Discuss the ways in
which the extract constructs representations of ethnicity using the following:
- - Camera shots, angles, movement and composition
- - Editing
- - Sound
- - Mise en scene
The TV drama, Hotel
Babylon, shows each person in the clip as a different type of ethnicity. This
is represented through the use of camera work, editing, sound and mise en
scene.
At the start of a clip
we briefly see an encounter between a White man, who is signified as a customer
because he lying on a sun longer by the pool and a Black man, who is wearing a
suit and severing the customer which implies he is a worker at the hotel (Ferdinand de Saussure's). The
White man comes across as more important than the worker because he is paying
to stay at the hotel and he is being waited on. Also the light is shinning down
on the customer, which suggests he has more authority. The Black man is also
polite to the White man, as he says things like ‘Thank you’. This implies that
he has respect for the man. The camera then pans right as the Black worker walks
away. It then changes to tracking alongside him. This enables the audience to focus on
him.
The viewer then witnesses a
conversation between the Black worker and a Black customer who gets out of the swimming pool. However, although it is implied that these two men are old friends, as
they use language such as, ‘How are you Tel?’ and ‘I thought it was you bro’.
The Black worker seems uncomfortable.
A reaction shot is used, which shows that the worker is surprised to see
his friend. Over the shoulder shots are frequently used to also show the worker's reactions. The camera then zooms in on his face, which conveys a sense that he
does not want to return to his old ways. This is evident when the customer says
‘just like old times’. This suggests that the worker now has a new life and he
does not want to go back to the behavior that his friend is suggesting. The customer is stereotypically Jamaican, as he is wearing bright colours such as green and red. These colours relate to the Jamaican flag which culturally connotes his ethic background (Roland Barthes 1977). The customer specks in a lower class manner, which is a contrast to Benjamin's standard english, he uses words such as 'booze, girls and ganja' which highlights his Jamaican ethnicity. Through the use of mise en scene a representation of Jamaican people is constructed by the customer's costume and props. He is wearing jewellery, for example chains and earrings, which potrays the customer as a gangster. He also has his hair braided, which is a common connotation for this ethnic group. Throughout this clip Jamaican people are portrayed as interested in 'parties, girls and ganja' because of the representation of the customer. However, Hotel Babylon goes against this representation of this ethnic group, which is evident to the audience through the use of the character Benjamin. He (Benjamin) seems uninterested in having a party, which his friend is suggesting, as he says 'You don't have to.' The black worker also looks uncomfortable when the costumer is talking about 'girls', although he seems interested in his friend. This is shown when he says 'Your looking good' and the camera shows Benjamin looking at his friend's body for longer than he should do. This signifies his sexuality, which suggests that he has a new life that he doesn't want his old friend to known about. This clip goes against the stereotypical representation of Jamaican people. There is also non-diegetic music featured throughout this encounter, which helps to build tension and suspicion.
In scene two, two female maids enter they are suggested to be from Eastern Europe because of their accents. During this clip they are represented to be exotic (Alvarado et al 1987), as they are seen performing a 'strip tease' for a customer who is staying at the hotel. At the start of the clip one of the maids is explaining information about the customer to the other maid. This signifies that she has done a strip tease for this customer before. In the background there is non-diegetic music which creates a suspicious yet sultry atmosphere. The camera then shows a close up of the maid looking uncomfortable and reluctant. Once inside the room, the camera uses a long shot to show both maids and their different body languages. The less experienced maid has her head down and her arms folded across her body, which signifies that she feels uncomfortable and suggests that she is embarrassed. On the other hand the more experienced maid has one hand on her hip and the other hand by her side. This connotes that doesn't care and that she is more exotic, as her body is on show to the audience. The camera then shows a close up of two piles of money, which stereotypes that although they are working in a posh hotel they are earning extra money from sexual ways. The music then changes to diegetic sound and the song is from the genre Burlesque, which changes the atmosphere to a lot more sultry and suggestive than before, as it repeats the words 'Hey sister go'. The room is very dim and it is only lit by table lamps which are seen in the background. This helps to add to the sultry atmosphere. Through mise en scene one of the maids is portrayed as 'innocent', as she wears white underwear which signifies purity. She also wears a cross to show that she is religious. In Eastern Europe they are represented as religious so Hotel Babylon has used a stereotypical representation in this clip. The camera uses many close ups to show her reaction to the situation. There is also the use of long shots to show that she is standing side ways on show that she is not fully exposing herself to the customer and the audience. In juxtaposition, the other maid is wearing black underwear, which signifies her as less innocent and she is also revealing herself quicker. This clip shows that not all women are interested in earning money from sexual ways.
The male client, who is also featured in this scene, is represented as a stereotypical Japanese man. This is because of his East Asian features, such as his eyes, which are signified with this ethnic group of people. The clip portrays the Japanese man as a tourist because he does not speak any English. He is also represented as wealthy, as he is paying to stay at the hotel and the audience also sees him nod several times at the piles of money on the table. Hotel Babylon associates this ethnic group of people with technology, as the client is the one that turns on the music. This signifies that he has knowledge about technology. The use of mise en scene represents the man as quite sleazy because of his costume and props. He is dressed in dressing gown and is sitting on a bed, which creates a sexual atmosphere. Camera composition also adds to this sexual atmosphere, as most of the camera angles are close ups of his face; they show his wide eyes and his mouth which is slightly open. However, there are a few low angle shots. These reinforce that he is the customer, therefore he has more authority and power over the maids because he is the one who is paying them. This clip also signifies that he has power when one of the maids walks out and he (the Japanese man) gets annoyed and goes to turn the music off.
In the next clip a male and a female are seen talking in a corridor. They are clearly English, as the audience can understand everything that they are saying. They are gossiping about the two chefs that are working in the kitchen. During their conversation they reveal the chefs' past. The male worker seems to be worried about the two chefs working together, as he can relate to the men. Where as the woman does not see a problem with them working together as she say 'well they are both professionals, they wouldn't but their personal life before business.' This signifies that she is not really bothered about the history as long as they both do their job. In the background there is faint non-diegetic music, which builds tension. Nevertheless, this is overpowered by the workers, who are working around the English people, talking. Through the use of mise en scene the man and woman are dressed in formal clothing, which is a contrast to the red that the foreign workers are wearing. This makes them stand out and implies that they have more authority. This represents this ethnic group as superior to the workers that they are managing. The lighting is very dim, which signifies the conditions that the foreigners are working in below the hotel. At first the camera uses a long shot, which shows the managers walking towards the camera. This also highlights that they are different to the workers around them. It then switches to a mid-shot so that the audience can still see both people in the shot but the audience can still see the foreigners working around them. There are then close ups to show the differences between the male and female responses to what they are discussing.
When the man and woman enter the kitchen the audience sees two chefs working in separate areas. Both chefs are represented as being from different ethnic groups. One of the chefs is stereotypically Italian because of his strong accent and the use of gestures such as, kissing the other chef of his forehead and putting his fingers to his lips. These are all cultural signifiers of this ethnic group. His costume is black, which has connotations of villain which links to him stealing the other chef's wife. This is a contrast to the English chef who is wearing white, which signifies him as innocent. Both of the chefs regard themselves as Head Chef, although the Italian man is more dominant as he call the kitchen 'my engine room'. At the start of the clip there is only diegetic sound, which is of people working and talking. When the managers leave the kitchen music beginnings to play, this is non-diegetic sound, which adds tension and as the argument becomes more heated the music builds. The English chef and the Italian chef are both threatening as they insult each other by using names such as 'yop prat' and 'english pleb'. However, the Italian chef is stereotyped as violent because he picks up a knife. When the knife is picked up there is a loud slicing sound (diegetic sound), which a knife would normally make. At the beginning there is a close up of each chef working. The camera then uses a reaction shot to show the English chef's reaction to the words 'my engine room', which are spoken by the Italian chef. There is also a two person shot featured in this clip, which is used to show the fake relationship that the two chefs have with each other. When the knife is brought into the scene a close up is used, which makes the audience focus on the prop and it also adds tension. Towards the end of the clip there is a mid shot. This has been used to show each chefs' body language. This scene represents the Italian ethnic group as dominant and violent and the English ethnic group as weak and innocent.
The male client, who is also featured in this scene, is represented as a stereotypical Japanese man. This is because of his East Asian features, such as his eyes, which are signified with this ethnic group of people. The clip portrays the Japanese man as a tourist because he does not speak any English. He is also represented as wealthy, as he is paying to stay at the hotel and the audience also sees him nod several times at the piles of money on the table. Hotel Babylon associates this ethnic group of people with technology, as the client is the one that turns on the music. This signifies that he has knowledge about technology. The use of mise en scene represents the man as quite sleazy because of his costume and props. He is dressed in dressing gown and is sitting on a bed, which creates a sexual atmosphere. Camera composition also adds to this sexual atmosphere, as most of the camera angles are close ups of his face; they show his wide eyes and his mouth which is slightly open. However, there are a few low angle shots. These reinforce that he is the customer, therefore he has more authority and power over the maids because he is the one who is paying them. This clip also signifies that he has power when one of the maids walks out and he (the Japanese man) gets annoyed and goes to turn the music off.
In the next clip a male and a female are seen talking in a corridor. They are clearly English, as the audience can understand everything that they are saying. They are gossiping about the two chefs that are working in the kitchen. During their conversation they reveal the chefs' past. The male worker seems to be worried about the two chefs working together, as he can relate to the men. Where as the woman does not see a problem with them working together as she say 'well they are both professionals, they wouldn't but their personal life before business.' This signifies that she is not really bothered about the history as long as they both do their job. In the background there is faint non-diegetic music, which builds tension. Nevertheless, this is overpowered by the workers, who are working around the English people, talking. Through the use of mise en scene the man and woman are dressed in formal clothing, which is a contrast to the red that the foreign workers are wearing. This makes them stand out and implies that they have more authority. This represents this ethnic group as superior to the workers that they are managing. The lighting is very dim, which signifies the conditions that the foreigners are working in below the hotel. At first the camera uses a long shot, which shows the managers walking towards the camera. This also highlights that they are different to the workers around them. It then switches to a mid-shot so that the audience can still see both people in the shot but the audience can still see the foreigners working around them. There are then close ups to show the differences between the male and female responses to what they are discussing.
When the man and woman enter the kitchen the audience sees two chefs working in separate areas. Both chefs are represented as being from different ethnic groups. One of the chefs is stereotypically Italian because of his strong accent and the use of gestures such as, kissing the other chef of his forehead and putting his fingers to his lips. These are all cultural signifiers of this ethnic group. His costume is black, which has connotations of villain which links to him stealing the other chef's wife. This is a contrast to the English chef who is wearing white, which signifies him as innocent. Both of the chefs regard themselves as Head Chef, although the Italian man is more dominant as he call the kitchen 'my engine room'. At the start of the clip there is only diegetic sound, which is of people working and talking. When the managers leave the kitchen music beginnings to play, this is non-diegetic sound, which adds tension and as the argument becomes more heated the music builds. The English chef and the Italian chef are both threatening as they insult each other by using names such as 'yop prat' and 'english pleb'. However, the Italian chef is stereotyped as violent because he picks up a knife. When the knife is picked up there is a loud slicing sound (diegetic sound), which a knife would normally make. At the beginning there is a close up of each chef working. The camera then uses a reaction shot to show the English chef's reaction to the words 'my engine room', which are spoken by the Italian chef. There is also a two person shot featured in this clip, which is used to show the fake relationship that the two chefs have with each other. When the knife is brought into the scene a close up is used, which makes the audience focus on the prop and it also adds tension. Towards the end of the clip there is a mid shot. This has been used to show each chefs' body language. This scene represents the Italian ethnic group as dominant and violent and the English ethnic group as weak and innocent.
