Here is an example of how to analyse a scene from TV drama - using the clip from Merlin, taken from the Summer 2011 exam paper.
This is very detailed, and I am not expecting you to replicate exactly this in the exam - HOWEVER it is an example to show you the way you should approach the task, and to emphasise that there is a lot more that you could say than you probably think!
Remember that you are expected to discuss the following areas:
- Camera shots, angles, movement and composition
- Editing
- Sound
- Mise-en-scene
Crucially, you have to relate the above to the chosen area of representation, in this case CLASS AND STATUS.
You really shouldn't waste time discussing aspects of film form that aren't directly related to the chosen area of representation.
Merlin - Analysis
The purpose of the scene is to create intensity for the audience, and to position the audience with the character of Merlin (who is of a low status) and against the character of Arthur (who is of high status). Status and class are clearly represented through the use of camerawork, editing, sound and mise-en-scene, most obviously through the contrast between Merlin and Arthur, but also through the two different locations where the scene's action takes place.
The scene begins with an extreme long shot of a corridor inside a castle, as the character Merlin walks towards the door of an adjoining room. The extreme long shot allows the audience to see that the setting is ornate; we see intricately designed stained-glass windows and high marble columns - both indications of wealth and status. This is immediately contrasted with the appearance and costume of Merlin. He wears dull-coloured rags that indicate that he is of a lowly status or class, and as the scene progresses it is suggested that he does not really belong in this environment because of class.
After panning slightly to track Merlin's movement, the director cuts to a medium shot of Merlin entering a room in the castle. The distance of shot (alongside positioning us with him, and establishing him as the central protagonist) allows us to clearly see his furtive figure behaviour and facial expressions as he looks around carefully to make sure that nobody is in the room. This is further emphasised by the fact that the shot is a relatively long take, and the idea that a character of Merlin's low class should not be in a room like this is highlighted by the sinister and unsettling non-diegetic music that begins as he enters. The rapid editing, as Merlin moves around the room also implies that he must move quickly to avoid detection.
The mise-en-scene, and in particular the props - such as the silver goblets, the gold-rimmed mirror, the ornately-covered book and the intricately designed and expensive-looking scarf, all imply that whoever is staying in this room is of a high status. A close up on Merlin's hand touching the jewelled scarf emphasises the contrast between this expensive material and the clothes that Merlin wears. His figure behaviour throughout is edgy and, again, is a good indication that somebody of his class should not be in the room.
The director cuts back to the corridor outside the room, to show the arrival of an elegantly dressed woman. The crosscutting creates tension for the audience, and the expectation that the woman will enter the room and catch Merlin somewhere he shouldn't be (because of his lowly status). The extreme long shot allows us to see her figure behaviour, which is graceful and regal, and allows us to see her in relation to the setting; she seems at home here, as if she does belong, in sharp contrast to Merlin. The slow zoom towards the woman further compounds the sense of tension but also allows us to see the costume that she wears. Her purple dress (the colour of royalty) looks expensive and suggests that she is a member of the aristocracy, or at least an important guest of high status. The amplified sounds of her footsteps create further tension, and the echo of the sounds highlight the size of the building; a further symbol of wealth and status.
The non-diegetic music builds to a crescendo as the woman enters the room. The expectation that the lowly Merlin will be found in the room of a woman with a much higher status, is heightened by a dramatic increase in the pace of the editing. Her figure behaviour and tone of voice as she addresses Merlin shows authority, and the fact that she asks him why he is in the room, reinforces the fact that a man of his class should not be there. As the woman questions him the director cuts to her reflection in the mirror (a cut that is supported by an amplified impact sound), and we see her as a haggard old witch (implying that she is not what she at first appears). As the director cuts back to Merlin, his clumsy figure behaviour again suggests that he knows that he should not be there. As he goes to leave, however, a medium close up on Merlin's face as he passes the woman allows us to see his quizzical facial expression, which implies that he senses that something is wrong about her. This implies to the audience that even though Merlin appears to be from a low class, he may have certain powers that will give him more status and authority than he seems to have at this point (this is confirmed later in the sequence when we witness him practising magic).
As Merlin leaves the room the director cuts to him crossing the courtyard of the castle, panning slightly to track him. The extreme long shot enables the audience to get a sense of the power and status of whoever lives here. The courtyard is vast and there appear to be many rooms in the castle. To the corner of the frame an ornate statue can be seen, and the various figures who cross the courtyard are dressed in clothing that indicates they are of high status (brightly-coloured flowing robes, in contrast to the clothing that Merlin wears). The characters who move across the courtyard are loosely-framed, suggesting a degree of exclusivity; not many people have access to this place.
The director cuts from the courtyard to the marketplace, breaking the rules of continuity editing (specifically match-on-action), to unsettle the audience and to reinforce that Merlin does not belong with the higher classes. The editing choice made, to follow the shot of the courtyard immediately with a shot of the marketplace, emphasises the contrast in status. Whereas the courtyard was a wide open space, flanked by impressively designed buildings, the marketplace is cramped (emphasised by the frequent use of tight framing) and run-down. The diegetic ambient sounds indicate the hustle and bustle of the busy market, and the props here are logs and hay rather than the expensive and luxurious items found in the room in the castle (further indications of the gulf in class). Merlin, because of his costume, seems far more at home in this setting, and as the camera pans to track his movement we are able to see the small size of the dwellings and the fact that they are constructed out of simple, basic materials. Plaster peels from the walls and the buildings are mis-shapen (in sharp contrast to the intricate designs of the castle and its courtyard). The people who live and work here are clearly of a low status, as their costumes and appearance are similar to Merlin's (we see a number of peasants working hard, which positions us with them, in contrast to Arthur and his men who appear to have been jousting, and enjoying themselves).
As the camera tracks Merlin as he walks past a group of men who, because of their costumes, stand out from the rest of the people in the marketplace. They wear expensive-looking armour, implying that they have high status, and their figure behaviour is confident, suggesting power and arrogance. The leader of the group, who is repeatedly shown in much closer shots than his colleagues (medium shots, medium close ups and close ups), belittles Merlin with comments that imply Merlin is lower class, and should therefore know his place. Arthur's patronising and superior attitude is emphasised through his mocking facial expressions when he reacts to Merlin standing up to him. During reaction shots, shown largely in medium close up, Arthur throws his head back and laughs, commenting that Merlin should be careful about the way that he addresses him, because of their respective status. A medium shot of Merlin enables us to see his anger and frustration at being mocked because of his status, and the fact that he removes his jacket suggests that he is prepared to fight Arthur, even though Merlin is clearly weaker and less prepared (signalled by the costume Arthur wears, and the weapon he produces).
A cut to a close up of one of Arthur's flunkies handing him a mace reinforces the power he has, and as Arthur throws it towards Merlin, Merlin's clumsy figure behaviour, as he struggles to catch it, implies that he does not have the skill to take on Arthur and win. The camera tilts up Merlin as he picks up the weapon he has dropped, and his facial expression confirms the audience's fears. By immediately cutting to a medium shot of Arthur the director allows us to see the contrast between the two characters in terms of their figure behaviour and facial expressions. The two men who flank Arthur, laugh at the Merlin's seeming inability, and a medium close up reaction shot of Merlin shows his concern, as Arthur confidently swings the mace that he holds. The director cuts back and forth, in a shot-reverse-shot pattern as Arthur advances towards a nervous looking Merlin, confidently warning him that he has been 'training since birth', a further indication of the privileges that Arthur has as a result of his wealth and status. A high angle shot of Merlin makes him look weak, and creates the expectation that he will be defeated by Arthur in the forthcoming fight.
Merlin insults Arthur, calling him a 'prat', which suggests that he has a disregard for authority, and is not prepared to be bullied by someone just because they come from a higher class. A reaction shot of Arthur, in close up, signals that he is not used to being spoken to this way; rarely disrespected because of the power and status that he holds. Arthur's facial expressions show that he is used to others bowing to his will. As Merlin continues to mock Arthur's superior status, the Prince attacks him and Merlin's reaction, seen in medium close up, again reinforces the fact that he is scared of the Arthur's physical prowess.
As the fight begins the pace of the editing increases dramatically, further suggesting Merlin's inferiority as a struggles to cope with Arthur's skills. Dramatic, heroic non-diegetic music emphasises Arthur's power and status, and a high angle extreme long shot of the marketplace orientates the audience and reinforces the fact that Arthur is in control, as we see Arthur confidently stride towards Merlin as the Wizard backs away. Shots from a number of angles allow us to see Arthur's figure behaviour as he confidently swings his mace, taunting his opponent. Low angle shots of the Prince emphasise his superiority, and are immediately contrasted with high angle, canted shots of Merlin clumsily stumbling backwards, showing his weakness and lack of skill. Rapidly edited shots of Merlin falling into a market stall as he tries to escape the oncoming Arthur imply that this is a mismatch, and the director again breaks the rules of continuity editing through the use of jump cuts and by breaking the rule of match-on-action. This is unsettling for the audience and reflects Merlin's panic and lack of skill, reinforcing the audience's belief that the Prince will easily defeat the lower-class Merlin (an assumption supported by the fact that Merlin gets his mace caught on a basket hanging from one of the market stalls).
As Merlin struggles, Arthur is shown bringing his mace down in slow-motion, a technique that makes him appear heroic and in control (contrasting sharply as it does with the figure behaviour of Merlin, and the editing techniques used when focusing on the Wizard). The shot of Arthur is repeated, as if to reinforce his power, and as his mace crashes heavily into the market stall, a whip pan reflects Merlin's lack of control and panic.
The director crosscuts to a dimly lit, sparsely-decorated room, where an old man is tracked as he moves towards the window, clearly as a result of hearing the commotion in the marketplace, A cut to his point-of-view as he looks out of the window, shows (in extreme long shot) that Arthur has the upper-hand. Merlin's figure behaviour, as he cowers, contrasts sharply with Arthur's, who stands tall as he continues to advance towards his foe. The point-of-view shot is framed by shots of the old man, and a medium close up allows us to see the dissatisfaction on his face at Merlin's actions (we learn shortly that he is Merlin's master, reinforcing Merlin's lowly status).
Merlin's relative weakness and lack of fighting skill is repeatedly emphasised by the rapid pace of the editing, handheld camerawork and canted framing, as he continues to stumble and fall over market stalls, and as he is backed into a corner of a barn by Arthur it seems only a matter of time before the Prince delivers the knockout blow. A high angle shot shows Merlin lying on his back (looking at two sickles hanging from a post in the barn), and just as all hope of victory seems to have gone (as the music seems to build to a crescendo and we see a close up of Arthur's hand confidently swinging the mace), the director cuts to an extreme close up of Merlins eye, as it changes colour. An amplified impact sound suggests to the audience that something dramatic and out of the ordinary is about to occur, before a cut to the sickles moving together prevents Arthur from swinging his Mace and hitting Merlin. A close up of Merlin smiling is followed by longer shots of Arthur struggling to free his weapons, and it becomes clear that Merlin has used magic to thwart his opponent. This revelation suggests to the audience that Merlin may, despite his lower class, have the power to defeat Arthur, and his figure behaviour and facial expressions become much more assured as he continues to use magic to push objects into the way of Arthur.
As Arthur trips over a rope that Merlin has 'moved' (an action accompanied by another amplified sound effect), Merlin picks up the mace and the camera tracks Arthur as he backs away. The power has shifted and it is now Merlin's figure behaviour that is more confident as he suggests that Arthur 'gives up'. A whip pan is used as Arthur stumbles over, reinforcing the fact that Merlin has now taken control of the fight, and by cutting to a medium shot of Merlin the director allows us to see his confident and proud facial expression. As the non-diegetic music builds to a crescendo Merlin's facial expression changes to one of concern as he spots the old man (from earlier in the scene) in the audience. A cut to Merlin's master, shown in medium close up, shows the disapproving look on his face, and suggests that he has a degree of power over Merlin; Merlin has even lower status than we had first imagined.
The fact that Merlin is distracted allows Arthur to attack the Wizard while he is unprepared, positioning the audience further against the Prince as his actions are underhand. Arthur uses a broom to attack Merlin (a symbol of the lower classes), and the use of synchronous sound, as each blow is accompanied by a beat in the non-diegetic music, gives the finale a comic feel. The director cuts to a medium close up of Arthur, nonchalantly twirling the broom as Merlin lies on the floor. This reinforces Arthur's skill and highlights that the normal social order has been restored. Arthur's figure behaviour, as he cockily sweeps the floor with the broom, shows his upper class disdain for the lower classes, implying that he has just 'swept away' Merlin, as if he was dirt. As the guards (another symbol of Arthur's power and status) go to take Merlin away to be punished (the tightly framed shot implying that his punishment may well be imprisonment), Arthur again shows his power by ordering them to release him.
The final part of the scene takes place in Merlin's quarters, the mise-en-scene highlighting that they are much shabbier than the room in the castle (a further indication of Merlin's lowly status). The camera dollies out as Merlin enters the room, followed by the old man who is berating him for his foolish behaviour. The medium shot of Merlin draws attention to his figure behaviour and facial expression, which emphasise that he is upset at being defeated by the arrogant Prince; upset that even though he has magical abilities that could raise him up from his lowly status, he is forbidden from using them. His final comment that if he cannot use magic then he is just a 'nobody' reinforces the class system that is in place during the time that the scene is set.
NB: I want to reiterate that this is far too long, and I have had the benefit of pausing the scene repeatedly (something that you will be unable to do in the real exam). Instead of looking at the length of the essay you should focus on the following:
- Repeated use of appropriate terminology (10 of the 50 marks are awarded for this!)
- Detailed examples from the text, that are appropriately linked to the chosen area of representation (20 of the 50 marks are awarded for this!)
- Explanation and analysis of how these techniques create meaning (20 of the 50 marks are awarded for this!)
- All four areas are covered - camerawork, editing, sound and mise-en-scene. Unless you do this you cannot hope to get the marks on offer
- Repeated use of camera distances during description. Never say 'the shot' - instead, you must say what type of shot is used, and the effect it has on the audience
- Every point, either implicitly or explicitly, is related to the chosen area of representation. I have not discussed any elements of the scene that I do not feel are directly related to class and status
- Approach the scene chronologically - even though it may be easier to make notes under separate headings
- Discuss the areas of form in conjunction with each other. It is rarely just camerawork OR editing by itself that constructs meaning - instead, it is these elements working together. The camera distance may allow you to notice the figure behaviour, which because of the use of sound and the pace of the editing, reveals information about character - which you can then relate to the area of representation.
I will continue to post analyses of this length to help you get a feel of what could be said, and so that you get a clearer idea of how to construct your essay. Again, don't get bogged down by length, or worry about not being able to write in this much detail under timed conditions - think instead about the bullet points above.
