Shameless Clip Analysis:
At the start of the clip we are introduced to a
stereotypical lower class family from Manchester. The audience can instantly
tell from the beginning that the family are working class due to the Mise-en-scene, there are
5 siblings surrounding a crampt dining table and one presumably teenage sibling
has a baby (who is in a full baby tracksuit). The siblings are arguing with
their father, there is no mother in the clip whatsoever suggesting that this is
a single parent family, giving the audience the idea that this family are
welfare dependant and living in a council house which is also stereotypically
working class. The dining table is incredibly messy and surrounded by bottles
of empty alcohol which is something that would be frowned upon by higher class
families, especially considering that there is a baby living here as well as a
young brother who appears to be no older than 10 – some audiences may argue
that this is not a suitable living place for young children, also the walls half
peeled wallpaper and the house itself is is generally dirty. When the father
first appears in the scene he has dirty looking long hair and is unshaven, his
clothes are filthy and look as though they haven’t been washed in a while, his
body language suggests that he may be drunk he doesn’t seem to be steady on his
feet and is almost swaying when arguing with his children, also his eyes seem
to be heavy with his mouth slightly open at some points – this suggests that he
is a ‘lay-about’, welfare dependant and a drunk which are all negative
connotations linked with the working class.
The audience are made aware that this family are from the
very start that the family are from Manchester due to the sound of their accents, for instance the pronunciation of words
like ‘them’ are ‘em’, which also furthers the working class stereotype of using
slang words, families of a higher class would not do this and would talk with
received pronunciation, however the father is aware of this – he knows he is
not from an upper class family and has no problem mocking the upper class by
making a comment when arguing with his daughter about the ‘stables’ – something
stereotypically higher class, owning horses and going riding. The fact that the
family use slang often could also be a stereotype of the lower class being
uneducated and therefore unable to speak ‘properly’, suggesting that their
social disadvantaged has caused them to communicate in the only way they know
how; with lots of slang and swearing quite frequently (in front of a baby and a
child). Before the father comes into the scene and begins arguing with his
children, calm zen music plays before it all ‘kicks off’ almost showing the
‘calm before the storm’ in a sense, suggesting that the stereotypical ‘Jeremy
Kyle’ working class family with problems is not always true and they do get
along and are happy as a family at times. However, when they are arguing the
father begins the shout out ‘GREED’ and ‘ME’ continuously whilst pulling faces
and moving his arms about at a fast pace, this could be described as
animalistic behaviour suggesting further he doesn’t know or understand how to
act in an argument or is able to handle one, his lower class upbringing and
lack of education has caused him to flip out with animalistic behaviour, when
the argument is resolved with the youngest brother saying “we need you” the zen
music plays once again.
The editing
of this clip also helps to show the families class, for instance when they are
arguing and the father is shouting ‘GREED’ and ‘ME’, the camera shows quick
shots between each word and action, some shots are close up and some are medium
pan shots helping to show how quickly he is getting angry and some of these
shots are at a slanted angle whilst the camera is almost shaking slightly –
helping to show the emotions of the father raising. Generally, throughout the
whole clip of them arguing the shots are quick from one character to another
showing the fast pace of the shots being fired in the argument. However,
whenever the scene changes as does the music e.g before and after the argument Zen
music, and when the family talk outside the music is upbeat showing all is
forgotten in their argument prior. Class is also shown in the editing because
the colours and effects used are extremely dull and lack any brightness giving
off a gritty and almost realistic effect to the clip, the grittiness of this
dull colouring furthers the fact that it is set on a ‘gritty’ or ‘dirty’
council estate.
Within the different camera
shots used class is represented, for instance the almost unprofessional use of
the ‘hand-held’ effect with shaking and distorted camera angles whilst the
family are arguing help to show the anger and emotion building within the scene
whilst creating tension, but also help to show that as the family are working
class the camera shots do not necessarily need to be professional or perfect
and the gritty, realistic effect of this helps to further their class. However,
many different shots are used within the clip, when arguing the camera often
shows quick paced close up shots of each family members faces to help show
their expressions, and when the how family are conversing the camera often fly’s
to a pan shot to get all of the members in.
