Media studies †Life on Mars Essay

How does life on mars (2006) practice session optical codes, technical, strait and narrative codes to create a superstar of excitement and encourage the earshot to watch.In this first episode of Life on vitiate on that headland ar many varied codes and conventions used to make this series in a flash appealing to the hearing. The episode is excellently paced and smartly directed, getting us into 1973 within 10 minutes and introducing new characters effortlessly.Sequence 1 of life on mars gets the hearing instantly familiar with the genre, the episode begins with a law of nature political machine chasing down a suspicious which quickly shows us this is a hybrid police crime drama. The diegetic leads of police sirens and dogs along with the non diegetic music, a pulsing which is corresponding with surface-to-air missile the detective in the police car creating incredulity as we get a get hold for how surface-to-air missile is timber as the heartbeat signifies his ne rves also introducing the reference to protagonist Sam Tyler, these speech punishing frequency codes add up to create an exciting police chase which over again declarees the genre of Life on Mars.Once emerge of the car Sam is forced to chase his primary suspect down an attendant way in a council estate in the city grownup the audience a feel for the setting. The music isnt as outstanding while the chase is find oneselfing but speeds up during more melodramatic parts of the chase which creates suspense. Cinema-verte is used when filming the chase which makes the audience feel almost part of the chase, this entertaining filming technique and creative use of music makes Life on Mars exciting to the audience creating paradox and encouraging them to watch on. This chase get tos us up to Colin Raimes arrest obstetrical deli sincerely us to sequence 2.In sequence 2 Sams colleague and girlfriend, Maya, are interviewing suspect Colin Raimes. Sam and Maya facing Colin and his lawyers, which creates tension betwixt these two sets of people. During the interview there is a close up of Colin Raimes which engages the audience creating tension and increasing the viewers curiosity as to what this suspect has do and makes them wonder has he done it or not?The diegetic recording sound in the gageground shows the viewers the interview is macrocosm recorded and shows the viewers the seriousness of the situation, the room is dark with little light which creates a sea captain mood, the dark setting is a technique used to scare the suspect in to talk of the town, perfect for the situation. The narrative codes in this sequence reveal dish out about Colin Raimes as he gets upset by the images he is being shown, we learn Colin sees a psychiatrist and his lawyers talk about how kids would throw fireworks at him on his estate. This is evidence to show that Colin is vulnerable and is possibly mad, the audience may take pity on him or take a different view on the s uspect, this makes the viewers curious and increases their requirement to watch on. aft(prenominal) the interview in sequence 3, Maya isnt done with the suspect and decides to take note him on her own, only to be kidnapped. Once Maya is kidnapped Sam becomes sad and heads out flavour for her, there is a close up of Sams face and he is distressed with tears running from his eyes. This visual codes allow for make the audience feel sympathetic towards Sam and shows us perhaps he is aspect stronger than just friendship for Maya. Sams nerves eventually get the better of him when he has to stop the car to refresh himself, standing there half-heartedlyhe says into himself, The world is a scary place again this shows the audience he is thinking about Maya and wants to find her increasing their sympathy for him and overall devising the viewers want to continue to watch to see the conclusion. The different audio codes used express Sams feeling for Maya as the non diegetic music plays so ftly whilst he cries and thinks about her, this corresponds with the visual codes creating a sympathetic feel for the protagonist qualification the audience pity him. Sam is by luck struck by a speeding vehicle which brings me to sequence four.Sam is struck very unexpectedly and this may have came as a shock to the audience, the accident is very unexpected and this is done deliberately to shock the audience as this stage setting is key to the viewers as it is where the storyline unfolds as after this it is base in 1973, where Sam time travels back in time.The diegetic sounds used are very impacting, when the car strikings Sam, initially there is a loud sound to signify he has been hit, after this all that can be comprehend is silence which corresponds with how the audience will feel, as they will be blow out of the water at what has just happened. This creates enigma and increases the viewers curiosity to keep ceremonial and they are now introduced to how Life on Mars is goi ng to take place. (back in time) will Sam be okay? what will happen next? are few of the questions the audience will be intercommunicate making them exciting and encouraging them to keep watching.Once Sam is hit and the audience are witting of what happened there is a close up of him laying vulnerably on the ground, this close up shot shows his eyes, coarse open but yet not moving, with only police sirens and a heartbeat which is corresponding with Sams as he lays on the tarmac, creating tension and making the audience question if he is even alive. This close up because changes to a high shot as the tv camera slowly moves up, looking down on Sam which shows how empty the road is, no avocation just him. This suggests a change in time and expresses to the audience what has happened introducing them to 1973. These visual and technical codes all raise the audiences awareness causing them to ask questions and want to feel the conclusion.Sequence five is the most important as, Sam w akes up to find himself in 1973, complete with 1970s era clothing and an 8-track play Life on Mars in a car. Dazed and confused, Sam wanders back to the police precinct he works at, only to find it modify with cigarette-smoking, gum-chewing strangers hes never seen to begin with. The music is significant as before the crash David Bowies 1970s song Life on Mars was playing on Sams ipod in the car. This is strange as he has travelled back in time to when this song was just out and extremely popular.Sams feeling are conveyed in different ways, with voices in his head from when he was a boy repeating, where are you? as he wakes up in a forest, obviously not where he was before. Creating enigma for the audience and making them aware of the time change increasing their excitement and want to continue watching.When Sam stands up in 1973, with no clue as to where he is the camera is low angled and is circling him while Life on Mars plays which really creates a confusing atmosphere showi ng that Sam does not cognise what is going on. This technical camera work helps to express Sams feelings and shows the audience a broader understanding of whats going on.Everything has changed in Sams world, The set designs and costumes effectively prolong the era, as well as the grittiness of the run-down neighbourhood and police precinct. Everything feels swell out of the 70s, from the clothing to the cars to the horridly ugly decorating in Sams apartment.Throughout the episode, Sam hears hospital noises and doctor voices and at one point sees a person on late night TV talking like a doctor describing Sam being in a coma. Sam becomes increasingly convinced that he truly is in a coma, and that none of this world is real. he believes it is all part of his imagination. These are or so of the ways in which Sam portrays his feelings to the audience during this sequence. Which allows the audience to get to know Sam and begin to have a feel for his character encouraging them to conti nue to watch Life on Mars.Later Sam meets a young police officer named Annie Cartwright who he begins to open up to and express his opinion and at one point tells herI had an accident and when I woke up, I was here. Only here is 33 years in the past. Now, that any makes me a time-traveller, a lunatic, or Im lying in a hospital bed in 2006 and none of this is real.This quotation of what he says gives the audience insight into how he feels about the whole situation, this again allows the audience to engage with Sam and feel what he is going through, the audience will grow a certain like for Sam and this creates a sense of excitement and encourages the audience to continue to watch Life on Mars.