Sophie Cramer

How is disability represented in this extract of

Secret Diary of a Call Girl?
In this extract of Secret Diary of a Call Girl, disability has been
represented effectively through the use of camera shots, mise-en-scne,
sound and editing along with the representation of ability to enable the
audience to see the significant contrast between the disabled boy and the
other two characters.
Immediately, through the opening establishing shot, the beginning of the
scene portrays disability as the stereotypical view of them being regarded
as less significant. The scene opens up with a long shot which enables the
audience to establish the location of where the scene will be taking place.
At the beginning, the camera is viewed from a long shot of the disabled
boy in the wheelchair with his father standing behind him as well as the
back of the women who answers the door to them. The effect of the long
shot being used at the beginning of the scene hints to the audience that
the scene will be taking place in the apartment and this could show the
secrecy of the womens job. The effective use of the camera panning from
the father downwards to the young boy in the wheelchair highlights the
difference between their abilities and may also make the boy appear
much smaller and show connotations of insignificance hence supporting
the stereotype of disabled people being useless. The stereotype of
disabled people being useless can also be argued as the effect of the
panning down from the father to the boy may also signify that he is going
to be one of the main characters in the scene and the most
important/significant. A few seconds after, the camera, still showing from
a long shot, then tilts from the boys face up to the dads, which could
imply the boys reliance on his father hence further emphasizing the
stereotype of disabled people being useless. Also, the effective use of the
tilt creates a sense of height and power within the character of the boys
father portraying the boy as small and weak, as we would associate with
the disabled stereotypes. Although it can enable the audience to
distinguish the difference between the ability of the father and the son, it
may also show the relationship between the father and the son and how
his father is always by his side helping him out since he is unable to a lot
of things by himself. This supports the usual assumptions/stereotypes
made about disabled people as being useless and highly dependent as
their disability prevents them from doing a lot of things that other people
are easily able to do.

Sophie Cramer

The use of mise-en-scne, in this extract, has also effectively shown the
various stereotypes of disabled people when looking at the appearance of
the characters and their facial expressions. The representation of ability
and disability has been conveyed clearly especially when looking at
certain frames of the extract. Through the help of the long shot of the
characters at the beginning of the scene, the audiences are able to
establish the mise en scene through the clothes that the characters are
wearing. For example, the women can be seen wearing a dress, revealing
her a legs a little bit. The father is seen wearing ordinary black clothes
with a white apron on along with the disabled boy seen wearing ordinary
black clothes also. The clothes the father appears to be wearing look like
working clothes, which could suggest, to the audience, that he could be a
carpenter. His work involves a lot of movement and strength and this
juxtaposes with his sons lack of strength. The fathers appearance shows
his ability which contrasts with the boys ability and the idea that the
women is dressed fairly revealing foreshadows what may happen soon on
in the scene. This supports the stereotype of disabled people sometimes
being considered as outcasts as they are prevented from doing certain
things that other people can do. Although the women does not look
physically disabled, the fact that she is using her body to access wealth
and prosperity may suggest that, even though she is a able, she, like the
typical female representation, is insignificant and/or of a lower class, even
when juxtaposed with a disabled male character. The actual appearance
of the flat may also help the audience to predict what may happen later
on as it can sometimes create and atmosphere or a feeling. For example,
in this scene, the walls of the womens apartment are red showing
connotations of love and romance. Also, the lock on the inside of the flat
door emphasises the secrecy of the call womens job and the huge
controversy around it. The stereotype of disabled people sometimes being
considered as outcasts can also be argued as the idea of the women
locking the door could show that she treats everyone equally as she
would probably lock the door for all of her other clients too.
Various uses of sound have also been incorporated in order to help the
audience establish the differences between the disabilities and abilities
within the characters. For example, there is a variety of diegetic sounds
used in the scene in order for the audience to be able to understand the
characters more and pull all of their focus towards what they are saying.
For example, during the beginning of the scene we can only hear the
dialogue of the women and the boy speaking with the women saying Hi,
you must be Blake in a flirtatious way. There is some evident
foreshadowing of what is going to happen through the womens flirtatious

Sophie Cramer

tone of voice. However, the small talk between the characters is

overpowered by the amount of silence throughout the beginning of the
scene showing some elements of awkwardness. This may be described as
awkward as disabled people having help to lose their virginity is clearly
not regarded as normal in society and all three characters understand this
as they have all remained silent. The audience will also be able to
acknowledge the awkwardness within the situation when the women looks
to the father when she opens the door and says and youre. It is
evident that the women doesnt normally expect her clients fathers to
turn up at the door and this shows the stereotype of disabled people
being highly dependent on help from other people which, in this case is
his father.
Editing is also an essential technique used in the portrayal of disability in
the extract as well as helping to create fluidity in the audiences view.
Jump cut is one technique that has been incorporated in the scene, as it
appears to the audience that part of the action is missing when the father
carries his son to the bed. For example, it misses out parts of the action
where the father walks to the bed carrying his son and the main action
shown is just the father picking him up from the wheelchair and then him
putting him on the bed. This emphasises the sons lack of ability to be
able to do things by himself and highlights the amount of help he is in
need of doing the simplest of things. It also supports the current
stereotypes of disability in the media as them being incapable of fully
participating in everyday life where, in this case, he struggles to just get
into bed. The purpose of the jump cut is to highlight the most important
actions such as when the boy is lifted off his wheelchair, which clearly
portrays his lack of ability, and when the boy is placed on the womens
bed, which enables the audience to predict what is about to perhaps
happen next. Cutaway is another editing technique incorporated into the
scene during the part where the father has gone downstairs to sit in his
car and wait for his son. Rather than showing him sitting there for the full
amount of time, which would make it look much more tedious for the
audience to watch, the camera cuts to certain actions he does such as
banging the wheel showing he is frustrated, looking at the flat that his son
is in showing that he may not agree with what is happening. However, the
cutaway technique may also emphasise the fathers ability, as he is the
one who cares for his son. The fact that he is away from his son but still
downstairs looking up at the room he is in shows how he is always looking
over him.