Breaking Bad essay

Breaking Bad
Representation essay

"When they see us"

Media Studies
Representation Essay
“When they see us”

In the clip from “When they see us”, it begins with a dark low angled shot. The audience is looking up at the figures (two shot) in a room filled with shadows and uncertainty. The two characters can clearly be shown to be in some type of dismay and are possibly related, we can gather this from their body language as they are in a close proximity to one another showing displays of affection. A mirror used in the first couple of seconds used as a symbol of confusion. The boy (emphasis on the word boy) is staring at himself in the mirror as if not recognising the person staring back, an unfamiliar face. This adds to the mise-en-scene of the film growing the anticipation of the audience who are left pondering what the young man has done.

We can hear the non-diegetic music playing in the background adding mournful suspense. An effect of scarcity has been created through the sound of a single toned note playing over the footage. A voice over of a woman's voice can be heard speaking within the first 10 seconds, a female’s voice adds a maternal and loving instinct, allowing us to sympathise for the characters through the worry and hurt we can hear coming through. It is stereotypical as a man is seen as harsh and abrasive where a mother/woman is seen as kind and soft spoken, increasing the element of sadness when thinking that is someone's child. This is a good way to draw in a different dynamic of viewers parental figures may relate to this as well as the youth consumers.

The attention is then taken off the mother and son and switches to an establishing shot of the courthouse room. It is a high angled shot showing us the whole picture contrasting to the dim lighting show in the scene beforehand. Soft, melancholic piano notes are introduced stirring up emotions of sadness, practically acting as a preview of the bad news about to come. An array of close-up shots are used to show the young men rising in the courtroom. Each one standing, coming into the shot as if coming into their future. One by one each is informally introduced and we can get a sense of the extreme emotion being portrayed through the cacophony of blank faces and forced in tears. All the characters are shown to be minorities and ethnic young men. This a stereotypical scene where boys are seen to be more destructive when criticizing both genders. It is a racist attack against people of colour or ones with cultural backgrounds, they are portrayed as violent dangerous beings whereas people of pale skin are seen in a higher power/standing.

Through the use of editing a montage is used between the sentencing, courtroom scenes. It shows the boys being normal teenagers, living their lives as if they didn't know what was coming or what was about to be. We empathise for them as one day they were normal kids relating to some of the viewers, then the next they are being convicted of a life sentence. As we are shown these happy times the non-diegetic music starts to intensify playing heavy orchestral music with sudden drum beats in the back mimicking the audience's heart beat as it starts to heighten. The diegetic sound of the judge’s dialogue carries over the good times as if making them come to and end knowing their lives could possibly be over. Through continuity editing the pieces of film have been put together in order to show the contrast between the happiness and sadness. The dark ambient lighting may mimic the emotions of the people in the room. There are a lot of dusk and blue hues throughout the clip, disguised as natural lighting making the verisimilitude more realistic and eye-opening for viewers, as if it was happening in real time.

Slow prolonged shots are seen of the parents which is ironic as it is coming from what looks to be loving family point of views. Tracking shots are used to get the full atmosphere of the room increasing tension as each child's name is read out. Lawyers of pale skin are seen to be sitting comfortable while the people of colour are clustered together fighting for their future. The legal enforcers are shown through a low angle shot as if they sit higher both physically and mentally, as if they are more important than anyone else seen in that room. This can be seen as conforming to the ways of white supremacy and how they are there to put people of colour in what they may think as their rightful place.

As we see the conviction take place they are confirmed guilty, the camera then moves to the parents seated. Tilt shots are used one by one as if they are being slowly lowered into their graves portraying the fact as their lives very well may be over after being sentenced. Snippets of film to the boy playing a trumpet is used in editing as a flashback. It's reminiscent of what was in contrast to what is to be, they are being buried in an early grave.

Break HW task 2

In the extract “Eastenders” we, as the audience, are immediately introduced to a real life problem that one of the characters seems to be having. This has implemented a sense of normality and that this clip may be based on real life events. The camera work has been done so that the shot is showing the character speaking on the right side whilst three middle-aged (older) individuals are watching from behind. The shot slowly blurs out our male character, when he is finished speaking, and focuses on the people in the background. The establishing shot is one of where we are left to interpret for ourselves where our characters may be as it has not been clear what the setting is. From what we are shown we can gather that they are in some sort of pub/bar. This is shown as there are kegs, beer taps and other alcoholic beverages surrounding the characters.

This film’s story/plotline may be based somewhere within Britain e.g. London/England. The thick accents presented by our characters can imply that they are in an old-fashioned bar/pub, one that is usually associated with family and friends for the occasional get-together and or drink. There is a clear age gap between a lot of the characters. We as the audience are shown a range of different characters or various looking ages. They portray this and how the different characters use different words to try and resolve situations. When the pizza boy is introduced, his use of language may imply that he is of the younger generation as he talks more hip and adjar to the English dictionary whereas the elderly characters shown use more of a formal speaking manner. Costumes are a big part of the mis en scene, all characters are fitted in dressy casual clothing with a basic shirt and pants attire. This is then contrasting to the pizza delivery boy who is wearing a uniform that is clearly not well kempt. By having his hat on backwards we can use this as iconography as it may act as a symbol of his age/generation where they are seen as hip/gangster.

A lot of the camera work is two shots where we are seeing two characters in the same frame. This can add to the personal feel of the film as we get a sense of both characters' emotions at the same time. An over the shoulder shot is used when (what we assume is the pub owner/manager) is giving the pizza boy a stern talking to trying to explain that the pizzas are not theirs, he does this by saying, “listen to me son, you can leave out that front door or you can chose a window, it’s entirely up to you”. This provokes a violent response from the adolescent who shows utter disrespect for the people he is talking to. Considering they are of an older generation, states how millennials these days can be seen as arrogant and obtuse to the fact that respect is a key trait that should be shown to the people above us.

Society's view on females compared to males is a clear representation of gender and how it is being shown. Whilst the adolescent male and, what we presume to be the manager/owner, try and use violence in order to resolve the conflict, the female interrupts by saying “there’s been a mistake, yeah, these are not our pizzas”, she slows down the use of her words implying that the young pizza delivery boy is ‘slow’ and is not understanding what is being said. She is using diplomacy and words to de-escalate the situation, showing the caring and nurturing side to a woman compared to a male that resorts to stereotypical brutality.

Continuity editing is used to create smooth transitions between shots and scenes. It helps to keep the storyline in check so that viewers/audience doesn’t get confused with what is happening. A lot of natural lighting is used throughout the extract especially when they go outside to find the pizza boys moped is missing. It relaxes the scene a little bit as if contradicting the emotions of the pizza boy and how he is all worked up and emotional whereas the lighting keeps it a dull and almost neutral scene. As they go outside we can hear the diegetic sounds of cars and other motor vehicles alongside public chatter. A police siren is heard evoking anticipation in the sense of who committed the ‘crime’.

At the end of the extract a little boy has been tricked into committing a felony. This links back to the troubled youth of this day and age and how nothing really matters and the thought of consequences are ignored. The man proceeds to give the kids money and a trinket as a symbol of his gratitude for receiving the scooter. He is clearly unstable, and the plaster alongside excessive bruising on the side of his head is a clear way of showing that he is not in a right mental state. By ending the extract with this mysterious man saying “ good luck son … you’re going to need it”, leaves the audience on the edge of the seat trying to guess what might happen to this man and little boy. It grabs their attention and urges us to continue watching.

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.

Bourne Identity

Bourne Identity

Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs meaning through the following:
camera shots, angles, movement and composition
editing
sound
mise-en-scene

This extract expresses the overall class and status of our main character straight away. We see Bourne walking around in what appears to be a docking/habour type area. This may imply that he is not in a place of wealth but instead a place of lower class or that he may be looking for something he has not yet found, i.e. his identity which we are later shown. Non diegetic music is playing during the opening scene in the extract. It is a symphonic blend of different ones which helps to build the tension and sense of mystery which is ironic since his personality is a mystery to himself.

During the first scene Bourne is seen to be walking with a red jacket acting as a symbol of how danger may come and that the red is him walking into his future/the unknown. The camera does a slow zoom in onto his face revealing a puzzled/confused look leaving the audience in wonder of what is about to happen. He is then shown to be walking through the streets lined with middle class houses adding to the normality in which this scene has been laid out. As we are shown the back of our main character we can see him walking off in a steady pace until he slowly disappears behind what appears to be the shoulders of walking pedestrians. This can fall under editing as the shot has been cut in order to show Bourne then a couple seconds later he disappears.

Diegetic sounds of seagulls and the murmur of voices can be heard above the music, this has been done intentionally to keep the audience in clue with what is going on around Bourne. An aerial tracking shot is used to follow along with the train as well as the car driving alongside on the road, immersing the audience with the movement on screen creating the effect that they are on the move with our character. The camera is then placed inside the train and we are shown a shot of Bourne Staring into his own reflection as if he does not recognise the person staring back at them. This acts as an indicator to the audience that not only does he not remember his past but here he does not remember who he is as a person. Read seat liners a place behind them on the headrest this is a symbolic colour as it is representing his future and what is to become of it here staring into the reflection looking at himself no correlation with the fact that this is his future self and that he is looking at the person who is about to become who he creates himself to be.

Pleonastic sound is introduced as we, the audience, are taken into the train to see Bourne sitting by himself. The sound of the train wheels on the track gets louder and louder heightening the scene making it more effective and relatable to the audience. Hues and natural lighting are used, practically throughout the whole extract, not only does this help to establish the overall tone, but it also makes us sympathise for our character even more as we see that he is living in a normal world but not so much a normal life. As he is staring out the window flickering lights appear and reflect off Bons face this can be interpreted as a representation of his pies fluttering by into the distance as it has already been forgotten.

A metal bullet that was first introduced at the beginning of the movie is now showing again acting as a symbol of iconography, it has personal meaning to born and is the only lead/clue he has to who he really is. It is the beacon drawing him to find out who is/who he was. By revealing the bullet once more, it adds to the overall feel that his character may be a shady individual, always seeking danger or in a way danger seeks him. Us as the audience can perceive this in a way that he may be more of a risk taking individual than we anticipated.

Blue lighting is shown behind Bourne as he seems to be walking away in the train station. This is acting as another symbolic colour. Blue is now representing his past, the unknown, the forgotten and how he is leaving it behind them mentally and physically as we are clearly shown a visual representation of that image. Mini shadows and Silhouette are introduced during the same taking us back to the idea of a thriller masking his true identity adding mystery and a sense of unknown. He himself does not know who is who he is correlating with the audience in the fact And that we are being left in the dark. The shot is showing him standing in the street covered in white snow, literally being left/standing in the dark. He is looking back into the blue lights (has past) say one final goodbye before you head to head out into the thrill seeking adventure that awaits him.

Armed officers enter the scene where Bourne is sleeping. This introduces a sense of authority and dictatorship amongst the extract, the legal personnel usually known to be helpful/sometimes understanding is portrayed to be corrupt and violent towards Bourne. This is when he realises that he understands the language that the police are speaking. Not only does this give him hints as to who he is but also the audience as to whom he might be. Whilst Bourne is speaking we are given an extreme close-up of his face revealing the disturbed facial expressions and the puzzlement that has now become him. Quick cuts are used in the fighting scene creating fast paced movements correlating to the actions being made by our main character. Diegetic sound is used throughout this sequence as we can hear the heavy breathing of Bourne and the natural sounds of birds in the background. This is adding the humanistic effect allowing the audience to interpret that Bourne is not all robot but instead mostly human.

Homework Task 2

Task #2

Public Enemies

This episode is seen to fall under the category of a police/crime drama. It starts of with a thrilling yet suspenseful scene where the audience is almost left in the dark with the situation that is taking place, this relates to the setting and/or theme of the episode, in which the story has been set, with dull colours, almost as if the film is left in the dark becoming a mystery.

The establishing shot shown at the start of the film is of some type of forest/bush. The camera angle slowly moves from a low angle shot of the trees to a midway shot, where we are shown the whole picture. This tells the audience where the scene is set and is an indirect connotation of sketchy/dodgy activities that may be occurring.The first sign of movement that we see in this episode is after our establishing shot where the characters car drives in on the right third of the shot also relating back to the framing and placement of props. This creates iconography within the scene as the car becomes a big part of the suspenseful nature in which the TV series is being portrayed as. We as the audience are shown the credits at the opening of the episode, this falls under editing where the names of cast and crew are added to the screen, appearing at the bottom, after the finishing touches of camera work are finalised.

Our first character that we are introduced to is shown to us through the reflection of his rear view mirror. We are only shown parts of his face building tension and implying that he may be untrustworthy or an almost 'villain-like' character. We are shown what could also be considered as a point-of-view shot, where we are only able to view the mans hands on the steering wheel and the picture that is shown beyond the front windscreen (trees and the gravel road that he is driving upon). We are shown a picture of rubbish/a lower class area, it is almost as if they have turned this natural scenery into a place where people feel as though they can dump their problems. This not only indicates the status of the scene, but it also implies that this may be an evasive environment, not a suitable setting for a film such as family friendly movie i.e. a place where you would have a family brunch/picnic. This camera shot adds to the mise en scène of this TV drama, where the dirty elements are placed in such a way that it is a signifier of a poorer community.

A dark hue is placed over the scene making it look gloomy as if something bad was about to happen. The music/radio is interrupted and is turned off by the male character. This then allows not only the audience but also the character to hear the wails of a girl who sounds as if she has been trapped/locked in a confined space. It almost becomes a pleonastic sound, and the girls cries become more apparent as he walks towards the rear of the car to the boot. The camera follows the man’s face but we are never fully shown the whole structure, it is as if part of his identity is yet to be revealed almost a mystery in the way that they are covering up the characters true identity by not showing his full facial structure. We assume that the male character has opened the trunk and is now either injuring/hurting our female voice. The camera changes it’s view to nature shots showing the calmness of the leaves as they rustle between the branches of the tree tops, giving a sense of peace and serenity almost ironic to the situation that is now being carried out, where the male character is holding a female hostage (we assume). A reflection of the front windscreen is shown as the voices that we were hearing is cut off abruptly leaving the audience suspenseful and curious to what has just happened. The camera shots of natures beauty almost acts as an equilibrium to the fact that something may be happening to our female character but we are still unaware. The non-diegetic sound of bristling leaves creates a sense of peace, which is almost ironic considering the fact that we have just been put on edge by our ending view/scene.

We are introduced to another establishing shot where the camera lens is focused on to another camera screen, making it seem like we are looking through another persons eyes acting like a point of view shot for a piece of technology. We hear the diegetic voice in the background describing a murder, the racking focus then switches from the camera and feeds into focus on the people standing in front of the white stature building. Whilst the male and female figure are standing talking to the press, the camera view we are shown becomes shaky and unsteady as if representing the emotions of the characters on the screen. The voices are uneasy giving the sense of disturbance to the audience making us wonder what the full story is and what has happened, in order to affect our characters the way it has.

Hidden shots are shown from behind the pillar where we can only see half the picture and the other half is blocked by the building in front. This allows the audience to only understand half the story, still being kept in the dark, but slowly being drip fed information to perceive the main story line of this episode. The lighting throughout has a dingy feel, where brightness is blocked out by the despair of our characters loss. It is portrayed throughout the first minute where even natures greenery has a bland and distasteful aura. Representation and gender control is a clear figure and influence in the first few scenes of this TV drama. The male is shown to be over bearing of the women who is our classic damsel in distress but this time there was no hero to save her.

We can assume that this girl who has supposedly been 'murdered' is of a young age. The people shown talking into the microphones and cameras, may be the parents of this female voice, and if so they look to be as if a similar age to this girls kidnapper. The 'parent' figures shown are distraught to the fact that (what we assume to be their daughter) has been killed/murdered, relating back to the name "public enemies" where this male character we are first introduced too, has made adversary opponents that may alter the path of his future. They want to make known the crime that has been committed causing our male lead to form "public enemies" himself.

Homework Task 1 Sherlock Holmes

Task: Use your notes to write a short response about how the technical elements combine to construct mood and tone.


Sherlock Holmes is a well-known drama/crime fiction tv series. It starts off with a brief introduction of the events that happened previously in the series. During the first 50 seconds of the extract there is moments when the editing cuts from blackout to picture, this lets the audience see what is happening whilst trying to cram all of the previous episode into a couple of minutes. It recaps the overall plot and situation yet still maintaining a short yet concise overview. After the first 40 seconds of the clip, the blackouts start to become fast passed almost as if it mimics the sensation of blinking. Everything starts to move at a rapid pace creating intensity and striking the audience with drops of confusion and vigorousity. This is all portrayed through the editing of the film.The beginning establishing shot of the swimming pool expresses irony in how a swimming pool is usually a place of joy and laughter. It is a recreational environment and has now been portrayed as a possible murder scene.

Throughout the short film there are many close up shots used in the camera work that shows the  character's facials, along with many other encrypting details. By showing the many different expressions seen on the faces of our main cast, this tells the audience how to feel for example professor Moriarty stands with  a blank expression as if it is almost inhumane. He wears a suit to a place which is usual fitted for casual attire giving the sense that he is ranked highly in his type of profession/industry. He shown in dull colours that wash out his complexion as if he is almost already dead, this would help to explain why when Sherlock is standing with a gun aimed straight for him he doesn't exclaim an ounce of fear. This bleeds fear into the hearts of the audience making them suspect and almost worry for the lives of the characters.

Moriarty's psychopathic tendencies are represented through colors and movement, the bodies watching the film can tell that he is in a powerful place according to his crime syndicate. The camera work has been thoughtfully depicted through the racking focus when the camera is sought to be on Moriarty, then soon shifts focus onto the gun that Sherlock is seen to be holding. This causes the audiences focus to be taken from one thing to another, conveying changes throughout the scene. An over the shoulder shot is shown, where the camera is looking over the side of Sherlock. This helps us as viewers, be admonished of not only our villains emotions/movements but also reminds us of the characters that are not fully on screen, as they are just as much apart of the situation at hand.

A number of different props are used to create an initial image in the audiences minds. Sherlock is recognized as holding a gun whilst another character on the side has a bomb strapped to his body. As viewers we can immediately recognize the underlining meaning of both props. It strikes danger and alert to everyone seeing the film. This falls under the mise-en-scene of the film categories and helps to depict the overall image. Non-diegetic sounds play in the background, one of them being an underlying drum that mimics the sound of a heartbeat. It creates intensity in the scene by having a fast paced rhythm whilst also including on edge music. This is all then contradicted towards the end of the film when the whole scene is interrupted by Moriarty's ring tone, one that is to the sound of "staying alive" by Bee Gees. This an almost ironic and iconic part of the film as our villain (Moriarty) is being faced with death the song comes on almost to contradict Sherlock's plan as if he cannot die and that the words "staying alive" was not only a ring tone but a statement in terms of Moriarty's life.