TV DRAMA: SALVATION

We analyse the opening sequence from SALVATION Episode 1.
In particular, we use the exam technique of dealing with all aspects of mise-en-scene first, then camerawork, then sound and editing. This enables links to be made across the whole extract about how meanings are made.

For mise-en-scene:

• settings (such as the MIT grad student lab, MIT lecture theatre & technology for Darius's lecture, below; the Pentagon interior)
• casting choices (such as Harris's strong jaw, Grace's flawless hair)
• people's clothes & props (such as Liam's bare feet; Jillian's hair; Darius's outfit)
• lighting (gloomy interior of Liam's early morning lab; sharp lighting of lecture that showcases the glamorous imagery; daylight sunshine on the lawns of the privileged MIT campus; interior lighting of secretive Pentagon offices) 

For editing:

• the rapid pace of the cuts as Liam rushes from office to lecture

Camerawork

• Pan around Liam's MIT grad lab
• wide shot of Darius lording it over an adoring MIT audience; wide shot from behind to show how huge the audience is and how engaged they are
• point of view shot on Liam's bare feet as he arrives 
• panting at the lecture
• close ups on Jillian's smiling face as she makes eye contact with Liam

1 CREATIVE CRITICAL REFLECTION

HOW DOES YOUR PRODUCTION REPRESENT SOCIAL GROUPS & ISSUES?

This is the second part of Creative Critical Reflection question 1. It is an analysis of REPRESENTATION.

Step 1

Refer to your Scoop.it which is your archive collection of the people and ideas in your production.

Write about what topical issues, debates and events in the news, both historical and recent, you have encountered. They will reflect the concerns of our time, the kinds of issues that interest media audiences like your target audience. 

This might be the time to add to your Scoop.it.

Step 2

What films have been made about these topics? Screenshot and caption them. You may have archived them in your Scoop.it. Update if necessary.

Step 3

How have you represented issues, people and places in YOUR production? 
You will need to screenshot casting and mise-en-scene and decode the representations. 

Define the term STEREOTYPES and state why media use stereotypes. Did you use them?

Refer to Stuart Hall's work on encoding and decoding meaning in media language.
You have already done work on CASTING in which you draw attention to your REPRESENTATIONS.