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In this lesson we had to watch and investigate certain points from a brief 5 minutes of the program Gavin and Stacey.
Straight away you can see the binary opposites due to the society that they come from, one is northern (Gavin Essex) and one is southern (Stacey Cardiff).
The sections of the program go in a simple ABC, linear and conternutary editing. But with all this simple editing and planning Gavin and Stacey are a project of binary opposites to every little thing you see in the settings (mise en scene).
Looking at the camera shots in this featured 5 minutes mostly they are middle shot, the reason why is the middle shot of the camera focuses on people having conversations, its the easiest format and technique to use for this kind of affect. As Gavin and Stacey is a comedy type most people will be conversations so the middle shot and reverse shot is used. Also the middle shots are mixed with long shots so its not the same repetition and can add another character in the scene, a new introduction to a certain character. lazy technique but works quite well and makes it professional and not to over the top. The examples of middle shots used in this 5 minutes is when Stacey is talking to her neighbour and also when Gavin and his mum and dad are sitting at the table, it's close it's snappy, it's easy, it works.
Also right at the very start it shows the environment of the setting that Stacey lives in, calm quiet and abit runned down/lazy/ old fashioned. A pan shot is used for this kind of effect, a type of birds eyed view from a certain angle to descirbe the setting. More examples are when Gavin droves into his house and also a long shot when smithy enters into Gavin's house.
Looking at the houses in this shot clip Stacey's doesn't look like modern class, outside and inside looks like a lower class, a low angle is used to bring of the character and appearance of the house, it brings out more detail and shaping in the house, this descirbes the environment and lifestyle within the house. Looking inside Stacey's house it's dull and boring and very old fashioned. The leather sofa is worn out and white (an old colour in today view of society) and also they have a very small living room and everything is about crammed in there and the TV is small. Also the dinner table is small and looking rather worn out also. But the shots that have been used within her house show a bond between her and her family, it's close, warm, calm, inviting, and strong as her mother is very over protective about her going to see Gavin when he lives about 6 hours away.
Also when watching Stacey in the house her phones rings and the surroundings of the house goes quiet this adds suspense and intensity of what the audience thinks of Stacey is hearing, her facial expressions and the way the camera has a slow zoom on her face describes this kind of affect. But its only just her friend so this affect is used to trick to audience and add a source of comedy to the audience which may inflict a odd giggle (keeps them entertained). Also in some shot they are delayed, this shows less tension and suspense, it a form used to make it look like the issue is not really that important, this mainly occurs in Stacey's environment so it's shows a more stronger bond in the family and that they are close to each other.
Then when it flick onto Gavins house a straight pan shot of his house is used, this shows all of his house and how nice and modern it is, a high different in their classes. Also the shot is taken at night to make the house glow ans shine out, it brings out more modernness and upper class. They both work in the same job but Gavin family has more higher job as his dad looks and speaks and acts posh and high rated. We see this as the clothes he wears and the mum is made the food and is also serving it, this shows his dominance in status in the house. The mum mostly sits and watches TV so there noting really important in life so she might cook and clean to keep her status balanced and equal, this shows the family is busy and has short fuses of bonding.
Also what is interesting with this family is that Gavin and his dad sits on the same side so maybe this might be a saying off "like farther like son" it shows a bond but has links of arguments as we see over the steak incident, this might add more comedy and interest in the programme.
Also reverse shots are used within this family to make the story easy to read and follow on.
But with these characters the director has made the mise en scene binary opposites to each other for example Stacey's house is dull and Gavins is light. Staceys sofa is leather but tattered and white, Gavins is the common colour chocolate brown and neat and clean, so down to easy
perspective and propp Gavin and Stacey are binary opposites in society issues, this is what makes the programme successful and link in some forms of northern and southern motions. But i think their personality's are pretty much the same and this is why they are seeing each other, and its quite typical that Stacey's going to see Gavin, he's a male and he has a higher class and status family compared to her (but that's my opinion on the outlook of the first five minutes).Also it links with Stacey's and Gavin's friends, they are both fat, not bothered, protective and insecure about the situation and a laugh so it shows a link between them aswel, adds more interest and bumps up the mise en scene and storyline. It says it in the picture aswel that on each on the left and right sides is Gavin and Stacey's, their friends, and then followed by their parents.
Overall i love the programme and i think it has been very successful in it's binary oppiosites and how it links to peoples life envoriment, it kind of sends a message across saying "It doesnt matter where you are and what you are, love,family, and friends is more powerful than anything".
