How Age is represented - BBC Bugs Girl Power Part One

Bugs Girl Power
How Age is Represented?

In this clip of BBC's "Bugs Girl Power", age is represented through Sound, Editing, Mise-en-Scene and Camera Shots/Angles. The clip begins with a group of men and women walking along discussing about the investigation of the brake in. The man at the front talking seems pompous and condescending as he is playing a role of authority. His use of posh language, speech and clothing demonstrate his figure of superiority as opposed to the other characters. Immediately, the audience is aware that this man is in charge and perhaps determines who will have the power throughout the whole clip. The woman is investigating into why the young girl has broken into the building, the room that they are in has blue and green walls, which has connotations of space and science, contributing to the atmosphere of technology. This particularly emphasises the girl's youth but however reinforces her intelligence as she has created a scientific tool herself. When talking to the investigator, the young girl has an attitude which implies she is a moody teenager, representing her age, also she is described as "a mixed up kid" which suggests she has had a rough life without parents as the audience discovers she lives in a home. The young girl has her hair tied up with is often regarded as a very young girl's appearance.

Throughout the clip, there are high angles which look down at the young girl, displaying the older man has authority. Due to her age, the camera shots suggest she does not possess any sense of power. When the investigating woman sits down with the girl, the use of camera angles has made her appear higher up than the youth. When the adults are looking at the girl, they are outside the room, looking through the window which is a point of view shot, the audience can objectively view how the characters are feeling. The audience can also see that the camera is not in the room with the young girl, suggesting it is dangerous as she is looked upon as a "criminal". 

Additionally, when walking in the corridoor, the audience can hear footsteps which is diegetic sound which conveys a sense of realism, and authority. When looking in the window at the girl, the sound seems dark and spooky to convey a sense of sympathy towards her. This music contradicts the negative image of the adults, forcing the audience to feel pathos towards the young girl as it would seem she is alone. The non-diegetic sound reinforces this element. The adults involved in the clip, use an elaborate code of language, which conveys superiority and authority. 


Throughout this clip, there are shot reverse shots during the conversation between the adults and the child. This conveys a sense of realism as it appears like the people are actually speaking.

Camera, Editing, Sound and Mise-en-Scene

Effects of Camera Movement/Angles


Montage: This is where there are many different aspects on the screen, for example, images and text - Hollyoaks! Different images are assembled to build up an impression. This is often used in title sequences.
 

Representation of Terrorism and Ethnicity in Spooks

Representation of Terrorism and Ethnicity

What view of Terrorism is conveyed to audiences? 
The view of terrorism that is presented to the audience is that typically, people of different nationalities and ethnicities are involved. A key scene in this drama is where Ahmed holds Fiona and Danny hostage and phones Fiona’s husband, Adam, forcing him to decide which hostage will be murdered. Danny provokes Ahmed into killing him (scenes 31 and 32). Additionally, terrorism is used to shock the audience and display how hostile it really is. For instance, Ahmed questions Fiona about who to approach and traumatise, either her husband or her child. The use of a child makes the audience feel empathy and view Ahmed in a very negative light.

Ahmed is represented in a negative way, Fiona and Danny positively. How are those binary opposites conveyed to audiences?These opposing characters are conveyed through different lights due to how they behave. Before Danny is shot, he talks to Ahmed, displaying his morals and goodwill which consequently makes Ahmed not shoot Fiona. Ahmed's acts of violence demonstrate his aggressive behaviour, proving him to be a negative character.

What role do mise en scène, camerawork, sound and editing play in underlining those representations? 
Sound is used throughout this episode of Spooks to represent different ethnicities and to reinforce the key theme of terrorism. Before the shooting, there is dark, sinister music which has foreign connotations. This type of music is often used when Ahmed and Khatera are filmed. Additionally, this type of daunting non-diegetic sound is used to build tension when both Danny and Fiona are held hostage, not knowing how long they are going to live for.


There are various camera shots to depict how different characters are represented through different lights and ethnicities. For instance, there are high-angles ehen filming Ahmed who is dictating the kidnapping, displaying he is in authority, declaring power.


Editing also plays a major role in the representation. When Ahmed shoots Danny, the screen fades to black, connoting negativity and danger. Often, the editors have used a split screen to gain both characters' perspectives on a situation, which emphasises the different races. 


Mise-en-scene demonstrates the different ethnicities explored during this episode. For example, Ahmed often speaks in a foreign language, displaying subtitles for the audience. It appears to make the English characters uncertain as they are not aware of what is being said. The English characters are dressed in traditional clothing, for example, Fiona's husband works in an office in London, therefore he is dressed in a suit, demonstrating he is typically British. 

What techniques are used to involve audiences emotionally? How does that position audiences?
Ahmed mentions Fiona's child to emotionally involve the audience, to make them feel empathy as they could put themselves in her position, as the demographic audience is typically adults, who are likely to be parents. This leaves the audience wanting to know more, therefore they continue watching.

What do you understand by Arab, Islamic, Muslim, Middle-Eastern?  
These are different ethnic groups, who have various views, tradtions and religions.

What do you know about Al Qaeda?   
Al- Qaeda is a radical Islamist group, who carry out various operations such as bombings to prove their point.