Media Studies Assignment- Casualty.

300 words about how camera and sound work together to add dramatic tension.
Casualty. Episode: reality bites. Series 23.
Available until 29th November.
BBC iplayer.

The use of sound effects the way the camera moves and the angles used in order to enhance the action and make it seem more realistic. For instance when sound is more abstract and strange usually the cameras alter in order to match with this.
I looked at an episode of casualty and picked out some areas where I could see the connection of sound and camera; in casualty this is very effective as it enhances the overall tension and drama of the programme.

One occasion where I felt sound influenced the camera, it was done in a very subtle manner, this was when there was the sound of doors opening and the camera swings around to the action, this is an example of sound- reaction. This shows the event just as it happens; enhancing what is coming through the door as it is quite a strong movement as a stretcher enters the scene. This is a key feature and important to the scene and action in casualty as it is all about that in hospitals, it helps to set the scene and the fast movement sets the fast moving pace of the scene.

A significant part and very effective use of sound and camera is used in order to add detail to location, it is done in a way so that the action seen on screen is dramatic and appears realistic. The idea of realism also adds to the dramatic tension as for the viewers it makes it more exciting; in the scene a boy bangs his head on the window, the camera is inside the house looking outside at the boy, the use of camera is unsteady and is a medium long shot as some of the window is seen, however the action outside is fairly distant, by using the camera to show the inside as well as the outside gives the idea that someone is watching the boy from inside, it is almost like a point of view shot and is very dramatic and adds a certain thrilling type of tension. Sound then works with this idea, as the sound is then muffled as if someone is listening from the inside as it is what you would expect to hear. This is done in a very clever way- as you can’t actually hear what is going on outside this adds dramatic tension.
The window then smashes and the sound is suddenly clearer and camera is still looking from inside, this is done in such a natural way as it is how we would expect to hear it, so it is quite hard to notice the way that camera and sound work together in this scene. Another small example is when the boy hits his head on the window again, the camera shudders on impact with the sound to enhance the action.

In the same scene when the boy starts to appear insane the camera links with the action, also the dark colours mixed with natural lighting plays a part in the effectiveness of the setting and action. The camera begins to move rapidly and many cuts are used, the sound then works with this idea to create a strange and mad atmosphere, the sounds are distorted and the body language of the boy mixed with the camera shots really communicates his state of mind and that he is hearing voices. Without the camera working in this manner with the sound it would definitely not have been as effective and shown the boys mental illness.

In general in casualty I have noticed that when the action takes place and it is busier on screen with an injury, a patient or in the surgery performing an operation that has gone wrong, the camera shots change a lot more, there is more jump cuts and a much more rapid change in the scene, a larger range of camera angles are used. Also when the doctors are talking with one another a lot of two shots are used, also the camera zoom is used quite a lot in order to show detail when doctors are talking in a serious way to one another, over the shoulder shots are used aswell to show action, reaction.



Here are some more notes I have made on the way sound & camera work together:

Knocking sound upstairs, camera starts moving to add drama and tension, tracking all of the people. Camera slowly zooms when
Shaky and handheld movements when paramedic (Dixie) goes upstairs, slow movements to go with calm state that is trying to be portrayed.

Shouting starts fast paced shots, rapid movement, close up shots, two shots, fast jump cuts, medium close ups.
Sound of glass shattering and shot cuts to hospital and someone who is on a stretcher. This way it creates tension as you want to know what just happened as the faster camera shots obscured all of the action of which just took place.
Next shows boy in the hospital, close up shots of

Shot of boy with oxygen mask, close up and then sound of him breathing.

High pitched sound of the heart monitor, shots switch between close up shots of the facial expressions to show parents reaction and feelings also to obscure the action going on in the operating room; adds drama and tension regarding if the husband will survive. Long shot of inside the room is shown in order to show what is going on and give an insight.

As the fight commences with the mother and father, there is a lot of quick camera changes. The noise heightens and also the

When in the car the sound is just the talking and outside you can hear the sounds of sirens very quietly, atmospheric noise is very faint. Camera angles are very simplistic as they are talking about a serious subject between themselves.
When the sound of the TV is on a close up of the TV the sound distorts.

Micro Elements.

Micro elements- Contribute towards the macro elements.

Micro Elements.
Graphics.
Sound
Lighting
Mise en scene
Costume
Editing
Camera

Macro Elements
Genre
Representation/ Ideology (set of beliefs set to a type of person)
Narrative- Story construction.


Eastenders
Graphics- title sequence, graphics of the map of London. Shows where it is set.
Sound- introductory soundtrack, typical song- goes with the idea of east end. Set in hospital- sounds of hospital. Diagetic sound- speech + atmospheric sounds in background- humming of music in the pub. No non- diagetic sound.
Lighting- simplistic natural lighting, apart from in the hospital, but is quite natural for the setting. Darker lighting in most of the scenes- quite realistic.
Costume- quite common looking, lower class, not posh looking, casual costume.
Camera- simple switches of two shots, over the shoulder two shots, editing is simplistic. Just jump cuts, minimal switches between the shots.

Merlin.
Graphics- use of graphics, eye changes colour in the opening credit. Special effects used in order to create a magical feeling to it. Graphics used to show the opening credits, overlays of images, maps and fx. Font use is glistening, in a gold in order to represent the idea of magic.
Sound- Voice over. The use of a score to enhance the action + the use of a voice over to make the sound in someone’s mind- communicating through their minds.
Mise en scene- grand castle/forts. Set in a medieval place to signify the kind of drama. Grand props, candles & copper bowls of fruit, all adds to the scenery.
Lighting- quite natural day light. Dark in places but very bright in others, it signifies the period of time.
Costume- poor looking, not typical clothing, it has an olden age look to it and also could relate to medieval times. People in knights costumes & dressed in capes.
Camera- slow motion edits, quick edits, also quite shaky cameras & two shots, tracking shots, long shots & close ups. Large range of camera shots.

Skins Analysis.

Media studies assignment- Skins shot analysis.

The initial establishing shot shows a very long shot, of which shows a field immediately setting the scene. However the very long shot also shows the age group of the characters, as a group of teenagers are huddled together of which is typical of this age group. This initial shot immediately sets the scene for the action to take place in the episode, showing its significance and the theme of the program.
The shot following this, then shows the group as a whole of which is at a low angle, perhaps to add realism to the setting and emphasize the fact they are sitting on a hill; this shot is effective as it heightens the impact to the audience as an observer. The next shot then picks out an individual character; by using a birds eye shot that looks down on the character, this highlights the significance of his role in this episode as he has been singled out. This camera angle also emphasizes his body position and the mood of the group, due to the fact they are complaining to be bored, this then reinforces the idea, as the character being focused on is lying down, thus showing his body position and his actions (he is smoking a cigarette) and highlighting that rebellious teenage attitude. The camera shots in this initial opening scene are fairly shaky and uncontrolled, adding the idea of the audience observing real life teenagers; this also adds a sort of atmosphere to the scene and really adds tension to the scene, where in actual fact not much action is taking place.
The camera angles change quite frequently, which contrasts to the boredom that the characters are talking about, this makes the feeling of dramatic tension as if something is going to happen in this setting. As one of the characters stand the camera follows his movements, and a medium shot is used at a slightly low angle, to again represent the setting and perhaps show his status in the group at this point in the episode, as everyone would be looking up at him; this shot could also be perceived as a point of view shot, as it could be alike the view of the friends who are with the character. When the character starts to talk about the setting the camera is at a close up again in the shaky style, to represent his mood and adds a sort of distorted feel to the place, making it seem more exciting in the characters personal point of view. Then the image changes to a two shot of his friends to show their personal reactions to his comments on the setting. The image then changes to a medium long shot to show the setting in the background, and the characters body language of which is very expressive and excitable, this is effective as it shows the setting framing the character, again from the viewing point of which his friends would see him, putting you into the minds of the other characters. The camera angles then become distorted again and move in an unsettled manner, reflecting the characters mood. The camera zooms in and out around his head which makes what he is saying seem much more interesting, when in reality he is talking about history, then there is a very big contrast of which a steady long shot is shown of his group of friends staring back at him, this could represent their reaction to what he is saying or simply just highlight his enthusiasm to his ideas. This contrast is repeated throughout his monologue regarding history of which doesn’t appear to be true, and the camera keeps switching from different points of view to show the characters reactions. The camera angles then start to change more rapidly and then an over the shoulder shot is introduced to add another point of view and add a feeling of urgency and to throw you off as the shots have all been quite repetitive. To end this initial scene, another close up of the characters face is used, with timing very effectively because as he says his last line ‘we’re gonna have a digger party’, the camera zooms to his face and highlights his facial expression and emphasizes this last line. Right near the end, a long shot is shown of all of his friends in clown masks of which could enforce the reason the camera work has been very edgy, as he then looks at his ‘roll up’ as if to say he has been smoking drugs, this could explain the distorted camera work as it could be representing and showing his personal state of mind to create the atmosphere of which the character is feeling.

In this opening scene, the camera work is key; with the edgy movement and also the constant change of camera angles this really helped to add the idea that the place had more significance than initially imagined. Not only did this add to that idea, but the contrast between the types of shots and the speed of the shots also helped to add the idea that the setting was important to the episode as it totally contradicted the dialogue of the characters, adding dramatic tension.

TV Drama. Terms.

Media Studies- TV DRAMA.

Diagetic sound- In scene sound:
· Dialogue,
· Ambient noise/ Atmosphere.

Non- Diagetic sound- Sound not featured in the scene, added post production:
· Musical Score/ FX
· Narration/ Voiceover
· Sound FX/ Atmosphere
· Out of shot dialogue.
· (RE) Dub actors voice.

REPRESENTATION: means how people, places, cultures, sexuality, religious beliefs etc. are presented or (re)presented in the media. People with a Bebo or Myspace are involved in the process of representation because you decide which pictures to include on your site - you choose how you want to present or represent yourself online. People who only know you through your Bebo may have an impression of you based on your site. This impression may or may not be actually accurate; it depends on how you have chosen to represent yourself.

NARRATIVE: the storyline; how a story is told.

DRAMATIC IRONY: where the audience know that something is happening (e.g somebody if having an affair), but some of the characters are unaware what is happening. This gets the audience involved. They can look forward to when the character finds out what has been going on!

MISE-EN-SCENE: everything you can see in the scene - props, lighting, clothes, actor's performance, camerawork, editing etc.

CHARACTER ARCHETYPES: recognisable characters that are used in TV Dramas e.g. the hero, the villain, chavs and slags. The audience understand the character archetypes through the use of SYMBOLIC CODES like the way they dress.