Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Eastenders- Kat and Alfie return - Mise en scene

I have watched the trailer for the return of some of the soaps best loved characters, Kat and Alfie Moon. 




This is set using conventions of a typical western film of sort. It starts with a shot of the Queen Vic, the soaps pub included in almost every episode. Its from a low angle, looking up making the building seem intimidating and giving us the ability to watch as rubbish and debry fly across the ground, like tumbleweed across the sands in a western film. The pub is bordered up, giving us a feel of loneliness and venerability. Also for the first few seconds when we are watching the pub and rubbish we cannot see any people or life. It looks bleak, dead and gives a sense of fear to the audience. The colors are quite bland, sepia brown tones. Typical of westerns,to be in this color because of  poor quality. Then you see a sign moving in the wind, feeling something coming. Its like in a western when the pub sign moves back and forth in the wind screeching and you know somethings coming and going to happen, all you can do is wait in anticipation. 


You see the boots, shaped like cow girls would wear, small heal, black and shin high. They make a noise that fills the square and echos, they're loud and create fear and wonder. The sounds and music amplify this. As the female drops her bag it makes the sound as if she was jumping off a horse in western films, ready to battle. 


You see the bottom of her outfit, tassels waving in the wind. You can see rubbish still lying around at her feet and right into the distance. Her outfit is rather tribal like, not neat. She is wearing a shawl, gold bangles, and a dark outfit. Her dress is short and rather tart like, giving us an instant bad impression and giving out connotations of a rough person who could cause damage.


 Her hands are places either side of her and open, if they were closed i think it would show fear in the character, willingness to fight and them being reserved. However her hands being open i think shows that she doesn't really care what people are thinking, she is there to take whatever. Her dark makeup and large hoop earrings are the icing of her look. She has a smug look across her face as if she knows everyone is watching and thinking about her, she likes that. 

It goes on to view other peoples reactions to the return, fearful and shocked, yet she is still able to stand there above the rest, almost as if she is looking down on them, really not caring. The other characters look to scared to pick a fight but she looks very willing. She is also the only character so far to be dressed in clothes related to the western films. Patrick, an old man character is the next shot. It shows him watching her and them tilting his hat up, like a cowboy would with his pig skin hat. It blurs out the background and just concentrating on his action making it a big part of the trailer. 

As Kat drops her shawl the wind from it dropping to the floor makes her hair blow up and in her face. It shows that underneath she is wearing a rather revealing dress, small and open. She doesn't look neat. She then dips her hand into her bag, her bag is located to the side of her body like a holster on a cowboys side. She reaches in, like a cowboy would with a gun, and pulls out a compact mirror. As she flicks it open the sound is like a gun being loaded, this is so right for the scene, you can imagine everyone watching her doing this action with concern and fear.



As a voice appears from behind her, she obiously knows who it is. Her face changes from a smug smile, dropping into a shocked, worried face. She spins around. 

A character in a long dark coat and a hat covering the top half of this face emmerges from the dark. As he comes into the light he lifts his head up slowly revealing more and more of his face. The camera is looking up at him making us fearful and him looking extra strong. 

He has a white stick hanging from his lifts like a cowboy would a cigarette, a toothpick or a bit of hay. It then shows both characters blowing in the wind, and the clip finishes. 

Eastenders-10th Nov, 2011.

After watching 10 minutes from the 10th of November 2011 episode of Eastenders I have now been able to analyse typical soap opera conventions.
The opening of the clip starts with an establishing shot, over the top of East London, where the soap is set. The establishing shot is quite common in soap operas, another famous one would be Coronation Street. After the theme tune is played the name of the programme comes across the establishing shot in big writing. This is instantly giving us information about the programme. It then starts straight away with dialogue involving the audience, watching one of the shows main characters Phil Mitchell storming around the square.
The whole scene involves real life ideas that are happing in society at this moment in time. Such as family problems, the way that effects teenagers, sexuality, rights, violence, use of weapons. They use these story lines so the public can relate with the show and understand where different characters are coming from. At the end of most episodes there will always be some sort of cliffhanger whether its big or small, people will come back to find out what happens.
During the episode music and every day noises help to set the atmosphere, also with the tremendous acting its all very believable.