The FallTextual Analysis: Gender

The Fall (Some Background Information)• The Fall is a BBC flagship drama that is currently in its 3rd series. • The Fall is a British crime drama television series filmed and set

in Northern Ireland.• The series is created and written by Allan Cubitt, produced by Artists

Studio and stars Gillian Anderson as ‘DSI Stella Gibson’ and Jamie Dornan as ‘Paul Spector’.• The basic outline of the plot is that a serial killer is on the loose, in the

local city of Belfast, something of course the detectives must work tirelessly to stop.

Throughout this textual analysis I will be attempting to address the question, how is gender represented in the chosen clip from The Fall? I will comment upon camera angles, editing, sound and the mise-en-scene to help answer this question.

Camera AnglesWhen we see DSI Stella Gibson and her work colleague meet upon the stairs (shown below), there is the use of a high-angle camera shot. The camera shot used is from the top of the stairs looking down at the two women. This shot makes the two female individuals seem small ,weak and in a certain sense powerless. This therefore could demonstrate that women are innocent and

require a certain sense of protection due to this. From this particular camera angle it is apparent that the representation of women is one in which there is a lack of authority and power.

Throughout this clip there is a numerous amount of long shots used to show DSI Stella Gibson, two of which are shown. The use of this shot massively emphasises both her confidence and authority. It is almost as if the character is distant from the audience, so they are unable to gain a close and personal relationship with the character. This denotes that women are independent and have the potential to climb the

Camera Angles

Hierarchy profession and defeats the typical stereotype of women.

Within the scene between the mother and daughter there is a clear example of how the mise-en-scene helps to establish the representation of gender. This is solely done through the use of clothes and accessories.

Mise-en-scene

The daughter is shown to be wearing a short skirt and a nose piercing. This is something the mother takes extreme distress and disappointment towards. The mother wants her daughter to fit what society judge as ‘normal’ and doesn’t give much concern towards the preferences of her daughter herself. This could demonstrate a lack of freedom for women, who are perhaps trapped in a judgemental society where they are not free to express themselves and their feelings.

When we are shown the two detectives, travelling in the car, at the start of the clip, we are presented with the editing technique of a shot reverse shot. This editing technique shows both the male and female with equal intent and denotes that there is two protagonists. The editing technique shows each gender’s speech, response to the previous dialogue and their physical emotions. The shot reverse shot allows neither the male or female to be looked upon favourably and demonstrates that there is a clear equality between both genders.

Editing

When the committee is discussing DCI Stella Gibson in their meeting, we see the particular shot of a women (as shown below), in which the background has been edited to be blurred. This creates huge emphasis upon the women herself, and shows her huge vulnerability and loneliness at this meeting. It is almost as if she does not belong here. This could show that the female feels overwhelmed due to the high-ranked male dominant presence at the table. Her outnumbering could deem that the males are more secure in their profession.

Editing

Throughout the introduction of the clip, the directors of the drama have only chosen to use diegetic sound with minimal traffic noise intruding the scene. This cleverly draws attention to the significance of the two subjects in conversation. This portrays that both genders hold equal importance and this is something that should not be overlooked.

Sound

As the detective leaves the car to embark upon her interrogation, there is the introduction of a soundtrack. The sound is rather eerie and is enough to have the potential to leave the audience feeling perturbed. Tension and anxiety is built up and as a result makes the female subject seem vulnerable as she steps out of the car. This reinforces the stereotype that women are weak and need to be protected often against a cruel and brutal society.

Sound

Through the use of sound we are informed about the detectives viewpoint on gender. He states “I questioned whether Anderson was man enough for the task of being shackled to Spector”. Here it is clearly evident that the detective opts for an old-fashioned perspective on gender. He believes that all males should be strong and fearless, and anybody that doesn’t match this stereotype is unworthy of being deemed a high ranked profession in the force. This reinforces that some people still believe that there is a prominent division between genders in today’s current society.

Sound