Analysis
In the scene of Max's death in Hollyoaks it focuses on issues of Death and also Micro and Macro analysis composition.
The males in this scene play an important masculine role but are portrayed in a different light to usually. For example Max's last words to OB are seen as very loving, showing an emotional personal side. They are seen as the victims. Max who deserves to fulfil his heroic character whilst OB is trying to save Max and be there for him. When max says ' I love you' too OB, Ob puts on his jokey normal personality 'Oh don't be gay' and tries to make it joke able, whilst barring out the emotion with the brave face. This is very stereotypical and it seems as if men have to be tough heroic characters, who are young and handsome. Their close relationship is seen immediately, but it still remains very stereotypically masculine. Max and Ob are very caring, his dieing words are even for and about Steph, showing that’s all he cared about, creating a chaotic emotional audience, because the wrong person was killed.
Tom's toy is also very gender biased, this is part of micro analysis which is looking at tiny details which create towards the bigger picture as a whole. The toy is a typical action type balloon boys toy. The 'bad' characters are men, Nial is dressed in all black which is a typical bad character colour which is also a part of micro analysis, as this makes us think he's the 'baddie' straight away. He is seen running to the rescue calling an ambulance.
The camera angles portray and intensify the fear in the characters eyes and a bigger impact in the audience and is also an aspect of micro analysis. When Max is dieing, we see him in a low close up, showing his vulnerability at the time, and we look up from Max’s view to OB, showing there close relationship, making it even more personal.
Panning is used to show us the Macro analysis , and the speed (tracking) of the shot/scene, of what’s happening then focusing more on micro analysis. Slow motion is used when Max dives in to save Tom, we feel a heroic sense, with the los motion intensifying and dragging it on for the waiting audience. Eye line match is featured as micro analysis to give us an insight on the characters. We feel we are looking into the characters and it gets more emotional.
Females are presented as a typical princess, Steph made up to be the blushing beautiful bride, dressed in marshmallow pink over the top dress. Even when she is sitting over max screaming her dress is perfectly sprawled out on the road and she’s wearing a twinkly tiara. Her clip clopping of the heels immediately make us realise its her, and when she runs up to max we feel much empathy, her special day ruined which was supposed to be the best day of her life, the worst. We se her as a typically vulnerable character who comes form having everything ahead of them too nothing. When she reaches max, we see her Ob, Tom and Steph’s personal experience/ group, and how she’s the only females accepted or allowed whilst everyone stands back and in the background.
The music has a high impact on the emotion created. Its very Cathartic. The music is soothing, religious string like toned which slows the fast pace scene bringing everything to an end . It also makes us reflection what has just happened. The muted dialogue emphasizes this as well, even without the noise, screams, voices, emotionless sound is really effective. We see it through the impact of the camera angles and the expressions on the characters faces.
Death is represented as very spiritual like. The camera pans into the ambient bright green foliage, very slowly after the fast pacing movement. It seems to bring a sense of reflection and an uplifting moment, where the audience can cry. We feel a sense of ‘God’ and heaven, brining peace and not a sudden violent ending. The heartbeat monitor in the background reinforces the ideology of death and creates more suspense and the pulsing balances in. The mise en scene at the end shows us Max’s spirit floating towards the sky, and even thought we haven’t seen Max’s official death, we know form the detailed micro analysis he has.
