Class practice essay question

In the extract of 'Shameless' I will discuss how different class theories are supported or disrupted through the use of media language.

The opening scene shows one of the main characters walking down the street. His confident walk connotes strength and power, and the low camera angle used also supports this. The next shot shows the boy knocking on someone's door, and the camera tilts up to show his keen facial expression. As the door slowly opens the boy smooth's down some of his hair, which shows that he may be nervous.
An over the shoulder shot is used to show the female character(who opens the door) looking anxious when she sees the boy, which could support Medhurst's theory because the boy is being presented as 'awful because they are not like us'. This is also supported when the boy is ordered to take his shoes off. A high camera angle is used to connote superiority to the audience, because they are looking down on him. Continuity editing is used throughout to show the audience that the narrative is progressing. The scene could almost be seen as a long take because the camera follows the boys actions for a long period of time. This has been done to show how the narrative and the boys actions are progressing to move forward. The fact that the female character demands that his shoes be placed into a bag also supports Medhurst's theory.

The next shot shows a Shot/reverse shot of two characters having a conversation. The girls speech suggests that she is in a lower social class than the boy, but you can infer from her house that she is in a higher social class. When the girl goes under the table the camera movement is very shaky, which suggests that the boy is nervous and unsure, which juxtaposes with the girls confidence. This could support Halls youth theory because a young audience categorised in the  C1-E social classes will want to see rebellious teenagers like themselves so they are able to relate to them. The next shot shows the girls mother smiling to herself, oblivious to what is going on. This would support Butsch's theory if she was a working class male and not a working class female, because she could be seen as 'well intentioned but dumb'.

Match cut editing is used in the next shot to show the audience that the narrative has progressed but the boy is now in a different location. The camera movement is unsteady to follow the hurried actions of both of the characters in the room. His bedroom is shown to be messy, which fits in with the stereotype of teenage boys being lazy and untidy. It also shows evidence that he is in a low social class because of the state and size of his room. If the boy was in the upper class of society, he would most likely to be living in a huge mansion like house, and would probably have a servant or maid to tidy his bedroom for him. Also, he has a lot of posters and pin ups that look like they have been pull-outs from magazines. This supports Halls youth theory because the boy belongs in the C1-E social class range, so he may be buying magazines that feature rebellious teenagers like himself. An eye line match shot is used to show him looking at a rude magazine that features naked gay men, which supports Medhurst's theory of homosexuals being 'awful because they are not like us'. His facial expression shows confusion and discomfort, and also panic when his brother enters the room. The fact that he shares a room with his brother also suggests that they are in a lower class, because their house is too small for every child to have their own bedroom. This shows support for Butsch's theory because it is suggesting that their father 'fails in his role as a father and a husband'.

The next shot shows a female wildly dancing in a nightclub, which suggests that she is in a higher social class than the brothers because she is able to pay for transport and admission to the club. Also, she is wearing a red, expensive dress. This could show support for Gandal's theory because her dress contrasts with the ordinary clothes worn by the boys shown previously, as their class is presented as a 'cultural other'. This could also show support for Medhursts theory because the boys are a stereotypical representation of the lower class, so they are 'awful because they are not like us'.