Reflection on Practical: TV Drama Still

The second shot in the storyboard (which became the still below).

• For this practical, it was decided collectively to conform to the 'western' sub-genre.  This would make up a series of 4 TV Drama stills.  Ideas concerning genre signifiers of the western theme were taken into account, as well as shot types and locations which we could use in order to encode information for the audience.  A storyboard was then developed which was constantly referred back to during the production process. 

A shot of both characters looking into the horizon.

• The medium long shot captures both a cowboy and a cowgirl standing in the shade of a tree in front of a saloon. The man is pointing forward, as they appear to be witnessing the horizon ahead.  Natural lighting was used to convey the active and outdoor lifestyle of those in the 'wild west'.  In reference to mise-en-scène, the characters take up the middle third of the frame, implying that their role or actions is somewhat significant to the events which my unfold.  The shot features genre signifiers in the form of props, for example the pistol in the man's pocket or the traditional cowboy hats they're both wearing.

• From this shot, I wanted the audience to feel as if there was a connection between the characters in the frame.  However, I also wanted to create a subtle sense of juxtaposition between the female character, who appears possibly cold and uninterested with the male protagonist who seems thrilled and invested in what is in the distance.  Therefore this shot attempts to capture what could be an equilibrium or the beginning of a disruption within a narrative.

• In relation to Barthes' narrative codes, the shot is meant to provoke the audience to ask themselves what exactly the two characters are looking at and why they have different reactions towards the subject; this would be the enigma code.  In this shot, I was also trying to communicate the idea of deception. One could possibly connote from this shot, due to the cowgirl's  facial expression being similar to a 'poker-face', as it comes across as solitary and unreadable.  This would be classed underneath the semic code, as the audience or viewer would have to infer this information.  In the still, the female character is symbolic of a femme-fatale, who possibly causes the downfall the male protagonist next to her.  The symbolism which is encoded in the still would belong under Barthes' symbolic code.                                                                                
• I would say that the props and costume were successful in this shot, as they worked well in being genre signifiers; they explicitly portrayed what we were attempting to get across.  In contrast, if I was to repeat the activity, I would focus on changing the shot type.  Instead of a medium long shot, I would make it a two-shot as it would focus more on the expressions the characters have on their faces, enhancing their symbolism.