Doc Martin- Exam Practice

Regional Identity displayed in the clip:

Camera work:

• There are long lingering shots of the country side and scenery
• Doc Martin moves through the scenes quickly and the camera follows him, the camera is rushing like him, but the locals are relaxed and slower and their shots are much longer.
• When Doc Martin panics the camera shakes a little bit, his unsettled emotion is displayed through the camera not being still, this is a contrast with the relaxed plumbers and locals.

Sound:

• The music is a composed score and therefore regionally appropriate, it suits the country scenery and is in harmony with the relaxed locals.
• Doc Martins voice is much louder and more volumised than the other characters, he is the odd one out, his voice is dominant, he stands out from the locals as he is clearly a city man.
• The diegetic sounds have been emphasised, like the sea gulls and shop doors, to emphasise the country side touch in contrast with Doc Martin and his impatience and flustered city ways.
• At some points the music becomes quirky, displaying how he is like a foreigner to the locals as he is different, or how the locals are like a different kind of person to him and he is unlike them.

Editing

• A filter has been put in the first shot which is done outside, Doc Martin is made to look really pale and his suit stands out from the scenery in the background and the old woman. The paleness represents his city ways and his inside office job, where as the locals are always outdoors catching the sun and dressing in clothing that tends to match the colours of their environment like green and brown.
• Doc Martin has lots of reaction shots, showing how he is so used to the city life that all of this country side is not suited to him and to him strange things are happening like the dog coming into his window.
• When he is angry and annoyed the shots are quick and fast, this displays his impatience and short temper, whereas the countryside folk are chilled about all the things he is getting stressed about and their shots are long and slow paced.

Mise-en-scene

• Doc Martin is in a navy suit and tie, clearly dressed for the city and an office job, the country folk are all in farmer clothes and dressed for the outdoors, there is a contrast.
• Doc Martin speaks very abruptly and impatiently, his temper is short and he expects everyone to do as he says, including the dog. This contrast with the locals, they speak west country and not too loudly. They are relaxed.
• One of the plumbers which is really fat, is sat at the sink when its spraying out everywhere and eating and spitting his food everywhere, this displays his feel of comfort and relaxed approach in the village as he is totally at home.
• The room that Doc Martin is staying in is very dark and gloomy, matching his mood and character, however outside in the fresh air with all the country folk, its bright and sunny and everyone is chilled.