How is age represented in the clip from Monarch of the Glen?

How is age represented in the clip from Monarch of the Glen?

The main younger character in this clip catches the audiences’ attention from early on in the clip. When she first comes on to the screen there is a long shot which then tracks her as she is walking up to the younger man in the scene. This already shows the audience that she must be of some importance as the camera in lingering on her. She has in conversation with the younger man in with she says ‘there’s something I need to speak to you about’ the audience would assume that something has gone between the characters; maybe some kind of relationship through the way in which she’s says it. The younger man is working when Amy comes in to the scene, he then stops when she comes over, this could show the audience that a younger character doesn’t see the importance of work and a conversation would take priority. Compared to the other people shown at the begging of the clip Amy’s causal top and jean outfit doesn’t look as though she is prepared to work like everyone else, this again reiterates that a younger character wouldn’t know the importance of work. Later on in the clip when Amy is asked if she can drive there is a mid shot when she says ‘of course, I passed first time’   Amy seems confident and arouses no reason for the audience to suspect she’s lying. The audience learn she has lied when there is a panning shot of her in the car, the audience her hear saying ‘or is it clutch, accelerator , ignition’ this tells the audience she doesn’t know what she’s doing. This keeps the audience gripped to the scene as she starts the car and drives away as they wonder whether or not she’ll be able to do it. There is a long shot of Amy driving the car away, the camera does not follow the car, this may have been done to make the audience wonder whether or not she’ll crash the car, or if she’ll be ok. The car crash is diegetic sound, this is known as the character in the scene all react to the sound by running out of camera view to help Amy. By the camera not moving it could show the other characters didn’t expect Amy to lie to the crash came as a surprise. During the confrontation with Amy head teacher the audience see how Amy’s age makes her seem vulnerable. This is shown when the family crowd around her, this makes it look like they are trying to protect her. This is shown through a mid shot when the younger boy says ‘you’re still at school’ and Amy in shown in the arms of the woman. Later on in the clip Amy is again showed to the audience as being a weak character, due to her being younger than the other people in the situation this is when she is having a confrontation with the middle aged man, there is an over the shoulder shot which makes her appear lot smaller and weak than the man. This may make the audience feel pity for her as she looks weak and alone. Amy portrays a typically teenage stereotype when she run off after not getting her own way, this is shown through a long shot as well as her shouting  ‘I hate you’ which makes her seem immature and act in the way the audience would accept a teenager to do. There is a straight edit which shows the unaffected facial expressions of the other people in the scene, showing their ages makes them more mature and not interested in her attitude.

The middle aged man in the clip is what the audience would typically expect of a middle aged working man. The first communication he has with the characters is when he says ‘all hands on deck’, this shows him as having a strong work ethic as he expects everyone to work and contribute to the project.  The old fashioned banjo music sets the scene of a calm, laid back environment as the non-diegetic music doesn’t build tension. It does set the scene of working, farm land as its music you would traditionally associate with hillbillies. This music starts again at the end of the clip when the man is working again, this could show that the man is happiest and most content when he is working. The way he dresses would make the audience assume he works on a farm or in manual work as his clothes are dark in comparison to Amy’s and they seem a lot more practical.  When he approaches Amy after the car crash there is a long shot of his holding Amy, looking down on her to see if she’s ok. This may show the character’s paternal instincts as he checks if she’s ok, before finding out what happened.  He is shown as being more level headed than the younger man, this could be to do with his age and him having more life experience.  When the head teacher says she is only 16, the younger men seems shocked and agitated, were as the middle aged man steps back from the situation and tries to find out what was going on. Later on in the clip the audience see how age affects authority when the man is talking to Amy. There is an over the shoulder shot in which the man looks more powerful and authoritative than Amy. This is shown when he says ‘I want you ready to leave when I get back’ this shows the audience that he is pulling the strings and decides what’s going on.  The audience also see what he pulls the strings during the editing in which the audience see a shot –reverse – shot. This shot shows the audience that he is in control of the situation as he is able to deal with Amy as well as what’s going on outside. It also shows the difference in age when Amy has nothing to do but run off shouting, the man doesn't seem phased by Amy’s behavior.

The older man has similarities to the middle age man in the sense that he is shown as being more level headed than Amy. He does also differ from the middle aged man; this is shown in how he dresses talks and acts. The clothes he wears are lot more formal than the clothes the middle aged man wears. This shows the audience the difference in how age effects in way you dress.  Considering the arrived to collect Amy the fact he accepts the drink of Brandy maybe be shocking for the audience, as it would be expected he wouldn't drink on the job. The way in which he talks to Amy differs from how the rest of the characters do, when he first sees Amy he says ‘I might of know’ the audience can  easily notice his anger, not only through his tone of voice, but through his tense fists.