Discuss the ways the extract constructs the representation of gender in the bill

The extract constructs representation of gender through the use of a high angle shot on the woman when she first gets out of the car. This shows the woman as weak and submissive so this supports the social ideologies that women are victims.

However, the mise-en-scene challenges the social ideologies that women have lower down and less paid jobs than men as the woman wears a suit jacket whereas the rest of the men wear the same fluorescent jackets. This makes the woman seem more important and shows that her role within the show and the police department is higher than the men.

The diegetic sounds in the background also support social ideologies that men are dangerous and women are weak. This is because as the scene starts the men appear on the screen and the sound of sirens connoting danger are heard in the background. However, this fades out as the woman enters the scene which suggests that women don’t belong in dangerous situations as they are the victims.

The low angle shot when the woman is looking over the dead girl’s body shows the woman as controlling and important which subverts the dominant ideologies that men should be in power. This camera angle makes the woman look lager on the screen and shows the man who she is talking to as smaller, showing her as stronger. Although this doesn’t mean that she is physically more powerful, it shows that her role in the police force and in the film is more important than his.

This is also shows through the shot/reverse shot when the woman and the man have the conversation over the dead girl. During the conversation the woman’s face is shown during the scene, showing her facial impression as the audience need to know what she is thinking, as she is the important character. However, when the shot is on the man the camera shows the dead girls body, showing her and not him. This is because the audience’s concentration should be on the police woman and the girl as they are the most important characters. This subverts the dominant ideologies that men should be the protagonists in film and television programmes as the woman is the protagonist in this scene, so she is more important.

During the scene where they talk around the dead girl’s body the proxemics show that the woman is sensitive. This is because she crouches down to see the girl, showing more care in the girl and minimising the space between them, creating a connection. This supports the social ideologies that women are more sensitive than men and they are more caring. This also suggests that men don’t have feelings as the man concentrates on the dead girl’s scars, instead of the girl herself. This supports the dominant ideologies that men don’t have feelings.

However, the dominant ideologies that men should wear uniform and women shouldn’t is challenged as during the scene where the witnesses are interviewed, both the man and the woman who interview him are wearing bright yellow police jackets. The saturation in this shot has been increased which makes these stand out more. These are shown in a two shot, also showing that the man and woman are equal, challenging the dominant ideologies that men should have a higher status than women.