Hotel Babylon Textual Analysis.

Hotel Babylon is a BBC series following the lives of hotel workers in a 5 star London hotel. It aired from 19th January 2006 to 14th August 2009. In this scene the immigration officers have arrived and the workers at the hotel are in trouble due to being immigrants. Its a quite fast pace scene.

Camera

This Clip uses an establishing shot to begin with to set the scene and show the surroundings. A hand- held camera is being used as it has a shaky effect giving the audience the feeling as though they are apart of the action. In the scene tracking shots are used for example the camera follows the action when the man is being chased and follows the woman fall down at 2:05. This draws in the audience as they feel more attached to characters and can see exactly what is happening and how. Point of view shots are used so the audience can see the characters perspective and therefore are drawn in. Near the end of the clip when the locker is being cleared out, the pictures are zoomed in on this is because it makes the audience feel sympathetic for the immigrant who had been caught. At 3:22 the camera zooms in on the woman face to express her emotions and her agitation. Long and Short takes are used to show the importance and represent power of the officers for example the long close up of the officers face. 

Sound

Background music which is non diegetic sets the scene and tells the audience whats happening and pin points important parts in the programme. Throughout the clip a instrumental music piece is played its quite tension building. At the beginning the tone in the receptionists voice and the way she speaks shows she's trying to stay calm but is actually very panicked. Diegetic sound is used for example the heavy breathing when the immigrants are hidden in a storage cupboard, the panic and fear can be heard in their voices and breath (this is also synchronous sound) .Showing their emotions this way helps the viewers get more involved in the show and understand the circumstances which the characters are facing. Another way diegetic sound is used is when the man is running you can hear his speeding footsteps which makes everything seem much more dramatic and rushed. Also when the woman tells them supposedly that immigration are here you can hear the mumbles and yells of the people. Ethnicity is shown through the multiple languages used showing the hotel is multi-cultural. 

Editing

A cut is used when the immigration officers find the man and chase him in the hotel corridor at around 2:50. It switches between the people in the cupboard and the man being caught to show the contrast between their situations and how some are safe yet one is going to be caught. This is gripping to the viewer. A shot-reverse-shot is also used at the beginning of the clip when the receptionist talks to the man sitting own and tells him a reminder but is actually trying to be discrete and tell him to hide the immigrants.

Mise-en-scene

The women in the hotel are dressed formally for their job. The immigration officers are dressed quite casually. The main immigration officer is followed by 2 other men who always
 walk slightly behind him, this shows that he has a lot more power and is in a higher position of authority. Another representation of ethnicity is when put in the storage 
cupboard to protect the immigrants being taken some of them pray showing their religion and culture. They also pray towards the end of the clip after one immigrant was unfortunately caught. Artificial light is used upstairs however downstairs is natural light 
which represents status. The reception who is English wears white which represents  
innocence, however the Asian woman is on black this could show the contrast between cultures. Another possible representation of this is that the clothing is showing hierarchy.