TV: Capital - representations

Capital episode 1: key scenes

Scene 1: opening sequence 00:30 – 4.49
Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10
Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35
Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40
Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00 
Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55

Capital: Representations blog task

1) Watch episodes two and three of Capital and write a 50-word summary of each.
Episode 2 - Arabella comes back to a house occupied by a nanny who is taking care of her two sons whilst her husband dwells on his 'small' cash out. Quentina is determined to plead her case to the judge and defends herself against accusations of her working and living in London illegally. The Kamals get visited by their mother. Armed police storm in the Kamals home and arrest the three sons.
Episode 3 - Roger fired from his job for ‘gross negligence’ after his assistant is charged with committing fraud. Shahid is arrested and held imprisoned under accusation of terrorism. Quentina does not beat her case. The money found in the old lady who passed away's house is returned to her daughter. 

Episode 1 - 
Scene 1: opening sequence 00:30 – 4.49
Issues: Changes in London as society has become more diverse over the ages due to factors such as immigration. Rise of London house prices and how they're at an ultimate high. Issue of ageing - flashback and colour grading shows how the past was better for society ;  Camera work shows the house staying the same while the family ages and changes ; Every shot of husband after wedding day he doesn't acknowledge wife or daughter, only the world around.
Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10
Issues: Typical rich white British business man a part of the banking system and high wealth in certain areas. "Bonus season" "Work hard, play hard" - He thinks about Christmas season as being about money, not family. Presentation of the ludicrous nature of the financial industry.
Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35
Issues: Wealth and ignorance of the wealthy - negative representation of this group in society. "You'd be surprised how little a million pounds can go these days" - audio codes representing these people as out of touch and quite unpleasant. Family and gender: Contrast between lower/middle class Asian family and upper class white British family.
Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40
Place: A different unseen part of London - as she leaves her lodging accommodation we see a lot of people living in a small space - immigrants. Issues: Immigration - not being able to work, risk of being sent back, poor living conditions. Financial and sexual exploitation. Asylum seekers.
Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00 
Issues: Ignorance of the wealthy - "Fundamentally not fair", "It's not a question of greed, it's justice" "30,000" - this amount of money would so much use to less fortunate/wealthy.
Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55
Issues: Ignorance of the wealthy - Arabella judging the shop as she is used to shopping somewhere more prestigious, she doesn't realise how nice the community around her actually is because she is caught up in her own world of wealth.

3) How does Capital use stereotypes? Do the characters and issues represented in Capital reinforce or subvert the stereotypes we typically see in the media?
Capital uses the stereotype of the wealthier people in society being quite arrogant and ignorant - this is seen in episode 1. This is a reinforced stereotype as we typically see rich people being represented in this way in the media. The illegal immigrant in Capital is represented in a way which makes the viewer feel sympathetic towards her which is a subvert of the negative stereotype usually used to portray immigrants in the media. The stereotype of Europeans often being builders is reinforced - we see this in episode 2. 

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