Stranger things - how is age represented

 

Clip 1

The first clip taken from ‘Stranger Things’ begins with a scene in which our main characters are playing what seems to be their own game. This scene allows the audience to capture the action and suspense felt by the children through a number of filming techniques. A number of close up shots of the children allow us to see the emotions felt by their game, the fast paced editing creates a sense of action, the similar action they are feeling. Finally the lack of sound besides dialogue creates a tense atmosphere and further emphasises the drama felt around this board game. The scene does this to make the audience feel part of the children’s group and it allows them to feel the same way about their game as they do. It puts us in their shoes and allows us to understand their emotions.

The authority that parents have over their children is shown early on in the clip. Not long after their game finishes the mother of one of the children is introduced. She is shown through a low angle shot of her standing at the top of the basement stairs. This immediately presents her as a superior figure towards the kids and the audience, as they have been able to understand the position of the children.

As the mum’s son goes upstairs to talk to her, this idea of parents being superior is continued through the camerawork. Through all the dialogue in between the parents and their son, the son is never framed on his own, a parent in the frame always accompanies him or the parent is shown on their own. This emphasises the power the parents have over the child, as they are always shown to be superior in the framework. The child is also never shot from a low angle, as this would give the audience a sense that he is in a more powerful position, so he is shot from the parents eye level. This is done to emphasise to the audience that the children are inferior to their parents.

This use of a low angle shot is also used when one of the main characters offers the teenage girl a slice of pizza; she is shot from a low angle to show her superiority over the younger children.

Clip 2

The beginning of the second clip introduces the police officers character; he is presented to be a removed, possibly alcoholic and untidy man. A panning shot shows the location of his home, one that is very removed from any civilisation. A similar panning shot shows his house full of beer cans and mess, introducing the character as a rather lost man. Other mise on scene features emphasise the poor conditions he lives in and the lack of care he has about himself. These features include the way his trousers are undone when he first wakes up, the sower head is far too low for his head, he smokes and drinks early in the morning and he consistently makes grunts, which could indicate health problems. His first impression is not a good one and as he is the first adult to be shown aside from the parents, the audience will see adults as rather irresponsible.

A number of close ups are shown as he puts on his uniform to emphasise and make it clear to the audience that he is a police officer. Also this emphasis of his uniform, a uniform that requires a high level of responsibility for such an irresponsible man, can show the audience that adults are very stupid. This stupidity is further emphasised as he leaves the house as the dialogue on the television says, “you might want to stay home tonight”

Later we are introduced to wills brother and mum, the brother is shown to be inferior to his mother as the whole time they talk, it is mainly focused on her criticising him for not doing what he is told. Close ups show his emotions and the way he is obedient to his mother; this further emphasises the superiority parents have over their kids.