Adam Bailey

How does Survivors show representation towards families?

The opening of this extract begins with an extreme long shot of earth and the sun rising over it. Although this is a commonly used shot in programmes, it is still seen by the audience as an establishing shot; bringing the entire world together as one.

This extract comes in immediately with the opening credits. The editor has increased the speed of quick shots of ethnic groups surrounded in flame giving the viewer an idea that the rest of the series will involve terrible things happening to the world. This is also backed up by the establishing shot and the growing bacteria placed over the top of the shots.

During the credits the editor has incorporated shot that appear to be like home videos; shots of a couple plying on the beach and looking deeply in love. The home video technique gives a personal touch to the extract for the viewing audience.

After the credits and the title shot the camera cuts to a highly lit shallow depth of field shot of a man walking towards the camera. The non-diagetic sound of a bass wipe is incorporated when extras walk through the frame. This cuts to an extreme long shot with a deep depth of field of an escalator with a woman’s voice over laying the shot. This cuts to a shot of a man and woman (possibly married) talking about their son. Stereotypically the mother is worrying as she has found out the boy has been in an accident. Whereas the man is portrayed as more down to earth and calm. Although it seems more likely he is like that to keep his wife calm. During this tracking shot the couple are standing in front of a glass wall with the sun shining through; making them silhouette in the centre on the frame.

Another establishing shot is then shown from an aerial view of an English estate. This cuts to the family back in their house with another couple. The camera keeps a shallow depth of field within these quick cut shots as the family begin discussing a wide spread virus and their sons cancer.

Focus in this sequence is mainly kept on the mother character. This has been done by over the shoulder shot, reaction shots and keeping the depth of field focused on her in the frame (even when she isn’t the character speaking).

Although this family is portrayed as close, there seems to be a tension created by the news in the background talking about the virus, and all the quick cut shots.

From then the extract moves onto a close up of a daisy chain around a woman’s wrist being made by a little girl. This cuts to a two shot of a woman (a teacher) and a young girl (a nursery student). The little girl tells her teacher that her mother is ill. The teacher replies to this with an optimistic outlook saying that they are lucky because they’re not sick. The shot is one of the longest in the extract with no cuts.

The little girl’s father is then introduced as he runs into the frame. A cut of the girl and dad hugging in a long two person shot behind a metal fencing; representing quarantine. The shot does not suit the rest of the scene and makes the audience feel uncomfortable.

The man seems like a middle class dad as he is dressed in a business suit but has to catch the bus and not drive.

The prison scene is shot with very low key lighting making it almost look black and white (the officers and prisoners are also all dressed in black and white clothes) A Binary opposition is portrayed between the police officer and prisoner.

As the officer and prisoner walk from the back of the frame to the front, the focus is kept on them with a shallow depth of field. The writers have used this a lot in the extract. As they walk to the front of the frame the prisoner is arguing with the officer about the fact they are being treated inhumanly. However the officer does not seem to be fazed by it. Ironically this makes the prisoner come off as a lesser of two evils.

The sequence ends with the prisoner being locked away and only a section of his face is being lit up. This gives the viewer the impression that this prisoner is going to cause some damage and isn’t someone to trust.

Opening credits