End of Year 1 exam learner response: blog tasks

 End of Year 1 exam: learner response

WWW: Clear knowledge of how different contexts impact production values

EBI: Focus on how the clip includes narrative features

Question 1.1

CLAMPS: Will's costume - makes him look like he is from our world

Question 1.2

Narrative theory: Propp – character types. Lyra and Will as heroes who the audience can identify with and accompany on their exploration of this empty city. The audience are clearly positioned to sympathise with Lyra and Will when they initially face the two other children.

The two children they are chasing initially are presumed to be villains but the dialogue in the second half of the extract complicates this. Instead, perhaps they become donors – giving Lyra and Will a drink and something to eat as well as important information about the Spectres (including the danger Will may soon be in).

Todorov (equilibrium): The empty city creates a sense of disequilibrium – that something has gone wrong and needs to be repaired or at least understood by the characters.

Question 2

Doctor Who - Traditionally, Doctor was a white male, most often with a younger female companion, reflecting and reinforcing traditional gender roles of the times, with the man as powerful and in control and the woman as helper. Women’s helper role often been to provide an emotional, empathetic side to the programme. Reinforcing the idea that men are active, action-centred while women are more passive, emotional and sensitive.

His Dark Materials - The subversion of gender stereotypes with Lyra and Will is striking – Will is concerned with hygiene, sleeping arrangements and cooking. Lyra has no interest in these things at all but leads the chase, is happy exploring on her own and shows bravery throughout.

Overall

1. Narrative theories (action/enigma codes, equilibrium theory etc)

2. Referencing mise-en-scene (costume, lighting, actor movement etc)

3. Explaining the effect of camera angles (high angle, low angle etc)