Textual analysis (TV Drama)

Starter activity

Discuss the following trailer for a TV Drama starting its sixth series on Sunday.

Apply the key concept of representation.

You are going to analyse this sequence from a TV Drama. Apply the learning from previous classes and use subject specific terminology to de-construct the sequence. Your response will form your initial assessment.

Here are some guidelines from the exam board, OCR, on what you need to cover;

Use of the camera

• Shots: establishing shot, master shot, close-up, mid-shot, long shot, wide shot, two-shot, aerial shot, point of view shot, over the shoulder shot, and variations of these. • Angle: high angle, low angle, canted angle. • Movement: pan, tilt, track, dolly, crane, steadicam, hand-held, zoom, reverse zoom. • Composition: framing, rule of thirds, depth of field – deep and shallow focus, focus pulls.

Editing

Includes transition of image and sound – continuity and non-continuity systems. • Cutting: shot/reverse shot, eyeline match, graphic match, action match, jump cut, crosscutting, parallel editing, cutaway; insert. • Other transitions, dissolve, fade-in, fade-out, wipe, superimposition, long take, short take, slow motion, ellipsis and expansion of time, post-production, visual effects.

Sound

Diegetic and non-diegetic sound; synchronous/asynchronous sound; sound effects; sound motif, sound bridge, dialogue, voiceover, mode of address/direct address, sound mixing, sound perspective. • Soundtrack: score, incidental music, themes and stings, ambient sound.

Mise-en-scene

Production design: location, studio, set design, costume and make-up, properties. • Lighting; colour design. 

Consider the concept of representation in relation to this extract from the British TV drama 'Spooks'

Here is a link to another extract used by OCR for an exam in the past.  Candidates were asked to discuss the issue of representation of physical ability.

Mission Impossible opening sequence