How far does the extract try to create a sense that it is portraying real life?
The new police officer, Jake, makes several mistakes showing that he is a realistic police officer who isn't perfect; it is also his first day. The biggest mistake that he makes is leading Donna and Lino to the wrong place to put the stingers on the road which demonstrates that Jake isn't that good despite his father- Chief Superintendent Vicars- being very high up in the police system.
The police officers are in costumes so we can recognise them to be realistic officers because in real, modern day life, police officers all wear uniform so that we can recognise them. When Jake, Ryan, Donna and Lino are all having lunch together they all wear the same matching uniform representing how real being a police officer is. Also, they drive police cars with sirens which is very stereotypical of police officers because that is a key part of the job. The whole outfit and mise-en-scene is very authentic and helps the viewer understand whose role is whose (e.g. we can clearly see that Donna is an average police officer but Jo is much higher up as she is not wearing the standard uniform).
Additionally, they are depicted in naturalistic locations and in natural lighting emphasising that they are very much real and present. The lighting is not too dramatic, it is always very natural and realistic further expressing how real these people are. Their location (In Brighton) shows that it is very real and modern day place and we see everyday people living their lives such as in the digger scene the civilians are running away. This is realistic because in that situation people would normally flee from a crime scene with thieves and weapons such as a crow bar.
All of the police officers are always in pursuit of criminals who have committed crime. That is very common for police officers, they are always busy and Jake cannot even eat his lunch because they are so busy catching criminals. In every day lives, it is usual and the norm for the police to try and catch those who are breaking the law. It is reflecting reality because this is authentic and pragmatic of these officers to catch thieves and criminals.
Editing and the use of shot and reverse shot and continuing editing suggests real life and does not draw attention to its artificiality. The camera pans around the cast as if a real, genuine person was standing there, panning and gazing their eyes to what is occurring. The lack of attention drawn to the artificiality of the camera shots is good as it makes the scenes not feel unfeasible, instead we achieve the sense that we are in the moment there and very present.
The use of the handheld camera gives the extract a documentary feel as if it is recording real life, draws us into the action and helps us suspend our disbelief. Because the camera is handheld, we are almost stepping into the shoes of someone who was genuinely there. For example, when the police are running to catch the criminals, the cameraman runs too so we feel as if we were there. It is useful because we can imagine the situation as if it were real and empathise with the characters as we understand and comprehend their struggle. It further expresses how original and legitimate this extract is.
The use of recognisable stereotypes such as the male criminal helps to make the extract appear more realistic as this is a stereotype that is played out in other areas of the media and exists to an extent in real life. If the thief were a black woman, it would be less cliché seen as the majority of criminals are white, middle-aged men and the very small minority are women. In media, criminals are nearly always portrayed as in Cuffs so it seems to be more legitimate and we can sympathise with the police as we have seen situations like this shown in the media before. For example, Al Capone who was a white, male, Italian/American gangster- very stereotypical for the majority of criminals.
The use of a strong female police officer could challenge the sense of real depending on an audience's interpretation. This is because strong characters are nearly always portrayed by man. Donna being fitter and braver and on the whole better than Lino is less sterling and attested than if Lino was the main person in that relationship. So, Donna could make the extract seem less appealing because it doesn't obey the current stereotypes for alpha males being superior and women being overall inferior.
The extract could appear more real to those who identify with the camaraderie of the police officers together sharing lunch who could imagine themselves involved in similar conversations. They are friendly and chatty like most normal police officers would do. Donna teases Lino about him having double lunch on Wednesdays and that he has 'Nona's lasagne stuck in your teeth' picking harmless jokes about his Italian heritage. This is relatable for watchers at home who can identify with these funny jabs and banter. It further implies how realistic and unadulterated the extract truly is.
Those who enjoy the visual spectacle of the car chase may find enjoyment in the diversion that this offers them from real life. Although, this entertainment draws them away from real life as it is unrealistic for normal people so the extract appears to be less unfeigned. But then again it is a normal day for the police so you could argue that despite the car chase not being the most common occurrence, it is for police officers so therefore it is realistic.
