Homework - Representation In 'Bad Education'

1. How does the trailer use media language to engage the audience?

The mise-en-scene is that of a typical English high school and the students represent various stereotypes of children, making the show easy to relate to, many people have likely been to a school that looks like the school in the show and encountered at least some of the student stereotypes. The non-diagetic music creates a party atmosphere, implying that the show is going to focus more on being entertaining than being an accurate portrayal of school life, so that people watching the trailer will know what kind of show 'Bad Education' is. Most of the shots are mid shots showing the characters from the chest up, making it clear that the show is a character comedy.

2. How does the trailer represent young people.

The typical roles of older and young people are almost completely reversed which is where most of the shows humour comes from. The students in the show are clearly much more comfortable with themselves and stable minded than the teachers. For example, at one point we see a student slap Alfie, the teacher, and tell him to "Snap out of it", this is obviously not a typical relationship that a student and a teacher have which is what makes the scene humorous. The students all wear bland, conventional looking uniforms as is typical of English high schools, to establish that the kids are all working/middle class. However railing against the conformity of their uniforms, other aspects of their appearances are dramatically different from each other to help showcase the stereotypes that they portray, for example Jing's glasses and pony tail establish her as the typical nerd, Stephen's voice and extrovert nature establish him as the gay stereotype.