'Doc Martin' Essay

Doc Martin Essay – Regional Identity

The extract starts off with a mid shot of two men talking; another man then enters in the background. Instantly, we know there is a complete contrast between the two men and the one in the suit; Mise-en-scene plays an important part in this scene as Doc Martin is wearing a suit, therefore holds more authority and seems to be in power. The other two men are wearing what seem to be mechanical jump suits; this shows us that they are working class. Furthermore, we can tell that Doc Martin holds more power over the two men as the camera angle is at a low angle, making Doc Martin stand over the men. On the other hand, Doc Martin is distanced from the other men; this is shown through the long shot of him standing above the men.

Contrast between the men is shown through long and short takes, the long takes on the country men imply that they are a lot more slow paced in how they talk and act. Furthermore, the long takes slows down the scene and makes us feel part of their conversation, making them come across friendly and chatty. On the other hand, short takes are used on Doc Martin, suggesting that he works quicker therefore, giving us the idea he is more educated than the workmen.

When the pipe bursts, you can tell that the workmen aren't fazed by the situation, they keep calm but Doc Martin is panicked and you can tell he is not used to working with such de-focused men. The panicked atmosphere is heightened by the use of sound mixing, the ambient sound of the phone ringing and the dog barking along with the workmen’s dialogue.  This creates a fast pace and we can tell by Doc Martins performance that he is not coping well with the situation at hand. This is shown through him shouting instructions at the other people present, making him seem somewhat controlling.

A sound bridge is then used; a happy sort of song is played in the background when Doc Martin is walking with the dog. The song has a complete contrast to the emotions that Doc Martin is feeling and contrasts with his personality. The setting of the scene has a contrast to Doc Martin; the setting is quiet and friendly whereas Doc Martin is somewhat anti-social and loud, as he is used to being in a busy city.

Overall, stereotypes are used to convey a contrast between regional identities; the workmen are lazy and eating while on a job. They are in a untidy and dark lighted location, suggesting that they aren’t as educated and all there. Whereas, Doc Martin is the typical arrogant and demanding middle class citizen who is well dressed and educated. The contrast is clear to see by their accents and personalities shown through camera angles and shots.