Skins Series 3 Episode 1

Freddie is a risk taker and does not take into consideration of any the public - he is closely associated with smoking weed and drinking - grundge movement. Smoking weed is a sign of rebellion it is something teenagers do. His clothing are very grundge and he belongs into a sub culture. His behaviour is reprehensible from an adults perspective he is someone who is behaving very badly. However he is not as helpless as Cook as he actually wants to go to college.

The binory opposite is the law seen through the policeman who is portrayed as ridiculous and stupid and incompetent. His misfortune creates humour and he appears to be a comedy factor. Therefore we cannot feel sympathetic towards him because he is portrayed as a fool - there is no way of the audience to look up to him. Our sympathies lie with the youngsters rather with the adults.

The woman in the food hut is represented and condoning drinking beer in the morning. They are breaking the law to smoke a 'spliff' and drink beer before college. She is breaking the law aswell as they are and this does not allow the audience to sympathise with them.

Represenation In Skins.

 

     1. What can you deduce about the setting (and specifically the house) from the mise-en-scene?

At the beginning of the scene the shots are of the boy character in his bed. His bedroom is very neat and clean and looks like he is living in a middle class home – the shot of the girl walking home establishes the area in which it is set. The long shot of the girl shows the street and that this is a middle class family and area. The further shots of the boys bedroom gives an insight to the audience of his room again which appears a non typical teenage boys bedroom as his bedroom is unusually neat and tidy – he is very precise in the way in which his bedroom is presented and also he seems very organised. – the contradicts the usual stereotype of teenage boys being messy and untidy.

Further on the long shot high angle shot of the girl coming up the stairs shows the type of house they are living in. It gives the appearance that the house looks quite modern and a nice middle class home. The shot of the outside of the house reveals a lot about the setting – showing that they are living in a terrace house which resembles most middle class people.  The red door represents the idea of the teenagers being rebellious and naughty. The colour red is used as a seductive and sexual colour – thus the door being red represents the teenagers and their attitude, especially the girl teenager because she is out all night and dressed in a way that she is showing herself to be a rebel and a cheeky kind.

The kitchen is fairly small but enough to have the four members of the family – The shots with the mother typically in the kitchen cooking. Her clothing is her nightwear and they show that she appears to be a housewife typically cooking for her children on a school day. The kitchen is well organised and very clean and tidy which could show that this is where the son receives his tidiness. 

 2.  What do you think Tony's representation is? Think about the camera shots and his behaviour. Are stereotypes or and countertypes used?

Tony is an intriguing character who enjoys conflict with his father however he is a countertype because he is tidy and clean and well educated reading a philosophy book. Certain camera shots of him portray him to have power - such as the shot with his father - Tony is in the foreground and the father is looking down at him - however Tony still upholds the power. Tony's behaviour is rebellious and cheeky toward his father. When the sister returns in the morning after a night out herself and Tony have a strong sibling bond to which Tony creates a diversion for his sister to sneak back in. His diversion/distraction was putting really loud music on which he is aware will agitate his father. One shot shows the door which shows that Tony is aware his father is going to storm in and begin to rant at him. Tony's behaviour by making him wait for him to leave the bathroom therefore Tony is taking advantage of his father being laid back.

Social Class

How do the two extracts construct representations of social class? Refer to the micro-elements

Outnumbered - Middle Class
Eastenders - Predominantly working class

4 points of contrast:

 - The house in Outnumbered is a terrace house in a suburban area which most conversations occur in the kitchen - In Eastenders however majority of conversations take place mostly in the streets, pub, laundrette and cafe.
- Eastenders is focused mainly on relationships and the ideas of breaking up and making up - whereas in Outnumbered the relationships are centered within family.
- The characters in Eastenders do not use standard English and use more slang. Whereas in Outnumbered they use well spoken English.
- The children in Eastenders are shown to be more interested in life and relationships. Whereas in Outnumbered the children are more involved with school.


In Eastenders the location is extremely important as it is where majority of situations occur. The characters in Eastenders appear to be quite enclosed within this secluded location - they appear to be trapped. In Outnumbered however they appear to be trapped because everything takes place within the house in the kitchen. However it can be argued that they are comfortable this way.