I chose to look at Channel 4's Utopia, not only because it is one of my favourite shows, but also because it demostrates a variety of interesting and unconventional camerawork, editing and sound techniques that do not feature in most series'.
The overall aesthetic of Utopia is oddly vibrant and saturated, considering the dark themes present throughout, the lighting is relatively bright; rather than just using colours to establish tone in Utopia, they are used as motifs to reflect on the context of the characters. Heavy use of the colour yellow, for example, is used to emphasise the presence of ‘The Network’, and we see this motif throughout – in Lee’s suit, Arby’s bag, and in a number of other objects and locations. We do not tend to associate ‘yellow’ with evil malcontent, which contradicts traditional conventions of television and film, but this also brings forth the question of morality and the blurred lines between what is right and wrong in Utopia, and this leaves us wondering whether the intentions of ‘The Network’ are truly for the betterment of humanity.
We have elements of surrealism
through Utopia, one moment that stands out in particular is Lee’s torture of
Wilson. The extreme low-angle close-up
shot of his eyes and focus on his saliva feel incredibly unnerving, and the
distortion of the shot alienates Wilson by portraying him in in such an unsettling
manner. The confusing angle distances us
from Wilson’s pain, signifying a change in his character as a result of Lee’s
torture. This is an example of the postmodernist
tones of Utopia, as shots such as this give us a view of Lee breaking Wilson,
as Booker (2007) describes “the postmodern experience is one of a more radical “psychic
fragmentation” that leaves individual subjects with too little stability and
substance to be able to experience alienation in the classic, modernist sense”. The torture scene introduces us into Wilson’s
changing morality as he begins to lose his stability.
The clothing choices in Utopia
reflect heavily on the characters’ personas and social backgrounds. We can see Grant comes from less privileged background,
and so his tracksuit reflects his class, whilst Letts, the apparent head of ‘The
Network’ wears a black three-piece suit, which is a reflection on his status
and morality – the black colouring of the suit conforms to the typical Western
convention of black symbolising the antagonist.
This brings about another question, instead relating to “the 1%” taking
control of the rest of society, as Letts is rich and in charge of ‘The Network’,
whilst Grant is poor and fighting against them alongside Ian, Becky and Jessica
Hyde.Utopia’s soundtrack (composed by Cristobal Tapia de Veer) is incredibly unique and contributes a great deal toward the mood of the series, providing an unsettling and paranoid atmosphere. The majority of the audio is diegetic, apart from the soundtrack of course, which is used to reflect the emotions of the characters on screen, and to highlight the progression of the plot. The use of synth instruments and a chorus make the viewer feel unnerved, which compliments the themes of the show and alienates the audience, allowing us to empathise with the characters who are alienated by the situation they are forced into dealing with.
The directors of Utopia (Marc Munden, Wayne Che Yip, Alex
Garcia Lopez and Sam Dononvan) make extensive use of wide shots, contrasted with
close-ups and use of a dolly, as well as utilising some slow-motion shots where
necessary. This almost makes Utopia feel
like a graphic novel, which parallels with the ‘Utopia’ manuscript that takes
the form of a graphic novel: this is prevalent through the entirety of the
series. The edits are paced alongside
the bespoke soundtrack; even the simple shot-reverse-shots are interesting –
this shot of Dugdale, for example, places him to the right of the screen,
giving the impression that something we cannot see is present on the left of
the frame, hinting at ‘The Network’s’ surveillance of Dugdale, who unwillingly acts
as their pawn in the Home Office.
Overall, Utopia combines elements of alienation, surrealism
and postmodernism to create an unsettling and enthralling tone which is evident
through the cinematography, editing and sound to allow the audience to
empathise with the characters and create an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. The soundtrack is particularly effective in
adding to the tone of the show, combined with complex and engaging writing and provocative
use of the camera.
Bibliography
Utopia (2013) Available at: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/utopia (Accessed: 4th December 2016)
Cristobal Tapia de Veer, Utopia - Finale (2013), Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdS_VdblFtk (Accessed 4th December 2016)
Booker, K.M. (2007) Postmodern
Hollywood: What’s new in film and why it makes us feel so strange. United
States: Praeger Publishers
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