"Agent Carter" Show Extract

The show "Agent Carter" has many different camera shots, sound effects, examples of mise-en-scene, and different types of editing. Writing about about this film is helping me to understand how these shots are actually used in movies and how they can affect them and change how they may be viewed.

In the tv show the show starts by using close up shots to show the ending of "Captain America: The First Avenger" when Steve dies and Peggy has to say bye to him. Then in the show we move on to an establishing shot to show New York which tells us that it has been some time after Steve Rogers was lost and Peggy had to move on and start somewhere new. After the establishing shot we move into a close up shot over Peggy's shoulder where we see her at a desk talking to two men. The show also uses close up shots when Peggy is trying to infiltrate the enemy base and she ends up having to fight 2 men. In the scene it is quickly cutting in between Peggy's view of the attack and another guard's view from inside.

The second part of the film that is essential is the different techniques that they use when editing. In the clip the editors use a lot of simultaneity, mainly in the beginning of the clip, when we see Peggy sitting at the radio and Steve flying the ship; the sound that is used in this clip however tells the viewer that they are both talking together at the same time but in different places. There is also a little bit of symbolism when Peggy sees Steve's photo she knows that she has to do this mission by herself even if her boss thinks she is incapable.

Another part of this show clip is the different techniques they use for sound. When the film starts their is non-diegetic sound being used because music is playing in the background, there is also more non-diegetic sound when Peggy finds her old photo of skinny Steve in her drawer. The music playing in the background is somber to show how Peggy is missing Steve, however the music becomes more intense and more like action music when Peggy goes on the mission by herself; this is used to show the change in mood in the scene. In this clip there is also a lot of diegetic sound when in the office because of all the people talking. The sound in the clip is used well to show how Peggy is feeling at the moment.

The final part of the show clip is the mise-en-scene, the whole use of mise-en-scene is used to show Peggy and all the lighting around her; the use of low and high key lighting both cause the viewer to have a different reaction whenever they see Peggy. The use of high key lighting causes the viewer to feel sympathy towards the situation Peggy is in, however the use of low key lighting is used to make the viewer feel sad and gloomy.

Overall, the use of different films helps me to practice and understand how they may be used in actual films, this example show uses many different sound clips, mise-en-scene, camera shots, and different techniques for editing in order to make the viewer understand the importance of a scene.