Regional Identity Essay - Doc Martin Extract

Regional Identity Essay - Doc Martin by Niamh Sygrove

Representation of Ethnicity - Exam Question

Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs the representation of ethnicity using the following:

• Editing

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vd137 (Extract)

Editing is shown widely across the extract. The first example of editing in the interior office scene is the reaction shot, used when the protagonist discovers his mistress has committed a crime. This countertype challenges the stereotype of black people being 'cold hearted' within tv drama, and shows his emotional side towards the situation. This makes the audience feel pity for the protagonist due to his unsettling situation, and supports the overall stereotype of ethnicity being pitiable.

An extended cut is also used in this section of the clip as the camera pauses on DCI gates’ face; this is used to further highlight his emotion towards the situation for his realization. The slowing in pace emphasizes the aggression he feels and allows the audiences to predicate that he will later release his aggression on the woman. This foreshadowing is commonly used in TV Drama and also supports the stereotype of black people being dangerous. This danger is supported later on in another interior scene where the protagonist confronts the mistress and arrests her. Fast pace editing is used in this scene to intensify the action and further support the stereotype of danger. A series of shot reverse shots are also used in this discussion to keep the up the pace and show both of the characters emotions. The female is shown to challenge the stereotype of white females being sweet and kind as she is represented as the antagonist who is committing the crime, highlighting a danger within her. 

The final scene is the interior shot of the car in which the protagonist and his mistress engage in conversation after he has arrested her. The audience see a reaction shot which is used a couple of times during this extract. The reaction shot is used to show his emotion to what she has said about his wife and children finding out about their relationship. It shows him as sad about this revelation that she will tell his wife, this is a countertype that black people aren't usually shown as having emotions and being emotionally strong so this goes against it as it shows the protagonist as being emotional at this. This also follows the stereotype that they are pitied because the audience feel for him for the fact that his mistress is going to ruin his marriage.

The 4 Areas of Textual Analysis

These are the 4 things you use to analyse the clip and answer the exam question.  These 4 things will all help to construct the representation of the individual/group (the 7 areas of representation).  It is your job to discuss how.

Camera Shots, Angle, Movement, Composition.

• Shots: establishing shot, master shot, close-up, mid-shot, long shot, wide shot, two-shot, aerial shot, point of view shot, over the shoulder shot, and variations of these.
• Angle: high angle, low angle, canted angle.
• Movement: pan, tilt, track, dolly, crane, steadicam, hand-held, zoom, reverse zoom.
• Composition: framing, rule of thirds, depth of field – deep and shallow focus, focus pulls.

Editing

Includes transition of image and sound – continuity and non-continuity systems.

• Cutting: shot/reverse shot, eyeline match, graphic match, action match, jump cut, crosscutting, parallel editing, cutaway; insert.
• Other transitions, dissolve, fade-in, fade-out, wipe, superimposition, long take, short take, slow motion, ellipsis and expansion of time, post-production, visual effects.

Sound

• Soundtrack: score, incidental music, themes and stings, ambient sound.
• Diegetic and non-diegetic sound; synchronous/asynchronous sound; sound effects; sound motif, sound bridge, dialogue, voiceover, mode of address/direct address, sound mixing, sound perspective.

Mise-en-Scène

• Production design: location, studio, set design, costume and make-up, properties.
• Lighting; colour design