The Representation Of Disability In TV Drama

Paul Hunt in 1991 identified ten different types of stereotypes for the disabled that are commonly portrayed in TV Dramas. These include:
-The disabled being pitiful or pathetic.
-Laughable/ used for humour.
-The super Cripple.
-Being his/her worst enemy.
-As a burden.
-As a non-sexual character.
-Being unable to participate in activities in every day life.
-As an object of curiosity or violence.
-To create an atmosphere.
-The super cripple.


Disability is the least represented of all the stereotypes in TV drama, these characters are often ignored or not present at all. Also the majority of story lines focus on the carer of the disabled instead of the actual person with the disability. Many people represented in TV dramas are those who have had some sort of accident which has led to a disability rather than those who are born with a disability. The representation of those with mental illness has been criticised in recent years and often stigmatises those who suffer from mental illness, since many characters are used negatively in the storylines. Disabled peoples sexuality is often completely ignored in TV Dramas.



In this clip we see a man who has developed a disability through fighting in the army. Like commonly in TV dramas he is not someone who has had a disability from birth, however someone who has developed a disability due to an accident. We watch him coming to terms with his disability and how others react to him and change their behaviour when around him. For example at the start he is greeted by his workmates but when he asks for his job back he is told he can only come back at the minimum wage, as they look at each very reluctantly, as if making an excuse. This relates to the idea that the disabled are unable to participate in every day life, that they are unable to do their job to the same quality as everybody else. The first shot we see is a point of view shot through the barbed/ sharp wired fence. This immediately shows us that it is quite a harsh working environment, which allows us to predict that the men may not be very understanding or polite. We then see a combined close up and point of view shot of the man standing inside the building, which we see through the window. Immediately we can see from his facial expressions that he is reluctant to talk to the man with the disability, it seems like something is not quite right  and he doesn't feel comfortable talking to the man. We then have several two shots between the men where we can see the awkwardness in their conversation, we can clearly tell that the two men are trying to cover something up and lie so that they can have an excuse to not give the disabled man his job back. We then see another point of view shot as the man walks away disappointed and upset by his treatment which again represents the idea that the disabled are seen as 'pathetic', they show him to not be worthy of having a job. The next sequence in the clip shows the woman screaming at the disabled man as he goes to help her with her shopping. In this clip we see the stereotype that the disabled are pitied, the woman immediately profusely apologises and tries to make up an excuse for her reaction to him. At the end of this clip, non- diegetic music is used to help show the building frustration of the man. He is struggling to come to terms with his disability and the last part of the clip, shows his more sinister side. This represents the stereotype that the disabled are their own worst enemy. In the end sequence of the clip we see several over the shoulder shots and point of view shots where we can see the conversation between the two men. Where as before the disabled character seemed friendly and quite polite to everyone, for example when he greeted his friends and when he tried to help the woman with her shopping, he now seems quite angry and to have a sinister side. This represents the stereotype that the disabled are sinister and evil, from the way he says he wants to scare people and talks about war.

Mise En Scene:

Colour- Most of the characters are wearing quite dull and bland colours such as browns, blacks and greys throughout this clip. Also the settings appear to be quite dull, for example the weather is cloudy and it appears to be Autumn/ Winter time. Furthermore, the room at the end is also dull and is a blue/ grey colour. The lack of bright colours used throughout may show that the storyline is quite dismal and may represent how the character feels. The colours create a melancholy feel which shows the mood of the character who is trying to come to terms with his disability.
Costume-All the men in this clip are wearing quite casual clothing, such as coats and hoody's. Most of these are dull in colour such as blues and blacks. This shows the working class status of the men and may represent the monotony of their jobs/ everyday lifestyles. When we see the woman, she is also dressed casually but maturely, she is wearing a grey coat with an orangey/red scarf. The colour red is often associated with danger and something sinister. It may be used to show how the woman's reactions to the men may have implications in the future if it is something she can not come to terms with.
Lighting-The weather in this clip appears to be quite dull and gloomy. It appears to be Autumn/ Winter time weather. This creates a dull lighting in most scenes in this clip, which creates an atmosphere which is quite depressing and could represent something more sinister (which could, for example, foreshadow how the character acts at the end of the clip). At the end of the clip, again the room is dully lit and we can see this from the use of the shadows which are reflected on to the character and in the background. The use of shadowed lighting may be representative of the character. For example the light is trying to get through (which often represents hope etc.) but is being blocked by something, hence creating the shadows. This may show how societies attitudes towards the disabled character are stopping him from leading a normal and enjoyable life and turning him into something more sinister than he was before he suffered from disability.
Body Language/ Framing- Body language is significant at several points in this clip. For example when the man goes to help the woman with her shopping, she jumps back and gasps. This shows a stereotypical view of how people react to the disabled in society and how often many people do not know how to react in those situations. The way she reacts and her body language is also used to create quite an awkward atmosphere in the clip as she has to try to find an excuse for the way she has behaved towards him. Framing is also significant at several points in this clip. For example, when we see the disabled character walking through the busy street, we can see many people passing by in the background. This clip shows the facial expressions of many different people as they pass by who often look at the character in a confused and curious way. The way that this clip is framed makes the disabled character stick out amongst the crowd, which shows how he is treated differently by people in society.
Hair and Makeup- All the characters in this clip are quite conventional, none of them are made to look extravagant etc. but just like normal, everyday people. Keeping the other characters appearance quite bland and boring may be done purposely to make the disabled character stick out more and to make the storyline more effective.
Setting and Props- One of the settings includes a work environment which shows the working class status of the disabled character and other male characters in this clip. The props also represent this work setting.
Facial Expressions- At the start of the clip when the man asks for his job back, we can immediately tell by the other men's facial expressions that they do not want to give him back his job and that there is something they are not comfortable with. Furthermore, we can tell that the man is treated differently by others when the woman gasps in shock when he goes to help her with her shopping. Also when he is walking through the busy street we are shown several different passers by reactions to the man. They look at him almost in confusion and with curiosity. This links to the stereotypical idea that the disabled are pitied and are an object of curiosity.

Editing:

At the beginning of this scene we see an eye line match cut.  We see a close up of the man behind the window and can see from his facial expressions that he is focusing on something outside. This shot then cuts to what he is looking at which was previously off- screen. This allows us to see the two men talking outside. 

When the man is trying to help the woman with her shopping we see an insert. This takes us away from the main action of the man running down the street and focuses in on the shopping which has been dropped and the woman trying to pick it up.

We also see several shot/reverse shots in this scene. For example when the man tries to help the woman with her shopping we see several different cuts which switch from one person to the other, allowing us to see their reactions and facial expressions/ body language. 

When the man is walking through town we see several jump cuts. Here the position of the camera only varies slightly, but this allows us to see passing time and movement as he walks through the crowded street. 

We also see several eye line match cuts again here which allow us to see peoples reaction in the street to the mans disability. For example, we see them looking/focusing on something and then see a cut to the disabled man walking through the street. From this we can see that people are focusing on the man and staring because of his disability. 

Also the background in this frame is blurred so that our main focus is on the characters we are shown, including the disabled man.

We also see several action match cuts. Here the action in one shot cuts to another shot with action occurring at the same time. We can see this where we are shown the several different characters walking through the street.

Representation of Disability in the Inbetweeners

Why is the clip funny?


The clip is funny as Will encourages the boys to play Frisbee and defends his idea that girls will love it, only to be shown up in front of a group of girls when he hits the disabled girl with the Frisbee. This shows another one of the groups unfortunate events and also shows comedy at the end when the group that were playing football that Jay wanted to join in with chase after them, thinking they are trying to steal the disabled girls Frisbee.

How is the disabled girl being represented?

The disabled girl is seen as very vulnerable and weak as she is seen to be crying and shouting and almost inconsolable at the start. She is then shown to be quite rude and ignorant by refusing to give back the Frisbee and making it look like the boys were trying to steal it from her.

Are we meant to laugh at the disabled person?

I believe that both are represented in quite a comical way. We are meant to laugh at Will because of his misfortune and how he has proved everything he has said seconds before to be wrong. However the disabled girl is also represented in an unfair way that could present comedy, for example from the way she is screaming and shouting at Will and his reaction to this. Although the main comedy is based on Will and the other boys and their reactions, the whole scene is meant to be comical which is brought on by the fact that he has accidently hit the disabled girl.

Are they the 'butt' of the joke?

 I do not believe that the disabled girl is meant to be the 'butt' of the joke in this scene as we're mainly focusing on Will and his reactions. We are mainly laughing at the humiliation of Will in this scene.

How do you think disabled people respond to this?

I think people with a disability would find this quite offensive and unfair as they are being used to create something that is meant to be comical and funny. It may make them feel quite vulnerable to being picked on and make them feel quite demoralised as they are being represented in a negative light.

Are we as a society cultivated to think we should pity the disabled?

As a society we are made to feel like we should treat the disabled with kindness and should be very respectful towards them. We are also taught to treat the disabled equally and like everybody else and to not discriminate against people with a disability by making them feel like an outcast. However this clip goes against what society generally thinks by putting a disabled person into quite a comical situation. In a way we are cultivated to think we should pity the disabled but at the same time we are also taught to appreciate the differences amongst people and see it in a positive light. Therefore this clip is quite awkward as it does make people laugh, however morally it Is seen as wrong to laugh in society at a joke that involves someone with a disability.

Major Film Studios

A major film studio is a film producer and production company that releases a substantial number of films annually.

The Big Six film studios are:

1. Warner Bros. Pictures. Comprising a whopping 19.7 percent of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures), Warner Bros. Pictures is the biggest player in the film industry. Securing the rights to major films like Harry Potter, Superman, Batman, The Matrix and Star Wars have made Warner Bros. the No. 1 name in the business.

2. Paramount Pictures. With 15.5 percent of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures), Paramount Pictures continues to be one of the most successful film production companies in the world. Star Trek, War of the Worlds, the Mission Impossible series, Transformers and Tropic Thunder are just a few of the popular films produced by Paramount Pictures.

3. Walt Disney. One of the most renowned film production companies in the history of the business, Walt Disney now holds 15.3 percent of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures). With highly successful movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, National Treasure, Meet the Robinsons and Enchanted, there's no doubt that Disney will continue to play a key role in the industry for years to come.

4. Columbia Pictures. Comprising 12.9 percent of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures), Columbia Pictures remains a big player in the business. Some of this company's recent successes include Casino Royale, The Da Vinci Code, the Spider-Man series and Step Brothers.

5. Universal Studios. 12.2 percent of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures) belongs to Universal Studios, which continues to make millions for the film industry. With major hits like the Bourne series (Bourne Identity, Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum), The American Pie series, Knocked Up, American Gangster and The Incredible Hulk, it's very clear that Universal Studios knows what it takes to make money in this industry.

6. 20th Century Fox. Also known as "Twentieth Century Fox," this highly successful movie production company makes up 11.9 percent of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures). Some of the biggest and most successful movies from this empire include the X-Men series, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Star Wars Episodes II and III, and the Fantastic Four.

Roughly 9/10 films in the UK are seen as a result of these distributors

                        Representation Of Gender   Camera Shots

This clip starts off with a tracking/ crabbing shot which follows the two characters out of the house. This allows us to see the characters movements which show us that they are both arguing over something and allows us to feel like a part of the argument, it makes it feel more public. We can immediately see in this sequence that the woman has a lot of the authority, when she points towards the man. This is the opposite of usual gender representation, where the women appear to be weak and vulnerable. We also see an over the shoulder and two shot when the women is talking to the two individuals and giving them commands. From this we can also see that she has a position of authority and power. However towards the end of this sequence this changes, we see more elements of the male gaze. Here we see several camera shots, for example we see a close up of the women where we can see her facial expressions which shows her desperation for the man to help her. We also see an over the shoulder shot, and a long shot of the male as he walks away. This presents the idea from the male gaze that males are typically more powerful and that women rely on them. This makes the woman appear quite weak as she has to plead for his help and it is in his hands whether or not he choses to do so. At the end of this scene we see an establishing shot from a high angle. This perhaps shows the vulnerability of the woman in this scene as she has little idea of what is happening and has just had to beg for the mans help in the case.
In the following scene we see several point of view shots, from these we can see the images the man is looking at and can gather that he is quite intelligent and intellectual. We also see several more close ups of the male in which we can see he is thinking very carefully, we can also see that he is confused by the case yet dedicated to it.
Later in the clip when we see the group of men, we see several long shots and establishing shots which allow us to see the dark and scruffy setting and the rugged appearance of the men.
We also see later in the clip a long shot of the man and the young boy, this allows us to see their actions such as the pair making popcorn together. Through this shot we can see that the roles have been reversed. The male has stayed in with the young boy, where as the woman has gone out to work, which is not stereotypical of gender roles.
Right near the end of the clip we see a close up of the two male characters, here we can see their facial expressions and some of their emotions.
Sounds
At the end of the opening sequence of this clip there is some non-diegetic music used to show the built tension between the characters. This comes after the women character has pleaded with the male character for his help with some work. Non-diegetic music is also used when the male character is going over the notes and photographs. This again builds tension and shows the mans thoughts, it shows his intelligence and concentration on the case. Diegetic music is used at the end of the clip where we can hear the sounds coming from the TV. This is used to show the man watching the tv with the young boy.
Mise En Scene
Gender is portrayed in contrasting ways in this scene. For example some scenes show a role reversal of the characters for example when the man stays to look after the child and the woman goes out to work. This is not stereotypical of gender roles. However there is also scenes which show the opposite of this for example when the woman has to ask for the males help several times, for example when she asks him to help with work at the start and when she asks him to look after the child. This represents the idea that women have to rely on men.

The Male Gaze

Throughout this video we are presented the story from the perspective of a heterosexual male. All of the women in this video are wearing skimpy and minimal clothing, where as the men appear to be in suits and are a lot more formal and smart. At the start we are shown a shot following the woman's movements through the hallways and the up the stairs, in a establishing shot. Her sultry appearance almost suggests she is leading us towards trouble, the woman's sexuality is portrayed in a negative way and shows her to be 'dangerous'. We can also see from this shot that the setting is dark and appears to be in an old, almost haunted and eery looking house which adds to the idea of danger.

We then move on to see the woman lying on the bed, in only underwear whilst the man sits by the side (the male is still fully dressed). This is shown through a two shot where we can see the relationship between the two characters. This presents the idea that a women are simply objectified to look at and that the male has dominance over the woman, as she appears to look very vulnerable and weak in this scene. We are then shown an almost identical image to this, however with another man and woman and slightly different setting. Again the woman is wearing minimal clothing and lying on the bed where as the man appears to look smart in a white shirt. This reinforces the idea of male dominance over the women. The women are also wearing black, a more dark and sinister colour where as the men are both dressed in white, these two colours together may suggest that the women provoke the men, also adding to the idea that women's sexuality is seen as 'dangerous'.

The idea that the female only exists in relation to the male is also seen in this video. For example, when the two men are sitting on the bed we can see that they are awake and thinking about something, where as the woman are asleep and show no expressions (also creates the idea of objectifying women). We can infer from this that the two men are thinking about something provoked by the women, which is the only reason that the women have a role in the video, to entertain and satisfy the men and to cause them problems. This presents 2 ideas from the male gaze: that women are objects and are only there for the enjoyment of the male and that women's sexuality is 'dangerous'. This denies the women human identity in the video, as they wouldn't exist in the video if it weren't for the presence of the male.
We are also shown several more shots of women walking in groups, who are again dressed in provocative and little clothing. Most of these shots are seen in slow motion which makes the images seem more sexual and presents the women to be more sultry.  Furthermore, later into the video, there are several shots where the women are underwater, the idea of wet skin and the slow motion shots underwater again make the scenes more sexual and allow us to focus more on the movements of the women again objectifying them.
All the women in this music video are dressed in dark, predominantly black clothing. This colour presents something dark and sinister and makes us associate the women with trouble and danger.