Lockdown Content 2

 

1How are the main characters introduced? What character types are they supposed to represent? What are their individual personality traits and family and social backgrounds and how are these depicted?

Majority of the main characters are introduced during a video call where they are chatting during the first lockdown in America due to the pandemic and the closure of schools. 

Nira

The main character of the show (Nira) is first shown before, when she is in front of the camera, trying to create the introduction to what seems to be some sort of video she is making. She is represented as confident and mature from the start. We can also tell that she comes from a wealthy background from her expensive and luxuries items in her room and around the house.

Emi and Sam

The other two female characters , Emi and Sam, are represented to also come from a wealthy background as we can see well decorated large homes. Both of the characters, also come across to be pretty humours and are able to joke around and be kind of silly. 

Aiden and Chris

The two male characters that we are first introduced to, Aiden is represented to be shown that he comes from a less wealthy and lower class background, as his bedroom and overall decoration compared to the others is a lot simpler and smaller, either way he is represented as a sweet and nice guy. Chris, is represented like the average middle class boy: Likes gaming, a bit anti-social and lack of social skills.

2.What elements of new technology/online culture/social media are incorporated in the way the characters interact and how the programme is constructed? What, if any elements of what we see, is non-diegetic,i.e. do we ever see events not mediated through webcams/phone cameras/ zoom calls, etc? What effect does this have for the viewer and how we relate to the characters or action?

The whole series, has elements where it deals with current media culture. The main one and the first one we are introduced to is something that has blown up during the whole pandemic: Tik Tok, a platform where people record themselves mainly dancing to a song and upload it to their followers. Loads of people have managed to change their lives using this platform and are able to make a living out of it. During the episode the characters do some of the dances in front of the camera. The characters also use social media and other platforms to either message or do video calls with each other. The whole episodes are shown through the camera of mobile phone from the point of view of the main character (Nira).

3.How does the episode use Thriller, Crime or Horror conventions to set up it's central mystery? Give examples and say in what ways you think Lockdown plays with our narrative expectations?

The episode uses convections of horror and crime by having the typical 'scream' at night coming from somewhere and scaring everyone, with a mysterious person committing some sort of action during the night. These kind of convections usually tell the audience that the series is focused on a particular event and the main character in that event, whilst revealing new answers to the mystery as the show continues.

I personally think, that the way lockdown plays with our narrative expectations is that we will continuously question what actions and plot elements are easy to recreate in the current saturation as well as questioning how the narrative will look like due to all these restrictions of staying at home and not being able to meet with someone for social reasons. Due to the restrictions and the limitations of only being able to communicate in person with whoever you live with, any small entertaining narrative will definitely surprise the audience.