Shameless Season One Episode 1

Representation of class
 
In this extract from shameless, the technical features combine to construct a representation of the lower class that reinforces the stereotypes.  

In this extract camerawork is very important to follow the stereotypes of the lower class as it emphasizes their lack of money and education.  At the start of the extract we see a low angle on frank this is done too show he has the power in the house, however later on this authority is taken away from him when they go outside. The clip uses  quick, 1 second shots of the estate, including barbed wire, graffiti, and  caravans which are all associated with the lower class due to their lack of values and bad upbringing. By including shots, such as these, it creates an instant impression of ‘lower class’, which is what the TV program is about. Zoom cuts are also used in this scene as a way of showing the change in facial expressions. A lot of the time in this scene the camera angle is eye level this is very neutral and makes the audience more involved with the class. However sometimes in the extract they use a high angle which allows the viewers to look down on the lower class reinforcing their typical views. To further portray this sense of realism, the birds eye view once the family are out of the house gives the feeling of a CCTV camera spying on the family. This implies their is a higher authority looking down on them ( the audience), Making them inferior and weak which follows stereotypes.
 
The use of Mise-en-scene is very important in this extract. The setting in particular lets the viewers make expectations of the lower class. They characters live in an unclean and untidy flat which creates a parallel between it and the characters who are also unwashed and messy. The setting immediately puts across the impression that the family doesn't have a lot of money and could be possibly living off benefits. The clothing of the kids in this scene are tracksuits or ripped and dirty clothing these all connate the under class representation showing their lack of money and living on the poverty line.  although they live on the poverty line they come across as greedy and as scroungers this is shown by all the empty alcohol bottles left on the table and the food that the children and eating. Near the end of the extract a man comes to see Frank about selling his caravan he is dressed in an all black suit this could connate seriousness and that he is of a higher class than the others. This is done to create a stark juxtaposition between frank and the business man which further emphasizes that he is of a lower class. The props in Shameless are very basic, and would be cheap to buy. This is so that the audience can relate to the characters more, because the objects on Shameless are not out of reach for an ordinary viewer. The lower class often have only the bare essentials because they are unemployed and uneducated. This represents the stereotypical lower or under class family, the basic and untidy house implies that the family  are barely scraping by and are having to live off the bare minimum they can afford. The use of alchohol in this scene falls under the sterotype of the under class as they are often alcoholics or drug addicts to fix their troubled and messed up lifestyle. Another way the sterotypes of the lower classes is reinforced is due to the size of the family and the single parent this suggests the mother has either left or their has been a conflict which is associated a lot with this class. we also see the eldest daughter feeding a baby which could imply a teenage pregnancy also associated typically with the under class due to their loose morals.

Sound helps to reinforce the under class sterotypes in this extract. This is highlighted when the daughter says ''You had 6 E's last night' this diegetic sound is a slang term for the drug Ecstasy. The fact that the children talk about the drugs so easily shows the bad upbringing they've had surrounded by drink and alchohol. The father in the scene seems to increase his volume in his voice to assert his authority over the children. He tries to use a wide range of vocabulary to try and make him self feel more intelligent however he uses some of the words in the wrong context which just further emphasizes his lack of education. In this short extract their is a lot of shouting and swearing this is typically associated with the under class and the children have no manners or values. However there is a countertype in this extract as the family seem to want to be together and help each other face their problems as when the young boy says "we mean you" this makes the viewer think he aspires to have a normal family. This shows that the family relies on each other which wouldn't usually be associated with the under class.

there are a series of jump cuts in this extract when the father is repeating the word "greed" this puts emphasis on the greed of the under class who live on benefits and of the children who are asking the father for more and more things. Jump cuts make the scene look like its a mistake which gives the extract a weird and slightly crazy effect which implies the father may have mental issues himself which can be associated with the under class due to their drug use.

in conclusion although there are some countertypes in this extract it mainly falls under what is typically associated with the under class. All of technical features reinforce the stereotypes of the under class and shows the viewer the perception we have of that particular class.