My initial thoughts:
During the Eastenders clip, there is a representation of age. This is through Patrick shown as the older man of the table, the teenage girl known as Chelsea and the adult Denise. During this clip, Patrick is shown to not be in a stereotypical view of old people as being 'frail, always grumpy, rather be alone.' instead he is shown to be a story teller about his past of being a first immigrant and how it was to be nearly the only black person in the country, this conversations leads onto the 'teddy boys'. Another opinion that can be taken from Patricks actions is the fact that he is very 'upbeat' and a 'partying' person. This is revealed when he speaks of the 'blues clubs'. This is where there would be 'partying and music and dancing, down in a basement somewhere in the town'. With his cheerfulness shown when he speaks of this, this clip represents the age in another view in the media unlike other stereotypical ways. Later during the clip, he is also shown to complete an 'hand action' when he's over joyed. This represents that his teenage attitude still continues but just in a more mature way. Moving on from this, the younger teenager is shown in a different light. This teenage girl called Chelsea unlike Patrick IS shown in a stereotypical way, as she is represented to show that young people are more concerned about their weight than anything else. This is revealed when the topic of 'fat tuesday' is presented. When it comes around to her opinion of this eventful day, she responds with the comment 'Or fattening tuesday'. This comment alone reveals that the young teenager has a negative thought upon such a 'cheery' and 'specific event' in which the family would get involved with because she does not want to gain weight. All teenagers are seen through out the media to want to keep a thin figure and stay skinny. This leads onto the view of Adults as the mother replied. The mother Denise in this clip is shown in a stereotypical view of always being 'concerned.' The point when she is shown to be a 'concerning adult' is when she responds to her daughters comment with the response 'For once, give ya' self a break will ya'.' this shows that unlike teenagers, she is not bothered with having to be a 'specific weight' to be 'perfect' and that she is more concerned with keeping her daughter healthy. Another main point which her age is represented through is when the mother does not know anything in personality or thinking ways as her daughter does. This is shown when she responds to Chelsea asking her question about Patricks roots with 'Ah, Chelsea's taking an interest in something. How much have you had to drink Chels?'. This reveals that with the age differences, the adults expect each other to only be the ones interested in family hierarchy, instead of the younger teenagers including their own sons and daughters asking questions and actually showing interest.
Camera shots:
During the first shot, an arc shot was used. This represented age in the circumstance that even though there was no age restriction as everyone at the table was from mixed age groups, the camera was able to move while keeping the focus on Patrick through out the few minutes of his 'story telling'. This camera shot was able to reveal that through out the story telling, the older person had a higher 'authority' and enjoyed being the 'centre of attention' while telling a story like the stereotypical old person would do, in the media. This shot was then lead into an action shot to reveal that there was not separation of age groups as they were all 'mingled' in together.
Another shot used which represented age was the medium close up shot. This was used when the comment 'Or fattening tuesday' was said. By using the medium close up shot for when this was spoken, the audience was able to get a closer view on her own appearance to link in with why her comment about the fat tuesday was mentioned. This shot gave the audience the appearance of a stereotypical teenager as well with the make up she wore, the jewellery that was being worn e.g. her earrings and the fact that she had a slender face and neck, resembling that she was indeed already skinny. This shot can was then be able to be moved in a quick shot reverse shot between her, her sister and mum. This is when the differences in the age representation is shown.
With the shot reverse shot between the three females about this one comment. An action shot was briefly used to reveal her mother's reaction which can show the differences between how their minds work differently with the age categories. With this action shot, Denise the mother was shown to keep a more stern and upright figure as her face seemed to frown with her response, this camera shot was able to show the image of concern of an adult when they reacted towards the daughters comment, it also revealed that the 'adult women' seemed to be more concerned than the 'adult man' in this concern.
Another action shot was briefly used after to once again represent the age differences. This action shot was able to display the shock on the faces of the adults but also the youngest girl, when Chelsea the teenager decided to ask Patrick about his life. By using the action shot, the audience was able to interpret that the family was not used to a 'teenage girl' being interested in something family wise unlike the other 'teenagers' shown in media clips of not wanting any relation with the family. This shot was used for the purpose of capturing the important confusion and emotions of the mother and younger sister as they both seem to show shock as their minds from different age categories do not understand Chelsea's.
The last shot which really stood out against most of them, would be the medium shot of Patrick as he completed his 'hand action'. By using this shot, the audience were able to view that Patrick was not a stereotypical 'fragile' old man, but that he was a lively man that didn't let his age in body get in the way of his liveliness. The topic in discussion before he done this lively hand action was about girls, this also shows that he was happy to admit how cheeky he was with girls then but how he still is. This shows that not all old people are the same in stereotypical ways. This camera shot was able to capture how
Patrick defines 'liveliness' and 'happiness' that old people are not shown in, throughout the media.
Editing:
During this Eastenders clip, the editing was used to snippet each clip down shorter. This was also used to base Patrick in most of the clips, to either reveal his reactions or comments among the conversations that the whole family are having. Age is represented through editing because they reveal him as being the centre of attention. This shows a stereotypical view on old people through out the media because they are always the more emotional people who like the attention. This editing also goes against that stereotypical view because instead of creating the close up shots on his face when he is being serious, they are always linked into his emotions when he is extremely happy and shows a 'younger persons' actions.
Sound:
During the whole of this clip, a synchronous sound is played. This is the classical music played faintly in the background. By using a synchronous sound of classical music, Patricks house represents the age with the selected musical choice. The classical music shows the stereotypical view of that old people enjoy the quieter more calm sound of instruments playing than something quick and upbeat. The voices of the characters are all asynchronous sounds. During this clip the older person Patrick, has a stereotypical old croaky voice for an 'old man' which can be related to a lot of smoking or drinking. The youngest girl had a very shy and innocent voice unlike the teenage girl who has a very 'snobby' and 'sarcastic' voice as she moans about the 'fattening tuesday'. The adults voices are also shown to sound 'concerned' and 'deeper' compared to the two younger girls.
Mise-en-scène:
Through the clip, the mise-en-scène of the background reveals that it is Patrick's house. This is because the house is shown to have the old 1958's wallpaper but also furniture. Age is represented through this because it reveals that old people like Patrick, rather keep their own houses in the fashion they had when they was younger instead of the more modern look that teenagers would go for. The other way age is represented is through the clothes that they wear.
Patrick: (Old Person)
Patrick is shown to be wearing a buttoned up shirt which is open at the top but also a waistcoat. He's kept his clothing too more neutral colours. The media have shown old people to always wear old dated textured clothing which are still formal but worn as every-day clothing. Even in this clip, Patrick is shown to be wearing that style.
Denise and Lucas: (Adults)
Denise and Lucas are been shown to wear less revealing clothes that are mostly black or grey. They are shown to be tidy and wearing less 'in your face' clothing but have a more basic style. In all media clips, including this clip, adults are shown to wear less revealing clothes but also dress smartly. This age representation is shown through how 'mature' their clothes are.
Chelsea: (Teenager)
Chelsea in this clip is shown to be wearing a blue, bright coloured top. She is also shown to wear jewellery which is her earrings but also make-up. Teenagers in the media, like this clip are always shown to be wearing bright colours but also makeup. Their clothes are usually shown to be more revealing and more patterned than what adults would wear. This age representation is shown through how more effort the teenage girl has put in to get a 'perfect' outfit and makeup.
Libby:
Libby is the youngest character on the table. Through the clip, the youngest girl is shown to be wearing a covered up grey jumper, her hair tied up and glasses. The age represented in this clip is that she is very young. This is because she seems to not be very worried about her own clothing or the way she looks like a teenager was, but she does not dress in an extremely smart way like the adults too.
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