Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs the

representation of age using camera shots, editing, sound

and mise en scene
The camera work helps to represent teenagers as delinquents and the elderly as
domineering. In the first scene the audience is shown a long-shot of the school
auditorium however, within the shot is positioned rows of chairs that obscure the
movement of feet. In later shots, its revealed that the movement was of two
students. The camera work and mise en scene obscure the action of the action of
the characters which has them appear as untrustworthy, shady characters.
When theyre shown to the audience as students, it represents them as
delinquents (Brake) whore possibly causing trouble. Later in the scene, theyre
confronted by an elderly teacher and a group shot has the two students
separated by him as he stands in the centre; his stance is upright communicating
a body language of confidence and power to both the students and the audience.
Through dialogue, audience and characters alike are given a demonstration of
his position in the school hierarchy when he asks to see what one of the students
has hidden in his jacket; here there is little dialogue while he uses his hand to
give the command. Overall, the scene is able to set up a few stereotypes based
on age through camera, sound and mise en scene while also challenging a
couple in the process. The elderly teacher is represented as stern and moody,
both stereotypes of the elderly as seen in many other T.V. dramas and media
sources, however he is the most powerful character in the scene which
challenges the stereotype of the elderly being weak and frail. As for the
teenagers, theyre represented as Brakes delinquent youths; they cause trouble
in the form of breaking the camera and attempt to hide what theyve done, even
when confronted by an authoritative figure. This representation is a stereotype of
teenagers and does nothing the challenge it.

The sound helps represent delinquent youths as dangers to society. Halfway

through the extract, one student confronts another about the rumours spread
about her parents. The accent and dialogue of her character suggests shes of a
lower class as its more region-specific and she uses a lot of slang. The boy she
confronts however, has a more general accent and uses little to no slang
whatsoever in his dialogue. Furthermore, the girls school uniform is messy; the
top button is fastened, her tie is loose and her shirts untucked. The boy on the
other hand has a neat uniform and is even wearing a blazer. At the end of their
confrontation, his dialogue is interrupted by an asthma attack, the severity of
which is emphasised by a succession of quick cuts. From their costume to their
dialogue, the two characters are clearly represented as one anothers binary
opposites (Strauss). The girl is represented as a delinquent youth while the boy is
represented as a respectable youth (Brake). The characters ultimately conform to
stereotypes. As Brakes delinquent youth, the girl is shown to be disrespectful
and un-aware of the negative consequences her actions have on others, which
ends with the boy suffering an asthma attack; she conforms to the stereotype of
teenagers often shown in newspapers and other T.V. dramas. The boy represents
Brakes respectable youth as, throughout the confrontation he never fights back
physically or verbally. Moreover, the representation of the two utilises Strauss
binary opposition of their gender (boy and girl), costume (scruffy vs neat) and
personality (domineering vs weak), elicits sympathy from the audience so that
they can pity the boy. The delinquent personality is represented as bad while the
respectable is shown to be the ideal.

The extract uses camera to represent the middle-aged as being out of touch with
the younger generation. One of the teachers is revealed to the audience in a low
angle mid shot panning upwards. His costume is unconventional and
inappropriate for the role of a teacher and its revealed in dialogue with another
teacher that what hes wearing is meant to be fashionable. Later, long shot of
the hallway, the same teacher is shown running/ waddling, due to his sagging
trousers, in order to catch up with another teacher. During their dialogue, she
says he looks ridiculous. The reveal of the costume is slow and therefore has a
comedic effect for the audience to enjoy but is quickly used against him in a
pursuit of romance which switches the humour to pity, making the audience feel
bad for him. The representation of the middle-aged is stereotypical of how
theyre shown in other T.V. dramas as hes focused on a romantic pursuit and
fails an attempt to appear young.