Representation of race:
Bradford Riots (2006)
The first visual camera shot we get is the fast paced of the camera panning out from a sign. The audience are not able to read the sign properly from the fast pace foreshadowing that there will be dark and sinister qualities to the extract. The non-digetic music is played in the background signifies that it is not a lighthearted drama but will be tense creating a mysterious and dangerous atmosphere. We then get to see an established shot being used, which, allows the audience to know where the action will be taking place. The mise-en-scene from the established shot shows that the place is a deserted field with no civilisation included. This signifies to the audience how lonely and isolated the place is and connotes dark meanings towards the setting. Additionally, the camera slightly tilts showing that there may not be normality shown in the extract.
The non-digetic music then continues to show a white male who is dressed in uniform suggesting that he has a dominance presence, power and security contrasting the mise-en-scene behind him, which is dark and gloomy. While the uniformed officer is walking a medium shot is then shown of him opening a door, which is blocked off by bars. Furthermore, indicating how secure he is and his power towards the audience juxtaposing the dangerous non-digetic music played in the background.
The uniformed officer then opens the door in where the camera pans straight away to another White character sitting on the top bunk, this is again outlining the importance of this White character racially, as below him on the bottom bunk is an Asian male character. The director has done this to show the audience how the White character who is also locked up in the same cell has power, is superior and has predominance over the other character already highlighting that there is racial issues and themes involved.
As the White inmate jumps down from the bed a medium shot is used to show the two White males in the scene looking down at the Asian character showing once again that they are more dominate race and significant than the other because of his race, which is evident when he calls him ‘Muslim boy’.
As the White male character walks out, reversed shots are used to show the conversation and emotion between the male officer and inmate. As the Asian male walks timidly to the uniform officer, the non-digetic sound of his heartbeat is used to show how scared he feels against this authoritive figure that seems not to like him and may be racist towards him. The camera angle towards the officer is tilted slightly higher than on the other character indicating his power to the audience.
The Asian character is shown as thought he is slightly bowing to the White officer and that he has no power and is not able to stand up for himself. Which is evident when medium shot of the officer, closes the door and the audience hear the digetic sounds (of the locks), in which indicates his loneliness and helplessness to the audience. Additionally, a long shot is then used next to highlight how lonely the character really is, followed on with a close-up shot of his finger shaking with a tilt of the camera upwards showing a close-up of his face. This indicates to the audience how vulnerable, isolated and alone the character is creating sympathy from the audience.
A cutaway is then used to show another established shot of an area where the plot will move on. There is then digetic sound of birds tweeting showing that time has passed, which is called an ellipsis.
The next scene is the camera panning into the couple awaking from the loud digetic sounds of police, as they get up to find what it is a cutaway is used to show the uniformed men arriving on the top of the stair case. There is then an action match used to show the next scene of the little boy waking up and walking towards the noise. The audience can see that the uniformed authoritive in the living room are the ones who have the power and dominance, as three of the police officers are holding the Asian (male) character in an aggressive manner. Reverse shot is used to show the emotion of both the female and male character in the room as crosscutting is used to show the audience the little child who is still walking towards the living room. However, the editing is in a fast paced and quite jumpy showing the audience how violent and aggressive this scene is.
When the child does enter the scene, he starts to shout out ‘Allah’, which refers back to his ethnicity and religion, pointing out the significance of it.
As the scene progresses, the shouting and aggressiveness continues as the younger Asian male is escorted violently out of his house by the polices, once again showing the domineering race of the two.
A cutaway is used next to move the plot of the story along to a gym where only two male characters that are Asian are working out. This shows clearly to the audience the segregation, discrimination and prejudice that are acting against they race and highlights how things were at that period of time.
When one of the male characters turn around, the medium shot revels a white uniformed guard who is standing and watching the other male characters, connoting his power that he had over these other characters.
A close-up is then showed of one of the Asian characters, showing his expression and how he feels of the racial discrimination. The camera is slightly titled allowing him for once in the clip to have the power and control which after a reverse shot is used to show the other character reaction.
Non-digetic music is then used to create a tense atmosphere; both White characters are questioning one of the male (Asian) characters. The audience can see that the table has been divided as their White characters on the other side and Asian characters on the other, highlighting the segregation between both races. Furthermore, the White male character seem to be talking while the Asian male does not comment, once again indicating the race which has the power.
The scene then cuts to a medium shot of a middle age Asian man talking to the phone to a young Asian man. There is a significant picture, which is in the mise-en-scene. It is a picture that signifies the people’s race, culture and his identity. When the scene crosses back to the younger character, we see from a medium shot that there are bars blocking us from getting in contact with him, suggesting that we are not allowed and that us as an audience should be segregated from him as well.
Subsequently, a high-angle shot I used to make the audience feel more superior to the Asian character, which is bending down and praying making him feel insignificant as a character.
A medium shot is then used to show the White male figure sitting on the top bunk, looking down at the other character and calling him a ‘Muslim terrorist’ which leads to the Asian character to go mad and to start smashing the place up. The camera shows his anger and frustration by the fast pace of the camera tilting up, down and sideways. The same non-digetic music of the heartbeat is used again to portray to the audience how this character is feeling inside, by the constant racial abuse and discrimination.
The non-digetic music begins to slow down and slowly fade as the character falls to pieces on the ground, which is shown by the obscured angle the camera is at.
Overall, the clip represents race throughout the extract by the use of sound, camera angle and shots. These elements are significant as it shows the audience each character’s power and dominance within the clip.
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