Representation of Gender

                               

Sound:

-The scene begins with western style music playing in the background. This type of music is typically associated in our minds with showdowns and fights to the death. This choice of music is a clear indicator to the audience that a showdown is about to happen and we are of this before a single word is spoken.

-The music then begins to fade as the characters are talking. Then gradually the music begins to slowly build up along with the tension when it seems that the odds are increasingly being stacked against the hero.

- As the character laughs the music cuts away from the suspense music and changes to a completely new rhythm. This is an indicator that the tables have completely turned as the music slows and becomes more hopeful. This music is also similar to the western music that started the scene, and from this we are told that the fight is back on.

-We are given a very distinctive sound when we are shown in transition to the flashback in order to confirm to the audience that the scene is actually set earlier in the story by using a sound effect that we as an audience have permanently associated with flashback scenes. Also, the sound of the characters in the flashbacks is echoed in order to represent the voice as if it was in a memory.

-The number of beeps in the countdown clock increase as the dialogue proceeds. This is used to build tension and to make the audience panic as the time begins to run out.

-The music is used in two opposite ways. When the villain is stacking the odds against our hero, the music starts to build in tension with a dark selection of music. When the hero begins to unravel the plan, the music goes in the opposite direction as it builds in a more hopeful selection of music up until the climax of the scene.

-As we reach the climax of the scene, the volume is set turned up to the maximum with the tempo of the music being set to completely capture the audiences attention and to make the final scene more climactic.

Camera Work:

-A steady cam is used as the character is walking in as it singles her out by focusing just on her by making her the focus of the shot.

-The camera is angled from the top of the stairs with our villain, facing down on our hero. This makes it immediately clear to the audience of the balance of power between the two.

-As our hero kneels, the camera gives a slight tilt. This is important to the audience as it shows obedience to the  villain because he is of a higher authority.

-The establishing shot gives the audience a clear idea of the hierarchy in the scene. The inner circle of the villain are presented at the top of the stairs above the heroes. This final shot of the positions of power makes the oncoming switch even more apparent.

-As the big reveal proceeds, the camera begins to tilt on our main character as the position of power starts to change.

-There are some quick cuts between shots of the villain to show a sense of agitation and panic.

-The final shot that we can see is taken from a first person perspective with the camera angled above the villains head as he starts to slowly lose authority while walking down the stairs.

 Mise-En-Scene:

-Straight away the power of our hero is presented in the form of the teleportation device is taken from her by the villain, showing that he has complete power over her.
-The staircase is also used to show the difference in power between the two characters by positioning them on two different levels.

-In this scene, the villains power is represented through the form of the sonic screwdriver. He is shown holding it throughout most of the scenes where he has the upper hand and it acts as his main point of intimidation.

-This establishing shot shows all classes of characters. We can clearly see that the people on the upper level have the authority by the way that they are dressed in suits and smart, high-class clothing. The people on the lower level are seen wearing working clothes e.g. maids, technicians. This shows that they are working for the upper-class and are obeying their orders.

-The way that this shot is presented helps change our opinions on the hero. Throughout the scene, it seems that the hero has been defeated but the tables are turned in this flashback. The stairs are used with the people all turning and facing the hero to create a form of symbolic religious image. From this we change our opinions on the character and see her as a powerful person who is inspirational to others and is of a higher power or class.

-The villains power is taken away from him in this scene, in the form of the sonic screwdriver. This marks the beginning of the power exchange between the characters.

-The stairs are used one final time between the doctor and the villain in a synchronised movement. As the doctor moves up the stairs, the villain moves down. This is symbolic of the power exchange as the doctor gains authority, the villain moves down the stairs as he loses his.

-High key lighting is used on the female character to highlight feminine tones. Dark lighting is used more on the villain in order to show dominance and authority.

Editing:

-In order to transition smoothly between flashback scenes and present day scenes that are set in  a completely different environment and tempo, a fade was used with a smooth sound effect that transitions the audience into another scene with a different filter. This is important because there has to be a way to clearly distinguish the two settings. The use of these techniques and editing are important to make sure the transition between flashback and the present scene isn't clunky and unclear.

-The length between each shot begins to change in order to keep with the tempo of the countdown clock. The quick cuts are used to build suspense amongst the audience with the constant beeping adding to the overall dramatic weight of the sequence and making audiences more invested in whats going on.

-The close ups on the crowds are short and focused on a couple of individual people. This creates the illusion that there are hundreds of people by closing in onto one person with a handful of background characters while playing background audio over the top in a short burst.