Media Audiences: What techniques does the opening sequence use to appeal to a weekday mainstream audience?



The techniques used are a range of different angle shots such as close ups and low angle shots to establish the surroundings. This also immediately grabs the attention of the audience and lures them in to watching further, even more this raises enigma codes such as: why is the girl alone? What is her relation with the woman? The shots have been edited to slow down the pace of the sequence, this is done to build and intensify suspense. In contrast there is a fast paced zoom to the garden door and a black fade to the next shot, however in between the close up slows down at the black car giving it significance. Also as the colour of the car is black this connotes that something negative is associated with the car. There is also use of pathetic fallacy as the weather is quite grey and dull foreboding something hasty in due events.



Media Institutions: What does this text tell us about the media institutions involved?



The media institution involved is the BBC, and evidently at the start of the sequence their main aim is to entertain the audience. As they are not informing the audience of any problem other than the 'spies' spying on the two couple, it is comprehensive that the only issue being explored is within the sequence and does not relate to any other issues related to the audience. Therefore it is understandable that their main purpose is to entertain.

Media Forms: How does the extract follow the codes and convention of an opening sequence?

As the sequence starts, it instantly lures the audiences and satisfies them in revealing that it is a drama. In the sequence, we see a pair through big close up shots yet the audience is oblivious to who the couple are, which builds some tension in the scene and indicates that the genre is drama. The tone of the sequence is quite serious which evidently signifies it as a drama as this type of tone would not be witnessed in a romance or comedy. The extract follows the codes and conventions by using binary opposition, where as the couple is seated in a black coloured car connoting to negativity therefore the opposition maybe ‘good vs bad’. The immediacy of the sequence would raise enigma codes such as: why are they spying on this couple? For what reason? What did they do? The opening sequence follows some codes and conventions however excludes the typical ones such as: a title sequence or a recap which gives the audience an insight of the previous episode. Although as the extract successfully builds tension and raises enigma codes it fits the conventions of a drama.The opening sequence reinforces the personal values the couple have and the sense of solidarity between them visual through their behaviour. There's also the form of integration and social interaction as the clip identifies a sense of belonging with the couple. This is typical as by having this type of behaviour it heightens the drama set forth.