His Dark Materials: Language and Representations blog tasks

Language and close-textual analysis

1) Camerawork, editing and sound:

The opening non-diegetic sound is epic, orchestral music which sets the adventure and fantasy genre and also the suspenseful atmosphere. There are a number of establishing shots which show the various settings: mountains, rainforests, oceans, 'the city in the sky'. These type of locations again reinforce the adventure/fantasy genre. The editing throughout the episode shows the use of CGI (computer-generated imagery) with the airships, talking animals (daemons) and the witches. There are uses of high angle shots and fast-paced editing during the chase scene. There's uses of diegetic and non-diegetic sound throughout the entirety of the episode, which vary from intense to more mellow as well as an abundance of low and high angled camera shots in order to make characters seem powerful or inferior, such as Mrs Coulter and the witch.

Mise-en-scene:

There are a number of different settings depicted in the episode, varying from oceans, skies, caves, forests and the remote city in the sky. Mrs Coulter sports a deep red dress, connotes to danger or superiority and emphasises her role as a villain. There are a number of different props e.g hot air balloons, submarines, gadgets - links to steampunk. The lighting for Mrs Coulter and Ruta Skardi emphasises their power.

Narrative and genre:

The series follows a fantasy genre, through the use of talking animals (daemons), as well as a steampunk/futuristic genre due to old, Victorian technology (mix of past and future). It follows different narratives e.g. Todorov's equilibrium (the prophecy) along with a mix of enigma and action codes.

2) His Dark Materials fit the conventions of a typical fantasy genre through the use of many other-worldly settings, along with following a clear narrative arc. The plot also follows an adventure or quest-like narrative, often used in fantasy TV series or films. It uses iconography which includes animals that speak, magic, or other mystical creatures and has an ongoing political theme throughout the entirety of the show.

3) In terms of Propp's character theory, Lyra would be the hero and Will as the sidekick (or Lyra's daemon Pan), which subverts typical gender stereotypes. The role of the "hero" is usually taken up by a male, and many would assume that Lyra would be considered the "princess" due to her being a girl. However, she completely breaks those stereotypes as she lacks the mannerisms and 'cleanliness' women are usually thought to have and instead it was Will who showed these specific characteristics. The donor would perhaps be Ruta Skardi and Mrs Coulter and the Magisterium as the villain, again subverting certain stereotypes (as many would assume the main villain to be a man).

4) Action codes within the episode include Lyra and Will finding other people in the somewhat deserted city, and the entire chase scene that follows. This is done by the use of medium shots and birds-eye shots which makes the scene much more suspenseful. Enigma codes include the use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound, e.g the soundtrack, which creates a tense atmosphere and also leaves a dramatic effect, making the audience drawn to what is going on. Another enigma code may be the prophecy about Lyra, as it leaves the audience with a sense of curiosity as to what will happen next.

5) Some examples of binary opposition within the episode includes: good vs evil (Lyra and Will vs Mrs Coulter and the Magisterium), young vs old (the children in the 'city in the sky' vs the adults who got hunted by spectres). Another use of binary opposition could be the difference in gender, but also how they are portrayed to act entirely the opposite of how gender roles are usually perceived - given the fact that Lyra tends to be more hostile and bold however Will is shown to be more welcoming, friendly and compassionate; whilst simultaneously adopting certain mannerisms most commonly expected of a female character, such as cooking and cleaning. All these different types of Levi-Strauss' binary opposition may create narrative for the audience as they link back to certain narrative theories, like Todorov's equilibrium, Roland Barthes' enigma and action codes or Propp's character theory.

Representations

1) In His Dark Materials, women are portrayed in a way which breaks all specific stereotypes of how they should be conveyed within the media. For example, women are typically shown to be caring and attentive, and yet both Lyra and Mrs Coulter are both quite the opposite. Lyra is more reclusive and aggressive, and completely unlike how women are usually thought to act. She also doesn't know how to cook which is widely thought to be a womanly task, doesn't really care about her appearance, doesn't display any careful manners, is more insensitive to others and their belongings (e.g walking on the bed), and is the one leading the way rather than Will, which subverts initial stereotypes. Additionally, Mrs Coulter also lacks certain 'feminine' traits, given the fact that she's vile and corrupt and doesn't display any motherly attributes (what with her wanting to destroy Lyra, who also happens to be her own daughter). However, a stereotype which is reinforced may be Mrs Coulter's appearance. She wears very excessive make-up including deep red lipstick and a dress of the same colour, reinforcing the stereotype that women care very much about how they look - the colour red is also known to radiate fierceness, confidence or seductiveness.

2) Similar to how women are represented in His Dark Materials, men are shown in a way which also subverts a number of stereotypes. For example, the character of Will, the boy who Lyra befriends, is conveyed as caring and well-mannered. He is kind and welcoming to Lyra who is the complete opposite, and also usually is the one doing the household chores such as cooking food or making the beds, which is normally known to be a 'womanly' task to do. Though men within the media are typically portrayed as fierce, bold and valiant people, Will tends to be the more soft one of the pair, and instead follows Lyra's lead - therefore subverting stereotypes. Although, through the character of Lee Scoresby, some can say that stereotypes of men are reinforced. Lee is shown as a broad, strong-willed man who is independent and falls into the typical "masculine" category, therefore supporting the usual stereotype of how men are represented in the media.

3) Age is represented in His Dark Materials in a way which subverts normal stereotypes of teenagers. As the episode is set in a city which has been completely stripped of adults, leaving only children behind, it's evident here more so. The younger characters are shown to be daring, brave and solely independent - whilst they're simultaneously able to get by without the aid of adults, which as a result subverts typical stereotypes of teenagers as usually they would be seen having somebody to depend on. Although, some stereotypes could be reinforced given the constricted and cold attitude and mannerisms the younger characters give off, similar to how some teenagers act in today's day and age. The way in which adults are conveyed may challenge certain stereotypes of grown-ups, as they would typically be more attentive and affectionate towards children, however Mrs Coulter is the complete opposite - she is shown to be a vile and evil woman who holds a deep thirst to find and potentially hurt Lyra.

4) The way that race and ethnicity is represented in His Dark Materials is seemingly accurate of the decade in which the show was released. Nowadays, in more recent pieces of media, the BAME community is getting much more representation as opposed to much older TV shows and films. This is done through the characters Will Parry and Ruta Skardi, who subvert certain stereotypes of race and ethnicity. Also, the abandoned children that Lyra and Will come across in the deserted city are portrayed as poor and working-class in a very stereotypical manner.

5) Throughout the episode, the world or multiple worlds are shown to be fantasy and unlike anything we could imagine within our own world. Despite this, the worlds also resemble aspects of our world too, as some settings look entirely normal (e.g. the oceans, skies and forests) though some are wholly different including the fact that Will seems to come from ‘our’ world, as he didn't understand the concept of supernatural things such as daemons or Dust. However, Lyra's world seems to be completely mystical and magical, holding both futuristic but old-fashioned aspects to it, such as the Magisterium and their patriarchal views.