Tuesday, 19 October 2010

Deconstruction of 'Saved By The Bell'



- Animation is used extensively throughout
- Non-diegetic sound of a school bell at the start of the text suggests the mise-en-scene
- Non-diegetic sound is apparent in the background music throughout the opening credits.
- Main title 'Saved By The Bell' appears both at the start, and end of the opening credits
- Alluring colours used within the animation to encapsulate the audience
- Main characters portrayed through the opening credits are teenagers, thus suggesting the target audience
- Characters are layered over the animation in a variety of bubble shapes, frames are mostly mid shots and last between 6, and 7 seconds
- They are shown in a number of different social settings such as talking, and playing sport
- There is a mix between stereotypes, for example geeky, and popular characters are shown underpinning a range of characters
- male characters are shown before women characters
- Older characters are shown shortly after the younger characters
- Teenage atmosphere through iconography; Footballs, guitars, sunglasses, fast food joints. lockers etc. All hinting towards the narrative
- Cohesion is created as it ends where it began. Main title.


The title sequence of Saved By The Bell is quite simple, although in the late 80's the opening credit's could have been considered to be quite advanced. The only time that filming is used is when the main, and supporting characters are introduced. This establishes to the audience that the drama is not an animation, and institutes the target audience of the drama. The animation's used connote teenage lifestyle helping to define the audience, and setting of the drama. This is later confirmed when the main characters are introduced in the credits as they are in a high school location. Also the non-diegetic sound at the beginning can easily be recognised as a school bell. Thus, although filming is used minorly in the opening credits, the audience is still able to establish the theme, setting, and the genre through the use of animation.