Notes from wider reading

Notes on Language of Film

     The Language of Film article refers to film as having its own language. There are a range of techniques the film-maker uses to present a narrative (chain of events that are usually linked) through film. 

The mise en scene is developed in relation to theatre. This is the visual content of what is on screen which to a large extent is how the story is told. The elements covered by mise en scene are setting, props, costume, performance, lighting and colour. 

     The setting provides the space in which all the other elements of mise en scene are situated. The setting sets up expectations for the viewer and instantly produces meanings and signifies certain things. This is especially the case for genre films. Typically, films use both studio sets and location filming, but many films from the Hollywood era were filmed entirely within the studio.

     Props are inanimate objects within the setting. They may remain static or be used by the characters. They could simply be to make the setting more convincing to the viewers as opposed to being used for something in particular. 

     Costume is used to help create an actor's character. However, there can be some overlap between the props and costume. They can place an actor within a particular historical period, indicate social class or lifestyle, and even determine what is possible and what is not.

     There is more than one way to tell a story. A film's form is a result of a multitude of variables which are themselves the result of decisions taken by those involved in the film's production. Decisions are taken as to how the narrative is to be structured and how it will be narrated. The content of each shot requires careful consideration, the result of which is the shots mise en scene. The techniques used to film each shot need much thought in terms of camera movement, angle and shot size. The editing together of shots and the use of sound also play a vital part in the construction of a film's form as they produce, enhance and communicate meanings which are vital to the film's story.

Notes on Creativity and Genre 

in TV Crime Drama

     Nick Lacey explores the creative potential of genre television, and shows how crime drama can still surprise, challenge and innovate. 

     New generic texts are usually constructed to be 'the same but different'. As genre theorist Steve Neale says : 'the repertoire of generic conventions available at any one point in time is always in play rather than simply being replayed... (2000:219)

     It is highly unlikely that the success of the CSI franchise can be wholly attributed to its visual style. If a generic variation is going to appeal to audiences, it is also likely to express the zeitgeist ('spirit of the times'), so a genre text can seem both novel and relevant to its times. However, we cannot simply read society off a TV crime programme. 

     As the market for television programmes has become more global, there has been an increase in co-productions, particularly of expensive drama. An example of an innovative text is 'The Shield' (2002-2008), in which the protagonist Vic Mackey is portrayed as monstrously corrupt. 

Creativity in genre comes from a variety of forms. But possibly the most important aspect is the institutional context; non-mainstream producers are far more likely to embrace difference and give creative talents the autonomy they require than the big networks are. Genres that are not creatively developed will inevitably lose their popularity.

     

Representations of Law

Representations of Law in 

'The Wire' and 'A Touch of Frost'

They are both set in different countries, 'The Wire' is set in America and 'A Touch of Frost' is set in Britain. This means that the representations of law will be significantly different. The opening scenes of both the clips establish the setting of the drama. There is a build up in 'A Touch of Frost' before the police arrive which keeps the audience in suspense. 

The Wire starts with a very clear idea of crime and law because of the blue lights which reflect on the ground to symbolise the police being present. It automatically make the viewers aware of the police being involved and someone has broken the law. The diegetic sounds of sirens indicate it is a crime scene. As we watch further, we realise there has been a murder. The police alway seem to be present in these clips which tells us that the police are a stereotypical association to the law. The big vans make it look more official and serious as there will be more police officers whereas in the first clip there were only a few taking notes and gathering evidence from the body.

The police officers in this scene are wearing a uniform which implies they have power. These police officers are of a higher status than the boy who has been murdered or the people hovering around in the neighbourhood which we can tell by their clothing of tracksuits and hoodies. This implies they are of a lower class and the stereotype is that they cause trouble. The police clearly have more status than the rest of the community, but the audience are encouraged to

identify with the neighbourhood by putting more emphasis on their situation.

The police are seen in this clip as being very helpful and as good people trying to discover who the murderer is however, in reality people don't respect the police as much as this clip would suggest. Also, the iconography of the police badge and the notebook makes him look very important and gives a more realistic feeling. In this clip there is not one man in control, they all work together as a team however in 'A Touch of Frost' this is entirely different as there is one man in control of calling the other officers to arrest the criminals.
In the other clip however, they present the police as being slightly more aggressive although they appear to be getting more of a result than in the previous clip. They are also wearing the uniform which emphasises their power over the public. All of the police officers appear to be white which would suggest that stereotypically, it is usually white people that deal with the law and it's the black people who commit crimes and get into trouble with the law.

The two men sitting on the steps makes this seem serial as it is hard to imagine two people sitting near a dead body looking so calm and don't appear to be bothered by it at all. The boy who is the victim of a crime appears to be of the same social class as the rest of the neighbourhood which would suggest he was possibly in a gang. People usually feel less sympathy for someone of his status and class as they feel he has brought it upon himself. He is also a different race to that of the police officer which also suggests a major difference between the two. The victims in the other clip are the dogs who are being mistreated which is also against the law under animal cruelty. This makes the audience very sympathetic towards them because they have no rights and they've done nothing wrong to deserve being treated so terribly and for it to be filmed is even worse, as if the public were enjoying it.
The Wire automatically gave a sense of being a police drama whereas the Frost episode started off as a very natural scene although the two men looked like they were up to something illegal with their shifty looks. The law is presented in different ways in each of the extracts.

In 'The Wire', the police and the public appear to be a lot more equal than in the other extract where they are completely separated and there is a significant difference in the way they treat each other. There is an obvious divide between the police officers and the rest of the community which is presented through the complete opposite clothing and their different ethnicities stereotypically show who has the power.