How is the representation of disability created through the use of camera, editing, sound and mise en scene in the clip from Secret Diary of a Call Girl?
Throughout the opening of the piece I identified a number of techniques which the director used to portray the use of representation of disability. I focused on the mise en scene, camera, editing and sound of the film. This essay will go on to examine these in more detail.
From the beginning of the film the audience can tell that disability will play a big part in the storyline due to the camera work used and the mise en scene. When the main character Blake is introduced at the front door the angle of the camera tilts downwards. This is to show the audience that the character is disabled. In this wide opening shot we also see Blake in a wheelchair. The fact that he is in a wheelchair and the angle of the shot shows the adjustments the Call Girl has to make when addressing someone in a wheelchair opposed to someone standing. The tilted shot suggests that the audience are encouraged to see Blake's perspective of the Call Girl. The fact that he is in a wheelchair also implies his lack of independence as he has to rely on others to help him and do things for him. The society uses the iconic symbol of a wheelchair to signify disability, therefore it is recognisable.
Blake and his father are then introduced into the Call Girls house. In this scene we get a view of the woman's apartment. Inside of it, it is clear that she does not have a ramp for the wheelchair user, she has stairs. This is not suitable for Blake as he has to rely on his father to carry him up the stairs. The fact that she does not have a ramp in her house suggests wheelchair users are not her regular clients. When Blake's father helps him up the stairs, the camera focuses on the fathers legs. This shows us that the father is doing the walking for him. The shot transition from the father lifting Blake to laying him on the bed reveals his dependence on others.
The dialogue used by Blake and the Call Girl tells us that they had arranged to meet via email. This shows that he wants and is capable of having some freedom. It indicates that Blake is not completely alienated from the outside world as he has access to hotmail. The dialogue used by the father reveals his concern about what his son Blake can do. When the father leaves he kisses Blake on the head. This shows the audience that he has a very close relationship with Blake and he cares about him a lot.
There are a number of jump cuts between the flat where Blake and the Call Girl are and the van where the father is waiting for his son. Within these shots the camera does not move, this demonstrates the discontinuous of time. When the camera focuses on the father in the car the audience sense that he is agitated through the number of quick shots shown. In these shots the father turns on the radio, then turns it off, he opens the window of the van then closes it. These physical movements show us Blakes' fathers'anxiety. He feels anxious as he has to let someone else help and look after his son where he is so used to taking care of him himself. The distracted behaviour also reveals his discomfort with the situation and he tries to think of things to do. The jump cuts also imply that he is waiting for sometime.
A medium long shot is used to show Blakes' point of view and the Call Girls point of view after the father leaves. The audience sense that she has become awkward through her hand gestures as she is fiddling with hands. She is also trying to say the right thing and stumbles and repairs what she says whilst doing so. Her body language is also awkward as it looks as though she does not know what to do with herself.
The Call Girl becomes more relaxed and begins to help Blake. For example, she passes him the glass of drink and helps him hold it, she also helps him to take off his top. This shows that because of his disability he needs constant help and care as he can not do a lot of things on his own. The shot where he is partially undressed reveals his lack of ability to do simple tasks. It illustrates that he must be treated as a child. Blake states "no one ever touches me like that", this line is very stereotypical as no one hardly touches or goes near disabled people as they tend to be frightened of them. His disability alienates him from common experiences like being touched intimately by women.The Call Girl then apologises when she has to move Blake on the bed. This shows that he has to be handled gently. It also communicates that she is treating him like a kid.
The non diegetic music starts towards the end of the scene when the Call Girl begins to get intimate with Blake. The atmosphere and mood changes as it becomes more sexual and seductive, especially when she sits on top of him. Their body language here is a lot closer than at the beginning.
In conclusion a number of techniques were used to represent disability in the film. The main feature being mise en scene as it clearly showed the main character in a wheelchair and him having to rely on other people. The other main feature was the use of camera as the tilted shot at the beginning and the shot of the stairs shows the characters lack of independence and the adjustments other people have to make when addressing disabled people.
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