2. BACKGROUND
The representation of people from different
ethnicities has changed massively over the years.
This is probably because the population in Britain
has become much more diverse recently and
current society is much more used to mixing with
people from all different cultures and
backgrounds.
Here are some examples of very negative generic
stereotypes that used to be seen (and in some
case still are) in film and TV…
3. (VERY) NEGATIVE GENERIC
STEREOTYPES
White people – often shown as good, pure, heroes, strong, or
sometimes racist
Black people – often shown as exotic, strange, tribal, criminal, poor
Asian people (Chinese, Korean etc) – often shown mainly as
intelligent, submissive (quiet and shy), nerdy, interested in
technology
Indian people – often shown as being poor, living in large families,
very traditional, working in corner shops
Middle Eastern people (arabs etc) – often shown as being terrorists,
violent, aggressive, rich
Immigrants – often shown as being a drain on society, criminals,
illegal, bad for Britain, taking British jobs
4. People often note that in TV drama, people from
particular ethnicities have storylines that all centre
around their culture. For example, Indian characters
often battle with the clash between British culture and
their traditional culture e.g. arranged marriages etc.
They rarely have storylines that don’t have something
to do with their ethnicity. People also have commented
that often people from minority ethnic groups (e.g. non
white) are often portrayed in a very negative way.
5. IF YOU GET “ETHNICITY” AS AN ISSUE IN THE EXAM,
YOU SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THE FOLLOWING
THINGS WHEN WATCHING THE CLIP:
Can I identify what ethnicities people are?
Are people from different ethnic backgrounds shown as different interests,
personalities, attitudes, behaviours? If so, how?
Is their ethnicity represented as being important in their life?
Are people from particular ethnicities portrayed as being better, more
powerful, than others?
Are people from particular ethnicities portrayed as being abnormal /weaker/
more pathetic than others?
How do other characters in the clip treat the characters from different ethnic
backgrounds?
What is the message the clip is trying to portray about ethnicity?
Don’t ignore the white characters as they need to be analysed too!
6. Ben from Hotel Babylon
Martha from Doctor Who
Patrick from Eastenders
Anwar from Skins
Mike from Glee
Tariq from Spooks
The cast of Misfits
Teachers
Arab and friends from
Beaver Falls
Shows featuring characters of various ethnicities on
7. THE CLIP
Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs the representation of ethnicity using the
following:
• Camera shots, angle, movement and composition
• Editing
• Sound
• Mise-en-scene
8. HOW TO TAKE NOTES
You could storyboard (grid with 6-8 boxes) the sequences to arrange the mise en
scene, editing, camera shots/angles and movements
Outline characters and their stereotypes connected to ethnicity
Outline sound used in the sequences
9. THE ANALYSIS …GIVEN 43 MARKS
An establishing shot shows what looks like a prison which
then cuts to a bleak barren wide shot. Negative representations are
immediately apparent with the camera then cutting to a hand held
shot of a prison officer walking from long shot into close up to open a
door. The non-diegetic music is disturbing and enigmatic while the
scene is shot using low-key lighting with grainy resolution.
The diegetic sound of the clanking of bars anchors the prison setting
while a cell door is unlocked to reveal a wide shot of two prisoners. A
young white working class prisoner is lying on the top bunk, which is
symbolically within the narrative, while on the bottom bunk is a young
10. The white prisoner has confident body language and immediately
responds to the authority of the white prison officer by jumping off
his bunk while the Asian prisoner remains on his bed framed in long
shot as vulnerable and isolated. Objects and props in the cell as part
of the mise-en-scene reinforce the emotional binary
opposition between the two prisoners already established. On the top
bunk pictures and photographs of semi naked women adorn the walls
while on the well-ordered table next to the bottom bunk is a chess
set and water. The dominant reading of this shot is that the young
Asian prisoner is sophisticated and educated while the young white
prisoner is represented as an ignorant thug with no respect of
diversity. This is revealed by his racist comment to the Asian prisoner
on leaving the cell, “You eat pork chops Muslim boy” which is ignored
by the prison officer who then makes a negative statement himself
telling Hazad he “needs to get acclimatised”. At this early point it is
clear that the representation of ethnicity has so far been
negative focusing on stereotypes but in terms of dominant preferred
readings it is made clear to the audience that this lack of equality and
11. A close up of the door slamming shut cuts to a close up of Hazad who
is then framed in high angle (in long shot) sitting on his bed; he is
represented as desperate and alone. The non-diegetic music becomes
bleaker emphasising his situation as the victim of racism while the next
shot cuts to an extreme close up of his thumbs twitching nervously
through fear and anxiety. The camera then tilts up to close up revealing
a distressed look on his face while a wide shot of the outside of the
prison acts as a change of vista before we see the next series of shots:
a night scene in a house lived in by an Asian family.
12. Disruption is by way of the riot police smashing their way into the
property. Initially we see a medium shot of a young Asian couple lying in
bed in the dark which then cuts to chaotic jerky hand held camera as the
police enter the house and come up the stairs. The lighting is dark and
the camera whip pans to reveal close ups of a scared family. Children are
crying and a mother shouting while the male members of the household
are restrained with the young man taken away. The next scene in the
prison links with Hazad in low angle close up trying to convince another
Asian prisoner who is weightlifting that they are being persecuted.
Although the other prisoner is shot using a high angle it subverts the
stereotypical connotations of this angle by representing him as confident
but dismissive of Hazard’s words as he rests the dumbbell on the stand
after bench pressing exertions. His diegetic dialogue to Hazad, “do your
13. The next scene shows a wide shot of two white prosecutors watching
video footage with an Asian prisoner in a white jump suit sitting next to
his Asian solicitor across the table. While there is no dialogue it is implied
that there has been a set up with implied parallel editing showing a long
shot of Hazad on the phone to possibly his father who is framed to the
right in medium close up revealing his domestic interior. Both men look
anxious as disturbing non-diegetic music punctuates the conversation. As
the phone call intercuts between both the long shot of Hazad cuts to a
medium close up which then becomes a close up reaction shot to reveal
his fear.
14. The final scene anchors the constructed negative representation of
ethnicity as Hazad is framed in high angle, this time with high angle
clearly encoding vulnerability, kneeling on a prayer mat on the floor of
his cell. The scene cuts to the young white working class prisoner on
the top bunk who is reading a book on WWII aircraft, itself encoding
traditionally British connotations. Bemoaning his praying he utters the
dialogue “Muslim terrorist” which is the catalyst for Hazad’s breakdown
as jerky hand held camera, again using whip pans, sees him smash up
his cell. A final close up reveals his desperation and isolation.
15. Explanation/analysis/argument: Good understanding of the way that
technical aspects are used to construct a representation. Clear, logical
deconstruction of text linking to the question but with at times a little
narrative description.
Use of examples: Good range of examples, and appropriate sequences
analysed to reveal a representation. All four key aspects covered with an
excellent understanding of their use and application to create meaning in
terms of constructing a representation.
Use of terminology: Excellent use of media language and technical
terminology.
Complex issues expressed clearly and fluently, sentences and paragraphs
consistently relevant and well structured with few, if any errors of
grammar, spelling and punctuation.
COMMENTS FROM MODERATOR
