1. Representation of EthnicMinorities in Hotel BabylonExtractBy Alice Mann and Ellie Addison

2. Establishing ShotHis suit attireThe man appearsreflects that he isaan important strong, independecharacter, however nt character as hethis contrasts withis isolated in thethe mis-en-scene shot whichof the cardboard immediatelyboxes in the suggests thatbackground which white people arewould suggest that often in job roleshe has a highof high status andposition in theare considered aswork place and ismore important insuperior to hiscomparison tosurroundings.minority groups which feature later in the extract.This is a head shot (closeThere is the diegetic soundup) which magnifies his of movement and footsteps As the shot evolves, thefacial expression. The fact which create tension and thecamera zooms and panshe is looking down couldlack of non-diegetic soundaround the room (trackingsuggest that he is acould reflect the severity of shot). This immediatelydomineering character who his character and reveals the mis-en-sceneis discontented with theforthcoming situation.and sets the tone for the restwork place. of the extract. 3. This shot shows a This is a wide mid shot which helps to reveal the mis-en-white, blonde-scene which indicates that the hotel is a high-regardedhaired middle establishment. (e.g. extravagant flowers). The whiteThe non-class lady dressedreceptionist is placed in the centre-third which instantlydiegeticin an important focuses the audiences attention to her rather than the atmosphericwhite suit whichminority assistant who is placed in the right third and music beginscould connote her almost blends in to the mis-en-scene suggesting her just before thisinnocence.unimportance in comparison to the receptionist. shot and theBecause of thesimple lowwomans attire andtones createethnicity, shesuspense andappears to fit theannounces thestereotypical white mansimage of aentrance justreceptionist. Thisbefore this shotlady is contrastedand thewith the second continuation ofassistant who isthe musicsitting to the side emphasises thewearing the whitescontrasting coloursuperiority andback with her tiedThe editing of the shot is slowpower withinThis is the first time in the extract whereback andwith the zoom the the whiteintoa white person is so obviously comparedconsequentlyreceptionist lasting fiveestablishment.to an ethnic minority. The differenceappears lessseconds and the pan at thebetween them in the workplace is nowimportant and end is an obvious way ofsignificantly more obvious to theinferior to the white drawing attention to the whiteaudience.receptionist next tosuperiority figure and cuttingher.the ethnic minority completelyout of the shot. 4. There is the repetition of slow There is the repetition of slowpaced editing with a tracking paced editing with a trackingshot here that lasts for 7shot here that lasts for 7seconds which builds tensionseconds which builds tensionand the idea of the trackingand the idea of the trackingshot emphasises the white shot emphasises the whiteHere themales power and importance males power and importancesuperiority of theas he enters the establishment. as he enters the establishment.white people areshown and this isThis shot isenhanced throughdominated by whiteprops such as thepeople and this couldidentification card.be to suggest theirThis gives thepower in theimpression thatestablishment andthe white male isdisregards any ethnicdominant over allminorities. Theirof the otherpower in this shot ischaracters in theshown through theirextract. The factimportant suits andhe has two whitethe fact that the mainaccomplicesman is holding anbehind himidentification card The non-diegetic sound of atmospheric musicemphasises hiswhich could suggest furthers the suspension and announces thesuperiority.that he has animportance of the white males.important job role incomparison to thechefs and cleanerswho arepredominantly ethnic 5. The shot is split into The bars in the foreground are athree different clipsconstant reminder of the helplesstaken from different situation the immigrants areangles which addstrapped in. The colour of the barstension and the effect connote that something dark andof the fast-pacedominous is going to happen whichediting creates asuggests that the immigrants are insense of urgency and danger.panic from the The non-diegeticimmigrants.sound of fast-paced music works effectively with theThis is a POV shot fast-paced editing andwhich reveals thethe diegetic sound ofimmigrants urgency tofootsteps and hushedhide safely. The panicked voicesimmigrants are hurrying each otherframed by the bars ofinto safety suggeststhe cage in thethe minorities unity.foreground and thecharacters are in The location of the shot is bleak and blends infocus therefore with the characters dull and simple costumesdrawing attention to which represents the idea of the immigrantsthem. being insignificant and the blending could be a metaphor for them trying to go unnoticed from the white powerful men. The fact the immigrants and mis-en-scene blend together makes the black cage even more prominent. 6. This is a wide-midThe fact the immigrants managed to hide shot revealing theso efficiently could represent that this is a immigrants. The widecommon problem they have to deal with shot shows how many on several occasions which suggests of the immigrants their inferiority as they are forced to hide have been affected by from the white people. the power of the white people. The sense ofIn this shot there is comradery isthe non-diegetic prominent here as the sound of a drone ethnic minorities havecoupled with the joined to protect eachsound of footsteps other.which creates tension and suspense. TheAll of the immigrants lack of diegetic soundcostumes are simple suggests thatand the same colour immigrants are awareand they are all of the severity of thelooking down and situation and howtheir body language important it is thatsuggests they are they are not found.panicking as theirThe shot is a slow zoom out from one The only diegeticfuture now lays in theimmigrants face to reveal the number of sound is spoken byhands of the whitepeople hiding for protection. This emphasisesthe manager whichmen.the sheer number of ethnic minorities andshows the immigrantssheer difficulty in hiding them all. rely on and trust her to protect them. 7. The mis-en-scene reveals the white policeofficers important costume which shows hishigh position in society in comparison to theimmigrants red basic costume which couldconnote the danger he is caught up in. TheThis is a mid shotofficer is handling the immigrant and restrainingtaken from behind thehim and the immigrants defenceless bodyaction. Whilst thelanguage represents his inferiority to the whitewhite police officer ispeople in the establishment.placed in the centrethird of the shot, theThis shot representsarrested minority isthe ethnic minority asplaced in the left thirdtotally powerless inwhich instantly comparison to thepresents the idea ofwhite authority figuresthe immigrants through the mis-en-inferiority to the whitescene and sound.powerful police man. The jump cut from the officers The diegetic sound of the and immigrant bursting through police officer restraining the the doors to them exiting theimmigrant shows his establishment suggests a sense authority and the diegetic of awkwardness and thissound of the immigrants emphasises the immigrantsstruggle suggests his will to struggle to break out of the break free and perhaps that whites dominating restraint.he feels threatened by thewhite superiority.