Hollyoaks – the wedding part 1

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Time: 3:00- 5:00

UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS

Consider how representations of social class are constructed in ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ using:

·        Cinematography

·        Sound

·        Mise-en-scene

·        Editing

This clip from ‘Upstairs Downstairs’ shows people from two separate classes; the upper class, and the struggling lower class who are dismissed by society.

   The extract starts with a scene from ‘Upstairs’ in which Mr. Landry and an upper class woman are having a private and flirtatious conversation at a dinner party. Head and shoulder shots are used as they talk to each other, and a shot-reaction-shot is used to show the woman’s facial expression when he asks her to dance with him. The people around the table are shown to be rich as they have servants catering for their every need.  This is significant in terms of composition, as the camera allows the servants to walk into the shot, rather than having the main focus on the servants. This creates the impression of the servants not being very important to the scene, and adds to the representation of higher class people as being superior to lower classes.

   Long shots are also used to establish the scene, and draw emphasis to their surroundings. For example, the mise-en-scene shows a large table and fireplace. The fact that the table is furnished with numerous plates, candles, and lots of food, shows that they are upper class. The men at the table all have their hair slicked back, and their costumes (formal black suit attire, and bow ties) show that they are upper class. The low-key lighting, coupled with slow pace of the editing, creates the impression of a relaxed atmosphere, also adding to the romantic mood of the conversation between Mr. Landry and the woman. ‘Mr. Kennedy’ is portrayed as the most dominant person in this scene, and this is highlighted in the editing. Mr. Landry is blurred as he speaks about Mr. Kennedy. The use of focus pulling exaggerates the fact that Mr. Kennedy has more power.

   The sound used in this extract is mainly diegetic; as the natural sound of cutlery clinking and wine being poured into glasses can be heard. The fact that these sounds are constant throughout the scene shows how the upper classes are always well provided for, and never lack good food and drink. It also contributes to the construction of ‘social realism’ in this TV drama, suggesting that the director wants to show audiences how the upper classes truly lived. However, some non-diegetic sound is also used. At the end of this scene, soft and classical sounding music is played in the background. This is used in the transition between ‘upstairs’ and ‘downstairs’ and highlights the contrast between the two social classes. A mid-shot of the two butlers is used at the end, and shows them looking at each other in the light of the conversation at the dinner table. This suggests that the working-class are nosy, and gossip about the upper-class, even though they are unaware of this.

   The mise-en-scene used during the ‘Downstairs’ scene contrasted hugely with the previous scene. It was apparent that the people downstairs were merely servants, as the women were wearing cook’s outfits, and props such as the brooms that stood in the corner was evidence of the domestic duties they had to perform. Other outfits, such as the Head Butler’s, and ‘Johnny’ made them appear upper class, however there were subtle hints that they did not fully belong upstairs. Firstly, Johnny’s accent wasn’t like the gentry upstairs, but rather sounded much more common. In addition, the butlers’ ties were white, and didn’t match the black formal ties used ‘upstairs.’ Other props, such as the large table in the middle of the room, showed that they were lower class, as it wasn’t furnished or even covered with a cloth as it was ‘Upstairs.’ The editing used when the scene moved ‘Downstairs’ was much faster, with the transitions between the characters very quick to accompany the panicked and fast way in which the servants were speaking. Jumpcuts from character to character increased in pace, adding contrast to the relaxed atmosphere of ‘Upstairs’ and showing how different their lifestyles are.

    The contrast between the two classes was further emphasised when one of the upper class men came down the stairs. As he did so, he stood upright, and a light shone behind his head, portraying him as the more powerful and dominant character.  The diegetic sound of his footsteps as he entered the room could be heard, and this accompanied with the shot-reaction-shots between him and the cook, made his entrance seem much more menacing, as the cook look scared and completely shocked to see him standing in front of her. The camera shows low-angle shots which watch the characters through the dirty and chipped windows. These create the impression that the audience is intruding on the lower classes ‘private’ life, and also reflects what is going on in the scene, (e.g. the upper class man is intruding on the lower classes daily routine.) This is very different to the earlier scene upstairs, where the audience was positioned in a way to make them feel almost as if they were included in the conversation themselves.

  The audience is shown a ‘two shot’ of the characters as they start their conversation. This is significant as this scene shows them as they start to bond, despite being of two separate classes, which challenges the stereotypes about social class. The classical music played in the background also lifts slightly, with a harp playing in a much calmer and more serene way, to mark their new ‘friendship.’

   At the end of the extract, the cook yells at the butler’s even though she has a lower social standing than them. The Butler’s superiority is shown in the editing, where there is a two-shot of himself and the other butler, yet there is a focus pull onto the main butler, blurring Johnny out. This draws emphasis to the main butler and shows him as superior. A close-up of his face is shown when he is shocked to find that the American Ambassador’s son has been called ‘dear’ by the cook, creating the impression that people of different social classes shouldn’t communicate. 

Extract, Holby City

Please watch the extract from Holby City and comment on how representations of gender are created using:

·         Cinematography

·         Editing

·         Sound

·         Mise-en-scene

This extract starts with a male doctor ‘Michael’ breaking up with a female doctor called ‘Lou-Lou.’ The establishing shot is at an ‘overhead tilted angle’ which resembles the view one might usually get from a CCTV camera. This hints at the fact that something dramatic is about to happen. At the start of the conversation, camera angles show ‘Michael’ as the dominant man, largely in control of the situation. The editing makes it so that the audience are seeing Lou-Lou’s face while Michael says, ‘I don’t ever want to see you again’ which emphasises the harshness of his words, and reaction shots are used to show Lou-Lou looking shocked and hurt as he yells at her. As Michael walks off, the camera stays in a fixed position as he walks into the frame. This gives the impression of him being a stereotypically strong, male character, as it shows him getting larger as he walks away from the female doctor. However, when Lou-Lou attempts to regain control of the situation, there is a focus-pull on Michael’s face, blurring him and putting more emphasis on her, which highlights her strength as a woman. Mise-en-scene also contributes to portraying these characters in a way that challenges gender stereotypes. For example, the woman is wearing blue scrubs, a colour which is often associated with masculinity, while the man is wearing pink, which connotes femininity. However, even though Lou-Lou is portrayed as quite strong and manipulative, there are still aspects of her costume, such as wearing earrings, which reveal a more stereotypically feminine side. The over-the-shoulder shots, when Lou-Lou tries to draw Michael back, is significant in terms of positioning, as it also shows her desperation to be with him, again stereotyping women as being reliant on men. This is shown later on in the clip where Lou-Lou rings her ‘daddy’ to solve her problems for her.  In this part, there is an aerial shot of her sitting on the stairs, making her seem smaller and therefore a weak and pitiable woman. A common representation of women in the media is ‘emotional’ and this is highlighted as she is shown crying on the stairs.  Use of props also contributes to the idea of women being emotional as she is gripping a tissue in her hand. The camera pans slowly around her, which creates the impression of her being in a large space, which again makes her appear smaller and accentuates the impossibility of her situation.

   In a later scene, a man called Hal confronts the doctor about his friend Amelia, as Michael has messed up Amelia’s ‘boob job.’ This scene also presents the idea of men being stereotypically strong and powerful, as Hal raises his voice when he speaks to Michael. The editing in their conversation is very quick, and jumpcuts between the two characters, adding to the pace of the scene. The camera also shows reaction-shots of Amelia, showing her to be vulnerable and helpless, as she is lying in a hospital bed and attached to tubes. Point-of-view shots show her watching the confrontation between the two men, but through the hospital blinds. This makes it seem as though she is intruding on a conversation between the two men, and therefore shows her as being shut out of a masculine environment.

   The next scene starts with a long-shot of two male doctors, who are shown to be standing very close to one another. The composition allows the audience to see that they are still within the hospital, as it is clear that the men are looking at an X-Ray. However, the camera cuts to a high-angle shot of the two men, which eliminates the X-Ray and provides a glimpse into their private conversation, which could be used to symbolise their relationship as people, rather than simply doctors. The doctor who is secretly gay is shown to be standing towards the corner of the camera frame, making it seem as though he is leaning towards the other man. When the other man looks him up and down, a close-up is used, which shows his eyes lingering on certain areas of his anatomy, suggesting homo-eroticism. In this scene, both men are trying to insert their dominance and masculinity by insisting the sports that they play aren’t girls’ games.’ However, the mise-en-scene seems to give them some feminine qualities. For example, the man that is shown to lose the power struggle is wearing pink, and the lighting is dim which adds to the suggestive atmosphere.

   Two women in conversation are shown by a tracking camera, as they walk down the hospital corridor. These women are represented in a stereotypical manner as their costume instantly defines them as feminine. For example, both of them are wearing headbands, and one is wearing a long necklace, bracelets, earrings and rings on her fingers. The use of sound in this scene is important in constructing representations of gender, as the diegetic sound of their high heels on the floor also add to the idea of femininity, as it seems to define them more by ‘beauty’ than intellect or power.

   The last scene shows a conversation between Hal and Amelia in which he confesses his love for her. All sound in this scene is diegetic, which adds to its realism. The fact that Amelia has lost her confidence in this scene because of the ‘boob job’ that went wrong, is also a stereotypical representation of women, as it focuses on her emotions and her physicality. As Hal comforts her, the camera zooms in on her, accentuating her reaction and how much she is depending on his character for support. As ‘Hal’ walks closer to her, the camera pans around Amelia, creating the impression of a point of view shot. However, as the camera remains level, and doesn’t tilt or produce any high-angle shots, it symbolises his respect/care towards her, and so challenges stereotypes of men being dominant and overpowering. As Hal starts his confession, the camera jumpcuts to show the conversation from outside the room. This shows both of them looking down, again through the hospital blinds, allowing the audience to feel as if they are intruding on a private moment. An ‘insert-shot’ of them holding hands is used near the end, again symbolising the equality of the two characters.

Laura Mulvey

• Laura Mulvey's germinal essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema" was written in 1973 and published in 1975.

• It expands on this conception of the passive role of women in cinema to argue that film provides visual pleasure through scopophilia, and identification with the on-screen male actor.

• She says: "In their traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness," and as a result, in film a woman is the "bearer of meaning, not maker of meaning."

• Mulvey argues that Lacan's psychoanalytic theory is the key to understanding how film creates such a space for female sexual objectification and exploitation through the combination of the patriarchal order of society, and 'looking' in itself as a pleasurable act of voyeurism, as "the cinema satisfies a primordial wish for pleasurable looking."

• A woman stands in patriarchal culture as a signifier for the male other.

• Thinks film has a huge impact on the oppression of women.

• A psychoanalytical approach

• The image of woman is passive compared to the active GAZE OF MAN

What I learnt (Narrative Theories and Representation)

Narrative
Narrative is concerned with the form or structure of the text itself, the way it tells the story, how it is shaped. Narrative refers to the story that is told or written. 
In the context of mass media the story is the media text and a whole team of people have been involved in creating and shaping it for the audience.
 Narrative is therefore A PROCESS OF ORGANISING AND STRUCTURING.

Difference between Story & Narrative “Story is the irreducible substance of a story (A meets B, something happens, order returns),
narrative is the way the story is related (Once upon a time there was a princess…)”

Narrative Theories

 

Field and 3 Act Structure, Syd Field
Syd Field  identified how conventional narrative feature length films share conventional characteristics in their construction/the way the story is told, and that successful scripts can be written by adhering to this theory. The narrative is split into three sections:

• Set up,
• confrontation,
•  resolution,

and has two significant plot points between the acts.

Example

“The film is structured in terms of Syd Fields ‘3 Act Structure’. In the set up, we get to know the characters of Somerset and Mills, and the nature of their relationship. At plot point 1 the ‘problematic’ (Problematic – something that needs solving) is established and the confrontation stage of Field’s theory features Mills and Somerset trying to catch the antagonist”

 

Propp and Character types (Russian formalist theory) 

  Propp analysed hundreds of folk tales and argued that there are 31 basic character functions. Through this he demonstrated the relationship between characters and the structure of the narrative. Fairytales are useful to analyse because they contain stock characters and structural ingredients. After studying 115 fairytales, Propp was able to identify seven main character ‘roles’:

1 the villain

2 the donor (or provider)

3 the helper

4 the princess (or sought-for person) and her father

5 the dispatcher

6 the hero

7 the false hero

.

These roles represent the building blocks of narratives, it is their actions, in what Propp calls ‘functions’, that construct the narrative Propp states that several roles may well be filled by the same character and that some may also be filled by more than one character.

 

Todorov and Narrative Structure, Tzvetan Todorov Russian Formalist theory

Todorov described the way in which the conventional narrative’s flow is divided into 3 sections – (an early antecedent of Field’s 3 act structure) A state of equilibrium is disrupted (by the problematic) to ceate a sense of ‘disequilibrium) before achieving a sense of ‘new equilibrium’ when the problem is resolved.

Example

“…although the problem has been resolved by the end of ‘21 grams’, the world will never be the same again. This is what Todorov termed a ‘new equilibrium’, normal life has been restored. But it is quite different to the life the characters lived before the accident happened and disequilibrium was caused.

 

Story & Plot associated with Tzvetan Todorov (Another Russian Formalist Theory)

The story (fabula) is all the events shown and implied by the film in chronological order. The plot (syuzhet) is just the events actually shown, in the order they are shown.

Example

“…the story and plot of Pulp Fiction are quite different, and part of the pleasure for the audience is ‘figuring out’ the story from the plot. The story ends with the road movie stock situation of Butch and Fabienne riding off into the sunset on a chopper. Conversely. The end of the plot finishes minutes after the opening of the plot, with Vince and Jules leaving the Hawthorne Grill.

 

Narrative Codes, Roland Barthes

Barthes suggested that narrative works with different codes which activate the reader to make sense of it.

• Enigma Code – little puzzles to be solved
• Action codes – looks, significant words, close ups which suggest an event such as ‘jealousy’, ‘falling in love’ accident waiting to happen etc
• Symbolic code – an object, event or action which refers to something outside itself – like the flower which represents ET’s life.

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Theories of Representation

 

Representation

"...all media texts are re-presentations of reality." Everything you see, hear or read in the media has been constructed.

 

Consider:
Who produced it?
What is being represented? How is it represented? Using what codes? Within what genre? How is the representation made to seem ‘true’, ‘commonsense’ or ‘natural’?
What is foregrounded and what is backgrounded? Are there any notable absences?
Whose representation is it? Whose interests does it reflect? How do you know?
At whom is this representation targeted? How do you know?
What does the representation mean to you? What does the representation mean to others? How do you account for the differences?
How do people make sense of it? According to what codes?
With what alternative representations could it be compared? How does it differ?

Reflectionist vs constructionist, Associated with Stuart Hall
There are three different approaches to understanding how representation works:
Reflective – The media simply reflects meanings which already exist in the ‘real’ world.
Intentional – The media simply reflects what the producer wants to say
Constructionist – Media is constructed in the active relationship between producer, text and audience.
Example;
“This ‘intentional’ approach to the meaning of representation is typical of the Hypodermic Syringe Theory, but it is generally accepted that audiences have greater media literacy than ever before making active meanings of the texts they consume..”

Constructions of Realism

Explores the relationship between the text, and aspects of the real world it represents. ‘Realism’ in contrast to ‘Reality’ is often highly constructed. Types of realism include:

- social realism,

- documentary realism

- emotional realism.

(Often contrasted with spectacular or melodramatic representations.)
Example:
The documentary and social realism of ‘Sweet Sixteen’ is convincing, carefully constructed by Loach’s approach to film-making. He uses non professional actors, and encourages them to improvise much of the script. Furthermore it is shot in natural light on grainy film stock.

Gramsci and Hegemony, associated with Antonio Gramsci
Gramsci suggested that power is achieved by dominant groups by persuading subordinate groups that social structures and dominant ideological values are in their interests, and convincing them to consent to their socio-economic position.
According to Gramsci, hegemony is political power that flows from intellectual and moral leadership, authority, or consensus as distinguished from armed force. A ruling class forms and maintains its hegemony in civil society by creating cultural and political consensus through unions, political parties, schools, media, the church, voluntary associations etc.
Example
Although the stereotypical target audience for Eastenders is female, the representation of gender roles in the show play the hegemonic function of reinforcing dominant patriarchal values.

Binary Oppositions –  de Saussure and Levi-Strauss
Structuralist (structuralism – societies and sociological or cultural practices can be analysed, along the lines of a language, as signifying systems) approach which suggests we may understand a representation in it’s contrast (opposition) to other representations in the same text.
Example
The audience gain greater understanding of the character Mills and Somerset in Se7en by their binary opposition to each other. Whilst Mills is young, white, at the beginning of his career, messy and married, Somerset is old, black, at the end of his career, organised and single. The audience therefore know the characters not only by what they are, but also by what they are not.


Moral Panics   – Stanley Cohen
Cohen identified the role of the media in generating (sometimes unfounded) public anxiety about issues such as law and order and public health.
Example
“…the dominant representation of homosexuality was affected negatively in the 1980s when a moral panic was created by the media linking homosexuality with AIDS, pacifying the concerns of the heterosexual mass audience.”

Essay

Discuss ways in which the extract constructs representations of ethnicity using the following:

·Camera shots/angles/movements 

·Lighting

·Sound

·Mise en scene

·Editing 

I will be focusing on how the clip from TV Drama 'Hotel Babylon' represents different ethnicities through techniques such as camerawork and mise en scene, lighting and sound.

   The scene starts with a conversation between two black men. One is portrayed as professional and fairly affluent, which is shown through his costume as he is wearing a dark suit and tie. The latter is stereotypically Jamaican, as he is shown to be wearing bright colours - green and red. This is a culturally significant sign, and are colours which relate to the Jamaican flag, and so this connotes (Roland Barthes, 1977) his ethnic background. 

   In addition, he talks about "booze, girls, ganja" which stereotypes the Jamaican ethnicity again. Mise-en-scene is also used to construct a representation of Jamaican people, such as the costume and props, as he is wearing plenty of jewellery and has dreadlocks - which is a well known appearance of this ethnic type. 

   However, the camera shots are also used to create a different representation of their ethnicity - one that goes against the stereotype. The first man (Benjamin) is shown to be less stereotypically involved in illegal activities/women, etc. Reaction shots show Benjamin looking uncomfortable in the other man's presence and sounding less interested in the women he is describing, but rather in the man himself, which is shown as he says - "You're looking good." Here, Hotel Babylon does not portray all Jamaican men as interested in "girls" or "ganja." 

      Two female maids enter during scene two. They are clearly foreign (as shown through their accents) - perhaps Eastern European. They are represented as quite exotic (Alvarado et al. 1987) as they perform a 'strip tease' for a customer at the hotel. The music played in the background sounds suspicious, but also sultry, hinting at the exoticness of their ethnicity. The camera also supports this idea, as when they first enter, the camera pans upwards to show their faces, but mostly focuses on their waist and above (medium mid shots) which accentuates their femininity. Non-diegetic sound is also used, as the song played in the background is quite suggestive and the words 'Girls! Girls!' are repeated as they perform for the client at the hotel. The lighting is also fairly dim, and suggests the shady atmosphere. One of the maids is shown to be more 'innocent.' The camera shots portray this as she looks disgusted at the thought of what she will have to do. Also, she is wearing a cross, which is a signifier and brings with it the connotations of religion and therefore morals. As she is presented as Eastern European, this is an effective use of representation, as that is an area of the world that is closely tied to religious activities.

   The client himself looks to have quite an oriental ethnic background, and so presented as a stereotypical 'Japanese tourist' as he appears not to speak a word of English, but lots of money to spend. Camera composition shows this as the most angles are close-ups of his face - wide eyes and open mouth suggest not fully grasping the English language. The camera then zooms in on two piles of cash lying on the table. He is also the one who turns on the sound system, which associates him with technology, again representing Japanese men as affluent, immoral but also very knowledgeable in areas such as technology.

   Later on, two white people are shown walking into a kitchen. They are professionally clothed (one male, one female.) They appear Aryan, and are in control over the foreigners, which is an example of mis en scene to represent the idea of white people being superior in their own country.

 The taller of the chefs is insulted as an 'English cretin' by the other. This man is heavily accented, and appears to be of a different ethnic background, such as Italian. This is shown by his actions, e.g. he touches his fingers to his mouth and blows a kiss, which is a culturally identifiable motion/ cultural signifier.

   They are also shown to be very proud of their heritage, as many of the insults they fling at each other are about race/culture. Also, the mis-en-scene used with their chef hats and uniform show that they are proud about their food (especially their countries food.) “...A more discerning pallet...” Diegetic sound is used when the first chef (Italian) picks up a large knife. The ‘slicing’ sound of the knife is added over the scene, and is very loud. This has the effect of representing men from certain areas of the world as proud, and therefore more likely to be violent. The music in this scene also adds tension as the tempo increases and so does the volume, during their fight.

   During the very last scene, eyeline matches are used between the maid who earlier performed the strip tease, and another woman who is shocked to find out what has been going on. As the latter also looks Oriental, this extract uses camera shots to portray conflicting representations of ethnicity. Earlier, people of Chinese/Japanese descent were shown to be rich, immoral tourists. However, in this scene, the woman looks shocked as she sees the maid doing up her buttons after leaving the hotel room. The costume she is wearing shows she is quite well off, however, the camera jumps from the maid walking away, to her extremely shocked and disgusted face, showing that she doesn’t approve of what has been going on. In this extract, not all Oriental people are shown in a negative light.

  

   

   

Representation of Ethnicity (Own Personal Notes)

How did Roots and The Cosby Show challenge previous sterotypical representations of black people in TV dramas?

•   'Roots'  (1984-92) was the first time (on US television) that the realities of slavery was brought to the screens. The audience were able to identify the protagonists of the show, through struggles such as violence/brutality and rape. 
•   'The Cosby Show'  (1984-92) featured a 'functional black family quietly confident in being black.' It was met with some scorn/criticism. Some critics claimed it fed the mirage that racial injustice could be overcome through individual economic advance. However, some recognised the show could be used to introduce further black television shows and to open the door for many black media artists. 
•    It could be described as 'assimilationist' - The process whereby a minority group gradually adopts the customs and attitudes of the prevailing culture. Social equity was not a raised issue in the show. 
• However, for the frst time, it showed how African Americans shared many values common across the United States. 

What does the article say about the representation of black policemen in programmes such as Miami Vice and Hawaii Five-O?

• Hawaii Five-O, and Miami Vice and NYPD Blue. The first was definitely still within the Tonto tradition insofar as the ethnic minority cops were concerned ("Yes boss" seemed to be the limit of their vocabulary). Miami Vice's tri-ethnic leads were less anchored in that tradition, although Edward James Olmos as the police captain often approximated Captain Dobey in Starsky and Hutch, apparently only nominally in charge. 
•  A central issue, however, raised once more the question of "modern" racism. A repetitive feature of the show was the skill of the police detectives in pressuring people they considered guilty to sign confessions and not to avail themselves of their legal rights.
• Within the paradigm of "modern" racism, co-opting ethnic minority individuals into police work made a great deal of sense (the security industry was living proof). Any TV reference was extremely rare to the fierce racial tensions often seething between police officers. How much had changed?