Research and Planning

Waterloo Road

 I am looking at the opening scene of every episode for waterloo road this is the introduction which is used whenever this programme is shown on TV. The opening scene starts off with a high angle shot which is a bird’s eye view of a student then going into a long shot  of other students sitting at a desk which allows the audience see this programme is based in a school and is also about school students and the setting  is based in a school. There is also a medium shot used on the head teacher which allows the viewer to her facial expressions and body language.  After this there is then a straight cut after a fast cut which allows the viewer to feel engaged in what’s going on and the intensity of the opening scene. Also, it allows the viewer to see the other actors as they only have a certain amount of time when they are filming a title sequence which means there will be lots of fasts cuts as they want to fit all the main characters in. The deputy head teacher is then introduced in the title sequence we see his facial expressions with a close-up which emphasises he is angry in that particular part which can suggest something about his character as he is introduced in the title sequence as this kind of character in the programme. In addition, there is shot reverse shot used on the same actor at the beginning with a close up which gets the viewer to feel more engaged with what’s happening in that particular moment. After there is a dissolve cut showing two additional characters from the programme they have been introduced through a medium shot. With this shot it allows the viewer to see the characters costumes and facial expression from the characters facial expressions this could foreshadow what kind of characters they are in the programme.

The sound in this title sequence is non-digetic as it isn’t in the actual recording of the programme but recorded over it to suit the actions. The music is parallel to the video as there is many fast cuts used in this sequence and it goes really quickly and the sound is fast upbeat sound.

In addition, there is also a good use of props used in the background of the title sequence, i.e. the food on the table alongside with the book show it’s a canteen where the students are eating whilst studying. Also, the mugs in the teachers hand suggest they are in a staff room which tell us where the setting is. 

This programme is aimed at young school kids around 15-19 as it is about school students in a school and they can relate to them. This comes on at a reasonable time in the evening at 8pm as they know school students wont be able to watch this during the day as they will be at school/ college, therefore it comes on at this time to suit their target markets needs.