Secret diary of a call girl- representation of disability task

secret diary of a call girl- writing task on the representation of disability

there are a variety of different ways that the three characters that are featured in the clip are represented. starting with the female character (call girl) who is not seen as a stereotypical image of what people imagine to be a call girl. she is wearing fairly formal clothing and heels but isn't overdone without looking masculine. she is fairly simple looking, no extravagant uses of makeup or hairstyles but looks smart and well dressed. she is represented as a caring person as she try's to make the disabled character feel comfortable around her and she also gives the impression that she is fairly shy or embarrassed to offend him as she stutters on some of her words and seems to say 'hm' and 'erm' a lot as if trying to hide the awkward feelings between them. it could be awkward for her as she see's the disabled boy as non-sexual so it may feel wrong for her to realise that he actually is. this also links to one of Paul Hunt's 10 stereotypes of disabled people.

the disabled boy is represented as pitiable and the audience sympathise with him, this again is one of Paul Hunt's 10 stereotypes. this is because he is seen as weak so the audience feel sorry for him as he cannot carry out everyday tasks that most people take for granted. we also feel bad for his situation as he obviously has to rely on his dad and can look like a burden to him. the fact that the other characters are always seen s higher than him in shots also make him look small and weak, his father even carries him like a small child. he looks quite scared of the situation as in the first scene he raises his eyebrows to in a way end the awkward silence, his facial expressions tell a lot throughout the clip as he looks nervous and not very confident. his clothing is typical for a boy of his age (late teens) he looks to be wearing a band T-shirt which is in dark colours, which shows how he could be trying to stay out of the limelight because of his lack of confidence because of his disability.

the boys dad is represented as a caring person who's best intention is to look after his son. he is seen as strong as he has broad shoulders and looks tall and powerful he is also seen to carry his son. he also like the call girl acts fairly awkwardly in the situation but is constantly asking his son if he is OK and checking that everything that needed to be sorted was sorted before he left. he could look like he is burdened by his disabled son but he doesn't seem like a character that would see his son as a burden as he obviously loves him. he looks like a stereotypical masculine person as he is wearing overalls like a painter or decorator which is seen as a physical job usually carried out by a man rather than a woman because they are seen as labourers and strong.

the mise-en-scene includes the scene setup and how the style represents different key features of the clip. the colour of the flat including the decoration is mainly pinks, this could be seen as how the disabled boy is in a very feminine area, suggesting how he is seen as not masculine because of his disability. there is also a red, warm tone to the lighting and decoration this is seen as romantic and a warm atmosphere that the call girls 'customers' would feel comfortable and intimate in. there is also a stylised picture of a mouth and lips in the background as she opens the door which is seen as sexual and also feminine as lips are a feature that is generally suggestive of sex. in the bedroom the bed is the key feature, its the main point that the camera focus's on and because of its size and amount of luxurious looking sheets and colours is looks fairly classy so makes the men feel as though they are being treated adding to the idea of the male gaze, seeing the woman as a treat or something that should be enjoyed and used. the setting of the clip becomes clear when a shot is shown of the boys father looking out of the window, we can see it is a city style view maybe London or another large city and because of the height we see that she lives in a flat, this is stereotypically the type of surroundings that would be associated with the use of call-girls and escorts.

there is very little editing involved in this particular clip but the scenes are generally quite long when the male and female characters are together, this could show how the atmosphere is fairly relaxed and their thought patterns aren't erratic. the scene when the boys father is in the car does however contain jump cuts where he is doing different things, obviously bored, to pass the time. this type of editing makes it clear to the audience that he is bored and time is passing fairly slowly for him.

there are a variety of camera shots: first is the shot when she opens the door, the camera pans upwards from the son in the wheelchair up to his fathers face, this shows how he is smaller than his father like his dad is strong and able but he is not because of his obvious disabilities. there is then an establishing shot featuring all three characters which allows the audience to see the scene and setting that the clip is taking place in, it allows them to get an idea of what is happening and the mood of the room. there is a shot of the boy in his wheelchair which is a mid shot of him but seen at a low angle so you can just see the legs of the other characters, this again gives the audience the idea of his point of view and how he is seen as lower than able bodied people. there's many over the shoulder shots including when the female character walks back into the bedroom and watches from a distance what the two men are doing, this is showing the audience what she is seeing and her perspective of the scene. throughout the filming of the dad and call girl the camera often pans and moves with them but when the disabled boy is filmed in bed it is the same mid shot used over and over again which again gives the effect that he, unlike the others, cannot get up an move around freely because of his disabilities which makes the audience pity him and he is unable to carry out everyday things that many people take for granted such as walking or going up and down steps. a shot of the woman sees her behind a curtain like veil, this could have deep meaning of how her job is hiding the person she really is, there is a obvious stigma around the stereotype of how call girls and escorts are associated with. they are generally seen as promiscuous and not modest but she seems like a genuinely caring person just by the way she smiles and compliments the disabled boy. her job is like the veil of her life, everyone sees the fact that she is a call girl before they see the genuine woman behind it.

the sound in this clip includes the sound of the window and seat when the dad is in the car waiting for his son, this sound is blunt and stops and starts, it shows how he is on edge and fidgety as he is worried about his son because obviously as a disabled person he relies on his dad for a lot. there is then the sound of a violin style music when the female character is stroking the boys face and arms, this is romantic and soft and follows the movement of her hand and she moves it. this creates a more relaxed atmosphere and sounds warm and caring.