Tv Drama- CSI

Basic Information: 

• CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) was first broadcast in October 2000 on Channel 5.
• It is a popular and worldwide audience in 2009  was estimated to be over 73.8 viewers  .
• The first episode of the new series of CSI gave Channel Five its strongest audience for almost a year, with almost 4 million viewers tuning in for the US crime drama. (2009)
• However it has be known to get criticised for the levels of graphic violence, images and sexual content. It has been ranked with others as the worst prime-time TV drama for family viewing by the 'Parents Television Council' and is often targeted for the 'Worst TV Drama of the Week.' 
• The program has a high budget, estimated between £5-10 million. 

Analysis 

• Camera- first part of the clip the camera shot is middle close-up, this has been done to see the characters clearly and it concentrates the audiences attention to what the produces want attention put on. 
• Editing- The lady has a flash back and with editing the audience experiences this flash back along with the character. It is a  montage as there are parts of the convocation put onto top of one another. It is a fairly quick paces connoting panic and/or fear. However there has been use of high key lighting and visual effects and this makes it appear artificial. Also during the beginning of the extract there was a phone call and the editing technique used was parallel editing. Its a scene set in different locations but it helps give the audience an idea of what is going on and lets the audience know both characters surroundings.
• Sound: There is dialogue used in this extract, the first convocation is the phone call after the lady received a threatening text message. 
• Mise-en-scene:  Body language hasn't really got much meaning in this particular scene- suggests a sense of normality. Again the costume is are normal clothes again this represents normal life and could be helpful for comparing events to real life. The characters are fairy stereotypical in the way that they act and the types of things they are doing, for example the woman is being represented as vunerable and reliant on a man. The man being represented as a strong and powerful person.

Editing Terms Glossary

Editing glossary from emilytrowell

Discuss the way in which the extract constructs representation of ethnicity

At the start of the extract there is a extended screen length for one of the characters and this is the police  officer. This shows that he comes with power, authority and status and then gives the audience an view of the him from the start. There is also use of editing techniques in this clip, the first one that becomes apparent is an eye-line match. It is between the receptionist and the police officer and it suggests, again, which characters have power and authority and those with less. In this case it show that the officer has more power over the receptionist and orders her about. This connotes to the audience that the police officer has a range of powers leading to us to believe that he may have to much power and that he is over confident.

The next editing technique used was the use of more short takes, leading to it becoming a faster speed. An example of this is when the immigrants were told about the inspection and had a limited amount of time in which to hide themselves in order for them to stay in this country and have a stable job. This is a stereotypical view of immigrants, as it shows them as being weak people with a lack of power and authority. This goes on to make the audience feel sorry for the immigrants as they have to hide their whole lives really so it shows that they must live in fear which wouldn't be they way anyone should have to live. The speed of the editing also connotes a sense of fear and action- this keeps the audience interested in the episode and leads them to want to know what happens next.

Another editing technique used is a cross-cut. This is between the group of immigrants hiding in the small room going cross-cutting over to the other immigrant which hasn't been told about the inspection and is still concentrating on his work. This suggests another stereotypical view of the immigrant being vulnerable, lonely and scared. When found the tension is fairly high and leaves the audience wondering  what will happen to him and maybe feeling sorry for him. A non-sterotypical view as the mass media often make out that we should not feel sorry for immigrants as they mat be stealing our jobs.

Shot reverse shot is also carried out in this extract. One example of this when the immigrants are looking after the one which has collapsed. This highlights the knowledge of the one immigrant and also challenges the stereotype of them being unskilled. He is then represented as a 'hero' and brings the audience to like them even more and become on their side.

Analysis of how sound is used to construct representation of regional identity.

North and South Extract:

• In this first scene we discover that they are well spoken and talk in the elaborated code. This suggests higher class in Southern England.  The women's dialog is of a high pitch and also well spoken. She uses varied vocabulary- 'decamped to industrial town'. She creates a juxtaposition as the way she speaks is not what you would expect from a women dresses in her clothing, you may expect a less varied vocabulary and her to be of a lower class.
• The man dresses to a higher standard which reflects his dialogue, this is stereotypical as you will assume he is rich. 'some thought possible yield' 
• The scene located in the streets contains many ambient diegetic sounds, for example babies crying, footsteps, dog barking. This suggests that the regional location  is of a lower class and status. This could be Manchester or London etc. 

Doc Martin 

• Synchronous diegetic sounds of when the women is placing the vegetables in the different boxes. This suggests she is from a lower class region, for example- Cornwall/Somerset. I have come to this by looking at the products which she is placing in the boxes. 
• Synchronous incidental music is used when Doc Martin is walking down the hill to the beat of the music. It is upbeat and happy which connotes that Cornwall is a good and exciting place to be. 
• Dialogue- the larger man has a recognisable country Cornwall accent. 'What you going on about boy?!' This use of the word 'boy' also highlights his accent as it is often used within the countryside dialect. Howevet there is a contrast between accents as Doc Marin talks with a wider vocabulary and uses the elaborated code, this suggests that they all originated from different regions leading to the talking different. 'You get off the telephone' The use of the word telephone highlights his correct english and shows that he doesn't use slang as you may expect the larger man to. 

Doc Martin