Representation refers to how media constructs and portrays aspects of reality such as people, places, events, and concepts through language, images, and other symbols. Within television dramas, representation is analyzed through how characters are portrayed in terms of class, age, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality. Producers create a sense of realism through repetition of representations, which become familiar to audiences and feel natural. Both how identities are depicted within shows and how audiences relate to those depictions based on their own identities and experiences factor into representation.

1. What is ‘Representation’? Representation refers to the construction in any medium (especially the mass media) of aspects of ‘reality’ such as people, places, objects, events, cultural identities and other abstract concepts. Such representations may be in speech or writing, as well as still or moving pictures.

2. Representation cont. A simple way to summarise what representation is, would be to say that the media seldom overtly states a fact about what is ‘real’ and how people should view something - it alludes and inferences certain ideologies through its use of language, portrayal of events/people , etc. Representation is the way the media goes about putting across a certain type of message about people/things, without directly saying it.

3. In our case, we will be looking at representation in extracts from television dramas. Regardless of how impartial or unbiased those who construct the TV shows are, it is unavoidable that they will construct the show in a way that portrays its content in a certain light. Within TV drama, the key area we will be looking at is the representation of: C lass, A ge, G ender, E thnicity, S exuality (the C A G E S of identity) .

4. How Representation Works How do television show producers create a sense of ‘realism’ which people accept as a true depiction of ‘reality’? The answer, is through repetition. Representations become familiar through constant re-use ; and come to feel 'natural' and unmediated. Not only that, but the audience itself is part of this acceptance process. Referencing the ‘ C A G E S ’ of identity - representation involves not only how identities are represented (or constructed) within the show, but also how they are constructed in the processes of production and reception by the audience . The audience’s identities are also differentially marked in relation to their demographic factors (if they can relate to the content through their own experiences, where they live).

5. The narrative: What is actually happening in the scene? Who is depicted? What are they doing and are they being represented in a positive or negative light? The narrative, editing and mis-en-scene all play a role in defining how people and things are represented. This could be at a micro level, or a macro level.

6. Micro and Macro level Micro level representation can be technical and symbolic elements in a scene, such as a change in lighting or sound, to symbolise a change in the way the viewer will look at a particular person or thing. Macro level representation can be something a lot more obvious, like a point in the narrative structure when a person’s actions define how they are identified with by the viewer. E.g. when a person reveals themselves to be the killer in a ‘who-dunnit’ drama, the viewer will look at them in a different light.

7. Semiotics foregrounds the process of representation. Reality is always represented - what we treat as 'direct' experience is 'mediated' by perceptual codes. Representation always involves 'the construction of ‘reality'. All texts, however 'realistic' they may seem to be, are constructed representations rather than simply transparent 'reflections', recordings, transcriptions or reproductions of a pre-existing reality. Representations which become familiar through constant re-use come to feel 'natural' and unmediated. Representations require interpretation - we make modality judgements about them, drawing on our experience of the world and of television. For instance, when we watch something we categorise it to fact or fiction, actuality or acting, live or recorded, and we assess the possibility or plausibility of the events depicted or the claims made in it. Representation is unavoidably selective, foregrounding some things and backgrounding others. Realists focus on the 'correspondence' of representations to 'objective' reality (in terms of 'truth', 'accuracy' and 'distortion'), whereas constructivists focus on whose realities are being represented and whose are being denied. Things to take into account when analysing Representation:

8. Semiotics Codes and conventions: Codes are systems of signs , which create meaning . Codes can be divided into two categories – technical and symbolic : * Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to add a connotation , for example the lighting. * Symbolic codes show what is beneath the surface of what we see. For example, a character’s actions that have a metaphorical significance - e.g. in Eastenders when a character slams a copy of the Qur’an down on the table. It is symbolic, with an underlying unspoken message . You should try to look at various aspects of mis-en-scene when considering the codes within the show: setting, props, lighting, costume, acting, camera angles, music.