Representation of disability - Coming down the mountain

This clip is from Coming Down the Mountain, represents disability. In the first shot a boy is introduced, this ''normal'' by, has younger brother called Ben who is disabled. The first shot pans around the older brother at a high angle. The high angle shows that he is not powerful, and the panning shot shows a close up of the boys face, this is showing his youth and that he looks ''normal''. Also that the is a lot of space around him, showing he is alone, the audience now feel sympathy for him.  Normal does not exist, but society categorize people into groups to show who has the most authority and power. In this case the disabled boy, is not ''normal'', the ideology of society is to treat people who are disabled differently to those whom are not. The low key lighting in these shots, also shows the older brother as being angry and upset.

The next shot, is a closeup of Ben, Ben is disabled, so the closeup shows this. The anger of the older brother is shown, before this, which is shown through many clips cut together without transitions. The pace of the clips speeds up, as well as the dialogue from the older brother. This sequence being shown shows his anger towards Ben, because the next shot is of Ben, so it is directed at Ben.

The long shot shown at the very begging, shows the location of the boys bedroom. This shows they are brother, and shows the layout of the room. The older brothers side of the room, on the right (''right'' meaning ''normal'') is tidy. Whereas Ben's side on the left, is messy (showing he cannot keep his room clean because he is disabled. Also showing he is childlike, because his side of the room is brightly coloured and their are toys. The older brothers side is dull, rather than brightly coloured, showing he is older, but also that he is miserable. Because Ben is childlike, because of his disability, he is unaware of his brother being angry and upset because of him.

After those bedroom shots, another location is introduced, flats on an estate, shown by an establishing shot. The soundtrack over the top is a pop song, it sounds very cheery and happy. It sounds like it could be playing from a radio, making the scenario happier than the older brother thinks of it. This means that every one but the older brother, can cope better with Ben being disabled.

The parents are now introduced through a medium shot, in a kitchen, with closeups being used to show Ben eating. The brothers are both wearing casual clothing, representing they are both of the same sort of age.Ben is wearing a pale blue colour, which is most commonly worn by newborn baby's, so this shows he is not as mature and childlike. The older brother is wearing darker colours, showing he is more mature. Whereas 

The conflict created by Ben having eight Weetabix, causing an increase of sound in the older brother dialogue. The working class parents, are stereotypical supportive of Ben, so stand up for Ben, when the older brother is mean to him. The shot reverse shots, show the conversations, at this point teh audience now think of the older brother as a villain, because he is meaning unkind to Ben. Ben is thought of the stereotypical victim. 

A long shot shows the next location, the bus stop, Ben always has to have someone with him, like a child again showing he is child like, so their is a lack of space around him, showing he is not alone like the older brother. The foley used of the bus stopping, ends that shot.  A cross fade is used at the begging, to show sympathy for the older brother. Now just cuts are used to change shots. 

The next shot shows the older brother retrieving a kite for Ben, a kite is a toy so makes Ben childlike. Reinforcing the stereotype that disabled people are childlike therefore sympathy is created fr them. Ben then is in the shot, a long shot, he is lower than his older brother showing the older brother has more power because he is older and ''normal''. Ben is eating an ice cream, again reinforcing he is childlike. The older brother has the most prominence on screen, showing he has more power than Ben, again reinforcing the ideology that disabled people have no power. 

Towards the end the the older brother is seen at school, he is sitting in the class with school uniform on, showing he is a student. He may be seen during the clip as the mature and older brother, when in fact he is still at school him self. A closeup shows him drawing, which is a childlike activity to do. This shows me that he is too quite childlike, so shouldn't have to look after Ben. This makes the audience feel sorry for him, and in a way switch roles. Rather than Ben being the victim, his older brother is, Even though he is nasty to Ben.

This clip represents disability in a negative way, showing that disabled people are not ''normal'' so have no power in society. This may be shown in this way, t create sympathy for the disabled, to allow society to be more accepting. On the other hand, most people are accepting, it also creates sympathy for the boy. Showing that disability doesn't just effect the individual whom is disabled, but their family, in this case brother.