His Dark Materials: Language and Representation blog tasks

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 Language:

1. 

  • Camerawork/sound:
    • Sound - epic orchestral music sets genre and atmosphere
    • Camerawork - low angle of Lyra makes her look powerful
    • Editing - animals and setting
    • Sound - voiceover of daemon talking 
    • Camerawork - wide/establishing shot to emphasise location
    • Camerawork - low angle of Lyra and Angelica
    • Sound - thunder SFX, supernatural danger
    • Camerawork - medium + close up to show Lyra and Wills bond
    • Camerawork - Mr Coulter low angle vs witch high angle to emphasise power dynamic
  • Mise-en-scene:

    • Settings - cave into forest, ‘city in the sky’

    • Storm/rain - connotations of danger but also reminding audiences her friend Roger died in season

    • Costume: Mrs Coulter red costume and lipstick - connotation of danger. ‘Femme fatale’ - dangerous female, villainous

    • Setting - abandoned city. Fits adventure / fantasy genre. 

    • Costume reflects different worlds / backgrounds. Lyra also in non-feminine costume to emphasise representation.

    • Actor placement and movement - Lyra. She picks up omelette, walks on bed, leads Will into house - reverses gender stereotypes.

    • Lighting - red flashing lights to signify danger

  • Narrative/genre

    • Fantasy genre - witches, prophecy, rift, daemon talking animals.

    • Steampunk genre - futuristic genre but with old, Victorian technology (mix of old and new). Airships, submarine. 

    • Narrative: prophecy - disequilibrium; enigma code. 

    • “It’s time to draw sides” - Propp; binary opposition, good vs evil

2. His Dark Materials fits the conventions of fantasy because it has themes of the supernatural (witches and prophecies) and alternate worlds, correlating with the impossibility of fantasy TV

3.
  • Hero - Lyra
  • Sidekick - Pan
  • Villain - Magisterium/Mrs Coulter
  • Donor - Witches
  • Father - Asriel
4.
  • Enigma - what is the prophecy and how does Lyra play a part?
  • Action - Mrs Coulter torturing witch
  • Action/enigma - what war do the witches want Lee Scoresby to join?
  • Action/enigma - who are they chasing and why are they running away?
  • Enigma - what happened to the adults and what are the spectres?
5.
  • Good vs evil - Magisterium vs witches
  • Natural vs supernatural - Will's world vs Lyra's world
  • Young vs old - spectres targeting adults
Representations:

1. Stereotypes of women being inferior and weak are subverted through Lyra's adventurousness and strength, like when she attacks Will and almost fights Angelica, and Mrs Coulter's independence and fierceness, like when she emasculates the Magisterium priests and tortures the witch

2. Stereotypes of men being superior and stubborn are subverted through Will's peace-keeping and compliance, like when he prevents the fight between Lyra and Angelica and allows Lyra take his bed. However the stereotypes of men being aggressive are reinforced by the cardinal throwing his glass

3. Stereotypes of young people being rebellious and reckless are reinforced through Angelica and Lyra almost fighting twice. However these stereotypes are also subverted through their ability to survive and take control without adults

4. Stereotypes of white people predominantly being in western shows are subverted through characters like Will, Ruta Skardi and Lee Scoresby, who are all coloured

5. Lyra's world is slightly ahead in the future due to the dystopian themes of steampunk and the tyrannical Magisterium, but also in the past at the same time due to the mythical themes of supernatural and possible alternate worlds

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