2. Context
โข This mystery thriller that was released on Netflix (a popular platform used
to watch movies and TV series) on the 13th of October 2022. The show was
created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan they based the show of an article
from the New Yorks magazine website 'the cut', written by Reeves
Wideman. Part of this storyline is based on the mass murderer John List,
John murdered his family in his home in Westfield during the year 1971.
The show is also based in Westfield, although it was not filmed in Westfield
but in a private residence in Rye New York that was built in 2016.
4. Sound
โข The title sequence of The watcher
consists of eerie music that starts playing
softly when the title 'based on a true
story' fades onto a black background
creating suspense and tension for the
audience, the audience would feel
intrigued to watch the show as it would
make the audience curious and intrigued,
the music gradually gets louder, adding to
the tension of the unknown as itโs the first
episode. The piano and Symphany creates
an eerie atmosphere that makes suspense
throughout the very start of the first
episode the eerie music is heightened
and elongated into when the very first part
of dialogue is heard spoken by one of
the characters. This non-diegetic music is
asynchronous in contrast to the bright
setting.
5. Mise en scene
โข Props- The use of the car prop helps the audience understand
that the family are moving. It also allows the audience to
experience what the family are going through on a more
personal level. The next prop shown is a phone in the teenagers
hand, this is stereotypical as most teenagers are assumed to be
attached to their phones and be oblivious to the outside world
this could foreshadow something that happens later on in the
episode or series.
โข Costume- The costume during these three minutes consist of
natural everyday wear that most ordinary people would wear
already making the characters more relatable and likeable to
the audience, this could also be a message that the plot of the
series could happen to any ordinary person.
โข Setting- during these few minutes, the setting is portrayed as a
new neighbourhood to the family, this is easy to
analyse because of the different shots that are edit quickly from
the views of the houses to close ups of the family's reactions to
the houses and see it through their eyes.
โข Lighting- The lighting varies through these first few minuets, in
some clips the lighting is very high key and bright to show the
happiness of the family going through the new neighbourhood
and to their new home, which is very exciting therefore the
high key lighting portrays this to make it brighter and reel the
audience into a 'happy' start for the family.
6. Camera
โข The use of camera throughout these first few minute has a
variety of different shots and angles. The scene opens with a
low angle movement shot of two large trees, this helps set
the scene for the audience creating an image in the
audiences head of the scenery. This shot is then followed
with a dolly shot that is in the perspective of the moving car,
showing all the huge magnificent houses, it also implies the
family is rich and moving into a very expensive house and
neighborhood Setting the scene for the audience. After
these shots the characters are then introduced only through
the use of the camera and not the dialog, the first mid shots
are only of the woman and man this is to show these are
the main characters throughout the series. The close up of
the man and woman show their facial expressions, which
contain excitement and awe as they observe the new
Neighborhood, this helps the audience feel what the
characters are feeling with the close up shot, making a
connection with the audience making them like the show.
