Representation Of Disability

Billy is shown in a long tracking shot, which allows us to see that he is dusting himself off. This suggests that he has be involved in wrong doing, therefore disability is being associated with deviant or 'strange' behaviour. The low key lighting reinforces this representation of deviance and works with the eerie non diagetic music to create a mysterious mood. A tracking low level shot of a police dog reinforces the idea that Billy has been involved in wrong doing and again associates disability with deviating from social norms. A reaction shot is used to show Billy's frighted expression which represents disability as being vulnerable or naive. The long tracking shot of the policemen running after Billy and the diagetic sound of them shouting adds to the idea that Billy has done something wrong. The non-diagetic music stops at this point which creates tension. A low level medium shot allows us to see Billy being overpowered by the officer, and here disability is being associated with being weaker or needing to be controlled. The diagetic sound of Billy shouting 'I havent done anything wrong' with a pleading tone resembles the way a child would defend themselves after doing something bad. This represents disability as having a lack of power.

A high angle two shot shows Detective Frost being corrected by Billy's father, and told that he is handicapped rather than mentally abnormal, and he apologises. Here able bodied people are being shown as having to be careful about the way they talk about and the terminology they use when talking about disability. A high angle 3 shot then shows Billy's mother asking the detective if she should clean him up, and she holds holds a bowl of water and flannel, prepared. Here able bodied people are being represented as assuming that people with disabilities need to be taken care of  and helped with daily activities in the way a small child would be.

A medium, high angle long shot shows Billy's father sit beside him and put his arm around him. The high angle suggests that Billy is being looked down on and associated disability with lack of power. The way Billy's father explains things very clearly and slowly to him, as if he was talking to a small child, shows that able bodied people may believe they have to make their speech a lot clearer and more understandable when talking to people with a disability. A close up of Billy's face allows us to see his confused expression. The way he holds his head to the side also suggests that he is confused and this relates to the common perception of disabled people being easily confused, and finding things difficult to understand. The shot reverse shot sequence between Billy and the inspector shows the inspector giving Billy a slight smile while saying 'we must have frightened you.' This represents the way an adult would talk to a small child in order to comfort them and suggests that able bodied people feel they need to speak in a comforting and clear manner when talking to people with disabilities in order not to confuse them. Here disability is being represented as needing gentle handling. The inspector continues speaking to Billy in very clear terms in the shot reverse shot for example when he says 'all of a sudden there were police and dogs and people shouting.' Billy relates to the common perception of disabled people becoming easily frighted when he says 'I was frightened.' This also again represents disability as lack of power and vulnerability. When Billy is asked what time he was by the playground, he mentions he was 'coming home from workshop.' The workshop Billy is referring to may be something that disabled individuals attend, and if so disability is being associated with needing extra care or learning help. Throughout this shot reverse shot sequence, Billy is shot using a slight high angle as he looks up at the inspector, and the inspector shot at a slight low angle as he looks down at Billy. This represents the difference in power between an able bodied and disabled person. The lighting during this scene is low key lighting and shadows are cast by Billy. As darkness is commonly associated with negativity, it could be argued that here disability is being associated with being slightly untrustworthy, which relates to the way Billy is constantly looking away from the inspector.