Section A - Exemplar A grade answer - REPRESENTATION OF ETHNICITY

1. 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 (50 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 Asian prisoner.
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 diversity is unacceptable.




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 emphasisng 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.




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 time bro”, almost suggests that he is accepting of the ethnic inequality in the prison.




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.




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.


(43 marks)

• 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.