Textual Analysis and Representation (The 4 key areas of textual analysis)

Camera Shots, Angle, Movement, Composition

Shots: establishing shot, master shot, close-up, mid-shot, long shot, wide shot, two-shot, aerial shot, point of view shot, over the shoulder shot, and variations of these.

Angle: high angle, low angle, canted angle.

Movement: pan, tilt, track, dolly, crane, steadicam, hand-held, zoom, reverse zoom.

Composition: framing, rule of thirds, depth of field – deep and shallow focus, focus pulls.

Editing

Includes transition of image and sound – continuity and non-continuity systems. Cutting: shot/ reverse shot, eyeline match, graphic match, action match, jump cut, crosscutting, parallel editing, cutaway; insert. Other transitions; dissolve, fade-in, fade-out, wipe, superimposition, long take, short take, slow motion, ellipsis and expansion of time, post-production, visual effects.

Sound

Soundtrack: score, incidental music, themes and stings, ambient sound.

Diegetic and non-diegetic sound; synchronous/asynchronous sound; sound effects; sound motif, sound bridge, dialogue, voiceover, mode of address/direct address, sound mixing, sound perspective.

Mise-en-Scène

Production design: location, studio, set design, costume and make-up, properties.

Lighting; colour design.

Wire in the Blood – Gender Analysis

Gender is represented through a variety of ways within Wire in the Blood, such as camera angles, mis en scene, lighting, music and editing. For example, in the first scene Tony; one of the investigators is wearing a smart suit which is shown through an over the shot shoulder camera angle, focusing on Tony. This indicates that Alex is objectified by Tony through the male gaze. Furthermore, the tracking shot that follows Tony shows that he is a person of significance to the storyline and in addition, shows his dominance. Also in the first scene, Alex is shown wearing all black clothes which is not stereotypical of a woman. It also represents the job that she is placed in; a formal job which deals with dark, evil things. This is again not a stereotypical woman’s job and indicates that she’s a woman trying to fit into a man’s world.

The scene then switches to Tony in his house, working with pictures of the case he’s trying to solve. Within this scene a point of view shot is used to show an object of significance. In this case, it is his coffee mug; which represents that the coffee is the stimulant that is keeping him going, working throughout the night, trying to solve the case. This is representative of gender as it shows that men are stereotypically hard working, whereas the woman in the next scene is getting ready to go out.

Then it changes to a group of bad guys in their hideout. The violent behaviour of smashing another man’s head into a concrete wall is stereotypical of the boisterous behaviour of men. Also, the black leather gloves and black jackets are most commonly seen on gangs as they are seen as hiding in the shadows and being evil and rebelling from the rules. This is seen as a stereotypical man.