Friday, 10 November 2017

Textual Analysis: The Strange Thing About the Johnsons (2011)

Media products of the drama genre use various capabilities in terms of sound, this being the use of a non-diegetic soundtrack, diegetic and non-diegetic dialogue, and sound effects. It is crucial to have sound within a drama as it is used to convey different feelings and helps to create atmospheric tension.

The Strange Thing About the Johnsons from Faux Beef on Vimeo.


An example of the use of sound in a short film is in ‘The Strange Thing About the Johnsons’ (2011). The media product consists of diegetic dialogue throughout, with returning bass beneath - used as a suspenseful sound, resembling that of a heartbeat to show anticipation. This heartbeat-like effect suddenly stops when the male character confronts his father about the story he wrote, recalling all of the instances where his son has abused him. Three minutes into the short film sweet, fairytale-like non-diegetic music is played. This makes the idea of a child masturbating to a picture of his father nonsensical - almost comedic, reflecting the positive times that the father and son shared before the obsession and sexual abuse occurs. The music contradicts what happens throughout the short film as the acts that take place are deemed wrong in society, relating to Gauntlett’s theory (2002).

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