Wild Child

Wild Child

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TV Drama Revision Booklet

Tv Drama Revision Booklet

Editing Terminology

Action Match - A piece of movement/action is continued between shots through cuts, portraying smooth action even though there are cuts in the shot.

Continuity Editing - Real-time movement in a narative is highlighted and a sense of realism is formed when a narrative is presented in chronological order with a linear structure.

Cross-cutting (parallel editing) - Where cuts are made between two different scenes taking place simultaneously in two different settings to depict a difference or similarity between them.

Cut - Moving from one shot to the next.

Cutaway - This type of shot isn't really required as it's a brief shot which cuts into a scene. An associated individual, action, or object is shown before cutting back to the initial shot. This isn't necessarily part of the main scene. 

Dissolve - The next shot begins to appear on top of the initial shot more and more once you can fully see the next shot. This is used mostly to connect two individuals or two scenes together, or to portray the continuity of time.

Ellipsis - Where narrative elements are either condensed or taken away to make the action faster.

Eyeline Match - While cutting from a person to what they see, their eyeline is maintained so that the audience empathise with the characters as they are put into the characters' position.

Fade - A white/black screen is left when an image slowly fades and disappears. If an image is faded to a black screen, it's suggested that an event has ended or time has moved on. A dream sequence is usually portrayed when an image is faded to a white screen. 

Graphic Match - Cuts are used from one shot to the next that visually look similar (perhaps related by similar colours, shapes, etc) to portray a strong relationship between two scenes.

Jump Cuts - A piece of action is left out when a cut transfers to an extremely similar section of the same scene. The audience become confused or a character is shown to be confused through the use of jump cuts.

Linear Narrative - A narrative which has a particular order, including a beginning, middle, and end. A direct, chronological depiction of events is provided which lead to a single resolution, making it straightforward for the audience to follow.

Long Take - A shot which is able to stay on the screen for a long period of time before it's cut to slow a scene's pace, so that it's more calmer.  

Montage - A sequence of shots which are edited at the same time to portray that time is moving on and an event is taking place during that time.

Short Take - An image stays on screen for a short period before cutting to something else so that the action is faster, creating an exciting and dramatic effect.

Shot Reverse Shot - A cut is made between two individuals who are talking (instead of including the two of them in one still mid shot). This helps to create a distinction between them and show how they are different, and how they react to certain situations.

Slow Motion - Action is slowed down for a comical or emotive outcome.
 

Split Screen - The screen is divided into two or more sections to portray events which are happening all together.

Superimpose - Writing/symbols or pictures appear above an image so that they are both noticeable during the same moment which increases the total information the audience have in a single shot. 

Visual Effects - These are usually influenced by what a character's responses are to the special effects.  

Wipe - An image wipes the next image off the screen. This proposes that a particular scene or character which pushes the other one off the screen is more significant and dominant. Wipes can go in different directions and be different shapes.

The Role of a Website For a Film Company

• To advertise films.
• To give information about certain films.
• To display/celebrate awards and achievement.
• To build a relationship with fans - fan interaction.
• To provide information about a company, including background information.
• To provide contact details.
• To give information about the latest developments - schemes/projects.
• To provide 'fan-zine' information for films - clips, photos, blog posts.
• To provide an archive/catalogue of previous projects. 
• General marketing and publicity.

Evaluation of the Working Title Website

• The homepage includes five advertisements of five films which are at the top of the page so are noticed first when the user gets on to the website because they almost take up the whole of the top part of the page. This is ideal in order to promote the films well as the advertisements are quite eye-catching through the use of their bold fonts, colours, and large-scale images.
• Further down, the homepage includes images and information about another five films but there is only a minimum amount of key information so the users aren't put off reading it. If they do want to read further there are links beneath.
• On the left-hand side of the homepage there is a column which shows the latest news and links to further reading of a particular subject. This is useful because the users are able to quickly scan the information without losing too much time and if they want to read further they can simply click on the link.
• The 'Films' page, in my opinion, looks too simplistic as the first impression I got when I first clicked on to the page was that it looks quite dull. Perhaps the colour scheme should be changed in order for it to look more attention-grabbing and the fonts could be made bigger and bolder. However, on the positive side it's easy to navigate on this page as it isn't crowded with lots of information so things are able to be found easily.   
• By clicking on the images to view the trailers on the 'Trailers' page is quite unique as when you hover over an image the name of the film appears. But it could be quite time-consuming to find a trailer for a particular film because you would have to hover over all the images in order to be able to find the required film trailer, as you can't always tell what film you are looking for through the images.
• The 'News' page is quite effective as it simply lists the news articles. In addition, there is a news archive on the top-left of the page so you can look at news from previous years. Also, you can filter the search in order to be able to find the article quickly as there are drop-down menus as to whether if you want to look at old news or theatre news, etc.
• There are features on the website, making it entertaining and interactive for the users, such as the 'Dilemma Solver', which is based on 'Bridget Jone's Diary', and 'Matching Pairs', which is a game based on 'Mr Bean's Holiday'. 
• An option for users to subscribe to Working Title's newsletter by entering their email address is available. This is ideal if a person is interested in Working Title productions as it saves them from going on to the website every time they want to read about the news and other subjects to do with Working Title. 
• A search bar is displayed in the top-right corner of every page. I think this could be bigger for the users to easily notice as users' attention is usually directed to the main information which is displayed in the middle of the page. Therefore, if the search bar is bigger they can just type in what they are looking for straight away so that the results are broken down to their particular search.
• When I went on to the 'Production page' for 'Billiot Elliot: The Musical', the way to view the images is quite efficient because if you click on one image you can just simply click on the left or right arrow to view the next images. Whereas on other websites I've found that you have to keep clicking off an image and on to the next image to view it. This is quite time-consuming but the Working Title's website loads images quickly in a clear, large-scale, professional format.    
  

How Does the Opening of 'My Boy Jack' Appeal to Audiences?

The opening of 'My Boy Jack' appeals to audiences by having a big, well-known star in the TV drama, which is Daniel Radcliffe from the Harry Potter movies so it appeals to mass audiences of both adolescents and adults. It must have had a high production budget for it to be a high quality film as the performance style is realistic.

However, because it's a war film it could be mainly targeted at males, from a stereotypical perspective, as the sequence shown only depicts men, not women. 

On the other hand, 'My Boy Jack' may appeal to the older generation mostly because the TV drama is set during World War One, making it part of the historical genre, so they are able to relate to it more, which links to personal identity (finding that some aspects of a text reflects yourself) which is part of the audience's uses and gratifications, due to their social demographics. In addition, this links to audience pleasures - genre communities because every genre has their 'own' audience. For 'My Boy Jack' an older audience is more applicable due to the counter-reading of the film being part of the historical genre. The time when the story is set is evident through the mise-en-scene as old-fashioned costumes are worn. There are soldiers in the navy shown wearing a military-style uniform and the close-up shots of the cars indicate the time when the story is set too. A famous writer, Rudyard Kipling, is presented in the TV drama which is another reason why the TV drama relates to the older generation, as Kipling was a well-known and an important person during the time of the war.      

Audience

'My Boy Jack' Notes

The TV Drama Genre

• Set during World War One.
• Historical genre.
• Music, costumes, and props are old-fashioned so it's clear that the TV drama is part of the historical genre.
• Suitable for adults as well as adolescents as the star of the show is Daniel Radcliffe so it appeals to a wide audience.
• However, because it's a war film, it could be mainly targeted at males (stereotypical view).

Characters and Performance

• Realistic style of performance.
• Assume that the people are posh, educated, well-behaved, and that they are all mainly upper-class young adults who are British.
• In the particular sequence shown there are only men, but no women.  

Editing

• Time is important to context - against them - fade to close-up of the watch suggests this idea.
• To highlight the father's rush, fast cuts are used.
• A tense, slow mood is portrayed through long cuts of the main character.
• Clear conversation is shown through the use of the shot reverse shot in the room.
• Continuity editing portrays a chronological order, showing that time is passing.
• Experience protagonist's view through the eyeline match when he's reading the letters.
• Superimpose is used when the main character is looking at the letters - experience his view and the audience are informed of his weak eyesight and at the start in the credits as well to set the scene (1914).
• Two different events are shown through parallel editing.
• Cutaway shot of the watch again - isn't really necessary but highlights that time is still important. 
• Ellipsis - father isn't portrayed walking around - action is sped up. 
• Parallel editing of the father in the car and his son in the medical room portrays their relationship.  
• Close-up shots of the cars indicate the time when the story is set.  

Mise-En-Scene

• Setting - countryside, medical room, and mansion.
• Formal clothes - upper-class.
• Soldiers in the navy - military-style uniform.
• Body language - father is speed-walking which shows that he's in a rush.
• Lighting outdoors - sunny, bright.
• Lighting in medical room - dimly lit.
• Mansion - light gets darker as the camera goes inwards - spotlight.
• Colours - bright and vibrant outside which contrasts with the dull colours used in the medical room.
• Old-fashioned costumes.
• Fingers on the steering wheel show that the character is nervous and anxious.
• The first thing noticed about the main character is that he's wearing spectacles.

Sound

• Diegetic sound is used when the clock is ticking.
• Noise of the car - asynchronous sound, sound which is indigenous to the action but not precisely synchronized with the action (foreshadowing).
• Jolly music is used which relates to the sunny weather.
• String instruments are used to portray that the characters are nervous and anxious.
• Non-diegetic sound is used too.
• When there is more dialogue the music goes quieter. 
• Sound bridge - whoever clock belongs to - waiting for person in next scene.
• Adventurous music - rich.

Narrative Sequence

• Real-time is used when the clock at the start appears again.
• Long corridor = long wait.

Background Information

• One-off production drama.
• Daniel Radcliffe stars in it so the drama must have had a high budget.
• Set in 1914 - World War One.
• The father in the drama is a writer which suggests that he's well-known and famous.

Audience

• Mostly for the older generation as it's a war film.
• Daniel Radcliffe stars in the drama so appeals to a mass audience - pulls in a younger audience because of the big star - higher budget = better quality.
• The message conveyed is that if you're not born into the correct family with good physical conditions it's hard to get a high-rank job. 

Camera Angles and Shots

• Close-ups of the clock ticking.
• High angle shot of the whole room - high authority.
• Close-up of letters.
• Mid angle shots - realism.
• Point-of-view shots.
• Low angle shots - importance of characters and authority.
• Over-the-shoulder shots - conversation, point-of-view.
• Extreme close-up of the second-hand on the watch - time is going.
• Close-up of wheels turning on car - speed and time.
• Close-up of facial expression of the character in the car portrays their emotions - he also has glasses on like Daniel Radcliffe.
• Low angle shot - speed of car - determination - not going to let things get in the way.
• High angle shot of the three boys looking down on the papers.
• Hand-held shot of when the man is collecting the forms - we are further down - our eyeline is in line with Daniel Radcliffe's eyeline so we are empathising with him. Daniel Radcliffe's form is folded - opposition - meticulous (particular).
• Close-up of Radcliffe - wearing glasses too - links to the shot before of his father and his glasses.
• Unsteady camera = uncertainty.

Dialogue

• Not much conversation.
• Poshly spoken - matches characters' personalities.
• Authentic (realistic), old-fashioned.
• Rehersed - realistic.
• "Sir" - not a strong relationship.

Representation of Social Class

• Formal language and accent - posh.
• Formal dress.
• Dialogue - father is a writer - lower-class? An over-the-shoulder shot is used to see the other character's reaction to Racliffe's character's job - snobbery.
• Fade-up on expensive, golden-crusted watch - time is against them - late. Watch belongs to the King who is waiting for a visit from Rudyard Kipling.
• Aristocracy - King doesn't like to be kept waiting.
• Wealthy - polished Rolls Royce car.
• Open green fields - freedom, space.
• Costumes of the three boys don't show a difference in class as they are dressed similarly - equality.
• Low panning shot - wealth, power. 
• Title screen portrays the grand estate - class.