Shameless essay

Shameless series 1, episode 5 (37-41 minutes).

"Explain how (to what effect) camerawork and editing are used in this excerpt."

In this excerpt of Shameless, we studied not only the camera techniques but also the editing. As Shameless is a well-edited piece of TV drama, it was not as easy to point out the editing structures as other dramas.
The excerpt itself was 4:00 minutes long however in this four minutes there was a complex amount of camera techniques, all of which can be grouped into particular categories. The first selection of camera techniques I have grouped are those that see the characters from the audiences point of view (more so than the others), for example the scene itself begins with a long shot of Frank, and follows with the camera Tracking. The use of tracking is the first way the director establishes the character form the audiences’ point of view. Another technique that is used, and can be placed in the same category is the use of when the camera cuts between each character involved in the scene, (after the fight between Frank and his son). This is done to show who, what and why the characters are and doing in this scene. The final characteristic of the camera, in this category is zooming. This occurs in this scene to highlight the importance of ‘Karl’ (in this excerpt), and again is from the audiences’ point of view.
The second category is the camera angles used from the characters point of view; to a certain extent. The first most obvious example of this is when the camera cuts to a point of view shot, of ‘Karl’ whilst he is driving, this shot shows Karl looking at his father ‘Frank’; giving us the impression that there is tension between the character looking, and the character being looked at. The second camera technique that reflects the feeling of the character is when the camera is on a cantered angle. Using this angle, even for just the 2 seconds, gives us as the audience a sense of how the character involved (Frank) is feeling, when he has been knocked to the ground, in this case unsteadiness. Similar techniques, which give the same effect, the point of view of the character, are those such as a ‘worms eye view’. In this excerpt this is used almost as a point of view shot of Frank when he is on the floor, showing the contrast of levels in the actual fight scene. A fish eye lens is also used in this compilation of techniques, to reflect how ‘Karen’ is feeling in this scene (overly stressed) but also to show where she is, hence the use of fish eye to show more of her bedroom.
In this excerpt of Shameless, or any TV drama, the camera angles would not have the same effect if the process of editing did not occur. Shameless is a prime example of ‘good’ editing as whilst deconstructing it, it is hard to notice every cut or transition, it is however possible to identify the obvious and some of the more subtle techniques.
To create a sense of organization among the types of editing, it is possible to apply the same categories to the techniques, point of view of audience and point of view of characters. The first occurrence of a simple piece of editing, a cut, is used in sync with the first camera movement, tracking. The editing takes the tracking to a side view of the car that Karl is driving; this allows cut allows us to see what is taking place, our point of view of the situation. This is the first category, the point of view of the audience. Along with this first cut, the second cut to a reverse zoom of all the characters framed, shows us where all the characters are, in this case out side of ‘Sheila’s’ house. After this scene the setting is in Sheila’s’ house, along with Frank and Karen, in this scene an example of editing is the use of a cut away of Karen, this is used, and can be situated into the same category, as the technique allows us as the audience to see Karen is present. The second category used to distinguish the editing techniques is the point of view of the characters. Shameless achieves this extraordinary well, as when watching an episode or even just an excerpt we are able to feel the same emotion as the characters. A prime example of this occurs directly after the fight scene and just before the next scene; this is the transition between them. The transition is a blurred white fade in, and is used to highlight the unconsciousness of Frank (after just being beaten up). A similar effect is used in the fight scene itself, again a blurred effect however not a transition, it is used more as a cut; this is because we are still in the same scene. It is possible to say the purpose of both of these effects is the same, to highlight the unsteadiness of the character. The final piece of editing that is categorized into this category is an eye-line match. This is used in the second half of the extract when we see Frank look at Karen, then the camera pans across to Karen herself whilst she is static, and again when she exits the scene. This is in this category because we see what the character sees; the characters point of view.
In this excerpt of ‘Shameless’ it is possible to identify many different camera shot types and editing techniques, however without working in unison, both would not be any where near as effective as they are when used together.