Representation of Disability in Secret Diary of a Call Girl

 How is the representation of disability created through the use of camera, editing sound and mise en scene in this clip from Secret Diary of a Call Girl?

In this clip from Secret Diary of a Call Girl, disability is represented by one central character (Blake), as well as the reactions of the other characters in the scene. In my opinion, this is a unique way of representing those with disabilities because we are shown three different perspectives, one or more of which may echo our own views or experiences. This immediately makes the audience sensitive to the issue being explored.

From the very first scene, we know that disability will be a big part of the storyline of the clip because of the camera work. As the female character (the call girl) opens the door, we are shown a shot of Blake and his dad, however the shot purposely starts too high up and quickly moves downwards until we see a medium shot of Blake. This is also shot from the woman's point of view, which demonstrates that she is having to adjust herself to the fact that Blake is disabled. In this scene, we discover that Blake is disabled through the use of a wheelchair - a universal and instantly recognisable symbol of disability.

In my opinion, the editing in the clip is used mostly to demonstrate Blake's reliance on others and his father's concern about the situation. After his father leaves the house and goes outside to the car, there are jumps cuts between each action rather than a continuous shot, which shows that time is passing very slowly for him. Also, the mis en scene - the enclosed space of the car, the fiddly actions of the father and the fact that we are seeing through a window - reflecting his feeling of being stuck in a situation he is not entirely clear about or comfortable in.  A connection between this and representations of disability go, would be that it allows the audience to notice an elevated sense of protectiveness towards his son due to his vulnerable position and we realise his reaction may have been different had he not been disabled. 


In addition to this, Blake's interaction with the call girl in the final scene and the way it's handled