Revision: Super.Human.

 Revision: Super.Human.



  • smoke, low key lighting and dramatic non diegetic music create drama and excitement
  • central positioning makes the black woman seem important
    • flashing lights around her create a paparazzi feel, or the beginning of a race feel
  • the montage of audio commentary adds tension and realism as though this is a real competition being judged
  • exaggerated breathing sounds and track in to close up make this seem like an important event with high pressure
  • her cool and calm demeanour signify that she is prepared and ready
  • gunshot noise acts as a transition into the radio alarm helping us to contrast the dream sequence with the reality
  • the use of the silk hair cap/bonnet may help to engage black audiences who often aren't shown natural black hair being represented in the media
  • a range of disabilities, ethnicities and genders are represented on screen adding a sense of diversity
  • disabilities are often under represented in the media so the inclusion of people with disabilities may help to engage audiences who deal with disabilities themselves
  • some audiences felt that the advert only really showed a narrow range of disabilities and they wanted more diversity
  • the montage of joints being taped, strapped and pushed into prosthetics, along with the hyperbolic sounds, emphasises the preparation they go through every day
    • it suggests a real battle, struggle and physical determination and so feels quite gritty and real rather than glamorous or idyllic
  • low angle shot and close ups of Ellie Simmonds make her seem dominant and powerful
  • the jump cuts/montage of different races (emphasised by costume changes) signifies how many races she has entered and won
  • the shots of sports people training is cross cut with archive style footage of soldiers marching and army training, helping to compare the athletes to soldiers, fighters, etc
  • the graphic match cut (wheelchair with the planets colliding) signifies the athletes sheer strength and power
  • the shot reverse shot between the cyclist and the phone showing his daughter connotes how hard it is to try and juggle training with parenting
  • the sad reactions and physical separations of parents from their kids emphasises the sacrifices they make to be the best
    • could represent men as being absent from their children's lives and focused more on their own successes
    • some may see it as representing men as wanting to be emotionally involved with their children but being prevented by external pressures
  • further use of jump cuts to emphasise the multiple days of training that athletes have to endure
  • the "puke bucket" adds some comedy but also suggests they have to train until they are il
  • the cuts between the screams during training and the screams during childbirth suggests the amount of pain that training can cause
    • signifies that paralumpians are normal human beings dealing with everyday issues such as pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, etc. helps to make them normalised and relatable
  • the POV shot from the bike on the track helps to make audiences feel as though they are there taking part
  • the sparks from the bike and the slow motion shot of the man flying through the air adds drama and risk/danger, giving it an action film feel
  • close up shots of bruises and blisters being popped play on the popularity of "gross" videos (e.g pimple popping)
    • emphasises the risks and dangers of the sports, and the real problems suffered by atheletes
  • the narrative includes non sport related issues such as discrimination faced by disabled people may help educate audiences and encourage change
  • the surreal imagery suggests that the pressure and desire to succeed is driving them even when asleep
  • nightmarish imagery emphasises the fears the athletes have, and the pressure they are under as well as the struggles they face
  • references to medical illnesses like Crohns disease as well as shots of doctors, medication, etc emphasises the long term health issues that many people with disabilities have to deal with
  • could be relatable to many audiences including those affected by the context of COVID, lockdowns, postponed events, etc
  • the manipulated shot and audio of Boris Johnson reflect Channel 4's anti-establishment and alternative standpoint. Perhaps suggesting the government aren't always supportive of those with disabilities
    • "you might as well quit"
  • the falling cascade of balls adds to the sense of overwhelming pressure and stress
  • "to be a paralympian there's got to be something wrong with you"
    • plays on the negative stereotype that being disabled is somehow wrong
    • some comments online suggest that some disabled people still weren't comfortable with this message
    • instead emphasises how crazy you have to be to put yourself through all this stress and pain to be a paralympic
    • images of athletes celebrating success adds to the image of them being winners
  • the representations of disability in the advert may help to educate audiences and change their preconceptions about disabled people
  • it may help to show disabled athletes as potential role models for others
    • also educates people on the struggles disabled people face daily
  • the music "So You Wanna Be A Boxer" is from the 1976 film Bugsy Malone
    • targets adults (particularly aged 35+) who may be familiar with the song and see it as a fun upbeat reference
  • the Toyota sponsorship message reflects the expensive nature of filming and broadcasting sporting events, and the need to get extra revenue from sponsorship to help with this
  • previously Channel 4 Paralympic adverts had focused on athletes being Super Human (e.g heroic and not totally "real" or normal)
  • Channel 4 kept the Super Human title but changed it to Super.Human, focusing on showing the human side of the athletes as well as their successes
    • some may say that this campaign is more realistic than previous ones
  • the smashing of the word "Super" suggests a move away from representing disabled people as "other" and a move towards representing them as human
  • Channel 4 have a PSB remit which has an effect on the way they might represent people in their products

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