Break HW task 1

Task 1

Week 1 HW

The opening scene of homeland, season one, episode one, begins with an aerial shot over the city of Baghdad (we know this because later on in the episode the cities name appears at the bottom of the screen), this is an editing technique so that watchers are not left guessing to try and find out where this plot is taking place. The diegetic sound of the hustle and bustle of a busy city can be heard in the establishing shot, giving a more realistic tone to the audience indicating that this film/extract may be a bit more intense/lifelike. This extract has a key focus on wealth/status as we are clearly shown in the first 40 seconds of the clip how people are having to walk around the streets barefooted with tatty clothing. The buildings and vehicles are used to help set the atmosphere and show how these people/this area may not be one of wealth but instead, poverty. This can link back to the mis en scene of the film as the props/Iconography used is giving an indication of where our character(s) may be.

The race/regional identity is established as different racial individuals are shown. We see what appears to be Iraqi people wandering the streets alongside Arabian/Iraqi women. We can gather this from the costumes, as the men are wearing scarves around their heads, and the women are fully dressed in keffiyehs that cover the entire body. This is a common garment used in these cultures as it may be presented through social media all the news. Contrasting this is a typical white American female who enters the scene not long after we are shown the native people, she clearly stands out as her skin tone and accent differs from the rest. We can see that there is an attempt to respect the culture around her as she has wrapped a scarf around her head whilst also wearing a nearly full length coat with long pants so that most of the skin/body is being covered.

A stereotypical hierarchy is introduced early on in the extract, an African-American male who is seen to be wearing an expensive attire is on the phone to our white American female, she is looking for approval whilst he is denying that, clearly exercising his power and authority over her. It is a classic case of a damsel not so much in distress but a damsel who is looking for help where in this instance our male role is clearly not willing or is not in the position to give her support. This scene is abiding to the gender specific leverage that a male has over a female, he is shown to be placid yet content with his role in society where she has come across as desperate and in need clearly shown where he is about to hang up the call and she begs him not to, signifying the importance of her problem. With her being associated with a man in such a formal/high place this can also dictate how our female character does not belong in the poverty landscape that is being shown correlating with how, now more than ever, she does not belong there/is out of place.

Shaky and hand held camera movements/shots are used throughout the entire extract representing how Baghdad may be an unsafe country. This can also be linked to our supposed lead female role, in how she seems emotionally distressed at this point in time. The camera movements may be a representation of the anxiety she is now feeling and the fluctuating movements in her emotional stability. Continuity editing is used throughout the whole extract, a clear example is when our female character is on the phone to the African-American male cutting between scenes/camera shots, where she seems to be in a rushed environment whereas our male character is more focused on the event that seems to be occurring behind him.

What seems to be natural lighting is basically used throughout the entire clip. It is adding more depth and anticipation to the scene as it abides with the conventions of a thriller/mystery film. By having a yellow-ish tinge to the atmosphere, the colour makes the whole film seem more dreary and lucid. The whole way through only diegetic sound is used. We can hear the locals speaking in their language especially when the prison guards are yelling at our female character. The intensity is heightened because not only are we unaware of what they are saying but we can tell due to the passive aggressive tone in their voices that our female character may be in some sort of trouble.