How did Roots and The Cosby Show challenge previous sterotypical representations of black people in TV dramas?
Roots confounded the TV industry's prior expectations, with up to 140 million viewers for all or part of it, and over 100 million for the second series. For the first time on U.S. television some of the realities of slavery--brutality, rape, enforced de-culturation--were confronted over a protracted period, and through individual characters with whom, as they fought to escape or survive, the audience could identify. Against this historic first was the individualistic focus on screenwriter Alex Haley's determined family, presented as "immigrant-times-ten" fighting an exceptionally painful way over its generations toward the American Dream myth of all U.S. immigrants. Against it too, was the emphasis on the centuries and decades before the 1970s, which the ahistorical vector in U.S. culture easily cushions from application to the often devastating here and now. Nonetheless, it was a signal achievement.
The Cosby Show (1984-92) was the next milestone. Again defeating industry expectations, the series scored exceptionally high continuing ratings right across the nation. The show attracted a certain volume of hostile comment, some of it smugly supercilious. The fact it was popular with white audiences in the South, and in South Africa, was a favorite quick shot to try to debunk it. Some critics claimed it fed the mirage that racial injustice could be overcome through individual economic advance, others that it primly fostered Reaganite conservative family values. Both were indeed easily possible readings of the show within contemporary U.S. culture. Yet critics often seemed to think a TV text could actually present a single monolithic meaningfulness or set up a firewall against inappropriate readings.
Monday, 21 November 2011
Monday, 7 November 2011
Opening Credits - Friends
In the opening credits on friends, the music, camera shots and editing immediately help the audience recognise the genre of the TV show and sets the tone and atmosphere in the episode.
The opening credits consist of the various small clips from some episodes of the program, with clips of each character when their name is on the screen. They do this so people that hasn't seen the show before, briefly know the type of characters they are and some of there characteristics.
The theme music in the opening credits is a the song "I'll be there for you"by The Rembrandt's. This song fits the opening credits and TV show perfectly because the song is about friendship and the show is about a group of friends. The song is up beat with a high tempo so it sets a fun atmosphere and encourage the audience to continue watching.
The editing in the opening credits is very quick as it doesn't stay on one clip for more that two seconds, so it stays in sync with the tempo of the music and so it looks exciting to the viewer.
The opening credits to friends is recognised by many people, partly due to the success of Friends but also by its uniqueness and its distinctive features like the music and the editing.
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Analysing opening scenes - Teen Drama
These are the opening scenes of teen drama that i am analysing:
All these progamas come under the same sub genre, however skins and the inbetweeners are very simular and E20 is different in regards to the ways it uses mise-en-scene, location, camerawork and sound.
Mise en scene
In the opening scene of the inbetweeners, mise en scene is used to suggest the main character in the scene is a stereotypical teenage boy by the setting and props in the scene. For example, the props we see on the desk beside the bedroom door includes a computer, a tall pile of CD's, and deodorant. These are just normal things any teenage boy would have in there room and are connotations that he is too just a stereotypical teenage boy. For instance a deodorant is used because teenage boys are said to smell, CD's because a stereotypical teenager is said to listen to a lot of music, often used to block out the noise of the parents and a computer because teenagers ,especially boys, are stereotypically thought to live in front of a screen. The clothes he is wearing also add to the stereotype because is wearing jeans and a hoodie, which teenager are stereotyped for always wear.
The mise on scene on the opening scenes on skins comunicates to the veiwers that the main character is imature by the clothes she is wearing and the way she acts. She's wearing a baggy pink pyjama t-shirt, of which the pink colour connotates that she is like a little girl.
The mise on scene in E20 is quite different to the other two teen dramas. The first thing we see is the teenagers wearing green jumpsuits which immediatly informs the veiwers that they are involved in some sort of comunity service, which is considered as quite a mature thing to be taking part in. But this is then contrasted when the other two teenagers enter the scene with the prop of a large inflatable toy and live up to teenagers stereotype of being mischeivious and not oing as they are told.
Narrative
One of the similarities between the opening scenes of The Inbetweeners and Skins is that they both have some kind of help to understand what was going on, if someone has missed the previous episodes. The Inbetweeners has a commentary at the start of the episode, and Skins runs a clip to show what has previously happend on skins. E20 doesn't have of these. Another difference between the two opening scenes is the type of conversation the characters partake in during the scene. In E20 the conversation is focussed on helping the community, which is quite mature and sophisticated. Whereas the conversation in The Inbetweeners and Skins opening scenes were focused on teenage love and sex, which is quite a stereotypical teenage topics.
Sound
The non diegetic sound in the opening scenes of both Skins and The Inbetweeners is music modern music which introduces the scene. E20 also introduces the scene with modern music but this music is faded into the scene to become diegetic.
Location
The location in both The Inbetweeners and Skins is in a teenagers bedroom, which is an intimate setting and makes the veiwer feel more connected to the characters. Whereas in opening scene of E20 is set in the street, which is less intimate so the audience doesn't feel as close a connection between themselves and the characters.
Camerawork
In the opening scene of the inbetweeners, it starts with a close up of the two characters kissing, this is a intimate moment between the two characters and the camera shot makes us feel connected with the charaecters.
The very first shot we see in the opening scene in Skins is an arial shot which zooms into the main character, which not only communicates to the audience that she is the main character for this episode but it also allows the audience to feel like their becoming closer to her not only in the distance of the shot but also in terms of relationship, which helps the audience to feel connected to the character.
The opening scene of E20 starts with alot of establishing shots that quickly cut to a different camera shot, so it doesn't stay focused on anything for too long. It's different from the shots in Skins and The Inbetweeners because it doesn't immediately tell the audience which character will be the focus of the episode, and therefore doesn't allow the audience the build a closer relationship with this character in order to sympathise and understand their story further.
All these progamas come under the same sub genre, however skins and the inbetweeners are very simular and E20 is different in regards to the ways it uses mise-en-scene, location, camerawork and sound.
Mise en scene
In the opening scene of the inbetweeners, mise en scene is used to suggest the main character in the scene is a stereotypical teenage boy by the setting and props in the scene. For example, the props we see on the desk beside the bedroom door includes a computer, a tall pile of CD's, and deodorant. These are just normal things any teenage boy would have in there room and are connotations that he is too just a stereotypical teenage boy. For instance a deodorant is used because teenage boys are said to smell, CD's because a stereotypical teenager is said to listen to a lot of music, often used to block out the noise of the parents and a computer because teenagers ,especially boys, are stereotypically thought to live in front of a screen. The clothes he is wearing also add to the stereotype because is wearing jeans and a hoodie, which teenager are stereotyped for always wear.
The mise on scene on the opening scenes on skins comunicates to the veiwers that the main character is imature by the clothes she is wearing and the way she acts. She's wearing a baggy pink pyjama t-shirt, of which the pink colour connotates that she is like a little girl.
The mise on scene in E20 is quite different to the other two teen dramas. The first thing we see is the teenagers wearing green jumpsuits which immediatly informs the veiwers that they are involved in some sort of comunity service, which is considered as quite a mature thing to be taking part in. But this is then contrasted when the other two teenagers enter the scene with the prop of a large inflatable toy and live up to teenagers stereotype of being mischeivious and not oing as they are told.
Narrative
One of the similarities between the opening scenes of The Inbetweeners and Skins is that they both have some kind of help to understand what was going on, if someone has missed the previous episodes. The Inbetweeners has a commentary at the start of the episode, and Skins runs a clip to show what has previously happend on skins. E20 doesn't have of these. Another difference between the two opening scenes is the type of conversation the characters partake in during the scene. In E20 the conversation is focussed on helping the community, which is quite mature and sophisticated. Whereas the conversation in The Inbetweeners and Skins opening scenes were focused on teenage love and sex, which is quite a stereotypical teenage topics.
Sound
The non diegetic sound in the opening scenes of both Skins and The Inbetweeners is music modern music which introduces the scene. E20 also introduces the scene with modern music but this music is faded into the scene to become diegetic.
Location
The location in both The Inbetweeners and Skins is in a teenagers bedroom, which is an intimate setting and makes the veiwer feel more connected to the characters. Whereas in opening scene of E20 is set in the street, which is less intimate so the audience doesn't feel as close a connection between themselves and the characters.
Camerawork
In the opening scene of the inbetweeners, it starts with a close up of the two characters kissing, this is a intimate moment between the two characters and the camera shot makes us feel connected with the charaecters.
The very first shot we see in the opening scene in Skins is an arial shot which zooms into the main character, which not only communicates to the audience that she is the main character for this episode but it also allows the audience to feel like their becoming closer to her not only in the distance of the shot but also in terms of relationship, which helps the audience to feel connected to the character.
The opening scene of E20 starts with alot of establishing shots that quickly cut to a different camera shot, so it doesn't stay focused on anything for too long. It's different from the shots in Skins and The Inbetweeners because it doesn't immediately tell the audience which character will be the focus of the episode, and therefore doesn't allow the audience the build a closer relationship with this character in order to sympathise and understand their story further.
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
Scene character analysis
Eastenders clip - Phil and Max scare Ian
In this scene Phil and Max scare Ian by pretending to threaten him with a gun but instead its a car tool. the two sets of characters are represented in very different ways by the costumes they wear,there voices, editing and camera angles. Max and Phil are portrayed as the bad guys and bullies, whereas Ian is portrayed as a small, weak victim. Phil and Max are wearing black clothes and gloves which are associated with criminals and gives the veiwer negaative impressions on the characters. This is a contrast to Ian, who is wearing a light blue T-shirt which subconsiously suggests he is more feminine that the two other men. The camera angles that are used to film the scene emply representations of the characters, for example; when the camera is at Phil and Max its at a low angle which suggests that they are strong, powerful. But when the camera is on Ian its at a high angle to make him appear weak and insignificant.
Friday, 23 September 2011
Inbetweeners clip
Inbetweeners
Broadcaster is E4
Written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris
Directed by Gordan Anderson, Ben Palmer, Damon Beesley and Iain Morris
Produced by Christopher Young
During this scene medium shots are used to show the characters from a casual and friendly perspective.
Here, a wide angle shot has been used which shows the characters all together. It also shows the moods of the characters at this time, and how they feel about playing frisbee. E.g. Simon standing bored, Jay standing with his arms crossed, and Neil and Will playing happily.
Broadcaster is E4
Written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris
Directed by Gordan Anderson, Ben Palmer, Damon Beesley and Iain Morris
Produced by Christopher Young
- The characters are stereotypical teenage boys because the character are always talking about girls and that they always course trouble, for example when they hit the disabled woman with the frisbee.
- The sound in this clip is mostly dialogue, however it also includes music and some sound effects. A sound effect is used, when the frisbee hits the girl on the wheelchair, to exaggerate the force of impact and make it sound worse than it actually is. Music is also used when the girls enter the scene and this is used to create excitement and anticipation of what will happen next.
- The location is in the park, so the lighting of the scene is natural. It also reinforces the stereotype that all teenagers hang around in parks, but this is made comical as they're not doing stereotypical antisocial things (such as drinking and smoking), but instead they are playing with a frisbee which reinforces the actual innocence of the group.
- Narrative- Although in this scene there is no apparent narration, usually during an episode of The Inbtweeners there is a narrative from one of the main characters, Will. This narrative helps the audience feel more connected and build more of a relationship between them and the characters; which then helps them find they're comical situations even funnier.
- The camera work is mostly simple camera shots. for example, over the shoulder shots when the characters are speaking to each other and use extreme extreme close ups to show the expressions of the characters as the frisbee hits the disabled woman. They also use establishing shot at the start of the scene to set the scene.
During this scene medium shots are used to show the characters from a casual and friendly perspective.
Here, a wide angle shot has been used which shows the characters all together. It also shows the moods of the characters at this time, and how they feel about playing frisbee. E.g. Simon standing bored, Jay standing with his arms crossed, and Neil and Will playing happily.
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