Thursday, 19 January 2012

Exam question

Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representations of ethnicity using the following:
  • Camera shots, angle, movements and composition
  • Editing
  • Sound
  • Mise on scene
In this extract of the TV show, Hotel Babylon, there are many way in which representations of ethnicity is shown through the camera shots used, editing, sound and mise en scene. 
The extract begins with one of the hotel workers bumping into one of his old friends. His friend is represented as a black Jamaican man by the mise on scene and the language he uses. This character has a large chains and ear rings on which suggest that he is wealthy, however from the way he speaks about girls and parties and the language he uses such as "breadrin" suggest he may be from a lower social class. This is juxtaposed to the other black man that's working in the hotel who is represented in a very different way. This man is dressed in a suit and he is well spoken which is not stereotypical of a young black man.

The media extract also includes a pair of maids that appear to be eastern European by the way they speak and the stereo type of maids working in hotels being eastern Europe. The camera shots of the maids as they are entering the room are shot from a high angle looking down at them, which implies that they are insignificant and have little power. One of the maids is wearing a cross, this is a signifier and signifies (Saussure) that she is a religious woman which may be one of the reasons why she walks out of the room. The man in the room, paying for the service is represented as a Japanese man. This man appears to have a lot of money to spend because we are shown a close up shot of the money on the table. The Japanese are often stereotyped as tourists and a technology advanced nation and this is represented in the extract because he is staying in a hotel room and using the remote controlled stereo system. Some of the camera shots of the Japanese man as he's watching the two women are at a low angle looking up at him, which emphasises his wealth and power. The editing in this scene is very fast and cuts to various camera shot such as close ups of characters facial expression, two shot and wide shots.







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