Skins isn’t an obvious choice for representation of the working class, but rather for representation, but non-the-less i find it interesting and most of the adolescents featured are from very working class families. To start, the working class are mainly portrayed through the use of mise-en-scene; the working class characters wear stereotypical working class clothing (knock-off designer brands etc), and also possess working class traits such as the way that they talk and the manner in which they act. These characters are contrasted with the more middle class characters in their friendship group, such as Grace, who dress more modestly and speak with correct pronunciation and grammar.Representation of the Working Class
Camerawork was also used in order to portray the working class status for characters in the drama. The shots used to show them are normally from high angles from the perspective of more middle class people, such as friends, teachers and other authority figures.
Along with my class partner, Neary, we analysed a short film ‘Identity’ and presented our ideas in the form of a timeline, as follows:
00.00-00.11 The film opens with a black screen and eery music playing in the background. This builds the audience’s anticipation up.
00.12-00.16 The word identity appears in the bottom right hand corner of the screen, in a cracked white font, which signifies the cracked identity of the girl who later appears in the film.
00.22-00.26 The tone of the film and the characters mood is established with the grey discordant colours in the shot.
00.27-00.35 The girl wears a white mask indicating her innocence and purity, however the mask is tainted with other colours showing the ways that society has effected her.
00.36-00.48 The quick camera cuts in this shot emphasises the girls disorientation, and also disorientates the viewer.
00.39-00.55 A high angled shot is used to show the girl, suggesting a higher power over her, and also possibly suggests her own low self esteem.
01.00-01.05 A reverse-over-the-shoulder tracking shot is used which is unusual to watch. Once again, this disorientates the audience, and suggests the characters individuality compared to the extras.
01.00-01.13 The camera backs away from the girl, distancing her from the audience, and the other characters in shot.
01.25 It is made clear to the viewer that she is learning about Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, and that this triggers and idea in the character’s mind.
01.30-01.36 We see a close up of her drawings, that symbolise how she feels distant from others. This establishes her mood to the audience.
01.44 Everybody in the room except for the main character are wearing plain masks. This shows that she is different from the other characters and makes her stand out.
02.05-02.10 She walks alone through the corridor, once again shooing that she is alone
02.11-02.13 There is a shot of a poster saying “This is what beautiful looks like,” followed by a group of girls wearing matching masks to the poster. This could show that the main character doesn’t feel beautiful, or similarly chooses not to conform and wear a “beautiful” mask.
02.22-02.33 Everybody in this shot is wearing matching masks to their friends. Also, one girl changes her mask when she enters a different social group. This shows how people change in order to fit in with others.
02.35 The girl is shown to be playing with a pawn, and the background voice is talking about how pawns are used to other people advantages in chess. This pawn symbolised her in society.
03.35 Uncomfortable, scratchy sounds are introduced as the girl starts running and the camera tracks her. This makes the audience feel as though she is running away from something, which in this instance could be society.
03.50-03.51 The girl falls on the floor, and the camera goes black in order to create anticipation for the audience.
04.00 The girl looks in the mirror to see that her mask is broken, portraying the fact that she has broken away from the norms of society.
04.10-04.17 This shot shows the girl hesitantly talking her mask off, and is accompanies by a loud banging sound. This shows that it is difficult to be different, but that she can be bold and different.
04.26-04.30 The girl smiles and the voice over says “today the truth found me”, showing her chance of mood compared to the rest of the film.
04.34 A shot of the mask on the floor is shown in order to clarify her decision.
04.39-4.42 She is shown walking away from the camera, with everybody looking at her. This differs from the rest of the film as normally the camera is backing away from her, but she is moving away from the camera in this one, changing the tone of the film. Also, the fact that she is walking through the people looking at her shows that she is more confident than before.
Jazzmin Fotherby's AS Media Studies Blog 