15/10/13

TV dramas are made to represent the life if the audience so that they can feel like they can relate to the characters. 

How is the character portrayed to us as an audience - Lola from eastenders

- straight on camera angle so you can relate to her and to show her emotions

- dressed as a typical teenage girl so can also relate to her

- seen as a strong character and fights for what she thinks is right 

- feel sympathy for her because she nearly lost her child 

- common accent, typical London girl - relatable 

- victim - loosing her child

- could be seen as bully although she is fighting for her rights 

- young when she had the baby 

- only has her grandad as family, no role models

Eastenders clip - 

- medium shots and medium long

- close ups of a serious conversation 

- going from one set of characters to another - help us build a picture of who people are

- never look at the camera so it looks like we are imposing on their lives

- jack and Derek argument - looks as though jack is winning argument as he is higher than Derek (standing against sitting)

- not very realistic, very scripted, life isn't scripted - not that much can happen to a small group of people, feeling as though nobody goes to work - doesn't meet the purpose 

Schwarzfaher -

- Conflict between old and young, black and white - racism 

- close ups

- slow jazz music, calming - opposite of the situation

- man with loud music - distracts others

- extreme close ups - ears and eyes - listening to woman being racist 

- old woman stuck in the olden times - similar to Derek branning (eastenders) 

- music gets faster - more intense

- panning across to the main drama 

- black man eats woman's bus ticket - karma 

- little boy likes black man - not for racism 

Black man: 

- hatred against people because he is isolated 

- he is a victim of racism - feel sympathy 

- wants to be accepted 

- silent hero (mugging off old lady) 

- respectful (isn't rude back) 

Old woman:

- racist 

- opinionated

- selfish - doesn't care what people think of her 

- xenophobic, racist and homophobic

- living in the past and doesn't want to adapt

- dressed as a stereotypical woman

- bully/villain 

Lesson 2

Types of Narrative:

Linear: clear beginning, middle and end giving a clear line of a story. An example of a linear narrative is Taken. This is a linear because the film has a clear story line and starts with the beginning, draws into the middle then closes with an end. 

Nonlinear: flash backs.
This can also tell the same story over and over again but from a different point of view, so each character adds a new part to the film, making it more interesting. Having a non-linear film keeps the audience enticed in the film as they have to watch carefully to understand. An example of a nonlinear film is the Grudge. The film starts with something that happened in that past, then suddenly changes to the present. 

Restricted: audience only know what the character knows. This means that we can see the film though the main characters eyes as we can only see what they see. Some characters within the film may then know more than the audience. A restricted narrative would often be used in a murder film so that the audience is constantly thinking about who the killer may be. An example of a restricted narrative is the usual suspects. This is restricted because the director uses short clips so that the audience is enticed and nothing is given away and whenever the clip changes a new piece is given away, however at the end the truth is unveiled and we understand the whole film within two minutes.

Omniscient: When audience knows everything about the film and character. You know from the start what is happening - see someone else discovering what you already know. An example of an omniscient film is shutter island.

Enigma code: audience asks themselves questions throughout the film, a way of enticing the audience, often in a murder inquiry 

Thriller genre

Conspiracy - either hero or heroine, journalist investigator trapped in a powerful organisation, enemies, secret organisations, lies and propaganda,

Identification of good to over rule the evil of the world, secrecy of governments and secret organisations in history.

Crime thrillers - focus on criminals and their activities, emphasise action over pscychological aspects, serial killers and murders, robberies, chases, shoot outs, heists, double crosses.

Disaster thriller - survival in conflict with natural or artificial disasters, causes of human activity, future going to bring.

Mystery thriller - relates to crime, detective or private investigator, solver mystery, circumstance of the mystery of crime, makes the audience think, dramatic effect.

Political thriller - stability of government, reliance on hero or heroine that is employed to prevent bad things happening, common scenarios eg elections and prevention of world wars.

Psychological thriller - plays with audience mind, produces suspense, shows mentality of the character and the thought processes.

Religious thriller - plots closely religious objects, institutions and questions. Unravel good and bad points of religion.

Supernatural thriller - otherworldly element that shows something, tension and suspense, unsuspected twist, villains have supernatural gift, closely linked to religious thrillers.

Techno thriller - manipulation of sophisticated technology playing a prominent part of taking over the world, mainly based on fictional speculations on life, common themes; world wars, action, and science fictional occurrences such as aliens.