Moving Image

Monarch of the Glen Essay - 12th September 2013

The argument portrayed in the clip from 'The Monarch of the Glen' is based on the representation of age. The character of Amy emphasises the young generation, and the Headmaster and the majority of the other community members represent the older generation. The character of Paul is somewhat in the middle of these two generations, which gives the audience a better understanding of how these different generations are presented. The clip accentuates that the way the characters are treated is based upon their age.

At the beginning of the clip, the wide shot of the setting sets the scene for the audience. They are introudced to a rural area with fields,trees and fences. Initially, this does not seem like the kind of place for a typical, younger generation which emphasises the first representational issue. The scene then cuts to an older group of people packing the back of a car with wheelbarrows,wood and poles. This clearly does not present the kind of environment that a teenager would prefer. There are no children in the scene, just older people, which emphasises that the area is preferred by a more mature generation. The audience then meets the character of Amy. Her yellow top and her fashionable jeans exaggerate that she is not meant to be in the shown environment. When she talks to her friend, she says 'I need to talk to you'. Her nervous stance suggests that she has a secret that she wishes to share with this friend, but is wary of the consequences. An older man, who we are later introduced to as Paul, interrupts them and asks if Amy can drive. Amy says 'course, passed first time' and Paul throws her the keys to his car which demonstrates that he has trust in her.

When Amy gets into the car, the close up on her face highlights her confused, puzzled expression, as she struggles to remember how to start the car. This makes the audience question what she had just said to Paul, and wonder if she was lying. Amy leaves in the car, and a few seconds later we hear a crash. The setting then changes to Paul's car and another man's car having slightly collided. Amy is fine and is out of the car unharmed, as is the man from the other car. Paul, her friend from earlier on and a woman come running to her aid, and we see her visibly become younger on screen as she holds on to them for reassurance and a feeling of safety. The man says 'Amy I should've known it would be you' which makes the audience realise that the pair of them obviously know each other. It is then revealed that he is her headmaster, and that Amy is just 16.

The setting changes again to inside a room, where Paul and the Head teacher are discussing Amy. The low angle shots of the Head Master signify that he is superior to Paul, because he is older than him. This displays to the audience another difference in age and how different ages are treated. Meanwhile, Amy is being comforted by an older woman, which highlights that she has become younger since it was revealed that she is younger than her companions thought.

Paul storms out of the room fuming at the fact that Amy hasn't yet taken her exams. Here we see the real change in behaviour towards Amy, as he treats her like a young child who is inferior to him and has to as she is told. This is further emphasised by the low camera angle which makes Paul seem more powerful than Amy. He tells her that she needs to pack her things and go back home, and we see her child like character come out as she runs off shouting 'I hate you'.

The sad music while Amy is getting ready to run away, accentuates that she is feeling miserable and disheartened at the fact that she has been treated differently since her true age was revealed. The idea that she is running away signifies her immaturity and child-like nature, as she has not yet realised that running away from her problems will not make them go away. The teddy bears that she leaves also emphasises her childish nature.




Camera Angles Presentation






Camera Shots definitions

Establishing shot - Sets up, or establishes the context for a scene by showing the relationship between its important figures and objects. It is generally a long or extreme-long shot at the beginning of a scene indicating where and sometimes when, the scene is.

Master shot - A master shot is a film recording of an entire scene, from an angle that keeps all the players in view. It is often a long shot and can sometimes perform a double function as an establishing shot. Usually, the master shot is the first shot checked off during the shooting of a scene; it is the foundation of what is called camera coverage, other shots that reveal different aspects of the action, groupings of two or three of the actors at crucial moments, close-ups of individuals, insert shots of various props, and so on.

Close up - Tightly frames the focus in the scene. For example, a close up of an actor will allow the audience to read their facial expression and gain an understanding of how they are feeling.

Mid Shot - a mid shot is a camera angle shot from a medium distance. The dividing line between "long shot" and "medium shot" is fuzzy, as is the line between "medium shot" and "close-up".

Long Shot - shows the image as approximately "life" size is corresponding to the real distance between the audience and the screen in a cinema. This category includes the showing the entire human body, with the head near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom. While the focus is on characters, plenty of background detail still emerges.

Wide Shot - In photography, filmmaking and video production, a long shot (sometimes referred to as a full shot or a wide shot) typically shows the entire object or human figure and is usually intended to place it in some relation to its surroundings.

Two Shot - a shot of two people, with similar framing to a mid shot. This displays to the audience the two people that they should be focusing on, for example if they are having a conversation or an argument, these would be the two subjects that were the main focus.

Point of View Shot - the view from the subjects perspective. This enables the audience to see what the subject is seeing, which helps them to relate to the situation and they feel included.

Over the shoulder shot - Looking from behind a person's shoulder at the subject. This can be used when the two people in the frame are having a conversation and the focus is on the subject.

Aerial Shot - An exciting variation of a crane shot, usually taken from a helicopter. This is often used at the beginning of a film, in order to establish setting and movement.

Angles

High Angle - The camera is elevated above the action using a crane to give a general overview. High angles make the object photographed seem smaller, and less significant (or scary). The object or character often gets swallowed up by their setting - they become part of a wider picture.

Low Angle - These increase height and give a sense of speeded motion. Low angles help give a sense of confusion to a viewer, of powerlessness within the action of a scene. The background of a low angle shot will tend to be just sky or ceiling, the lack of detail about the setting adding to the disorientation of the viewer. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.

Cranted Angle - Sometimes the camera is tilted (ie is not placed horizontal to floor level), to suggest imbalance, transition and instability (very popular in horror movies). This technique is used to suggest POINT-OF-View shots (ie when the camera becomes the 'eyes' of one particular character, seeing what they see — a hand held camera is often used for this.

Movement

Pan - A movement which scans a scene horizontally. The camera is placed on a tripod, which operates as a stationary axis point as the camera is turned, often to follow a moving object which is kept in the middle of the frame.

Tilt - A movement which scans a scene vertically, otherwise similar to a pan.

Dolly Sometimes called TRUCKING or TRACKING shots. The camera is placed on a moving vehicle and moves alongside the action, generally following a moving figure or object. Complicated dolly shots will involve a track being laid on set for the camera to follow, hence the name. The camera might be mounted on a car, a plane, or even a shopping trolley (good method for independent film-makers looking to save a few dollars). A dolly shot may be a good way of portraying movement, the journey of a character for instance, or for moving from a long shot to a close-up, gradually focusing the audience on a particular object or character.

Steadicam - Steadicam is a brand of camera stabilizing mount for motion picture cameras that mechanically isolates it from the operator's movement. It allows for a smooth shot, even when moving quickly over an uneven surface.

Handheld - Hand held shots serve to create a more “home made” or dramatic feel to a shot.

Zoom - Zooming is one camera move that most people are probably familiar with. It involves changing the focal length of the lens to make the subject appear closer or further away in the frame. Most video cameras today have built-in zoom features. Some have manual zooms as well, and many have several zoom speeds.

Reverse Zoom - A single shot which moves away from a particular subject.












Matched cut. In a 'matched cut' a familiar relationship between the shots may make the change seem smooth:
•continuity of direction;
•completed action
•a similar centre of attention in the frame;
•a one-step change of shot size (e.g. long to medium);
•a change of angle (conventionally at least 30 degrees).

The cut is usually made on an action (for example, a person begins to turn towards a door in one shot; the next shot, taken from the doorway, catches him completing the turn). Because the viewer's eye is absorbed by the action he is unlikely to notice the movement of the cut itself.



Jump cut. Abrupt switch from one scene to another which may be used deliberately to make a dramatic point. Sometimes boldly used to begin or end action. Alternatively, it may be result of poor pictorial continuity, perhaps from deleting a section.

Motivated cut. Cut made just at the point where what has occurred makes the viewer immediately want to see something which is not currently visible (causing us, for instance, to accept compression of time). A typical feature is the shot/reverse shot technique.

Cutting rate. Frequent cuts may be used as deliberate interruptions to shock, surprise or emphasize.

Cross-cut. A cut from one line of action to another. Also applied as an adjectuve to sequences which use such cuts.

Cutaway/cutaway shot (CA). A bridging, intercut shot between two shots of the same subject. It represents a secondary activity occurring at the same time as the main action. It may be preceded by a definite look or glance out of frame by a participant, or it may show something of which those in the preceding shot are unaware.

Reaction Shot. Any shot, usually a cutaway, in which a participant reacts to action which has just occurred.

Insert/insert shot. A bridging close-up shot inserted into the larger context, offering an essential detail of the scene (or a reshooting of the action with a different shot size or angle.)

Buffer shot (neutral shot). A bridging shot (normally taken with a separate camera) to separate two shots which would have reversed the continuity of direction.

Fade, dissolve (mix). Both fades and dissolves are gradual transitions between shots. In a fade the picture gradually appears from (fades in) or disappears to (fades out) a blank screen.

Superimpositions. Two of more images placed directly over each other (e.g. and eye and a camera lens to create a visual metaphor).

Wipe. An optical effect marking a transition between two shots. It appears to supplant an image by wiping it off the screen (as a line or in some complex pattern, such as by appearing to turn a page). The wipe is a technique which draws attention to itself and acts as a clear marker of change.

Inset. An inset is a special visual effect whereby a reduced shot is superimposed on the main shot. Often used to reveal a close-up detail of the main shot.

Split screen. The division of the screen into parts which can show the viewer several images at the same time (sometimes the same action from slightly different perspectives, sometimes similar actions at different times). This can convey the excitement and frenzy of certain activities, but it can also overload the viewer.


Csi:Miami - Chosen Representational Clip




The representation of gender is presented through this clip from CSI: Miami. The man holds the woman at gunpoint which demonstrates that he is taking advantage of the stereotypically 'weaker' female as he believes he is superior to her because he his stronger and taller than her. The diegetic sound at the beginning of the clip highlights that he is trying to scare the woman and make her obey his orders. Her voice is calm considering the situation, which portrays that she is trying to keep her cool and not display to the man that she is afraid of him. He also believes that using her as bait will make the men in the room sympathise her because they will believe that she is just a ‘helpless’ and ‘vulnerable’ woman, and will feel that they have to jump in and protect her, which would mean that they give the man the money that he is demanding. Her hands in a position of surrender demonstrates that she is following the man’s orders and not defending herself so that she doesn't cause any further trouble for herself. There is then a shift in dominance as the man is faced with four guns pointing at him, and the woman turns and hits the man in the stomach and he falls to the floor. The dramatic build up to this creates tension as the viewer does not know who is in the stronger position. The woman then contradicts the man’s initial opinion of her and of the stereotypical expectations of women. For example, women are usually expected to have someone to protect them or someone to fight on their behalf, in this clip, that is not the case. Although the 4 gunmen help her to distract her capturer, it is she that manages to compose herself and ensure that she is able to physically attack the man. The attack is unexpected as the woman still looks vulnerable and nervous, and the viewer would be more likely to believe that the man would be shot rather than be hit by the woman, who is in the worse position of them all. This violence contradicts the clichéd representation of women, as she has thought on her feet and while her capturer is distracted, she takes the responsibility to defend herself and not rely on the men to help her make an escape from the man’s clutches.


Representation

Gender

Gender is the basic category in which we use to sort human beings. It includes essential elements such as our identity and other peoples identities. The aspects we assume people have from gender comes from the question 'what does it mean to be a boy or a girl?'

Many objects are also stereotypically perceived to be either masculine or feminine due to what awareness we have that constitutes 'appropriate' charactistics for each gender.

Women

-the representation of women are the same as 30 years ago despite the fact that feminism has been around since then.

-they seem to include beauty, size, sexuality, emotional dealings and relationships

-they are often represented as being part of context (family, friends, colleagues) and being part of a team. They tend to be passive rather than active.

-in tv the main women contradict the societal expectations and are seen as dangerous and deviant.

Men

-representations of men include strength, power, sexual attractiveness, physique and independence

-they tend to be portrayed as not having to rely on others (lone hero)

Age

We often quickly judge people based on their age. Different ages have different representations and stereotypes.

Common representations of age:

Rebellions teen

Senile old woman/man

Cradle robbing woman

Male in mid life crisis

Middle age woman clinging to her youth

Silly old man

Ethnicity

There are many representations based on race and ethnicity in the media. Stereotyping race is often seen as more offensive than other representations. They are often based on social myth, passed down generations. Most work on race and the media has concentrated on the representation of black men and women because of the strong African-American counter culture which provides alternative role models and demands that they are represented.
 

They can often be portrayed as

-gangster

-impoverished

-criminal

-victim

-hero

Asian representations can consist of

-intelligent

-martial artist

-obsessed with electronics

-quirky or weak

-lack emotion

-women can be seen as ditzy in some cases

Representation of sexuality

The main sexual orientations are heterosexuality and homosexuality.

Representations of heterosexual women:

-loving,respectable

-promiscuous

-frigid

-pure

-gold digger, pregnant teen, cougar

Representations of heterosexual men:

-Respectable

-promiscuous

-ladies man

-heart throb

-nervous when talking to women

Representations of homosexual women:

-monogamous

-Promiscuous

-embarrassed

Representations of homosexual men:

-promiscuous

-monogamous

-overbearing

-embarrassed

Class and status

This establishes who is powerful and fortunate and who is less fortunate and inferior. This includes lower class, lower middle class, working class, upper middle class, upper class, rich.

Physical ability/disability

This includes those who are physically disabled (paralysed, deaf, blind, amputees), those who are limited in what they can do (morbidly obsese, cancer, aids etc) and those who are in good shape (athletes, superheroes, average people)


Forms of the Gaze

Extra-diegetic gaze - where the person depicted in the text looks at the specaor such as an aside, or an acknowlegdement of the 'fourth wall'
The camera's gaze - which is the gaze of the camera and is often equated to the director's gaze.
Intra-intra-diagetic gaze - such as Bart & Lisa watching Itchy & Scratchy on the simpsons.

Still Image Analysis








Examples:

Diagetic - the two people are having a conversation which demonstrates that their voices are used while they are present on the screen.


Non Diagetic - the narrator's commentary tells the audience about the penguins but he cannot be seen on the screen.


Synchronous - The sound of the car screeching highlights that it is going too fast and is getting harder to control. The noise of Phil crashing through the windscreen displays the seriousness of the accident.


Asynchronous - The two people are having a conversation while a the noise of an ambulance is heard in the background.


Sound Motif - The programme titles introducing the characters reoccurs at the beginning of every episode.



Chosen clip for sound analysis


The diegetic sound in the clip illustrates the conversations between the characters. This is used to give the audience a taster of what is likely to be the key topics in the programme and these conversations are presumably going to draw the majority of the audience in by displaying the most interesting and exciting parts of the programme. The variety of dialogue between the characters highlights the different moods and situations that are included throughout the programme. This includes awkwardness, anger, frustration, celebration and humour. By including this variety, it signifies to the audience that there is a wide range of unique scenes and situations likely to entertain them. The non diegetic sound at the beginning of the trailer is quite eerie and tense. This apprehensive atmosphere illustrates that the audience is likely to be drawn in because they want to find out what is going to happen, and the music suggests that something dramatic will occur. At first, the music is used to introduce the main character in a spooky, mysterious way which alongside her serious/frustrated facial expression captures the audience's attention. This then creates a sound bridge by following on to the next cut, which displays a wide shot of where the story is set. We then get a first glimpse of the main character in her surroundings, which we can see is urban and most likely to represent a busy city. The music starts picking up pace as we are introduced to many different characters, and many different scenes included in the programme. This is to excite the audience and make them feel as if the music is building up to something, which keeps them watching. When things in the trailer start to get more serious and tense, the music picks up even more pace, accentuating to the audience that this is where it gets exciting, and demonstrates what the main plot of the storyline is. This is also emphasised by the change in diegetic sound. The characters voices become raised as they argue, creating furthur dynamic for the audience.


Reanacting a TV Drama clip
Our clip - Waterloo Road Argument - Jess needs the morning after pill


Script -Script:
jess; Did you even try?
Viki; Yeah i did try,i had to sit there while she was banging on about STI's and all sort
Jess; Well i would have done the same thing for you,only i would have done it properly.
Viki; How could i jess?!She wanted me to take the pill right then and there
Jess; Well you could have made up an excuse or something or you could have pretended to take them..NO you just caved easily.
Viki;You know what i dont believe you, you should be grateful. You got yourself into this mess
Jess; Well excuse me who do you think you are to judge me?! I'm not the one dancing around a pole in my knickers.
Viki; (pause) You know i only did that cause i needed the money
Jess;Well we both know what that makes you, don't we.
Viki; You got a nerve Jess... You're on your own ( walks off)
Jess: FINE!
(viki walks back)
Viki; You're not on your own are you? You've slept withh 14 blokes recently and you've got the nerve to call me...
(jess slaps viki)
(start pushing eachother)
Teacher: WHAT'S GOING ON?! (breaks up fight)
Teacher:what is going on?
Jess; What do you care eh?
Teacher; You can't go around hitting people Jess
Viki; Oh yes she can,she thinks she can do everything. Stupid Cow
Jess; Shut your mouth Viki
Viki; Why?! cause its true. You go clubbing every night bringing random blokes home and you except me to cover for ya.
Jess;( aggresively) Shut your mouth
Teacher; Alrite, that is enough.
Jess; You know what...you're just jealous of me
Viki; ..Jealous of what?You're a skank (walks off)



The scene begins with the two girls Vikki and Jess having a heated conversation, clearly quite frustrated with one another. The mid shot allows the audience to see the body positioning of the girls and also their facial expressions, which looks uncomfortable and agitated - further accentuating the negativity in their dialogue. The camera angle then changes to an over the shoulder shot as the girls conversation becomes more and more heated. This allows the audience to see Jess' facial expression as she argues with Vikki - which builds the tension for the audience as they are aware that the argument has not yet reach the most explosive part. The camera angle then becomes a mid shot again displaying both characters as their argument continues. The diegetic sound displays their anger as their voices are raised and they are using expression to emphasise their points. The camera angle then changes again to a close up of the characters as Jess slaps Vikki. The diegetic sound of Jess dropping her books and then slapping Vikki highlights her anger and the frustration of the situation. The camera changes again to establish a mid shot of the girls fighting which allows the audience to see their facial expressions and their body language as the continually fight eachother until the teacher comes running in. The scene finishes with Vikki walking off camera in anger over the argument and the fight.


Representation of Disability clip - BBC

This scene from a BBC programme focuses on the representation of disability. The first thing we hear is the non diegetic voice saying 'last summer I decided to kill my brother'. This conveys to us that there is a narrator who is predominantly the main character in the programme which is emphasised as he is telling the story from his point of view. The quite gloomy music combined with the darkness we see on Gary's side of the room compared to his brother's lighter side emphasises the negativity surrounding Gary's personality. The high angle establishing shot highlights the difference in the characters as Gary looks extremely on edge whereas his brother looks relaxed and comfortable. We can hear him talking about his plans involving killing his brother-that is disabled.He is displayed to be his brothers carer and obviously isn't happy about that situation. The darkness around Gary accentuates that he is perhaps dangerous and a character that needs to be looked out for - whereas his brother is presented as the complete opposite - as someone who is completely innocent and wouldn't hurt a fly. This is further accentuated in the Gorilla scenes - as Gary seems to be the more dominant character who could take control of a situation and could perhaps be violent and aggressive. The close ups of his brother makes the audience sympathise him as he cannot help who he is and Gary doesn't seem to understand that.

The setting then changes to a family breakfast where the diegetic sound incinuates that Gary is extremely frustrated at his brother for eating all the weetabix. The close up on his brothers face makes the audience empathise him because he is presented as sweet and innocent and isnt trying to cause any harm - he just simply implies that he his hungry. When his mother leaves to go to work, she kisses Gary's brother on the head and doesn't say anything to Gary. The mid shot on Gary displays that he is slightly annoyed by the situation however is trying to act like he isn't bothered. This makes the audience sympathise Gary as he is portrayed as being neglected by his family and conveyed as less important compared to his brother's disability.

There is then an establishing shot of the bus stop and the cars to illustate the chaos in each of the brother's lives, as Gary's non diegetic voice narrates the story of how he feels that his brother always needs looking after and that he gets special treatment to keep him happy. This makes the audience sympathise Gary because it furthur emphasises how his parents put his brother before him because of his disability, however it could also make the audience emphathise his brother because he cannot help his disability - and they may feel that Gary should be more understanding of his brothers needs. We are then shown a series of scenes as Gary non diegetically reminices about experiences that he has had to go through for the benefit of his brother – such as riding a bike, climbing a tree, eating ice cream etc which highlights the youth of his brother. Gary is then seen picking up a toy gun, pointing and aiming it at his brother and the synchronous sound of the non diegetic ‘bang' contributes to the earlier comment of Gary intending to kill his brother. Many of the camera angles on Gary are low angle shots to demonstrate that he is superior to his brother and is typically the more powerful person in the relationship - whereas the camera angles on his brother are high angle or close up - to emphasise his inferiority to his brother and to demonstrate his youth.


Intro

Synergy and cross media convergence from sandraoddy2


Re Write Of Disability Clip
The clip from 'coming down the mountain' displays the representational issue of disability through a relationship between two brothers, one abled and one disabled.

The first scene is introduced by an establishing shot of a birds eye view on the brother's bedroom. As well as highlighting that the brothers have to share a room, which suggests a lack of income in the family, there is a huge juxtaposition displayed trough the mise en scene. David's side of the room is dull and dreary which connotes gloom and depression, whereas Ben's side is bright and colourful - connoting happiness and joy. There is then a close up shot of David's face to introduce the audience to the protagonist as he has the most screen time. The panning movement around David's face allows the audience to see his deep thought. This is followed by the non diegetic voice over of "last summer I decided to kill my brother" which shocks the audience and immediately makes them sympathise with Ben as he is the victim of his brother's hatred.

This scene is followed by a montage of casement, dinosaurs, gorillas and other prehistoric things, all converted into greyscale. It is introduced by a non diegetic explosion to grab the audiences attention and emphasise to them David's theory that evolution went wrong somewhere which caused his brother to have Down syndrome. This nightlight David's power over Ben as he feels more superior as he is more able bodied.

The scene then changes to introduce the block of flats that the family live in through the use of a long shot. This suggests that the family are of a lower class and may suffer from financial difficulty - causing the audience to sympathise with them. There is then a close up of David's face, which conveys an expression of disgust - illustrating the dislike he has for his brother. This is followed by a close up on Ben's face, who is eating his cereal - an act which seems completely innocent however is being seen as annoying to David. The happy non-diegetic music 'wouldn't it be nice' contradicts the tense feeling between the family. David comes to the realisation that Ben has eaten all the weetabix and expresses his anger through taboo language. His reaction is confronted by his Mother's sharp tone "can you just grow up?!" Whereas she uses a much softer tone with Ben "it was a bit selfish". This makes the audience sympathise David because he is treated more harshly when he isn't the one in the wrong.

The continuity editing allows the show to move to the next scene of the brothers walking to the bus stop. David non diegetically expresses the amount of care that David is forced with as his brother is hard to look after. There is then flashbacks of previous events in the brother's lives emphasising that they are always together and presents David with the role of Ben's carer. The audience are able to sympathise with David as they are aware that it would be a hard job for a young adult to handle.

This is followed by a class room scene where the lively non diegetic music is cut by the teacher shouting 'David Phillips!' Who has clearly been in a day dream. This highlights that the only time he has breathing space and time to relax is when he is at school In a class without Ben, illustrating that Ben's disability takes up the majority of David's life allowing the audience to sympathise with him



Primeval Clip

How is gender presented in the Primeval clip?

 

In the Primeval clip, the representation of gender conveys contrasting ideas between stereotypical characters.

The scene is introduced by a mid shot displaying a man chasing after a women whilst diegetically saying ‘what’s wrong?’ This immediately challenges the stereotypical idea of a man as he is supposed to be the more dominant character whereas in this scene that is not the case. This is further emphasised when the over the shoulder shot displays the woman’s face as she says ‘this shouldn’t be happening, any of it!’ with a look of worry and panic upon her face. Along with the gloomy non-diegetic music played over the acting, this conveys that the situation is distressing for her. Her stern tone highlights that she has the control in the conversation which demonstrates the contrast in stereotypical ideas of gender.

A wide shot is used to introduce to the audience the character of Abby. Through continuity editing, the audience is able to understand what the woman was referring to in the previous scene. The non-diegetic music played in the scene before changes and becomes more intense and eerie. The long shot of Abby controlling the digger contradicts the usual stereotype of a woman as she is handling a very male orientated machine with ease. The audience become aware through the mise en scene that Abby is not a typical woman, as she has very short hair and is wearing a leather jacket which displays her as a ‘tomboy’ and conveys her to be rugged and tough – further highlighting the non stereotypical view of women.

There is then a close up of a hand found by the man on the screen, in the hole that Abby has dug using the digger. The non-diegetic ‘roar!’ conveys that there could be trouble looming. The fast panning shot around the trees and bushes highlights the man’s panic as he quickly searches for the source of the danger. This is followed by an over the shoulder shot of the sabre tooth tiger sprinting towards the man. This is not a stereotypical representation of men as it is typically woman who are the targets of danger – the ‘damsels in distress’. This is further illustrated on the following close up of the man as he jumps into the hole to cover from the animal. The close up shot highlights his instinct to defend himself as he waves his arms in defence. The audience then hear Abby’s voice shout ‘Oi!’ to distact the Sabre Tooth Tiger away from the man. This conveys contrasting ideas between the characters as she is being presented as the more brave and courageous character which is typically unexpected of the female protagonist. All the meanwhile, the non-diegetic music is fact paced connoting elements of fear and tension, which reflects the action happening in the clip. Following this, there is a long shot of the man within the bushes shouting at the Sabre Tooth Tiger to follow him – which supports the stereotypical idea of a man being brave as he risks himself for Abby’s safety.

This is followed by a high angle shot of the man running from the tiger which highlights his lack of power in the situation and belittles him. However, this is followed by a low angle shot as he climbs the ladder, demonstrating the sudden change in power as he is escaping the animal. This is supported by the high angle shot of the tiger who has been unsuccessful in reaching the man. This is followed by a variety of point of view shots, high angle shots, low angle shots and mid shots to display the man’s struggle to escape the tiger on a zip wire. This highlights his unbalanced power which makes him seem extremely vulnerable and not in the dominant position. There is then a long shot of Abby holding a gun further highlighting her non stereotypical portrayal as a woman. There is then a diegetic sound of a shot being fired and the tiger jumps over the man, leaving the man looking breathless and relieved.

A high angle shot follows of the man in the hole displayed earlier in the clip. This jump cut illustrates the change in time as they are no longer being chased by the animal and are back to their earlier location.  This is followed by a tracking shot of the three men and Abby walking towards the other man, which highlights that Abby is accepted by them all as they reflect her body language. The diegetic conversation leads to cross cutting which introduces two new characters, a posh looking lady and a grubby looking man.

The woman is very domineering towards the man and seems to be the one in power until the man gets progressively more annoyed towards the woman for trying to control him. This is portrayed further when the man gets the gun and threatens the woman. The close up on her face emphasises her fear and panic when faced with the weapon, as she tries to plead with the man not to hurt her. This change in power supports the stereotypical representation of men as they are expected to be the ones in power. The diegetic sound of the dogs barking when a shot is fired highlights the tense atmosphere of the situation and excites the audience. The man grabs her arm and chucks her to the floor pointing the gun at her face, which is edited in slow motion to give a more tense effect. He is stopped by the two men and Abby from earlier in the clip as they all point weapons at him. This supports the stereotypical idea of men as they are rescuing the lady from being shot, however demonstrates a challenge of the representation of women as it is not expected for Abby to come to the rescue yet again. The woman on the floor gets up and dusts herself off and says ‘this is my best coat!’ supporting a stereotypical idea that woman like to look their best. As she leaves Abby is the one to say to the man ‘Sabre Tooth, is it here?’ This highlights her ability to take control of the situation which contrasts the ideas of gender.

Dr Who Clip

How is gender presented in the Doctor Who clip?

 

Throughout the clip, there are various representations of gender that are displayed. Camera angles, sound, editing and mise en scene are used to highlight these variations and to establish the dominance of the characters at different points, reflecting stereotypical and unstereotypical representations of gender.

The clip displays to the audience a wide range of camera angles in order to highlight the different representations of gender a strongly as possible. At the beginning of the clip, there is a high angle shot on Martha as she is verbally tormented by the Master. This demonstrates her lack of control and authority in the situation which shows that stereotypically, the Master who is a male, has the superiority. The close up shots on her face illustrate her vulnerability and display the slight fear and worry that she is feeling. This allows the audience to sympathise with her as she is in a difficult situation and is presented as the victim – which conveys the stereotypical idea that women need looking after and protecting. This is further illustrated in the low angle shots on the Master. This camera angle establishes his dominance and accentuates that he is the one in control – which highlights that he is portraying a stereotypical theory that men have more control of women than women do over men. A low angle shot is also used to portray the woman standing next to the Master as an extremely stereotypical idea of a female. The woman is obviously on the side of the Master, as she is standing with him as if she was asserting her belonging to him. It illustrates the representation that the man is in control of her as she isn’t objecting against his malicious plans. Further on in the clip, there are close ups of various people chanting ‘Doctor’. This highlights their equality and conveys that the men and women shown are of equal dominance as well as allowing the audience to see the belief and hope presented in their facial expressions. As the clip progresses, it becomes apparent that Martha is gaining control of the situation which is demonstrated through a low angle shot of her – illustrating that she has been able to take the dominance from the male character and obligate it herself, which portrays a gender role reversal as the Master has now become the inferior one. The most dominant character in the clip is established when the Doctor is floating higher than everyone else, and there is a low angle shot on him. It conveys that he has the authority and that he has the most power in the circumstance. The clip finishes on a high angle shot of the Master shouting ‘’No!’ as the wide shot illustrates the Doctor moving closer to him. This concludes the clip and displays that the Master has lost all his authority and is now the most inferior character.

Gender representation is also portrayed through sound. As the clip begins, the non-diegetic music played over the scene has a western sound to it. This could suggest a type of ‘cowboy showdown’ and prepare the audience for some kind of conflict which portrays a tough representation of women as Martha is walking towards the master. The master uses dominating dialogue towards her to assert his power and control. The imperative verb ‘kneel’ highlights the authority that he has over her as she isn’t hesitant to respond. Diegetic dialogue is used throughout the clip when the characters are speaking so the audience is able to understand what is going on. As Martha starts to gain control of the situation the non-diegetic music becomes louder and creates a tense atmosphere which engages the audience as the female is starting to take control. Her sarcastic dialogue and her laughing further illustrates this by accentuating that she has outsmarted the Master which portrays females as more intelligent than males and that she is proud of it. The Doctor’s calm yet assertive dialogue presents him as the most superior character as it becomes clear that he is extremely powerful as the characters listen to him. The master raises his voice at the Doctor, portraying that he is becoming angry with having lost control of the situation. This displays two representations of males, one that is admired and calm and one that is feisty and arrogant. The Master’s final pleas of “I order you to stop…You can’t do this…It’s not fair…No!” illustrate his complete loss of authority which has been taken by the Doctor, conveying the Doctor as the stereotypical male hero of the situation.

Another way in which gender is presented in this clip is via the mise en scene. Throughout the clip, there are various camera shots which introduce the audience to the guards in the room. They are wearing all black which connotes death and evil which suggests a stereotypical idea of men that they turn to violence and destruction in order to keep control of a situation. This is further emphasised through their handling of a huge gun that they are obviously using to prevent any trouble. Another representation of gender in the clip is presented through the woman that stands next to the master. She is wearing an elegant red dress which connotes love, passion and romance – all elements which are commonly associated with females. She has big, blonde hair which emphasises that she clearly takes care of her appearance which is also usually associated with women. Additionally, Captain Jack presents a masculine representation of males. He has dirt and mud on his face and his clothes which conveys a rugged, brave stereotype. Also displayed in the clip is the guns that the Master is planning to launch, this highlights that he wants to use violence to establish his dominance. Moreover, he also does this by keeping the Doctor in a cage. Doing this illustrates that he feels he is a more superior male while also establishing himself as the ‘bad’ character and the Doctor as the ‘good’ character. When the Doctor is turning back into his human form, the setting becomes very windy and there are bits of paper flying around the room. This creates an intense and dynamic atmosphere in order to display just how dominant and powerful the Doctor is, creating a representation that males are more dominant. The stairs play quite an important role in representing gender as when the Doctor hovers over them, the Master quickly gets himself down them which further conveys the Doctor as the most superior male in the scene.

Furthermore, gender is also portrayed through the use of editing. The continuity editing throughout the clip allows the audience to understand the events unravelling in the scene and highlights the gradual role reversal between Martha and the Master. The shot reverse shot between Martha and the Master illustrate the two genders facing off against each other, which is unusual for the male gender as they stereotypically tend to be protective over the female however in this scene that is not the case. The flashbacks shown as Martha tells the Master about her journeys highlight her tough persona and display that she is not a typical female, as she was willing to travel in dark and cold conditions in order to spread the word of the Doctor. However the dissolve effect on each flashback scenario suggests that she feels emotional about it as she tells it, which portrays a stereotypical representation that women are emotional. The parallel editing allows the audience to see all the different people in different places of the world saying ‘Doctor’ at the same time. It highlights that each gender is equal as they all believe in the Doctor. The special effects used on the Doctor as he is transforming into a human again illustrate the mystery that he possesses and the belief that people have in him as a leader.

 

ER Clip

The ER clip displays the representation of age. The clip suggests that there are two different views on age, one being that age is extremely complicated, the other being that it has no importance at all. This is displayed through the camera angles, mise-en-scene, sound and editing.

The scene opens with a close up of the male doctor who wears a white coat signifying his medical career, walking beside a female doctor who wears the same coat. The pan movement of the camera moves backwards as they walk towards the camera, creating a sense of a busy environment. The two doctors are conferring about one of the patients, and the dialogue between them suggests that the female doctor has just review the test results of a patient, signifying the experience that she holds within her career which is more typically expected of an older person. This is followed by an over the shoulder shot of the male doctor suggesting that he is taken all the information given on board, highlighting he is also experienced in his career. While this is happening, the diegetic sounds in the background include the telephone ringing, people conversing to make the scene seem more realistic.

The next scene displays the male doctor walking into one of the patient’s rooms through a mid shot, which allows the audience to see all the medical equipment placed in the room and also introduced the patient, a young boy. The lighting is dim which highlights a tense and serious atmosphere which is further indicated when the boy explains his knowledge of the illness he is. This contradicts the stereotypical idea of a young person not being as clever as an older person, as he used medical lexical terms and is able to tell the Doctor more about his illness. The Doctor listens closely and displays a sympathetic side when he tries to persuade the boy to tell his Mother that he is seriously ill. This demonstrates the stereotypical parental nature that older people tend to have as the Doctor displays that he is concerned for the boy’s relatives. The shot reverse shots between the Doctor and the patient highlight the equal intellectual skill that they both have and it is made evident that despite their age gap they understand eachother well.

The following scene takes place in a surgery room which is established through a long shot. The mise-en-scene displays that they are all wearing surgical equipment. The low key lighting used emphasises the concentration needed for the surgery to be carried out, despite this, the doctors seem quite distracted which highlights that even the older, more stereotypically wiser people can get distracted from their work. The jump cuts highlight the conversation taking place between the male and female surgeons, and the female surgeons says “I don’t know what you mean” which demonstrates that although she is experienced, there are a few things she is still not certain of, highlighting that she is still learning even at an older age.

The final scene uses many tracking shots which display what is happening in the waiting room. A woman is sitting in front of the elevator and when it arrives a Doctor approaches her and begins to ask her questions about a patient who she’s waiting for. Another Doctor comes over and the three of them walk towards where the patient is while conversing. The close up on the female Doctor’s face highlights that she thinks something is wrong when the male Doctor says that the bullet went missing. This displays a stereotypical representation of age as the woman is extremely concerned.