Humans Brothel Key scene analysis

 The Brothel Scene

synopsis:

Leo is positioned to appear to be attempting a rescue mission for Niska from the brothel. Albeit we find out he 'needs more time' and she is left there to endure further suffering.

Key Questions:

How does media language position the audience?

Are we placed within the shoes of the protagonist via techniques such as the close-up shot, etc. Or made distant?

How does gender performativity position the audience?

While we arguably perform aspects of our gender, this is /not/ gender performativity.

Gender performativity - Refers to how our performance of gender affects the world around us.

I walk around in my jeans, hoodie and Adidas sneakers. - I'm following hegemonically accepted conventions for what an 18-year-old White guy might is seen to wear. Nobody would care. /But/ If I'd decided to express my gender performance via adorning a dress and make-up, I'd likely be called out for it. 

Anita -> A hegemonically attractive representation of a woman, east-Asian (exotic binary opposition to the 'regular' white Hawkins family.)

Due to Anita's extreme binary opposition, and positioning as this utopian, hegemonically attractive woman and motherly figure to the children. The Hawkins mother, Laura, is threatened by her as per potentially taking their place.

The proairetic code of Joe eyeing Anita's 18+ card in the first episode connotates how he sees her as a sexual object via the male gaze, as opposed to a human woman like his wife.

Mattie, the older daughter, sees Anita as an advanced piece of technology and a project to test. As emphasised through their dialogue exchange in their scene together.

Sophie the younger daughter, sees Anita/Mia almost like a Disney princess, and a doll that she can play with.

Tobie, the son, is emphasised to entirely just view Anita as a sexual object. Pointed out by Mattie within the first episode.

Leo desperately wants Anita as a friend and a lover. (and something of a mother later in the series) something completely different to the other listed characters. He wishes to /save/ her, like a knight in shining armour.

Leo's gender performance is complex...

1) Hypermasculine, assertive, aggressive, confident and active. 

Whilst at the same time...

2) Passive, emasculated, defeated, embarrassed and uncomfortable.

Niska's gender performance is /even/ more complex:

1) Playing the role of a sex worker, seductive, performative. The subject of the intradiegetic and extradiegetic male gaze.
(Intradiegetic refers to when someone in a media product looks at another, whereas extradiegetic refers to when /we/ look at something within a media product as the spectator.)

2) Relieved, relaxed, friendly and excited.

3) Disappointed, angry and condescending.

4) Aggressive, emasculating, and sexually domineering.

5) Passive, vulnerable, abandoned.

Despite being emphasised by the show that Niska is a synth, her gender performance juxtaposes this, as she acts in a way that is verbatim with a human.   Through the process of allegory, Niska's representation asks the viewer to question the way in which we treat women. 

The complexity of Niska's representation, which shifts through five distinct modes in one short scene makes a powerful statement not only on the representation and sexualisation of women in contemporary society but also forces the target audience to question the nature of humanity itself. 

 

Establishing Shot

Setting:  Urban area reminiscent of a street, perhaps in London, Soho.

This moment reinforces the idea of Leo as an active hypermasculine figure and acts as an example of gender performativity. Leo is having an effect upon another male character previously unknown to him. 

How?
Costume design: Leo is younger of two, rugged-looking with a masculine beard, as well as a hood to reinforce him as a mysterious, tough figure.Whereas the other man in this encounter in binary opposition is older, beardless with a suit and tie to emphasise him as straight-laced.

Reinforcement of dominant hegemonic masculine ideology:

Leo is represented thus far as commander, as he orders his fellow synth, Max. To wait outside for him whilst he attends to their mission. Assertive.  Emphasised by the close-up that pulls traction to the actor's firm expression as he delivers his dialogue.

Introduction of diegetic music as Leo enters the brothel.  A pounding, overwhelmingly loud piece of bass music. This emphasises the area as a place of danger and excitement.  The location is familiar to the vast majority of spectators due to intertextual reference to other media texts with similar locations.

Leo approaches the counter and offers over money to visit Niska. Reinforcing the notion that women regardless of if they are human or synth, have a price, and can be bought by men for sexual purposes.  Again reinforced by the Synth prostitute positioned upon the left of the screen, appearing to be lounging about in a revealing dress, juxtaposed with Leo, who despite being hegemonically attractive, is not sexualised as the woman is within this scene. Thickly adorned in various layers for his costume.

Audience positioning through cinematography via the tracking shot that settles the viewer behind Leo as he walks through a low-lit hallway, with Niska in high-key lighting, reinforced as his destination. 

The red lighting naturally connotates danger, sexuality, romance, etc. 

The binary opposition of Leo, still fully dressed, juxtaposed with another lingerie dressed sex worker. 

The soundtrack here, emphasises loud female voices, paired with deep bass and grows louder as Leo approaches Niska. Further connotations of sex as he arrives at the climax of his journey. (Badum-tss)

Our first direct POV shot from Leo, emphasising him as the protagonist. At least within this scene. Men act and women appear, with Niska represented as a goal for him, a prize. Reinforced by her overly sexualised, passive dance. 

The direct mode of address of Niska reeling a finger forth at the camera, ushering Leo (and by association, the viewer) closer to her. Pulling attention to her breasts through her performance, her motions, and naturally their costume design. therein reinforcing this idea that women are only placed upon the screen for the heterosexual male gaze. 

POV as we are positioned now with the sex worker as opposed to the one buying their services. Put in her shoes.

For one last time, a midshot of Leo fully dressed and represented as masculinely stalwart juxtaposed with the feminine and sexually alluring attire, motions and expression of Niska.

The next shot emphasises the complexity of gender performance, as further layers are shown to the two characters on screen. Niska's shoulders slump to reinforce that she is tired of this performance as her day-to-day life. Her gender performativity is having a direct influence on Leo as he chooses to uncharacteristically softly embrace her.

The close-up of Niska's facial expression as she is delivered the news that Leo is in fact, not there to rescue her, but is instead purely delivering the news that he needs more time, is that of pure disappointment and abandonment.

The usage of shot-reverse-shot, of the close-up of Niska to Leo, framed on the right as opposed to the left, emphasises this as a conversation. His expression is pathetic and weak. Delivering the realisation to both the viewer and Niska similarly. That he isn't the hypermasculine hero the scene was positioning him as, not a saviour. 

A proairetic code, that positions Niska in a manner that we'd expect she was about to perform a sexual act on Leo. Subverting Leo's hypermasculinity by stealing his position as the active character within the scene. 

Leo's face from this second POV of Niska emphasises him as sickened by what he is seeing, purely uncomfortable and upset. Confused at what she is doing. 

An uncomfortable mode of address, as we as the viewer for the first time are uncertain who we are positioning ourselves with. It isn't made clear if we should be in the shoes of uncomfortable Leo, or the assertive Niska. You as the viewer need to make a decision.

'Now it looks like you've just fucked me.'

The choice in the lexis of 'fucked' as opposed to 'made love' or 'had sex', reinforces the routine Niska has to go through as a cold one, devoid of romance or love. Niska is emasculating Leo through this decision. The scene will likely prove frustrating for the viewer, 'why can't Leo just rescue her?'

'I was born to feel.' is stated by Niska in response to Leo telling her to 'turn your pain receptors off.', the very epitome of the show's message summarised diegetically. For Niska, feeling pain makes her human. 

Forces the viewers to confront Leo's complete patheticness, his inability to save Niska. Not even the hypermasculine male character can rescue her. Our perception of gender has been fully changed at this moment.

The camera pans inward into a close-up of Niska's face, with her aligned in the direct centre of the screen. Unavoidable. Represented here not as a sex worker or a synth, but simply as a person with the raw emotion of disappointment. Her expectations utterly subverted akin to how the audience's have been. 

To reiterate...

How does gender performativity position the audience?

In a confusing, and challenging way. Which challenges the audience to consider what makes a man, what makes a woman, and overall.. What makes a human?