HOTEL BABYLON SERIES 1 EPISODE 5

Media G322 Exam Practice

Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs the representation of ethnicity using the following: 

• Camera shots, angles, movement and composition 
• Editing
• Sound 
• Mise en scène

over the shoulder shot 

shot reverse shot 

fast editing with action slow towards the end when the employee is captured 

tension is built up through sound

MES: hotel upstairs rich in colour 

focus pull shot 

BODY LANGUAGE 

This extract constructs a sympathetic representation of illegal immigrants and a negative representation of the immigration officials. The extract begins with the downstairs of the hotel. This is where two police officers greet an employee with high authority. We then jump to the upstairs world of the hotel. By jump cutting from downstairs and upstairs we can contrast the difference between the sophisticated upstairs compared to the dull and gloomy underground. You could almost say that the upstairs is for the rich and the downstairs is for the poor. The sounds also contrast this as there is more of a buss upstairs with wealthy people interacting with people of the same upper class. However downstairs the sounds almost echo representing the dark and dull worlds of the immigrants. 

As the immigration officers enter the building the soundtrack instantly picks up which adds a sense of tension. In terms of camera angles there is an over the shoulder shot of the receptionist showing the officers enter the building. This is effective as it shows to the viewer the sense of suspense\ created. This then jump cuts to an extreme close up of the head officer as he confidently marches towards her. We gather that the head officer has a sense of authority as people move out the way of him showing his sense of purpose and power. You can link his large strides to the beat of music. 

Later on we witness a dialogue between a white and a black man. This shows a diversity in ethnicity. Showing they are of equal statues and also showing he is comfortable in his legal profession showing that he has nothing to worry about when witnessing the immigration officers busting into the hotel lobby. This was presented through a two shot camera angle. This then leads to sense of urgency which creates fast passed tracking and hand held shots. This then causes the tempo of the soundtrack to suddenly increase.