The wire
The wire is an American television drama series set in Baltimore, Maryland, where it was also produced. Created, produced and primarily written by former police reporter David Simon, the series was broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States. The wire premierd on June 2, 2002 and ended on March 9, 2008, with 60 episodes airing over the course of its five seasons. Each season of the wire focuses on a different facet of the city of Baltimore. They are, in order: the drug trade, the port, the city goverment and bureaucracy, school system, and the print news media.
Mise En Sene:
Costumes:
The costumes worn and used by the characters of the wire are very distinctive and exclusive to each character to help demonstrate their character traits and roles;
The police detective are dressed in very formal and professional garments, but however the top/high ranked police detectives are very notable as they clearly have more flush and advanced suites to the standard police detective.
The gang members seem to wear hooded, baggy clothes and tend to wear expensive rings , chains and watches.
Props:
The props used are;
Weapons/guns
Evidence
Computers / technological equipment: - for the police to use to solve cases
Heart Machines and other equipment that’s used in hospitals.
Setting:
The setting constantly changes for scene to scene :-
On streets, where crimes taking place
Hospital
Police station
Interview rooms
Court room
Lighting:
The atmosphere that the lighting creates is that although the majority of the scenes are shot during the day there is still evidently crime occurring in the city of Baltimore. This allows the audience to come to a conclusion of that the crime within the city is really shocking and ghastly
Figure movement / expression:
The figure movement and expressions of the gang members are that of looking rough and intimidating at times, as they like to keep their statuses of ‘thugs’ using these factors to help represent their identity
The police officers use a figure movement and expression, of professionalism but at the same time expressions of being tough and brutal to represent their identities and ensure that the criminals don’t just feel as if they can and are able to walk all over the police.
Genre:
The wire follows the genre of being a crime drama. The typical conventions the drama has to represent this are:
Police stations
Crime
Investigations
Hospitals
Court rooms
Guns / violence
Life On Mars:
Life of mars tells the fictional story of Sam Taylor (Jhon Simm), a police officer in service with the greater Manchester Police. After being hit by a car in 2006, Tyler awakens in 1973, 33 years in the past. There he finds himself working for the predecessor of his modern day police force in 2006, the Manchester and Salford Police as a DI rather than a DCI under the commands of Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister).
Mise En Sene:
Costumes:
The costumes used are firstly modern and very formal allowing the detectives to look very professional and to show their authority.
But when the time era changes; the police officers seem to wear casual clothes from that age (jeans and shirts) where as, only the main police officer (Gene hunt) seems to wear the formal clothes that was seen from the scenes.
Props:
The props used from the first scenes of when Sam Taylors in 2006 are;
Truntions (police equipment)
Tape recorder
IPod (David Bowe)
Technology: - Computer footages
Cars
When the era changes the props significantly change:
The cars change to cars from that era, look less technological
Cassette player (David Bowe)
Black and white television
The settings constantly changes from scenes to scenes:
From the 20th century
Council estates ( terraced houses, Ally ways, Run down homes)
Modern offices
From the 19th century :
Run down area, showing that development is needed
The office changes and looks less developed ( old wallpaper and old shabby furniture)
Lighting:
Gloomy atmosphere
Yellow / brown – to signify change of era
Figure movement and Expression:
Angry
Dedicated to job
Moody
Upset
Confused, as to change of era
Genre:
Life On Mars follows the genre of being a crime drama. The typical conventions the drama has to represent this are:
Police/police cars
Investigations
The chase, between police and criminal
Murder
