Hotel Babylon: Representation of Ethnicity
You can easily identify different ethnicities of characters due to stereotypes, and whether or not they are followed through. You can look to see if they have presented their characters the same way other TV shows and movies may present people of a certain race or gender and then decide whether they fit into theirs.
Watching the clip, it's clear that the white policemen and immigration officials have complete authority over the illegal migrant workers. For example, when we are introduced to the white police men and immigration officials, a tracking shot is used to show the group of white men barging into the hotel like a posse. We're then shown a point-of-view shot from the immigration mans perspective, looking down at a black man sitting down in the lobby. This represents the fact that white people are more superior and black people should be looked down on; this fits with their stereotypes. The lady at the front desk is a complete stereotype of a British, white woman; with blonde hair, fair skin and blue eyes. She's also wearing white, which represents her being angelic and good. There was also a cleaner who used to be a doctor but now because they are in Britain they wouldn't be allowed as they are an immigrant. Jackie is used as a supervisor and carer of the immigrant workers, she is presented as Asian and stereotypically they are serious and intelligent.
When we are shown the immigrants, the camera shot is at the same level/height as them, in and amongst them and over the shoulder shots are used. This is so that the audience feels as though they are with them and on their side. It creates more tension for the viewers as they don't want immigration to find the workers. When we are shown the immigration officials, over the shoulder shots are used again from the workers shoulders. This again, makes the audience feel as though we are with the workers and on their side. The lead immigration official is represented as an antagonist by a few of ways; the first, is his facial expressions. He has a very serious, angry look about him which immediately makes him seem aggressive and appear as though he is the bad guy. Another, is the fact he is wearing black which contrast with the hotel worker wearing white and the other, is him having a group of people backing him up. This makes him very intimidating to the audience and clearly look like he is a villain and these are his gang (like storm troopers or minions).
For sound; there is the non-diegetic sound of music, the music is fairly loud but turns down slightly so the audience can hear the diegetic sound of dialogue, this is to create tension but also panic in the scene. It manages to achieve this as the music sounds quite quick and chaotic yet still suspenseful. Other diegetic sounds are used in the extract like the sound of the kitchens; this is so the audience once again, feels as though they are in the room with the workers, following the action. At this point, the sounds of the workers weeps and whimpers start and this makes the audience feel panicked as well as sympathy for the workers as they can see how panicked they are and how scared they are about being taken away from their jobs.
Typical representations of immigrants in media is that they are selfish people, stealing our jobs and money. However, in this extract, they have challenged these stereotypes and are represented as normal people, who work very hard, just trying to get money to feed their families at home. Continuity editing is used to show the audience the action, which is happening in the whole extract. It is effective as it means the audience can see the workers panic and the chaos progress and get more intense. It also lets the audience find out information at the same time the characters do, so again, we feel as though we going through all of the emotions with them.
The framing of all the characters together in hiding and later through panning in the canteen creates a sense of community; we feel like we are in that room with them and that when one of the characters gets taken away, we have been working along side them and now they're gone. The use of the focus pull is used when Ibrahim was arrested to reflect his sudden awareness of danger; this adds to the dramatic tension of the narrative.
Mise-en-scene is used to a great extent in this extract to contribute to representation of ethnicity. The contrast of the luxury hotel with the cramped storage room, in which the immigrants were hiding, is evidence of this. With lighting, there is a clear contrast if you compare the lighting in the lobby which is warm, bright and welcoming compared the lighting in the kitchen and storage room, these rooms are not lit up very much so they seem cold and dark. There is also a strong contrast with the costume of suits for the immigration and British workers are wearing and the cheap looking uniforms the immigrants have to wear represents the status and class of the characters and their ethnicity.
When we are shown the immigrants, the camera shot is at the same level/height as them, in and amongst them and over the shoulder shots are used. This is so that the audience feels as though they are with them and on their side. It creates more tension for the viewers as they don't want immigration to find the workers. When we are shown the immigration officials, over the shoulder shots are used again from the workers shoulders. This again, makes the audience feel as though we are with the workers and on their side. The lead immigration official is represented as an antagonist by a few of ways; the first, is his facial expressions. He has a very serious, angry look about him which immediately makes him seem aggressive and appear as though he is the bad guy. Another, is the fact he is wearing black which contrast with the hotel worker wearing white and the other, is him having a group of people backing him up. This makes him very intimidating to the audience and clearly look like he is a villain and these are his gang (like storm troopers or minions).
For sound; there is the non-diegetic sound of music, the music is fairly loud but turns down slightly so the audience can hear the diegetic sound of dialogue, this is to create tension but also panic in the scene. It manages to achieve this as the music sounds quite quick and chaotic yet still suspenseful. Other diegetic sounds are used in the extract like the sound of the kitchens; this is so the audience once again, feels as though they are in the room with the workers, following the action. At this point, the sounds of the workers weeps and whimpers start and this makes the audience feel panicked as well as sympathy for the workers as they can see how panicked they are and how scared they are about being taken away from their jobs.
Typical representations of immigrants in media is that they are selfish people, stealing our jobs and money. However, in this extract, they have challenged these stereotypes and are represented as normal people, who work very hard, just trying to get money to feed their families at home. Continuity editing is used to show the audience the action, which is happening in the whole extract. It is effective as it means the audience can see the workers panic and the chaos progress and get more intense. It also lets the audience find out information at the same time the characters do, so again, we feel as though we going through all of the emotions with them.
The framing of all the characters together in hiding and later through panning in the canteen creates a sense of community; we feel like we are in that room with them and that when one of the characters gets taken away, we have been working along side them and now they're gone. The use of the focus pull is used when Ibrahim was arrested to reflect his sudden awareness of danger; this adds to the dramatic tension of the narrative.
Mise-en-scene is used to a great extent in this extract to contribute to representation of ethnicity. The contrast of the luxury hotel with the cramped storage room, in which the immigrants were hiding, is evidence of this. With lighting, there is a clear contrast if you compare the lighting in the lobby which is warm, bright and welcoming compared the lighting in the kitchen and storage room, these rooms are not lit up very much so they seem cold and dark. There is also a strong contrast with the costume of suits for the immigration and British workers are wearing and the cheap looking uniforms the immigrants have to wear represents the status and class of the characters and their ethnicity.
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