Exam Plan and Technique

Exemplar Essay Plan - Warp Films Research from Alleyn's School Media Studies Department

Editing Techniques - The Street

The Street

Editing Techniques

0-0.23

This clip represents disability in a negative light. We see this from the beginning of the start. It starts with a shot of barbed wire that purposely lacks information and gives the audience a chance to see disability in whatever way they like. The next shot is helped by the first as it again includes a wire grid. By continuing on the scenery it maintains the scenes unity within the scene making it clear that the surroundings have marginally changed. This can relate to disability as disability, like the one in the clip, is now continuous and will stay with the character for the rest of his life. it also related to he disability as although he is now disabled he is however the same person.A jump cut is used to focus on two male characters, one on foot and one in a vehicle. The variation in height levels here relates to disability, as disabled people are stereotyped as being lower in society. The disabled man is shown from the back here which suggests that one someone is known to be disabled they are seen differently by society as in the shot the man looks like any other able person, especially as he is dressed casually making his fit in with how the rest of the community is dressed.  A motivated cut reveals the mans disfigured face the shot is used to create dramatic exposure of the characters disfigurement. The shot is used to shock the viewers and stereotypes disability as being negative as people are scared of you. This is further seen by the shocked look on the other mans face. Another match cut is used with a fast paced rhythm which could relate to the awkward feeling that the other men might be feeling. This could relate to Paul Hunts theory of disabled people being the object of curiosity and violence.  

0.23-0.46

Jump cuts are used in this scene, focusing mainly on the characters faces; we see the different facial expressions in which they portray. The jump cut is used in this scene to compare the characters expressions. We can see that the first character with the scar on his face is looking directly at the other male character; we can see that he is comfortable when speaking to him; his ‘disability’ does not remove his confidence. On the other hand the other male character is very dismissive towards the character with the scar on his face; we can see he is uncomfortable in this particular situation. This may be because he doesn’t want to come across as “rude” for starring at the scar which was not their previously and he may feel sympathy for the character, however does not want to show that as he fears he will come across as patronising. A cutting rate shot is used to interrupt the first screenshot where we can see that the 3 men are talking. The shot is then cut to a shot where we are only presented with half of the main male characters face which has been scarred. This emphasises the shock of his facial disfigurements and therefore represents him by other characters reaction and the surprise of the situation as being someone to be feared. It shows people avoiding the man’s gaze, they look sheepish and this cutting method intensifies the situation further. These cuts have been used as the audience want to see the reactions and facial expressions of the different characters because of the general topic of conversation and the rising tension that is included in the scene. When the disfigured man is talking we are unable to see the others men's faces however this soon changes and gives the audience more knowledge about what is occurring within the atmosphere.  

0.46-1.09

While this shot is a matched cut which is used to represent a familiar relationship between the characters (co-workers). However, the bar in the van's window represents a fracture within the relationship of the characters. This could represent disability as he is scarred which is portrayed as intimidating in this clip. Due to this, his scar has converted him into a social outcast.  This is the subsequent reaction shot after the shot on the first slide, this specific shot is an eye line match shot,  however the window of the van, as in the previous shot creates a divide between the two characters, also the case is that the van makes the character in it seem higher, this could be used to represent inferiority to people with disabilities like the character in the shot.  There is a reaction shot used to show the main character telling the other male character to ‘fuck off’. This is used to show his reaction to the situation and shows his attitude towards the fact that he would not be on the same pay as he used to be. This shows his anger at the fact that he is now scarred and how he now feels like less of a person. By the fact that he is not going to be on the same amount of money if he was to go back to work, it shows that he is not valued by his boss anymore and how he is not seen to be as important. This further shows how society does not see disabled people as important as people who have not got a disability. In this shot, a superimpositions shot is used. This is because the fence is in the foreground and this is the item that is in focus. However, we can also see the character in the background who is out in focus. This may be used to show how the make character feels as though he is trapped because of his scarring. It shows how he does not feel as though he is like the other characters and he feels as though he is different because of his scarring. As he is the item that is blurry, this may be used to indicate that society forgets about disabled people and isolates them from everyone else.

1.09-1.32 

The scene opens of a shot which shows the perspective of the man walking down the street where we can see the woman drop the bags out the car. A cut is used to swap to the perspective of the audience from a distance. This shows a man running down the street towards the lady to help. From this we can see that he looks ‘normal’ and has no disabilities which gives the audience no reason to stereotype the man. A matched cut is used to show a relationship between the two shots. This changes from his view to the view of him helping from a distance. A jump cut which shows both characters this is then used when his face is revealed to build up suspense and emphasis the horrified look on the women's face. It jump cuts to other people’s faces to give the perspective of the stereotype from other people

1.32-1.55

The image of the scars on the man’s face is shown for a long period of time without getting cut to represent the idea that people with disabilities are intensely stared at and judged by others because they are seen as “different” and therefore people feel the need to look at them out of curiosity. The view that they are different makes disabled people feel like outcasts and isolated by society. There is also the use of fast cutting of which is normally used to show dialogue between characters. This fast pace cutting rhythm suggests the tension in the scene due to the woman screaming at the disabled man’s face. The fast pace cuts also connotes that the disabled man is nervous and uneasy therefore wanting to get away from the confrontation as quickly as he can. This is a common stereotype of disabled people that they feel ashamed of their disability and do not want people looking at them for long periods of time. The editing in this snippet is minimal as he walks up the hill with the woman behind him. This suggests that disability is a long uphill battle with very little rest. The woman behind him also suggests that disabled people have to carry the negative views of society behind them further adding to the emotional weight of their disability. In addition, the woman could also represent the unnecessary amount of sympathy that follows a disabled person. The way he is walking away from her suggests that he feels the sympathy is patronising and diminishes him as a person which is a common stereotype of the way people treat disabled people. At this point in the clip there is a jump cut between the fronts of the man’s face to his back. This symbolises how the stereotypical disabled person turns there back on society as a result of the discrimination that they receive. The way it cuts to him from behind means we cannot see his face and his reaction this is representational of the way people cannot really understand a disabled person’s life and they do not see it from the disabled persons perspective, only from a distorted viewpoint. Therefore meaning we make assumptions and judge them without fully understanding their situation.

1.55-2.18

A cutting rate shot causes shock to the audience as it dramatically jumps to a different location. Further cutting rates are used throughout this section to show passing residents staring at the mans face. This stereotypes that disabled people can’t go anywhere without having attention drawn to them selves and end up feeling unwelcomed by society. Furthermore by the cuts used to the passing people it stereotypes that disabled people are seen as outcasts as their facial expressions look uneasy and also look upon him  as though he is cause for danger/violence which is one of Paul Hunts disability stereotypes. However he is seen like this because of the scar on his face and most probably isn’t how he is. This is stereotyping that surrounding people are quick to judge disabled people and automatically see them as dangerous in this case or useless if they were in a wheelchair.

2.18-2.41

In this section there is a rapid change from one location to another through the use of a cut. This brings across that people with disabilities don’t hang around in one area for a long period of time as they don’t want to be seen by society. The pictures below show the change in location from the crowed town to the office which is low lit this represents disabled people hiding away from society because they are ashamed of their disability. Throughout the rest of this section there is a change in point of view through the use of cuts. This varies in rate depending on who's talking as the camera is on the character who's talking. The cuts rhythm increases as the man becomes angry. This can be linked to Paul Hunt’s theory of disabled people coming across as evil or sinister because his disability has resulted in him becoming angry. 

2.41-3.04

Cross-Cuts are used throughout this section to deliver the feeling of a conversation. Throughout the clip a conversation takes place and each line and action is delivered through the use of cross-cuts. Cutting is also used to jump to different camera shots that represent different stereotypes of disability. When the cuts jump to the picture of the main character he is shown with dark light on his face, where as when the camera cuts to the other main character in this scene then the his face is fully visible. This shows that disabled people may feel the need to hide what they look like. Frequent cuts are used deliberately in many TV dramas as interruptions in moments of shock. In this scene a fast cutting rate is used to emphasize certain lines of the speech. The frequent changes could also represent the tension in the scene. The main character is getting angered in this scene. Fast cuts increase tension. 

3.04-3.33 

The last section of the clip uses mostly matched cuts and this helps to add dramatic affect as it will be on one side on the man’s face where you can’t see his disability and then to the other side of his face where you can see his disability which could show that his disability isn't him, and its someone else, the scarred side of his face is stereotypically portrayed as the dark side of his personality which was brought about by the incident that caused his disability and the side of his face that is not affected is seen as the lighter side of his personality. This suggests that his disability has resulted in him becoming sinister/ evil this is done to mirror the stereotype that the superhero is perfect and unaffected by disability where as the villain is plagued by disability this implies that the character has gone from hero to villain after circumstances that he could not control. Soldiers are seen as hero’s therefore he would’ve been considered a hero when he was a serving solider, however the sacrifice he gave whilst being a ‘hero’ has resulted in him becoming the image of a villain which destroys the good intentions he had when sustaining his disability, which resulted  in him becoming a stereotypical angry and violent disabled person. It also skips off his face very quickly which could be because his disability is seen as a disfigurement which has connotations of  being disgusting or horrendous therefore the audience will not want to see this a prolonged period of time.

Representation of Sexuality - Queer as Folk

Representation of Sexuality

Queer as Folk

Sexuality is represented through gender stereotypes, homosexual stereotypes, bisexual stereotypes, heterosexual stereotypes and through representations in the media. I will also make links to Tessa Perkins' Theory about the Truth to Every Stereotype.

The clip opens with a long shot which displays a crowded and lively school corridor. This immediately displays signs of homosexual stereotypes as it is viewed that teenagers are generally unsure about their sexuality and at this stage it is where homosexual tendencies occur in teenagers. As the audience are introduced to the main character, it becomes evident  the main character does not follow stereotypical homosexual stereotypes as the character appears to not have an interest in his appearance or fashion as the character appears to be apart of the atmosphere by wearing formal school clothing to ensure that other students do not assume the character is homosexual.

The camera then moves forward in a point of view type shot towards another male character. The movement is slow and could be representative that the homosexual boy is shy and reluctant when communicating with others, he immediately feels judged due of his sexuality; this could further link to how he has been treated in the past, thus giving the representation that many gay people are feel unwanted or even bullied because of who they are.

The homosexual male is shown to be smirking a little as he talks about his boyfriend. He could be attempting to make the other character jealous, this is clearly working as the other characters reaction is aggressive at best and he storms away from the scenario. This happens after a speed up in the editing of the shots between them increases in speed signifies the increase in tension/conflict between the two characters. His smile is instantly taken away but he still seems to be happy that his attempts to cause jealousy worked. This links to representation of sexuality as it represents how sometimes sexuality is utilised to create jealousy/conflict between people due to the use of common misconceptions associated with the topic as a whole.

The next scene shows a straight woman is talking about her sex life with a group of people at an event of some kind. She gives a lot of details and nobody else in the room/conversation react to what she is representative how as a straight woman she does not feel judged/alienated because is it usually perceived as being the 'norm'. She is also shown amongst many other people in the shot which further represents how she is part of the crowd and doesn't  stand out or being an object or curiosity like a homosexual person could be.

A overly camp homosexual character is also sat at the table with the female is portrayed to have a strong accent that is very feminine in the tone and style in which he speaks. He is holding a cigarette delicately, pursing his lips when he blows out the smoke and is wearing an eye-catching animal print shirt. These are all points that add to the typical stereotype of a camp homosexual man as he acts, speaks and dresses very feminine. Many of the shots of this character are of him alone or only with a few others, this represents the opposite of my last point as instead of being shown to be ‘normal’ he is segregated from others in the scene and made to look different or abnormal from other heterosexual people. Another male character that is sat at the table represents the typical butch heterosexual character that is often represented in TV dramas. His clothing is formal, masculine and typically worn by men, he is also shown to be slouching and acting like a typical man through butch actions and having a deep voice.

The two homosexual characters are walking down a street pavement, the gay man although seeming to be very confident in his posture and loud speaking is shown to be lower than the other man, this shows how because of his obvious sexuality it makes him regarded lower than people that may seem more heterosexual than others. It could also show how although trying to put on a front of being confident and out there, he is actually shy and maybe even secretly anxious about how people perceive and judge him.

A shot is shown of the family, including the two homosexual males, sat together at a table with the little girls back to the audience. This could be because homosexuality and even sexuality in general is not perceived to be a topic that is appropriate for children to be discussing with parents at a very young age. The little girls face is not shown to the audience showing how she is segregated from the topic of sexuality as a whole, homosexuality is seen as a taboo topic that can be seen as unnatural, many traditional parents don’t want their children to be subject of homosexuality in case of influences, as if gay people are something to be scared of. The feminine acting man speaks with a high tone in his voice; he speaks very quickly and seems to have a lot of energy and motivation for subjects he’s talking about. He is talking with lots of enthusiasm about acting in theatres and pantomime plays which is commonly a hobby associated with homosexual males as it’s seen as very energetic and feminine. He also wears tight costume adding to how the mise-en-scene makes him look like a show-off and trying to get attention from other men, this is also a common misconception and stereotype of gay men especially- the need for constant attention.

There are many stereotypes and uncivilised ideas that are associated with adding humour to those who are gay through props and even common saying that certain characters say. This next scene shows the camp male eating a sausage from a fork; this is represented as being humorous to the audience as the sausage simply associates with the male phallic symbol. Audiences can react to this in different ways as they can see it as light hearted humour or actually not very tasteful stereotypes. This represents to sexuality because it gives an impression of the gay man as being desperate or even animalistic because of the manner in which he eats the food type.

There is a mid-shot in the kitchen which shows the mother of one of the homosexual boys talking to her son with her back facing him. This may at first seem harmless to an audience as she is busy washing up and carrying out daily tasks however if you look into it more deeply it has a very strong meaning representing her as someone who turns her back on her son because of her sons sexuality. This is a very strong stereotype and representation that is associated with gay men; that their families often disown them or feel that they have failed as parents because their children are deemed unnatural because they are homosexual.

Representation of Gender - Sherlock Holmes

Representation of Gender - Sherlock Holmes
Essay Retake

The clip opens with an establishing shot to display the setting of the scene. The scene is London at around an early 20th Century perspective. This quickly changes to a long shot that pans the movement of a horse and carriage before getting an insight into the carriage where the camera zooms in on the main protagonist, Sherlock Holmes. In this part of the scene, Holmes appears wearing clothing that is not particularly associated with stereotypical male protagonists as the clothing is unique and out of the ordinary. This is compared to the surrounding characters who dress in formal suits and uniform to express that they are upper class and from the time as well as exerting order and power. The colour of Holmes' clothing is white which sets the character apart from the supporting characters and society as he appears wearing bright clothing whereas the other characters wear darker clothing, typically black clothing. This allows the focus of attention to be on Holmes as he is at this point. A stern facial expression from Holmes emphasises confidence and intelligence of the character as it looks like the character is probably being analytical at this point and thinking a head of what is to come at the end of the journey. The make-up of the character place emphasis on Holmes' face as the character appears to be beaten due to cuts and blooded areas on the character's face. This is a stereotypical characteristic of a male protagonist as they are perceived as strong, determined and can fight through punishment. As the character faces directly toward the character, Holmes' appears to provide a slight smile, which emphasises the character's confidence while trying to do so unnoticed by the other characters. A darkened lighting is present behind Holmes' and slightly over the other characters to further emphasise that the protagonist is the centre of attention in this scene. 

As the characters enter the Parliament building through an over the shoulder shot perspective, the point of view here is that the troops are darkened, which suggests that the characters are represented as superior due to higher authority. This then jump cuts to the front of the march where Holmes is restrained by another character. Holmes continues with the determined attitude by keeping a blank facial expression in which he may appear lifeless. Whereas the other male character confident as he retains appearing like a villain by turning Holmes in to the main antagonist. Following this, an establishing is displayed. Here we can see that the characters within the building are of high authority. This is shown as they are wearing high level clothes, such as suits, top hats and pocket watches. All of these items are associated with wealth. This gives the impression that women are generally accepted (due to a stereotype) to be inferior as these clothes are generally only made for males.

The next scene opens with a close up of the two characters, centred in the frame. This is then followed by a cut, leading to a close up of the main antagonist. The antagonist appears wearing formal black and white clothing, thus suggesting that the character has high authority and wealth. The character has black hair and a clean cut, these are factors that stereotype a character as a villain. The character also has a beard. These are often associated with strength and raw power, which is the desired image and stereotype (that men are powerful and always strong). Also in this scene is the fact that in all places where there is a male presence the decor is of gold or expensive items. This could be further representative of the importance that males have in society as gold is often associated and represents high class and superiority, in this particular scenario, the male gender as a whole. 

As Holmes wanders around the room with the use of a panning movement, Holmes goes to turn the extractor fan on. In this shot the camera is clearly pointing upward and by doing this the director emphasising is the characters control over the situation, this could further link back to the question as it could be representative of the fact that males are stereotypically level headed and in control of situations. The relatively calm colours of white and black used could also be representative of the commonly used stereotype that males are always level headed and can stay calm in an otherwise stressing situation/environment. Throughout this section of the video the transitions between different shots are largely jump cuts and fade effects, the latter could be representative of the tranquility and calmness in which men can stereotypically deal with stressful situations. The jump cuts in this scene are largely used in order to create tension as well as Holmes' intelligence as he analyses the other characters clothing to identify a necessary location. Both of these transition effects back up points made earlier, for example the jump cuts that are quick are generally used to increase tension, this is likely to give the effect that the situation is quite intense and this then represents the stereotype I talked earlier about that males are strong and have a lot of power. This would cause the situation to be more tense as it is more equal. 

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

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

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

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

Mise-en-Scene in Moving Image - Shameless

Mise-en-Scene

Shameless
 



 

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

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

The next scene shows us the rest of the family which are dressed in lighter more appealing colours, this is highly representative of the fact that they bring the light into the family that otherwise wouldn't have it, there are still reminders of their background though as, there is a solid grey wall, this is indicative that lower class people (we are indicated that these people are) struggle to get away from their backgrounds no matter how hard they try. 

The baby is dressed in pink, this is generally viewed as a happy upbeat colour, which links to them (in this case specifically the baby) being the ones to bring happiness in an otherwise sad environment that a lower class household maybe. It is often stereotyped that lower class members of society hold on to certain things for happiness, one of such stereotyped items is a baby.

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

Clothing / Costume:
The father is wearing quite dirty and untidy clothing. This creates the idea that the father may not have a job since it is the morning and he is dressed very inappropriately for any kind of work. His type of clothing also also links with the idea that the family is lower class and they do not have a large some of income.

The entire family, including the father, are wearing casual clothing. this again links to the idea of the family being lower class. Their clothing also looks cheap which suggests they do not have a lot of money, especially to spend on clothing.   

The boys in this clip are wearing track suits. This fits the stereotypical image we have of teenagers who belong to a lower class family in a lower class society. Tracksuits are often what establishes a bad image for the person who wears them. However the tracksuits also signify a low standard of wealth within the family which links with the lower class status of the family.

When the family are outside of their house, they encounter a man who is dressed in a suit. We are instantly able to see the contrast between the two social classes. It is clear that the man in the suit is some form of business man who belongs to the middle class level of society. 

Lighting:

The lighting in the clip is quite simple which matches the interior. This shows that they do not want to spend a lot of money on lighting and they want to stick to what they need. This can be used to show that they are lower class.

They use a lot of natural lighting which could be seen to show that they do not care about other people judging them and they do not mind who they are. This shows that they do not worry about people judging them because they are lower class.

There are curtains on the windows which could be used to show that they are seen to be outcasts from society. It shows that people do not want to include lower class people into society and they would rather ignore them and separate them

Body Language / Posture:

The children are leaning on the table which shows that they are lower class. This is because lower class people are shown to have little manners and not leaning on the table is classed as manners. 

The father is slouched over and he is not walking straight which may be used to show that he is drunk. By the action of him leaning over, this could be used to show that the weight of responsibly is on him and he struggles to cope with everyday life. This may be used to show that being lower class is hard for people and they have a lot to cope with.

Most of the characters arms are crossed at various parts of the clip. This is used to show their anger and to show that they do not enjoy being lower class.  It may also be used to show that they are angry with the father for letting them become lower class and not doing anything about it.

The teenager with the baby is cradling the baby tightly. This may be used to show that she is protecting the baby from being lower class and does not want the same for her baby when she is older.

Framing:

The dad is away from the family at the beginning of this clip. This may be used to show the father is not close with his children and do not have a good bond with them. This may be because his children do not like the fact that he is an alcoholic and doesn't work.

The rest of the family are close together which show that they all have a close bond. This shows unity which is a stereotype for lower class people. The stereotype is that lower class families are close and strongly rely on each other.

However, all of the family are standing together at the end which shows that they have become close again. This shows that they were able to overcome their differences and accept their father again.

The table that the children are sitting around is covered in empty alcohol. This shows that the children are surrounded by his bad habits and have had to put up with them for their whole life. It could also be used to show that the alcohol is the center of the father's world and his children come after that.

Hair and Make-Up:

The father has long, greasy, messy hair. This shows that he is not bothered by his appearance and does not put effort into his hair. It shows that he does not wash a lot as he has greasy hair. However, this may also mean that he is unable to afford shampoo which shows that he does not have enough money to buy basic items. The fact that his hair is like this shows that he does not have a job as this makes him look unprofessional and is not a hairstyle that people who work have.

The girl who has a baby has her hair tied back into a bun. This shows that she does not have time to do her hair now that she has a baby. This hairstyle is also quite child-like which may be used to emphasis the fact that she is a teenage mother, which is a stereotype for lower class teenage girls. Her make-up is quite simplistic which reinforces these points. It could also show that even though she does not have much time, she still wants to make a little bit of effort with her appearance.

Both of the teenage boys have shaven heads. This may show that they cannot afford to go the hair dressers as they are able to do this hairstyle themselves. This is also known to be how prisoners have their hair so links in with the boys being seen as dangerous. It may also be used to foreshadow their later life and where society thinks that they will end up because of their class.

The little boy has quite long hair, like his father. This may be used to show that the boy is also going to end up being like his father, lower class. This shows the cycle which most lower class people find themselves in and unable to escape from.

The business man has styles hair which shows that he is middle class. He has quite a formal style which shows that he has a good job.

Facial Expressions:

The fathers facial expressions are rather blank for the clip and he does not show a lot of expressions. This may show that he is used to living as lower class and it does not phase him anymore. It may also be used to show that he has lost hope and he does not feel as though he would ever be able to get out of him. He also looks as though he is drunk which portrays his alcoholism and his addiction, which is a stereotype of lower class people.

Most of the time, the other characters look angry. This may be used to show that they are angry at the situation and how they are angry at the fact that they are lower class. This may also be used to show that they are angry at the fact that their dad is not doing anything to help them and they know they they will be stuck being lower class.

Props:

There are a lot of empty alcohol bottles which show that the father may be addicted to alcohol. It also shows that they do not tidy the house often. This shows that they are not bothered about their surroundings and the place in which they live. It may also be used to show that they are lazy which shows why the father has not got a job.

They have a lot of locks on the door which may show the kind of area they live in. This shows that they live in a place which has high crime rate, which is typically known to be a lower class area. This is as lower class people are stereotypically known to to be involved in crime and they are all seen to be criminals.

There are pictures and drawings up on the wall. This shows how the family are close and how the house is family orientated. A stereotype of lower class people is the families are close and stick together. By images of the family being up on the wall, it shows how they are proud of their family and want to display their memorable moments. By the pictures being displayed on the walls, it shows how the father respects his children and want them to feel good about themselves.

 

Mise-en-Scene Written Analysis - American Beauty

Mise-en-Scene Written Analysis

American Beauty

Colour:

The colour of the woman's clothing on the left represents a link between the situation with in the scene and the Mise-en-Scene that is present. The character appears to be wearing blue which can symbolise depression. The type of clothing is formal and therefore shows that she has responsibility. Additionally, the layout of the table such as the cloths can suggest that the character prepared the table and the meal. This represents the character as inferior as the character is to follow a stereotypical domestic housewife lifestyle by preparing the family meal as well as dressing to please the family, especially the husband. However, the clothing of the characters are all dark in colour which could represent that there is a tension with in the family. This could suggest that they are of less importance in this specific scene and they are not meant to be focused on. The daughter in the centre of the image however is wearing slightly brighter coloured clothing compared to her parents, which suggests that the focus of the scene is on her. Bright colours could suggest she is of higher importance in this specific scene and that we are meant to give our attention to her. The red flowers in the middle of the table may suggest that the young girl has poor mental state. This is because red is a colour that is often associated with evil, anger or pain. The grey colour of the background represents a dull theme and or could also emphasise the importance of the young female character as the colours of her and the background are separate. 

 

Facial Expressions:

Facial expressions of a character expresses how they are feeling. As there are but three characters in the still image, three different facial expressions are portrayed. The mother in the picture appears to be very uncomfortable as she has a blank, but slightly aggravated facial expression as she stares at the father/husband. This shows that there is tension in the marital relationship. The daughter in the centre of the image appears having an agitated and aggravated facial expression, similarly to the mother. The character is directing herself right back at the father again which emphasises that she might be involved in the tension with in the family. In comparison to the female characters, the father character appears to have a joyous facial expression. This is due to the character smiling which could suggest laughter. This emphasises that the character is either trying to lighten the mood with laughter and fun, or is not taking the situation revolved around the image seriously.

 

Framing:

The characters are all within the frame and are clearly displayed in the image. All the characters are sat around the same table. The table consists of the mother positioned on the far left, the daughter in the centre and the father on the far right.  This gives us the idea that their is discomfort between the family and that the girl is caught in the middle of arguing between the parents. A reason to why the characters have such a large distance from each other is probably because the young female character appears sinister and mischievous, therefore the parents are aware of this and attempt to keep their distance from their own daughter. This links to the idea of there being tension within the family.

 

Lighting:

The lighting used in the image highlights which characters are of high importance. The daughter, who is positioned in the centre of the frame is clearly being lit up by the candles placed in front of her. The lighting suggests that she is of most importance and is the soul of the family. Whereas the parents, who are positioned to the far left and right of the image are sat within the darkness which emphasises the negativity of the relationship. The darkened lighting surrounding the parents suggests that they are of less importance compared to their daughter. Again, this shows that the only light of the image is the candles reflecting the light upon the daughter making her of high importance.

 

Body Language and Posture:

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

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

Hair and Make-Up:
The hair and makeup of the mother suggests that she may spend a considerable amount of time on making her self appealing. This can be identified by he short haircut and contrasting makeup. In contrast to this is the daughter in the middle. She has a very simple hairstyle (pony tail) and very simple makeup. This may suggest innocence however the bright red lip stick is quite sinister. The fact that she is wearing makeup at all may suggest that she is to act or at least appear as an adult. The man has a short and formal haircut which h may suggest that he is a business man. It is clear that his hair is receding which makes it clear that he may be under a lot of stress either due to his job or his family.
Clothing / Costume:
The final factor is clothing. Both of the parents are wearing very formal, plain and colourless clothing. Even though this may suggest that they are boring people or that they live a dull life, it may also hint at the idea that they possess a high quality of wealth. The clothing of the young girl is typical of a child. It is brightly coloured and very casual, especially compared to her parents. 

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