There are many ways in which ability and disability are represented to the audience in this A Touch Of Frost clip. The first recognisable sign that is shown is the slurred speech by Billy when he has been tackled to the ground by the police. He says "I haven't done anything wrong" in a way that suggests he has some form of speech disability, for it is not entirely clear. Also, a low angle shot of Billy was used to show him being overpowered by the policeman. This shot could suggest that someone with no disability can overpower someone with a disability, physically at least. The music used could also be seen as quite mysterious music, which suggests that we are supposed to not know what Billy has been doing or what he is doing now.
A panning shot is then used after the titles to show the vast amount of people that have turned up at Billy's house. This could be to show concern towards what has happened, perhaps indicating that the neighbours view Billy as someone they want to look after, or want to be safe specifically, due to his disability. Guards are also shown, however, which could indicate that Billy is somewhat of a threat to the public, and mustn't be allowed to leave the house until those without disability allow him to. This could also show a sense of empowerment over the disabled.
During a conversation with Billy's father, the detective asks the father if Billy is 'mentally subnormal', as if he is trying to avoid words like 'handicapped' or 'disabled'. This is to either show that the detective does not want to offend anyone in any particular way by saying what might be the wrong words, or he might be represented as being ignorant about such terms, indicating that those who are abled bodied do not pay much attention to the disabled, or what it is preferred to refer to them as.
The detective then proceeds to ask the father to come in with him in case he 'breaks the rules', suggesting that disabled people require careful treatment, going as far as to say that there are in fact rules to go by. The mother is then introduced by stating that she'd rather clean Billy up before the interrogation so he would feel better, suggesting that the disabled need assistance from the abled in order to make them feel better. Also, the tone the mother is using is such a tone that would suggest that Billy is a child, not a young adult, therefore suggesting that even the parents of the disabled treat them differently to how he would have been treated had he not had a disability.
This representation of the disabled being child-like is reinforced in the next scene, where his father talks to him in a patronising tone, telling him that no one has said he has done anything, despite the fact he has been tackled to the ground and is being interrogated. This is an attempt to calm Billy down, which could suggest that the abled try and keep the disabled happy, even going to the extent to exaggerate or lie to them, indicating that the abled view the disabled as not likely to catch on. Also, from this point onwards, Billy is being shown from a high angle, which is typically used to show inferiority, or authority from someone's point of view.
A shot of Billy tilting his head to his side is then shown. When a child is confused, they tilt their head, so the way in which this has been written to make Billy tilt his head could suggest that Billy is, yet again, like a child due to his disability. The detective then tells Billy that the policemen 'must've frightened' him, to which Billy replies 'I was frightened', as if he would like to agree with the detective, or is answering the detective like he had asked a question. Once more, this shows that Billy is under the influence of the detective, suggesting that the disabled are under the influence of the abled, in this case, mentally.
The lighting used to portray Billy is dark, whereas the detective is under a light. Darkness in lighting is usually used to portray untrustworthiness or even evil, and being shown in light lighting is usually due to the character being good. This difference in lighting could be interpreted as deliberate to show the detective as higher up and more reliable than Billy, who is being shown as quite unreliable during this interrogation.
Billy's father speaks to the detective over the top of Billy to confirm what time he went home, showing that Billy was incapable of giving an accurate description. This again enforces the idea that the disabled are in need of assistance regularly from those with abled bodies. The fact that his dad just speaks directly over his head with no effort, as if he is used to speaking over his son also suggests that he thinks himself above Billy.
A low angle of the detective is repeated to the audience many times to suggest that he is more important than Billy, or of a higher status at least. Whether this is due to his age, or the fact he does not have any disabilities is unknown, but this angle has evidently been shot deliberately to show higher status in the room.
However, as Billy starts taking an aggressive tone, and the detective begins taking a patient tone, it is evident that the tables have turned and Billy has taken control of the situation through means of his disability. This could then be interpreted to suggest that those with disabilities can manipulate situations by using their own disability to their advantage, for he is shouting at the detective without being reprimanded.
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