Status- relative social or professional position; standing.
| synonyms: | standing, rank, ranking, position, social position, station, level, footing, place; |
Monday, 14 December 2015
Class and Status- Definitions
Social class (or simply "class"), as in a class society, is a set of concepts in the social sciences and political theory centered on models of social stratification in which people are grouped into a set of hierarchical social categories, the most common being the upper, middle, and lower classes. (Wikipedia)
Status- relative social or professional position; standing.
Status- relative social or professional position; standing.
Wednesday, 9 December 2015
Editing- A Breakdown
Editing and Representation
Editing is primarily related to narrative, so how does match-on action have anything to do with character or representation? The role of editing in representation is open to interpretation and is greatly dependent on context.
Action Match
When following a single character, this is a purely technical device to hide the cut. However, when an action match is used for intercutting, such as between two very different people, it can heighten parallels/ contrasts between two characters, offering an opportunity for juxtaposition
Eyeline Match
Eyeline match usually provides insight to a character's private thoughts
We see Leia looking at the stormtroopers and the stormtroopers noticing Leia
Final Shot
In any scene, see which character or characters are shown in the final shot of the sequence as this is often the character which the audience is expected to identify with
Intercutting: Juxtaposition
Although typically a narrative device, intercutting can set up juxtaposition between parallel storylines, exaggerating the impact or meaning by highlighting a point of difference
Intercutting: Tension
When intercutting is used to draw two storylines together, this can be structured to create tension, and therefore heighten the audience's identification with a particular character
See 1:51- 2:40. We cut between the tiger's pursuit of Cutter and Abby's running with the rifle in action code and prompts the question: will she get there in time?
Jump Cuts
There are rarely used in TV or film; when they are, they tend to suggest either a)chaos, b)self-conscious ellipsis (drawing attention to the rapid pace of the action) or c) a director who likes to break the rules
SEE CLIP ABOVE
When Cutter prepares to slide down the zip-wire, we see jump cuts which could show both his hesitation and his speediness and decisiveness to zip wire down the line
Motivation
A motivated edit is any transition forced on the editor by the development of the action, narrative or character. Whenever shot (a) refers to the existence of an event outside the frame, and we then cut to (b) which shows that event, that’s a motivated edit. We can sometimes judge a character’s worth or importance by the number of cuts they motivate.
e.g. in Primeval, Cutter runs away from the tiger, drawing it away from Abby.
His constant motion motivates many of the cuts in this sequence, again reinforcing his status as the protagonist, if not the Proppian hero.
Pace of Editing
This can imply character qualities, especially if only one or two characters are in the sequence. A fast pace might suggest energy or panic (depending on context) while infrequent cuts (long takes) might suggest calm, a casual attitude, or provide documentary-style realism. Similar effects can be achieved with speed ramping and slow-motion.
Prevalence
How much screen time does a character get? The more time we see them on the screen, the more important their role. This can develop during a scene to change character's status.
Selection
As film-makers yourselves, it can sometimes be interesting to ask what information has been included or omitted in an edit.
Shot/Reverse Shots
S/RS indicates the relationship between two characters: it signifies and sometimes exaggerates their closeness or their opposition (depending on the context). The amount of time given to a character’s reaction shots can convey their status in the scene. For example, if two characters are in S/RS conversation, do they get equal screen time, or do we spend more time looking at one character, speaking and reacting? Equally (though this is also a function of camera, are the two characters framed equally?
Reaction Shots
Assistant Principle Examiner Comments
One approach to both sound and editing is to look at the way in which technical elements are used to create perspective or viewpoint within a sequence - a key element of the process of representation that goes beyond the identification of 'character traits'.
By understanding, for example, how screen time, p.o.v. or reaction shots are distributed, even weaker students can see how hierarchies are established, leading to certain representations being privileged where others are marginalised.
Stronger students are able to develop this further by discussing how the audience is positioned in relation to the representations on offer - the best answers in the June session of G322 offered some great discussion of the way in which editing frequently shifted the viewer's relationship to dominant views of gender in different scenes.
Another important factor is the way that the editing of the sequence grants or witholds narrative information from the audience in order to encourage identification or rejection of particular characters/representations. Fans of 1970s screen theory will recognise the essence of Colin McCabe's work on hierarchy of discourses in classic realist texts in this approach - obviously massively watered down! There are good chapters on this in Television Culture (John Fiske) and Television Studies (Bernadette Casey) if you want to mug up.
Editing is primarily related to narrative, so how does match-on action have anything to do with character or representation? The role of editing in representation is open to interpretation and is greatly dependent on context.
Action Match
When following a single character, this is a purely technical device to hide the cut. However, when an action match is used for intercutting, such as between two very different people, it can heighten parallels/ contrasts between two characters, offering an opportunity for juxtaposition
Eyeline Match
Eyeline match usually provides insight to a character's private thoughts
We see Leia looking at the stormtroopers and the stormtroopers noticing Leia
Final Shot
In any scene, see which character or characters are shown in the final shot of the sequence as this is often the character which the audience is expected to identify with
Intercutting: Juxtaposition
Although typically a narrative device, intercutting can set up juxtaposition between parallel storylines, exaggerating the impact or meaning by highlighting a point of difference
Intercutting: Tension
When intercutting is used to draw two storylines together, this can be structured to create tension, and therefore heighten the audience's identification with a particular character
See 1:51- 2:40. We cut between the tiger's pursuit of Cutter and Abby's running with the rifle in action code and prompts the question: will she get there in time?
Jump Cuts
There are rarely used in TV or film; when they are, they tend to suggest either a)chaos, b)self-conscious ellipsis (drawing attention to the rapid pace of the action) or c) a director who likes to break the rules
SEE CLIP ABOVE
When Cutter prepares to slide down the zip-wire, we see jump cuts which could show both his hesitation and his speediness and decisiveness to zip wire down the line
Motivation
A motivated edit is any transition forced on the editor by the development of the action, narrative or character. Whenever shot (a) refers to the existence of an event outside the frame, and we then cut to (b) which shows that event, that’s a motivated edit. We can sometimes judge a character’s worth or importance by the number of cuts they motivate.
e.g. in Primeval, Cutter runs away from the tiger, drawing it away from Abby.
His constant motion motivates many of the cuts in this sequence, again reinforcing his status as the protagonist, if not the Proppian hero.
Pace of Editing
This can imply character qualities, especially if only one or two characters are in the sequence. A fast pace might suggest energy or panic (depending on context) while infrequent cuts (long takes) might suggest calm, a casual attitude, or provide documentary-style realism. Similar effects can be achieved with speed ramping and slow-motion.
Prevalence
How much screen time does a character get? The more time we see them on the screen, the more important their role. This can develop during a scene to change character's status.
Selection
As film-makers yourselves, it can sometimes be interesting to ask what information has been included or omitted in an edit.
Shot/Reverse Shots
S/RS indicates the relationship between two characters: it signifies and sometimes exaggerates their closeness or their opposition (depending on the context). The amount of time given to a character’s reaction shots can convey their status in the scene. For example, if two characters are in S/RS conversation, do they get equal screen time, or do we spend more time looking at one character, speaking and reacting? Equally (though this is also a function of camera, are the two characters framed equally?
Reaction Shots
Assistant Principle Examiner Comments
One approach to both sound and editing is to look at the way in which technical elements are used to create perspective or viewpoint within a sequence - a key element of the process of representation that goes beyond the identification of 'character traits'.
By understanding, for example, how screen time, p.o.v. or reaction shots are distributed, even weaker students can see how hierarchies are established, leading to certain representations being privileged where others are marginalised.
Stronger students are able to develop this further by discussing how the audience is positioned in relation to the representations on offer - the best answers in the June session of G322 offered some great discussion of the way in which editing frequently shifted the viewer's relationship to dominant views of gender in different scenes.
Another important factor is the way that the editing of the sequence grants or witholds narrative information from the audience in order to encourage identification or rejection of particular characters/representations. Fans of 1970s screen theory will recognise the essence of Colin McCabe's work on hierarchy of discourses in classic realist texts in this approach - obviously massively watered down! There are good chapters on this in Television Culture (John Fiske) and Television Studies (Bernadette Casey) if you want to mug up.
Analysis of Gender in 2009 Doctor Who clip
In this clip, I will be looking at its construction as a whole and how it links in regards to how it represents gender. Sound, Mise-en-scene, Editing and Cinematography have all been used by Davies to create a representation.
Our establishing shot is of the Master, in shallow focus so we can see only him in detail. He is on one of the main lines according to the rule of thirds, and already we can see that he is a dominant character, a stereotypical alpha male, as he demands the attention of the audience. Despite being out of focus, we can see the lift doors open and Martha, appearing very small in relation to the Master's head, stepping out. She is only a small thing compared to the Master visually, further asserting his dominance. This is a very stereotypical view of men and how they should act.
We appear to walk with Martha as she walks forwards, the camera moving in a tracking shot. The "spaghetti western" non-diegetic music suggests an almost typical western stand-off idea between the two characters. However, despite the inserts of her friends and family that have been edited in, Martha is shown ultimately to be alone and scared, almost in a little girl sense, as if she is going to get told off. The camera is tilted down with her as she kneels and, as the audience, we seem to be more on her side as we go down to her level. Her kneeling stance seems stereotypical. highlighting the dominance of men over women. It is also reminiscent of an execution, which is what the Master wants it to be. Once again, he is demonstrating his power, except this time over life and death.
The Master is further shown to be the dominant male as he is perceived from Martha's point-of-view at low angles. We hear him call things and people "children" or "child", as if he is the only adult in the room. To continue on with the sci-fi theme, we cut to shots of the Master's CGI rocket ships- edited and inserted in digitally after the filming had finished- as a voice over is heard. We also see a VFX (video effects) shot of the Earth with hundreds of metal spheres, with a chilling robotic tone to their voices. This continues the idea of him being the alpha male as we see a plan which we assume is too good to fail; however, since this is children's science fiction TV drama we would also assume that the "goodies" will prevail. The Master is in full control. The diegetic sound of the ticking clock is also indexical with the idea of villains, often counting down to some kind of bomb going off and also increasing the tension of the piece.
However, we suddenly have a close up of Martha's face, and her laugh seems to have been made louder in editing, so it is clearer that she is laughing at the Master. The use of quick cuts in the shot reverse shot editing demonstrates a slight change in power. Martha seems to be taking more of a dominant stand, which is uncommon as men are often portrayed as the more dominant characters, which we saw examples of during the clip. Through the use of flashback, signified through the quick fade-outs to white, and the flashback scenes shown in black and white, sepia tones, as well as the sci-fi swoosh sounds, we can see Martha's strength and belief in what she is doing, especially with her realisation of her love for the Doctor, shown through a mid-section shot. Although it could be argued that the love is more platonic, it is more stereotypical that the female friend will always fall in love with the male friend, so in this way Martha's strength despite the stereotypes of her gender is diminished slightly. Martha has been given a messenger-like role, almost like a disciple to the idea of the Doctor as a saviour from the tyranny of the Master. The symbolic disciple-like role is further highlighted through the slow-motion flashback that we see as Martha walks in the cold, her breath in the air, and the pained expression so obvious on her face. The pain the audience see demonstrates the pain she goes through for her love ad her beliefs. The fact that she is a woman does not change what she sets out to do, and demonstrates her in a stronger, more-empowered light, which is not particularly stereotypical.
We watch as the prayer-like muttering of the word "Doctor" becomes more intense as the soundtrack becomes ore orchestral and loud, in a huge crescendo. We see lots of quick close-up shots as people say the word, including the woman in red. We see her on the Master's side, and she is portrayed as a stereotypical trophy wife, to further highlight a stereotypically dominant idea of the Master. She is dressed in beautiful clothes, has blonde hair and is dolled up in a bit of make-up. This costume means we see her more through the "male gaze" than any other of the female characters. She has been quiet for the whole clip, and her stereotypical submissive nature juxtaposes with Martha's strong, non-stereotypical characterisation. The fact we hear her also saying the word, in a breathy voice especially to add to the idea of her being sultry and seductive, is used to highlight the strength of the Doctor over the Master.
With the visual effects of the white wave-like shield, the Doctor comes across in a Jesus-like way, as he seems to rise from the brink of death, much like Jesus did. The white colour here seems to be used as a sign of good and purity, and by having risen up to the sound of his name, he appears to be a saviour figure. The director chooses for the camera to tilt down, and our view is of the Master at more high angles, so that we look down on him with the Doctor. This demonstrates a shift in the power dynamic. The Doctor is now the dominant alpha male, and the Master is in the scared "little girl" stereotype that he put Martha in. This is also added by his screaming "it's not fair" like a spoilt brat, usually portrayed as girls, after they have had a toy taken away from them.
Throughout the clip gender is represented in many different ways. We originally see the Master as a dominant alpha male, but by the end he is presented as just a scared, little man. In almost the opposite way we see the disciple Martha become stronger and more convicted as time goes on, juxtaposing with the Master's stereotypical trophy wife who stays submissive and quiet, until the end where she begins to chant Doctor. We also see the rise of the Doctor as he becomes the dominant, alpha male, saviour character.
Our establishing shot is of the Master, in shallow focus so we can see only him in detail. He is on one of the main lines according to the rule of thirds, and already we can see that he is a dominant character, a stereotypical alpha male, as he demands the attention of the audience. Despite being out of focus, we can see the lift doors open and Martha, appearing very small in relation to the Master's head, stepping out. She is only a small thing compared to the Master visually, further asserting his dominance. This is a very stereotypical view of men and how they should act.
We appear to walk with Martha as she walks forwards, the camera moving in a tracking shot. The "spaghetti western" non-diegetic music suggests an almost typical western stand-off idea between the two characters. However, despite the inserts of her friends and family that have been edited in, Martha is shown ultimately to be alone and scared, almost in a little girl sense, as if she is going to get told off. The camera is tilted down with her as she kneels and, as the audience, we seem to be more on her side as we go down to her level. Her kneeling stance seems stereotypical. highlighting the dominance of men over women. It is also reminiscent of an execution, which is what the Master wants it to be. Once again, he is demonstrating his power, except this time over life and death.
The Master is further shown to be the dominant male as he is perceived from Martha's point-of-view at low angles. We hear him call things and people "children" or "child", as if he is the only adult in the room. To continue on with the sci-fi theme, we cut to shots of the Master's CGI rocket ships- edited and inserted in digitally after the filming had finished- as a voice over is heard. We also see a VFX (video effects) shot of the Earth with hundreds of metal spheres, with a chilling robotic tone to their voices. This continues the idea of him being the alpha male as we see a plan which we assume is too good to fail; however, since this is children's science fiction TV drama we would also assume that the "goodies" will prevail. The Master is in full control. The diegetic sound of the ticking clock is also indexical with the idea of villains, often counting down to some kind of bomb going off and also increasing the tension of the piece.
However, we suddenly have a close up of Martha's face, and her laugh seems to have been made louder in editing, so it is clearer that she is laughing at the Master. The use of quick cuts in the shot reverse shot editing demonstrates a slight change in power. Martha seems to be taking more of a dominant stand, which is uncommon as men are often portrayed as the more dominant characters, which we saw examples of during the clip. Through the use of flashback, signified through the quick fade-outs to white, and the flashback scenes shown in black and white, sepia tones, as well as the sci-fi swoosh sounds, we can see Martha's strength and belief in what she is doing, especially with her realisation of her love for the Doctor, shown through a mid-section shot. Although it could be argued that the love is more platonic, it is more stereotypical that the female friend will always fall in love with the male friend, so in this way Martha's strength despite the stereotypes of her gender is diminished slightly. Martha has been given a messenger-like role, almost like a disciple to the idea of the Doctor as a saviour from the tyranny of the Master. The symbolic disciple-like role is further highlighted through the slow-motion flashback that we see as Martha walks in the cold, her breath in the air, and the pained expression so obvious on her face. The pain the audience see demonstrates the pain she goes through for her love ad her beliefs. The fact that she is a woman does not change what she sets out to do, and demonstrates her in a stronger, more-empowered light, which is not particularly stereotypical.
We watch as the prayer-like muttering of the word "Doctor" becomes more intense as the soundtrack becomes ore orchestral and loud, in a huge crescendo. We see lots of quick close-up shots as people say the word, including the woman in red. We see her on the Master's side, and she is portrayed as a stereotypical trophy wife, to further highlight a stereotypically dominant idea of the Master. She is dressed in beautiful clothes, has blonde hair and is dolled up in a bit of make-up. This costume means we see her more through the "male gaze" than any other of the female characters. She has been quiet for the whole clip, and her stereotypical submissive nature juxtaposes with Martha's strong, non-stereotypical characterisation. The fact we hear her also saying the word, in a breathy voice especially to add to the idea of her being sultry and seductive, is used to highlight the strength of the Doctor over the Master.
With the visual effects of the white wave-like shield, the Doctor comes across in a Jesus-like way, as he seems to rise from the brink of death, much like Jesus did. The white colour here seems to be used as a sign of good and purity, and by having risen up to the sound of his name, he appears to be a saviour figure. The director chooses for the camera to tilt down, and our view is of the Master at more high angles, so that we look down on him with the Doctor. This demonstrates a shift in the power dynamic. The Doctor is now the dominant alpha male, and the Master is in the scared "little girl" stereotype that he put Martha in. This is also added by his screaming "it's not fair" like a spoilt brat, usually portrayed as girls, after they have had a toy taken away from them.
Throughout the clip gender is represented in many different ways. We originally see the Master as a dominant alpha male, but by the end he is presented as just a scared, little man. In almost the opposite way we see the disciple Martha become stronger and more convicted as time goes on, juxtaposing with the Master's stereotypical trophy wife who stays submissive and quiet, until the end where she begins to chant Doctor. We also see the rise of the Doctor as he becomes the dominant, alpha male, saviour character.
Monday, 7 December 2015
Synergy and Technological Convergence
Synergy and Technical Convergence:
Synergy is the strategy of synchronising and actively forging connections between directly related areas of entertainment. New technologies support this process- web, DVD, downloading. Media institution exploit various platforms to sell various products related to one film (e.g. film, soundtrack, video game etc.)
Convergence is the process by which a range of media platforms are integrated within a single piece of media technology. Media institutions recognise that audience enjoy using converged technology, want to consume media in a variety of different ways and provide short form content for downloading e.g.video clips, trailers, music videos, jingles, wallpapers, music tracks etc.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Synergy is the strategy of synchronising and actively forging connections between directly related areas of entertainment. New technologies support this process- web, DVD, downloading. Media institution exploit various platforms to sell various products related to one film (e.g. film, soundtrack, video game etc.)
Convergence is the process by which a range of media platforms are integrated within a single piece of media technology. Media institutions recognise that audience enjoy using converged technology, want to consume media in a variety of different ways and provide short form content for downloading e.g.video clips, trailers, music videos, jingles, wallpapers, music tracks etc.
Guardians of the Galaxy
- Toys- Action figures, Bobbleheads, Lego (Lego Marvel Superheroes Guardians of the Galaxy)
- Website- http://marvel.com/guardians (the official site for Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy)
- Social Media- Although there is a Twitter, Facebook, Google +, Tumblr, YouTube and Pinterest for Marvel itself, there is no Guardians of the Galaxy specific accounts
- Video Game- Guardians of the Galaxy: The Universal Weapon is available on Android, iOS and Windows phones, but there is no physical game for any bigger devices. The characters are also involved in lots of other Marvel based games but with characters from throughout the Marvel universe (http://marvel.com/news/video_games/22962/sdcc_2014_guardians_of_the_galaxy_in_marvel_games)
- Fast Food merch- Featured on Subway meals and merchandising
- High profile premiere- The red carpet event was held outside the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood and Highland. Lots of new websites reported on it, such as thehollywoodreporter. You could also watch the premiere from the Marvel website- http://marvel.com/guardianspremiere
- TV Appearances- Almost all of the main cast members were interviewed by someone at some point about the film, at premieres, panels and in TV interviews
- News Reports- There are hundreds of articles on Guardians of the Galaxy throughout the internet on hundreds of different news websites
- Other- the soundtrack was released with music that was not created for the film (Awesome Mix Vol. 1); you can buy t-shirts, lunchboxes, cups, posters, badges, phone cases and film replicas such as jackets and helmets
Kingsman: The Secret Service
- Toys- N/A
- Website- http://www.kingsmanmovie.com
- Social Media- Kingsman has a Twitter, Facebook, Google + and YouTube presence
- Video Game- There is a mini game on the website where you can become a kingsman knight and connect your phone to the game
- Fast Food merch- N/A
- High profile premiere- The premiere was held in Leicester Square outside the Odeon theatre. Most publicity was focused on Colin Firth but all the main people in the film came
- TV Appearances- Almost all of the main cast members were interviewed by a variety of different people
- News Reports- Lots of websites reviewed the film and are now commenting on the sequel that is supposed to be appearing
- Other- Mr Porter released a Kingsman collection, selling ties, shirts, blazers and shoes as well as other small accessories like umbrellas and socks; the soundtrack was also released
Sunday, 6 December 2015
Gender analysis in 'Sherlock- A Scandal in Belgravia'
Scandal in Belgravia clip:
Analysis:
This clip from Sherlock seems to break the
social norms of what we assume we will see in a TV Drama according to
gender. From the beginning we see
Sherlock as being more feminine, through his traits of disguise and trickery,
which women are often stereotyped to be like.
We see the opposite in Irene, with more masculine traits seeming to
appear in her, such as domination and also the fact that we treat her as a male
character through the lens of the camera.
Sherlock and Irene appear to be equals, which demonstrates that the
gender of the other person is not important to them. John is also shown to be almost submissive
to Irene in the way that he is nervous around her, which goes against normal
stereotypes, and his respect for her is also a surprise too, purely as men are
considered to be lustful creatures that wouldn’t even try to hide that they
wanted to look, or would just go straight ahead and look.
Analysis:
Gender is something that has become very prevalent in
today’s society, with the majority of people asking how they can present their
gender in either a traditional or non-traditional way. This is something that media can help us
with through its presentation of women and men in TV Dramas, which are used to
present real-life people. In the clip
from the Sherlock episode A Scandal in
Belgravia we show the power play between Irene Adler (played by Laura
Pulver) and Sherlock Holmes (played by Benedict Cumberbatch), as well as a small amount of reaction from John Watson (played by Martin Freeman). Through the use of camera, editing, sound
and mise-en-scene, all carefully constructed by Stephen Moffat and Mark Gatiss,
we can see how men and women are presented in different ways.
The clip begins with a long shot of the room. The entire room is white and very elegant
and feminine looking, with things looking extremely expensive which is unsurprising considering the scene is set in a nice house in modern day London. For example, the chaise by the back of the room has a many-curved back, which can bring to mind
more feminine ideas as women are often associated with curves. The table legs, which we can see are closer
to the front of shot, are also curved in a scroll-like way. The mise-en-scene that we can see in the
room could demonstrate that the owner of the house is a woman and also gives
the impression of the owner being rich due to its semi-periodic feel. Considering that the room is white, it could
be said as a reflection of the owner’s innocence. However, we would assume that the owner
picked out the items themselves and therefore could be seen as more of a shifty
character as they know that they are presenting themselves as the innocent
character. Sherlock is set out starkly
against the white sofa, as he is dressed in mostly black. This juxtaposes with the white setting,
demonstrating that he does not belong in this environment. We watch as he looks around. Since the entire shot is in deep focus, we
can see his eyes moving around but also see what he is looking at, which
presents Sherlock as a man who enjoys poking his nose into things and being
very suspicious- this is unsurprising since he is a detective. The idea of men being nosey is not one that
we stereotypically come across, and in today’s society is more associated with
females, as they are seen as suspicious people who don’t ever trust their
partners. This could be highlighting
that Sherlock is a more feminine character.
We hear a woman’s voice out-of-shot. The way she speaks makes her seem very kind
and caring- the fact that she is asking if the man has been hurt also suggests
this. We have not yet met this
character but we could assume that is a kind and caring woman, which women are
usually presented to be. We watch as
Sherlock visibly turns into the character he is pretending to be, leaning
forward and placing the tissue he has back to his face, with a worried wobbly tone to his voice. The shot cuts to a separate one- now in a mid-shot,
from the other side so we can watch as Irene comes in the door. This demonstrates how good of an actor
Sherlock is, and adds to the idea of the more stereotypically feminine traits
of sneakiness and playing pretend. The
fact that we get closer to him to watch this shows that these are the prominent
traits of his character.
Just as we see Irene come through the door, and we notice
that she is naked, we switch shot again.
It is an over-the- shoulder shot, except we can
see more or Irene’s body- her arm and back.
However, her body is not in focus.
This whole sequence goes against the traditional “male-gaze” that we
often see women through- we have not been shown any full-frontal nudity, and
she is not in focus here. We don’t
see any breasts or genitalia at all throughout any of the clip- things are
often artfully placed in front of her, such as Sherlock’s head in some shots. This could highlight that Irene presents more
masculine traits so we should look at her as more of a male character, or to
show that women do not have to be objectified.
The fact that she has chosen to be naked shows a more empowered version
of a woman, so the choice of cinematography techniques may be a reflection of
that. We also see her why she chose to
do this later, when Sherlock is unable to notice anything about her, which
would help him figure her out. We recognise that he is trying to figure her out through the freeze frame on the close up of her face, and the visual effect of question marks appearing next to her. Despite
the fact that we don’t see a close-up of Sherlock’s face, this is definitely
still a reaction shot as we watch how he reacts to Irene walking in naked. However, the reaction we see from Sherlock
seems to be more of surprise than lust, which once again adds to the idea that
this clip seems to be defying gender norms in regards to how men and women are
shown in TV Drama. We later zoom in on
him, and the use of non-diegetic music, which creates tension through it’s
disjointed sound, seems to show him in a way as more curious than lustful, as
if he is trying to figure her out. The
lens flares also highlight that Sherlock’s face is in shallow focus- we are
made to focus on Sherlock’s reaction.
The choice of dark hair, smokey make-up and red lips all
gives the impression of sensuality that usually accompanies the presentation of
women, but also contrasts with the white of the room. This implies that this is not a woman to be
trusted, and links in to the idea of sneakiness and trickery being traits,
which are associated with women, just as they are shown within Sherlock. She has an extremely sensual sounding voice, since it lowers as she talks to him, suggesting bits about his appearance and acting very sexually. This is a very stereotypical view of women being very sexual objects, except she seems to be playing it to her advantage- this is unusual as women are usually more portrayed in a sexual way than knowingly act in such a way. As she stands over him, and the low angle
shot over Sherlock’s shoulder seems to demonstrate him looking up at her, she
seems to become all the more dominant, a trait typically associated with
men. However, Sherlock seems unfazed
and due to the shots we see of him and his reactions in his replies, the two
appear to be more equal. This is also
shown through the quick shot reverse shots that happen one after the other as
we see both of their faces somewhat equally, and there seems to be some kind of
visual par-de-par going on between them.
This also happens further on, when we cut to many different panning
shots as the two look at each other, as if they are trying to figure each other
out.
The entrance of John is of particular importance here in
regards to gender, as we see the reaction of another man, to see if it fits in
with the stereotypical male reaction.
However, once again, the reaction we receive is not a stereotypical
one. John seems very much shocked and
embarrassed to find a naked woman in the room, rather than lustful. The fact that he also doesn’t want to look
at her naked body demonstrates a certain amount of respect that he is trying to
maintain between himself and Irene, despite the fact they’ve never met. However, the fact that he doesn't want to look, demonstrates a typical male response with the idea that he would like to look, he is just stopping himself. The quick editing of the shots of Irene and
Sherlock are interrupted by an insert of John replying to a question that he
wasn’t asked, which seems to add a comic relief to the otherwise dramatic mood,
as does his request for her to put something on. In this sense, John seems almost submissive
to Irene due to how uncomfortable he is- she has power over him. This once again shows a break against norms.
Wednesday, 25 November 2015
Sunday, 15 November 2015
Analysis of Gender in the "Mistresses" Clip, only on Cinematography
Analysis Essay
In the clip from the TV drama “Mistresses”, I am looking at the cinematography of the piece in relation to gender. The cinematography is used very well to highlight the problems that can occur between men and women.
We begin with the establishing shot of a woman and man. The camera is tracking the woman as she enters and is handed a cup of coffee. The camera continuously pans as we continue to watch the scene from the mid-long shot. The woman stops opposite the piece of paper, which has the words pros and cons on it. The man stands opposite, looking at the piece of paper with her. The two characters are a similar height, and at this point neither seems to be more of a presence on screen than the other. This highlights the equality that can be found within their relationship.
The camera cuts to a mid-close up reaction over the shoulder shot of the woman as she looks at the list. As we look over the shoulder of the man, we can tell that he seems to be looking for her reaction to the list, as are we. This highlights that this is a very important part of their relationship, with him trying to please her. Their conversation is interspersed with shots of her reaction to what he is saying to highlight that she thinks he’s being ridiculous. As she moves away from the list, she stays on one of the main lines in the rule of thirds, meaning our focus is on her. This highlights that she is the important one over him in this relationship, which contradicts with the first idea we have that the two are equal in their relationship together.
As they continue their conversation, there is a cut to a mid-shot as the woman gets on with things at the table. At one point, they are both on parallel lines with each other, as he believes she is saying that she doesn’t think he can get a job. They look at each other, framing the space between them to emphasise the rift that is occurring. This is also an interesting moment in the clip as it demonstrates a woman’s dominance over a man, something that isn’t common as it isn’t stereotypical. She is quite willing to work while he is a stay at home Dad, which is quite a modern idea. The space then is shown between them as he mover away from her, into a separate mid-shot, with him in shallow focus to highlight that we are focusing on him. The audience is meant to relate with the man’s pain.
Next, we are shown the outside of a pawning shop. The camera pans suddenly to highlight that the place can also cash your cheques. The camera tilts down as a man exits the shop carrying a stash of what we can assume is money in an envelope. The man seems shifty, as if he is hiding something. He seems scared, which demonstrates that something truly bad has happened as stereotypically men are supposed to be strong. He walks towards the camera, into a mid-close up. The camera is tilted down to look at the money, and back up to see his reaction; a smile, but not necessarily one of happiness; more of relief and sadness.
We cut to a mid-shot of a woman standing behind a counter, looking at her phone. The same man as before climbs up the stairs to see her, and the whole of their interaction is done continuously through a master shot. They seem happy, and their closeness seems to highlight an element of trust and dependability on one another. However, we can assume that the man has not told the woman that he was pawning items, which highlights that the closeness between them is a lie. This is then revealed as the man goes to the door to discover the bailiffs, which the woman knows nothing about.
Through cinematography, relationships between people can easily be shown, which can also highlight the lies, which people are also telling. For example, the man who went to the pawnshop has obviously been lying to his wife or girlfriend about his financial situation despite the fact that their closeness on camera would highlight that they are close.
Analysis of my work: Obviously, this is not as long as
a normal media essay would be, however, since I was only discussing
cinematography, it could be assumed that a longer essay would be written
concerning all the micro-elements and how they create meaning.
Saturday, 14 November 2015
Cinematography Documentary
(With some weird cutting thing at the end which removed focus related clips- see below for vocabulary). Thanks to Sarah for helping me film it).
Deep Focus- a technique using a large depth of field. In deep focus the foreground, middle ground and background are all in focus
Shallow Focus- in shallow focus, one plane of the image is in focus while the rest is out of focus. It is typically used to emphasise one thing over another
Sunday, 1 November 2015
Kingsman: The Secret Service Institutional Information
Name of Film: Kingsman: The Secret Service
Film Rights: Marvel Comics (comic book), creator-owned
Film Budget: $81 million
Production Company: MARV Films (predominantly)
Shangri-La Entertainment
TSG Entertainment
Distribution: 20th Century Fox
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Main Star 1:
Main Star 2:
Brief Storyline: A spy organization recruits an unrefined, but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program, just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.
Production Details: Locations- Deepcut church, Deepcut, Surrey ,England, UK
(Kentucky church)
Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate, Camden, London, England, UK
(council estate where Eggsy lives)
Sydney, Australia
(beach fight)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
(destruction city scene) Sharpthorne tunnel, Bluebell Railway, West Sussex, England, UK
Wrotham Park, Barnet, Hertfordshire, England, UK
Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
(studio)
6 Black Prince Rd, Kennington, London, England, UK
(Pub scenes)
Leavesden Studios, Leavesden, Hertfordshire, England, UK
(studio)
11 Savile Row, London, England, UK
(Kingsman Store Headquarters)
Holborn Police Station, London, England, UK
(Outside shot of where Eggsy is taken after the car chase) London, England, UK
Release Date:13 December 2014(Butt-Numb-A-Thon)
29 January 2015(United Kingdom)
13 February 2015 (United States)
How wide was its release? :
Two other films released the same week:
Main Competitor film:
Target audience for the film:
What are the films main selling points:
Example of Promotion 1:
Example of Promotion 2:
Example of Promotion 3:
How large was the marketing strategy? :
Are there examples of:
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Producers: Adam Bohling
Script Writer: Jane Goldman
Starring:
Taron Egerton- Gary "Eggsy" Unwin
Colin Firth- Harry Hart/ Galahad
Sophie Cookson- Roxy
Mark Strong- Merlin
Michael Caine- Arthur
Samuel L. Jackson- Valentine
Sofia Boutella- Gazelle
Music: Henry Jackman
Matthew Margeson
Cinematography: George Richmond
Editing: Eddie Hamilton
Jon Harris
Production Company: Marv Films
Shangri-La Entertainment
TSG Entertainment
Distribution: 20th Century Fox
Release Dates: 13 December 2014(Butt-Numb-A-Thon), 29 January 2015(United Kingdom), 13 February 2015 (United States)
Running Time: 129 minutes
Budget: $81 million
Box Office: $414 million
Profit: $333 million (not including other costs)
Awards: Nominated for 4 awards, won 2 awards- Empire Awards, UK (Best British Film, Best Male Newcomer)
Film Rights: Marvel Comics (comic book), creator-owned
Film Budget: $81 million
Production Company: MARV Films (predominantly)
Shangri-La Entertainment
TSG Entertainment
Distribution: 20th Century Fox
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Main Star 1:
Main Star 2:
Brief Storyline: A spy organization recruits an unrefined, but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program, just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.
Production Details: Locations- Deepcut church, Deepcut, Surrey ,England, UK
Principal photography began 6 October 2013 in Deepcut, Surrey, on a budget reported to be one-third of the $200 million budget of Skyfall.
The Alexandra Road Estate in Camden was used for Eggsy's home area, and some scenes were filmed at Imperial College London. The Black Prince Pub in Kennington, South London, was used for various fight scenes and the car chase. Savile Row in Mayfair was also employed as a location and the exterior of tailors Huntsman, which provided the clothes.
Release Date:13 December 2014(Butt-Numb-A-Thon)
29 January 2015(United Kingdom)
13 February 2015 (United States)
How wide was its release? :
Two other films released the same week:
Main Competitor film:
Target audience for the film:
What are the films main selling points:
Example of Promotion 1:
Example of Promotion 2:
Example of Promotion 3:
How large was the marketing strategy? :
Are there examples of:
- Toys
- Website
- Social Media
- Video Game
- Fast Food merch
- High profile premiere
- TV Appearances-
- News Reports-
- Other (please specify)-
What do you consider the aim of the campaign to be?
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Producers: Adam Bohling
- David Reid
- Matthew Vaughn
Script Writer: Jane Goldman
- Matthew Vaughn
Starring:
Taron Egerton- Gary "Eggsy" Unwin
Colin Firth- Harry Hart/ Galahad
Sophie Cookson- Roxy
Mark Strong- Merlin
Michael Caine- Arthur
Samuel L. Jackson- Valentine
Sofia Boutella- Gazelle
Music: Henry Jackman
Matthew Margeson
Cinematography: George Richmond
Editing: Eddie Hamilton
Jon Harris
Production Company: Marv Films
Shangri-La Entertainment
TSG Entertainment
Distribution: 20th Century Fox
Release Dates: 13 December 2014(Butt-Numb-A-Thon), 29 January 2015(United Kingdom), 13 February 2015 (United States)
Running Time: 129 minutes
Budget: $81 million
Box Office: $414 million
Profit: $333 million (not including other costs)
Awards: Nominated for 4 awards, won 2 awards- Empire Awards, UK (Best British Film, Best Male Newcomer)
Guardians of the Galaxy Institutional Information
Name of Film: Guardians of the Galaxy (Working Title- Full Tilt)
Film Rights: Marvel Studios (film), Marvel Comics (comic book)
Running Time: 122 minutes
Film Budget: $195.9 million (the film came in at costing slightly over at $232.3 million, with Disney recieving a rebate of $36.4 million from the British government)
Box Office: $774.2 million
Profit: Net profit $204.2 million when factoring together "production budgets, P&A, talent participations and other costs, with box office grosses, and ancillary revenues from VOD to DVD and TV" (Deadline.com)
Awards: Nominated for 87 awards, including 2 Oscars, and won 44 awards
Production Company: Marvel Studios
Distribution: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Director: James Gunn (Director of Slither, James Gunn's PG Porn, Super)
Main Star 1: Peter Quill (Protagonist)- Chris Pratt ("Cursed Part 3"- Short film, 2000; "Jennifer's Body", 2009; "Moneyball", 2011; "Zero Dark Thirty", 2012; "Movie 43", 2013; "The Lego Movie", 2014; "Jurassic World", 2015; "The Magnificent Seven", 2016)
Main Star 2: Ronan the Accuser (Antagonist)- Lee Pace ("Soldier's Girl", 2003; "Infamous", 2006; "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 2", 2012; Lincoln, 2012; "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey", "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" and "The Hobbit: The Five Armies", 2012, 2013 and 2014)
Other people who worked on the film:
Producer: Kevin Feige
Script Writer: James Gunn
Nicole Perlman
Starring:
Chris Pratt- Peter Quill
Zoe Saldana- Gamora
Dave Bautista- Drax
Vin Diesel- Groot (voice)
Bradley Cooper- Rocket (voice)
Lee Pace- Ronan
Karen Gillan- Nebula
Music: Tyler Bates
Cinematography: Ben Davis
Editing: Fred Raskin, Craig Wood, Hughes Winborne
Brief Storyline: A group of intergalactic criminals are forced to work together to stop a fanatical warrior from taking control of the universe
Production Details: Locations- Longcross Studios, Chobham Lane, Longcross, Surrey, England
Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England
Millenium Brdge, River Thames, London, England
Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, California
Pre-Production- Gunn pushed for practical and make-up effects, head and body casts were created pre-filming for SFX makeup designer David White to play with- created upwards of 1,000 prosthetic makeup applications and 2,000 moulds of different coloured aliens
Filming- people stood in for Rocket and Groot/ had two life size versions of Rocket and Groot to assist with lighting, the physics of the film and aids for visual effects; used Arri Alexa XT cameras for the film, during the opening scenes in the 1980s, Davis chose JDC Cooke Xtal (Crystal) Express anamorphic prime lenses because they "had more anamorphic artifacts and aberrations"
Post-production- had enormous sets, "we have a prison that is 350,000 pounds of steel", used as many practical effects as possible to aid the use of CGI and motion capture; The film featured 2,750 visual effects shots, which make up approximately 90% of the film. The visual effects were created by: Moving Picture Company (MPC), who worked on creating Groot, as well as Morag, Xandar, the Dark Aster and the final battle on Xandar; Framestore, who worked on creating Rocket, extending the Kyln prison set and constructing Knowhere; Luma Pictures, who worked on Thanos; Method Studios, who worked on creating the Orb opening and revealing its powers, as well as the holographic displays at the Nova Corps command center; Lola VFX; Cantina Creative; Sony Pictures Imageworks, who worked on Howard the Duck and creating the Dark Aster shots with MPC; CoSA VFX; Secret Lab; Rise Visual Effects Studios; and Technicolor VFX. Pre- and post-visualizations were done by Proof and The Third Floor, with Proof also contributing to the creation of Rocket and Groot
Release Date: 21st July 2014, Dolby Theatre
31st July 2014, UK
1st August 2014, US
How wide was its release?: Aasdfghjkl
Two other films released the same week: "Get On Up", "Lucy"
Main Competitor film: "Lucy"
Target audience for the film: Aasdfghjkl
What are the films main selling points: Based off a comic book which people may have read; mixture of male and female characters; has famous people in it that people may want to see;
Example of Promotion 1: Poster
Example of Promotion 2: Advert
Example of Promotion 3: Soundtrack CD- Awesome Mix Vol. 1
How large was the marketing strategy? :
Are there examples of:
Film Rights: Marvel Studios (film), Marvel Comics (comic book)
Running Time: 122 minutes
Film Budget: $195.9 million (the film came in at costing slightly over at $232.3 million, with Disney recieving a rebate of $36.4 million from the British government)
Box Office: $774.2 million
Profit: Net profit $204.2 million when factoring together "production budgets, P&A, talent participations and other costs, with box office grosses, and ancillary revenues from VOD to DVD and TV" (Deadline.com)
Awards: Nominated for 87 awards, including 2 Oscars, and won 44 awards
Production Company: Marvel Studios
Distribution: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Director: James Gunn (Director of Slither, James Gunn's PG Porn, Super)
Main Star 1: Peter Quill (Protagonist)- Chris Pratt ("Cursed Part 3"- Short film, 2000; "Jennifer's Body", 2009; "Moneyball", 2011; "Zero Dark Thirty", 2012; "Movie 43", 2013; "The Lego Movie", 2014; "Jurassic World", 2015; "The Magnificent Seven", 2016)
Main Star 2: Ronan the Accuser (Antagonist)- Lee Pace ("Soldier's Girl", 2003; "Infamous", 2006; "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 2", 2012; Lincoln, 2012; "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey", "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" and "The Hobbit: The Five Armies", 2012, 2013 and 2014)
Other people who worked on the film:
Producer: Kevin Feige
Script Writer: James Gunn
Nicole Perlman
Starring:
Chris Pratt- Peter Quill
Zoe Saldana- Gamora
Dave Bautista- Drax
Vin Diesel- Groot (voice)
Bradley Cooper- Rocket (voice)
Lee Pace- Ronan
Karen Gillan- Nebula
Music: Tyler Bates
Cinematography: Ben Davis
Editing: Fred Raskin, Craig Wood, Hughes Winborne
Brief Storyline: A group of intergalactic criminals are forced to work together to stop a fanatical warrior from taking control of the universe
Production Details: Locations- Longcross Studios, Chobham Lane, Longcross, Surrey, England
Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England
Millenium Brdge, River Thames, London, England
Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, California
Pre-Production- Gunn pushed for practical and make-up effects, head and body casts were created pre-filming for SFX makeup designer David White to play with- created upwards of 1,000 prosthetic makeup applications and 2,000 moulds of different coloured aliens
Filming- people stood in for Rocket and Groot/ had two life size versions of Rocket and Groot to assist with lighting, the physics of the film and aids for visual effects; used Arri Alexa XT cameras for the film, during the opening scenes in the 1980s, Davis chose JDC Cooke Xtal (Crystal) Express anamorphic prime lenses because they "had more anamorphic artifacts and aberrations"
Post-production- had enormous sets, "we have a prison that is 350,000 pounds of steel", used as many practical effects as possible to aid the use of CGI and motion capture; The film featured 2,750 visual effects shots, which make up approximately 90% of the film. The visual effects were created by: Moving Picture Company (MPC), who worked on creating Groot, as well as Morag, Xandar, the Dark Aster and the final battle on Xandar; Framestore, who worked on creating Rocket, extending the Kyln prison set and constructing Knowhere; Luma Pictures, who worked on Thanos; Method Studios, who worked on creating the Orb opening and revealing its powers, as well as the holographic displays at the Nova Corps command center; Lola VFX; Cantina Creative; Sony Pictures Imageworks, who worked on Howard the Duck and creating the Dark Aster shots with MPC; CoSA VFX; Secret Lab; Rise Visual Effects Studios; and Technicolor VFX. Pre- and post-visualizations were done by Proof and The Third Floor, with Proof also contributing to the creation of Rocket and Groot
Release Date: 21st July 2014, Dolby Theatre
31st July 2014, UK
1st August 2014, US
How wide was its release?: Aasdfghjkl
Two other films released the same week: "Get On Up", "Lucy"
Main Competitor film: "Lucy"
Target audience for the film: Aasdfghjkl
What are the films main selling points: Based off a comic book which people may have read; mixture of male and female characters; has famous people in it that people may want to see;
Example of Promotion 1: Poster
Example of Promotion 2: Advert
Example of Promotion 3: Soundtrack CD- Awesome Mix Vol. 1
How large was the marketing strategy? :
Are there examples of:
- Toys- Action figures, Bobbleheads, Lego (Lego Marvel Superheroes Guardians of the Galaxy)
- Website- http://marvel.com/guardians (the official site for Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy)
- Social Media- Although there is a Twitter, Facebook, Google +, Tumblr, YouTube and Pinterest for Marvel itself, there is no Guardians of the Galaxy specific accounts
- Video Game- Guardians of the Galaxy: The Universal Weapon is available on Android, iOS and Windows phones, but there is no physical game for any bigger devices. The characters are also involved in lots of other Marvel based games but with characters from throughout the Marvel universe (http://marvel.com/news/video_games/22962/sdcc_2014_guardians_of_the_galaxy_in_marvel_games)
- Fast Food merch- Featured on Subway meals and merchandising
- High profile premiere- The red carpet event was held outside the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood and Highland. Lots of new websites reported on it, such as thehollywoodreporter. You could also watch the premiere from the Marvel website- http://marvel.com/guardianspremiere
- TV Appearances- Almost all of the main cast members were interviewed by someone at some point about the film, at premieres, panels and in TV interviews
- News Reports- There are hundreds of articles on Guardians of the Galaxy throughout the internet on hundreds of different news websites
- Other- the soundtrack was released with music that was not created for the film (Awesome Mix Vol. 1); you can buy t-shirts, lunchboxes, cups, posters, badges, phone cases and film replicas such as jackets and helmets
What do you consider the aim of the campaign to be?:
An Analysis of Age in Waterloo Road
Micro features are very important in the creation of a scene in TV drama and are used for many different reasons, especially when it comes to conveying a representational issue. Sound can be used to demonstrate how a character feelsin a scene. Mise-en-scene can be used to demonstrate a character’s identity. Lighting can also give us an idea of how the character feels without the use of dialogue. The use of different camera angles and movements can demonstrate to the audience the character’s motivation. The director of the clip has presented age through the use of all of these features.
The establishing shot we have in the clip is a close up of someone's feet. We can assume they are a man's due to their size and the design of the shoe, as they are more masculine than feminine. Also, they are not black leather shoes, which is the typical uniform of school boys, so we can assume that the man is a teacher. We see his shoes behind a number of chair legs. He seems to be walking extremely slowly, which creates drama. The movement is similar to that of something stalking it's prey. Due to the fact we then cut to a mid-close up of two older school boys, we can assume that the man is "stalking" them. The two boys are talking, and seem to have done something wrong as they discuss hiding a video camera. We can tell that the video camera is important, since there is a cutaway of the camera on it's own in a close-up; we can see the camera is broken. We cut back to a view of the man's shoes going towards the school boys (again in a stalking manner) and they jump apart as he coughs. There is a quick montage of inserts as we watch the boys jump around and put things in pockets from a variety of angles and shot types. This makes the boys seem suspicious- we know that they have done something anyway, but in this way we see them seem even more guilty as they try to hide it. Although we could assume that we are meant to be feeling pity for the teacher, the way the teacher reacts to the boys suggests other ways. The earlier prey-like walking is now also added to by the tone that the teacher takes as he towers over the boys, slightly taller than both. The teacher is also particularly patronising in the way he slightly moves his head down to talk to one of the boys, as if he has to physically lower himself to be able to talk to the boy. This is a strong representation of age in the clip; it represents the older generation as being overly critical of the younger one. The teacher seems to be out to get them, which is unfair as that would mean he is being biased towards other students, which is not what teachers are supposed to. He belittles the boys in the movements he makes, and due to the variety of mid-long shots and mid-shots we can see all these movements in close detail. He is using his age against the boys, as he knows that others are much more likely to believe him than the two younger boys as he is the stereotypical "responsible adult" due to his position as teacher. He makes one of the boys so embarrassed that he has to cover his face, which does not show a particularly kind type of teacher.
When the female teacher (Mrs Choudhry) comes over, we see the concept of age come in when she merely accepts that the teacher has already got a story out of the boys; she does not truly allow them to explain why. However, the boys do not try to defend themselves either, which also shows a problem with age. It could be seen that the boys find it easier to take the punishment despite what happened; teenage boys are stereotypically characterised as lazy. However, we could also see their lack of defence as a sign that the teacher, or teachers in general, will never believe them no matter what they say as since they are older they know best. However, we also see age in the way that the male teacher belittles Mrs Choudhry like a child, asking that she "does have insurance?"; since he is an older male, he feels he has the right to speak this way to her as he is more important. This further demonstrates this teacher as being a horrible man; due to his age, it could be seen as him being stereotypically bitter. She even comments on the injustices later, complaining about the way the man spoke to her, demonstrating the injustices of people exerting their age over you, as well as their gender.
However, later on in the clip we see a difference in the way that age is represented. A boy asks the site manager if he can help to fix one of the windows in the science block. However, the man does not belittle the boy, but speaks to him as an equal. This is represented through the eyeline shots we can see as the two speak; the over-the-shoulder shots demonstrate that they are speaking to each other with no chastisement. This clip represents age as something that doesn't need to affect all relationships, as people can be mature whatever age, despite the fact that the boy stereotypically "slumps" off- his shoulders seem to hang forward in a caveman-like fashion and he seems heavy in his footsteps.
Further on, we see the similarities in age groups and how although people are older not a lot has changed. An older man walks in to the sound of non-diegetic rap music. This is typically music that younger people listen to. Due to his age, and the fact two girls call him sir, we can assume he is a teacher. The cameraman tilts the camera up so we can see the entirety of the man's outfit. He is dressed in stereotypical clothes of teenagers, including the trousers pulled down so that you can see the male's underwear. With the use of the sound and mise-en-scene combined, the teacher seems almost pathetic. This is aided by the use of the girls laughter, that is heard first off-shot, as if they walked on laughing at him. We can see his face after they left, and he's obviously embarrassed. This highlights that even adults can be made to feel ridiculous, just as Mrs Choudhry was made to feel earlier for not having taken out insurance. It also highlights that it doesn't matter the age of the people making fun of you or making you feel foolish just as it doesn't matter the age that you are when you get horrible comments- either way you are not made to feel happy. This is further emphasised with the close-up reaction shot of Mrs Choudhry when she sees the teachers clothes, with a disgusted look on her face. "You look ridiculous", she says, which further demonstrates the idea that younger people as well as people your own age can make you feel bad. The whole scene is almost immature, as by the way the man ran after, it is reminiscent of a school playground, where a boy fancies a girl and will do anything to impress her. This highlights that not a lot changes when you grow up.
The Waterloo Road clip's main comments on age are that it can be used as a weapon as well as not used at all, as well as the fact that despite all stereotypes not a lot changes when you grow up. We see an older man belittle children as well as another teacher who just so happens to be a woman which highlights how it can be used to hurt people. We see the relationship of the site manager and the student who wants to help him- he talks as if the boy is his equal, which shows that age doesn't have to matter at all. Finally, we see the male teacher trying to impress the woman we assume that he likes by dressing younger than himself. He is then humiliated. This demonstrates that you shouldn't have to change your age for someone to like you, and also that at any age people can make you feel bad.
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