Mock Essay - Coming Down the Mountain - Disability

When we are first introduced to the two boys, the two different characters are visible straight away. The disabled boy's side of the room is childish, with colourful wallpaper and bed, emphasising on his lack of ability to mature due to his disability. Whereas his brothers' side of the room represents a typical teenagers room. When we are first introduced to the characters there is a bird eyes view of the room, which shows distance between the two characters due to one being disabled and the other normal. Sound is represented in the first clip as the normal brother is speaking in a narrative of how he would kill his brother in different ways. This shows his embarrassment and distress of having to look after his disabled brother, as if he would be judged by society as disabled people are often looked down on. Moving on to the end of the first clip, there is a close up shot of the disabled brother asleep. This shows him as a victim because he is unaware of what is going on around him in society.

Moving onto the kitchen scene, the abled brother is shown in a low angle shot which represents his power and control over his disabled brother. Whereas the disabled brother is shown in a high angle shot which highlights his vulnerability to society as disabled people are seen as a victim. During there conversation in the kitchen there is a shot reverse shot showing their conversation. The abled brother is allowed more time in the conversation to speak which shows his power over his disabled brother which highlights that disabled people are not given a chance to give there input and that they are not heard by society. The dialogue seperates the two brothers due to the way the parents speak to them. The parents speak to the disabled boy in a soft manner, making him feel safe and at ease and trying to assure him that he is equal to everyone else. Whereas when talking to the abled son, they snap and talk in a more harsh tone, making him aware of who is around, as if the disabled boy is a little child.

In the park scene when the disabled boy is trying to ride his bike, the disabled boy is shown through a gun scope view, highlighting that disabled people are a target and a victim from society; that they aren't equal to 'normal' people and should be treated differently. The shot then expands to show the 'normal' brother aiming the gun at his brother. This shows his hatred towards his brother and his embarrasment that his brother is not like everyone else and that he is different and that life would be better without his disabled brother, as if he is a 'freak'. The disabled boy's childlike mind is represented through a medium shot of him flying a kite and eating an ice cream, something that would be expected of a little boy playing in the park for the first time. This also represents his vulnerability to everything going on around him, as he has not grown into the mature teenager.

Overall, the extract reinforces the stereotype of disability as the disabled brother is portrayed as a villain for stopping his brother to do what a normal teenager would want to do. The disabled boy is also seen as a victim due to the way his brother treats and talks about him, as if he is 'alien' like due to the fact that he is different to everyone else because he is disabled.

Monarch of the Glen - Essay

In the first clip of the extract, we are presented with a group of men who are supplied with tools and getting into a van which represents there job in labour. The pace of the scene has been set at a slow pace to show the hard work they have coming towards them in the day for their job. In the scene there are no children around and the men are all showing eachother respect. In the scene there is a long shot of the men talking to one each other, emphasising on the equality and the men being mature adults.

In the scene outside the house, there is a youth female who pretends to be an adult, she talks to a youth male who is acting like an adult as he is doing cleaning. When the actual adult comes into the scene, the youths stop what they are doing and turn to face the adult as he begins to speak, emphasising on his authority over the younger children. However the man asks the youth if she can drive and gives her his keys, showing his trust in her as he is tricked into believing that she is an adult. When the youth is in the car, Amy, she questions herself in a low tone, which shows her fear and lack of knowledge, as there is a close up shot of her face, which shows her immature side as she does things without thinking of the consequences.

As Amy crashes into another car, the person in the other car is an elderly man. He instantly calls her by her full name and as he talks he talks in a traditional, well spoken English language. As he begins to confront Amy tand discovers she is too young to drive and begins to call her reckless, this shows adult's perception of youths of being irresponsible.

As the clip moves on into the house, the dialogue of the elderly man saying "She has a vivid imagination" reinforces adults's views on younger people. There is no soundtrack in the scene as it emphasises on the seriouness of the situation as all the attention is on the adult and the elderly man, to show there power and authority. The adult's anger is shown in the next clip as he confronts Amy, as she is looking up at him, showing her lack of power and also showing that in society, adults have power over youth. As Amy is told to go back to school, she shouts "I hate you!" which reinforces her young age as she shows her immature side as she runs away.

The scene changes to outside where all the men are working together with a country soundtrack which creates a cheerful setting, showing all the men working together and acting as a community. The scene cuts around to everyone in the scene, showing the equality within the adults.

The scene then moves into Amy's bedroom as she leaves a letter which is written in Pink and wavey writing, which reinforces her child like mind, which is also backed up by the teddy bear. The soundtrack is slow to show Amy's emotion of being in a tantrum and sad to leave, yet shows her being immature as she is running away, like a little child would do. As the elderly woman enters the room and looks out the window looking for Amy, this represents that the elderly woman is looking back on her youth, and that she misses the time of when she was young.

Overall, the extract reinforces the stereotype of age as the youth in the extract is represented as childish and immature, and wishing they were an adult and making clear mistakes. Whereas the adults in the clip are together, creating a community and trusting one another. However they are disheartened when they discover that they have been lied to by a youth.

Monarch of the Glen - Notes

Mise-en-scene:

Older

• Brandy
• Tweed suits
• Flat caps
• Higher status than others

Middle Age

• Jeeps/vans
• Working clothes
• Outdoor comfortable wear
• Taking parental roles

Young

• Out-numbered by adults
• Girl - wearing more fashionable clothes, jewellery
• Flower in hair - naive/youthful
• Girl's room - teddy shows naive/childlike character
• Magazines and pink lanterns - shows cross between an adult and child
• Swirly feminine hand writing on letter

Editing:

Amy speaks faster - Show she is hiding something - Shows her youth

Continuity when the old lady is running - Elderly and lacks fitness

Camera:

Amy looking up at Paul - Paul has the power - Middle age have power over youth in society

High angle shot at the car crash scene - represents Amy as small

When Amy runs off it shows her youth and she is immature

Last scene, elderly womans movements are slow and shows a close up shot of her worried face

Sound:

Amy questions herself in a low tone - lack of knowledge

"I hate you!" shows Amy's young side as she is told to go back to school

revision notes from lesson

Sound

In the beginning clip, there is a non-diagetic sound as the woman is speaking as a narrative. This shows the woman's insecurity of her sexuality as she feels that she can not express her sexuality to any one apart from herself. During the non-diagetic sound there is also a soundtrack score playing behind the narrative as there is a piano playing. This emphasises on the emotional state the woman is in as the piano sound represents feminism as it is a smooth and subtle sound.

During the scene where the homosexual woman is painting the picture of the woman, the non-diagetic sound of the soundtrack score creates tension because the soundtrack score escalates as does the scene. As the scene escalates, there is a diagetic sound as we see the paint being dropped onto the woman's dress. This red paint represents danger in the scene because the male is threatening her secret about being a lesbian. As the red paint is dropped onto her white skirt around her vaginal area as the white represents purity. The combination of white and red represents the woman's purity as it symbolises the woman's loss of virginity.

Are we born straight or gay - Making of me John Barrowman

Are you born gay or is it a choice?

Scientific results show that an individual is born gay as half way through pregnancy, the males babies brain is developed in a feminine way of thinking.

Is 'Camp' natural or learned?

'Camp' is learnt because some individuals who hang around 'camp' individuals adopt there attitudes and actions. A camp stereotype is what society think that a homosexual acts, therefore are judged differently.

Revision Notes