Sherlock Holmes: a Game of Shadows

Representation of Disability through the use of editing

Gender analysis - Sherlock Holmes (revisited)

The first establishing shot depicts the houses of Parliament/Big Ben, which is also very similar to the closing/end shot of the scene which also depicts Parliament and Big Ben - this could represent a resolve amongst the male protagonists.
A mid shot is used to show Sherlock in a carriage, sat between the Inspector and another policeman. The tow policemen are almost silhouettes, whereas Sherlock is in the light - this could show that despite the other two men being 'officially' (by law) more dominant, Sherlock is actually the alpha-male of the three men.
A second establishing shot is used to show that the setting has changed when the policemen (accompanying Sherlock) are marching through the Parliament corridors - the scenery is very dark and poorly lit, which could show that the men are there to deal with serious business - conforming perfectly to the stereotypical 'modern man', whom takes care of problems with either his fists, or his huge ego and intelligence, and could foreshadow the danger to come. Several jump cuts are used to show the speed at which the men are travelling through the Houses of Parliament, which shows some importance and urgency to their actions - highlighting that their issues are much more important and worthy, than those of whom they are rushing past, which could suggest that the men believe themselves to possess dominance over others.
When the Inspector and Sherlock reach the Count, a mid shot is used to show them entering the room. The audience can see that Sherlock is dressed in scruffy trousers, braces and a dirty white t-shirt - giving the impression that he has been in a fight. This shows that regardless of the fact that he is in a very renowned building, with a very rich and influential man, he does not care about impressing him with his physical appearance - but instead cares only about uncovering the scheming plans of the Count. Sherlock could also be dressed like this to further prove that he is always the alpha male, and an alpha male typically believes of himself as stronger and more intelligent that other men - therefore giving him a large ego.
The Inspector punches Sherlock in the abdomen, again fitting to the stereotype that men are aggressive and must settle their feelings by physically hurting/trying to hurt their enemy or opponent.
A wide shot depicts the Count, very well dressed in suit trousers, a shirt, waistcoat and cravat, in his room which is very tastefully and expensively furnished. His body language shows that he was not expecting Sherlock or the Inspector, but he remains calm and is positioned a reasonable distance from the pair. His calm nature could reflect that he's in a familiar and comfortable environment, or maybe that with the help of his wealth and his 'cult', he feels much more powerful than Sherlock and the Inspector. This constant battle between the men to outsmart each other conforms perfectly to the idea that men are extremely competitive and testosterone-fuelled, and so feel the need to constantly outdo one another in order to remain at the top of the pecking order.
Throughout the clip, both diegetic sound and non-diegetic sounds are featured - as the narrative of each character is heard, along with the sounds of footsteps and the opening and closing of doors and windows. However, there is also a constant non-diegetic sound in the background, which is typically orchestral music. There is a recurring violin melody which plays softly, and each time the scene reaches a climax - where something exciting or dangerous might happen, the orchestral sounds grow louder and are joined by percussion. this builds tension massively within the scene, and constantly coincides with the idea of fighting. Each time either Sherlock or the Count get close to defeating one another, the non-diegetic sound becomes stronger. This could represent the levels of masculinity and power that either character shows/feels as they almost reach their goal of destroying one another.
both the Count and Sherlock display characteristics of a stereotypical man. the body language, costumes and behaviour of them both show intelligence, strength and competitiveness. This is particularly shown when the smoke enters the room. It gives the scene a mysterious feel, and the Count has the chance to show his aggressiveness by wielding a gun, and Sherlock shows his arrogant intelligence.
Point of view shots are used when Sherlock lets the smoke into the room, and when the Count loads the gun with bullets, to show mischievous (Sherlock) and dangerous (Count) decisions they are prepared to make to remain the dominant male.

Mise-en-scene still scene analysis

Mise-en-scene:

• Lighting: central lighting surrounds the girl, showing that she holds the most power in the household, and she is the centre of attention - to both the audience and her 'parents'. The parents are in the dark, which creates an atmosphere of gloominess, unhappiness and dislike toward one another - the daughter is the 'light of their lives' shown quite literally with the use of candles around her. The lack of lighting in the room hides the furnishings and surroundings of the characters, which could imply that nothing around them matters but their daughter - wealth/status is not a priority at this moment in time. The curtains are drawn, blocking the majority of light from outside, creating a grey colour and mood to the scene, however we could also infer from this that the parents are attempting to hide their marriage problems from the outside world. The 'father' is in the dark, but has the natural light from the window behind him, which could reflect a slightly more positive mood in comparison to the 'mother', and maybe a sense of hope for the family.The mother is the character whom is furthest away from any light source (both candles and natural lighting through the curtains), which shows a subtle contrast in moods to that of the father, and could suggest that she is depressed and unhappy, that she is an outcast, or rather she could be purposefully leaning away from the light as to appear separate from the family. Electric lighting/lamps are all turned off which further highlights the contrast between the relationship of the parents, and the relationship of each parent to their daughter. The lack of electric lighting cold also symbolise the marriage/relationship of the two adults - their marriage is off, just as the lights are. Candlelight is temporary, and will eventually burn out, so the use of candles around the young girl could symbolise that the bond that the daughter holds, which serves to keep the family together, is also temporary - as she will grow up, move out and thus finalising the downfall of her parents marriage.
• Hair & makeup: the father wears formal, old-fashioned clothing and has a very traditionally middle class/middle aged haircut. His receding hairline represents age and stress. The daughter has simple hair/makeup which could represent her youth and innocence. She has glowing skin and wears her hair in a ponytail, which makes her look childlike, however she also wears heavy eyeliner and lipstick - which could show she is trying to appear more adult, and the red lipstick could also suggest sexuality and seduction. The mother has short hair - which looks dry, and could suggest that it's short as it's easy to maintain, but dry as she is under stress whilst still attempting to style it and appear attractive.
• Costume: the mother wears formal clothing; a slightly iridescent blue silk shirt, which could suggest that she takes pride in her appearance and that she is lusting after the attention of her partner. Silk could also represent wealth and could be considered quite sexual, which again refers to the want of male attention. The father wears smart clothing in dull colours, which could suggest he is attempting to veer attention away from himself, or hide from his wife. Although his clothing is dull coloured, it appears to be of high quality and looks expensive which represents his wealth. His clothing is old fashioned, which could represent his age, or that he is not in keeping with current trends and prefers to wear traditional garments - and tradition is often associated with wealth. The girl wears bright clothing, which could be an attempt at rebelling against her parents - and provides a contrast to their bland clothing and furniture.
• Facial Expressions: the mother has an emotionless expression and looks concerned, whilst looking at the father, which creates an icy atmosphere amongst the adults. She looks highly unamused, and tired, and looks as though she doesn't want to be in the company of the man. The father is smiling, possibly even laughing, and looks the most comfortable around the table. He looks out of place opposite the woman, and he could be laughing to overcompensate for the bleak mood that the other characters seem to holding, whilst sat around the table. The girl looks as though she is pulling a sarcastic face, again, maybe as she wishes to rebel against her unconventional parents. Her facial expressions reflect those of her mother's, and she looks angrily towards the male, which could show that she has 'sided' with her mum - against her father.
• Framing: the family are spaced around the table which represents discontentment within the family. The props, candles and flowers, shows the girl is the centre of attention. The only focus of the still is on the table, not the surroundings, which draws the attention of the viewer to the family and the action around the dinner table. Despite appearing upperclass, all three characters have their elbows on the table which displays attitude - and particularly concerning the girl, shows nonconformity.
• Body language/posture: the mother is leaning backwards, appearing to be cut out of the conversation. The male's fists are clenched, despite smiling, which could suggest he is tackling his feelings in attempt to hide his anger. The girl has her elbows on the table, which shows lack of respect for her parents and furnishing/belongings.
• Setting/props: the woman has a half empty bottle of wine next to her, which could suggest that she uses alcohol as an escape/coping mechanism to deal with the relationship with her husband and daughter.

Regional Identity Research

Stereotypes and counter-types of the following regional identities:

Scottish:
Pale skinned, freckled and ginger.
Hate the English.
Violent.
Drink whiskey, and are fierce in bar fights.
Tight with money (won't tip in a restaurant).
Men wear plaid kilts and march in formation with bagpipes.
Homophobic and racist.
Eat haggis regularly.
Don't speak English.
Work down in mines.

Liverpool:
Drug-abusing.
Football hooligans.
Single parents.
Chavvy behaviour and clothing.
Orange tan.

Newcastle:
Chavs.
Violent and arrogant.
Very thick accent, often undecipherable, and speak very quickly.
Loud.
Witty.
Women wear lots of make-up.
Always outgoing, likes to drink on a night out.

Yorkshire:
Farmers, men wear flat caps constantly.
Thick accent, pronouncing vowels in an elongated manner.
Unintelligent.
Friendly.
Stubborn.

Birmingham:
Working class.
Lots of knife crime.
Brummy accent is ranked as the least intelligent sounding.
Football hooligans.
Avid tea-drinkers.
Eat lots of curry.

Welsh:
Have sex with sheep.
Cannot be understood as they have their own language.
Obsessed with rugby.
Unhealthy alcoholics.
Very friendly.

Irish:
Alcoholics.
Partiers.
Short, ginger haired, wear a lot of green.
Gypsies.
Magical/Leprechauns.
Eat copious amounts of potato.
Very religious.

London:
People either talk like a Cockney or an Aristocrat.
Constantly talk about the weather.
Eat fish and chips.
Have a stiff upper lip.

Essex:
Women wear fake tan, false eyelashes and fake nails.
Unintelligent.
Obsessed with appearance.
Loud, gobby, vulgar.
Reckless disregard of grammar.
Perform sex acts discriminately.

Cornwall/South West:
All farmers.
They eat Cornish pasties.

Paul Hunt - Representation of Disability

Paul hunt disability from Sarah Ghost

The Gaze - male/female

The gaze from Sarah Ghost

Paul Lazarsfeld - Limited Effects Theory

Paul Lazarsfeld limited effects theory from Sarah Ghost

The Inbetweeners - disability within the media

The Inbetweeners:
1. Why is the clip funny?
The clip is funny due to the reactions of the characters; Will, Jay, Neil and Simon, following the scenario with the other two female characters - who, within the episode, are strangers to the four main characters. The social awkwardness displayed by Will towards the disabled girl, after hitting her with a Frisbee, not only shows the funny characteristics of the character Will, but also the way we 'other' those with disabilities, within our society.

2. How is the disabled girl being presented?
Within the clip, both the characters and viewers look upon the disabled girl as being 'helpless' and an 'other' within society. This is due to both the reactions of the girl, and the reactions of Will. Once he realises that the girl he hit with the Frisbee was disabled, Will is deserted by his friends and becomes awkward and overly apologetic to the girl and her friend. This supports Paul Hunt's idea that disabled people are stereotyped as pitiable or pathetic, and it is clear that Will overcompensates with his apologies towards the girl, solely due to her disability. The actions of the girl further support this, as rather than dealing with the situation herself, she cries and relies on her friend to deal with Will.

3. Are we meant to laugh at the disabled person?
Within society, there is a stigma against the politically incorrect, and laughing at the disabled falls under this category. Therefore, the clip does not intend for the audience to laugh directly at the disabled girl, but instead at the reactions of Will and the other characters.

4. Are they the 'butt' of the joke?
In a sense, yes, as she is the main factor of the scenario - causing the joke entirely. However, we as the audience, are not laughing at her, but instead at the reactions of those around her. So I suppose in a way, the disabled girl is the 'butt' of the joke, but it is the way in which the situation is dealt with, which is the funniest part; rather than the girl herself.

5. How do you think disabled people respond to this?
I think a disabled person, when watching this clip, may be offended that disability of another has been used at the expense of a joke. The scene is not necessary to any plot-line within the Inbetweeners series, other than to highlight the socially awkward behaviour of Will. Also, the actions of the disabled girl within the scene fit the stereotype that disabled people are 'unable to participate in daily life', and this could anger those with a disability, as they would argue that this stereotype is completely offensive and incorrect.

6. Are we as a society cultivated to think we should pity the disabled?
As a society, as a whole, generally our opinions towards disabled people are that we should pity them - as we consider them to have been denied access to the same quality of life that we all take for granted. Therefore, we tend to overcompensate for whatever they supposedly 'lack'.

Why did Dredd flop at the box office?

Why did Dredd flop at the box office?

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Gender representation analysis - Wire in the Blood

Gender representation analysis:


Within the clip, the four areas of textural analysis are used to represent gender.
At the start, an over the shoulder shot is used, in order for the audience to view the 'scene' as if they are part of it, a passive witness.
Secondly, a tracking shot is used, and this enables the audience to follow the action of the scene and the characters - which is useful in this instance, as we see an argument between the two main characters, which is fast-paced and would be hard to keep up with if the viewers were not able to experience it in a 'first hand' manner.
Head shots are used to closely display the emotions and facial expressions - particularly of the female character, whilst she is upset and mid-argument. During this shot the female character, although upset, still maintains an 'attractive' appearance - which links to Laura Mulvey's idea of the male gaze, as this shot is used in particular to display the woman as an attractive, yet vulnerable, character.
Post 'argument', a crane shot is used to display the male character walking away from the female, and enables the audience to see his full body language - which we shows he feels carefree (despite the dispute between two characters) and could be interpreted that he is the dominant character out of the pair, as it seems that no matter what the female character says, it does not affect him emotionally.


The use of costume throughout the clip not only sets the scenario within, but also give the audience an idea of the characters involved.
Both main male and female characters are dressed smartly, which indicates that they hold a reasonably formal occupation - this is further proved as the story unfolds, and we see that they are investigating a crime scene.
The main female character is wearing full length trousers, a shirt and a suit jacket (in dark colours), these could be considered to be a typically 'male' work uniform - which indicates that her profession is a predominantly male, and she is a 'woman living in a man's world'.
The main male character is slightly more relaxed in terms of costume, however is wearing a shirt and smart shoes - therefore still maintains a sense of formality within the workplace. This does, however, show that men within our society can be taken seriously whether they are dressed formally or informally, yet females must dress to the occasion in order to compete with men in the workplace.


The lighting used throughout the clip is used to set the mood. During the first scene, outdoors, natural lighting is used to create a realistic effect that the scene is taking place where it is set. The weather in this scene is dull, which gives the appearance of a grey and miserable day, and this fits the picture of a crime scene.

Media representation of physical ability/disability

Common Stereotypes

REPRESENTATIONS – COMMON STEREOTYPES

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Sherlock: a representation of class

Sherlock by Millie Drew

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Self representation

Self representation:

I would say that my style (in terms of clothing) is fashionable and up-to-date, however I do not religiously follow trends, and prefer to rely on my own tastes when it comes to deciding what to wear. Saying this though, I still enjoy researching (either from blogs I follow, or magazines I read) recent and upcoming fashions. More often than not, I will choose to wear clothing which is flattering, rather than trendy. I would rather be overdressed than underdressed. 

"You can never be overdressed or overeducated" - Oscar Wilde.

I would say that my appearance accurately displays my age, and you could say class, as although I tend not to buy designer garments, I like to think I am usually reasonably well dressed. Therefore, you could argue that I look middle-class.

Although I was born in Leicester city, and lived there for the first seven years of my life, I believe that I speak with a 'Midlands' accent - but do not sound specific to Leicester itself. Both my parents are fairly well spoken, and as I lived in Cambridge between the ages of seven and eleven, I picked up a regional accent from that area - such as pronouncing words like 'bath' as 'barth'. Although I am not in the habit of pronouncing my 'a's like that now, I like to think I still hold the principles of pronouncing my words correctly.

Growing up in Leicester meant that I was surrounded by a vast amount of diversity, in terms of ethnicity and religion. Although I am White British, and do not follow a religion, I find other religions and traditions fascinating and believe that there is something to be taken from each of them, and valuable lessons can be learnt from each of them. I particularly used to enjoy celebrating Diwali when I lived in the city centre, as many beautiful (and tasty) traditions follow this celebration.

A (reduced) explanation of representation

Representation refers to aspects of ‘reality’, including; people, places, objects, events, cultural identities and other concepts. It can also often be expressed through the use of speech and writing.

However, it is not just about the conception of who/what a person is, but also the way in which others judge them as a consequence of these demographic factors.

 Representation within the media is used to enhance the overall appearance of a product to an audience; despite not having to strictly depict ‘real life’.

Media forms are a representation of someone's concept of existence; signs and symbols which can be read by an audience.

Film Production

Film Production Roles:

Writer:

The writer, or ‘screenwriter’, creates the screen play for the producer, director and cast to carry out. They are essentially the ideas behind the media produced. Screen plays are used as a preview, to show what the film would look like if it was produced.

Producer:

The producer has control over the film in terms of what happens in it and makes sure that the final outcome of the film is suitable for the viewing of the target audience. They also decide the location of which the film is produced. They make sure that the film is created on time and distributed properly. There can be more than one producer, however one may have more control over another depending on how much money they have contributed towards the budget of the film.

Casting Director:

The casting Director auditions actors and actresses, and chooses specific people to play the roles of the characters within the film, they do this by matching actors and actresses to the parts they suit the most; i.e. you can’t cast an actor with blonde hair to play the part of a brunette, unless they can adapt to the role (dye their hair).

Director:

Directors are, in some respects, responsible for the success or failure of the film. Their job is to turn the script into images and sound for the film. They also manage the production of commercials used to advertise the film.

Film Finance:

Film finance are responsible for the valuing of the film, which usually occurs pre-production, in order to highlight any figures they should be wary of (so that more/less funding can be acquired).

Editor:

An editor prepares the film so it is suitable for distribution, paying particular consideration towards attention to detail.

Production Designer:

Production designers manage the look, feel and essence that the film manifests to the audience. A great deal of work and imagination goes into constructing the backdrop to any story, and choosing or building locations and/or sets, therefore a production designer has an important job within the production of the final product of the film.

Marketing Manager:

A marketing manager promotes the product, so that viewers are enticed into watching the final distribution of the film.

Exhibition:

Promoting the film before it is yet to be released, e.g. a film festival or a film premiere.

Moving Image Glossary

Moving Image Glossary from MissCTurner

7 areas of representation AND 4 areas of textual analysis

7 areas of representation:

• Gender
• Age
• Ethnicity
• Sexuality
• Class and status
• Physical ability/disability
• Regional identity

4 areas of textual analysis:

Camera shots, angle, movement, composition:

• Shots: establishing shot, master shot, close-up, mid-shot, long shot, wide show, two-shot, aerial shot, P.O.V. shot, over the shoulder shot, and variations of these.
• Angle: high angle, low angle, canted angle.
• Movement: pan, tilt, track, dolly, crane, steadicam, hand-held, zoom, reverse zoom.
• Composition: framing, rule of thirds, depth of field - deep and shallow focus, focus pulls.

Editing:

Includes transition of image and sound - continuity and non-continuity systems.

• Cutting: shot/reverse shot, eyeline match, graphic match, action match, jump cut, crosscutting, parallel editing, cutaway; insert.
• Other transitions: dissolve, fade-in, fade-out, wipe, superimposition, long take, short take, slow motion, ellipsis and expansion of time, post-production, visual effects.

Sound:

•  Soundtrack: score, incidental music, themes and stings, ambient sound.
• Diegetic and non-diegetic sound, synchronous/asynchronous sound, sound effects, sound motif, sound bridge, dialogue, voiceover, mode of address/direct address, sound mixing, sound perspective.

Mis-on-Siene:

• Production design: location, studio, set design, costume and makeup, properties.
• Lighting: colour design.

Skins: representation of age

MEDIA Camera Shots Presentation by Millie Drew

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Audience and institutions: the 7 key areas

Institutions and Audiences:
Candidates should be prepared to understand and discuss the processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary media institutions, as well as the nature of audience consumption and the relationships between audiences and institutions. In addition, candidates should be familiar with:
• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;
• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange;
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences;
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences;
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions;
• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

5x5

5x5:

5 artists:
Vampire Weekend - I love their slight reggae feel, and they were always playing in my dad's car.
Mark Ronson - He plays all the instruments himself, which is amazing, and his renditions of songs are as good as the original (if not better, in some cases).
Haim - I kinda love that they are made up of three sisters (I am the second sister of three).
Hot Chip - I really like the electronic sounds, and their melodies are catchy. They have cool/weird music videos, also.
Tchaikovsky - Classical music pulls at my heartstrings; I love playing it, and dancing to it, just as much as I love listening to it.

5 album covers:
Cross / Justice - Simple and effective, yet pleasing to the eye, I also love the album.
So Long See You Tomorrow / Bombay Bicycle Club - It looks like an unconventional calendar, and the times of day and night are displayed brilliantly.
Vampire Weekend / Vampire Weekend - The chandelier is lovely, and so is the filter used.
Super Model / Foster The People - Creepy, colourful and detailed. Matches the album perfectly.
The Trick to Life / The Hoosiers - Pleasing to the eye, reminds me of a 3D book I used to have when I was younger.

5 (art) artists:
William Morris - I would happily wear all of his prints, and if I could, would plaster them throughout my house.
Valentina Ramos - The detail she uses for her illustrations make them beautiful and interesting.
Matisse - I am not as keen on his portraits, but his collages of sea creatures and plants are wonderful. I love the colours he uses.
Liselotte Watkins - Her style of illustration is different and refreshing, particularly her fashion sketches.
Gustav Klimt - His paintings are always beautiful and I love recurring use of the colour gold.

5 films:
Napoleon Dynamite - Funny, and his life is so unlike mine that I can't help but laugh.
Amèlie - I think the storyline is excellent, and it has such gorgeous images and colours.
The Shining - I love being scared, and this is a scary film.
Ballet Shoes - This is the film I watch when I'm ill, it is comforting and heart-warming.
Polar Express - The ultimate Christmas film.

5 songs:
Waltz of the Flowers / Tchaikovsky - Classical music is one of my favourite genres, and I performed in a ballet of the Nutcracker approx. 6 years ago, and so I have a soft spot for this. My favourite part is the minor phrase towards the end of the piece.
Lady Madonna / The Beatles - The piano riff is so catchy and fun.
Feel Good Inc / Gorillaz - Again, this is another song/artist which was constantly played by my dad, and reminds me of day trips out when I was younger.
Mind Mischief / Tame Impala - Summery and carefree.
Machu Picchu / The Strokes - It sounds almost 80s inspired, with a catchy beat and his voice is so nice to listen to.