Wednesday 17 November 2010

Monarch of the Glen: discuss how age is represented in this clip

After watching a clip of Monarch in the Glen in the lesson, it is clear that age is represented in many ways throughout the programme via camera angles, editing, sound and mis en scene. Throughout the clip, the camera looks down on the character Amy as she is lying about her age and make her seem like a minority because she is only sixteen. This gives the elder people in the clip authority and so they can tell her off of give her instructions. During arguments in the clip, the camera shots allow the audience to identify with Amy's emotions and age by using over the shoulder and eyeline shots. When the car crashed, Amy hides behind someone, showing that she is of a younger age, and there are many shot reverse shots during the argument that established the ages differences between, Amy, her headmaster and the family she has been living with. A master shot establishes Amy in her room and people working outside, these two scenarios contrast each other as she is a young teenager in her bedroom, and they are older men, working in the field. As Amy enters her room, before she runs away, the music changes from cheery country music (accompanying the men working in the field) to slow, sad music, which changes the mood and tone of the scene. The  head teacher addresses Amy by her full name, this gives him authority over her, in addition, he has a strict, posh accent, highlighting the difference in their age and also the difference in the ages of him and the middle aged man she has been staying with.
She is wearing jeans and a t shirt/sweatshirt that are brightly coloured and feminine, her teacher is wearing a tweed suit and the men surrounding her are dressed the same, typical rural setting clothes, these connote masculinity and hard work and sets her apart form them. Amy is proved to be uneducated as she hasn't taken any of her exams and she has not passed her driving test, this makes her seem less qualified and less mature. The things in her room back this idea up, as she has a bear, photos and magazines, these connote innocence and youth. Amy's behaviour makes her seem immature as she states "I hate you", which is expected of teenagers, and highlights the age difference between her and the men surrounding her. Not all the men are clean shaven, they have grey hair and beards, this juxtaposes Amy as she is wearing make up and has a flower in her hair (connotating blossoming and growth). The setting of the clip is in the rural, Scottish highlands, the archaic buildings could be said to attract an older generation. The car she drives is a 4 by 4, which is a powerful machine that she lost control of, it could be said that this makes her seem weak, in addition, the car is navy which is a masculine colour. The head teacher drinks brandy, which is said to be a very sophisticated drink. In addition it highlights the fact that you have to be a certain age to drink alcohol, making him seem older. The head teacher also talks down to the middle aged man, giving him a position of authority as he is older and establishes a hierarchy or age (head teacher being 50-60, the man being in his 30s and Amy being 16). Amy is very out of place, this makes her seem weak and vulnerable. Also one of the only females there, and so she has no other female counter parts, the only other female there being an elderly woman. There is however, a boy of a similar age to her, who appears to be the only person she can open up to, showing that there are limited people in the area that are of her age and makes her seem more out of place and uncomfortable.

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