Film Distribution Presentation

Monarch Of The Glen Essay

Task:

Our task was to watch the clip below, and draw analysis of how different techniques such as; editing, sounds, lighting and camera angles or shots, helped the clips portrayal of the perception of age of the characters.

 



Essay:

The 'Monarch of the Glen' accentuates age (throughout the clip) using a variety of key techniques, relative to; sounds, camera, editing and mis-en-scene.

Firstly, in one particular scene, two protagonists are pictured arguing. The use of camera angles and editing particularly help to relay that there is indeed a difference in age between the protagonists. Here overhead shots are used relentlessly, but most notably the shot of the man is taken from a higher point looking down upon the female character. Similarly a low shot looking up upon the male character further represents and accentuates the gulf in age between the two protagonists with the higher overhead shot expressing higher authority over the female character. The connotations of this are of course that of an older person having authority over the younger person in the scene.

The age of the girl is an over riding factor within this clip. This is further accentuated by the editing, in a scene in which the girl attempts to drive a car. The initial connotations will suggest that she is of a legal to drive. However as she drives away the scene directly cuts to a close up of a seemingly suspicious or concerned character, leading the audience to begin to feel anxious. The camera shot remains constant before the crash, but almost immediately cuts to the next scene in which Amy's (the girl) adolescence becomes apparent and therefore the use of straight cuts expresses a problem, in which connotations of this, question Amy's age.

Mis-en-scene is also an integral part to categorising the age groups of many of the clips protagonists. Most notably in the scene where the main male character invites Amy's headteacher into a special, adult themed room. The introduction of this as well as dialogue to coincide, which allows the audience to collate perceptions of the age of the headteacher in particular. Once more this is the first time in the clip we are introduced to the three tier age hierarchy, descending from the headteacher, to the male character and finally to Amy, all presented as a result of Mis-en-scene.  

Directly after Amy running away, the shot cuts to that of a rainbow during the transition between scenes. Given the nature of what has just happened in the clip and the character, I find this a particularly poignant cut and transition. Rainbows are often associated with nursery schools, due to their use in the depiction of primary colours, in said context, and so the editing at this stage helps the audience to depict the possibility of Amy's ever materialising, adolescence.

Relating to a previous point - about the crash scene- the use of non diegetic sound is also very important in terms of age perception, as the introduction of the crash sound accentuates further as to how Amy's age may be a problem. 

Furthermore the use of non diegetic sounds throughout the clip in my opinion adds to Amy's adolescence, particularly in many of the working scenes in which one would expect a more masculine or mature piece of accompanying music instead it is that of a somewhat juvenile melody, all congregating into connotations of Amy's young age.

Despite the juvenile sounds, the lighting used in the headteacher and the room scene resembled that of a mature nature. Notably Amy was not present in this scene, potentially providing reason for the sudden escalation in the ageing of the scene, which directly contrasts to the rest of the clip in which Amy is largely present, that seems to portray are more adolescent mood, thus further and most poignantly expressing the gulf in age between Amy and the headteacher, and between Amy and the rest of the adult authoritarians pictured in this clip.