1. Grace Arnell
05.12.2013
Primeval Essay
Primeval highlights the issue of gender, portraying women as manipulating
compared to men who are seen as straight forward, standing their ground. The
clip enforces the contrast between men and women yet it can be argued that
some women can be seen as equal or men as less masculine.
The clip begins with a male and female which the viewer automatically predicts
are main characters. The diegetic sound within the clip is dialogue with the
women having panic in her voice saying ‘this shouldn’t of happened’ this
portrays women as controlling almost, knowing what was best and blaming the
man for something going wrong.
Moreover, the camera angle is tilted downwards when the women is talking
having an over the shoulder shot from the man. This enforces to the viewer than
the men have authority within the clip. The dialogue within the clip stops and
non-diegetic sound is gradually introduced of an orchestral song; enforcing the
man to have power and bravery for staying in the scene. The sound is used as a
bridge and further creates tension emphasising something will happen within the
next scene. Continuity editing is used when the director has changed the camera
when the man and women has a conversation.
The clip changes to the metrosexual male placing a piece of meat onto a trap,
presenting that men are not just simplistic yet take pride in what they do. The
mise en scene used within this scene is Connor wearing a red shirt, waste coat
and scarf this differs to the simple trousers and t shirt. This is contradicting to
the blonde male digging with his hands in the mud, highlighting this to be typical
‘cave man’ characteristics. The non-diegetic scene within this scene of the
orchestral music has increased in volume to highlight the meat is a main part
alone with the trap. The camera focuses on the males face when the woman is
digging in the JCB digger. This is questioning the typical representation of
women due to her moving a large machine with great capability.
The woman wears a long cream coat, black heels and has her hair perfectly
styled. When standing in the barn blackmailing the farmer into admitting to a
crime he didn’t commit. The women used complex belittling sentences when
talking to the man where as the man uses violence to settle his problems. The
camera slows down when she falls onto the hay enforcing the diegetic sound of
the dogs and emphasising the women is in a difficult dangerous situation causing
dramatic tension. This highlights the woman as vulnerable due to the camera
angle tilted down towards her having the man seen as powerful and animalistic
with the camera taking the vision of the end of the gun.