The first shot of this trailer to the first benefits street series depicts a women labelling every house on the street that is claiming benefits and are unemployed. The repetition of the word 'unemployed' as she points at the houses accentuates the idea and subject matter of the programme. However more significantly the repetition sticks in the mind of the viewer, and accentuates the common misconception that far less people are on benefits than most people think. The director is fully aware that the subject matter of unemployed people is a moral panic in society, and therefore the repetition of the word is highly likely to aggravate and anger people. The way in which she uses gesture to point out the houses and her tone of voice suggests she shows know remorse or guilt for being unemployed or for the others being unemployed, there is almost an idea of her happily labelling people unemployed as if it is a common and acceptable thing, which will also anger viewers, further highlighted by a character stating "5 % of the people on this road work"
The upbeat, almost comical non diegetic music in the background is also significant. Perhaps Channel 4's intended reading was to create a more jolly atmosphere and portray the sense of togetherness and happiness in the community. However all the music does is enrage the music further, with the alternative reading that the comical music is almost mocking the viewer, as the benefit claimants on screen take their money. It can also be argued the up beat tone is perhaps to mock the characters further, following the Marxist reading that the show was made to mock the lower class.
The shots of ethnic minorities, especially the shot of a character not speaking English, as well as the narrator stating that there is "13 different nationalities" on the read also acts upon another moral panic in society. The idea of immigration is another controversial subject and the shot of a character not speaking English, as well as 13 nationalities is highly likely to anger some people, as well as portraying the stereotype that immigrants can't speak English and come to England simply to live of benefits, when in fact this is not true as immigrants contribute a significant amount to our economy.
The constant panning shot of a child jumping over fences could perhaps represent a future of crime on the street, with children of people on benefits are destined to lives of crimes, shown by the fact that he is jumping over fences. the Fact that the child is black may also be significant as all of the shots of crime and aggressive behaviour are from black people, highlighted by the black male holding a hammer and acting aggressively at the end of the sequence. This conforms to yet another stereotype that black people are aggressive and commit acts of violence/crime as well as the stereotype that people on benefits are criminals and are uneducated/.
The costume of the majority of the characters in this sequence are of stereotypical, with most characters not wearing any expensive clothing, mainly plain, average clothes. However many of the characters, such as the woman at the beginning are wearing the brand 'addidas' which can be seen as quite a 'chavy' brand for the uneducated.
The close up of the black male speaking of the change in the street's fortunes is also significant. The male is wearing a white hat which says 'Thailand'/ This is highly significant as it suggests that the man has been on holiday to Thailand which is likely to anger the audience who will be outraged at the fact that someone on benefits is going on luxurious holidays to places like Thailand, using tax payers money. The colour white may also have been a significant use of colour by the director as it sticks out against the man's skin, bringing attention to it and making it stick out to the audience.
TEXT 2
This however is a contrasting sequence to my first text. In this text Channel 4's preferred reading - the idea that the are positively representing and revealing the true struggle of the characters on the show - is being highlighted.
In the sequence an ethnic minority family is shown working to gain money by taking other people's scrap metal because they do not want to claim benefits like the others. This therefore acts to reverse and discredit the stereotype shown in the first text that immigrants simply come to the country to gain work. The idea that they are not happy to claim benefits and are doing everything they can not to claim them will be seen positively by the audience and creates a positive representation of minorities. This is also highlighted by the fact that when the narrator states that they "Do not take a penny from the dole" the shot switches back to a white family who are on benefits, also goes against the common stereotype that white people work and immigrants don't.
However the fact that they can not speak English may be another issue that will be address by people that are against immigrants, such as the psycho-graphic of reformers. Also the fact that they state that they can not get the paper work to get a proper job suggests that they are perhaps in the country llegally which will again anger the viewers and also acts upon the moral panic of immigration.
Looking at the costume of the characters, the bright green jacket worn by some of the workers when putting metal in their van connotes that they are working as the jacket is commonly worn by builders and other people while at work.
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