Representation of Disability

The Street (Jimmy McGovern 2009) BBC ONE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80K5P1qqQOI&feature=player_embedded

Watch the extract from The Street and answer the following:

1. Genre: Drama

2. Target Audience: 30 – 60, Mixed Gender.

3. What are your first impressions of Nick Calshaw?

Repulsed, concerned and uneasied.

4. How does Dee’s reaction to Nick help POSITION the audience and create

a preferred audience response?

Her reaction is relateable to a majority of people. She is shocked and feels a great

sense of guilt, and tries to apologise. This is a common expected preffered

response, and is how the director is trying to make the audience feel. It is an

accurate representation of reality because we share the same reaction as Dee.

5. How does the director of the show encourage you to empathise with

Nick?

From the shallow depth of field that singles out the character , his isolation is

amplfied which engages the audience into a greater sene of empathy.

6. What type of representation does the extract construct, in terms of

disability?

A positive representation of diablity is shown because the protagonist

challenges the stereotype and tries to work again. This triggers sympathy

again because from an omnicent view us as the audience no he can’t work

again.

7. Write down at least one example from camera, sound, mise en scene and

editing which support your argument

Camera

Shallow depth of field:

Exaggerating barbwire fence as a

barrier to those of a disablity. Also the

character is in sharp focus, where

everyone (who isn’t of a disablity) is in

soft, this amplifies his isolation.

Sound

Diegtic:

Dee’s scream, as well as accompanied by

the reaction shot, this is a clear

representation of the protagonist’s

contrast with the rest of the world.

Editing

Eye-line-match:

The public watching the character and

from their facial expressions, negativlty

judging him.

Mise en Scene

Costume:

The character with the disabillity is

clothed in dark blue colours, the

connotations of this is: melancholy,

isolation and pain.

Now in groups of 4 design a powerpoint presentation which argues how

disability is represented in the extract. To be finished and given in class tomorrow.