Friday, 28 October 2016

Doc Martin - Regional Identity


In the ITV series 'Doc Martin' it presents regional identity throughout the extract by the use of stereotypical binary opposition through the characters accents and dialogue. Those who live in the village are deemed more calm, down to earth and lower class whereas people who live in the city (Doc Martin) are displayed as being posh, uptight and higher class.





There is a camera shot that is used in this clip which is an establishing shot. This is used at the start of the clip when the audience see Doc Martin walk into the room while the two plumbers are working on fixing the sink. By using this type of technique the audience are able to establish the characters social class and position in society due to the clothing and accents from the opposite people. Audience members are then able to understand the bigger picture, for example Doc Martin is portrayed as being a part of upper class due to his smart suit and his posh estuary English accent, whereas the plumbers are displayed as being part of the working class due to their low pay job and their Cornish accents which is normally associated with farm jobs. This clip also contains different close up shots that present the characters features from the shoulder onwards. By doing this the audience can see the positioning of the characters expressions which helps interpret what they may be feeling or thinking at this particular time of the scene. This camera shot is used when the main character, Doc Martin, is talking to the two plumbers who are dressed in old, worn down, raggedy all in one clothing, while they are interacting with one another the viewers are able to pick up certain traits about the characters which helps them understand the storyline by learning what their different expressions display.





Shot reverse shot is used frequently throughout this scene. This has been used when two characters are in a conversation especially at the start when the water starts exploding in the room and numerous problems start occurring at the same time causing Doc Martin to become angry and stressed. Fast paced editing has also been used at this certain point when all the clips start happening in a quick movement, by doing this it creates an hectic atmosphere and builds tension for the audience due to different things starting to appear all at once. The shot reverse shot is used to show the standard forms of having a polite conversation between two individuals which the viewers can easily interpret their own way and follow the storyline of the TV show. Cuts have been used throughout this clip in order to create a continuous scene, except from the fast paced editing at the start of the clip the other short shots are slightly slower paced to show there is no action happening and makes viewers focus more on the interaction happening between characters. This has occurred when Doc Martin is walking with the Susan Brading when she orders her normal prescription, due to the slow timing of the cuts it creates a calm and relaxed atmosphere that gives the audience no sense of anticipation meaning nothing shocking will happen in the near future. This enables that viewers become more comfortable as not a lot of things are happening.




At the part of this clip when Doc Martin is taking his dog to the police station to report him as a 'stray' non-diegetic sound has been used. The use of music in the background of the scene adds different effects so the audience can enjoy the TV show. When this clip appears it's straight after all the hectic business with the plumbers and the dog, by adding music to this part it creates a calm atmosphere which contrasts with the previous scene - this portrays a humorous effect making the viewers enjoy the comedic advantages to the series. Diegetic sound has also been included through the use of dialogue between characters that happens frequently throughout the clip. Dialogue enables the audience to witness the characters regional identity by listening to their accents which many portray particular slang, this will then highlight the setting so that the audience can understand more about the characters involved. This type of sound has been used when people are having a conversation so that they can interact and understand one another. For example, when Doc Martin starts contacting with his customers by talking with Susan Brading he is able to know what her intentions are due to them communicating with each other. Using dialogue also makes it easier for the audience to follow the story and keep up with the different characters.




To represent different social classes and personal life the characters are dressed up in different attires. Doc Martin is wearing a navy suit that portrays him as being part of the upper class due to his smart looks compared with the plumber workers old rag uniform that makes them look like a part of the working class. Their accents also contrast against each other to show the characters different background e.g. Doc Martin uses estuary English which is stereotypically associated with wealthy people making the viewers assume he comes from good education and an upper class childhood. The workers in the same building have a Cornish accent which can be seen as being part of the working class due to the low pay job such as farming or plumbing. Ambient lighting has been used constantly in this scene due to the characters being outside for the majority of the clip. By using a bright light the audience are able to tell the difference between being outdoors and indoors, this way the viewers are able to understand the TV show even more. The bright lighting has been used when Doc Martin is walking through the village on his way to deliver the 'stray' dog to the police station.

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