How is disability represented in 'The Streets'?

Disability is presented as a negative thing, in the work place, in his home streets and at the recruitment office. The main character faces obstacles because of his disability and how people treat him differently because of it. Throughout the clip we see how and why specific scenes were shot in the way they are, and to look at how editing, sound, camera and mise-en-scene can help emphasise a point of a scene.

Throughout the clip mise-en-scene is used to create a feeling that the main character is trapped, this is enforced at the beginning by seeing his blurred silhouette behind bars of wired fencing, in this scene the blurring which is an edited effect also shows that the character is becoming a nobody who doesn’t stand out, just slowly fading into the background because of his disability. The trapped feeling is reinforced in the recruitment office where shadows from the blinds produce the effects of bars across the characters face. The character is portrayed as trapped because he is stuck with his disability for life which prevents people from treating him properly and seeing him as a proper person again.

The way people treat the main character throughout the clip is portrayed through awkward situations, like when he visits his old workplace hoping for his job back, after his old work mates telling him they’ve just had a new contract signed and doing really well they claim that there’s no work there for him and try blaming immigrants for taking the jobs. The conversation gives an awkward feeling with lots of silences where the work mates don’t know what to say or how to behave and try to avoid looking at the main characters face.

Then in the street when the character approaches his friend and frightens  her, she keeps ‘digging’ to try and get out of the situation while sub-consciously making it a lot worse and making it awkward. We are shown a lot of awkwardness between other characters and the main character because awkwardness is often associated with the company of a disabled person as people don’t know how to behave around them but try and be overly nice at the same time.

A long-shot is used up the street to establish the setting and for the viewers to be able to see the character is approaching the woman, this is followed by a close shot when the woman is frightened from the quick appearance of the main character. He believes it’s because of his disability and walks away while she follows him, during this scene steadi-cam is used to follow the movement, creating agitation by using the same fast paced, un-smooth movement of the main character who is upset that he scared his friend and annoyed from her ‘digging’.

During the high street scene there’s sound used to create a pacey atmosphere, the music resembling the sound of a drum beat and marching, similar to an army sound. It’s a non-diegetic sound which is used to give a chaotic feeling. During this scene there is lots of jump-cuts showing different people’s expressions as the main character walks past them down the busy street. It’s clear from his fast movement and face that he’s uncomfortable with everyone staring at him because of his disability, this then leads to anger for when he enters into the recruitment office.

During the recruitment office scene there is the mise-en-scene of bars to suggest the character is trapped, and a heated conversation, this is the only conversation which doesn’t appear as awkward, because the recruiter is clearly used to seeing war veterans and the scars from injuries which they have, he doesn’t talk to the character as if he’s a different or incapable man. The office is strangely organized for an army recruitment office, the recruiter has a perfectly organized desk with a picture of his family by his keyboard. Around the room there are pictures related to the army, and a plant which is there to bring a bit more life and exoticness to the ordered office. The men in the background are all trying to appear occupied by reading through things, trying not to be nosey, although you can see them having the occasional look. The four men sat on chairs to the right side also appear to be ‘behind bars’ because of the mise-en-scene, suggesting that these lads are now also trapped into having the same future and similar disability to the main character. 

Over all we can see that because of his disability people treat him differently, they feel awkward talking to him or simply being around him. Also people find it difficult to give a job to a disabled person, feeling that they wouldn't be as capable as a 'normal' person.