Reflections on Practical: TV Drama Still

We made a storyboard to plan for our 4 shots and also took test shots on our phone beforehand. We used the storyboard to organise the props and actors, as well as the roles when taking the shot.

In my shot, there is dark lighting to signify a tense, dramatic atmosphere. This indicates the detective crime drama, that we tried to achieve. It is a LS to show a standoff between the cops and robbers to represent the common theme shown in crime dramas. We chose to shoot it through the bars to add a visual indicator to give it a sense of location and anchor the genre. The robber is dressed in camo clothes to signify the hidden motives of the criminal world.

I intend the audience to interpret my still as an intense standoff in a public space with a detective who is shadowed by a dark past, signified by the lighting. We also wanted to create enigma through the lighting, making the audience question what the motives of the characters are. We expect either shots to occur or a stalemate.

I think my shot is successful because it creates a dark tone, which is often shown in typical detective crime dramas and introduces the characters. If I redid my shot, I would put the robber in a more dynamic pose to make them seem more intense and make it seem like their life is on the line.

Our group storyboard used for planning and
shooting our stills. 

TV Drama Still Analysis

Black Mirror- Fifteen Million Credits

This still is from Black Mirror. The still connotes the main premise of humans being controlled by their own creation, technology along with its sub-genres: sci-fi, thriller and utopian, dystopian futures.

The still is a wide shot where the protagonist is lying on a bed in the center of the room. The room is cell like which matches his grey prison like outfit that seems mass produced. He is focused on the walls of his "room" which is made up of screens and is the only source of colour in the still and also takes up most of the still. It draws your eye and makes the protagonist seem unimportant and bland. We presume that this is a sci-fi futuristic society which is massively reliant on technology because of how much of a presence the screens are in the still. The light calm colours on the screens and the mans relaxed nature suggests a sort of utopia but because the protagonist  seems irrelevant when compared to the never ending sky displayed on the screen we begin to doubt if it is dystopia or utopia. Along with the prison like room and clothes and his seemingly lack of individuality we see he is selecting an avatar from a selection, all wearing interesting and different clothes. This suggests that he sees what his avatar looks like is more important than what he looks like. This raises the question about how much control and freedom he really has and if the technology that man created is in turn controlling him and in turn making him lose all individuality,freedom and imagination which is what some might say makes us human. This is where the thriller sub-genre comes into play. The show dives into many peoples fears over technology and its current advancements and how it may not always be us in control of who we are.