Rome :: Nero :: Completed

Nero is represented as a very smug and self indulgent man and feared by his people. He is positioned centrally is many of the shots and framed by other characters to show his position in society and his authority.
The beginning of the scene is a wide shot that pans down slowly from the sky to look over a larger city. This is an indication to the audience of how much control Nero has and how many people he has under his power. The framing also allows the audience to see Nero from different positions and from the perspective of other characters. The fact that his clothing is the same as the other characters suggests that he has a motive and that he doesn't wish to be recogonised. There is background throughout the entire clip to emphasise how busy the street is with everyone doing what they need to do on a daily basis. However, dramatic music is playing under the narrators voice when the characters are being introduced. This solidifes to the audience that these characters in particular are of particular importance. His entrance to the scene is very gradual, as he is revealed to be walking through the crown from a distance towards the audience. The camera work also shows the musicains posiions in comparison to Nero as he is always filmed to be above them, showing his status.
The editing is quite unintrusive to begin with, but becomes more so as the scene progresses to so building drama.
At times he is filmed from a slighly low angle to emphasise his authority over the other characters. The camera doesn't track his movements, instead cutting from character to characters to show interaction.
Diegetic sounds are used throughout the beginning of the scene to create a sense of verisimilitude (to be the truth). A Sound Bridge is used to carry the narrators voice from the opening shot to the street scene. This is used to draw the audience from scene to scene and ensure cohesion. Sound effects are used to emphasise the breaking of the vase over the musicians head. These are used to draw attention to the action that is being carried out and the force that has been used.
Dialogue is key in this clip as the audience has the oppotunity to establish character roles. Nero has a very forced tone pitch to his voice that helps to characterise him as unlikeable. A soundtrack is beginning to be established at the very end of the clip, when the action erupts and the characters are being introduced by the narrator. This dramatic music is likely to be used throughout this episode and the rest of the series. It is probabalbe that as events progress the pace of the music will change to encourage to audience to feel particular emotions. For example, at this point the audience should feel excited the action is taking place and the fast pace of the music reflects this. It is a convetion of period dramas to use classical music for their soundtracks to mirror the popular culture of the time.
In this clip, a majority of the characters have very natural make-up that covers their flaws but doesn’t emphasize any of their features. However, Nero has very obvious eye make-up. The black eye liner may be to emphasize his character, as the main theme of this clip is how eccentric Nero is. It could also be a reflection of the rumour that he was homosexual. At the beginning of the clip he is wearing a very obvious wig, which is an attempt to hide his appearance and therefore his identity. He is also wearing a large cloak that covers most of his body. It is a very colour and this could be a further indication of his attempt to disguise himself, especially since this scene is set at night. Even when the hood of his cloak is removed he is not recognised, but it is a glimpse of his ring that reveals his status to the other characters.
The street musicians have more of a comical appearance, perhaps to emphasize there purpose to entertain. They have red blusher on their cheeks to make them look happier and they are also wearing wigs similar to Nero’s. This may be more for comedy than to disguise their identity. The costumes are typical of the time period, they are wearing cloaks that are wrapped and pinned to drape over the body without much effort. They are quite dark colours, maybe to suggest they are dirty and emphasise the point that they are poor and that is why they are working as street entertainers for money.
The facial expressions of the characters changes continually throughout this clip, Nero in particular. When he is first introduced to the scene, he has quite a smug expression on his face, which reflects his description in the narration. His expression aggravates the street musicians as it makes him seem as through he is mocking them. Even when he has been insulted, he still has a slight smile on his face which shows that he sees his status and power as protection.
The street musicians have very bright and happy facial expressions at the beginning of the scene and this is complimented by their make-up. This also contributes to the entertainment factor and their role in the scene. Their expressions drop when they realise they have insulted the Emperor; they seem to be more in shock than sad about the situation. They still appear comical because of their facial expressions.
The lighting throughout the entire clip is quite dark to emphasise the fact that this scene is set in late evening or at night. There is light from various street lamps and torches. This also authenticates the scene as it is obvious they would not have had the luxury of electric street lamps. The lighting creates a lot of shadows, which makes Nero’s character seem more sinister. It compliments the fact that the main characters are dressed in cloaks making them mysterious. There is also a white light that highlights the features of the characters. This light is coming from above, therefore I assume that it is a representation of moonlight.
At the very beginning of the scene there is a long shot of the street which shows many of the extras carrying woven baskets. This authenticates the scene as this is what they would have used at the time that the scene is meant to represent. The streets themselves are very narrow, and nothing like the raods we have today. This emphasises the time period and how civilisation has developed.