Discuss How Skins uses camera shots, sound, mise en scene, editing to construct representations of ethnicity.

Skins, series 3, episode 3 ("Thomas", first broadcast 10pm, 26th March 2009) shows a young man,called Thomas, who we assume to be african, unpacking his belongings, dancing, cleaning and washing in a filthy council estate flat, littered with beer cans and covered in dirt and dust. We watch him emerge from the safety of his flat and into the cruel outside world, where he is treated as if he is a mad man.

Camera shots are used very effectively to show representations of ethnicity. At one point, there is a point of view shot zooming into close up of the young man's family photograph, showing himself and other children, all with smiles on their faces. This signifies that people in his, presumably, African hometown are quite happy and content. The photograph shows unity, with the young children all sitting close to each other,  yet Thomas is now alone by himself. This connotes that he's lonely, showing that living in a country different from your own is hard, and the photograph is giving him motivation to carry on living away from home. We are first intoduced to Thomas through an over the shoulder shot showing him looking into a mirror, with a big wide grin on his face which then drops. This connotes that perhaps he feels out of place in the strange new country and the fact that an over the shoulder shot is used, makes it seem as if we are looking into his life, observing him as if he is in a documentary and is an animal because he's different. Also, the fact that he is smiling suggests to us that Africans are very smiley people, whose smiles can brighten up people's days. This idea is reinforced by medium shot of the man looking at his cassette player and smiling, showing that music plays a big part in the African culture. There is a shot tracking the fingerless gloved hand holding an old cassette player. This is highlighting that the technology in his african town is not as advanced as what is in western countries. It also shows that he comes from a simple background who posess practical things and still get on in life just as well as others. The carefree atttitude is enforced by a shot showing Thomas dancing connoting that African people love to smile and have fun, even through the hard times. It also highlights the fact that dance is a huge part of African culture.

 

Sound is also used to enable the audience to learn about the ethnicity in the clip. At the beginning of the clip we hear the sound of seagulls in the background. This shows off the British culture as sea gulls are a common bird heard in a lot of English countries. The sound of sea gulls also suggests a sense of freedom suggesting that England is a very free country and perhaps the african environment which Thomas grew up in provided no independence or freedom. The african hip hop music which is played in the clip, gives the viewer a sense of what type of music African youth listen to and what is cool showing that their music is quite similar to our own, displaying a similarity between African and  British cultures. Later on, we hear Thomas singing to the music. This shows us that African people like to have fun and highlights that music is a big part of their life.In the clip, we hear the young man's voice saying "Hello, my name is Thomas, pleased to meet you." This acts as an introduction to the character and we are shown how people from his African town speak. His choice of words also show us that people like him tend to be polite and have been brought up with manners. The fact that he says his name first shows how open African people are and also how friendly they are. Toward the end of the clip, we hear a woman shouting at her son, to not speak to Thomas. The fact that her dialogue is shouted in such a violent way, highlights how hostile British people can be toward foreigners, being afraid of foreigners or anyone who is different to themselves. It also shows that they are quite reserved, not wanting their children or themselves to speak to strangers.


The mise en scene also plays a vital part in ethnic representation. The trash cans which litter the apartment show how messy British people are. They don't care about their surroundings or looking after their environment. They have no sense of cleanliness or care. This point is also emphasised by the presentation of the apartment which is covered in dust and is quite dull, which shows how British people can turn a perfectly fine apartment into an ugly place, through misplacement and no care. In the clip, traditional items of the African culture are shown. First we see, Thomas' wooden African necklace then we see his African blanket, covered in patterns which he uses for his bed. These items both display, the beauty that Africa has to offer, showing them to be beautiful and creative artists, designers etc. Thomas' clothing shows us how practical African people are and how they are used to living in a hot climate. He is wearing lots of jumpers, two hats and gloves, which shows us that he's very cold and that he's not used to the British climate. His mix and match clothing also shows us the universal attitude that Africans don't care what they look like as long as they have clothes on their back.

Editing plays a strong part in the representation of ethnicity. A large number of jump cuts are used. First there is a jump cut going from a long shot of three blocks of flats to a medium shot of of the inside of a grotty flat. This shows us how some people  in the UK live, in poverty, stuck in the dirt and grime. Another range of jump cuts cut to various blocks of flats and a church, showing an England flag. This shows representation of Britain, the side that lives in poverty but are still proud to call themselves British. The flag shows their proud nature and the church shows the Christian religion which is one of the countries main religions. There are also graphic match shots showing Thomas dancing. The constant shots of him dancing display the fact that dance is a huge part of African culture. Also, it highlights ability that Africans posess, to have fun even when times are hard. More graphic match cuts are used showing Thomas washing. The fact that he is able to wash in such dirty surroundings highlights how hard people have it in Africa and how appreciative they are. They don't fuss or moan, they just get on with life. There are reverse shots showing Thomas looking at a bot with a smile, then the boy returning a cautious smile. This shows the contrast between the two cultures. The British are more reserved and cautious whereas Africans are generally more friendly and willing to be kind to anyone.

Silent Witness

In the introductory clip of Silent Witness (Episode "Terror", Broadcast October 15 2008) the viewers are shown a muslim woman in her room getting ready to pray while elsewhere a swat team are shown getting ready to launch an attack, with the viewers assuming that the woman is their victim. During the clip, sound, mise en scene, edits and camera shots are used to represent certain aspects of ethnicity including skin colour, religion, culture,customs and language.

While members of the swat team are in their headquarters, getting their equipment ready, jump cuts are used. This kind of editing showed continuity representing the British way of thinking ;  methodically. The shot shows their organisation and order of the armed unit who are going to use their skills to destroy which also highlights the fact that they think with their heart rather than their brain; they morally think that it's ok to burst into someone's home using explosives and guns.

The negative attitude of the swat team and British people in general is emphasised by the sound of a cackling police officer. The overwhelming sound of this white male's laugh shows how superior he thinks he is. An extra long shot is used at this point which represents the fact that the superiority complex is a trait shared by many other British men like him. The negative view of the Brits contrast with the view of  muslim people. At one point of the clip there are cross cut parallels cutting between the swat team and the muslim woman. The police seem distant, dangerous and unfamiliar while the woman looks harmless and helpless as there is only one of her and many men within the team. This idea is furthered by jump cuts showing the swat team looking tense, illuminated with harsh, bright electrical lighting while the muslim woman is peaceful surrounded by dim lighting. Reverse shots are also used cutting between the woman and a member of the swat team wearing a mask. The idea of a lack of identity contrasting with the holy woman shows us how ambiguos British culture is telling the audience that they are much less defined.

The attire of the characters also tell us something about both cultures. The muslim woman is dressed in bright bright colours and she is wearing a bright blue head scarf. This shows the innocence and moral goodness of the muslim religion; it's intentions are to have followers living a good, honest life. This contrasts with the british who are wearing dark colours with black helmets and protective gear which shows how dark and evil the British way of life is; they do what they want to do and generally are not too attached to the idea of religion and leading an honest life. The idea of the muslim religion being good and honest is emphasised by a long shot of the muslim woman putting on her head scarf with a solemn look upon her face. Her peacefulness shows how harmless she is with the long shot acting as a sign of generalisation of the view. This idea is also furthered by the use of dialogue within which the woman is praying in a low soft voice showing innocence. The zooming long shot to midshot of a member of the swat team holding a rifle shows how corrupted British culture is. It presents as the British culture being corruptive bringing terror in to people's lives.


The culture of muslim people is also presented in the mise en scene of the woman's room. The walls are a bright beige colour which is understated much like Islam and the way that most followers behave, especially the women. Ambient sounds are used in the clip and add suspense while the actual sound which contain drone notes are a characteristic of traditional asian music. This ambient sound contrasts with the diegetic sounds of gun being prepared and shouts of the swat team showing the brutality and hostility of the British culture. This harshness and brutality is also emphasised by a shot of a police car illuminating the dark street with harsh, man made light representing the fact that British have done many things to corrupt the world.

Generally, the clip is giving a negative view on the British culture, highlighting them to be hostile and brutal by using the Swat team to represent the Brits. Muslim people and their religion are portrayed as harmless and good. By helping us build up these views the clip keeps the viewer guessing what is going to happen next
and if these views will be valid and correct throughout the remainder of the programme.

How camera shots and movement are used to represent a particular time and place in two trailers for period dramas

Downton Abbey

The Downton Abbey trailer shows servants and people of the house looking in on the secret going ons of others in the household. The trailer is showing that secrets are coming out in the open and the breaking of social taboos.

A point of view, medium group shot showing a man and woman sitting together on a dinner table. The camera is lightly panning as the camera focuses on the couple talking together with the man saying "Why are you english so curious about other people's lives?" This sets the mood for the rest of the trailer and represents the theme of people indulging themselves in the lives of others. The quote said by the male shows that he is not english, and it connotes the British stereotype: Nosy people who like to pry into the lives of others. This shot ultimately tells the viewer what the programme is about by highlighting the key themes.

The trailer then cuts to a medium close up of a woman peeking out from behind a door, looking through. The shot then cuts to her point of view shot showing a long shot of a mirror which shows a man doing an unrecogniseable act. The shot shows us that in the show, there is somebody always watching you; everybody has secrets and there is someone always there to uncover them.

Another interesting shot shows us a close up of a man, with his head held high and eyes looking down, watching a woman with evil eyes as she walks past.  Again, this shows that there are people that are  always watching you but his facial expression and position shows that while these types of people are watching you, they are also judging you, looking down on you as if they are better than you.

At around 19 seconds of the trailer, there is a a medium close up of an opening window with the words "From Oscar winning writer Julian Fellowes". Whilst the windows are opening vast amounts of light bursts through the window as the camera zooms in. This represents new beginnings and a new sense of freedom which was being establised at the time that the programme is set. It also represents the release of dark secrets into the open.

There is a close up of a man praying but he is out of focus and in the background an older man is looking in on him from around the door. This shot is similar to previous ones showing that someone is always watching you but this man appears to be watching over the young man. This is showing that although there is someone always trying to learn your secrets, there are also people who watch over and look out for you.

A long shot shows a young man looking through a window into the house towards the camera where we can see a vase of a big bunch of flowers. The lighting is bright and we can see a wide smile on his face when he is looking in. This represents that people are not just watching you because they dislike you and want to learn your secrets but that people watch others because they admire them and seeing them makes them happy.

There is a group medium close up of two elderly women sitting down on a chair. The camera focuses on one and tracks her. Then the scene cuts to a close up of the woman, zooms in on her as she looks around with eyes quickly darting around looking uncomfortable. We as an audience can tell that she is the head of the household because of her age and the costume which she is dressed in. Her uncomfortable look represents the fact that the world and householod is changing, with everybody gaining a new sense of freedom and she is unhappy about this.

Towards the latter part of the trailer, we see a scene of catastrophic events with the score raising in volume and tone. In one of the shots we see the couple who are the first to appear in the trailer, who are passionately embracing each other with the camera quicly zooming in on them. This shows us that an event like this; passionately kissing a man who was not your husband, was frowned upon as the speed of the zoom highlights the event, as if the camera man is shocked at what it has seen.

The trailer ends with a close up of the woman, who was embrassing the foreigner, walking out of the frame. We then see a reflection of another woman in a glass cover for a painting. Again, this connotes that there is always someone watching you.

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Desperate Romantics

The Desperate Romantics trailer shows three men walking in a dark lit art gallery. The trailer ultimately shows the men taking a dislike to traditional art and breaking rules and bounderies, going together to form the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

The trailer begins with a close-up of a candle which after a couple of seconds blows out. This candle represents traditional art and how it's run is coming towards an end. This is reinforced by the scene dissolving and showing two doors opening in which three men are walking through. It is obvious that these men are breaking rules and their entrance symbolised the end of naturalistic paintings.

There is a close up of the middle man's face. He looks very moody but has a smirk on his face. There then is a close up of a painting and it is made obvious that it was what he was looking at before. The look on his face shows us that he doesn't like the picture and that he disagrees with the painting style. This is reinforced by one of the other men in a close up, looking so smuggly at the paintings which were shhe own in close up. This shows the audience that the three men are being rebellious , wanting to create a new style of painting.

Another shot which shows their hatred towards the current art is a close up of the third mans face. He looks confused, and extremely angry at the current style of painting. This shows the need for change in art in that time.

There is a medium close up shot of two of the mens' backs as they walk away from an exploding painting. This represents the fact that they are destroying "art", breaking the boundaries and turning it into something more beautiful.Also, the fact that they are not turning back shows us that they don't care that they are offending.

A shot shows an extreme close up of an exploding painting shows flying shards of glass and smoke. This represents the fact that new rules were coming into place and the shards of glass indicated that boundaries were being broken. The artists felt the need to start something new and not fit in with the crowd. In this shot, the destruction that their desire causes is represented by the never ending plume of smoke.

The Inbetweeners

Deconstruction of the Trailer for Series Two

This trailer starts with an low angle long shot, showing young men in blue and red football bibs running about after the ball. This presents young people as sporty and energetic; this is suggested by the outfit that they are wearing. The camera then cuts to Simon who is concentrating on the ball. He then catches sight of somebody that he knows and his concentration has suddenly switched from the ball to a girl. This shows what low levels of concentration that young people have and that they are so easily distracted because as soon as Simon sees Carly, the girl he caught sight of, he forgets about the ball. Carly then waves at Simon, then the camera cuts to a close up shot of him with text next to him labelling him as "The Romantic", while he grins a goofy grin and waves really hard. This shows young people as fools who fall in love really hard, to the extent that they embarrass themselves. This point is emphasised when the ball hits Simon in the face and he falls to the ground, face caked in mud.

The scene then cuts to a classroom with two parents being revealed in an over the shoulder shot and we see Neil with his head stuck through a hole in a chair, the camera seems to be on a dolly and reveals a man sawing him out. The words "The Genius" then appear next to Neil. This is ironic as whatever he did must've been stupid to get him in that situation and presents young people as individuals who do things before they think. It reflects how young people do stupid things that they are advised not to do, undermining authority and usually ending up in trouble where they need others to help them.

The camera then cuts to another scene, with the camera at a lightly canted angle, where Jay walks down a corridor with the camera tracking him while he pulls over the top impressed faces at girls, trying to flirt with them. There are many short takes of this and the words "The Ladies Man" appear next to him. The camera then cuts to a close up of his back where a note is written saying "I have no penis" and then cuts to a medium close up of his face, where  he has a smile of contempt. His facial gestures represent the vulgarity of young people especially teenage boys as he is pleased with having of pulled demeaning facial gestures at girls. Also, it is mocking young people connoting that young people think that they are cool and that everybody is laughing with them when people are laughing at them. The fact that somebody put this note on his back also highlights the brutality in the world of young people as they take pleasure in embarrassing others. This brutality is emphasised as the camera pans down the stairs to Will who is giving out fliers, with everyone passing him by ignoring him as if he isn't there. Finally someone walks up and pulls down Will's trousers, with a few people laughing while he is ironically  labelled as "The Hero". The same cruelty in the prank that was pulled on Jay, is shown here emphasising the bad attitudes of most young people, who get their kicks from making others look stupid.

The trailer ends with a group close up the whole class posing for a class photo with the camera zooming in on the four main characters, with different expressions on their faces. Neil has a wide goofy smile, Will is sitting up straight with a look of pride, Simon is looking annoyed and Jay is looking at his mens' magazine. This is signifies that all young people are different, each with their own personality and hilarious traits that ultimately displays the comical personas of young people on a whole.

The Three Trailers

Trailer 3



The three trailers all are effective advertisements which successfully entise the viewer to watch the programme. Although they are all effective they all contain different elements that attract an audience in different ways. Trailers 2 & 3 contain the voice of the central character, Will, with him telling the audience what time, channel and day the programme is coming on. With this said unlike the other two trailers, trailer one has Will narrating the whole advertisement, explaining the character's story. This is because this is the first series so the advertisement needs to give the audience a little introduction to convince them to watch the programme. To add to the introduction, there are also clips from the series, giving us an introduction to the main characters and showing us funny events that are to come in later in the series, such as Simon throwing up and Neil doing weird dance moves. This is giving the audience a preview of what is to come, using key moments convincing them that the programme is worth watching.

This differs to the second series which contains no extra dialogue except Will telling us when the programme is coming on.This is probably because the programme has already built up a following with a large audience; all it needs to do now is to remind its usual viewers that the programme is back on. The score is a much slower and calmer, than the first series because it no longer needs to worry about attracting a new large audience as many people have already started watching from the first series. All the advert needs to do now is remind viewers that the programme is on and it reminds the viewers of the characters by showing them being humiliated with their stereotype next to their name The viewers now expect the series to be as funny as ever with more humiliating situations for them to laugh at..

By the time the last series trailer is released, the viewers can already identify the characters and are familiar with their personality but the advertisement still centres on some of them for a few seconds, displaying them doing something that would help us to identify their personality.In the advertisement, the characters are presented as if they are celebrities with the use of tilted camera angles and slow motion camera angles which reflects the fact that the characters and programme has become a popular topic in the media and in the lives of their viewers. The audience now expect the series to be epic and better than ever and the score helps excite the viewers, with its heavy bass and steady beat.

So, although these trailers have different purposes, they all revolve around the main characters. They are always presented in the same way with Will being posh and moral, Simon being romantic, Neil acting like a complete and utter idiot and Jay being the dirty girl crazy lad. We are constantly reminded of their characters and personalities with us always being able to identify the characters with the show.

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