1. Representation of Disability
The Street (Jimmy McGovern 2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80K5P1qqQOI&feature=player_embedded
Watch the extract from The Street and answer the following:
1. Genre – real life drama
2. Target Audience – male and female 25+
3. What are your first impressions of Nick Calshaw? – Frustrated with his
appearance, feels like its holding him back. He feels like he’s a freak show
as people are always staring.
4. How does Dee’s reaction to Nick help POSITION the audience and create
a preferred audience response? The audience begin to empathize with
him because hes upset that his appearance has caused the woman to have
a reaction like that, also he becomes very defensive when she trys to
apologies showing that it has really upset him deeply.
5. How does the director of the show encourage you to empathize with
Nick? – Nick cannot get his job back because of his appearance, this is
completely unfair so the audience can sympathize with Nicks frustration
with the men who won’t give him the job back. Also Dees reaction to him

2. might of just been out of genuine shock, however because he is sensitive
about his appearance he really takes it to heart, and the audience begin to
feel for him.
6. What type of representation does the extract construct, in terms of
disability? The disability of Nick’s appearance is viewed in quite a
negative way. The public’s reaction to him is very stereotypical, see him
as a freak show instead of another normal human being.
7. Write down at least one example from camera, sound, mise en scene and
editing which support your argument
Camera Sound
The camera has a shallow depth of field Non diegetic sound is tense and
when the barbed wire and fence is more intimidating as he walks through the
defined than the building site in the town and has people looking at his
background –this could represent how disability.
his disability is holding him back, like
fencing him in. And the barbed wire
gives a negative connotation towards
his disability.
Editing Mise en Scene
Actor proxemics in the scene – we never

3. see Nick smile throughout the whole
clip, showing he is very unhappy with his
appearance and how it is preventing
him from leading a normal life.
The costume that Nick and the other
characters in the scene are wearing are
bland colours, no one is dressed up, it
seems like a typical working class area
where the location is based.
Now in groups of 4 design a powerpoint presentation which argues how
disability is represented in the extract. To be finished and given in class
tomorrow.