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Textual Analysis of On Benefits & Proud :

Documentaries from Channel 5:

 On Benefits & Proud: (Opening sequence)

 Genre conventions:

  • Broad engaging statistics to shock the audience
  • Montage editing at the beginning to show what will happen in the episode, continuity editing throughout most of the show to create a sense of realism.
  • Diegetic sound to create a sense of realism and show the reality of the places the show is set.
  • Close-ups shots create a personal connection between the audience and the people in the documentary.
  • Hand-held cameras create a sense of chaos and lack of control, which creates a sense of vulnerability for the people in the show.
  • Establishing shots are shown at the beginning to show the setting, and create a sombre tone for the show.
  • Dull, greyish colour palette for most of the opening sequence when showing the outside of setting; but also a warmish colour palette when showing the people.
  • Medium long shots of the most interesting people in the show, and the most vulnerable people, e.g children. (This engages the audience)
  • Panning shots often used to show the rural/urban setting.
  • Panning shot to show the Title of the documentary, often the title image has elements of the topic of the show.
Example of a medium long shot of the most vunerable people in the show; the children create a sense of pathos. 






Example of a panning shot to depict the urban setting, and portray the title of the show. The font type connotes poverty and bleakness.






Example of a close up, 2 person shot to create a personal connection between the people and the audience.







Theory application:

 David Gauntlett's theory explains how the media provides means for people to create their own identity, and that the media uses different icons, celebrities, and ideas to create diverse representations of identity to choose from. This can be applied to this many documentaries such as On Benefits & Proud, as the target audience for this show is female and male working class people, and the show uses inscription to direct the show to this audience. Therefore, the similarities found in the viewer, and the people in the documentary engages the viewers, and enables them to relate to the show and the experiences of the people in the show.

 Stuart Hall's theory can be applied to On Benefits & Proud as despite being an observatory documentary, the show represents the working class in a stereotypical way. Hall's theory explains how media language can form representations of specific social groups and in this case the show is creating negative connotations of the working-class. The use of close-up shots, and diegetic sound depicts the people in the show as disruptive, and lazy which is a stereotype of people on benefits; this links to Hall's theory of how subtle media language such as editing and sound can construct representations.

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