Thursday, 9 February 2017

Stranger Things Analysis

Stranger Things Episode 1

The Opening Scene

In the opening of the first episode the audience are given the date that the episode takes place in and a location. The location is a laboratory, laboratories are usually associated with researching things kept from the public and experiments. The first shot is an establishing shot of the stars which gives the audience a sense of the unknown as space is vast and somewhat unnerving. The camera pans down to a wide shot of the laboratory, this could connote that space and the lab have something to do with each other, it could also mean that the lab is also unnerving and could be hiding something, just like the vastness of space. The shot of the building is in darkness, small lights dimly illuminate and trees surround the it and this shows that the building is hidden and secretive. At this point, the only sounds that the audience hears are the sounds of nocturnal wildlife, this also adds to the disguised nature of the building as it is surrounded by wildlife. The building gives off a ominous vibe as it is grey with high tech satellites attached and the large cube shape of the building creates a prison like feeling.

The next shot is of the camera moving through a hallway, presumably in the laboratory. We see florescent lights flicker on and off, this is the first time the audience sees what becomes a main staple in the series. Light is very important later on so it was important that the director establish this early on in the episode. The two doors shown in this scene are heavy, secure and water tight doors that are usually seen in ships and bunkers, this contrasts with the lab’s more tame outside appearance. The dull grey aesthetic from the previous set carries over to this scene which tells the audience that this shot takes place in the lab. The camera movement is slow and moves towards a door, this immerses the audience as it makes them feel as if they are walking through the hallway. The camera has a slow pace which helps build tension and anticipation. The position of the camera is very low and by doing this, the audience feel small and it makes the door more imposing because of its scale.


As the camera gets closer, the light starts to flicker violently building tension. The camera stops and this is immediately followed by the loud  sound of the door opening, this is meant to break the tension and shock the audience. The door opens and a unnamed scientist bolts through the hallway, the audience can see that the scientist is afraid and is running away from something. The thing that he is running away from isn’t shown which keeps the suspense high for the audience. This sets the tone for the target audience which would be late teens to adults, younger children would be afraid of this unseen monster premise. The scientist finally reaches the elevator, he is petrified. The thing he is running from still hasn't been shown and the action has grinded to a halt. All the audience can hear is the alarm noise and the scientist frantically pressing the elevator button. The lights start to flicker faster and faster drawing the audience in and the long perspective POV shot of the corridor creates an illusion of the viewer being immersed in the world. The scene concludes with the scientist getting into the elevator. There is a close up shot of the scientist as he looks up to the ceiling of the elevator. The audience can hear a deep animalistic noise. The scene evokes fear for the audience, they should be afraid of what they can't see. The scientist gets lifted by this monster in the elevator and because this scientist has no name or real character, the audience can project themselves onto him in order to be more immersed in this scene. The monster is never shown which allows the audience to use their imaginations to create their own monsters.

This opening scene sets the overall tone of the show by scaring off younger audiences and allowing older audiences to tap into their child-like imagination because of this minimalistic opening scene. A lot of tension is built in this scene which excites the audience and makes them want to keep watching.




No comments:

Post a Comment