Thursday, 13 October 2011

EastEnders Analysis - Cinematography and Mise En Scene

This is my third analysis post, in which I'll be covering the cinematography and mise en scene of the episode.

No establishing shots are used within the episode, this is because the locations show are iconic enough within the show to set the scene. Fans of the show will be able to recognize the walls and carpet of the Queen Vic within the first shot, allowing fans to automatically recognize the setting.

The red and beige furnishings of the Queen Vic as I previously mentioned are iconic within EastEnders, so starting off the episode with a loose long shot of Kat walking down the stairs is effective in establishing the location without showing the exterior of the building and establishing the opening character as she rushes to answer the phone, which in this scene is a symbolic item, as Kat is keeping her affair from her husband Kat fears he will find out through the phone, warning him from it, only for him to later have a laugh with the phone thinking it is who Kat lied and said it is.

Throughout the first scene and the episode a variety of mid shot, and lose mid shots are used, with shot reverse shot to convey conversation, the camera typically stays at eye level, to show the audience the emotion of the characters conveyed through the actors.

In one scene towards the end, between Tyler and Whitney, the shot is a two shot with both characters taking up about half of the screen meaning they are equal within the shot as they are both nervous and this allows the audience to understand how they both feel.
When Tyler brings out a bottle of vodka it is placed on the table and within the shot it is as effective as making the shot a three shot, as the bottle is placed between the two characters, suggesting the now divide between the two because of the suggestion of the alcohol.

Other symbolic objects used within the episode are Ian Beales golf clubs and sports car, items typically associated with luxury and the rich, when Ian implies his girlfriend is a hooker, she takes one of his golf clubs and smashes his car with it, symbolic of his ideal luxury being ruined by his ego, which was caused by these items.

Reaction shots are used effectively within the episode, as one character does an action or says something the camera cuts to give the audience an immediate idea of how the other character feels in response to this action. One good example is early on where Syed walks to meet his baby, his wife says 'here's your father' to her daughter and the camera cuts to a mid shot of Syed smiling from the remark.

Other key use of mise en scene is the iconography within each building, building up a setting which the audience uses to identify each home uniquely and identify it to a character, as an example, the Queen Vic pub with its iconic colouring and then the use of props such as beer glasses and the beer pumps, suggesting the occupation within the set.

The use of low key lighting within buildings is a strong contrast to the natural lighting from outside shots, a key tool to help the audience identify between the locations.

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