I was asked to discuss how ethnicity is represented from a short clip from episode 'terror' taken from a programme 'Sillent Witness.' I was asked to show how they were represented through; Camera shots and movements, editing, mise en scene and sound.
Sound- Specific moments.
Laugh of one of the police officers (who are all white) implying that he has no worry about the mission that they are about to take place in, which is to do with some sort of terror which can again be related to race.
It can be said that the constant sound of rain after the police station scene, in which rain can be heard from outside when the vans pulling up etc. as well as when switching from the building that the 'commanders' in to the building that the Muslim lady is in, could be interpreted as mise en scene, particularly emphasising the fact that the program is based in London and setting a tone for the mood through pathetic fallacy.
Footsteps running towards the house that the lady is based, camera cross cuts to lady in room. camera then switches to the lady in the room whilst Islamic music is playing as she prays quietly. This shows that the white police force is going in for the attack and could be interpreted as an attack on an Islamic race as she is the only person in the clip that is of any other ethnic background apart from white.
A particular sound that stands out is when the lady is praying in the house, and as the camera switches from her to the 'commander' in the other house, the sound of the girl praying can still be heard through the use of this sound bridge.
Camera Shots
Close up of hand washing of lady from Islamic background- custom of Muslims before they pray to wash there hands.
Long shot of police men to emphasise the fact that they are all white, and that they are to contrast with eachother implying that they are all the same and that this is what police are like.
Mid shot of policemen in gas masks, could further emphasise that they are all the same in terms of race, yet could also be interpreted as a 'new' ethnicity or that they have changed into a 'war-like' mood in which feelings for anything have been lost due to no expressions shown.
Long shot of woman putting on headscarf and as she puts mat down, the camera then changes from a long shot to a mid shot of the woman as she starts to pray.
Zooming is used from a long shot to a mid shot of the man with sniper rifle to emphasise him as threatening and show that he is another man that is again white.
Edits
Jump cut as police are putting equipment together, clear that they are all white.
showed continuity, jump cuts from 'commander' to police force to lady, shows that they have order and that some are of higher status than others.
Cross cut parallels- cutting between the police force and the woman praying, contrasting them ahich helps to emphasise to only person of a different race.
Jump cuts for tense police force outside building the woman is in and the peaceful atmosphere that the woman praying is in.
Mise en scene
Gas masks- connotation of war- relation to gas masks and white police force in terms of being brutal and 'war-like.'
Police station- electric bright lighting, contrasting to the woman in 'warm' lighting. Shows comparison to woman's warmth and police forces business-like approach
Outside is dark and mysterious, this is where the police force are and could possibly be interpreted as the white police force being similar to their surroundings in that they are 'dark and mysterious.'
Shot of rain dripping on the floor- connotes London, and could be seen as pathetic fallacy of the mood that the police force are creating. Camera then tilts up to an establishing shot of the van entering, further emphasising how they could be interpreted in that way.
Isaac Woods
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