Learning Aim a Task 1 TV darma

Call the Midwife

Analysing TV Drama

The TV drama called “Call the Midwife” starts with incidental music which is mall piece of instrumental music at the very beginning of every episode of midwifes. However it’s always used at the start so it creates feeling that episode is starting and that audience should put their attention in a show now, it’s like a signal that TV drama starts. The incidental music is used throughout to represent cast and show.

The show follows to aural landscape which is way of designing sound to create mood and atmosphere. For example in a show man is running to phone box and music is very intense, loud and quick. Which creates feeling of rush and tension. However another example is when women gave birth at first music was intense to make audience nervous, however after they used relaxing music which showed audience that everything is aright and good. It created relaxing, happy atmosphere.

The show also used sound effects like; baby cries, footsteps, door slamming. The effects were used throughout the show to create better sound of environment, to make audience hear what’s going on around better. It makes audience feel that they are in the actual show. The music is also playing in a background when effects are used, so effects are louder than actual music to let audience hear the actual sound effect.

As a narrative follows at 02:22 we can see woman cycling and then voice over is used. However, audience can see that voice over is not her actual words but her thoughts. Because woman looks focused and doesn’t move her mouth. It makes audience understand character better and see hers perspective. While she is cycling she focused on her thoughts, but she gets interrupted by another woman asking her question and voice over stops. However dialogues tarts between her and another lady.

The dialogue is used at 03:08. Couple starts talking in Received Pronunciation, which is completely opposite from midwifes. This shows to the audience that couple is higher class than midwifes. It makes audience understand their characters better.

The pleonastic was also used when women gave birth to her child. It showed her emotions that she was really happy and music was reflecting that atmosphere. When she start crying from happiness music became happier and relaxing. Which gives audience feeling of happiness and sadness. It gives audience mixed feeling that makes show more interested and grabs more attention.