Beck - Room 302 Analysis

Beck (Room 302) is a Swedish crime drama that focuses on unravelling the murder of a young woman whose body was discovered in a hotel room - most likely room number 302 due to the title of the episode. As it is a crime drama, there are examples of crime within; both of these are shown within the first two minutes of the feature length drama: one we see being performed, and for the other we only see the aftermath.

The first two minutes of any television or film are key for hooking the audience in, and so encouraging them to watch the remainder of the story; this is why I have chosen to analyse the first two minutes of Beck.

Before the story even begins, the audience is introduced to an eerie and enigmatic soundtrack: a high frequency pitch juxtaposed against a very deep tone is one that creates the 'creepy' feeling. The first shot then fades in to an unusual noise, almost like gears moving, or, as this is a crime drama, the barrel of a gun revolving and echoing perhaps. By utilising these specific non-diegetic sounds, the director/producer has immediately created tension and intrigue amongst its audience, resulting in them wanting to continue watching the programme. 

The first shot of this drama is an establishing shot of a high rise building, though it is unclear as to its purpose initially, which implies that this is where the action of the feature is to occur. It is during this shot that the previously mentioned 'deep tone' takes precedence and diegetic noises of night life (e.g. dogs barking) are introduced. This then cuts to the first crime of the story: a theft.

Two young men, dressed in dark clothes and hoodies, are in the process of stealing an expensive looking car in a well-lit urban area. The mise-en-scene of this shot is key in providing the viewer with information regarding the characters; by wearing dark clothes, it is clear that the thieves have planned to steal a car rather than just happening upon a vehicle that has taken their fancy. This suggests that they have perhaps done something similar in the past. Also, while both are wearing hoodies, the lookout has his hood down giving the audience, and others, a clear view of his face in the street light. Through this, you can infer that the thieves are confident in their ability to carry off the theft without being caught - again the mise-en-scene supports the idea that the characters specialise in vehicle theft.
As stated above, Thief One and Thief Two are wearing hoodies, a garment that is stereotyped to the lower classes; in this way, the audience might immediately assume that they are from the underclass, one which is often associated with the long-term unemployed and the career criminals. Given the crime they are committing, it can be read that they are career criminals rather than unemployed.
In light of how the thieves clothing provides the reader with a clue as to their background, so too does the clothing of the car owner. A low angled, long shot introduces the Owner who is clearly on the opposite end of the social spectrum to the thieves: an expensive looking suit and watch creates the impression of a professional person. Through his clothing, the director establishes an evident difference between the thieves and the Owner, one which is only emphasised by the Owner being placed in a higher position indicative of power. From this, you can surmise that the Owner is of a higher class, and also in a high paying job, the opposite of the thieves.
However, the Owner's power is only a result of his money as, very soon, the thieves are in the power position. Thief One draws a gun and the Owner is immediately compliant: "Take whatever you want" Owner. Not only does this represent a shift in power, but it also shows conflict within the social classes, an idea that is continued throughout the scene and is most discernible in the two shots. The two shots show Thief Two and the Owner within the same shot and facing each other on opposite sides, and thusly, in opposition (if they had been shown side-by-side in the shot, they would have been seen to be supporting each other). 
The first half of the opening scene of Beck is comprised of short shots accompanied by fast paced non-diegetic music, emphasising the danger and action of the crime committed; it sparks a sense of immediacy that makes it feel as though the theft were happening. This is a contrast the much slower second half, the part of the exposition that shows the aftermath of a crime, rather than one in action.
In the second half we are shown two seemingly unrelated moments; one is the discovery of a murder, the other, a mundane conversation by two hotel desk workers. To begin with, the interaction of two co-workers could be an attempt to insert some normality within what is, no doubt, a surreal experience for the hotel; not only does it emphasise the unusual nature of the murder, but it also makes the discovery more shocking that it would be without that normality: the abstract infringes upon reality.
What the director is more likely trying to achieve is to introduce key characters before the viewer is aware of their importance - in this case, it is the female member of staff that we are encouraged to focus upon, and so it is she who is likely to be one of the main characters in the text. The maid is a contrast to this; her relevance is revealed very soon, indicating that she is merely a catalyst in alerting the authorities rather than being important to the plot as a whole.
Although there is reference to the later importance of characters within this scene, the main focus is upon the discovery and, as a result, the journey of the maid. One shot of the maid is when she is approaching the victim's hotel room; it foreshadows the case the drama revolves around. The winding corridor she has to travel suggests that the case will not be straight forward and instead by complicated to solve - however, most notably, a backlight in the corridor is red. It is not overly noticeable and instead serves as a subtle warning to the viewer that something is about to be discovered.
While the light in the corridor is very subtle, the warnings in the hotel room are not so. Boldly coloured walls are the most notable aspect of the room, and, as more of the room is revealed, the room is coated in swatches of red - even though this colour is typically associated with warnings and danger, in the room itself, it is indicative of something else. Throughout the room, the victim's clothes are scattered (along with a champagne bottle) and the bed sheets are rumpled, suggesting that the victim had sexual intercourse before her death. Collectively, the excessive usage of red and the mise-en-scene create the impression that this particular murder was a crime of passion, immediately narrowing down the suspect pool and also hooking the viewer in with the enigma it inspires.
Another key point regarding how the discovery is made is the fact that it is made in daylight; this adds a sense of realism to the murder, and creates tension. This tension is furthered by employing the ticking of a clock that is clearly non-diegetic. The clock is almost like a countdown, or, when considering the beat of a clock, a pulse - the pulse of the victim perhaps. As the clock stops when it is revealed that the woman is dead, the idea that the clock is symbolic of a pulse only further emphasises the murder. 
The entire opening scene of Beck is one that employs the enigma code well, and encourages the audience to watch the rest of the drama. It engages ideas of conflict and utilises the mise-en-scene to create a wide range of meaning within the drama.

Representation in Media Task

Example 1 - Hot Fuzz, Sandford

Hot Fuzz revolves around the tale of an exceptional London policeman being involuntarily transferred to a "quaint" English village named Sandford. The village itself is intitially a stereotype; it is small area where everyone knows each other and is very welcoming. It is established to be a very peaceful area due to its non-existent crime statistics and also the fact that an escaped swan is the greatest emergency that can be tackled in Sandford. 
When PC Nicolas Angel is on his way to Sandford, there are a three extreme close ups of his phone throughout his journey at varying intervals: the first shows full signal, the second half, and the last time, he has no phone signal. This is conforming to the stereotype that there is no such thing as a mobile phone signal in the countryside. 
The audience also learns on the journey that Sandford is a model village thanks to a sign that Angel passes on his way to the remote town; and it does conform to the idea of a model village. It is a close knit community that runs frequent fetes to raise money for the churhc roof, and is filled with people that know each other well and just generally seems overly fake. Sandford conforms to the stereotype in which its presented to such a degree that it does not feel like a real place.

Example 2 - Dolce and Gabbana, The One

 "Dolce & Gabbana presents the new uncut The One film, revealing the provocative yet effortless femininity of the eternal diva."

The advert above is for one of Dolce & Gabbana's many perfumes, and, in this case, it is being showcased by Scarlett Johansson. Throughout the advert you get the sense that the model is being presented as classy through the lace trimmed dress and the fancy updo, and this representation is therefore extended to the perfume: if you use this perfume, you shall immediately smell like an upper class lady, or, at the very least, an actress. Also, by using Scarlett Johansson, the perfume company are trying to convey the sexual appeal the perfume can bring to the wearer; the actress is a very beautiful woman, and no doubt desired by numerous people. They also talk about sex - "I do all my own stunts, even love-making" - to express this idea to the audience.
There is plenty of 'wit' from Scarlett Johansson to the 'reporters' during the advert, again this is to convey that wearing the perfume will make you appear educated and cultured and so fit easily within the upper classes. The actress is also presented in such a way that she seems both girly and educated; it seems to be attempting to challenge a stereotype about women, but it does not seem to successfully do so.

Example 3 -  The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory is an American comedy revolving around the lives of socially awkward scientists and how they develop over the years after their new neighbour moves in across the hall. The scientists, Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj, are all highly educated people but are all incapable of interacting with the opposite sex successfully, whether it is due to long term disinterest (Sheldon) or they have selective mutism and so cannot speak to women (Raj). Much of their social awkwardness stems from the fact that they are nerds, and so have different interests to most people, like comic-con, and as such they are a stereotype of what society believes scientists and nerds to be.
Throughout the series, we meet at least three female scientists and all, unsuprisingly, wear glasses, another belief on what it takes to be a scientist or nerd. Whilst two of the female scientists, Leslie and Bernadette, seem perfectly capable of social interaction, the third, Amy, is completely new to the concept of friends and the term 'social life'. As such, The Big Bang Theory creates the representation that all scientists are nerds and that they are socially incompetent, as according to the stereotype society has created.

Identifying Audience Task

Example 1 - Doctor Who

Doctor Who is perhaps one of the most popular science fiction shows that is currently viewed; it attracts a wide audience from young children who want to hide behind the sofa, to adults who enjoy the constant action and suspense The Doctor holds his viewers in.
In the advert above, it is very clear as to the attraction of this TV programme: it is filled with action, and hints at humorous situations. As its a programme that various generations have grown up watching, or hearing about, it would be viewed, not by a single socio-economic class, but spread across the six with various numbers from each. Most would watch it as a temporary escape from reality, whilst others, due to its high popularity, would watch it for the social interaction to be gained from the discussions and theories that would ensue.
The preferred reading of this text would be that the Doctor is the hero of the show, as stated in the trailer itself: "I'm the Doctor. And I save people!" (The Doctor). It is clear that the majority of the audience would take the preferred reading of this text; the Doctor, whilst being an alien, has saved a great number of civilisations and would be viewed as a hero by those that grew up watching this programme. However, it is possible that, due to regeneration and the changing nature of the Doctor, that many would be incapable of relating to the character and would view him in a far more oppositional light than what the producers desire: he may be a man that saves people, that does not necessarily make him a good man.

Example 2 - How to Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon is a popular animated children's film that was first released in 2010, which has since produced a successful sequel. The target age range for this film is probably between 8 to 12 years, with its most likely consumer being male; a result male main characters within a primarily male society who ride dragons. Due to its target audience being so young, it had a high chance of appealing to adults too; they are the ones who would pay for the film to be seen. Again, the target audience also means that professional people would be least likely to view it, and so the most likely socio-economic classes to watch this film would be B, C1 and C2 - there is, however, a possibility of those within the A and D classes being targeted also.
The text attracts its audience by presenting an ancient society of our world interacting with the fictional world of dragons; to sum up, by the end of this film, the children would want a pet dragon. The audience would view this film for the entertainment value, although it could be a result of social interaction.
The target audience - namely children - would take the preferred reading of this text: that two different societies can harmoniously cohabit a similar region if we look past the surface. Given it is a family film, it is unlikely (but possible) that anyone would take an oppositional stance to the text.

Example 3 - Top Gear

In recent years Top Gear has become one of the most controversial factual programmes, mostly due to the antics of former presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. The target audience is young adults and 'petrol-heads' rather than any specific gender; given its content, the socio-economic classes would be stereotypically C1 to E - though the E class would be students rather than pensioners. Those within the A and B classes may watch it, but it is targeted towards the lower economic classes.
The text attracts the vast majority of its audience through the controversy it creates - a diplomatic incident in Argentina being one such example - alongside the situations the Top Gear boys find themselves in. It's a fun filled show with plenty of bawdy humour and facts regarding the various cars they test. Many would watch this show for the entertainment value and the social interaction likely to evolve from the content, but there are others that watch it purely for the information it provides concerning the latest and best vehicles on the market.
While many would see the preferred reading of three regular people going on adventures and testing the latest cars, there are those who find the controversy they create to be stupid and would therefore take an oppositional reading. These would be those who find the humour and entertainment to be crude and are far from petrol heads.