TV Drama Essay


Media Language TV Drama Essay



Sound
In this clip they used dramatic music to create an uncomfortable and sinister atmosphere. When Norman first sees the motel, slow, morbid music plays in the background which could foreshadow the drama and chaos that is yet to happen at the motel. The music played in the background is non-diagetic which is a good way to reflect the characters mood or the general atmosphere. The music could also show how Norman is feeling which might be a strange and confused feeling. When Norman’s mum shows him here room, his mum seems to show a positive attitude whereas Norman doesn’t say anything and the same morbid music plays. We can start to see that the producer expresses Norman’s feelings through dark music which you will begin to see throughout the whole series that Norman has a strange personality and intentions. When his mum says “we’ve been through a lot”, not only do the dialogue and the way his mum said it suggest they’ve had an eventful past but the music also shows that as well.


Camera
There was a few different types of camera angles and movements that created effect and meaning to the audience. In this short clip there are many times when we see angles from behind Norman and in front of him. This could give the audience an idea of what Norman sees and then his reaction; we gather a closer understanding of his feelings.  When they both come into the house, the camera is looking down on them which could create an unwelcoming atmosphere and it shows the large size of the house. There is also a use of camera movement such as tracking and zooming in. Tracking is used when Normans mum is showing Norman the rooms so the camera is following their movement. Zooming in is used when Norman and his mum are having a serious conversation which is at the end of the clip. The use of zooming in can make what Norman is saying more intense for the audience as we are getting closer and closer to the character.


Mise en Scene
This TV drama is set in Vancouver however the motel seems to be in an isolated area. The motel and house look quite old and abandoned which creates an eerie atmosphere. Inside the house it still has a vintage theme. The lighting is quite dark and cool tone which adds to the intense atmosphere and could imply that Norman may be feeling at ease. If the lighting was brighter and more warm tone it would’ve connotated happiness however in this scene the lighting represents the opposite even though Normans Mum seems happy there could be something worrying her or the lighting may be a representation of Norman’s feelings. The way Norman and his mum dress is quite casual and smart; this could show what kind of people they are. They take pride in the way they look and want to come across as well looked after.


Editing
This tv drama is edited in a way that would attract the audience and they won’t get bored of it. The shot duration of this clip is usually around 3-5 seconds which isn’t too long so the audience won’t get bored of watching the same scene. As the scenes are short we get to see different views and things so the audience will always have something different to see. The scene transition is a straight cut which seems to have a better flow. From looking at this clip I would think that the point of view is from Norman as the music and lighting seemed to match his mood more than his Mums as it Norman seemed less positive about it.

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