DISCUSS THE WAYS IN WHICH THE EXTRACT FROM ‘SKINS’ CONSTRUCTS THE REPRESENTATION OF GENDER AND POWER USING CAMERA SHOTS, ANGLES, MOVEMENT, COMPOSITION, EDITING, SOUND AND MISE EN SCENE.

DISCUSS THE WAYS IN WHICH THE EXTRACT FROM ‘SKINS’ CONSTRUCTS THE REPRESENTATION OF GENDER AND POWER USING CAMERA SHOTS, ANGLES, MOVEMENT, COMPOSITION, EDITING, SOUND AND MISE EN SCENE.

In this clip we see characters Cassie and Sid in confrontation over lunch. They’re seen to be sitting opposite each other at the table and are in conversation about eating.

Cassie and Sid are sat in a way that allows them to be seen sitting directly in the segments that are part of the rule of thirds. This is a compositional technique that allows power to be emphasised or make a person seem the opposite. At the start of the clip, both characters are seen to be in similar segments implying they have the same levels of power and authority. As the clip goes on and the confrontation becomes more intense, the positions in the thirds change. Sid remains in the same third, directly on the line that your eye is drawn to but as Cassie becomes more agitated she is no longer on the same level. Composition is similarly key in looking at the actions of both characters. Cassie as a person is out of the powerful view point but her actions are not. When she is messing about with the food and showing Sid what she does to convince people that she has eaten, her hands are in the area that the viewer’s eye is automatically drawn to.

Similarly, the camera angles in this clip are just as important as they help to belittle Cassie’s character and time goes on. Again, as she becomes more agitated, Sid’s character is seen to be more authoritative. When looking at both of them, there are multiple different angles used but the most prominent ones used are the low and high angle shots. Sid is made to look as the he is looking down on Cassie and she is looking up to him. This connotes power in the sense that Cassie is showing a weakness to Sid and he is using that to his advantage, making her look weak and himself more powerful. Similarly, the clip shows many shots that may seem distorting or confusing. As the intensity of the clip increases, so does the shot variety and amount of different angles used. The tilt shots used create more of a theme of confusion and make what Cassie is doing seem even more confusing.

The shot variation helps to make the clip more confusing and distorting, there are lots of jump cuts as the scene goes on which again, help to create a more confusing scene. As Cassie gets repeatedly more wound up, the cuts become more erratic and frequent. The fast and frequent cuts create a more intense atmosphere, this this also seen in the way that the camera cuts from Cassie’s hands and her actions, to her face, to Sid’s face and repeats this in an ongoing cycle. The cycle enhances the idea of Sid’s power over Cassie, Cassie’s weakness when it comes to eating but also the confusion both characters are feeling in the situation. As the situation intensifies, the shots become less wide and we can see more close ups and extreme close ups. These reiterate the severity of the situation and allow us to see how both characters are feeling and how the situation is effecting both of them. In terms of Sid we see him becoming increasingly more confused and lost in her actions but Cassie seems to become more excitable and lost in herself and her actions rather than being confused like Sid. The extreme close ups help us to gain a more in-depth view of the character’s feelings and immediate reactions to events.

The editing of this clip links hugely well with the shot variation. This clip is edited in such a way that makes a scene more distorting than it may be if it was edited in a much less erratic way. The speed in which the shots change and the characters are viewed from different angles is an example of a good way editing can be used to distort and confuse a viewer.

The movement in this clip is important in the sense that without the erratic movements, the clip would lose intensity and the severity of the situation would be missed. Movement is hugely important in drama as it reinforces situations. For example, in this clip, if shots were cut in a smooth and rational way, it would lose effectiveness and seem much more light-hearted. In the case of this clip, the jumpy movements and quick cuts reiterate the effectiveness of movement. Movement used in this way really highlights the power difference between the 2 characters but also shows weakness more than it shows power. The movement helps us to focus on Cassie making her weakness more apparent but also giving her strength to open up about something that she feels in personal which then shows us an almost contrasting part of her personality showing that she’s also incredibly power hungry and wants to be able to ‘fit in’ but it’s almost as if she’s been suppressed and this is almost an outburst which is reinforced by the movement of the camera.

Mise en scene is a huge part of creating effect, especially in this clip. The setting of it is hugely important as it enhances the intensity of Cassie’s actions. As both characters sit in a busy canteen surrounded by busy people who seem to be paying no attention to their conversation. This to me intensifies the scene as it highlights the agitation Cassie is feeling as she seems to become increasingly more aware of her surroundings and her actions and movements become much more frequent. This links alongside the amount and speed of the cuts that begin to occur as her personality changes. Mise en scene is effective in the same sence in terms of their costumes. Sid wear dark, baggy clothes, with the darkness of them connoting more strength. Cassie’s clothing seems to be the exact opposite of this, being lightly coloured and tight fitted, making her look much more well presented, implying she is more aware of people’s opinions and more conscious of her surroundings and Sid’s the exact opposite.

The sound of this clip is not a huge feature of this clip but the way in which the sound is edited is key in showing the power Sid has over Cassie. Cassie’s voice is much quieter and more fragmented that Sid’s who’s voice stays cool and calm and seems to be much louder and more over powering than hers.