How is ethnicity represented in Spooks?

In this clip from the hugely popular British TV drama- Spooks, it is obvious that the ethnicities included in the clip are being represented in a certain way. Danny- the black character in the series, was represented in a very different way from the other characters who seem to be predominately white. For one, Danny is presented as being very wise and insightful; his dialogue says as much, as he speaks down to the terrorist and of how he could have been in the same spot as him if he had been born somewhere different, which again links in with cultural and ethnic identity. He’s also portrayed as being selfless, as his actions are being carried out for the sole reason of making the choice of who dies, a decision that ultimately sees Danny sacrificing his own life. He’s also seen as having a deep anger towards fascism, again shown by his dialogue towards the terrorist. Overall, he could be seen as the morally greater of the characters at that point, a fact that’s emphasized by the use of lighting in the scene; the light falls on the dominant side of his face. In contrast to this, the other characters, mainly the terrorists, have their faces hidden in shadow for the majority of the scene – used as a symbolic representation of the characters themselves and their morals.

Danny also may be seen to have a religious side: his actions reflect a lack of fear towards death and the music itself could mirror this as well – it’s emotional, deep and the vocals draw comparisons to Islam’s ‘Call To Prayer’. Religions, no matters if they’re wrong or right, tend to be morally just, exactly how his character has been represented here. His unflinching determination in his actions are also further emphasised by the frequent use of close ups on his face. However, the camera work seems to be representing what the characters themselves are focusing on at the various points. For example, when Danny is speaking, the terrorist is no doubt focusing on him, and a close up of his face is shown – likewise, when the woman is on the phone, a point of view shot is used as the camera focuses on the gun being cocked.

 The majority of the scene is seen through Danny’s perspective; possibly signifying his great importance in the episode itself. This is highlighted towards the end of the scene, as even after he’s dead the camera shoots from a low perspective, which could suggest it’s still meant to be from his point of view. Overall, Danny seems to have been represented as refreshingly different from the classic stereotypical view of young black man in the media, which is usually negative; as he is presented as being morally just, intelligent, successful in his field and completely selfless.

However, in what could possibly be scene as a stereotype switch, the antagonist of the scene – the terrorist – is of an apparently Middle Eastern background, and is light skinned. This is a contrast from classical media stereotyping; where the dark skinned characters are the ones portrayed in a negative way or as the ‘other.’

An interesting thing to note for this character though is that he doesn’t live up to the typical stereotypical view of a terrorist. He’s dressed smartly in a suit, and speaks very eloquently, something you may not expect from a terrorist. His face is also in shadow for the majority of the scene, unlike Danny, which again could mirror his personal ‘dark’ morals. At one point, the light distorts and makes it appear as if his character is imprisoned in bars. This could have a number of connotations but on a simple level, it could be foreshadowing his future, which will be a difficult one that will ultimately lead to his demise. On the other hand, and more importantly, it could be representing the view of Danny, just like the point of view shots, giving us Danny’s insight, in seeing him as nothing more than a criminal.

Silent Witness 'Terror'- Ethnic Representations

I am going to analyse this clip using the four categories of editing, miss en scene, camera shots and sound that help to shape the contrasting cultural identities in this short clip.

Camera Shots

This short sequence from Silent Witness starts with a close up of a woman, of apparent Asian ethnicity, pouring water over her hands and washing her face. Just from this opening shot, we see an important aspect of this person’s ethnicity or culture being displayed. In this case it is in a religious sense, as what she is performing is a traditional Islamic ritual, which acts as a way of cleansing the mind and soul. This is then followed by a mid-shot of the Muslim woman kneeling on a prayer mat, wearing a headscarf - this reaffirms not only her identity as a Muslim woman, but also her seemingly strong dedication to her religion. Her actions in this sequence present her in a way that shows us that her identity, in particular her cultural identity, is very important to her.

The portrayal of this Muslim woman conjures up images of a somewhat exotic location, possibly in an Islamic country somewhere. But the next shot gives us a strong sense of identity, culture and tradition in the form of a long shot of a milkman delivering milk on a typical suburban British street. This particularly occupation, combined with its mode of transport- the milk float, is strongly linked to the British culture of having milk delivered fresh every morning.

We are then shown a shot of an all-white SWAT team getting ready to carry out a raid. The camera shots alternate between the police force and the Muslim women, adding an ominous feel to the whole situation. The SWAT team seems united in their cause, and their shared ethnicity adds to this. 

Editing

Jump cuts between the Muslim woman and the SWAT team are used frequently. This is done to highlight the contrasting values and customs of the two groups. An example of this shows the woman praying in Arabic, before cutting to a shot of the team gathering their armour and weapons. These two contrasting ideologies, of aggression and peacefulness are highlighted in the editing.

The jump cuts between the two different locations also give us some idea of culture and identity. The shots of the woman are presented in a way that makes her ethnic and cultural identity very clear, whereas the SWAT team are seen wearing masks, which conceals their ethnicity making them unidentifiable and less accessible to the viewer.

Mise En Scene

The main aspect in this category is the costume of the Muslim women, she is wearing a headscarf and traditional Islamic dress; this shows the extent of her religiousness and the headscarf is blue- which almost acts as a calming presence to the situation she is in.

Although we know from earlier scenes that the SWAT team are all of white British ethnicity; their costume adds a certain amount of ambiguity to their identities. They are wearing full body armour and gas masks, which conceal their faces and in turn- their ethnicities.

Sounds

Diagetic sound is very prominent throughout this clip. The most memorable of these sounds involve water dripping, first from the woman pouring water onto her hands, and then in the form of rain pattering against the pavement. These two sounds both add a sense of peacefulness in the midst of the imminent chaos and possible suffering.

When the SWAT team is shown getting ready, we hear a man cackling in quite a disturbing way as he walks off with his bulletproof gear and weapons. This adds to the ominous feel to the clip and obvious tension between the two ethnic groups.

The focus then switches back to the Muslim woman who has begun to pray in Arabic. This further reinforces her ethnic identity and dedication to her religion and cause. The sound of her praying also provides an obvious contrast between the two ethnic groups, with her completely peaceful and the SWAT team very frantic and nervous. 

Downton Abbey and Desperate Romantics- Camera Shots and Movement

In this post, I’m going to analyse how the differing camera shots and movement, used in the trailers for the two period dramas ‘Desperate Romantics’ and ‘Downton Abbey,’ construct an impression of both the characters, and the setting or location, of the two trailers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv3CHjMFmjQ

The first trailer I’m going to analyse, is ‘Desperate Romantics.’ I think a significant impression is made right from the very first shot- an extreme close up of a candle being blown out. This has many connotations as the image of a candle being blown out represents change, not only because a physical change is taking place, but also because it signifies the old being replaced, by the new.

The three young men in the trailer are clearly presented as rebellious and as having a certain loathing for the classical art world of that time. This is reflected in their facial expressions, shown by a series of close-ups of their disapproving faces. There are also a number of eye-line matches that show the characters displeased expressions, before cutting to a shot of a painting exploding, and then cutting back to a reaction shot of the character- completely unfazed by these explosions, showing their lack of concern at the paintings being destroyed.

The three men are also presented as a close group, who share similar views as we see them as a group through the many long shots, mid shots and aerial shots. Although the trailer lacks a basic storyline or narrative, it shows the threesomes intentions to bring change, and they are presented almost as heroes, which is mirrored in the soundtrack (Heroes- David Bowie) and visualised by the slow-motion effect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M3moEeErr8

The second trailer, for Downton Abbey is very different as it is a compilation of clips from the series, instead of an unrelated piece of film. It starts with a series of long shots showing different characters ‘spying’ on their family members or colleagues- that gives the impression that there is a lack of apparent trust in the household. This whole feeling of being spied on is reflected in the soundtrack, which includes the lyrics ‘Every step you take, I’ll be watching you.’ In addition to this, the only piece of dialogue in the first part of the trailer, - ‘Why are you English so curious about other people’s lives’ seems to confirm these first impressions.

The trailer suddenly changes half way through, as it becomes a series of jump cuts showing various dramatic incidents taking place such as violence, romance and tragedy. This is enhanced by the sudden increase in volume of the music. The apparent head of the household (played by Maggie Smith) is showed in a series of mid-shots or close-ups showing her worried expression; possibly indicating her lack of control over what’s going on.

So, both trailers tell us a certain amount about the characters and their situations through their variety of camera shots and editing technique. In ‘Desperate Romantics’ the three men are presented as rebellious by the use of point of view shots and eye line matches showing their distaste of the current art scene. In ‘Downton Abbey’ paranoia and espionage are the main themes, and they are brought to life by a number of long shots showing characters spying on each other.