DRAFT Cuffs Representation Of Characters

(I wasn't so sure on how to fill in some of the boxes)

Textual Analysis

Reflect And Perfect

How was mise-en-scene used to create meaning?

In the extract from Luther, Luther is represented as a detective and the character of white decent is represented as a villain. Luther was wearing a smart suit, sunglasses, rubber gloves and a hat. These items of clothing are a stereotypical costume for a detective, especially as the hat, sunglasses and black clothing shows that he is trying to disguise. On top of that, the black clothing shows importance, especially when the cinematography displays a crane shot from the ground to the top of Luthers' body, causing the audience to feel inferior, meanwhile also building suspense before the attack.

Despite this, some members of the audience could interpret the characters oppositely (Luther as the criminal, and the other character as the hero). In the context of the 'attack', no one is 100 percent sure of who belongs into which Propp character placement. The fact that Luther 'attacked' or at least commit a violent act towards a man who beforehand had helped out a women with a baby and smiled, what looked to be genuinely gives you the idea that the white character was a victim. The smile he gave the woman, shows that he is a friendly person, giving the audience the idea that maybe he could be good after all. This disorientates or confuses the audience building suspense. On top of that, Luther is of african decent and unfortunately there is a representation that means that people will assume or interpret him as the criminal.

Representation In The Media

Vladmir Propp... Propp theory

The Uses And Gratifications Theory

Mise-en-Scene and Sound

Mise-en-Scene

• This is a French term meaning: "in the scene or frame"
• The elements of mise-en-scene are:                 

       

Colour

• From the 1930s to the 1940s, black and white represented fantasy and spectacle.
• Today it's the exact opposite.

Colour: Denotation and Connotation

• Denotation and Connotation
• Denotation= the literal description of an idea, concept or object.
• Connotation= What we associate with a particular idea, concept or object.
• Colour works on the subconscious mind to create mood.

Eg.- the colour RED

-Denotation= a particular wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum.

-Connotations= anger, danger, romance, blood etc....

Mise-en-Scene

• Positioning of characters and objects within a frame.
• Where objects and characters are positioned is very important.
• Objects and characters can be in the foreground, middle-ground or background.
• This can emphasise the relative importance of the object or character.

Foreground                                                                        Background

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• If characters or objects are positioned evenly within a frame, this will give a balanced feel to the shot.
• If the characters are positioned at the outside edges of the frame, this indicates a distance between the characters.

Deep Focus

• Where both foreground and background are in focus.
• This enables the audience to choose where to look.

Focus Pulling

• Where the focus changes in a shot.
• Going in and out of focus.
• The focus could change from one thing to another.

Lighting

A standard lighting set-up 

• The Key Light

The brightest and most essential.

• The Back Light

Helps counteract the effect of the key light or creates an outline or silhouette.

• The Filler Light

Helps to soften the harsh shadows that the use of key and back lights create.

• Underlighting

-When the main source comes from below the Subject.

-Used in thrillers and horror films.

• Back lighting

-When the source is behind the subject.

-If no other lighting is used, silhouettes are created.

Sound

Sound: Diegetic/Non-Diegetic

• Diegetic refers to the world of the text.                                                                                            Eg: dialogue, sound effects, music with a source within the text e.g. radio.
• Non-diegetic refers to everything outside the world of the text.                                                  Eg: voiceover, soundtrack, captions, titles, subtitles.

Sound: On/Off-Screen

• On-Screen Sound= The audience can see the source of the sound.
• Off-Screen Sound= The audience can't see the source of the sound.

Sound: Parallel/Contrapuntal

• Parallel Sound matches the action.
• Contrapuntal Sound does not match the action.

Sound: Sound Bridge

• A Sound Bridge helps create a smooth transition from one scene to another.
• The sound 'bridges' the two scenes.