Sunday, November 02, 2008

Analysis of camerawork, editing and sound in the 'Desperate Housewives' clip

Season 5, episode 1.

The camera shows different medium and long shots from the people in the Wisteria Lane which is totally destroyed. The transitions between the shots are just cuts. Over the scene is a narration, a so called voiceover. The character speaks directly to the audience, this is a direct mode of adress. The music is synchronous it matches the pace of editing.
Then we can see a close up of a hand carrying a cup of water and the camera goes up and away from it, so we can see Bree Vandecamp is carrying it. It's like an eyeline match but only the other way. The camera is unsteady and keep her in focus then she is passing it.

The next one is an establishing/long shot taken from a crane then the camera ia zooming slowly in to the face of Lynette. There is still the narration and the music over the scene but now we also can hear the ambient sounds, like a walky talky from the police, people who talking, etc.
Then an eyeline match follows, now we can see on what the crowd is staring. It's a destroyed house. This long shot is also took from a crane.
The camera is tracking Bree through the people and stops again at Lynette. The medium shot of a firefighter and the medium close up of the desperate housewives were separated through cuts.
The ambient sounds and the sad music are still there when a dialouge between the women starts. When Susan is pointing at the paramedics the next shot shows them from the way the crowd is seeing them. Again there are no special transitions, just cuts.

After Lynette left the group a medium shot shows Susan and edie talking. There is no backgroundmusik only the dialouge and ambient sounds.
When Karen or Bree are saying something a quick cut shows them and than an other cut back again to Susan and Edie. There's a shot reverse shot between Edie and Karen.

A high angle shot shows a firefighter so we know something important will happen.A cut to Lynette, she reacts to the sentence from the firefighter. To the same time music starts.The camera is tracking the little girl coming out of the house through the firefighter and then hugging her mother.
Then a shot back to the housewives shows the happy emotions of them.There are medium shots of the kids coming out of the destroyed house.The music increases.
All people (Lynette, Kids, Housewives) are looking at something, an eyeline match shows they are looking if Tom, Lynettes Husband, is coming out too. The music stops when a hand of Tom appears, but there are still the ambient sounds.
A close up shows the emotion of Lynette, facilitate.
New music starts when Tom is hugging his family, the camera shows them wih a medium shot.

The medium close up of Karen shows that she is happy, but then her emotions are changing to disquiet - where is her best friend Eyda ? To the same time the music changes too. The camera is tracking her and a cuts to Tom. An over the shoulder shot to Lynette , she's looking questioningly.
When Tom is shaking his head the music changes completly. At the medium close up of Edie and Susan the voiceover begins again. The camera shows Edie going to Karen and stand besides her. Then it tilt down to the hands.