2. Denotation – What you can see (The literal
meaning)
Connotation – What it suggests (The implied
meaning)
E.g. A red rose
Denotation = A flower that is red in colour
Connotation = Love, romance, valentines day
3. Meaning produced by these elements. What do these
suggest about the characters/places. Be specific with your
examples
Setting This looks like a normal setting which is related to every day
life. This tries to make it appear as close as possible to the real
world.
Decor Abstract elements that give the audience a clear
understanding it is science-fiction.
Costume and Make up Formal clothes that are usually used by professional and
important people (e.g. Agents). The black color also
connotates a serious mood.
Figure Expression and The actors seem to move with haste in what they’re doing.
Movement They are also afraid of the situation. This suggests that a
dangerous situation is taking place.
Lighting Artificial interior Lighting from what looks like a spaceship.
4. Meaning produced by these elements. What do these
suggest about the characters/places. Be specific with your
examples
Setting Woods and later inside the house. This is a normal scenery that
everyone could relate to.
Decor Normal furniture: everyone can relate to this too when looking
at their own homes. This emphasizes the fact it is an ordinary
family and house.
Costume and Make up The family wears casual clothes that again emphasize that the
characters are ordinary people. The inspector wears formal
clothes to show he is taking care of business rather than every
day actions.
Figure Expression and The main character’s attitude is guarded and suspicious where
Movement as the inspector’s attitude is troubled and he doesn’t know
how to approach the situation. This tells us that the main
character think the inspector is a bad guy and creates a tense
atmosphere.
5. Meaning produced by these elements. What do these
suggest about the characters/places. Be specific with your
examples
Setting An ordinary room with the usual furniture found in a house.
This creates a comforting mood emphasizing the fact it is a
normal family.
Decor Same meaning produced, everything is normal to what you
would expect in a house.
Costume and Make up The characters have a variety of different casual clothes;
normal jumpers, shirts or jackets. This suggests they aren’t
from the Upper Class but likely from the Working or Middle
Classes.
Figure Expression and All of them are talking to each other with body language
Movement emphasizing everything they say. This makes the situation look
realistic as it shows as if they really are talking their own
thoughts rather than acting.
6. Meaning produced by these elements. What do these
suggest about the characters/places. Be specific with your
examples
Setting The building is like a castle; unusual and royal, what you would
see in olden times. This emphasizes the fact that the action
does not take place in modern times but has something to do
with the royal matters.
Decor Expensive looking props and graceful colours, again
emphasizing the fact that the owners are rich, dignified and
come from a royal family.
Costume and Make up The costumes also look expensive and abundant, making the
characters clearly look like aristocrats. They are also what
people associate with old times, emphasizing the period of
time again.
Figure Expression and The characters take confident steps, showing their pride,
Movement dignity, confidence and perhaps arrogance. All these qualities
emphasize they are important and have authority.
7. In your exam you will have to discuss the
representation of one of the following things.
Keep this in mind as we go through this task.
Gender
Age
Ethnicity
Regional Identity
Sexuality
Disability/Physical Ability
Class and Status
8. You will be shown a series of stills from TV
dramas. Answer the questions that are shown
before the image.
Do this in quick note form. You will be feeding
back your answers to the class.
9. We are going to look at stills from various TV
dramas and you have to decide what period
of time it represents.
10. Life on Mars
Early modern times as this type
of clothes are what typical
people wear. They are formal
clothes but not too formal, one
is wearing a policeman uniform
that is typical to these times.
He background has a modern
feel to it as it has very clear
colours and cars we see often.
11. Sherlock
Unusual clothes (mainly cloaks)
that were popular in older
times. The scarf and dark
colours also support the fact
that this is most likely an older
period of time as they are not
seen in modern times anymore.
The setting shows an
undeveloped London,
suggesting the time period
again. Overall, the mise en
scene has an old-fashioned
atmosphere.
12. Dr Who
The male character is wearing
formal clothes and the female
character is wearing casual
clothes. Both costumes look
expensive but it makes the
male character look more
serious where as the female
character is a more light-
hearted character. The setting
looks completely normal, but
the colour scheme adds an
abstract feel to it. In addition,
the prop behind the characters
gives us a clear idea of what the
genre is.
13. Skins
The costumes are modern and
clearly popular among
teenagers. This is a clear
indicator that it is a teenage
drama. The multiple necklaces
worn by the girl is also a
convention related to
teenagers.
14. This time when you are shown stills answer
the above question
18. This time when you are shown stills answer
the above question
19. Spooks
High status and high regard of
themselves and pride as they
are wearing formal clothes that
indicate they have an
important role. It also indicates
they are serious characters
rather than light-hearted or
funny characters.
20. Downton Abbey
The characters here have a
mixture of high status and low
status. He ones in the middle
show they are dignified and
have a high status judged by
the formal clothes, where as
the girls on the sides wear
simple and identical maid
uniforms that specifies them as
servants of low status.
21. Merlin
These characters also have
costumes that show they are
dignified and have high regard
of themselves, also showing
that the have high status. In
contrast to the other
characters, the one in the
middle has simpler
clothes, showing that he has a
lower status than the others.
22.
23. How does the lighting in the scene affect
different moods?
A dim lighting would create a serious, dramatic or
depressing mood. A lighter one would create a
livelier and a light-hearted mood.
Does lighting change?
Lighting changes in order to help the audience feel
a specific kind of mood to progress the narrative in
the way he producers want.
