1. How to analyze a
TV drama
Tina Hartnell

2. Section A
For section one you watch a five minute clip of a TV drama.
You will then write a textual analysis of it discussing how it
represents the following…
• Gender
• Age
• Ethnicity
• Sexuality
• Class and status
• Physical ability/disability
• Regional identity
By using the following areas…

3. Camera shots
• Establishing shot (extreme long shot) - Establishes where you want your viewer to
be (location)
• Master shot - show the limit of action (If its in a room you will see that first)
• Over the shoulder shot - (shot, reverse shot) conversation your not supposed to
notice how its done.
• Close ups - (usually follow the over the shoulder shot) more about the characters
reaction less about the location. From the face up.
• Extreme close ups - highlight an action of big significance or an emotional reaction.
• Medium close up - from the chest up.
• Medium shot - from the waist up.
• Long shot - whole person. Medium long shot.

4. Camera Movement
• Tracking shot – The camera follows the object as it moves.
• Pan shot – A sweeping shot from either left to right or right
to left.
• Tilt shot – A sweeping shot from top to bottom or bottom to
top.
• Crane
• Steadicam
• Handheld
• Zoom
• Reverse zoom

5. Camera angle
• High angle
• Low angle
• Canted angle

6. Composition
• Framing
• Rule of thirds
• Depth of field – deep and shallow focus
• Focus pulls

7. Editing
• Transition of image and sound – continuity and non-
continuity
• Cutting: shot/reverse shot
• Eyeline match
• Graphic match
• Action match
• Jump cut
• Crosscutting
• Parallel editing
• Cut away; insert
• Other transitions, dissolve, fade in/out, wipe,
superimposition, long take, short take, slow motion,
ellipsis and expansion if time, post-production, visual
effects.

8. Sound
• Diegetic and non-diegetic sound
• Syncronous/asyncronous
• Sound effects
• Sound motif
• Sound bridge
• Dialogue
• Voice over
• Mode of address/ direct address
• Sound mixing
• Sound perspective
• Sound track
• Score
• Incidental music
• Themes and stings
• Ambient sound