What is the representation of gender?
The representation of gender is how someone is presented within the media. There are two types of gender representations that can be found in society. These are masculine (strong, tough, powerful) and feminine (sensitive, caring, needy).
Camera shots:
The first camera shot that illustrates the representation of gender is a medium shot. This shot shows the woman being in front of the man as they're walking and pointing her finger at him. This shows that the woman is the main person out of the both of them due to the fact she is taking charge of the situation. The pointing of the finger can also indicate that she has more authority/power over him because she can point at him without being told off. This gesture can be seen as masculine because she is being the bigger one out of the two.
Another shot that represents gender is when the man is walking away and the camera focuses on the woman. This shot illustrates the fact that the woman needs to man in order for the investigation to go smoothly. Her facial expression shows that she is confused as to why he is going and therefore says 'please' to get him to come back. The way she reacts to him walking away indicates that she is needy and needs to man to help her out in order for it to be solved successfully.
A shot is taken of the woman as she is trying to call for a babysitter. This behaviour which she portrays indicates that she is trying to be organised and that she is typically trying to do everything at once which is common of a woman due to the fact that they are able to multitask. She is rushing about and causing chaos trying to get things sorted out, which is feminine because she is trying to have someone look after her child and ensure that he's safe and cared for while she's at her meeting.
A shot is taken of the man as he goes through the door to talk to the men who're in the house. The way he goes through the door indicates that he is masculine due to the fact he bangs the door open. The impression he gives to the audience makes them think that he is tough and aggressive which is a common thing for someone who has masculine traits. His action as he opens the door makes him seem like he is angry towards the men in the house.
editing
Throughout the media clip, the transition between the is a straightforward cut. This has been used to make the media clip appear more serious because of the situation found within it. The short cuts allow for the audience to see the seriousness within the investigation that is shown in the media piece.
At one point when the man and woman are talking to each other outside the house, an eyeline match can be seen. This can demonstrate gender because the man is higher up and therefore the woman has to look up to him. This could potentially be seen as authority because the woman is looking up at the man because he is the more powerful out of the two of them.
sound
When the woman is on the phone and getting her handbag, a ruffling noise is made as she puts it on the table. This noise has been used to allow for the audience to see that she is trying to organise her things. She is typically rushed off her feet and therefore is multitasking and doing more than two things at once. The use of this sound allows for the audience to feel relatable to her if they have ever been in a rushed mood and having too also look after the children. The people who would relate to this would typically be female due to the fact they're the main caregivers.
As the man goes through the door to go towards the men who're living in the house, he enters through a door. When he opens the door with force, a big bang is heard. This indicates that the man has pushed open the door with such a force that it has made a loud noise. This demonstrates how angry the man is and shows aggressive behaviour towards the people within the house and the aggression he is feeling as he enters.
As the man goes through the door aggressively, there is a noise that is made when the man grabs the other man's head and shoves it through the wall, making a hole in the wall. This has been used to illustrate that the man who put the man's head through the wall is tough and not afraid of anyone, even if they're the same sex as him. It has been used to demonstrate that the man is powerful and acts scary towards the men in the house in order to scare them/intimidate them.
mise-en-scene
When the man and woman come out of the house at the beginning and then the man walks off, in the background are two police officers. The police officers are both wearing the same exact outfits. This shows that although one of them is male and the other is female, they both have the same authority and power towards the public. This demonstrates that within the workforce, gender is not discriminated against and that both genders can be at the same working level without problems.
When the woman is walking down the stairs, the boy is seen to playing at the bottom of the staircase with his toys which are positioned everywhere. The woman is seen to be telling the boy to pick up all his toys before she falls over them. This allows for the audience to understand that this boy who is playing with his toys is the son of the woman. This therefore means that she's his main caregiver as the dad is not shown within the media. She is being caring and looking after her family.
