'Skins' - Editing Example: How is Age Represented?

Parallel editing is used to show that the boy and girl are related and have a strong relationship. We can see through the parallel editing that they lead very different teenage lives, showing binary opposite characters. She is coming home; rebelling against house rules and he has been in his own bed. This conforms to Levi Strauss' idea that all narratives have opposites. The two narrative threads come together as she reaches the window and the cutaways show that she relies on him to cover up for her. The parallel editing here then turns into continuity editing in real-time of when the girl is trying to get her brother's attention when she reaches the house, which suggests that this is a 'normal', everyday tendency in the teenagers' lives and that the sequence follows a linear narrative structure.

At the start of the sequence Todorov's theory is conformed as there is a disequilibrium, which is shown through how the protagonist is positioned between the male and female bodies on the quilt and is awake before the alarm actually rings. This suggests that he is unsettled, thus conforming teenage stereotypes of them having their own problematic issues to deal with. The target audience also can relate themselves to this.

Action editing is used to create a montage of the protagonist's work-out through the use of short takes and compressed time. The part where he is using the weights conforms stereotypes of teenagers as it suggests that the routine helps him to keep fit and he is conscious of his physical appearance in order to be able to attract the opposite sex. Also, the montage shows how his life is hectic and quick-paced which contributes to the idea that teenagers' lives are quite busy.  

An eye-line match is used when the protagonist is looking out the window at the woman in the opposite house who is undressed. This indicates that he is sexually charged and conforms teenage stereotypes as the eye-line match portrays how intensely he's watching the naked woman. 

Shot-reverse-shots are used in the conversation between the protagonist and his father with cuts of the protagonist's sister coming in the house, suggesting that there is a neccessity to get her inside without her father noticing. This conforms to teenage stereotypes as the shot-reverse-shots and cuts at this point highlight the characters' rebellious and mischievous side. After these shots, short action shots of the girl getting dressed into her school uniform are used to portray that she is rushing and that there is no time as she's only just got back to the house. The fact that she's getting changed into her school uniform suggests that she is still a young girl who isn't expected to go out all night, so teenage stereotypes are conformed as she is breaking the house rules and is meant to be innocent.

'Skins' - Sound Example: How is Age Represented?

The dialogue between the father and the son shows a reversal in audience expectations. We see the father shouting and swearing at the teenager, which is normally something we would expect to hear from the teenager. The father's aggressive reaction to the diegetic rock music plays to the stereotype that teenagers play loud music and are inconsiderate to older people. His reaction also plays to the stereotype that teenagers frustrate their parents.

Diegetic sound is also used of the digital alarm clock ringing at the start of the sequence. The audience notice that the protagonist is already awake before the alarm actually rings, which suggests that he is troubled and cannot sleep. This conforms stereotypes of teenagers as this age group does usually have their own troubles at this stage in their life.

Once the alarm clock rings, repetitive, non-diegetic sound is communicated to the audience as diegetic sound as the music fits in with the protagonist's routine because of the beat. Therefore, stereotypes of teenagers are challenged because teenagers are usually stereotyped as being unorganised and not having a particular routine.

The music then bridges over to the next scene of the protagonist's sister walking up the street where magnified sound is used as the audience hear the sound of her heels. This suggests that she is trying to be an adult by wearing heels and conforms stereotypes of teenagers as they are stereotyped as wanting to try to act older than their actal age.    

'Skins' - Camera Angles/Movements Example: How is Age Represented?

The idea that teenagers are curious about sex is reinforced through the over-the-shoulder shot used when he is looking at the older woman getting dressed through the window over the road. The shot is hand-held so that the audience can have the same experience as the teenage main character. The following close-up shot shows a lack of expression suggesting that this is routine and he has become disaffected by the image. This conforms to the stereotype that teenagers' lives are surrounded by sex and it plays a big part of their lives.

A track shot out of the driveway is used when the protagonist's sister is walking up the street. This type of shot may have been used to portray how other people in the neighbourhood see her and show that she is conscious of herself. Therefore, the shot draws attention to the fact that she has a secret to hide as her body language shows that she doesn't want to be seen and known for having gone out at night, so stereotypes of teenagers is conformed and her rebellious, mischievous side is brought out again at this point. 

In addition, a high angle shot of the protagonist's sister below looking up to the protogonist is used. This portrays that she is in a vulnerable position as she relies on her brother. The low angle shot of the protagonist suggests that he has power which conforms stereotypes of younger sisters usually relying on their older brothers for support. Another way in which this view is supported is through the use of the close-up shot of the 'OK' signal that the protagonist gives to his sister, showing that he is covering up for her. 

The close-up shot of the protagonist smirking and looking at the door suggests that he enjoys this regular routine of covering up for his sister as it frustrates his father. His father's frustration is portrayed through the use of the zoom as the more angrier he gets, the closer the camera zooms in. Teenage stereotypes are conformed here as the protagonist's mischievous side is shown too as teenagers are stereotyped as being misbehaved and causing unnecessary trouble.

'Skins' - Mise-En-Scene Example: How is Age Represented?

The mise-en-scene of the protagonist's bedroom challenges and conforms to stereotypical views about youth culture. The establishing shot suggests that the series targets a teenage audience and it will follow the life and experiences of a teenager. The duvet cover shown is of a double bed with a naked man and woman, suggesting that this age group is sexually charged. The protagonist is positioned in the middle of the two bodies suggesting that he is sexually inexperienced. It could also be suggesting that he is alone and confused about his sexuality, which conforms to teenage stereotypes. In this shot, natural lighting is used to give a sense of realism so the teenage audience identifies with the life of the protagonist.

A way in which the mise-en-scene challenges the stereotypical view of teenagers is through the protagonist's tidy and simple bedroom, as teenagers are usually stereotyped as being messy. An example that backs up the fact that stereotypes of teenagers is challenged is how the protagonist's draws are organised and neat, portraying that he likes a sense of order. This makes the audience's view of this age group change as they realise that he is different compared to other teenagers. 

However, teenagers' stereotypical view is conformed as the protagonist is contrasted with another character who is assumed to be his sister. She appears in the sequence not well-groomed as she's dressed in clothes from the night before and her make-up is smudged. In this way, a rebellious side of teenagers is shown as she sneaks in. Therefore, this character acts as a binary opposite against the protagonist.    

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Editing Terminology

Action Match - A piece of movement/action is continued between shots through cuts, portraying smooth action even though there are cuts in the shot.

Continuity Editing - Real-time movement in a narative is highlighted and a sense of realism is formed when a narrative is presented in chronological order with a linear structure.

Cross-cutting (parallel editing) - Where cuts are made between two different scenes taking place simultaneously in two different settings to depict a difference or similarity between them.

Cut - Moving from one shot to the next.

Cutaway - This type of shot isn't really required as it's a brief shot which cuts into a scene. An associated individual, action, or object is shown before cutting back to the initial shot. This isn't necessarily part of the main scene. 

Dissolve - The next shot begins to appear on top of the initial shot more and more once you can fully see the next shot. This is used mostly to connect two individuals or two scenes together, or to portray the continuity of time.

Ellipsis - Where narrative elements are either condensed or taken away to make the action faster.

Eyeline Match - While cutting from a person to what they see, their eyeline is maintained so that the audience empathise with the characters as they are put into the characters' position.

Fade - A white/black screen is left when an image slowly fades and disappears. If an image is faded to a black screen, it's suggested that an event has ended or time has moved on. A dream sequence is usually portrayed when an image is faded to a white screen. 

Graphic Match - Cuts are used from one shot to the next that visually look similar (perhaps related by similar colours, shapes, etc) to portray a strong relationship between two scenes.

Jump Cuts - A piece of action is left out when a cut transfers to an extremely similar section of the same scene. The audience become confused or a character is shown to be confused through the use of jump cuts.

Linear Narrative - A narrative which has a particular order, including a beginning, middle, and end. A direct, chronological depiction of events is provided which lead to a single resolution, making it straightforward for the audience to follow.

Long Take - A shot which is able to stay on the screen for a long period of time before it's cut to slow a scene's pace, so that it's more calmer.  

Montage - A sequence of shots which are edited at the same time to portray that time is moving on and an event is taking place during that time.

Short Take - An image stays on screen for a short period before cutting to something else so that the action is faster, creating an exciting and dramatic effect.

Shot Reverse Shot - A cut is made between two individuals who are talking (instead of including the two of them in one still mid shot). This helps to create a distinction between them and show how they are different, and how they react to certain situations.

Slow Motion - Action is slowed down for a comical or emotive outcome.
 

Split Screen - The screen is divided into two or more sections to portray events which are happening all together.

Superimpose - Writing/symbols or pictures appear above an image so that they are both noticeable during the same moment which increases the total information the audience have in a single shot. 

Visual Effects - These are usually influenced by what a character's responses are to the special effects.  

Wipe - An image wipes the next image off the screen. This proposes that a particular scene or character which pushes the other one off the screen is more significant and dominant. Wipes can go in different directions and be different shapes.