How does the first five minutes create a representation of regional identity?


1. The only way is up

The extract creates a negative representation of people from the North of the U.K, for example a wide angle- long shot of a man scrubbing the libelous graffiti of a building; this is used at the start of the clip. The use of the long angle wide shot could connote on how large the problem was and that people from this region are quite willing to air there dirty laundry in public, which is why the shot is used to expand the problem.
The use of graffiti connotes the working class society, to have graffiti on a building might suggest on how there is little money, resulting on people living on a council estate that could be full of riotous teenagers who are board and want to cause a disturbance.

The background soundtrack is up beat, jazzy, but an outdated pop song that could connote the age of the community, which in this case is an old generation that are stuck in there ways that don’t seem willing to pay for new music where they can listen to the local radio for free. This creates a negative representation that people are stingy and careful with the little money they have left.

This maintains the negative stereotype of northern people who aren’t willing to cover up their problems, possibly doesn’t have a job and they are not ready to spend money on their area to make it better.


2. God loves you

The extract of the disabled man going into the pub that has small banners of “Church” and balloons to show people that they are interested in religion and promote the church, but the disabled man wants them down. This has a negative representation of the older generation who seems stubborn, controlling and only care for there own opinions and their values. The usage of a mid shot allows us to only focus on the two people that are semi- arguing about the situations, but we can also see the pub at the back that seems like a clean, and well kept. This suggests that a few people in the community take care of there own and want to express different views on the world.
The use of the banner that says, “CH_ _CH what’s missing? U R” shows on how people are trying to get others to notice there is something different to interest you, but it’s a small banner and not in your face, so it shows that they only have little interest in the subject, but they’re still showing effort.

This clip has a use of dialogue when one lady is trying to convince the man, Brian to allow the banners and then in helium voice to try and cheer him up she says, “God loves you”, but then Brain negatively replies, “Does he? Funny way of showing it”, this extends the idea of the older generation being closed ad stubborn minded.

This maintains the negative stereotype of the older generation who aren’t willing to move on and expand there minds to let something else take over, instead they want to stick to what they know and there own traditions.
3. Thirsty as a flower

The extract of Brian helping himself to a drink, but changes the glass for a flower vase so he can reach shows us a negative impression that some people from the North are carefree, don’t care about the consequences (not washing to vase before drinking out of it) and will do anything to get a simple drink. To have the man drinking in the day makes the negative representation stronger of Northern people being carefree and riotous. The usage of a mid shot to show Brain un hygienically helping himself and to show the lady organizing her flowers whilst talking, this shot connotes indication for the audience to draw there attention directly to Brain who is trying to get a drink and to create an effect of blurring the lady at the front out of the shot.

This clip again has dialogue, this time the lady is telling Brain everything that is happening (their schedule), but Brain replies in short sentences, therefore showing how he couldn’t care less just as long as he gets the drink. 

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