His Dark Materials: Language and Representation blog tasks

 Language and close-textual analysis

1) Write an analysis of the episode - using your notes from the screening in class. Make specific, detailed reference to moments in the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots and movement, editing, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)

You can currently watch His Dark Materials on BBC iPlayer here.

Camerawork, editing and sound: 

• Sound: non-diegetic music - epic, orchestral music sets adventure genre and atmosphere. 

• Establishing shots - mountains/rainforest; city in the sky; rift in sky; ocean. Epic locations - action/adventure genre. 

• CGI - airships, talking animals, witches.

Mise-en-scene:

• Settings - cave into forest, ‘city in the sky’

• Storm/rain - connotations of danger but also reminding audiences her friend Roger died in season 1.

Narrative and genre: 

• Fantasy genre - witches, prophecy, rift, daemon talking animals.

• Steampunk genre - futuristic genre but with old, Victorian technology (mix of old and new). Airships, submarine. 

• Narrative: prophecy - disequilibrium; enigma code. 

 

You can access our notes from our close-textual analysis in class here - you'll need your Greenford Google login to open this.

2) How does His Dark Materials fit the conventions of the fantasy TV genre?

Talking animals, Multiple worlds, portals, witches

3) Applying Propp's character theory, what character roles do some of the main characters in His Dark Materials fit into? 

Mrs coulter: Villian

Will/Lee: Helper

Lyra: Hero

4) What enigma and action codes (Barthes) can you find in His Dark Materials? Make specific, detailed reference to the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)

Action codes: 

"Its time to draw sides."

"The witches will want us to fight."

Enigma:

"The prophecy has begun."

what is the prophecy

5) What examples of binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) can you find in His Dark Materials? How do these create narrative or drama for the audience? You can find reminder notes on all these narrative theories here - just scroll down to narrative. 

"Its time to draw sides." , makes the audience feel like they need to choose which side to support and shows there will be action in the future

Representations

1) How are women represented in His Dark Materials? Are gender stereotypes reinforced or subverted? Think about Lyra and Mrs Coulter here.

Mrs coulter is presented as powerful which subverts

Lyra is presented as independent and brave which subverts

Lyra cries which reinforces

2) How are men and masculinity represented in His Dark Materials? Think about Will and Lee Scoresby here.

Will cooks and takes another room when lyra takes his bed which subverts

3) How is age (e.g. teenagers; adults) represented in His Dark Materials? Does the show reinforce or challenge stereotypes about young people? Think about Lyra and Will plus the abandoned children they meet. Also think about Mrs Coulter and other adults.

role reversal, the children are in charge

4) How is race and ethnicity represented in His Dark Materials? Are stereotypes reinforced or subverted?

The witch was played by a black woman and was presented as powerful 

5) What representations of the world can you find in the episode - is it like real life? A fantasy world? Something from the past or future? Give examples from the episode.

fantasy 

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Think about how politicians, religion and people with power are represented in the episode. For example, how are the Magisterium shown in this episode? 

Read the critical Daily Bruin summary of the episode. Do you agree with the criticism? Why?