Regional identity is created in the clip to highlight the stereotypes and binary opposites between people who live in city's (smart, stressed, speedy) and people who live in the countryside (moronic, mundane,moderate ) positioning the audience to humor, rather than binary conflict, in the differences between Doc Martin(city) and the local inhabitant of the countryside.
The establishing shot is of a doctors surgery that is
outdated, lacking in modern features that one would expect to see - this
positions the audience to believe that the countryside is 'behind' when regarding technological advancement,This
is a common stereotype of the countryside that is often presented in television
drama such as the lack of cars or computers. With the use of a wide angle shot,
the audience can see a contrast between the suit and tie clad Doc Martin (representing the city) and the two men dressed
in boiler suits (representing the countryside and a laborious life).
In this frame, Doc Martin is positioned higher than the two men, which
could connote authority, whereas one of the two men appears languorous since he is seated, overweight and eating.
The room appears to be un-cared for though the use of miseenscene, there are
boxes stacked in the background and the two men are repairing an old looking
broken tap.
The wide angel shot is held for a prolonged time this limited use of editing could connotes alongside the large plumber that the country side is slow and mundane like the shot is without editing or camera movement, their is only diagetic sound this could position the audience to believe that the country is very natural and pure. however the scene starts with a twinkle this could relate to John Masefield famous poem Reynard the Fox which showed the magic of the English countryside and country life.
editing starts as the younger plumber starts to show
intelligence challenging the country stereotype, the editing makes the
scene seem faster this is caused by the increase of action, the water is the
main subject of the scene and causes the drama and tension however it is rarely
seen in the shot this could mean
that it "happens all the time" and the country is slowing lazy and
the fix it later, Doc gets very frustrated about the tap and his
anger elevates the level of tension in the scene this could be a stereotype of
regional identity that in the city folk are angry and everything is fast and has to happen now and he is
frustrated that the country folk are being lazy and slow and not rushing to the problem, the
non diegetic music
starts when he stares at the dog the elevator music and high angle shot showing the weakness of the dog causes
tension possibly to put the audience in a position of city folk not
liking animals and it
gives the audience relief when they see the dog is ok.
The second scene revile the dog is un harmed and the jornty non digest sound makes light heated of the previous scene the shot is on a steady-cam tracking shot and Doc appears in the center shot and walks towards camera to show he is the most important in the scene and not much seems to happen around him and not many cars are seen this could once again show that unlike the city the country side is mundane, backward there are few goings on, as he reaches the police station they are shown in a long shot to show Doc and dog going to the police, when the policeman and Doc Martin meet they have different expressions/ reactions on their faces, The policeman looks confused but happy ( making him look dumb) there is someone new to the area this could show that countryside community are very close, whereas,Doc looks angry and irritated and he is quite rood to the officer this could position the ordinance that they are on the same hierarchy level because he is a city doctor and he is a policeman,the officers lack of immediate assertiveness and representation of looking a bit "dumb" especially compared to Doc this could position the audience that there is little or no crime at all in the area, as he has nothing to do but hoover. the police equipment also looks outdated showing the backwardness of the country.
Doc's return from the police station is filmed in a 'oner' no cuts or edditing this could represent the long slowness of the country it shows a middle aged woman greeting Doc . she is well spoken which implies she is upper class, especially since she has a car and that is rare in this representation of the countryside this could show that the country is behind and there is still a large class line because they are old fashioned, this shot is very natural as is the lighting, with the sounds of wind and sea gulls it is clear to the audience that location of the show is by the sea this could show the great rural isolation of the country, Doc stands out because of his smart dark clothes compared to the ladys bright car and cloths this could show that in the city it is very dark and neutral.
The establishing wide shot shows the school that dwarfs Doc Martin who notices a woman in
the school and tension building non
diagetic music starts as the
woman notices him then a close up of the woman and doc this could be a reaction shot but it also looks like it is
from the point
of vew of Doc the continuity editing makes
all the shots flow making it
seem like it is happening in real time, Doc is then distracted by an old farmer
woman who seems to be very wise this could enforce
the stereotype of old rural women being
very knowledgeable about things such as 'wife-stales' and herbal cures,she is also
a farmer and
is wearing a classic stereotypical farmers body
warmer because the is a view that everyone from the country is a farmer.
