Childrens Television Drama Essays

Childrens Television Drama Essays Childrens Television Drama Essay Childrens Television Drama Essay Q1 What meanings are conveyed to the audience through the visual signs used in your programs? The programs I am analysing are Byker Grove and Shoebox Zoo. They are both aimed at younger children, this is there targeted audicence this is evident in Byker Groves opening sequence, as it has many vibrant colours such as yellow and red which connates the light heartedness and the innocence of the show, it is also very fast paced and energetic. However in the opening sequence of Shoebox Zoo it is different, the colours that are used are mainly dark reds connating the danger and the more seriousness of the drama. The sequence also implies that they are on some kind of quest. There is also a white light glow around one of the characters, which usually connotes that they are good and of some importance. The camera work that is used in the opening sequence of Shoebox Zoo has many slow motions and is shot mid shot, this connates the emotion of the characters the soft focus also amplifies this fact of emotion. At the end of this sequence is there is an old, medieval font, it is very magi cal and fits the quest storyline and the genre well. In the Byker Grove opening sequence the font that is used is a graphiti type of font which connates the childish side of the show. The first sequence of Byker Grove is set in the Grove, which is in essence is there youth club. The lighting in this first scene has a very naturalistic lighting to it, the decorations in the youth club are vivid and vibrant with bright reds and yellows again conveying the happiness of the show. The fist sequence in Shoebox Zoo Marnie and her Father are driving in the car and it is a dull day, with greys and dark colours being used, which again amplifies the seriousness of the show. In another scene they are all sat round a camp fire at night, the camera cuts to the sky, which shows the moving grey clouds which shows the danger of the scene, and it comes across as scary. In Byker Grove there is a scene where there is a child arguing with another, the camera shots are quite close to the two, then one of the childs throws a drink at the other, and the camera sharply zooms into the stain and then a close-up shot of the childs face, who is not pleased, this sort of camera work is a very basic way to show the anger of the child, this basic way is used extensivly as it is simple and easy for the children to get the idea of the scene. This fast paced switching between characters is used again in Byker Grove, in this scene we have to children and they have just eaten a meal, but cannot pay for it, so what we have is them arguing between themselves as to who pays for it, the camera goes backwards and forwards to each characters in a fast moving, fast paced way, and this shows the panic of the two very well. On Shoebox Zoo there is a scene where they are camping in a tent at night, the lighting is very dark and there is wind and rain outside connatating the disturbing atmosphere of the scene. Shoebox Zoo unlike Byker Grove uses a lot of animation, both for its characters and its intro. The animated characters add a kind of mystical, dreamlike side to the story, as the characters are very magical and unreal and fit this certain genre very well.It is also very sterotypical of a child with the dreamlike attributes of a child having these animated charecters is very beneficial to the story. And containing these character s is a very good way of enhancing the excitement of the journey which they are on. Q2 What important representations are there in your texts? Give reasons for your answers In Shoe Box Zoo one of the main characters is Professor Toledo. He is the evil villain within the story and is represented as a dark and dangerous shape shifter.The sterotype of an evil villain in a childrens drama is a old usually wearing black and often strange in appearance man. Toledo is not the stereotypical villain, looking at what he wears, a white cloak and gown, it comes apparent that these clothes do not conform to the usually bad guy image. There is a reason for this as he was once good, hence the white cloak but is now fallen evil. The white cloak also connotes a kind of magical and wizard like person which fits in perfectly with the story.It is however clear that he is the villian, this is clear in the way he speaks and the anger he puts across on screen towards the other charecters.The generic element of the good VS evil is clearly evident in this drama, with Toledo being the villian with his menacing ways and the hero being a young inecent girl that the children can ea sily relate too. Toledos body language suggest he is a powerful character with upright composure and his commanding presents, he also uses his hands a lot to express his feelings, and he often looks down towards an other character McTaggart, his servent. The way Toledo speaks and his use of language is very menacing, representing the evilness he brings to the story, he uses various words and speaks them quick and hard which also represents his power as a villain. In one scene Toledo is giving orders to McTaggart however he refuses to carry out the orders and McTaggart then walks away, suddenly Toledo appears from no-where and McTaggart then sees his power and accepts his order, we the audience are suppose to feel afraid and the power of Toledo as McTaggart feels. In Byker grove there is a character called Bradley, he is a lively teenager with a slightly annoying personality. If we take a look at what he wears its clear that he is represented as an individual in contrast to his peers and deffiantly a leader with the other charecters being the follwers of him.He wears a smart Tee shirt under a Blazer and casual trousers. In comparison to the other teenagers in the show who wear baggy jeans and Tee Shirts. The conations of his Blazer are that he is quite business like and more mature than the rest of the teenagers. His body language can be overwhelming, one instance of this is when there are two adult youth club workers ideologically of higher importance than him are sat down and he stands up and seems to overshadow them, and comes across as a figure of authority. The way Bradley speaks and his certain tone of voice suggest it is possible that he is a homosexual, which later comes apparent in the episode. The way the camera pans to Bradley and t he frequency implies that he is of greater importance than the other characters. When watching Byker Grove it is obvious that he is one of the main characters in this series and he is represented to that of a father figure, if the teenagers have problems they consult Bradley.