Cutting it essay

How are the audience positioned to respond to the characters in this extract? How do the MICRO elements encourage this positioning?

Younger viewers would probably respond to this by turning away from the scene or saying it was predictable whereas older viewers would probably respond to this by wondering what was going to happen next and when she gets hit, asking themselves ‘is she going to die?’. Older viewers would probably respond to the sequence by saying he is a true gentleman.

The sequence uses a storyline which could possible actually happen and doesn’t seem overly made up to attract to the audience. The sequence story line of the woman not wanting to wait to tell the man the news is also very appealing because we wonder what the news was going to be, and it leaves us on a cliff hanger wanting to watch more to see what we will find out.  The use of the day-to-day basic costumes and basic normal high street scene also makes it seem very realistic.

The facial expressions of the characters, paired alongside the other micro elements, make up a predominant part of the audiences responses to each different part of the extract. The use of sharing emotions with the audience, is a really good way for them to be pulled into the extract, and makes their response more emotional because the audience feel closer to the characters because they know how the characters feel through their choice of emotions.

Sounds are a major part of this extract of ‘Cutting it’ and really help the viewer to imagine the scene at specific important points throughout the extract.

The use of the long shot when the woman gets hit shows the audience the extremity of what has happened. It also shows  the audience where the storyline was set and at what time during the day it was. The use of the slow motion encourages the characters to respond with shock when the man runs towards the woman who has been hit. The slow motion shows the characters exactly what is happening and gives them time to respond and think about the woman being hit.

When the woman is hit by the bus, lots of sounds are used. The use of lots of sounds makes the audience quite confused, but you could also know what was going on just through the use of sounds and not watching the extract. By using traffic and car sounds such as horns, screeching tyres and car brakes we instantly think of a crash or something dangerous. The audience respond to this being followed by the sound of a slow heartbeat with the instant thought that someone is injured or has been hurt and is in a bad way.

The long drawn out music is a significant indication to the audience that something sad has happened; in this case it confirms to the audience their response of “has the woman died.”