textual analysis of 'endeavour'

Endeavour S1 - E1 - 1hr 30 mins

The opening music sequence featured vintage, classical music, plus the sound effect of typewriters in the background, giving and idea about the time it was set straight away. It was an oddly happy intro, which contrasts with what the programme was about, plus what exactly was about to happen next. It falsely draws the audience in with a happy tune so that when the death comes, it is more of a shock to the audience as the mood changes so suddenly.

City based setting-old London times. Establishing shot showing the whole view to set the scene. Extreme long shot, very high angle shot.

Stereotypical role of a women alone proposing she is vulnerable. The low angle could suggest that we are powerless in this situation and also with whats about to happen next. Extreme long shot, low level shot.

Iconography of a crime drama-office based scenes. Slightly smarter dressed work uniform of detectives and officers, portraying time its set. Long shot/extreme long shot, eye level/low angle shot.

Dead female victim's body-stereotype of women vulnerability-of what seems like a suicide. Medium shot, high angle shot.

Mid close up, eye level shot.

Smoking inside, and in a work office, plus the absent use of gloves while investigating a crime scene also demonstrates to the audience about the time the programme was set in. Close up to emphasise the objects meaning.

Includes informal interviews, out in the open and face to face, not just interrogations at a station. Medium shot, over the shoulder shot, eye level shot.

The medium close up/close up, plus the eye level shot, connects the audience more personally with the character on screen, so that can sympathise and understand their situation more. Makes the audience feel involved knowing more information about other characters.

Iconography of police cars and sirens-what the audience are familiar with and expect in a crime drama. Extreme long shot of character is needed to fit the police car into the frame.

Second dead body found-definite murder which could link with other investigation-but this time is male, counteracting women's vulnerability stereotype. Eye level shot plus medium shot emphasises position of the character.

Serious talk in office. With the low angle, the audience seemed to be hidden behind the boss suggesting that they are listening to a confidential and important meeting-making the audience feel involved by learning private information. Medium shot.

Post-mortem is a common procedure in all crime fiction as confirms to the characters, and the audience, who is dead. Creates realism for the audience. High angle could portray the death below is powerless. Medium long shot/long shot.

Self harm can create quite a sinister and disturbing effect for the audience when watching, which is what most crime dramas look to do. Mid close up, eye level shot.

Sorrow and romance are two key elements that appear in most, nearly all, crime fiction. The romance also stereotypically attracts a female audience. Mid close up, eye level shot portrays the two characters' connection.

Secrecy-lsitemning behind closed door. the audience are positioned closer to the man listening and the others further away, to exaggerate the fact that they don't have any clue that anyones there. Mid close up with a long shot emphasises secretive nature between the characters.

Long shot, low angle.

Graveyards hold funerals which are common in crime dramas due to many murders happening. Graveyards are known to creep some people out, so producers may include scenes like this to add an eery effect to the programme. Extreme long shot depicts the private ceremony

Threats and letters from unknown-adds mystery. Close up, slighty high angle to put us in the eye line of the character holding the paper-that we see what he sees.

Editing technique of shots dissolving/fading into one another. Portrays time and location changing. Mid close up, eye level shot.

The low angle of this shot makes us, the audience, feel powerless, signally to us that something is definitely going to happen next. Medium/medium long shot.

Two more bodies found, nit dead, but injured. The blood creates realism for the audience. Medium shot, high angle shot.

Hospital scene-dramaticises injuries so the audience sympathise more with the characters. Medium shot, eye level shot.

The third dead body is found-illustrating the 2nd murder as not a coincidence anymore.Confuses the audience even more, making them want to watch on and try to figure out the pattern that links all of the murders together. The use of the extreme long shot and very high angle shot show the full scenario of the current scene.

False arrest-wrong person accused. Falls the audience before real murderer is revealed-creates a more surprising outcome. Mid close up, eye level shot connect us with the character's current feelings and emotion.

Extreme close up of newspapers-hold secrets or clues.

When Detective Morse was going over the crime and explaining how it happened, there were flashbacks as he spoke. Medium long shot, eye level shot.

The murderer is then revealed-most likely the least expected one. He becomes the centre of attention on screen. Mid close up, very low angle illustrates the powerless victims position.

Interrogation of the murder as he explains his side and story. Mid close up and eye level shot connects our attention to him.

Ends with showing the outcome of events that led afterwards, and how everything turned out for the main characters. Medium shot, slightly low angle/eye level shot.

What I learned from these shots are that there are many eye level and mid close up shots used to connect the audience with a certain character on screen. I also found that a common technique used to present the characters power in a situation, was with camera angles, by using low and high angles to portray the powerful and powerless.