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Welcome to my blog!

Hi. My name is Jack, I'm 17 years old, and I'm taking Media Studies at Hills Road. This is my coursework blog. I've been tasked with producing a cross-media piece, consisting of a 2.5-3 minute audio-visual sequence, and a double page magazine spread and front cover. The video piece must be from an ITV or Channel 5 show of my creation, either factual or fictional, with a target audience aged 18-35, and containing either 'a key turning point, a point of significant conflict, or a resolution', while the print elements will contain interviews and promotional materials relating to the show. I haven't yet decided which channel, genre, or direction my piece is going to take, but I'm excited at what lies ahead. I'll be keeping my blog up-to-date with all my progress, so feel free to stick around and have a look!
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Textual Analysis

The following is a textual analysis of some shows that are similar to those I'm looking to produce. I've tried to find scenes that contain one or more of the narrative points my sequence is supposed to be based around. If you haven't watched one or more of these shows, run away now: there are spoilers ahead.

Broadchurch (Court Scene)


Narrative point demonstrated:

  • This clip shows Joe Miller, murderer from series one and husband of one of the leading detectives on the case DS Ellie Miller, being given a not guilty verdict after a long and intense court battle. Safe to say that it was definitely a key turning point in the show.

Some of the techniques used:

  • Shots start off long and slow, but cuts increase in pace as we get closer to the verdict, helping ramp up the tension.
  • Non-diegetic sound in the form of a dramatic swell also serves to heighten your blood pressure.
  • Small depth of field and dramatic focus pulls cause the viewer to focus on the reactions of key people in the courtroom one after another, as well as emulating an almost dreamlike state - used in other areas of the show to great effect when someone is overcome with emotion.
  • The very first shot, with the camera slowly tracking in on Joe from behind, helps build enigma, as we can't see what sort of expression he has on his face. He's also almost a silhouette against the comparatively light background, an example of binary opposition that helps build the idea that he is guilty, due to associations between darkness and evil.

Notes:

  • Stylistically, I love this show. The soundtrack is fantastic and fitting, and the setting is beautiful, in stark contrast to the terrible things that happen there - something which the show borrows from the Scandi-noir genre. Other elements of the show are Nordic-noir-esque as well, such as the abundance of bokeh and shallow focus, or the heavy grading. Speaking of grading, I like how the show is graded, in such a way to emphasise the blues and yellow/oranges to the effect that you never feel far from the beaches that play such a great role in the series' story. All this together gives the programme a high-end, high-budget, highly-cinematic feel that I would love to be able to replicate.

Bodyguard (Court Scene)

Narrative point demonstrated:

  • Work in progress...

Comments

  1. Caroline Birks11:12:00 am

    Try to finish this asap. good notes on camera and sound in Broadchurch.

    ReplyDelete

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