TV DRAMA: EXTRAS Ricky Gervais

 Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representations of gender using the following:

  • Camera shots, angles, movement and composition

  • Editing

  • Sound 

  • Mise-en-scene [50 marks]

The extract can be divided into three principle sets and the gender relationship is represented through Mise-en-scene, editing, sound and camera shots. 

The first scene is set in a courtroom with a very formal and serious atmosphere in high- key lighting. Many people is sitting in the courtroom, including the jury, the judge and two layers, suggesting different social statuses. The first characters, Orlando Bloom and his wife are then introduced in the court case. It started with Orlando Bloom, wearing a formal lawyer's wig and outfit, standing up, speaking confidently and slowly. Then his wife is introduced, also wearing the same wig and outfit, she  started with objecting what Orlando Bloom said and stating her own opinion also standing up, speaking with confidence. Two of them have very different opinions because of their failed marriage  or relationship. The two genders are positioned equally because of their identical clothing, same level positioning, camerawork and both having their right to express their ideas in front of the judge and the jury, suggesting that they are equally important and of equal status. However, as the court case progresses, their personal issues are starting to invade the whole scene and there is a big twist when the judge said " i order you to kiss and make up". The serious atmosphere where the two lawyer are fighting with each other with their own views and opinions has totally turned into a romantic comedy where personal drama are shown to the audience. The music ( sound) also illustrates the change from court case to an unrealistic drama. It started as mysterious at first when Orlando Bloom was speaking suggesting a very serious occasion and situation , but then when the two sexes argued about their failed relationship, it started to become more and fast-paced however, less serious, showing a tint of humor as their personal issues starting to invade the scene. At last when the judge ordered them to kiss, the music has totally changed. More musical interments are involved in the music and it is played in a romantic way suggesting that it is an unrealistic romantic comedy. Different camera angles are used in order to help representing the two gender relationship in the extract. It started with a relatively wide angle shot capturing everyone that is involved in the court case. Then a more close up camera is used to put emphasis and focus on the two lawyer of opposite sexes when the two of them are arguing. A same level of camera is used when shooting both of them, suggesting equal importance and status. Different editing techniques are also used in the first set. The editing is relatively tense when the two of them are arguing, both stating their opinion confidently. But they are both equally edited, no one is dominating in the set. Suggesting their equal status again.

The first scene ends perfectly when Orlando Bloom and his wife hugged each other, kissed, and that her leg bounced up. Everyone in the courtroom is clapping their hands, even some weeping with joy and the music gradually becomes louder and happier suggesting a perfect romantic ending of the scene.

The second set starts with the pull back of camera to show that the first set was just a film set from a romantic comedy. The lighting also changes from a really warm high-key color to daylight, showing a big transition and bring the audience back to 'reality'. However, the gender relationship being shown is different from the first set. In Mise-en-scene, it started with showing a chair with Orlando Bloom's name on it. SHowing that he is such a popular an important actor because only directors and big stars have their own chairs. So a higher status of male is being shown in this part. Then the next character, Karen is introduced to the audience. She also appears in the first set as the jury. She clearly stands out from the rest of the jury because while everyone is sitting quietly listening to what Orlando Bloom is saying, she looks up and down examining the building and the setting of the courtroom, looking quite amazed. A more closed-up shoot is used on her in the second set. She is sitting on the jury alone, resting her head on her arm, looking gloomy. Her body language shows that she is not confident about herself and because she is positioned like that, she is hardly dominating the scene, suggesting that she is not a really important person and of a lower status. Then Orlando Bloom appear in this set again, wearing a white shirt and a pair of nice jeans. A bunch of girls then come up to him and ask for autographs. A close up camera is then used on Karen, showing her facial expression which is unimpressed and even rolls her eyes at Orlando and the group of girls. Then a wider angle is used on showing a group of girls surrounding him but he doest look excited or interested at all, which is almost like something that happen all the time and he doest really care. A degrade of female status is shown in this part when Orlando Bloom act as a popular star and the group of girls as his fans surrounding looking almost like tiny comparing to Orlando and of a lower social status. Then Orlando approaches Karen and putting his arm on the table that Karen is resting his head at and leaning over. Orlando is higher up than Karen and looking down at her, his blocking is also dominating more space than Karen, constructing a different gender relationship. Then their conversation starts, revealing that Karen is unimpressed by the fame of Orlando Bloom. She is the only female in this set that is not interested in Orlando Bloom and not appreciating his popularity, which creates a contrast between the stereotype of female being amazed by popular male star. Their conversation continues as Orlando Bloom being very arrogant and saying that he enjoys the fame. Karen thinks that he would not be so famous if he is not a movie star, but Orlando showing his disbelief that he thinks he would never be omitted with his face. A lot of close- up shots are used in this part, first to show how unimpressed Karen is, and that she is not interested and excited about such a famous star. Then, is to show Orlando being arrogant and confident about himself. As their conversation continues, Orlando tells Karen about Johnny Deep being ignored, again he is very arrogant and feeling good about himself. However, Karen totally ignores him, with no interest in what he is telling her. Suggesting she is a bit childish and a very relax person who doesn't care about anything and a lower status and position for female than on male. Many close up shots have been used in this set, focusing on different characters' expression and their body language. The editing is different from the previous set because there is always pause between Orlando and Karen's conversation, they are not edited as tight as the court scene, so there is less tension and suggesting that Orlando is almost like waiting for Karen to praise him. As their conversation stops, Karen receives a call from Ricky, a director of a sitcom. In their conversation it is shown that Rick as a man is not as successful as Orlando and he doesn't have as much confidence as Orlando. So there is a difference between the genre relationship between Orlando-Karen and Ricky-Karen while Ricky and Karen seems to have a more equal position.

The third set is at BBC just before Ricky starts filming his sitcom. There are a few people shown in this scene, however all male, so there is no gender relationship to comment. However, the male status and position being presented in this set is rather low. Firstly because Ricky is presented as a unsuccessful man. He is a sitcom director but his actors are not turning up and Karen is not at the set while she should. Mid shots are being used in this set to show his facial expression which is quite sad, lost and not excited at all. Also, he is wearing really casual clothes comparing to male being represented in the previous sets. Suggesting that his status and position is quite low, almost similar to Karen's.
The set is seen in terms of comedy because the director is shown as an unsuccessful man and he seems very upset. His agent is supposed to be supporting him but he doesn't seem supportive at all. There is also a contrast between the first romantic comedy film set and the sitcom set since the romantic comedy set seems way more professional and successful with many famous actor, richer sound effects and lightings on set but the actors in the sitcom aren't even showing up.

This is how gender relationships are being constructed in the three sets.