Media essay re-write

“Analyse the clip from the representation of age”

In this short clip I shall be analysing how the representational issue of age is presented throughout the characters, editing, camera shots and mis-en-scene.

This clip has a focus point on three main characters, a teenage girl who represents the younger generation and then a male head teacher who represents the older generation and a man who is the young girls carer who represents the middle aged.

Within the first 5 minutes of the clip we are introduced to the young female character, we are introduced as the previous scene is cut and the non-digetic sound of jolly, fast paced music is played as the camera does a head to feet zoom followed by a full body shot as she walks into the yard. The full body shot reveals the young girl to be wearing a pair of blue baggy high street jeans and a bright yellow low cut top, the clothes she is wearing fits the stereotypical young girl appearance as her clothes are fashionable and are the type that would be purchased from a high street shop, the low cut top indicates how young girls have a lack of respect. The bright yellow highlights how young people are care free and wild, due to the colour yellow having connotations of wackiness and madness. The young female isn’t the only one in the shot, there is also the middle aged male who we are introduced to as his giving orders to the girl, this indicates how the middle aged parents are constantly nagging their children and constantly complaining. The fact the young girl doesn’t have a shot to herself shows her lack of importance on the social hierarchy as later into the clip we are introduced to the male head teacher who when put in camera view is the only one in the shot.

The young girl and the middle aged man who we assume to be her carer are shown using the 180 rule as they are stood in the yard having a conversation, the man then hands over a pair of keys to the girl followed by a cut into the next shot of a head shot of the girl so we are able to see her surprised expression as she has been trusted and respected by someone older, this emphasises on the representational issue of age as it reveals how many young people are trusted to much as parents put a lot of reliability on their young people. The next shot is a close up of the young girl sat in the car trying to figure out how to use the car, the close up allows us to view her confusion however she continues to go ahead and drive the car which emphasises how young people are stereotypically careless and unreliable. The digetic sound of the car crashing is played as there is a jump cut to the middle aged man in the yard so we straight away see his shocked and worried facial expression, we instantly see how he regrets letting her drive the car.

Further into the clip the male head teacher is introduced by a high angle single shot, the high angle and the fact his only character in the shot emphasises how the older generation are respected more in this society and given more authority. The next time we see him again is when his stood in the large wooden room drinking whiskey from a smooth cut glass discussing the young girls education, this emphasises the representational issue of age as it demonstrates how the older man drinks a stereotypical “old man drink” , the mis-en-scene of the large Victorian looking building where only the adults are showed to be allowed in signifies how the older generation have more authority as they are allowed in better places where the young people are banned from. 

In the next shot there is montage editing as the camera pans across the girls bedroom focusing on the items she has left for the other children, the main item it focuses on is the teddy bear, this reveals how the teenage girl who acts older than she is, still has a child like thought track and isn’t as old as she seems. The camera cuts to a over the shoulder shot of the girl staring into the mirror studying the collection of happy photos she has collected and stuck around the mirror, this demonstrates how the teenage girl feels as if she has found a family and still loves her family members and carers even if she does get angry and shout at them with anger. This shows the representational issue of age as it implies how not all teenagers are moody and careless but in fact are caring and loving towards those who show love to them.

The equilibrium and use of the rainbow for iconography emphasises how the next part of the clip will be a happy moment as the rainbow is made clear and the sky is light blue. This is used after the argument between the teenager and her middle aged male carer, this fits in with the representational issue of age as it emphasises how although young people cause arguments and can be trouble, in the end they only have emotions and won't want to end on a negative, that is why the rainbow is used to symbolise happiness. 

The overall editing of the clip has been edited with continuity editing which enables the clip to flow and create a “real life” day to the audience, this type of editing also is used in other TV dramas such as Eastenders, this type of editing makes the audience feel as if they have viewed a whole day in the space of the programme running time.

The mis-en-scene of the tools outside the house, the male workers cutting wood, the old oak walls and the fields in the background emphasises how the clip was based within a working class agricultural family.