Cutting It – Representation of Gender: Camera Analysis

Cutting It – Representation of Gender: Camera Analysis

Through the representation of gender, the clip starts with an establishing shot of two characters in the back of a taxi, this indicated straight away that the clip has been taken from the middle of a TV episode due to the fact that we didn’t see the characters entering the taxi which means that we don’t know where they are going, this sets up the enigma of the clip. The audience get the understanding that the couple are in a close relationship as a mid shot, two shot with the woman leaning on the man’s shoulders is used, the audience is certified when he takes her hand and kisses it twice this highlights to the audience that they indeed are in a close relationship. However medium close up shots are used to highlight the seriousness of the conversation, this suggests to the audience that there is something wrong, which is yet to be told. Having said this mid close up of the woman putting her hand on his hand suggests that she has forgiven him, also this shot draws the audience’s attention to a ring on her hand, this emphasises that she may be married as it is a wedding ring.  She gazes out of the window as the man tries to talk about future plans together, he then asks where they are going and she doesn’t say, this leaves the audience wondering where they may be going as this could be somewhere quite significant.

In the next scene a wide shot of the street is used and as the taxi arrives in the foreground from right to left an ambulance crossing from left to right, this indicates to the audience where they may be, also it may also forecast something bad is going to happen and they’ll need an ambulance. A mid shot is used when the man asks the woman where they are. An over the shoulder shot of the woman telling the man that she is going to see a Consultant is used; this highlights the shot of where we saw the ambulance. Also this answers the enigma from the beginning when the man didn’t know where he was going. As they have a serious talk the shallow focus in the background draws more attention to the conversation as this indicates to the audience that something is going to happen, which could suggest it’s the last time they speak.

A high angle shot is used in the consultant’s office, this highlights that it’s something important which may be quite significant in the rest of the clip. The director cuts in between the consults office and outside where the man is waiting for the woman, close ups are used to highlight the relationship as the man stares at his wedding ring smiling. A POV shot highlights to the audience what the man is looking at, he is looking at the woman leaving the hospital. A mid shot and the camera movement tilting upwards as he rises from his seat, with a jump cut to his stunned face. The woman walks towards the edge of the road where she yells out ‘Guess what’, the director cuts straight back the man’s face as he just watched his wife being run over, a close up is used to highlight his feelings. Slow motion/long shot is then used as the man runs towards the woman where she is lying on the floor. A close up high angle shot is used when he puts his hand on her face and lies on the ground with her.