In the TV drama ‘The Fear’ mise-en-scene, sound, editing and shot types are used to represent different class types within the scene. Characters of different social class are juxtaposed throughout, and when the ‘patient’ enters the scene he consequently disrupts the status quo which as of now, has been left untouched.
In 'The Fear' the use of sound is used to signify Ritchie's social class in terms of his dialogue. The diegetic sound of the dialogue itself, with the continual use of swear words such as "fuck" throughout, highlight the stereotype of people from a lower social class background and a lesser extent of education continually using curse words in their everyday language. Another way in which diegetic sound is used within the scene to represent social class is when Ritchie uncovers his phone and plays loud music aloud in the surgery. This action disrupts the equilibrium which has been created in the office, and therefore this action further implies Ritchie's lower level of class in society in general-- for that he doesn't care for the disruption of the status quo and a lack of self awareness.
The way mise-en-scene is used to represent social class is through the setting and lighting of the scene itself. The scene is set in a plastic surgeons office, open plan windows bask the room in natural sunlight, the walls are white, reflecting a lot of light and making the room appear airy and spacious. The colour white is suggestive of purity and can be an equilibrium in its own right, possibly inducing a calming effect on the audience watching the clip itself. The spacious feel that the lighting gives to the room, signifies a sense of wealth and high class. High class can also be exuded in the form of the clothing presented in the scene at hand. The receptionist wears a smart women's suit, with the surgeon opting for a suit of his own, Ritchie on the other hand enters the scene wearing extremely casual clothes. Juxtaposed against the other two characters within the scene, Ritchie seems out of place, and due to the overwhelming difference in the attire that they're wearing- he seems that of a lower class from the moment the characters are placed side-by-side in the scene.
Shot types and camera movements, is another way in which social class is clearly represented within the clip. The shot type most frequently used at the start of the clip were 'wide shots', the use of this particular shot and the start of the was to, "set the scene" in a way, and confirm to the audience how elegant and luxurious the setting is. As well as this it also creates an even bigger contrast between Ritchie and the other two characters. Another shot type which regularly appears in the clip is that of 'close-ups'. The use of close ups in this clip is to highlight the facial expressions of Ritchie and the Plastic Surgeon, as they are in increasing conflict with each other. In conjunction with the CU shots used; jump cuts are of frequent occurrence throughout, especially when the close ups and jump cuts are placed side by side. The quicker and more aggressive the conversation gets, the faster the jump cut becomes. This adds a lot of danger, aggression and tension to the scene, consequently making the scene more dramatic and fast pace. Brought on my Ritchie, the verbal fight within the scene also illustrates his class and character throughout- and that of a lower class. Throughout this scene Ritchie continually uses swear words in his dialogue, which further adds to his character, as a lower class part of society. The camera movement of pan is used throughout the scene, acting as an outsider looking in rather than a point of view of a character. This adds to the contrast between Ritchie and the opposing characters, as we are not biased in the way that we conceive the characters being and the way in which they interact with each other.
In conclusion the use of editing, sound, shot types, camera movements and mise-en-scene help portray Ritchie as a citizen of a lower class society, who disrupts the equilibrium of the plastic surgeons prestige looking office. Juxtaposed throughout the scene, Ritchie appears as a stand out figure throughout, with his foul language and desire for conflict between the other characters; eventually leading to his assumption of a lower class citizen.
Thursday 20 December 2012
Thursday 6 December 2012
Background to TV Drama
There is no expectation that students will learn about TV drama as a genre or form. What is expected though is an understanding of how serious fictional television Engadget its viewers by representing real world events, themes, people and places through a series of technical and symbolic devices. There are, however, a set of sub-genres or dramatic types that have different conventions:
Teen dramas: (which depend entirely on the target audience empathising with a range of authentic characters and age-specific situations and anxieties)
Soap operas: (which never end, convey a sense of real time and depend entirely on us accepting then as 'socially realist')
Costume dramas: (which are often intertextually linked to 'classic' novels or plays and offer a set of pleasures that are very different to dramas set in our owl world contexts and times)
Medical/hospital dramas: (which interplay our vicarious pleasure at witnessing trauma and suffering on the part of patients and relatives with a set of staff narratives that deploy soap opera conventions)
Police/crime dramas: (which work in the same way as medical/hospital dramas but we can substitute the health context for representation of criminals and victims)
Docu-dramas: (which are set apart from the others by their attempts to dramatise significant real events which usually have either human interest, celebrity focus or political significance)
Each of these types has its own set of conventions, its typical scheduling patterns, its target audiences, it's narrative formulae and its history/expectations.
Teen dramas: (which depend entirely on the target audience empathising with a range of authentic characters and age-specific situations and anxieties)
Soap operas: (which never end, convey a sense of real time and depend entirely on us accepting then as 'socially realist')
Costume dramas: (which are often intertextually linked to 'classic' novels or plays and offer a set of pleasures that are very different to dramas set in our owl world contexts and times)
Medical/hospital dramas: (which interplay our vicarious pleasure at witnessing trauma and suffering on the part of patients and relatives with a set of staff narratives that deploy soap opera conventions)
Police/crime dramas: (which work in the same way as medical/hospital dramas but we can substitute the health context for representation of criminals and victims)
Docu-dramas: (which are set apart from the others by their attempts to dramatise significant real events which usually have either human interest, celebrity focus or political significance)
Each of these types has its own set of conventions, its typical scheduling patterns, its target audiences, it's narrative formulae and its history/expectations.
Representation in Crisis
It is useful to explore the claim made by some media academics that representation is a concept in crisis. This claim arose from a rather obvious aspect of the effects of digital technology. As it becomes cheaper, easier and quicker for people to make videos and upload them to the Internet for an 'imagined audience', then is it the case that the representation of people by the media is increasingly replaced by people representing themselves?
Consider the example of YouTube. Research in Barcelona by Gonzalez, Martinez and Fernandez (2007) found that in secondary schools in the city, students were regularly engaged in the production and uploading of video to YouTube, and that they had developed a range of discourses (ways of thinking and talking) about each other's work. Three groups has emerged--a group of students who only uploaded videos for each other to see; a 'playful' group who were uploading for a potential audience but were not concerned about the impact either way; and a third group of vloggers, who were actively pursuing a critical audience online, looking for a broader community of viewers. And it emerges from the group that being successful in 'playback' (people watching your videos and making comments) could acquire popularity with your peers, in the same way as being good looking, fashionable, good at sport or a musician. Video uploaders with lots of playback were treated as minor celebrities. This way of using the media is very different to the index of youth being represented in, for example Skins.
Consider the example of YouTube. Research in Barcelona by Gonzalez, Martinez and Fernandez (2007) found that in secondary schools in the city, students were regularly engaged in the production and uploading of video to YouTube, and that they had developed a range of discourses (ways of thinking and talking) about each other's work. Three groups has emerged--a group of students who only uploaded videos for each other to see; a 'playful' group who were uploading for a potential audience but were not concerned about the impact either way; and a third group of vloggers, who were actively pursuing a critical audience online, looking for a broader community of viewers. And it emerges from the group that being successful in 'playback' (people watching your videos and making comments) could acquire popularity with your peers, in the same way as being good looking, fashionable, good at sport or a musician. Video uploaders with lots of playback were treated as minor celebrities. This way of using the media is very different to the index of youth being represented in, for example Skins.
Key Concepts: The Representing Text
Sohn-Rethel (2003) describes four forces at work in media production which we can use as a framework for analysis. These forces are:
1. Technological
2. Economic
3. Cultural
4. Regulatory
Representation is a cultural force as it relates to tastes, identity and interest that are shaped by the culture in which we inhabit. Representation is also related to regulation, and people have legal means to respond to representations that they consider inaccurate or harmful. OFCOM (the regulatory body overseeing broadcasting), can intervene when a programme makers represent issues in a controversial way. Representation is increasingly shaped by technology, as the audience is able to watch a series in a staggered fashion or all at once, with a range of interactive features that may not appeal to all viewers--this is described as a fragmented audience.
A basic level of media literacy allowed a person to understand the narrative of a television drama. Advanced media literacy enables us to 'deconstruct' a television drama--to understand how it has been out together. To do this successfully, we would need to work at both micro and macro levels of a specific text.
Micro level involves pulling apart the detailed aspects of the texts frame by frame construction--camera angles and movement, shot composition, use of point of view, specific edits and transitions, cutaways and visual effects, pieces of dialogue, music and sound effects, lighting choices, props and costumes. All of this builds up to work at macro level. This is all about drawing conclusions from the micro work about how the sequence overall represents people, events, places and themes--how it portrays a sense of the 'reality' being dramatised.
1. Technological
2. Economic
3. Cultural
4. Regulatory
Representation is a cultural force as it relates to tastes, identity and interest that are shaped by the culture in which we inhabit. Representation is also related to regulation, and people have legal means to respond to representations that they consider inaccurate or harmful. OFCOM (the regulatory body overseeing broadcasting), can intervene when a programme makers represent issues in a controversial way. Representation is increasingly shaped by technology, as the audience is able to watch a series in a staggered fashion or all at once, with a range of interactive features that may not appeal to all viewers--this is described as a fragmented audience.
A basic level of media literacy allowed a person to understand the narrative of a television drama. Advanced media literacy enables us to 'deconstruct' a television drama--to understand how it has been out together. To do this successfully, we would need to work at both micro and macro levels of a specific text.
Micro level involves pulling apart the detailed aspects of the texts frame by frame construction--camera angles and movement, shot composition, use of point of view, specific edits and transitions, cutaways and visual effects, pieces of dialogue, music and sound effects, lighting choices, props and costumes. All of this builds up to work at macro level. This is all about drawing conclusions from the micro work about how the sequence overall represents people, events, places and themes--how it portrays a sense of the 'reality' being dramatised.
Monday 12 November 2012
Glossary
Close up- a feature or
part of something that takes up the entire frame (i.e. a humans face)
Cut away- where something other than the subject is
the main focus of the shot.
Cut in- shows other parts of a subject in detail (i.e.
the hands).
Dolly- a dolly is a cart
that travels along tracks. The camera is mounted on the dolly and records the
shot as it moves.
Extreme close up- shows part of a subject in
substantial detail (i.e. the eyes), this can be used for effect, to add tension
to a scene for example.
Extreme wide shot- the purpose of this shot is to show the subject's
surroundings. Ideal for beautiful
landscapes that you want to capture.
Medium close up- is the middle ground between a
‘Close-Up’ and a ‘Mid-Shot’.
Mid shot- Includes parts of a figure (head and upper
torso), shows parts of the subject in detail.
Mise-en-scène
is a French term and originates in theatres. It means, literally, "put in
the scene."
Noddy shot- this usually
refers to a shot of the interviewer listening and reacting to the subject.
Over the shoulder shot- this is where you would be
looking from behind a person at the subject.
Pan- is a horizontal
camera movement in which the camera moves left and right about a central point.
Point of view shot- this shot shows a view from
someone’s perspective.
Two shot- is where two subjects
are in shot at the same time, and is framed very similarly to a mid shot.
Very wide shot- the
subject is barely visible, but some emphasis is made on him in his environment.
Weather shot- this shot focuses on the particular
weather conditions.
Wide shot- this shot shows an entire object or the figure of the person in
shot, and is usually intended to place it in some relation to the surroundings.
Friday 9 November 2012
Types of Sound
whose source
is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action
of the film:
-voices of
characters
-sounds made
by objects in the story
-music
represented as coming from instruments in the story space ( = source music)
Diegetic sound is any
sound presented as originated from source within the film's world
Digetic
sound can be
either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source
is within the frame or outside the frame.
Another term
for diegetic sound is actual sound
Sound whose
source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in
the action:
-narrator's
commentary
-sound
effects which is added for the dramatic effect
-mood music
Non-diegetic sound is
represented as coming from the a source outside story space.
The
distinction between diegetic or non-diegetic sound depends on our understanding
of the conventions of film viewing and listening. We know of that certain
sounds are represented as coming from the story world, while others are
represented as coming from outside the space of the story events. A play with
diegetic and non-diegetic conventions can be used to create ambiguity (horror),
or to surprise the audience (comedy).
Another term
for non-diegetic sound is commentary sound.
Soundtrack- The music that
accompanies a movie
Theme music- is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theme_music)
Incidental music- is music in a film,
play, video game or other that isn’t necessarily musical. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incidental_music)
Sound Effects (FX) - Are artificially created
sounds, commonly created by the use of a synthesizer. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_effects)
Ambient sound- means the background noise present
in a scene. (http://www.mediacollege.com/audio/ambient/)
Dialogue- is
spoken conversational exchange between two or more people. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialogue)
Voice-over-
(known as off-stage commentary) is a voice recording played on top of film,
video game etc. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_over)
Saturday 20 October 2012
Analysing a Music Video
I have decided to analyse Tiao Cruz's Troublemaker music video. I have chosen this particular video as I believe it shows frequently used stereotypes throughout the duration of the video.
Firstly, he sexualises women frequently (which is typical of an r&b music video). This is fairly derogatory, and is used to capture the attention of a certain audience. The video itself is a visual representation of the lyrics, with one line stating "You ain't tryin to hide it, girl you're a troublemaker". The word "girl" in the line reinstates the use of generalisation, with "girl" not personal to any particular female. This picture (time code 2:58) perfectly demonstrates this. The composition of the shot itself, and the wide shot used, shows the whole of the women's bodies, which exploits them further. They have also chosen to make each woman into a silhouette, which you could say is generalising women as a whole.
Throughout Tiao Cruz's video he expresses his power in various ways. These two screenshots of the music video represent this.
Firstly, he sexualises women frequently (which is typical of an r&b music video). This is fairly derogatory, and is used to capture the attention of a certain audience. The video itself is a visual representation of the lyrics, with one line stating "You ain't tryin to hide it, girl you're a troublemaker". The word "girl" in the line reinstates the use of generalisation, with "girl" not personal to any particular female. This picture (time code 2:58) perfectly demonstrates this. The composition of the shot itself, and the wide shot used, shows the whole of the women's bodies, which exploits them further. They have also chosen to make each woman into a silhouette, which you could say is generalising women as a whole.
Throughout Tiao Cruz's video he expresses his power in various ways. These two screenshots of the music video represent this.
The first screen shot (time code 2:36) shows Tiao standing in the middle of the shot, showing that he is the main focus. There are two very expensive cars either side of him, being smashed into a brick wall, and this is another sigifier of his power- as it is not detrimental to him if he ruins the two sports cars. The second screen shot (time code 1:37) consists of 2 females standing to either side of him, with their faces directed away from the camera, with Tiao (again) being the focus of the shot. He looks sternly at the camera, and directly into the lens to show his authority and power. The power figure that Tiao wants to portray in his videos is typical of that for most r&b videos, with the representation of both genders being very 'black in white' in the way women and men are portrayed.
Friday 5 October 2012
TV Scheduling
TV scheduling is a very important part of TV, and you never really take any notice of it. Some of the scheduling times for certain programmes is obvious, i.e, if programme contains inappropriate content. TV shows which contain such material will normally be cast post watershed.
The watershed is a period of time (which is 9pm in the UK), which adult content may air. This may be due down to violence, sexual content, inappropriate language etc. The 'watershed' is not strictly for this country- it used in countries across the world. For example, it is known as 'safe harbor' in the United States and in Venezuela it is called 'Adult Time'.
The time in which television shows are broadcast is paramount to their overall viewing figures; as each channel is aiming to get the highest number of viewers. If shows are broadcast at a time slot which would be awkward for the particular audience the programme is aiming for- viewing figures will decrease as a result.
These were the current viewing figures of the Top UK TV channels between the week starting the 17th of September and ending the 23rd of that month. (This information was taken off the website http://www.barb.co.uk/)
The watershed is a period of time (which is 9pm in the UK), which adult content may air. This may be due down to violence, sexual content, inappropriate language etc. The 'watershed' is not strictly for this country- it used in countries across the world. For example, it is known as 'safe harbor' in the United States and in Venezuela it is called 'Adult Time'.
The time in which television shows are broadcast is paramount to their overall viewing figures; as each channel is aiming to get the highest number of viewers. If shows are broadcast at a time slot which would be awkward for the particular audience the programme is aiming for- viewing figures will decrease as a result.
These were the current viewing figures of the Top UK TV channels between the week starting the 17th of September and ending the 23rd of that month. (This information was taken off the website http://www.barb.co.uk/)
The channel with the most people tuning in is BBC 1. This could be to do with the content shown, airing popular shows such as Doctor Who, Casualty and Eastenders- but also because on the TV guide, it is the first channel that will appear. Due to the fact that people will; (most likely); not want to scroll through pages worth of virtual TV guide, the channels that appear first- will probably get far higher viewing figures than the other channels provided.
Monday 1 October 2012
How are stereotypes represented or challenged in this clip?
In a clip from hit BBC soap opera 'Eastenders' racial stereotypes are certainly challenged throughout and are clearly represented.
In the segment of this episode of Eastenders; Ray was seen to be stopped by a passing police car, and the poilceman inside had suspicions that he had stolen something. Throughout the duration of the 3 minute clip, Ray becomes increasingly defensive, coming to his own defense extremely frequently. When the police officer asks him to perform a stop and search, Ray is clearly bothered by the request, he becomes increasingly agitated, and he (almost) knows the stereotype cast upon him- and this in turn leads to him getting angry with the officer. To clear the sterotype from him, almost; he reveals the bump underneath his outerwear was infact weights that he'd trained with earlier in the episode.
This is where stereotypes become challenged. In the part of clip after Ray uncovers his weights, unveiling his innocence to the officer, the stereotype that had been shadowed upon him previously, disappears- and the contrast in power between Ray and The Officer is less strong.
The camera angles used throughout the clip could be representational of the stereotype shown. The significant angle is where Ray (to the left of shot) and The Officer (to the right of shot), are continuing their confrontation, and the camera angle is looking up towards them. Low camera angles could signify that they have more power, as the angle makes both characters appear taller. Adjacent to eachother, they both remain on the same level; which could give an indication into how the scene will unfold.
This again shows stereotypes being challenged, because stereotypically the police officer would have far more power than the typical pedestrian, but because both characters are presented on equal levels; some say, that stereotypes, therefore- become challenged.
This was my first essay question titled 'How are stereotypes represented or challenged in this clip'. We were asked to find a clip, and explore how, why and what things may support the question given. I was given a few targets to help me improve my answers for essays in the future. These were to:
1. Explore stereotypes in both sides.
2. To analyse shot by shot and refer to each in detail.
I will take these both into consideration for my next essay, and hopefully will produce an even better piece of work.
In the segment of this episode of Eastenders; Ray was seen to be stopped by a passing police car, and the poilceman inside had suspicions that he had stolen something. Throughout the duration of the 3 minute clip, Ray becomes increasingly defensive, coming to his own defense extremely frequently. When the police officer asks him to perform a stop and search, Ray is clearly bothered by the request, he becomes increasingly agitated, and he (almost) knows the stereotype cast upon him- and this in turn leads to him getting angry with the officer. To clear the sterotype from him, almost; he reveals the bump underneath his outerwear was infact weights that he'd trained with earlier in the episode.
This is where stereotypes become challenged. In the part of clip after Ray uncovers his weights, unveiling his innocence to the officer, the stereotype that had been shadowed upon him previously, disappears- and the contrast in power between Ray and The Officer is less strong.
The camera angles used throughout the clip could be representational of the stereotype shown. The significant angle is where Ray (to the left of shot) and The Officer (to the right of shot), are continuing their confrontation, and the camera angle is looking up towards them. Low camera angles could signify that they have more power, as the angle makes both characters appear taller. Adjacent to eachother, they both remain on the same level; which could give an indication into how the scene will unfold.
This again shows stereotypes being challenged, because stereotypically the police officer would have far more power than the typical pedestrian, but because both characters are presented on equal levels; some say, that stereotypes, therefore- become challenged.
This was my first essay question titled 'How are stereotypes represented or challenged in this clip'. We were asked to find a clip, and explore how, why and what things may support the question given. I was given a few targets to help me improve my answers for essays in the future. These were to:
1. Explore stereotypes in both sides.
2. To analyse shot by shot and refer to each in detail.
I will take these both into consideration for my next essay, and hopefully will produce an even better piece of work.
Thursday 20 September 2012
An Introduction to the Media Exam.
The Media Studies AS exam (which makes up for 50% of our overall marks) differenciates from the coursework that we're studying at the moment. The coursework revolves more around magazines, and what they symbolise- the exam side of things focuses more on TV Drama and Film (with film being studied in A2, or Year 13)
In Year 12, TV Drama will be the main focus. There are a few different sub-genres in TV Dramas; these include
- Crime
- Sci Fi
- Detective
- Soap Opera
- Comedy
- Medical
- Book Adaptation
- Period Drama
- Thriller
- Costume Drama
...and many more
As time goes on, and we develop our knowledge on the 'TV Drama' side of Media Studies, we'll get to know a lot more about techniques and such; and not just what you would see on the surface. Because really, that's what Media Studies is about, 'studying' the media- in great detail. Going into depth and exploring the different ways in which directors/producers portray their thoughts and ideas onto our TV screens. It's fair to say, I'm looking forward to it all- and what's about to come.
In Year 12, TV Drama will be the main focus. There are a few different sub-genres in TV Dramas; these include
- Crime
- Sci Fi
- Detective
- Soap Opera
- Comedy
- Medical
- Book Adaptation
- Period Drama
- Thriller
- Costume Drama
...and many more
As time goes on, and we develop our knowledge on the 'TV Drama' side of Media Studies, we'll get to know a lot more about techniques and such; and not just what you would see on the surface. Because really, that's what Media Studies is about, 'studying' the media- in great detail. Going into depth and exploring the different ways in which directors/producers portray their thoughts and ideas onto our TV screens. It's fair to say, I'm looking forward to it all- and what's about to come.
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