Case Study 5 - I'm Alan Partridge - BBC Sitcom

Case Study 5 - I'm Alan Partridge

I'm Alan Partridge is a British sitcom originally broadcast on BBC Two between 1997-2002, it starred Steve Coogan as Alan Partridge a failed television host and radio host who is trying to get back into the world of television. The television series used a single camera set-up, this was done to immerse the audience in the strange world of Alan Partridge and his awkward situations. I'm Alan Partridge preceded Ricky Gervais' 'The Office' and was innovative in its use of the single camera method to add to the humour of the characters. The sitcom is shot in a way that feels like a documentary however unlike 'The Office' it isn't a 'documentary', instead the creators have used the single-camera method to make the audiences feel as if they are in the same room as Alan.

The single-camera appears to be hand-held and is quite shaky giving the show an unprofessional feeling that is almost reminiscent of the character Alan Partridge. The camera is positioned in a way that it could be a POV shot of someone watching Alan, therefore the show is high in verisimilitude. The camera creates a claustrophobic feeling that the audience are stuck with Alan and cannot escape the visceral cringe-worthy situations that Alan puts himself in. Throughout the series Dutch angles are used as they create an unnatural view of things and a quirkiness that goes well with Alan's personality.

The lighting throughout the series is natural and like the camera it is manufactured in a way to give the show a realistic appearance. I'm Alan Partridge looks like many of the early reality television shows however as the the format of the show is a sitcom Alan does not interact with the camera.

Cut-aways are used to create a lot of the humour, these cut-aways often linger on the faces of the people Alan is talking to, the expressions and reactions from the other characters is emphasised by the lingering shots which only add to the awkwardness of the situations. Much of Alan's dialogue has the character saying something that he believes to be funny which in reality is not funny but Alan's failed attempt at humour is what makes him so funny to the audience. The character Lynn who is Alan's loyal but long-suffering personal assistant who he regularly demeans to make up for his own undesirable personality, Lynn's character is effective at creating humour as Alan always knocks her confidence by telling her some home truths, despite Alan's behaviour she is devoted to Alan's wishes. Many of the characters Alan meets who he tries to befriend are put-off by Alan's rudeness that he is oblivious of, the audience gain gratifications from seeing Alan fail as the more Alan attempts to up his profile the more foolish he becomes. One noteworthy scene in which Alan makes a fool of himself is in series 1 where Alan shoves some cheese into the BBC television commissioners face for not giving him another series saying "smell my cheese".

The soundtrack throughout 'I'm Alan Partridge' is mainly diegetic with most the soundtrack being from the radio station that Alan works for, the songs that are played throughout the series are mainly from the 1980s and feel outdated, this fits in with the character Alan as he is supposed to be a middle aged has-been who is trying to keep his career going without making any modern changes to please his audience or to bring a younger audience.

Realist VS. Anti-Realist

Verisimilitude: This refers to the appearance of a narrative being true or real. If something has high verisimilitude then it will have high levels of realism, if something has low verisimilitude then it will be low in realism. This can be seen in film productions and in narratives.

In film and television a director may use different camera techniques to achieve high levels of verisimilitude and to create a realistic view of a situation. For example POV shots are used to put the audience in the perspective of a character and it is considered realistic as the audience are seeing something happen from a 'human eye'. A shaky camera or handheld camera is used as it can make a sequence appear to be more gritty, for example in a fight scene a hand-held camera may be employed to create a realistic fight sequence atmosphere, on the other-hand a director may use a wide angle shot or over-the head shots so the action is clearly visible, this is not as realistic as true life as you wouldn't have such a clear view of a fight and does not have the same immersive effect as a shaky camera.

How Audiences can be targeted and positioned

Audience Targeting

Television producers aim to achieve the highest audience possible for certain programmes. On the other hand there are more niche programmes that are targeted at specific type of audience are not aimed at the masses. The more mainstream programming are carefully constructed so that they will draw in the largest audience possible, therefore producers have to consider the content and scheduling of there programmes. Audience targeting is where media producers adopt a strategy with the goal of developing criteria that can group people as 'a whole', the most common criteria used are:
Demographics: Age, level of education, income, ethnicity and gender.

Geography: National, region, country,

Psychographics: Personality, values, attitudes, interests, level of readiness for change and lifestyles.

Targeting the audience effectively is important because once the audience has been divided based on selected criteria, campaigns and then designed and communication channels are selected for producers to reach their intended audience effectively e.g. advertising campaigns, new TV shows.

Chat shows are programmes where producers carefully select the guests to appeal to a broad audience. One example is the Jonathan Ross Show, in one of his shows the guests were Zachary Quinto (Age 36 American Hollywood Actor), Zoe Saldana (Age 35 American Hollywood Actress), Jeremy Kyle (Age 48 English Daytime Television Show), Russell Howard (Age 33 English Comedian) and finally music guest Radiohead (a band from the 1980s). All of these factors are taken into account. By having these guests the producers of the show are trying to appeal to large demographic. By having a variety of guests on the show the producers are appealing to niche audiences as well as broader audiences. The producers have carefully selected guests from different backgrounds in the entertainment industry. Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldana represent the Hollywood A-list international celebrities that appeal to a large demographic. Jeremy Kyle’s show is on ITV therefore viewers of the show will likely want to see him in a relaxed environment, he will attract an older demographic. Russell Howard is a comedian who targets young audiences as his humour is based around current events. Radiohead are a band that formed in 1985 therefore they will appeal to an older male demographic. There are many reasons why the audience would be interested in the guests. Zoe Saldana is an American actress, who is currently 35 years old, she shot to fame after starring in Avatar which was a huge international blockbuster and therefore made her an international star that is recognizable, she would appeal to a broad audience demographic of male & females, she would appeal to males because she has certain sex appeal (eye candy). Zachary Quinto is an American actor, who is currently 36 years old, he first became known in internationally through the American television series Heroes that was broadcast in the UK, by appearing as an iconic character in a huge franchise Zachary Quinto will appeal to a broad audience demographic. Jeremy Kyle is an English TV presenter, his reality television series is the English counterpart to the American Jerry Springer show, and his show appeals to an older audience, mainly older retired females or stay at home mums, therefore he will bring in an older audience demographic. Russell Howard is an English comedian; his television show is shown on BBC3 a channel that specifically targets a young audience, therefore Russell Howard brings in the young audience demographic. Radiohead have been active since 1985 therefore their audience demographic will be older males.

Audience Ratings

Audience measurement or ratings is where an audience is measured to find out how many people watched something. The practical measuring of audiences helps broadcasters and advertisers determine who is listening rather than just how many people are listening this broader meaning is called audience research. Audience research helps producers and advertisers to show adverts or programmes at certain times so that they are reaching the correct/ideal audience. 

Scheduling

TV producers deliberately schedule programmes at certain times, as do advertisers who position their adverts at peak times. The 4 main terrestrial TV channels have their programmes perfectly mapped out. Between 9-12 Breakfast programmes are shown to give the audience a quick update on today events with interviews with guests, This Morning on ITV also has some debates on lifestyle with guests, these morning shows are targeted at stay at home mothers and older audiences. Between 12-17:00 reality shows such as construction shows, auction shows and game shows are shown, again these programmes are targeted at mothers and older audiences. Between 17:00-21:00 Soap dramas are usually shown as this is peak time and  larger audiences will be watching. Between 21:00-23:00 more adult themed programmes are shown as it is post-watershed producers can get away with more risqué content.

Official Ratings Organisations - Organisations were formed to monitor audience ratings

BARB (Broadcasters' Audience Research Board) is an organisation that compiles audience measurement and television ratings. It was created to replace a previous system where the BBC and ITV companies compiled their own ratings. BARB viewing data give broadcasters, advertisers and other interested parties a minute by minute breakdown of viewing at regional and national levels. This information is vital in assessing how programmes, channels or advertising campaigns have performed and provides the basis for airtime advertising trading.

Audience Positioning

Audiences can be positioned through technical codes employed by the text. In a moving image text, the camera shots and angles are used to place the audience in a particular position. Here are some examples of shots/ angles and the meaning they can be used to create:

1. POV – Puts the audience in the perspective of a character, this type of shot is used to make the audience experience what a character is experiencing.

2. Voyeuristic Shot – This shot usually has a vignette, this is where the camera is partly covered by something (e.g. leaves) and gives the feeling that someone is being watched.  This type of shot is a convention of a horror film and can be seen in ‘Eden Lake’.

3.  Close-Up - The audience can see characters emotions by looking at their facial expressions this is used in every genre and is a general convention of film.

4. Dutch Angle - A Dutch angle is where the camera is on a slight angle and gives the feeling that something is not right about a certain situation; Dutch angles are effective because they can create an unsettling mood to the audience.

5. Low Angle and High Angle Shots – A low angle shot can be used to make a character look intimidating and the dominant character in the situation. A high angle shot can be used to make a character appear to be the most vulnerable character in a scene and therefore a victim.  

Here are some post-production (editing) techniques that can be used to create meaning:

1. Montage – A montage is where lots of different shots are accompanied by a non-diegetic soundtrack, montages are used to show a passing of time in a short/brief period, a montage can be seen in films such as; Scarface, Ghostbusters and Goodfellas. 

2. Flashback – A post-production technique where the colour palette of the film is changed to black and white or sepia as this gives a ‘vintage look’ to the flashback and makes clear to the audience of a time gone by.

3. Match Cut - A match cut is an editing technique that is used as a transition from one location to another, it involves cutting from one object to another one that is similar in shape but in another location. The editing technique creates a seamless transition from one scene to another, the meaning of this technique depends on the context of its use, one famous example of this technique is from Stanley Kubrick's '2001 A Space Odyssey' (1968) where it transitions from the dawn of man where a bone is thrown into the air into a space ship/shuttle in space. 

X-Factor Example of Audience Positioning

The two extracts that I looked at from the X-Factor auditions 2012 both have evident differences. The first audition we looked at showed Nick Buss, a 70 year old man who is immediately stereotyped a s a grumpy old man. In the introductory VT a non-diegetic soundtrack of a modern pop song is playing, Nick says “It’s just noise turn it off”, the non-diegetic soundtrack then cuts off and the ‘One Foot in the Grave’ theme tune begins to play, the editors have used this theme tune as the television show ‘One Foot in the Grave’ is about a grumpy old man and is therefore ideal to play over Nick Buss’ audition, the use of this theme tune is that it sets the tone that this is going to be a comical audition.  The editors have emphasized the diegetic sounds of Nicks grunting as this reinforces the stereotype of him being a grumpy old man. When Nick goes onto the stage the set-up is changed to multiple camera, noddy shots are used to show the judges and audiences reactions to Nick's singing, it cuts backstage to show Nick's wife who doesn't look very supportive of Nick. The diegetic sounds of the audiences reactions such as the booing, chanting and laughing are all amplified so that it makes clear to the viewers at home that Nick is a 'joke act'. The editors have chosen to show Nick swearing and complaining about the fact he does not get through, we see him singling out Tulisa whom he insists on calling 'Tulisia' as the one to blame for him not getting through.

Nick's audition contrasts with Melanie Masson's audition. When Melanie is first introduced she is represented as a typical stay at home mother who is very innocent, the VT then begins to go into Melanie's quirky personality, the non-diegetic soundtrack is the 'Bewitched' theme tune which reinforces the quirky behaviour. The audience are made to feel like Melanie is another 'joke act'. However when she comes onto the stage and begins singing she contradicts that feeling because she is actually a good singer, it cuts to a close-up of Gary's face who is looking very shocked/surprised the camera then pans down looking at each of the judges reactions, the diegetic sound of the audience cheering is almost as loud as Melanie's singing. It keeps cutting away from the action to the back-stage to show Melanie's children to give some emotional impact to the audition and empathy towards Melanie (making the audience root for Melanie to succeed). The up-beat non-diegetic soundtrack is very upbeat and positive when the judges all say "Yes". The camera does a 180 degree turn from the audience applauding to the judges who stand-up to Melanie on the stage rejoicing at the fact. The final shot is a privilege shot where we see Melanie walk away with her children. Melanie's audition is therefore more positive then Nicks and the audience have been positioned to root for Melanie. 

Narrative Theory

Vladimir Propp was a Russian scholar who proposed that all characters in a narrative could be resolved into 7 broad character functions these were as follows;

1. The Villain: The antagonist who seeks to stop the hero from completing his quest or is struggling with the hero.

2. The Dispatcher: A character who sets the hero upon his/her quest.

3. The Helper: The helper is someone who helps the hero in their quest. The helper could also be known as the deuteragonist (sidekick) someone who is the secondary hero who helps the hero complete his quest.

4. The Princess or Prize: The hero must complete his quest which could be either to safe the princess and be with her or to stop something that is preventing the hero and princess from being together happily ever after.

5. The Donor: Prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object. The donor is often someone who gives the hero something or tells the hero something that will give the hero an advantage, the donor could also train the hero and prepare them for the battles that he/she will face.

6. The Hero: The main protagonist, the hero is someone who the audience "root for" and the hero is the one who must complete a quest.

7. The False Hero/Blocker: The false hero is someone who tries to take credit for the hero's actions or tries to marry the princess. Sometimes the false hero is replaced with the blocker who stands in the way of hero or distracts him from the main quest.

Below is an example of the character types applied to the film 'Star Wars' with two extra character types:

Character Type: Hero

Name: Luke Skywalker

Goal: Luke is the last hope for the Jedi Knights a sacred organisation dedicated to protecting the galaxy, however, after the Jedi were wiped out in a purge after his father Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) turned to the dark-side of the force. Luke is dedicated to defeating the Empire and helping the rebel alliance restore peace and trying to bring his father back to the light side of the force.


Character Type: Villain

Name: Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker)

Goal: Darth Vader once went by the name Anakin Skywalker, his mind was corrupted by The Emperor and he joined the dark-side of the force and ceased to be Anakin Skywalker. His goal is to destroy the rebel alliance and to turn his son Luke Skywalker to the dark-side so they can rule the galaxy as father and son.


Character Type: Princess/Prize

Name: Princess Leia

Goal: She is Luke’s brother but she does not know this until Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. She is very much involved in the rebel alliances’ quest to destroy the Empire. In Episode IV: A New Hope she has been kidnapped and has been taken to the Death Star, Luke and the gang rescue her and she begins her relationship with Han Solo.


Character Type: Mentor

Name: Yoda

Goal: Yoda is one of the last remaining Jedi and is in exile hiding from the Empire. Yoda is old but still very powerful with the force and once Obi-Wan Kenobi is killed he trains Luke in the ways of the force.


Character Type: Helper

Name: R2-D2/C3PO

Goal: These two characters are loyal to Luke et al. Throughout the Star Wars saga they assist Luke, Han, Leia and Chewbacca by repairing the ship and giving advice (although C3PO is often ignored to add humour to certain scenes).


Character Type: Blocker

Name: Jabba the Hutt

Goal: Jabba is a gangster whom Han Solo owes money to, Han Solo keeps on getting delayed on giving Jabba his money back and in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back Jabba sends bounty hunter Boba Fett who captures Han and takes him to Jabba’s Palace where he is kept prisoner.


Character Type: Dispatcher

Name: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Goal: Obi-Wan Kenobi like Yoda is one of the last remaining Jedi knights and is hidden in exile watching over Luke as he grows older, when he finally crosses paths with Luke he sets him off on his journey to become a Jedi knight. Obi-Wan Kenobi is ‘killed’ in a duel between Darth Vader. Obi-Wan Kenobi’s ghost still guides Luke.


Character Type: Redeemed Character

Name: Lando Calrissian

Goal: Lando is a friend of Han Solo’s and resides in Cloud City, his main concern is to keep the Empire out of the city. When Darth Vader arrives he is forced to turn in Han et al, but when he learns that Darth Vader plans on taking over Cloud City Lando then assists Chewbacca and the gang escape and eventually rescue Han and destroys the Death Star Mark II.


Character Type: Best Friend/Secondary Heroes

Name: Han Solo & Chewbacca

Goal: Han and Chewbacca are loyal intergalactic bro's who ride round the galaxy in the Millennium Falcon. These two characters assist Luke in his various adventures and are secondary heroes as they are working towards similar goals as Luke (destroy the Empire). Han and Chewbacca show their loyalty to Luke by saving him on multiple occasions, the first time being in the first Death Star attack and the second being on Hoth. Luke returns the favour by rescuing Han and Chewbacca from Jabba’s Palace.


Tzvetan Todorov is a Franco-Bulgarian philosopher, he suggests that stories begin with an equilibrium or status quo where any potentially opposing forces are in balance. This is disrupted by some event, setting in motion a series of events. Problems are solved so that the equilibrium can be restored.

Todorov suggested that conventional narratives are structured in five stages:

1. A state of equilibrium at the outset

2. A disruption of the equilibrium by some action.

3. A recognition that there has been a disruption.

4. An attempt to repair the disruption.

5. A reinstatement of the equilibrium or a new equilibrium is established.

Below is an example of Todorov's narrative theory applied to the film 'Star Wars'.

Equilibrium: Luke is a farm boy who is living a mundane life and seeks adventure.

Disruption: Luke's Auntie and Uncle are killed by the Empire who were looking for his new droids who have data on their battle station.

Recognition of Disruption: Luke sets off with Obi-Wan Kenobi to Mos Eisley where they meet a renegade solider of fortune named Han Solo and his sidekick Chewbacca whom he pilots the Millennium Falcon with. Luke and Obi-Wan pay Han Solo to take them to Alderaan to rescue the Princess.

Attempt to repair disruption: When the characters arrive at Alderaan they find it has been destroyed and are soon pulled into the 'Death Star'. Han, Chewie and Luke et al. find and rescue the Princess. Meanwhile Obi-Wan Kenobi is seemingly killed in a duel with Darth Vader. The heroes escape.

A return or restoration of NEW equilibrium:  Luke leads an attack on the Death Star with the rebel alliance. Luke with the help of Han and Chewie destroy the Death Star. The film ends with Han and Luke receive a medal for their efforts in a ceremony hosted by the Princess, Chewbacca is shunned. The new equilibrium being that Luke has achieved what he wanted by leaving home and joining the Rebel Alliance with his new friends. 

Final Girl Theory 

The final girl theory is a convention of the Horror and Thriller genre(s). This refers to the last woman or girl alive who must confront the killer. The final girl has become a cliché of the genre as woman are seen as more vulnerable characters than males who are stereotyped as the strong protectors. Carol J. Clover coined the term 'Final Girl' in her book. According to Clover, the final girl in may films share common characteristics: she is a typically sexually unavailable woman or virginal, the girl may have a shared history with the killer, for example in the film 'Halloween' Michael Myers is revealed to be the brother of the 'Final Girl' Laurie Strode, the same can be seen in the 'Scream' franchise where the character Sidney Prescott is constantly threatened by the killer. Clover suggests that the final girl is no longer the damsel in distress and during the final girl's confrontation with the killer she becomes masculinized by taking up arms and attacking the killer, the final girl's innocence is destroyed when they take up these typical masculine traits in order to survive. 

The Dominance of the Big Six

The Dominance of the Big Six

The big six operate as the major film production and distributors in Hollywood, this includes; Sony Pictures, 21st Century Fox, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros. These companies each have different divisions such as 20th Century Fox who have a television network which has been the home to such popular shows as ‘The Simpsons’ which had a film spin-off in 2007 and has proven to be a lucrative franchise for the company, Rupert Murdoch who owns 20th Century Fox has utilised the different divisions of the company so that the 20th Century Fox brand name is known to the public and is recognised worldwide. The Walt Disney Company is another company that has created a successful brand, by gearing the majority of its films towards families they have made an impressive amount of animated films that are timeless and multi-generational, Disney also has multiple theme parks that are based around the films made by the company allowing the audiences to interact with the products, in recent years Disney has made many lucrative deals by acquiring productions and franchises for example in 2008 they acquired the rights to Marvel Films in 2009 for $4 billion and have since made $5 billion since the purchase, also in November 2012 they bought Lucasfilm for another $4 billion giving Disney the rights to the Star Wars franchise and Indiana Jones two franchises that are incredibly popular with audiences, other purchases include the television network ABC for $19 billion dollars. Although they are American based their presence is still dominant in other countries. Together these companies constitute an ‘oligopoly’ on the film industry, this means that collectively they dominate the industry holding 80% of the US/Canada market share of the film industry.

For people working within the big six this is an advantage as it allows for much higher budgets for large productions making it so that the studios can release their summer ‘blockbusters’ that are more mainstream titles geared towards a wider audience. Smaller production companies will not rely on the financial power that the big six hold in the industry and will choose to release titles with narratives that although may be obscure in some cases but still based in reality, the trouble with such productions is that they don’t have the money to innovate technologically within the industry and that is something that the big six particularly have done over the many decades, James Cameron’s Avatar was a huge hit partially because of the hype surround the 3D effects in the film. However, the independent productions that are now being made replicate those that the big six were once releasing when the motion picture industry was first conceived, the big six have been criticised for releasing films with similar themes and remaking films from their back-catalogue.

The big six use their power within the industry to promote their ideological views and promote Americanisation within the media often do not take any creative risks or confront certain ‘ideologies’ in order protect the brand name, this is an advantage for smaller productions because they can create projects to question American ideologies, for example Michael Moore produces documentaries that tackle topics such as gun control in ‘Bowling For Columbine’ and ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’, these documentaries although produced on low budgets and by small production companies proved immensely popular and grew more popular through word of mouth which for smaller productions is a good thing because they cannot afford a  marketing campaign.

A disadvantage for the big six is in certain cases big budget blockbusters can flop and therefore result in huge financial losses to the company, one recent notable example is ‘The Lone Ranger’ which was released by The Walt Disney Company on a budget of $250 million and its worldwide gross being just $243 million despite its huge promotional campaign.

Overall I feel that competition is necessary in the industry and the fact that the big six shadow over many of the independent production companies is a bad thing as the same ideas are constantly being recycled by the big six who stick to a formula that results in a large gross. The industry shouldn't be based around profit and should be about taking risks on projects that may be considered better critically but may not have the largest profits that the big blockbusters bring in.  

Series - Serial - Single Drama

1. SERIAL: The Pacific

	DETAILS
DEFINE	Single narratives (of various characters) told over a finite number of episodes which concludes in a final instalment.
YOUR TEXT	The Pacific
Narrative	The Pacific like Band of Brothers follows soldiers during WW2; however, this serial takes place in the Pacific Theater of Operations within the wider Pacific War. The serial covers major military operations during this period and the actors are playing soldiers who were actually involved with these battles, therefore being a true story.
Technical	Partly Single-Camera. The serial has many cinematic moments, and as Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks are producers of the serial they have made sure that many of the gritty camera work used in the WW2 film ‘Saving Private Ryan’ are used here to create the same immersive effect putting the audience in the position of the soldier by using POV shots etc.
GENRES	Historical War Drama – True Story

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. SERIES:Spaced

	DETAILS
DEFINE	Series of television programmes rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode-by-episode fashion.
YOUR TEXT	Spaced
Narrative	Daisy Steiner (Jessica Stevenson) and Tim Bisley (Simon Pegg) are two London twenty-somethings who meet by chance while both are looking for a flat, having both broken up with their partners. Despite barely knowing each other, they pose as a young working couple in order to meet the requirements for an advertisement for a cheap flat. In this flat there are other odd characters that the two main characters interact with. The narrative of the series follows the surreal adventures of the couple, and the romantic tension that builds between the two.
Technical	The show was shot using a single camera set-up. The director Edgar Wright shot the series in a cinematic style and even ‘borrowed’ shots from certain films in order to pay homage to them as the series makes multiple references to other films.  – Edgar Wright – Director
GENRES	Comedy, parody/homage

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. DRAMA: Dirty War

	DETAILS
DEFINE	Same as a film – a single self-contained story, usually between 60-90 minutes.
YOUR TEXT	Dirty War (2004)
Narrative	The film follows a terrorist attack in London; the events of the attack are shown from multiple perspectives; the government, police and the emergency medical services.
Technical	The film uses a single-camera set-up to show the perspectives of the characters in a realistic way; the camera is very shaky and is used in a way that represents the frantic nature of the attack. Examples of shots include; extreme close-ups, POV, over-the shoulder shots.
GENRES	Thriller/Drama

 

Case Study 1 - 'Tell'

Case Study 1 - 'Tell'

 

'Tell' (2012) is a short psychological horror written, directed and edited by Ryan Connolly, who primarily operates independently releasing films online. This horror short follows many cliches found in the genre and its plot has obviously drawn inspiration from literature such as Edgar Allan Poe's short story 'The Tell-Tale Heart'. The plot of 'Tell' follows a charcter named Taylor who is having some-kind of mental breakdown and argues with his girlfriend Jenny whom he kills with a hammer.

The director Ryan Connolly has used the single camera to create a creepy atmosphere which shows Taylor's mental breakdown without the use of dialogue, an example of Connolly using the camera to create a paranoid feeling to the film is the use of voyeuristic shots that make it seem that Taylor is being watched. The dialogue in the film is perhaps the weakest element of an otherwise well made horror short, thankfully Connolly has used little dialogue as the actual camera-work and Taylor's facial expressions can tell more than the dialogue.

 

The character Taylor does not fit in with Propp's character theory, although he is the character in which the audience is following he does not have any of the characteristics of a protagonist, the audience are not "rooting" for Taylor to get away from the murder, however, the writer has allowed the audience to see Taylor as a character descend into madness. 

The audience are immersed into the world of  'Tell' by the use of certain shots and angles for example over the shoulder shots  allow the audience to see things from the perspective of certain characters and make it clear how certain characters are feeling emotionally by focusing on their facial expressions.

Unlike many modern horrors that choose to use graphic violence to 'shock' the audience 'Tell' has been made in a way that the psychological elements of the film are more frightening than visual gore. 'Tell' follows the old horror archetype "What you don't see is actually more scary than what you can see". One example of Connolly following this is the scene in which Taylor murders Jenny, the actual violence is off-screen and the diegetic sounds make the sequence feel very unsettling. The camera slowly pans into the kitchen counter and Taylor's arm appears with blood on it, this sequence is very slow paced, this has been done so that the tension builds.

The editing is very subtle throughout the film, many of the shots linger therefore breaking the 5 second rule, the rule has been broken because the audience are able to see the characters thinking, this creates a feeling of uncertainty and highlights the fact that Taylor is all alone in this situation and is losing his grip on reality. Quick shots are used to show Jenny who appears to be haunting Taylor, these shots are quick because the director wants the audience to begin to question whether Taylor is going crazy or Jenny really is haunting him.

Close-ups are used to show significant objects, for example a close-up of a knife and a saw signifies the fact that Taylor is going to cut-up the body, Connolly has successfully alllowed the narrative of the story to flow without the use of dialogue.

The non-diegetic soundtrack follows the conventions of a typical horror soundtrack and is used to great effect. The soundtrack has build-up moments where the audience are waiting in anticipation of a jump moment however they are decieved.

The lighting is very dull, the source of the lighting is natural in the way that the house lights are used, therefore the film has high verisimilitude in terms of its setting.

Overall 'Tell' is a well-made independent production that has safely followed what has been done in past horror films and has created the ultimate cliché ridden film.

What is a Single-Camera/Multi-Camera Production?

What is a Single-Camera Production?

A single camera in a production is a method of film-making that involves the use of only one camera, which means that each of the various shots and angles are taken using the same camera, the director will have to move the camera and set it up again in order to achieve a new shot or new angle. Although the director has more control over the shots because his/her attention is focused on only one camera rather than the multiple camera method which employs the use of multiple cameras placed around the room so that all of the shots can be shot consecutively, the disadvantage of the multiple method is the director cannot be at every camera at once whereas in the single-camera method the director doesn't have this problem, with the single-camera method the director may actually control the camera themselves therefore giving them complete control. A disadvantage of the single-camera method is that is more time consuming and expensive than the multiple-camera method.Usually when shooting with this method the director will film all scenes that are required for that particular set-up, for example if a scene was being shot between two characters and the script says to cut between the two then the director will shoot each one of the actors' scenes first and then do the same for the other actor then in post-production the editor can put the different shots of the two actors into sequence, by doing this the director does not have to reset the camera every time a cut is needed.

What is a Multi-Camera Production?

A multiple camera set up is a method of film production where several cameras are used on the set and simultaneously record a scene. The different cameras all perform individual tasks so that multiple angles and shots can be achieved without constantly having to move just one camera. Some cameras will be static so that close-up shots can be achieved, one camera is generally used as a master shot to capture all of the action in a scene. One camera could be attached to a dolly therefore allowing panning shots to be achieved. The multiple-camera set-up is more efficient than the single camera method as it takes less time to complete a shoot, this method makes editing more simple as it reduces the chance of continuity errors as the camera stays in the same position. This method is commonly used for live television programmes such as 'The X-Factor' and Sport matches. With the multi-camera set-up the lighting is generally less flexible to change and therefore reduces the creative input of certain shots. 

Case Study 2 - 'Breaking Bad Episode 13: Face Off' Television Program

Case Study 2 - 'Breaking Bad Episode 13: Face Off' Television Program

The last fifteen minutes of the season 4 finale 'Face Off' perfectly showcases the cinematic quality of Breaking Bad. As this is the final episode of season 4 the anticipation and tension are cranked up, the show creator Vince Gilligan has taken hold of the reigns to direct this episode as it is an important game-changer in the Breaking Bad series. Gilligan has made the character of Gus appear to be invulnerable as many of Walt's attempts to kill Gus have been thwarted, instead Walt devises a plan in which Gus will not expect his inevitable death. Because of this we as the audience are shown Gus' last moments from his perspective.

When Gus is waiting in his car for the go-ahead the camera slowly zooms into his face, his face is expressionless and we get the feeling that Gus has been anticipating the day he gets to exact revenge on Hector but what he doesn't know that he is also walking to his doom. Once Gus receives the call saying it is all clear to go, he does not respond, the lack of dialogue reiterates Gus' constant focus and professionalism and this builds tension as the audience are constantly thinking that Gus is going to catch on. The non-diegetic soundtrack playing over shots of Gus walking towards the care-home is very harmonious and reflects Gus' mood that today is going to be a day of vengeance. Before entering the room Gus takes in a deep breath and exhales, he then smartens himself up, throughout the series Gus has been portrayed as someone who appears to be gentle and calm when in fact he is a very dangerous individual.

Upon entering the room the camera is on a low angle and shows a depth of field, Gilligan has used this shot as it represents that these characters are in a stand-off that they are not entirely aware of, the low angle makes them all seem as equally dangerous and unpredictable. The over the shoulder shot (behind Hector) shows the audience that Hector is the most vulnerable character in the situation, or is he. There is little dialogue between Hector and Gus, therefore Gilligan uses the camera to do the talking, for example close-ups are used of the characters faces, Gus' eyes are fixed on Hectors, however, Hector is looking to the side avoiding eye contact. Gus demands for Hector to look him in the eye but he refuses to comply. An action shot is used on an injector needle, Gus holds it in his hands and we as the audience can sense the satisfaction that Gus is feeling knowing he has the power over Hector who is sitting there in the wheelchair, powerless. Throughout the majority of the scene the camera is at the same height as Hector with the top half of Gus and the bodyguard off-screen, this is used because the scene is all about Hector and Gus. As Gus looks up his expressionless face becomes bewildered as Hector is finally looking him in the eye, Gus is taken aback, it then cuts to a close-up shot of Hector who has angry face, suddenly the diegetic sound of a bell ringing begins, as it intensifies the camera pans down in a reveal shot of a bomb attached to Hector's wheelchair, it then quickly cuts to Gus who stands up and shouts releasing what is about to happen, the audience receive gratifications from this as Gus who throughout the series has always remained calm and collected and one step ahead of everyone else has finally lost his cool, it then cuts  to a wide shot outside of the room followed by a loud explosion. Gilligan has used off-screen violence because it creates an enigma, the audience will be wondering have they all died? Gilligan shows draws out the aftermath of the explosion, the camera lingers in the same wide shot outside of the room, the carers frantically run around, and the diegetic sound of sirens and screams is heard and gives the scene high verisimilitude as the responses to the explosion are realistic. When Gus walks out the room the audience feels a sense of astonishment, Gus has managed to survive again. Gilligan has done this to tease the audience. Gus smartens himself up as he always does, the camera then does a 180 degree turn (abiding to the 180 rule) and reveals that Gus is missing half of his face he then drops to the ground dead. 

The next scene is in a car park, and we can clearly hear the diegetic sound of radio station which is interrupted by a news report on the explosion, this scene is an example of the show having high verisimilitude. The camera zooms into the car window and Walt listens to the report, it then fades to black. The action then cuts to Jesse, who is shot in a low-angle, this shot may have been used to show Jesse as a vulnerable character as he is being guarded and has no chance of escape. A tracking shot follows the guard to the elevator, the camera goes into an over the shoulder shot, Walt suddenly appears and shoots the guard killing him. Jesse hides fearing that someone has come to kill him too. Walt emerges from the darkness, half of his face is dark and the other half is light, this shot of Walt symbolises how his character has become something much darker and unpredictable then he was at the start of the series. After the long stretch of no dialogue Walt's only words to Jesse are 'We've got work to do', Gilligan has allowed the visuals to play out naturally therefore allowing the characters to act erratically. Gilligan uses a technique that is frequently used throughout the series and that technique is a montage, the montage in these scene has Walt and Jesse destroying the lab, the montage is accompanied by a non-diegetic soundtrack of a Mexican style guitar playing in a fast tempo, therefore the montage and soundtrack work parallelly to enhance the supposedly victorious moment for the two characters. The two characters then walk off screen which then fades to white. The fade to white juxtaposes the previous fade to black as the white epitomizes good and replicates the victory that Walt and Jesse have achieved by killing Gus and destroying the lab.  

In contrast to the rest of the episode the final sequence has Jesse and Walt using dialogue. Although the characters have achieved what they wanted there is still an element of dubiousness, particularly from Jesse who tries to justify Gus' death as he believes that Gus was the one who poisoned Brock. Gilligan uses a mid-shot/two shot of Walt and Jesse as they shake hands, we as the audience can feel the hesitance on Jesse's side. Once Jessie leaves Walt alone and Gilligan highlights this by using an extreme wide angle shot. Walt speaks to Skyler on the phone and when Skyler asks what happened Walt replies "I won" and then hangs up. It then cuts to Walt's back-garden where the camera pans to reveal the plant used to poison Brock. By ending the episode with this image Gilligan is creating an enigma code to make the audience question Walt's actions and reflect on what he has become. 

Case Study 4 - Eden Lake Analysis Feature Film

Eden Lake Analysis

Director James Watkins has used the single-camera to create a gritty experience that immerses the audience in the depths of the woodland. Like the characters in films such as 'Deliverance' Jenny and Steve are strangers to the idyllic remote English countryside and the residents surrounding Eden Lake. James Watkins has used characters that are not of the same class, Jenny and Steve are a successful middle class couple who appear to be well educated and have good jobs, Jenny being a teacher who's job is to look after children. The residents of the town near Eden Lake appear to be of lower class, Jenny and Steve can be seen looking down upon the lower class, this can be seen in the scene in which the two arrive at a bar and see children misbehaving and then watch the mother of the boy beat him in public, the two both look uncomfortable, the director has used this scene because he wants to show the audience that Jenny and Steve are far from home now and not among people they are used to.

The director uses a montage to show the characters travelling to Eden Lake, the montage lets the audience know that Jenny and Steve are far from home and the non-diegetic soundtrack gives a foreboding feeling to the journey.

The director has used the single camera to set the tone of the film. One shot that foreshadows the later events in the film is the shot that tracks/pans Steve and Jenny driving past the Eden Lake sign, the camera turns back and reveals graffiti on the back of the sign, this shot is effective as it is twisting the image of the seemingly idyllic remote location into something much darker, this shot is an example of a privilege shot, this is where the audience see details that the characters are not aware of. The director also uses a crane shot to reveal the vast English countryside, this is used because it reinforces the view that Eden Lake is a beautiful location. The name 'Eden Lake' has religious connotations, 'The Garden of Eden' is the biblical garden of God, a paradise where Adam and Eve give in to temptation and are punished because of it, this can be applied to Jenny and Steve who are somewhere in which they are not welcome as they are outsiders to the gang.


The director James Watkins has purposely developed the characters of Steve and Jenny to show the audience how close they are romantically, a significant shot of Steve looking at a wedding ring implies to the audience that Steve wants to propose to Jenny, however this does not happen, later on in the film Jenny finds the ring and Steve breaks down as his plans have been ruined, this is a convention of horror films as the main characters go away to 'be together' but their plans are never fulfilled.

The shot of Steve coming out of the water is reminiscent of the shot of James Bond coming out of the water in 'Casino Royale', this shot is a homage, James Watkins has specifically shot Steve in this way to connote his characters status as the 'hero' who will protect Jenny from the gang, this is later twisted into Steve becoming the victim and Jenny being the one who has to help Steve.

Tension slowly builds throughout the first 20 minutes of the film, the scene in the tent feels very claustrophobic and the single camera has been used to create this feeling by using close-up shots and Dutch angles of the characters. During the scene in the tent there are many faint sounds that are unsettling, these diegetic sounds are used to build up to something and keep the audience gripped, when Steve exits the tent the audience are made to feel that something bad has happened to him, however, Steve scares Jenny therefore creating a jump moment, false scares are a re-occurring element in horror films as the audience are being prepared for what is to come.

The non-diegetic soundtrack that is played over the first few scenes is very harmonious and peaceful and is reflective of the romantic mood of the two characters, when the gang arrive the non-diegetic soundtrack is interrupted by the diegetic sound of the gangs music that is more aggressive and loud, this disturbs both Jenny and Steve.

The film has many visceral moments that make the audience feel unsettled as they get the feeling that Jenny and Steve are constantly being watched without being aware of it, this builds tension as the audience are anticipating the main characters to be attacked.

There are many visceral moments throughout the film that are used to disturb the audience, one example of this is when Steve is being tortured, extreme close-ups are used to immerse the audience into the a knife attacks that are very realistic. The grittiness of the violence gives the film high verisimilitude and therefore all the more disturbing. Another visceral moment is when we see Jenny running and the camera is in a low angle focused on a spike in the ground, the audience see what is coming when Jenny steps on the spike which impales her foot.

We the audience are made to feel lost in the wilderness, the use of Dutch angles distorts the audiences perception of things, this adds to the tension as Jenny is on the run but she doesn't know where she is going.

The audience get to see Jenny go through many changes, at first we see her as someone who cares for children and is dressed in an upper-class manner, this image of jenny is later juxtaposed when she is hiding and is in the bin and we see her face looking very animalistic, her face dirty her clothes torn, her character has in a sense become reminiscent of John Rambo in First Blood (1982). Jenny goes against her morales and kills one of the gang members who happens to be one of the younger members of the gang and it is at this moment Jenny's character has .become determined to get her revenge and escape, the equilibrium has been broken and will no longer return to what it was originally. 

When Jenny escapes by stealing a car she plows right into the female member of the gang killing her, this is shown through POV shots from inside the car, when the car crashes Jenny enters a house and is seemingly safe until she realises that she is in the house of Brett the leader of the gang, when the gangs parents find out the men attack Jenny, it then cuts to Brett who is wearing Steve's glasses looking in the mirror in his room, we can hear Jenny screaming, the off screen violence is effective as we don't know if Jenny has been killed or not. We then see Brett deleting the videos from his phone, this final shot signifies the fact that Brett is not regretful or feeling guilty about his actions. 

Single-Camera Production vs. Multi-Camera Production

Single-Camera Production vs. Multi-Camera Production

A single-camera set-up is a method of film-making in which a single camera is used, this means that just the one camera has to be reset for every new shot or angle. Examples of productions that have used the single-camera method include; Spaced (TV Series), Extras (2005-2007), The Office (2001-2003) and I'm Alan Partridge (1997-2002), TV shows such as The Office specifically uses this method as the situation for that comedy is that is a documentary and a single-camera enables the director to achieve 'raw' looking footage usually seen in documentaries and the single-camera allows the characters to act more awkward which is how the show aims to produce much of its humour. 

A multiple-camera set-up is a method of film-making in which multiple cameras are employed on the set and can record consecutively or simultaneously. By using multiple cameras each camera can focus on different objects or can have different angles of the same object. Examples of productions that use the multiple-camera method include; talk shows such as 'The Jonathan Ross Show', talent shows like 'The X-Factor', sitcoms such as 'Friends' and generally speaking most Action movies use the multiple-camera method. Shows like 'The Jonathan Ross Show' and 'The X-Factor' use multiple cameras because they have to capture live reactions or 'noddy shots' and then also be able to cut between multiple angles, for example, a shot of the audience, a dolly shot on someone singing, a close-up of a judge etc. 

The two methods are equally effective in film and television production, however, each of the methods are more useful than the other for specific productions. One example of this is 'live television' such as sport events, for this type of production a multiple-camera set-up is more practical because there is a lot of 'action' in sports, for example in Football the focus of the camera is on the ball and with the ball constantly moving around a stadium a single camera will not be able to capture the 'action' in as much detail as it would be constantly moving and having to zoom in, this is why a multiple camera set-up is perfect for live television, with a Football match multiple cameras can be placed around the arena each capturing the action from different angles the director can then easily switch between the necessary cameras. Another example of one method being better for a particular production is the use of a single-camera in documentaries, often with documentaries the camera needs to be easily manoeuvrable especially if the documentary is shooting in a location that is dangerous. 

For most advantages and disadvantages of single-camera the multiple-camera counters them or vice versa (what you find is that the advantages of one is the disadvantage of the other, but not in all cases). Advantages of a single-camera production is that the director has more aesthetic control, for example each shot can be lighted individually whereas in a multiple-camera production the lighting is more restricted over the multiple cameras. Another advantage of the single-camera method is that it is cheaper in the way that only one camera is employed with the multiple-camera method the more cameras used the more expensive it becomes. On the other hand there are some disadvantages related to single-camera productions; it is very time consuming as the camera has to be constantly reset and moved around, another disadvantage that may occur is that in dialogue scenes each actors' scenes have to be shot consecutively one at a time (if they are not in the same frame) therefore this may result in less realistic reactions from the actors (because they may not be anyone else to react to when shooting separately), this could be avoided in multiple-camera set-ups as different cameras can focus on individual actors and even from different angles. 

Advantages of the multiple-camera method include; it is more time efficient as it doesn't take as long to shoot a production because all of the cameras are position differently, another advantage is that you get a lot of the scenes shot in a shorter amount of time when compared with a single camera as various angles can be captured simultaneously,  a final advantage is that it makes editing more easy as the editor has a lot of material to compile together and has more options. However, there are some disadvantages of the multiple camera method in productions such as; the director has less creative control over the production, it is more expensive as a larger crew is required to operate all of the equipment.

Overall both methods are useful in different ways and serve their own creative function which varies between different productions, therefore it is difficult to name one as superior.

'Rec' Film Analysis - Horror Feature

'REC' Analysis

Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza have used their knowledge of the genre to create a claustrophobic and suspenseful horror film. The film clearly has been inspired by films such as 'The Blair Witch Project' which was notable for its use of a single camera in which the events of the film are seen through a characters POV perspective. Like the traditional opening to horror films the characters and situation that they are in is perfectly tranquil but the characters are soon descended into a world of torment. The director(s) use enigma codes to keep the audience engaged in the story for example, the audience are asking themselves how did this virus breakout? But because the audience are placed into Pablo's perspective they learn things as the characters do. 

The characters in the film although they follow the typical codes and conventions of the genre we as the audience are made to feel anxious about the safety of the characters particularly Angela and Pablo. The director(s) has used the news/documentary camera style so that the audience is placed into Pablo's point of view therefore when someone is attacked the viewers vision of the action is obscured because they are seeing things how Pablo sees them, this creates an investment in this character as he is our 'eyes' in the events and we do not want anything to happen to him as we the audience are intrigued to find out what is happening in the apartment building. Angela who is the news-woman is a strong voiced character who is confident enough to voice her opinions on the situation and remain professional throughout the chaos vowing to continue her duty as a newswoman to document, this bizarre situation, however her character does follow the horror formula of being the attractive feminine is slightly sexualised which can be seen with her interactions with the other characters by flirting with them. The supporting cast particularly the Firemen and Police are very good also, there is something quite disturbing about seeing these typically brave men who are meant to protect the residents collapse mentally and show their fear. The little girl character is used to juxtapose the adult characters who are frantically trying to get out the building, horror films tend to use this sort of character as a way of showing innocence in a terrible situation. However, as the genre usually goes this type of character is twisted into the complete opposite, during the film it is revealed that the virus had spread from the dog to the little girl via saliva, the mother desperately says that her daughters illness is nothing more than 'tonsilitis' the daughter then proceeds to infect the mother, the evil overcomes the good in the characters. As the story progresses the characters' behaviour changes due to the increasing fear and panic caused by the situation, for example, although we are following Angela who at first we believe to be the hero does in fact turn into the stereotypical horror female who is constantly screaming and therefore leaving it up to Pablo and the fireman to take action thus having a traditional male hero.

The director(s) have used the single-camera in a variety of ways to create an immersive experience for the audience. The camera acts as an important plot device as the characters are using it in a way to remain professional/sane as well as to help them, for example in one scene the characters are exploring the top floors where the lady who is infected is lurking around and eventually attacks the characters before being shot, Angela demands that Pablo replay the footage and the audience are subjected to the footage literally being rewound and replayed, this particular scene shows us how the characters and in particularly Angela are feeling it is almost as if Angela cannot believe what she has just witnessed she needs to re-watch that moment.

Angela and Pablo decide that they must continue documenting the events despite the policeman becoming increasingly distressed about its presence, Angela and Pablo then interview all of the characters and as they ask the questions the audience are learning something new, some of the dialogue is significant, for example when the little girl mentions that her dog is at the vet this creates an enigma in which the audience are wondering if the ill dog has anything to do with breakout of the virus. The director(s) use enigma codes to constantly question everything that is being said and keep the audience hanging on to every-word.

The hand-held camera gives the film a natural look to it as nothing is entirely clear, therefore making it enigmatic. Because the audience is restricted to the view of the camera Pablo manoeuvres the camera so that he can capture as much as possible for example, over-the shoulder shots are used to see the action from another characters perspective without using any real editing. The camera is used in a voyeuristic way because in one scene Pablo is watching the fireman, the policeman and the doctor trying to help the wounded men before they are attacked without them knowing that he is watching and upon witnessing this the audience feel the same fear that overcomes Pablo as he screams at Angela to run. In one sequence the last surviving fireman is wrestling one of the infected and Pablo puts down the camera in order to help him, this is an example of off-screen violence, the use of this is that the audience are left out in the way that they do not see if the characters have been bitten or not. A birds-eye view shot is used, however, it is on a dutch angle looking down the stair well this shot shows a depth of field and reveals that the infected are all on their way towards Angela and Pablo, the director has used this shot to reveal how outnumbered our characters are and the increasing inevitability of being infected.

The mise en scene creates a claustrophobic atmosphere, the lighting on the corridors is very dark and for the most part of the film the light on the camera is the only source of light in the frame, in the final sequence of the film the camera light is broken therefore Pablo has to turn on the night-vision, this is effective at bringing even more tension to the film as the characters can now only see through the camera. Because of the distorted camera work the director(s) have used an abundance of diegetic sounds that are used to various effects some more subtle then others, the more creep sounds heard are the ones that have come from the dark as the audience feel the presence of one of the infected people but are not entirely sure where they are coming from. More louder sounds are used to create 'jump moments' in which the sudden sound makes the audience have a visceral response for example, in the scene where one of the firemen drops from the stairwell and makes a large bone crushing slam onto the floor another 'jump moment' which is created through diegetic sound is the moment when the characters and standing in front of the infected lady and she suddenly screams in an in-human way that shows lets the audience know that the characters are in serious danger.