| How does this opening scene build up tension?
(think lighting and sound) |
Through the panning camera shots that look as if they’re leading your eye to something of importance. They build up the ambient train sounds, and use low bass notes to emphasize tension. The lighting is low key and dark, and they use side lighting on the
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| What genre would you assume this is and why? Note any conventions | A drama. The show is set in the modern day new york city and focuses on creating emphasis and drama in a situation that seems rather commonplace (news presenters waking up at 3am because of some news that happened.)
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| Sound is really important in this opening sequence – what do you think this symbolises? (think about the music but also the lack of dialogue and how we can only hear one side of the phone conversations) | I think that as each person receives a phone call, the music shows how they’re all feeling. Tense, nervous and maybe confused/tired – as they’ve been woken up by some urgent news. It was more conventional of a horror movie. In the first few seconds there’s a track that mirrors a heartbeat. The lack of dialogue gives the audience a mystery and enigma as they’re watching. |
| Write some notes about these characters – how are they being represented, what are your first impressions, are there any camera shots or any other technical elements like mise en scene telling us anything about them? | |
| Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) | She is a rich newscaster who has a family.
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| Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) | She is a reporter who lives in west virginia. She is not rich. She has an unstable relationship with her mother. She lives in a more rural area and is excited by new York. This is shown by the sweeping camera shots that show the buildings. As well as the scene where she looks out over new York from her hotel balcony
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| Mitch Kessler (Steven Carrell) | He is an angry rich man who used to be a newscaster, and Jennifer aniston’s co-host. He holds misogynistic views.
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