Representation of Ethnicity - Spooks

By: Nathan on 02:21

Ethnicity is represented in TV drama through a variety of different stereotypes for both black and white roles. These are presented to the audience via camera shots/angles as well as editing, sound and mise-en-scene. These stereotypes link in to the 1987 theory of ethnicity by Alvarado. 

The clip starts with a close up of a white male on a mobile phone, the lighting behind this male is bright and shining through, behind him, this could be representative of his success and position in society. Jump cuts are also used throughout this part of the clip to show how the characters are reacting to each other, for example when something is said by the woman on the phone, the clip cuts to the back m,ale in the other place. 

The second part of the clip opens with an out of focus close up type shot, this has got darkened lighting, both of these aspects (the out of focus clip and the dark lighting) could be a representation of the stereotype that black people are largely 'out of focus' in society and the darker lighting could represent 'dark' activities, referring to the context of the scene.
The sound in this clip (non-diegetic) is silent. This could be representative of the fact that he is disallowed from contributing to the situation. Also an interesting effect is how the lighting situation contrasts between the two races.
The entire scene is also filmed with a camera using the 'hand held' effect, this could be used in order to achieve a certain degree of tension in the situation. This passes on to the audience, which allows them to pick up on the fact that there is conflict between the black and white characters. This technique is therefore used to accentuate another effect or story point in the clip.

Also worth noting is that when the woman is shown to have a gun pointing at her, the male holding said gun is higher than her, which could indicate that he has more power in this situation than her. I can't correctly see wether she is black or white but if she is black it is hugely representative of the racial stereotype that white people are generally in favourable positions, if however, she is white it could be representative of same-race discrimination. 

There is a close up on the gun which could have been used to emphasise the fact that the white character in the situation has most of if not all of the power, it also tells the audience he is the person who will be ultimately responsible for the deaths of these characters. However, when the gun is shaking and he is unable to hold it in a still position, the viewers get an insight into the fact that his consciousness may be kicking in. This may represent that he has got in to a situation that he would rather not be in. But can't exit it. This could indicate  that white people can sometimes feel as though they have excessive power and thus, they feel immense pressure to carry things out that society perceives that they should be able to do.
After and during Danny's death the shots are blurry, this could be representative that to these men, it means nothing and just blurs in with all the other times, this representation contrasts the earlier idea of pressure upon them [white people].
In the same scene there is a kind of slow motion effect, which is used primarily to accent the moment and make it more hitting to the audience. 

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Editing - The Street (complete groups task)

By: Nathan on 02:48

Cuts

• Jump Cuts: There is a jump cut used at 6 seconds to allow the audience to focus on the two characters and to let them know that this is where the action is going to take place. The change not being smooth indicates to the audience that this is not going to end well and there will be a bad outcome to the scene. There are a lot of jump cuts used throughout the conversation between the three men. This is used so that we are able to see the facial expressions of all the men when they are talking. One of the men looks comfortable with the scarring of Nick whilst the other does not. This may be used to show how people react differently to disability. The audience are made to want to be like the man who is comfortable with it so may be influenced to change their attitude if they act like the man who is not comfortable with the scarring. There is a jump cut which shows the back of Nick. This shows how people with a disability often turn their back on society as a result of the stereotypes which they have to deal with on a daily basis. 

• Cut: The scene cuts to Nick walking up the road. This suggests that disability is a long, uphill battle that people have to deal with. It shows how people with a disability do not find it easy because of how people act towards and around them.

• Matched Cuts: There is a matched cut which shows the man standing behind the shop door. This shot is used to link to two scenes together and to let the audience understand that these characters know each other. By the man standing behind the door, this may be used to show that he is scared to go and talk to the disabled character as he does not know what to say so it looks as though he is hiding away. There is a matched cut used to show the relationship between the two men and how they should be seen to be similar. However, the bar in the window of the van acts a physical fraction between the pair and shows how their relationship has changed between the two man as result of the scarring. There are matched cuts used in the scene when Nick is helping the women to pick up her shopping. The matched cuts are used to show the relationship between the shots. This changed from the view from a distance to his view of him helping pick up the woman's shopping.

• Motivated Cut: There is a motivated cut which allows the audience to see the disabled characters face. This allows the audience to see his scarring for the first time and understand what the situation is about. This shot is used to shock the audience as they did not see this side of the characters face before. This negatively highlights the scarring as the shots makes it feel as though it is secretive and should not be talked about.

• Cutting Rhythm: Whilst nick is with the women, the cutting slows down and stays on Nick's face for a little while. This may be used to show how people can sometimes just stare at people who have a disability as they may find it unusual or interesting. It shows how society does not find disability normal and people are not used to scarring. There is then fast pace cutting which is used between the conversation between the two characters. The fast pace is used to show the anger building in Nick and his frustration to the fact that he is scarred. It can also show how quickly the woman has to think in order to defend herself and defend the reason she screamed at the view of Nick. This shows how people are normally not comfortable in the presence of disabled people as they do not understand the disability or because of the fact that people with a disability are not treated as though they are the same as people who do not have a disability. 

Shots

• Reaction Shots:There is a reaction shot which includes Nick telling the other character to 'fuck off'. This is used to show the anger of Nick at the fact that he would not be on the same pay if he were to return to the job that he had before he became scarred. This is used to show how disabled people are not seen to be as important as people without a disability and are not valued as much as. There is a reaction shot which is used to show the horrified look on the woman's face as she looks up at Nick. This is used to show that she is scared by the scarring on Nicks face and how she does not find it normal. This represents the parts of society which  are scared by disability and do not see disabled people to be normal.

• Super Imposition Shot: There is a super imposition shot which shows the metal fence with Nick in the background. As Nick is the person who is behind the fence, this may be used to show that people with a disability feel trapped as a result and feel as though they are a prisoner in their own body. As he is also blurry this may also be used to show how disabled people are often forgotten about and not seen to be important.

Other

• Change in POV: Whilst Nick is in the office, there are a lot of shots used which all show the audience the scene from different points of view. This may be used to show how different people see disabled people differently, some people see the disability as that is all the person is whilst others do not see the disability and see the actual person. These cuts also happen quite quickly which may be used to show the anger within the disabled person. 

• Change in Location: There is a rapid change in location from Nick being outside to in a office. This may be used to show how people with a disability do not like to hang around in one place as they do not want to be seen by society. This scene changes from outside, in a crowded place, to inside where there are not a lot of people. This may be used to show how people with a disability hide away from society and do not like to be seen. 

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Representation of sexuality in Queer as Folk

By: Nathan on 07:00

First of all in the clip we see the main character walking through the school corridor. He does not appear to be highlighted or singled out in between other characters walking around the shot. This could be representative of how his general appearance does not differentiate him from the other students at the school showing that at first many people can't even tell wether a person is gay or not, thus putting across the idea to the audience that physically, gay people are no different to straight people.
The camera then moves forward in a POV type shot towards another male character. The movement is slow and could be representative that the homosexual boy is shy and reluctant when communicating with others, he immediately feels judged due of his sexuality; this could further link to how he has been treated in the past, thus giving the representation that many gay people are feel unwanted or even bullied because of who they are.
The homosexual male is shown to be smirking a little as he talks about his boyfriend. He could be attempting to make the other character jealous, this is clearly working as the other characters reaction is aggressive at best and he storms away from the scenario. This happens after a speed up in the editing of the shots between them increases in speed signifies the increase in tension/conflict between the two characters. His smile is instantly taken away but he still seems to be happy that his attempts to cause jealousy worked. This links to representation of sexuality as it represents how sometimes sexuality is utilised to create jealousy/conflict between people due to the use of common misconceptions associated with the topic as a whole.

Next a new scene is shown and a straight woman is talking about her sex life with a group of people at an event of some kind. She gives a lot of details and nobody else in the room/conversation react to what she is representative how as a straight woman she doesn’t feel judged/alienated because is it usually perceived as being the 'norm'. She is also shown amongst many other people in the shot which further represents how she is part of the crowd and doesn't  stand out or being an object or curiosity like a homosexual person could be.
 A very camp gay character is also sat at the table with the female is portrayed to have a strong accent that is very feminine in the tone and style in which he speaks. He is holding a cigarette delicately, pursing his lips when he blows out the smoke and is wearing an eye-catching animal print shirt. These are all points that add to the typical stereotype of a camp homosexual man as he acts, speaks and dresses very feminine. Many of the shots of this character are of him alone or only with a few others, this represents the opposite of my last point as instead of being shown to be ‘normal’ he is segregated from others in the scene and made to look different or abnormal from other heterosexual people.
Another male character that is sat at the table represents the typical butch heterosexual character that is often represented in TV dramas. His clothing is formal, masculine and typically worn by men, he is also shown to be slouching and acting like a typical man through butch actions and having a deep voice.
 The two gay characters are walking down a street pavement, the gay man although seeming to be very confident in his posture and loud speaking is shown to be lower than the other man, this shows how because of his obvious sexuality it makes him regarded lower than people that may seem more heterosexual than others. It could also show how although trying to put on a front of being confident and out there, he is actually shy and maybe even secretly anxious about how people perceive and judge him.
 A shot is shown of the family, including the two gay males, sat together at a table with the little girls back to the audience. This could be because homosexuality and even sexuality in general is not perceived to be a topic that is appropriate for children to be discussing with parents at a very young age. The little girls face is not shown to the audience showing how she is segregated from the topic of sexuality as a whole, homosexuality is seen as a taboo topic that can be seen as unnatural, many traditional parents don’t want their children to be subject of homosexuality in case of influences, as if gay people are something to be scared of.
The feminine acting man speaks with a high tone in his voice; he speaks very quickly and seems to have a lot of energy and motivation for subjects he’s talking about. He is talking with lots of enthusiasm about acting in theatres and pantomime plays which is commonly a hobby associated with gay men as it’s seen as very energetic and feminine. He also wears tight costume adding to how the mise-en-scene makes him look like a show-off and trying to get attention from other men, this is also a common misconception and stereotype of gay men especially- the need for constant attention.
There are many stereotypes and uncivilised ideas that are associated with adding humour to those who are gay through props and even common saying that certain characters say. This next scene shows the camp man eating a sausage from a fork; this is represented as being humorous to the audience as the sausage simply associates with the male phallic symbol. Audiences can react to this in different ways as they can see it as light hearted humour or actually not very tasteful stereotypes. This represents to sexuality because it gives an impression of the gay man as being desperate or even animalistic because of the manner in which he eats the food type.
There is a mid-shot in the kitchen which shows the mother of one of the homosexual boys talking to her son with her back facing him. This may at first seem harmless to an audience as she is busy washing up and carrying out daily tasks however if you look into it more deeply it has a very strong meaning representing her as someone who turns her back on her son because of her sons sexuality. This is a very strong stereotype and representation that is associated with gay men; that their families often disown them or feel that they have failed as parents because their children are deemed unnatural because they are homosexual.

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Editing - The Street (Group PowerPoint)

By: Nathan on 08:28

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Editing Through Moving Image (diability)

By: Nathan on 02:37

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The Grand Budapest Hotel Research

By: Nathan on 01:01

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Gender representation - Sherlock Holmes

By: Nathan on 02:29

When the video starts There is an establishing shot with some upbeat music (diegetic sound), we are immediately drawn in my the combination of the sound and the shot, which focuses us on the fact that there are no women in the scene. This is quite an effective way of stereotyping that the world that we live in is a very much male dominated one. Also worth focusing on is that the people (men) in this scene all clearly have good jobs, and I will explain how I came to that conclusion below, it portrays the representation stereotype that women all occupy lower level jobs comparatively with their male counterpart, if we look in deeper we could see that this has been used to represent that they also occupy a generally lower role in society as a whole and that they are an inferior gender. 

In this same section of the video we find out that these men are represented to have high level jobs, we can tell this as they are wearing high level clothes, such as suits, top hats and pocket watches. All of these items are associated with wealth. This gives the impression that women are generally accepted (due to a stereotypee) to be inferior as these clothes are generally only made for males.

Of further interest is that the main character "Sherlock Holmes" is often looked down on by the camera which, points down. This could be representative of the fact that, despite the previous gender superiority idea, there can still be inferiority/superiority within the same gender. This is further portrayed as the character that tries to shoot Sherlock is often mounted higher in the shot, thus further representing the fact that there can be superiority/inferiority within the same gender. This is also further backed up when goes to turn the extractor fan on, in this shot the camera is clearly pointing upward and by doing this the director empesizing is the characters control over the situation, this could further link back to the question as it could be representative of the fact that males are stereotypically level headed and in control of situations. 

Also in this scene is the fact that in all places where there is a male presence the decor is of gold. This could be further representative of the importance that males have in society as gold is often associated and represents high class and superiority, in this particular scenario, the male gender as a whole. 

The relatively calm colours of white and black could also be representative of the commonly used stereotype that as mentioned before males are always level headed and can stay calm in an otherwise stressing situation/environment.

Also present in this section of the video is that most of the men have beards, these are often associated with strength and raw power. Which is the desired image and stereotype (that men are powerful and always strong).

Throughout this section of the video the transitions between different shots are largely jump cuts and fade effects, the latter could be representative of the tranquility and calmness in which men can stereotypically deal with stressful situations. The jump cuts in this scene are largely used in order to create tension. Both of these transition effects back up points made earlier, for example the jump cuts that are quick are generally used as I said before to increase tension, this is likely to give the effect that the situation is quite intense and this then represents the stereotype I talked earlier about that males are strong and have a lot of power. This would cause the situation to be more tense as it is more equal. 

In the scene, when it cuts to the male in the sewers, the initial camera angle is a sort of areal view, giving the effect of vulnerability, thus portraying that in some secnarios even males (agreeing with the stereotype that normally they can always cope with situations) can be out of their depth. In a way this can be seen to promote gender equality as it gives the effect that both men and women can be out of their depth and that men went always totality in control of everything. This effect is, however reversed when we later see an up-tilted camera angle, this re-imposes the genes superiority as a camera pointing up is indicative of power and superiority. 

The lighting in the house of commons scenes is natural while by contrast, the sewer scenes are darker. This is representative of the stereotype that males are conformable;e in most situations. This gives of the general effect that the stereotype that the male gender is the strongest and most easily adaptive, as they can deal with multiple scene changes and receive no effects.

Once the main character (Sherlock Holmes) jumps out of the window and into the river and we see the male on the boat, he is higher placed in the set consistently, which could again be signifying in-gender superiority. 
In this same scene there are various shots of a woman, she is clearly not important though, as the shots are short and the editors have sped up the transition speeds. We do however, get a chance to see what she is wearing, it is a tweed style (grey) coat which could represent efforts to fit in to make society in order to get some importance. She has though still got lipstick on to keep her feminism. meaning that women always try to make themseveles appealing to men, this is also caused with her hair, as it is nicely made up and is styled in a fashionable (for then) way.

The conclusision is that this video focuses largely on male superiority. As the whole idea of men fighting with guns and action is what expected of a male in that situate, stereotypically. Also touched on is how women sometimes attempt to fit. Another point we can conclude from this video clip is that it also emphasises in-gender superiority throughout.

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Analysing mise en scene through moving image

By: Nathan on 02:22

The clip starts with some dull subdued colours, these are representative of lower class people as the colour relates to their lives relative lack of fulfilment. Be it financially or happiness. As a viewer we can see that the colours have started to change colour due to age and treatment, this could also indicate that they have little money to repaint the walls.  

The colours on the males clothes also coincide with the colours of the decor. The relatively dark colours of this scene could be aiming to represent that he is bringing darkness to the family, it also emphasises what he is saying with could give the idea that he is drunk, this is usually associated and viewed as a 'dark' think. 

The next scene shows us the rest of the family which are dressed in lighter more appealing colours, this is highly representative of the fact that they bring the light into the family that otherwise wouldn't have it, there are still reminders of their background though as, there is a solid grey wall, this is indicative that lower class people (we are indicated that these people are) struggle to get away from their backgrounds no matter how hard they try. 
The baby is dressed in pink, this is generally viewed as a happy upbeat colour, which links to them (in this case specifically the baby) being the ones to bring happiness in an otherwise sad environment that a lower class household maybe. It is often stereotyped that lower class members of society hold on to certain things for happiness, one of such stereotyped items is a baby.

Also noticeable is that they have a red front door, this could be perceived as danger, this is how these class of people are sometimes viewed. As danger is undesirable to people that could be the representation idea.

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American Beauty - Mise en Scene Written Analysis

By: Nathan on 01:12

In this image taken from American Beauty there are many mise en scene aspects to look at:

• First of all is colour, there are multiple examples of colour in this single image and each example informs us of something about either one of the characters or their surroundings. One of the above mentioned colour representations mise en scene relations is how the women on the left links with the situation through colour. She is wearing a plain blue formal shirt whilst the table cloth and mats are also blue. This may suggest that she is responsible for setting the table and making the meal that they are currently eating. This also gives us ideas about her role with in the family and that she is the member who does all of the domestic work around the house. On top of the fact that the links with the table, both the parents blend into the background due to the colour of their clothes. They are both wearing dark coloured clothing which is of a similar colour scheme to the background behind them. This could suggest that they are of less importance in this specific scene and we are not meant to be focused upon them. The clothing of the young girl (presumably daughter) in the middle of the table is very brightly coloured compared to the rest of the people and items surrounding her. Bright colours could suggest she is of higher importance in this specific scene and that we are meant to give our attention to her. Finally, in terms of colour, the red flours in the middle of the table may suggest that the young girl has poor mental state. This is because red is a colour that is often associated with evil or pain.

• Alongside colour, we are also able to identify features of facial expression and their meanings. Obviously since there is only three people in his particular image, there are three facial expressions but each one tells us a lot about each specific character. Firstly, the women on the left appears to be uncomfortable. She is staring at her husband  with a very blank but aggravated expression which may show unhappiness within their relationship. Next, the daughter in the middle. She, similar to her mother, has an annoyed/agitated look upon her face. She is starring directly at her father with this same expression which shows that she may be unhappy with what he has said. In contrast to the two females, the man has a much more joyful look about him. It appears that he is laughing which suggests that he is the only one that is having fun at the table.

• In terms of framing, they are all in frame sat around the table. They are all sat separately with the parent at each end and the young girl sat directly in the middle. This gives us the idea that their is discomfort between the family and that the girl is caught in the middle of arguing between the parents. A second idea is that because the daughter appears to be quite sinister, the parents are aware of this and that is why they are sat as far away as possible from her.

• Lighting is a key factor with in this image. It tells us a lot abut the characters and the scene. First off, the fact hat the girl is in the middle of the table and is being lit up by the candles may suggest that she is the light and soul of the family. As well as this, the two parents are sat within the darkness which suggests that their relationship is not a positive one. It also presents the idea that the girl is more important in this scene and the parents are not as important. Because the only light in the scene is created by candle light, it suggests that the only light and happiness with in the family will eventually die out.

• Each character in this image posses their own body features/posture. The young girl in the middle has her elbows on the table may suggest that she has bad manors, especially since she is currently at the dinner table eating. In contrast to this, both of her parent's arms are positioned lower down with their elbows avoiding contact with the top of the table. This suggests that they have much better manors that their daughter. Both the daughter and her father are avoiding eye contact with the mother which suggests that she is emotionally rejected by the rest of the family. Finally, in terms of body posture, he father's fists are clenched. This is suggestive of the idea that the father is not presenting his true emotion upon his face. He appears to smiling ad enjoying himself yet his hands would suggest anger or rage.

• There are only a few essential props within this scene. The first is the win bottle. It is located very close to the women which may suggest that she is a heavy drinker. This may be due to a failing relationship with her husband or the fact that it appears her daughter is rejecting her. The positioning of the flowers in front of the young girl give us the idea that she is the only life on the table but requires looking after. A lot of the items on the table appear to be crystal or glass, this suggests that the family is likely wealthy. 

• The hair and makeup of the mother suggests that she may spend a considerable amount of time on making her self appealing. This can be identified by he short haircut and contrasting makeup. In contrast to this is the daughter in the middle. She has a very simple hairstyle (pony tail) and very simple makeup. This may suggest innocence however the bright red lip stick is quite sinister. The fact that she is wearing makeup at all may suggest that she is to act or at least appear as an adult. The man has a short and formal haircut which h may suggest that he is a business man. It is clear that his hair is receding which makes it clear that he may be under a lot of stress either due to his job or his family.

• The final factor is clothing. Both of the parents are wearing very formal, plain and colourless clothing. Even though this may suggest that they are boring people or that they live a dull life, it may also hint at the idea that they possess a high quality of wealth. The clothing of the young girl is typical of a child. It is brightly coloured and very casual, especially compared to her parents. 

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Regional Identity - Stereotypes

By: Nathan on 12:07

Scottish Sterotypes
One of the most used Scottish stereotype areas is that they all wear kilts and tartan clothes, this is not true and there are many people that certainly don’t. In the TV drama Outlander the male characters generally wear kilts, this would fit in with the original stereotype. An example of a counter type to this are most if not all the characters from Taggart, a Scottish TV Drama. They don’t adhere to this stereotype due to their lack of kilts. Another common stereotype for Scottish people is that they are very heavy drinkers; this can be highly offensive to some people in Scotland and is largely a false belief. Although not strictly a TV drama “Grounds Keeper Willie” from The Simpsons is a heavy drinker, thus representing this stereotype. He is also a cartoon, which means that his persona is completely manufactured, this means that the producers purposely decided to use this stereotype. The counter type to this popular stereotype is, again from Taggart. They don’t all drink heavily and a great proportion of the characters are Scottish. One further stereotype is that Scottish people are traditionally ginger haired, this stereotype originates from way back. A lot of producers choose to include this stereotype in a Scottish characters portrayal. This stereotype was used by Dr Who in the character Amy Pond, she has ginger hair, and she is Scottish. This is clearly an effect that the producers wanted to include. A counter type to this stereotype area is The Hound from The Game of Thrones, he does not have ginger hair which means that the producers did not choose to use that stereotype.

Liverpool Stereotypes
It is largely stereotyped by people of other regional identities (primarily people from London and other "higher" areas) that people from Liverpool are unintelligent, uneducated, thieves, violent and hopeless. This is down to the fact that traditionally people in Liverpool did low paid jobs and left school early, now however this is largely untrue. Most current media representations of Liverpoolians are the old fashioned, outdated view.

Newcastle Stereotypes
This is one of the most stereotyped region in the UK, one stereotype of how a Geordie should be is that they are loud, usually drunk, always joking and many more things. These stereotypes are largely unfounded and not true. There are many successful people from Newcastle, thus contradicting the stereotype that people from newcastle are uneducated. Examples of Geordie stereotypes in media are Tosker and some other characters from our friends in the north. They largely fit the common stereotype. 

Yorkshire Stereotypes
The dialect in Yorkshire is easily distinguishable. The most common stereotype of a Yorkshire person is as tight with money, there is a saying that "a Yorkshireman is a Scotsman with all the generosity squeezed out of him", which referrers how Scotsmen are also stereotyped as being tight but not as tight as people from Yorkshire . Yorkshire people are often stereotyped as friendly but they are also stereotyped to be "bloody-minded" argumentative and stubborn. Generally it is stereotyped that men from Yorkshire wear flat caps and tweed style clothes. There are certain foods that are commonly associated with Yorkshire, these include: Yorkshire puddings, potatoes and other similar foods.

Birmingham Stereotypes
Brummies as they are referred to commonly, are largely stereotyped to be relatively unintelligent, this stereotype was largely brought about by the fact that a lot of Brummies had low level manufacturing jobs, for companies such as the now collapsed MG Rover Group. They had these jobs as there where many, and a lot of them where following in at least one ansestors footsteps. This is largely untrue today as many of the big employers have either seised trading or moved most of the production abroad, this is the case with MG Motor UK. The intelligence stereotype is also related to their instantly recognisable accent. Which to some may sound unintelligent.

Welsh Stereotypes
Wales is sometimes known as the land of song, and is used for its singers. A very widely used stereotype of Welsh people is that they all like rugby, although many people in wales do, in fact like rugby it is not everyone. The welsh also have their own accent when speaking English but they do also have their own language.
One example of a TV Drama that uses Welsh stereotypes is Gavin and Stacy, which all of Welsh characters, speak in the stereotypical accent. Another example of a TV drama that focuses on Welsh stereotype areas is Sky 1 series Stella.

Irish Stereotypes
There are many Irish stereotypes, one of the most widely used ones is that Irish people only eat potatoes, and cant be without them. This of course as with most stereotypes is not true and is a dated and passed view to take. Also a big stereotype area for the Irish is that they drink a lot, this I'm not going to go into to much detail about as it is not completely incorrect, however it's not 100% correct either. Ireland is often associated with lepricorns and people having ginger hair which again ins't true. The TV comedy Mrs Brown's Boys includes a lot of the above stereotypes and many more.

London Stereotypes
London can be seen in various ways because, as with other big cities there are good parts and bad parts. The residents from the better parts are stereotyped to be rich, which is largely true, well spoken, which is again, largely true and snobbish which can depend on the person in question. These stereotypes can be seen in some of the episodes of Sherlock Holmes. The other side to London stereotypes is the poorer not so good side of London, which its residents are largely stereotyped to be gang members, ethnic minorities, uneducated and other similar things. These are mostly untrue for the most part. These characters can be seen often on TV.

Essex Stereotypes 
Essex is an area where many stereotypes are aimed at, most of these are appearance related. For example it is widely stereotyped that people from Essex have fake body features, are orange and have had their teeth whitened. It is further stereotyped that they can only care about their appearance and that that is their number one priority, which is true in some cases. The Show The Only Way Is Essex uses these stereotypes and to an extent has caused them to be more widely used.

Cornwall Stereotypes
One of the most used and well known stereotypes for Cornwall is the fact that they are "inbred" this stereotype is obviously incorrect and can cause significant offence to local people. a further stereotype is that the people there are "backward" again this causes great offence to residents of Cornwall. Unfortunately these stereotypes are used in TV and it needs top be stopped.

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Regional identity in TV drama - Our Friends

By: Nathan on 10:19

Analysis
Regional identity is represented in various ways through the 4 areas of representation in this clip from our friends.
The first shot is an over the shoulder shot this shows one of the male characters, he enters in  a rush type fashion, this could be a representation that he has not been educated on how to behave in such scenarios (posh restaurants). The next scene, is also an over the shoulder shot, this time however focusing on the other characters, another male and a lady, as soon as she says "hello" we can instantly tell she has a different regional identity to the rest of the characters, she appears to be from London or another "posh" area. On the other hand they appear to be from Newcastle, this is represented through diegetic sound when she speaks, the way she says "hi" we can instantly tell that she is of a "posher" regional identity.

Further more in the scene where she starts to read the menu and asks whether anyone has had the gamberoni, all the other characters appear confused, this instantly gives the viewer the impression that she is of a higher class region then the others. When the male character hesitates and then suddenly exclaims "prawns" it backs up our initial impression that he is less educated due to being from a socially perceived "lesser" region.
As far a mise-en-scene is concerned for this scene, the "posher" woman is clearly more used to wearing the upmarket clothes.

Helen then asks about the prawns, which is diegetic sound, the male from Newcastle then replies by describing the prawns. The characters from Newcastle laugh but Helen clearly doesn't find it funny, this represents that her sense of humor is different to theirs. Which could portray that she is from a more highly perceived regional identity. 
Subsequently there is a mid-shot of Tosker which shows him attempting to eat the spaghetti. He tries to eat some of the spaghetti from his fork. However, he largely fails as all of the spaghetti falls off his fork and back onto the plate before he places the food in his mouth. This could be trying to represent how Geordies may be perceived to not have very good table manners and are not be used to situations like eating in posh restaurants. 

When Mary and Helen are having a conversation (which is diegetic sound) Tosker interrupts. Helen replies to this interruption by stating "I'm sorry I was talking to Mary".  This could represent that Helen is not familiar with people interrupting into a conversation and she is used to talking to one person at a time. This may further suggest how people from Newcastle have little manners and talking over people is included in this, Tosker appeared to have no problem in interrupting. It may also show that people from London like Helen, have better manners and are not afraid to say what and how they are feeling as she appears to tell him right away that she was in fact, talking to Mary and that she does not wish for him to join the conversation.

The intelligence of Geordies is then touched upon by way of Tosker saying to Helen "whats one of them" (referring to the job she has said). This represents both that the types of jobs available in Newcastle aren't as "high end" as their London counterparts, and that Geordies aren't as educated as they fail to construct a proper sentence.

Eventually the focus turns to region based financial stereotypes, which links to the previous issue of the job, this comes about due to the fact that Helen doesn't respond to Tosker when he asked about what her job is, yet she choses to respond when the question is about money, this would be arguably a representation that people from London and other "higher" status regions are likely to have more money, it also portrays them as liking to show off their wages. This financial stereotyping continues when Tosker asks how much the deserts are, which could imply that people from Newcastle are tighter with money as they don't earn as much. The waiter laughs the question off (takes it as a joke). This is the stereotype that again, higher class people (which largely come from places like London), don't have much care over money as they earn more. 

Once that scene is finished, we move on to a series of close ups when Helen and Tosker start arguing, this is used to make us able (as viewers) to feel their emotions and establish their feelings more easily. In relation to regional identity though, this effect could be used to establish the representation that at this particular given moment there is no authority, as Tosker's less jokey and more serious side is revealed. This could portray the fact that in certain areas people are equal no matter what their regional background is.
When Helen realises this she quickly starts to laugh, and as Tosker doesn't know how to deal with this, she regains authority in the situation. This further backs up the point that people from London are stereotypically cleverer and thus are able to plan ahead better. It also could represent the stereotype that Londoners are rude.

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Regional identity

By: Nathan on 14:33

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Ethnicity and Race

By: Nathan on 14:32

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Class and Status

By: Nathan on 14:29

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Ethnicity Clip Analysis

By: Nathan on 12:04

At the very start of the clip we are presented with an establishing shot featuring a white male on a lounger and a black male in a suit serving him. This is the stereotypical role of a black male, this not only links to the stereotype but also links in with some historical values as well. This shot is accompanied by the sound of water and gentle music giving the impression that the setting is in a spa or pool area, this helps to set the scene for the viewer.

Then in a long shot panning across the pool area wit the black male we as viewers get to see the pool area for the first time, there are columns and the water is high-up in the pool giving the place a luxurious atmosphere. 
The pool's natural blue lighting is then enhanced by the editing this represents a hygienic and clean feel to the atmosphere. 
The next part of the scene is crucial as it backs up the black males stereotypical role. He is seen to be walking quite fast, this represents that the guests, who largely see him as inferior to them, expect him to do the tasks really quickly.

Subsequently an over the shoulder shot follows the now full length conversation of the black assistant and a young guest that is also seen to be of black origin. The younger man is wearing swimming shorts which largely represent the colours of the Jamaican flag, also making ethnicity clear. This guest then proceeds to use stereotypical (for his ethnic group) language including words such as "Bro" and "Ganja". The older male character appears to be hugely uncomfortable in the scenario as his body language is tense and he is giving short if any answers. 
This is a perfect case of the male wanting to satisfy both the friend and his employers needs.

We then proceed to see to cleaner type ladies, they appear to be of eastern European origin. This is an example of the drama using a very common stereotype that eastern Europeans will do little jobs that pay little money purely because they cant afford no to.

Once the women have entered the oriental looking male customers room they decide to accept his bribe to perform a strip show, agin this backs up the image that they will do anything for money. 
Once the man starts the sexual upbeat music and the two women start to strip we are shown close-ips of his face where we can clearly see his mouth slightly open as to suggest that he is attracted to the women. Furthermore this links to the idea of the male gaze as he is using the women for there sexual (object) appeal alone. 
Another aspect to this scene and the representation of ethnicity in this clip is that he is from Japan/China this is using the stereotype that Chinese/Japanese people are intelligent and have a lot of money. This is further backed up by the fact she says he is a regular meaning that he has either a lot of money or a brilliant job, both of which go together. This all goes to represent his superiority over the two women.
The music then picks up pace,one of the two women is very uncomfortable by now in the situation. The music could represent the pace of her thoughts, body and heart.

Subsequently a mid shot featuring two white males along with people of mixed ethnicities in the background is shown, the people in the background are blurred out, which could have been done to represent the fact that the white people are more :important" than them and have control over the situation.

In one of the last shots we see that an Italian and British chef are arguing, the British chef is seen to be quite chubby, calm and relatively passive. On the other hand the Italian chef is seen to be passionate, thin and agressive, both of these chefs are the stereotypical people from both of their nationalities.

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Class and Status Clip Analysis

By: Nathan on 11:26

The first shot we see is a mid shot of the main character, this allows the audience to make a first impression of him. It allows the audience to see his clothes (scruffy, pyjama type clothes) which is stereotypically middle to lower class, the audience then see the character more closely. Here we can see he has oily hair, which suggests that he doesn't wash very often. This is a trait of some lower class people.

The next shot is an over the shoulder shot which enables the audience to see the other characters in the clip, this allows them to build an idea of them (in this case lower class individuals). It also allows the audience to see them through his (the main character) point of view. In this scenario their body language and facial expressions in response to what he is saying, gives the effect that they are disgusted. Another observation for mise-en-scene is that there are lots of empty alcoholic drink bottles and cans and other such items scattered around the windows and part of the house as a whole, this gives us the idea that the character is an alcoholic type person. This is backed up later on when his voice is typical of a stereotypical alcoholic.

On further analysis of this scene the audience can gather that their home is low quality, this view is gathered by the fact that the walls are un-painted and thus you are able to directly see the breeze blocks. This could represent the fact that they have not been able to decorate, this could be due to lack of funds, if so then this would back up the idea that these are lower class people. If you put this together we can see that the producers have used the stereotype that lower class people are heavy drinkers, careless and can't afford comforts in their homes that their more wealthy counterparts may have.

A close up shot is used on the main character as his mood changes; it zooms in and slightly back out various times sharply as if to represent a sudden change in the atmosphere as he becomes aggravated by the other character. This gives off the idea that lower class people are easily wound up, and that they can snap quickly when aggravated.

The sound in the background at this point is very different to the overall atmosphere of the scene; it sounds oriental which could be seen as relaxing and this can be seen by the audience as a contrast to previous parts of the scenes. It could also represent that the main character is intoxicated and thus why there is some calming and relaxing music. 

There is a lot of profanities used throughout this first scene by most characters which is stereotypical of lower class people as it is widely regarded that they have a lack of good education and haven't learnt formal and proper ways of speaking.

The editing for the clip is mainly down to the use of a bright filter that gives the scene a wintery cold feel, when they go outside this is carried on. Only we can see that the location is a council house, a place where lower class individuals stereotypically live

At the end of the video we see that the atmosphere between the family has picked up and is now quite a happy effect, there is some more upbeat music which helps to portray this effect. The main character is then embarrassed by the fact that the caravan only sold for very little. This is soon overcome by the family as they laugh it off, this is stereotypical of lower class families as they need to be able to overcome problems more easily as they face them more often.

Near to the end of the clip we see a young girl with a baby, this could be to represent that lower class people can sometimes make bad choices and end up paying the consequences.

Finally we see an establishing shot of the area, this reenforces what I said earlier about the council estate. 

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Class and Status in TV Drama

By: Nathan on 10:21

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Ethnicity in TV Drama

By: Nathan on 05:52

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Disability in TV Drama

By: Nathan on 09:40

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