Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs the representation of gender using the following: Camera techniques, Mise-en-scene, Editing and Sound

In the primeval extract gender is represented in two different ways. The extract displays two different types of representation of genders, one being a more traditional stereotype of gender and one being the opposite. The director essentially plays on stereotypes. Firstly, the young women called Abbey is significant in this extract as she is an example of the opposite to what a stereotypical women would be. Abbey is portrayed as a strong and powerful young women as when she first enters the scene, she is shot at a low angle demonstrating that she is important and in control. The director has also used a wide shot when we first meet meet her to establish the scene and location which is the woods and forest. Putting Abbey in the woods displays her masculinity as doing work in the woods is a more male job. Also, when entering the scene she is in an operating mechanical machine which is significant because the large machine which she is in is normally associated with men which conveys to the audience she is not a stereotypical women as she has aspects of masculinity. The mise-en-scene reinforces her masculinity as she has a short haircut, which is also associated with men. The next part of the extract reinforces her invincibleness as she then goes onto fighting the sabre-toothed creature, saving the man's life demonstrating her physical strength and braveness which is going against the usual representation of gender as she is the ‘hero’ in the scene. The props in the scene also help the audience have a more advanced understanding of her power as she is running with a heavy gun which displays her courage. This contrasts to the usual stereotype with women. Abbey also is given a lot of screen time and is normally positioned in the middle of the screen which denotes she is valuable in the extract.

However, within and throughout the same scene which Abbey is portrayed dominant the man alongside her is represented as weak which again, is going against the usual stereotype of the male gender. Firstly, he is marginalised as he is positioned to the bottom right hand corner which conveys he has not much importance within the scene as the audience cannot view him properly. He then jumps into a ditch which is significant because the camera then looks down on him but at some points the camera is at a birds eye view which makes him look very weak in the scene. He is also is not given much screen time at the beginning of the scene which connotes he isn’t valuable to the extract and is at a lower and less powerful position than Abbey. Also, the editing helps create tension in the scene as when the sabre tooth enters the scene, there is a lot of shot reverse shot of the man climbing out of the ditch, his positioning looking exhausting as he is finding it hard to climb out whilst she is still in the mechanical machine fighting off the sabre tooth. Although, when it looks as if the women is in danger, the man runs away hoping the tiger will follow him but as he is shot at a long shot it makes him look small reinforcing his weakness and vulnerability. The dialogue does juxtapose with the editing and camera as even though he is made to look weak the dialogue appears very strong and stern which makes a sudden contrast. When running away and distracting the tiger the non diagetic sound adds to the tension and suspense throughout the scene as it is ambiguous to weather he will escape from the sabre tooth as before, he was portrayed as helpless.

The final scene in the extract constructs a very different representation of gender as each of the characters portrayed are more traditional stereotypes. Firstly, the shot opens up at a mid-shot of the women and man inside a barn which was low key lighting. The mid-shots are used throughout so the audience can focus on the body language and dialogue of one character at a time. Both characters are firstly shot at eye level and the camera continuously skips back and forth of over the shoulder. This tells the audience that they are at equal level and status. However, when the women talks her dialogue juxtaposes with the camera as her dominance is conveyed through the dialogue. The women is also dressed in expensive clothing (as she mentions later in the extract) including a business type dress and a long light coloured coat. Whereas, the male character is dressed in filthy farming gear and equipment and is in less bold colours that the women. This adds to her strength in the beginning of the scene as the director has made her a more bold character. However, this balance of power suddenly changes as the props such as the gun the man picks up portrays a more negative stereotype of the man as is currently being violent and using weapons to gain control within the scene. As the man prepares to shoot her the extract, the scene cuts dramatically to a slow-motion to emphasise the fear on her face and the sudden loss of control. The high angle shot of her also conveys to the audience that she is now the weaker one in the scene. Also, by looking down on her, the audience can see her body gestures which are frozen connoting she is very frightened. This implies that the female are the weaker gender.

In addition to this, when the other men come in to save her, the man standing at the back of the scene is wearing a pink t-shirt followed along with a scarf and cowboy hat and is holding a shovel wheres the male at the front is dressed more casually. The colour pink is symbolic as pink is more associated with women as it is a feminine colour. Him holding the shovel is significant as it connotes the more feminine you are, the less control you have in a situation. Whereas, the man positioned at the front is shot at a mid shot so the audience can see his strength as he is holding a gun but also his stern facial expression. Once the gun was taken by the male and was handed over to the male which has just walked in, the women left the scene. The music then began to die down to a silence, connoting a sense of peace within the scene and portraying to the audience that the situation is under control ultimately by the male ‘hero’.

Overall, the director has played on the stereotypes of gender as in the extract there are traditional demonstrations of how gender is usually presented but there are also acts of the characters which go against this. However, the extract does convey that you have to be masculine to have some kind of power within and throughout the scene.