The representation of gender is strongly shown in the extract throgh each of the constructions - Mise-en-scene, editing, Camera and sound. I feel that this extract shows a very hidden change in gender type between the two type of characters.
First of all the representation of gender is powerfully shown through the use of camera. The extract begins with a medium/head and shoulders shot of a man on a podium, speaking out to the other politicians. We know they are politicians because of they way they are dressed and the location of where the are sat (presumably the Houses of Parliment). The inside is very dark but immediately in the first shot there is a light located in the bottom left corner which covers a lot of the screen. This shows that the person talking has been put in the spotlight and has to make sure whatever he says goes well otherwise there will be consequences. Alternatively, the light there could represent what he is talking to and that he (and the darkness around him) are trying to remove that pure symbolism away. Somehow we do not see this light after that first shot, which is weird because maybe the light was deliberately put in there by the director, so we wouldn't realise it but it still shows that the man talking has a lot of power. The man in the spotlight is a raditionaql man. We know this because of the fact that he has to courage to stand up in front of his prime minister to resign from her party and confront her . The dialogue he uses shows that he is trying to make her realise what she is doing and trying to make her feel bad, but not in a funny way. this leads onto later on into the scene when all the men begin to laugh, creating a tense atmosphere between the man and Margaret, which can later lead on to a conflict between the two. After the laughter it is cut back to the man, but he is not laughing, but this time the camera angle is on more of a high angle looking down at him, showing that he has lost his power. One thing I noticed was the rise-en-scene in the background where every man there, apart from the man reacting to the man on the podium, were looking forward to show that the are all the same me, constructing the stereotype of the traditional man.
Hi Sedly... this is shaping out to be a pretty good response. I like the way you're using media terminology in terms of camera and costume and lighting.
ReplyDeleteOne of the suggestions I would like to make is that you apply media theories in your response, such as uses and gratifications, or binary opposites, or audience readings.
Also, if you're changing scenes please write something along the lines of we then cut to... or the next scene takes place in a... this way your answer will flow in a chronological way, which makes it easier for the reader to see what you're analysing and where in the clip.