulu walking down the corridor from opposite directions. The shot quickly changes into a medium shot so we can see each of the characters from the waist up, this is where the conversation begins. Close up shots of each of the characters is used to show the feelings of each of them. When he walks away from her an over the shoulder shot is used to show that they are in conversation and the audience get to see the face of the person who is talking. When Lulu is crying an aerial shot is used to create a sense of pity for her.When the two men are arguing about the mess up of the operation the camera is low down looking up at them both. This shows that both of the males involved are big and independant and can stand up for themselves. Although when the camera is looking up at Hal it is positioned quite oddly so it make's it look as though he is going to make a fool out of himself, which he does when he tries to punch Michael but misses. We see Amelia sitting in her bed looking at the two men arguing over her, she is looking admiringly at Hal because he is standing up for her. We know she is watching them because the camera then changes to a point-of-view shot where we see the two men arguing. There are shots through the window which creates the sense that the audience shouldn't be as the men are in a private conversation. When we first see the two consultants we get a full body shot of them. The two men are standing very close together and this is again shown when the depth of field is used when they are looking at the patient. The patient is in focus and the audience can see the two men's shoulders very close together. A tilt is also used when they both look each other up and down.  In the last scene when we see Hal telling Amelia his feelings shot reaction shots are used to show what each of the characters are feeling. This also continues to take place when Michael walks in and tells her that he can turn her back to the way she was before he messed up the operation. Quite a lot of the scene is reflected on things that are going on in Michael's life and the camera angles reflect this.

The light in the scene is quite dim in the first scene which tells the audience that something is going to happen as this connotates sadness. This creates a mood which is reflective to the conversation. When the two men are arguing the lights become brighter meaning something good is about to happen or is happening. This is true because Hal is standing up for Amelia and is hoping to get something out of it. The lighting throughout the rest of the scene continues to be bright because it all turns out to be good with a happy ending with Hal telling Amelia he loves her and Michael agreeing to change Amelia back to the way she was before her operation. The scene is set in a hospital so we would think something bad has happened from the start, which it has. The rest of the clip is based on the mistake that Michael has made. All the doctors/nurses are in work clothes such as purple/blue gowns apart from the two who are lookign at the x-ray. The two men who are looking at the x-rays are in normal clothes because they are consultants. This is to show authority. Homoerotic is used because they are standing very close together and when they are talking they are leaning into each other which shows that they are flirting.The patients are in stereotypical night gowns to show that they are the patients. The props used in the scene are everything that the hospital provides. Everything has to look like it was in a hospital otherwise the drama would not be the way that it is.  

Spooks

Discuss the ways in which the extract conducts the representation of ethnicity using the following: camera shots, angles, movement and composition. Editing, sound and mise-en-scene. 

       Throughout the scene there is non-digetic music being played which is on repeat the whole time. There is a bombing noise on a certain beat , which is deep and explosive which shows danger and war. This connotates to what is happening in the scene because the Iraqi men have captured the British spies. The music gets louder as the scene builds with tension. The music also becomes faster paced as the scene goes on, reinforcing that something bad is happening. The music is mostly violins which are used to build the tension of the scene. When the photo was thrown onto the desk the music was loud and unexpected which emphasises the fear and tension in the scene which is also non diegetic. Before the photo is thrown onto the table there is a short silence and then the photo is thrown onto the table then a loud noise is played making it the noise sound louder then it is for emphasis. The loud noise being played is the bombing noise which again shows danger and war. When she is reading the speech that the Iraqi man has forced her into doing, the music seems dark and dangerous and starts getting higher and louder creating sympathy for the woman.
       There is quick movement between transitions to up pace of the scene to create tension and suspense within the scene. This takes place when we see the close up of the man in the balaclava and the woman when she is telling the Iraqi man that she knows his plans. The use of shot reaction shots when they are discussing the plans and when he is told that she has discovered his plan also builds the tension within the scene. The way the cuts are edited together make the scene flow an example of this is when the main Iraqi man orders the man with the balaclava over his face to leave the room.We firstly see the main Iraqi man as a close up and then in swftly changes to an aerial shot so we get a complete view of the room and we see him leaving the room. If there weren't any of these the tense atmosphere of the scene could easily be lost. Continuity editing is being used when the man throws the picture onto the table. We see the lady look at the table and then we see what she is looking at. Editing is used to build enigma throughout the scene, this gives clues to the audience about what could happen in the next scene or later on in the scene they are watching. A flash of white is used on the shot of the photograph which creates a dramatic effect.
      There is an establishing shot at the beginning of the scene so it sets the scene showing the main participants which are in the clip. This is also an aerial shot because we can see the whole room from above so everything in the scene is visible in one shot. There is a low angle shot of the Iraqi man at the beginning when he has first started to talk to the lady which shows authority above the lady who has been kept hostage. The camera pans left when the man in charge moves when he finds out she has discovered his plan. There is an extreme close-up on the eyes of the man in the balaclava which shows he is dangerous. Extreme close ups on the photo and camera to show their significance in the scene. Camera tracks the man as he walks around the captives which shows that he is in charge and is looking down on them.
      Thin layer of net curtain, shows that they cannot see outside. This darkness connotates the danger and aloneness of the Iragi war. This shows scariness and the fact that no one can see them and she is being hold in hostage. The guard is masculine which adds to the stereotype of men being associated with violence. There is dark lighting which adds to the tension and danger. There is a shadow on half of their faces, shows that it is dark and dangerous. The fireplace is not used; seems abandoned and cold. Room is big and grand which contrasts stereotypes the Iraqi buildings. The location is remote and had no view out of the window again with the dark and dangerous effect. This makes the scene more scary because there is nothing around. The props used are knives, guns and handheld video camera which shows danger. The guard is dressed in black which connotates danger. Empty room apart from basic, plain furniture to show remoteness. Iraq man in suit so contrasts the stereotype dressed in shwarbs and turbans. Only natural light from the window which is the only source of light. 

Hotel Babylon

“Discuss the ways in which the extract, constructs representations of ethnicity using the following: camera shots, angles, movement and composition, editing, sound and mise-en-scene”.

            Throughout the scene of ‘Hotel Babylon’ we see a variety of different ethnicities. Firstly we meet the black Jamaican men.We know they are Jamaican because we can tell by the way they are talking and are talking about the ganga.  A tracking shot is used when the worker is walking down side of the swimming pool. The man in the swimming pool obviously recognises the man and gets out of the pool. An over the shoulder shot is used when they are in conversation. Man with the suit on gives a worried look when he sees the other man, he obviously does't want to go back to the way he used to be when he was friends with him. As the man gets out the swimming pool the man in the suit looks looks him up and down for a while - this suggests that he could be gay, which could have been the past life that he doesn't want to go back to. The man who's been swimming has his hair in dread locks which shows his ethnic background. 
             There is music being played throughout the whole clip which is non-digetic. The music changes when the scenarios change and when tension is built up e.g. When the Chefs are having an argument. Giani (the Italian chef) had an affair with Martin's (English chef) wife. Giani is a stereotypical Italian he is violent to people around him and very passionate. He is wearing black which represents badness. Where as Martin we think is the head chef and seems quite down to earth and upset that his wife had an affair. He is wearing white which represents goodness.
               There are two maids in the clip who we think are Russian/Polish (eastern European). They are known for working in different and being slutty (prostitutes). But one of them is wearing white underwear and a cross which represents purity. She didn't want to strip for the Japanese man, in contrast to the other maid who was wearing black lacey underwear, who was willing to do the stripping for the man.
                The Japanese man is a rich tourist who is staying in the hotel. This is stereotypical again because we usually associate Japanese people to be tourists as they are often at big tourist spots with their cameras.
                The staff who are in suits are higher up in hotel. The English people are the management and are dressed smartly and seem as though they have a lot of authority. There is also a mixed race English/Chinese worker who always seems to be rushing around and working very hard.
               In conclusion I feel all the different ethnicities shown in this clip fit the stereotypical characteristics that their nationality are known for.

How did Roots and The Cosby Show challenge previous sterotypical representations of black people in TV dramas
Roots - For the first time on U.S. television some of the realities of slavery--brutality, rape, enforced de-culturation--were confronted over a protracted period, and through individual characters with whom, as they fought to escape or survive, the audience could identify. There was emphasis on the centuries and decades before the 1970s, which the ahistorical vector in U.S. culture easily cushions from application to the often devastating here and now. Nonetheless, it was a signal achievement. This shows more realistic views of how it actually happened. 
The Cosby Show - The show attracted a certain volume of hostile comment, some of it smugly supercilious. The fact it was popular with white audiences in the South, and in South Africa, was a favorite quick shot to try to debunk it. Some critics claimed it fed the mirage that racial injustice could be overcome through individual economic advance, others that it primly fostered Reaganite conservative family values. Both were indeed easily possible readings of the show within contemporary U.S. culture. Yet critics often seemed to think a TV text could actually present a single monolithic meaningfulness or set up a firewall against inappropriate readings. The black man was a doctor and was shown in a positive way. An educated person who was in a profession in a wealthy area. His children went to a private area. 


The black people were non-existant they didn't really talk, and they were usually slaves or criminals in the shows. They were represented in a bad way.


What does the article say about the represntaion of black policman in programmes such as Miami Vice and Hawaii Five-O?
Historically the side-kick of the main person is of a different ethnicity and is often shown as the person who was not in charge or would be the comic character of the programme.

Opening Scene of The Only Way is Essex

Youtube Clip

Without the sound the audience can tell that the people who we are watching will be the main characters in the programme, as it includes their names so the audience are aware of the character's names before the programme has even started. From what we can see the female characters all seem to look like the typical 'Essex girl'. They look as though they have had surgery and are orange from fake tan. Where as the males all seem to be well presented and well dressed, with the exception of Harry who we can tell is gay because he is spraying hair spray into his hair.
From the images shown we can't tell what the narrative is going to be because it gives us no clue as to what is happening around them. It just tells us who the characters are but does not provide information about them.
The sound track is quite catchy to begin with without words. And then singing begins which creates the sense that the programme is going to be fun and interesting. It is happy theme tune that would attract an audience for any age.
The tone being set is happy and enjoyable and tells us that the programme will be filled with interesting fun stories for everybody to enjoy.

Skins

This clip shows conventional features of a teen TV drama as it is set in a school where the teenagers watching the show will go. The first people we meet are Freddie and Effy, this shows that these will be the main characters in the show. We know that it is this is their first day because they are introducing each other to one another.

A feature that is common in teenage TV dramas is having a good looking main protagonist which this programme does.

The programme attracts the audience because people can relate to some of the stories which take place and can show how different people react in different situations.

Skins is quite an unusual drama as each episode focuses on a different character in the programme. So it goes into more detail about each of the characters personal life. By doing this it allows the audience to get an attachment to each of the characters.

It is also quite unusual because the story line goes into quite deep emotions and shows explicit scenes which you wouldn't see in other teen TV dramas like Beaver Falls and The Inbetweeners.

They often use point of view shows to show the audience the eye of the characters. The also use medium shots to show that people are in conversation and also over the shoulder shots and reaction shots to show the different characters when they are talking in a conversation.

 This will be a over the shoulder shot which would turn into a reaction shot when changing to the next person.

 This is a medium shot to show the audience are having a conversation.

This is a point of view shot to show the audience that Freddie and Effy are looking at Freddie's group of friends.

Beaver falls is a teen drama, made by the british film industry, however set in America. It is about a group of 3 boys that go on a 'camp america' kind of thing, for their summer. The age group ranges from 16-22, with the characters being 19 years old. It is a stereotypical group of boys, consisting of an attractive , a geek, and a genuine (average) guy. it attracts its target audience with an attractive main protagonist, many girls (at the camp), and humour. It has sexual scenes, strong language however in a humoured way. It brings up issues of relationships, school, drugs through many emotions, which may relate to some issues that the audience may be going through. The programme brings humour through showing the immaturity of the characters.
Establishing shots and pan shots are used a lot as they remind the audience of how the group of boys are on a camp in the USA, making this tv drama different to those other teen drama's focused around school, however the idea and theme of school/university is brought up throughout the series.

Skins Clip
Freddie
He seems like quite a genuine person who is trying to make friends with the 'pretty' girl. He tries to make himself seem cooler to her by saying that his friends aren't really friends with him. But as soon as she says that she knows they are his best friends then he agrees with her. He seems to be very desperate to get to know the girl because when she gives him the list of doing things which break the school rules he agrees to doing them straight away.
Costume- The clothes that he is wearing are casual and comfy looking. They don't look expensive, which suggests that he comes from a lower class family. He is also holding a cap with a flat peak which, if it was on, could be stereotyped as 'chavy'.

Effy
She comes across as a stubborn person who does whatever she wants to do. With one of the first things she says is "You can have anything if you want it enough". This suggests that she will do anything until she gets what she wants. When Freddie is trying to make friends with her, she seems quite reluctant to doing so, and seems as though many people have asked to get to know her before hand. She is also willing to get other people in trouble and tries to create rivalry between the friends by doing so. We know already that she is a 'bad girl' by the list that she gave Freddie to do.
Costume- She also is wearing casual comfy looking clothes and again show that she may come from a lower class family. She is wearing heavy eye lake up and has big bags under her eyes, which could suggest that she has problems at home so can't sleep so is trying to cover it up.

Narrative- We can tell that the narrative is going to be the friends competing to get the list done first so they are able to get to know Effy. This clips almost leaves a cliff hanger because we want to know how they complete the list and who completes it first.
Editing- There doesn't seem to be much editing in the scene as it is set in a school and there is nothing you can really do to the school.
Sound- The sound is digetic as all we can hear are natural sounds, like people walking a long the corridor and mumbling of other people's conversations in the back ground to create the atmosphere of the school environment.

Camera Angles

Throughout the scene there are many over the shoulder shots. The picture on the right is an example. By doing this it shows that the characters are having a conversation. A reaction shot would take place when the camera is changing from one person to the other.

There are mid shots as well in the scene. This is to show both characters in the conversation. A mid shot is when we can only see the top half of the character's body in the shot.








There is also a point of view shot when Effy tells Freddie to look at his friends. A point of view shot is when the audience see something in the eyes of the character