The document provides an analysis of the cinematography techniques used in the first episode of Mad Men. It notes that many "over the shoulder" shots are used to establish who characters are talking to. Scenes at a bar and at a woman's apartment use this technique. Dialogue exchanges between waiters and between Don Draper and the woman are also framed this way. Camera angles are used to convey power dynamics between characters of different races and genders, showing the social norms of the 1960s.

1. Nathan Raine
AS Media: Assessment 2: Map 1: Mad Men
In the first ever episode of Mad Men, there are lots of ‘over the
shoulder’ shots when characters are speaking to each other.
These are used so the audience knows who is talking to whom.
The very first scene is an over the shoulder shot of Don Draper
with his work notes, holding a glass of whisky in one hand and
the setting of a bar in the background. We can see that Don
Draper is of high status in a popular business, as he is wearing a
well-tailored suit. The waiter is inferior to Don, by lighting his
cigarette for him and being quite shy in replying to Don’s
questions at first. Another waiter comes over and asks if the first
was bothering Don, which is quite discriminant as this second
waiter assumes that the black waiter is bothering the customer.
He in fact isn’t, but the audience will notice that this white
waiter is either of higher stances in the bar, or is wearing a
jacket over his shirt because he is white, and so should look
better off than the black skinned waiter.
There are also lots of two-shots, as one waiter speaks to the
other in the same focus and the same picture. This angle is
almost from the view of Don Draper’s eyes, as it is from a low
angle as he watches the conversation between the two waiters,
before he interrupts to defend the black waiter and says that
they were just having an innocent conversation.
Another example of an ‘over the shoulder’ shot is when Don is at
his lady’s apartment, as he preaches to her about his situation,
but she seems in more authority – subversion of the
stereotypical inferior female – as she just wants to have sex with
him, not the other way around. It is assumed that Don often
comes round to her place just to have sex with her, but this time
is different as Don just wants to talk, and she doesn’t really
expect this attitude from him, so she takes control and gets her
way with him.
In the elevator, there is a still camera shot which captures
everyone in the elevator, at a medium distance so you can see all

2. Nathan Raine
of the characters facial expressions and reactions. Using the rule
of thirds, the woman being intimidated is in the centre as she is
being subject to the men’s bragging, and the audience can see
that she is doing her best to ignore them.
As the camera leaves the elevator, the men are strutting into the
office and a hand-held camera is used to follow with the
confident, swaying movements of the men. The men plod past
the secretary with authority as she tries to stop them from just
walking in without an appointment, but they have no time for
her, another example of the male dominance over females in the
early 50s. There is then a medium close up of a man in an office,
on the phone to his spouse, but the other men (his mates) try to
distract him; there is a close up of a strip club leaflet and a deep
focus shot of the man smirking whilst holding the flyer up.
Now the new setting is an office, an open office with many desks
next to each other. The camera used is on a track, to follow the
characters round as they walk through the office. We can see
that everyone in this office is female, and the men have their
own singular offices as they are higher up in the business’
hierarchy, and so wear posh suits and have the pick of the
women employees. A few men walk past and check out the rear
ends of the two women, the tall redhead woman having clearly
had some intimate relations with one of the men as he tries to
speak to her and she labels him as a ‘mistake’ to the new worker.
A low angle is used so the audience can see what the two women
are wearing; the new girl wearing long sleeves and loose clothes,
whereas the other woman who has clearly been working here a
while has a tight revealing dress on, which comes across as very
flirtatious to the men in the office.
Another low angle is used, as the experienced woman stands tall
above the new worker, as she has dominance over her because
of her experience. A close-up of the drawer in Don’s office is
used to show all of the spare clean white shirts he has, so it is
assumed that it is common for him to sleep out at his woman’s
house and get changed in work the next morning.