Representations of Regional Identity in TV Drama

To analyse representations of regional identity in TV Drama

What is regional identity?

80's TV shows such as "Bread", "Boys from the black stuff" and "Brookside" depicted them as thieves and killers

What is regional identity?

• Regional identity is the notion that part of a person's identity is rooted not only in the country but also in the region they live in. A strong example of regional identity would be if one was asked where he or she was from and would reply “Sheffield" instead of the UK, etcetera. Regional identity, then, is a sense of belonging similar to that of national identity but on a smaller scale or level.

TV Drama characters with regional accents

DOC Martin• Successful surgeon Dr. Martin

Ellingham abruptly leaves his London practice to become general practitioner in the sleepy fishing village of Portwenn (Cornwall), where he spent the holidays during his youth. But his luxury car and lavish wardrobe immediately rub the locals the wrong way, and once they get a load of his abrasive attitude and lack of bedside manner, he quickly alienates most of the townsfolk

Make a prediction

• How do you expect the Cornish people in Doc Martin will be represented?

• What aspects of media language will be used to do this?

Groups

• Group 1: Denise, Annamaria, Nikol and Jordan• Group 2: Kate-Lyn, Emma and Bridget• Group 3: Ewelina, Laurel and Gabriella.

Analyse this clip in terms of Media Language

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sNf-MwxTSE

• You will watch the clip THREE times

1. First time: watch it without taking notes.2. Second time: gather your points3. Third time: select your supporting evidence.

• You will be given time to take notes.

Marking Criteria

Point Evidence Comment

• P- Gesture codes are used to portray the older Cornish plumber as incompetent and lazy.

• E-The older plumber is sitting down eating a sandwich while his son seems to be doing the work, when he does help he causes the pipe to burst sending water spraying into the surgery.

• C- By featuring him as sitting down and by casting a larger actor who is eating while at work immediately conveys the image that working class Cornish men are laid back, overeat and do not work hard. Although this could also be seen as a stereotypical representation of plumbers in general.

Plenary

• You will have 2 minutes each to present back your textual analysis.

• Audience: What level would you give each group and why? Give each group a WWW and an EBI.

Marking Criteria