Analysis of Shameless

I have choose to analyse Shameless, the series illustrate the dysfunctional family of Frank Gallagher, a single father of six children. While he spends his days drunk, his kids learn to take care of themselves.

Season 2, episode 10, A great cause:

I had to discuss the ways in which the extract create essence through camera shots, angles, movement and composition, editing, sound, and mise-en-scène:

The first thing that you can notice about is the tint used in the format. The whole passage is filmed with a warm tint that expresses a   cosy family relation. This variation with the low-key lighting that gives the whole film a dark, melancholy tract. This means that even though the family context is cosy, there is nothing warm about this crumbled family.

The shaky camera movement (filmed using a handheld filming technique) suggest disequilibrium and gives the whole passage a dramatic meaning. It’s practically as if something would break out at any moment (i.e. confrontation, weeping…).

All of the dialogues that can be classified under the diegetic sound category connote a low-class family and their daily struggles.

When Fiona and her brother are speaking, their faces are progressively zoomed-in on. Those extreme-close ups are used to better portray their emotions when the conversation gets tense and their voices are taking intense. This stagy effect shows hopelessness, just as the expression (cold, dim, worrisome eyes).

As the daughter barges in her mother’s room, the angle from which their conversation is filmed is a modified over-the-shoulder shot (the mother’s shoulder). From this point of view, we notice the mother’s negligence even more. This means that she has, in some way, given up. She won’t even make the effort to respond to her own daughter, who is rightfully accusing her of her wrongdoings.

At what mise-en-scène is refer, is quite pitiful. Most of the things are in a mess, and this comprehend every aspect of the house: the room where the mother rest, the kitchen ( in which the brother complains about the sofa), the hall. We could say the things have been moved randomly. This mean to say that no one is close to make sense of every single thing that takes place. Another aspect that we can consider is the dinner table, it seems to be deteriorated and unused. This carry out that the family may never really bother eating together in harmony. 

The end scene hold Fiona by her own, when she makes her entrance she is filmed from a  low angle. This makes her seem greater than she actually is, and imply that she is the only one who can take action and do something about the mess that their house has become. Then she has a mental breakdown where she kicks the washing machine, having a close-up shot where the time is slowed down. After that she is filmed with an aerial shot, where is literally filmed the top of her head, assuming all her responsibilities. 

Fiona is filmed choicely using close-ups and medium-shots (in profile), she is thinking about the situation. While she´s continuously putting everything in its place in the kitchen, we notice the use of a tracking technique. The view shows more and more of the house when zooming out, this connotes an abundant and infinite amount of responsibilities that Fiona has yet to undertake.