TV Drama Analysis

Homeland Opening Scene 

How does the following clip create meaning and represent certain sectors of society?

The opening scene shows a CIA agent who is determined to get information from an Iraqi man about a possible attack on The US. The narrative structure of the opening scene suggests its function is ‘diversification’ as stated in the Uses and Gratification Theory (the 1960s). This concept states that the audiences use the media to escape from their everyday problems.

There are four areas of representation represented in this clip being class/status, regional identity, physical ability and gender. Class/status determines the physical ability of a character - an example is the soldiers. Class/status is based on regional identity (Baghdad vs America). Both genders appear to be in a position of power as portrayed by David and Cassie.

The Reception Theory states the producer uses codes and conventions for the audience to encode/decode the media text. These codes and convention draw on audience expectations. Therefore, the interpretation of the text is affected by the reader’s experience. There are three codes: symbolic, technical and written while there are three types of the convention: form, story and genre- these will be incorporated in the discussion below.

The four technical elements of representation: 

Mise en scene:

There is a clear contrast to the portrayal of the people in Iraq and America. The regional identity is expressed by costume: the Iraqi people wear traditional and simple clothing compared to the formal clothing (suits and elegant dresses) America people wear- they are presented as high-class and opulent. The similarities between both countries are that people keep to social expectations as they wear similar clothing showing the lack of individualism.

The opening scene begins showing written language, ‘ Baghdad’, appearing onto the screen which indicates it is set in Iraq. The typography of the text is simple yet bold linking with the agent theme. This is supported by the spoken language, ‘ CIA’,  ‘intel’, ‘execution’, ‘law’, indicating the involvement of the government which are conventions of a political thriller genre.

The brown hues reflect the humid atmosphere of Baghdad this warm colour causes the audience to feel like they are experiencing this warmth also. The brown hues associates with the elements of the earth such as soil and dirt which presents the idea of Baghdad being underdeveloped as natural resources aren't used to the full capabilities in infrastructure. Alternatively, this brown hue shows the connection between earth and the people of Baghdad as they are portrayed as old-fashioned in the modern world this is seen by them walking on foot which emphasises their traditional cultural identity. Furthermore, the unpleasantness of the colour links with the idea of the tiresome lifestyle the people have; this is seen by the stern facial expressions the people have. The establishing shots throughout the clip show the architecture emphasising the regional identity as it is different and shows the busy streets crowded with markets giving insight into the lifestyle. 

Camerawork:

In the opening scene there are numerous close up shots given to Claire which indicates she is the main character. The audiences know the names of the main characters through the dialogue during the telephone conversation where cross-cutting editing is used. The accent of her voice tells the audience she is American and gives the impression that she is a foreigner in the setting. Despite the characters being in different countries, there is a communication link between the two, which is, represented by the telephone. The audience knows the difference between the two settings by the atmosphere that is created.

The close-up shots focus on her face emphasising her importance compared to the aerial shots of the numerous Iraqi people, which make them, appear smaller in size and suggest the scale of their importance. She drives a car- this is supported by the diegetic sound of the faint rumbling sound of the engine- which shows she is resourceful compared to those who walk on the street. The steering wheel of the car is a symbol of control in which she loses when she gets out of the car to continue to her destination where she pleads David to help her get the information this is evident by the dialogue, “Don’t shut me out… this is my last chance.”

Through cross-cutting editing, in several scenes David is the audience focus as he is given close up shots. The camera blurs out the many people in formal clothing in the background making him stand out. His importance is further emphasised with the dialogue of Carrie who reminds him he is “a CIA deputy director” and has the means to help her. This helps the audience to build a character profile of him and position him in the highest level of the hierarchy based on this power. However, there is a limit to his power as evident when he says, “We don’t dictate laws to the Iranians”.

The high angle shot shows a place surrounded by tall concrete wall attached with barb wires at the top. These indexical signs represent confinement. Through eye-line match editing, the audience sees men in camo print fixing the hanging platform. The convention of guns provide the soldiers the physical ability to bring violence. The fact that they are touching the noose signifies the idea of them being so powerful to bring death.

Audio: 

Cassie’s dialogue, ‘ He’s got intel on an imminent attack on US soil’, creates the enigma of the opening scene. The audience knows that she is referring to the guy locked in a prison where a close-up shot of him is seen showing his physical appearance after the point-of-view shot showing him looking at the hanging platform. The audience understands Cassie’s determination to get this information from him because of the spoken language shows there is a lack of time creating a sense of urgency, “he’s been locked up for almost a year and overnight they decide to hold a trial and pronounce a death sentence’.

The non-diegetic sound of the soldiers' footsteps becoming louder in volume mimics how powerful their presence are. The marching is slightly out of time suggesting there is more than one person, therefore, creating the idea the soldiers work in a collective group which is frightening. As the sound becomes louder it indicates they are closer and creates suspense.

The man who allows Cassie enter the prison hall is clearly afraid of getting caught this is evident by him repeatedly saying she has only two minutes inside and his wavering tone of voice when he says, ‘ we have to go’. Furthermore, he sprints away regardless of whether Cassie follows him or not shows he does not want to get caught disobeying the rules. It suggests the soldiers are powerful to the extent that it causes fear.  The brutal manner of the soldiers is seen by the audience as they pull back Cassie’s head and whip the guy’s hand with a strip.

The clanging metal sound suggests the unlocking of a door. While this is happening the camera focuses on a man confined in a room. Confined spaces is an iconography of the thriller genre. It acts as a signifier signifying imprisonment which links with the imagery of the previous scene showing a building made of tall concrete walls with barb wires at the top. The man looks similar to the one in the scene where after a point of view shot of the hanging platform had switched to a close-up shot of a man with his face half shown. His face in that scene had been obscured also by shadows and low lighting that did not allow the audience to see his appearance clearly until this scene. The convention of shadow represents darkness and this acts as a foreshadowing of the possibility of tragic events occurring such as death which is a recurring topic in the opening scene. Anticipation was built within the audience as they imagined him this is because of Casie’s phone call conversation where it is implied that she was mentioning him. 

This man is startled to hear the clanging metal sound as he stands up from the ground waiting. The framing of this scene is surrounded by black edges which represent the square gap in the door. The over-the-shoulder shot taken from the shoulder of the man confirms this fact as it shows the hole in the door. The door is a barrier separating the two characters which relate to the current situation where the details of the possible attack are not shared.  This separation is highlighted by the contrast of lighting. Natural light surrounds the man inside the cell while Cassie is surrounded by dark lighting showing she is the ‘dark’ about the information.  Her stern tone of voice in the dialogue, ‘ prove it!... unless you do then I won’t protect your family’, and by her acting when she leans her face into the gap so she could hear him more clearly highlights this fact.

Editing:

Continuity editing is used throughout the clip to create a sense of time moving forward. It is an important element in creating a sense of urgency to keep the audience alert which is done by the exciting plot which includes the themes of conspiracy and spies. Also, it deals with matters of life and death which keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.

Cross-cutting editing is used during the phone conversation scene. Cassie opposes David, who holds great authority, despite him saying “you had your shot…its over”. By disobeying him, disequilibrium is created. This along with the scene where the soldier tells her it is time to leave the prison shows her not listening to him either which brings the audience to the conclusion that she is determined to the point that she will break the commands given by the people in authoritative positions. Paradoxically, this rebelliousness makes her appear selfless since by doing this she will be putting herself at risk being both job and safety.

The match-on-action editing shows Claire passing an envelope to a man. This envelope is revealed to have cash inside of it. This editing technique helps to highlight the importance of money which is used as a transaction to get inside the prison. It emphasises the representation of American people being cash-rich and privileged which contrasts the people living in Baghdad that are denied the basic need of safety as their statuses aren’t high this is evident when the man inside the cell shouts, “My family! You promised to protect them!”. 

CCR Preliminary Task

CCR: question two by Priscilla Chhour

Preliminary task one

Below is the final edit of the opening scene of 'The Hitman':

Representation movie essay

The Bourne Identity 

Representation is the way people are represented in the media by playing on existing representations. Therefore, the perception of the audience is influenced by the media producer. Stuart Hall’s reception theory (19880s-1990s) was based on the audience decoding text encoded by the producer. The concept believed the interpretation of the text was influenced by an individual’s circumstance. It used codes and conventions and followed the audience’s expectations. His representation theory is based on stereotypes such as in-class/status, gender and love. 

In the movie The Bourne Identity, the police are portrayed to be in a position of high power. The low angle shot of the policemen in the extract makes them appear superior. The focal point of the camera changes to the walking movement of the policemen through track movement. The focus is on the leg and foot which are less important features of the body compared to the face which helps to build a person’s physical image connote the idea of the policemen being important. The audience becomes suspicious of their intentions when they are revealed to be following Bourne (this is the scene before the car chase and it is later in the movie). They carry prop weapons. The theme of good and evil is shown as ‘good’ people cannot be trusted as they are involved in shady business. 

In terms of gender, Bourne the male character is portrayed to be ‘the hero’ fighting the antagonist and saving the female character which according to Propp Character’s theory is called ‘the princess’. The majority of the movie includes male characters where they are strong and have adequate fighting skills. Bourne appears alert and inhumane like a fighting machine. 

The theme of the importance of a woman 's role is contrasted. Where Bourne is able to perceive danger and has the ability to fight and remove the threat Marie is becoming emotional and hinders him by acting as a damsel in distress. This is contrasted in the hotel scene where she appears intelligent and brings something to the table. 

As the relationship between Jason and Marie grows the audience gets to know him as she does. Marie is the human part of the inhumane part of Jason. 

Identity is the main theme of the movie and this is physically represented by the many passports and names Bourne carries. This creates the idea of the past catching up to the present. His name is symbolic and connotes the idea of being reborn. 

The other theories that were not discussed include the hypodermic theory, two-step flow theory, uses and gratification theory and narrative theory.  

The four technical elements of representation: 

Mise-en-scene:

The movie is set in the season of winter which is created by the cool hues and signified by the puffer jacket. There is a lot of snow which makes people and nature vulnerable as seen by the bare trees without leaves.  The black smudges on the puffer jacket show it is dirty which physically represents Bourne on his journey to unlocking his memory and finding out about his past. 

The train has two important colours of the movie which is red (the headrest)  and blue (the outside colour of the train). This represents Bourne as red is symbolic of his past and authority, for example, the fingerprint scanner and blue is symbolic of the present, for example, the red bag containing the many passports he carries around. 

The train travels into the tunnel which is a symbol of the unknown and darkness. As Bourne sits in the train there are flashing lights that create a flickering effect on his reflection that connotes the feeling of confusion and the idea of his memories ‘flashing’ past him. This is ironic as he suffers from amnesia. 

There is an eye-line match on the bullet in Bourne’s hand which is partly obscured by his clothing. The metal bullet is a reminder of the scene at the beginning where it is taken from his back; this portrays Bourne as tough as he is obviously still alive. It represents the wounds of his past and the violence he will continue to face. The bullet links to the gun later in the combat scene between him and the policemen. The gun is an iconography associating with violence which is an important genre convention. 

When Bourne sleeps on the bench at night he is surrounded by low lighting representing his inability to understand his situation. The low lighting creates darkness which is associated with immorality and it foreshadows Bourne using his skills and abilities to fight against the ‘bad guys’, in this case, the policemen. The flashlight is used to shine light onto Bourne’s face; this is the first scene in the movie where he is caught by people in a position of authority. Bourne is not a stereotypical ‘hero’ character; he is clearly vulnerable and has become a victim of his circumstance. 

Camerawork:

Camera movement- Given that the camera has been focusing on Bourne the audience identifies him as the main character. The Camera pans from left to right until he is in the centre of the screen. This makes him stand out against the other citizens- the bright red colour of his puffer jacket he wears also helps to do this. 

The camera shot- Bourne walks towards the direction of the camera where at first it is taken from an extreme wide shot and ends with a wide shot. It creates the feeling for the audience that they are directly watching him without him knowing because he does not make eye contact into the camera lens. This links with the plot of him being observed by the policemen. Bourne is portrayed as a typical male character who is not bothered by filth as he walks through a puddle of water. The puddle of water held between two metal lines creates a barrier by Bourne stepping into it; it suggests him crossing into a new world different from his previous. 

Camera movement- The camera zooms into Bourne from a wide shot to a close-up. The wide shot confirms he is a passenger in the train as before there was a low angle overhead shot of a moving train. The close-up shot shows him looking at the window which acts as a mirror creating a reflection of himself.  The image is unclear and distorted. There is a racking focus on his contemplative expression which suggests he feels confused. A theme in the movie is identity in which he is unclear about and therefore, the enigma of the movie is the mental challenge he faces. This is driven by the amnesia plot device which is common in thriller movies, especially psychological thrillers. It is ironic that although he is an adult he faces a challenge common among a younger stage in life. The lack of spoken language limits the audience from knowing what he is actually thinking and they are left to deduce through reading his facial expression. 

Camera shot- There is a medium shot of Bourne looking at the distance, it is tense to watch because he stands isolated in an abandoned street at night. Artificial light is used to create the dark blue lighting far ahead in the street creating an eerie feeling alongside the shadows- a common thriller convention.  The dark lighting and shadows create the setting of being nighttime playing on the audience's fear of the dark. The audience is ‘kept in the dark’ in this scene as Bourne faces away from the camera and only his back is seen. There is no point of view shot to show the audience what he is looking at which furthers the previous point. An alternative point is because of his firm posture Bourne is portrayed as courageous.

Camera angle- The slight high angle shot of the footprints in the snow connotes the idea of people walking before him. It creates a mysterious effect as the audience do not know who these people might have been. 

Editing: 

Continuity editing is used throughout the movie to create a sense of time and reality moving forward. This is important in showing the progress of Bourne finding his identity. There is a flashback near the end of the movie that is key to the audience understanding the plot. 

The extract begins with focusing on the moving ship which is done by freeze-frame editing. It links with the beginning of the movie where it is set inside a ship. There is a change in setting from ocean to the city creating contrast. The jump cut from the ship moving from left to right on the screen to Bourne walking on land tells the audience that he had been travelling in the ship. As an effect a sense of discontinuity is created clearly the scenes are insignificant in the movie as they are cut. The jump cuts are used to show Bourne travelling from one place to another clearly his class and status enable him to. 

Match on the action is used to emphasise the continuity of time in the fight scene. It makes this scene entertaining to watch and  keeps the audience alert. .Bourne’s physical abilities in combat are clearly evident and because of this, the audience is given insight into his character's backstory. 

Before another jump cut to a moving train, Bourne walks in the city where he disappears after a vehicle drives past him. This effect is created by a visual effect. It creates a vanishing effect that creepy as it makes him ghost-like. 

Audio:

The clip begins with a non-diegetic sound of a soft string melody in a minor key which creates an ominous feel. The music becomes louder and foreshadows danger. 

Before a fight scene between Bourne and the policemen, booming drum beats are added to the music and the volume becomes higher making the atmosphere intense and creates anticipation within the audience. The sound effect of the punching makes the fight scene realistic. It makes the audience imagine the pain that the characters would have felt. Also, It emphasises his physical ability to fight. 

The loud yet muffled voice at the train station does not tell the audience where Bourne is. It also reflects his state of mind which suggests that everything's a blur. The foreign dialogue shows Bourne is in a foreign country. The fact that he replies in English and the foreign language shows he understands. He is clearly skilled in another language and hints at the idea of his occupation before involving travelling and fighting which narrows down into an agent. 

Preliminary Task 1

Below is the rough edit of the opening scene of 'The Hitman':

Thriller Sub-Genre

Below is my Thriller Sub-Genre slide:

Opening Sequence

What is the purpose of Opening Sequences?
There are two purposes of opening sequences. The first is to set the scene by showing the viewer where it is based and what is roughly is going on in the movie or what has happened. The second is to give clues to the genre and tone of the film. In the thriller genre, the setting is a character itself!

What is the difference between Opening Credits and a Title Sequence?
Opening credits is the information of the key creative roles in the film. It is presented as text alongside some action and soundtrack. However, the title sequence is shown at the beginning before important characters are shown. The opening credits normally appear during the title sequence or after it.

What techniques can be employed in an opening sequence?
An establishing shot of the location. This is a popular approach to setting the scene giving the audience a clear view of where they are in the film world. 

An example of an establishing shot 

The style of typography ( the way letters are arranged) can hint the genre of the film.

An example of typography is Star Wars iconic scrolling text prelude

Animation and CGI allows the audience to experience various POV shots. It can be as dramatic as following a single bullet's journey to a person's forehead.

Cinematic Imagery is used to literally set the scene and the mood.

Graphic Imagery includes visual elements such as photography alongside typography.

Foreshadowing through creating a light effect done by the chemtone process.

The movie 'Taxi Driver' creates a sense of foreshadowing through the use of a smearing light effect which is used at the beginning of the opening sequence and at the end of the movie. 

Abstract openings. For instance instead of using a traditional opening an elaborate abstract title sequence. Another example is montage editing. 

–Research a modern Thriller and a Hitchcock film of your choice to use as examples.

Skyfall- Modern Thriller

Release Date: 22 November 2012 

Director: Sam Mendes 

MISE EN SCENE
There is a cutout of James Bond with numbers marked on the parts of his body which suggest it is a shooting target. This gives the impression of him being targeted. Blood flows from a hole in the cutout which parallels to him being wounded by a bullet- both clearly shows he is injured. This theme of violence helps the audience to identify the genre as action. However, those audiences who have not seen the movie series is unable to identify him as him being a hero or an antagonist at this point.

The symbolism of blood, bullet wounds, daggers and guns connotes the idea of danger. This theme is linked at the beginning and the end of the clip where the world becomes destroyed- the sea ground crumbles apart and the meteors of fire fall from above-burning everything. The colours ocean blue and blood red contrast the tone of the atmosphere. Where the ocean blue represents calmness and power, red represents death and wickedness. The colours are a symbol of the two opposing forces of the movie.

The convention of shadows is used and surrounds James Bond. Shadows represent the 'dark side' which are his enemies who he removes through shooting them with his gun. The shadows move in a spiral motion around him suggesting where ever he looks and goes he always has enemies.

There is the iconography of fire. It burns the many of cutouts of James Bond. It suggests the possibility of him being defeated which contrasts with the beginning where there is a graveyard with his name on it which conveys the idea of resurrection that portrays him as immortal and thus unstoppable. It causes the audience to wonder what will happen to him which builds a sense of anticipation. There is a numerous amount of cutouts of James Bond swarming towards the screen suggesting the idea of him being strong like an army.

- Chinese dragon is a cultural reference to china- hints the possibility of the location being in China

EDITING 

There is a kaleidoscope effect used which shows silhouettes of nude women. This is typical of James Bonds movie, it reinforces this to the audience. 

CAMERAWORK
The camera focuses on James Bond's right pupil at the start and the end of the opening credit. It suggests the audience is seeing what is happening through his eyes. It acts as a flashback.

The Steadicam motion makes the audience feel like they are moving with the camera movement, it makes the experience more realistic. It goes physically inside James Bond showing the audience his thoughts and feelings setting up his characteristics and allowing the audience to connect with him. It shows what he has experienced or will experience.

AUDIO

Begins with melancholic piano playing setting up the atmosphere and tone of the movie with Adele singing 'this is the end'. This prompts the audience to feel melancholic about the movie right from the beginning. A relationship between the music and the on-screen action is clearly shown. It gives the opening sequence a dreamlike quality contrasting to the themes of the film yet complementing the murky underwater tones.

The music transitions more upbeat that is supported by the drumming and the echo of the choir, the lyrics are 'When it crumbles we will stand tall Face it all together' creating a sense of unity.


TITLE
Research through Wikipedia stated that the gun barrel sequence was a significant part of the James Bond mythos because according to Media Historian, James Chapman, it is 'the trademark motif of the series' and it ' 'foregrounds the motif of looking' that is central to the spy film' which at the end of the opening credit was supported by the music transitioning to ending in a light note.

The pre-title sequence is the sequence that can relate to the main plot or fully relate to the plot. In this case, the main character falls from a source of light into water. As he falls into the water, darkness envelopes him which is supported by the use of low lighting throughout the clip. The iconography of the hand pulling him down into the depths of the water is ironic because it normally symbolises help. As he drowns it makes the audience wonder if death is coming for him or will he make it out alive.

The main title sequences incorporate visual elements that reflect the theme of the film. According to Wikipedia, Andy Green said that 'James Bond title songs. as a rule, have the name of the movie in the chorus.'

The main title sequence of the movie 'Skyfall' 

Vertigo- Hitchcock film

Release Date: 13 March 1997 

Director: Alfred Hitchcock 

CAMERAWORK

There are lots of closeups and pauses on facial features of Kim Novak character's face this mirrors the obsession that Jim Steward's character develops. As researched, there is the thriller convention of being watched which is evident. The camera pans from left to right to focus on the pupil the discomfort of the character being scrutinised is shown. This creates suspense.

EDITING

At the beginning of the opening title sequence, there is an extreme close-up of a pupil where the colour of the filter suddenly changes from black and white to bright red. The bright red creates blood-like imagery which directly links to death. The spectrum of red is unnaturally bright and takes over the screen which parallels to the scene in which a living woman becomes possessed by a dead woman, it sets up the disturbing supernatural theme. The frightening low string music that booms each time the actor's name appears strengthens the disturbing atmosphere of the film creeping out the audience.

The main title sequence of the movie 'Vertigo'

ICONOGRAPHY

The swirling vortex in the woman's pupil becomes larger- the hypnotic motion is dizzying for the audience to watch. It connects with the movie title 'vertigo' which talks about a spinning sensation. The swirl images give the impression of falling and links with the main character's fear of heights. Through research, it is clear the spinographic imagery called Lissajous waves is a 'representation of Scottie's weakness, a haunting reminder of his limitations as a detective'.

–Demonstrate how both films achieve the purpose of the Opening Sequence, and contrast their techniques.

Similarities 

Iconography- The pupil is an important symbol in both opening sequence. 

Colour- Dark colours are used in both opening sequences creating a gloomy atmosphere. 

Differences 

Camerawork- 
Skyfall uses an establishing shot with a combination of camera movements. Vertigo starts with an extreme close-up. 

Music- 
Skyfall: A leitmotif of the film is having a contemporary artist sing during the title sequence. There is a connection between lyrics and the on-screen action.
Vertigo: The heightening music builds up suspense making the film very intense.

Titles-
Skyfall: The title of the movie is simple and contains capital letters. It appears during an instrumental of the song allowing the audience to focus on the title and what is happening in the opening sequence so far.  It disappears from the screen before Adele starts to sing 'feel the earth move and then' which connects with the animation of the seafloor collapsing. 

Vertigo: The font of the movie title, Vertigo, is more detailed. There is a gradual transition of size from small to large in which 'Vertigo' fills up the entire screen taking the audience's attention towards it.  Although James Steward character is not literally in the opening scene, the title and the spinographic imagery represent him. The title tilts upwards before it disappears from the screen. 

Editing-
Skyfall: There are lot of visual effects used. The thriller conventions of mirrors and shadows are made by the visual effects. 
Vertigo: Uses a graphic match to show the link between the eye and the spiral image. 

Computer effects-
Skyfall: advanced technology is used to make CGI (computer-generated imagery) such as the sinking knives. 

CGI of sinking knives in 'Skyfall' 

Vertigo: the graphic design was by Saul Bass, there is the use of animations e.g spinographic imagery called Lissajous curve

The Lissajous curve is a graph describing the complex harmonic motion of a system of parametric equations. 

Saul Bass- Behind the names of the title

-The history of film title began with static imagery and a copyrighted image of the production name
- Saul Bass worked on symbolism. He had a thought that shaped the future of film titles which was 'why not make it move?'
- Titles summarised the backstory of a character alongside text or photographic elements and inventive animation
- Titles established the mood, tone and texture of a film