Textual Analysis - Gilmore Girls

What techniques does this opening sequence use to communicate the narrative of this program?

The opening sequence uses high-key lighting. High-key lighting makes the set seem realistic so the audience would be able to identify with it, but if it was low-key it would seem sinister and abnormal. Also, high-key lighting creates a cheerful and light-hearted atmosphere, which connotes that the narrative is light-hearted. Top lighting is used, which makes the opening sequence seem happy. This suggests that the narrative may be a happy narrative.

The non-diegetic music used in the opening sequence is parallel to the images being shown. The music is about being there to follow someone if they need you, and the images frequently show the daughter following her mother. This would communicate the narrative to the audience because the parallel sound helps them to understand what the program will be about.

Most of the shots in the opening sequence are either medium shots or long shots and show more than one character in the frame. This shows the closeness between the characters. This implies that the narrative could be about the relationships between the characters, as they are hardly seen alone.

How is social class represented in this opening sequence?

The two main female characters are represented as working class. This is shown with the settings that they are seen in. Their house represents them as working class because it isn’t too big. The mother is seen driving a car with her daughter. A higher class family would not be seen driving a car themselves. The clothes of the characters also represents them as being working class because they wear casual clothes, such as cardigans and boots, that people usually wear everyday.

The grandparents in the opening sequence are represented as being of a higher class than the two female characters. The grandmother is seen wearing a pearl necklace and a brooch. This connotes that she is wealthy and sophisticated. She is also shown walking at a fast pace with her daughter following her. This makes her seem dominating and powerful, and power can come with money. The grandfather is also represented as being of a higher class. This is shown when he is seen reading a broadsheet newspaper, because broadsheets have an older and wealthier target audience than tabloids. It also makes him seem intelligent, and his intelligence would have got him a higher class career. His pose when he is reading the newspaper also represents him as being higher class. Typical working class people wouldn’t sit with their legs crossed in the way his legs are crossed. He is also seen smoking a cigar, which connotes that he is higher class because cigars are associated with higher class people, and cigarettes with the lower classes.

There is juxtaposition between the representation of the two female characters in the opening sequence and the two grandparents. Although it is clear that the mother and daughter aren’t as wealthy as the grandparents, they still seem happy. There is an obvious close bond between the mother and her daughter. However, the grandparents, who are wealthy and of a high class, don’t seem as happy. There aren’t any shots with just the two of them in the frame, which implies that they might not be happy in their marriage. Also, the grandfather doesn’t give his granddaughter eye contact when he is handing her a newspaper, but just carries on reading. This representation of oppositional social classes shows that being of a higher class doesn’t necessarily mean that you are better off than a standard working class family.

On the basis of this opening sequence, what target audience would be attracted to regular viewing of this television program?

Families would be attracted to regular viewing of the program. It is clear that the narrative will be about the mother and her daughter and their relationship so families, especially mothers and daughters, would be attracted to it because they can identify with the characters. Mothers might long for a close mother/daughter relationship like the one represented in the opening sequence so they might be attracted to it in the hope of learning how to get that bond with their own child.

Females would be more attracted to regular viewing of the program than males. This is mainly because females are represented more in the opening sequence than males are. Also, the narrative is more likely to appeal to women because it is women that will be able to identify with it. Males might be attracted to watch the show a few times because of the actors that are mentioned. However, they would not be attracted to regular viewing.

The non-diegetic music is folk pop. People who listen to that genre of music might be attracted to watch the program. Also, the producers would have used that certain song for a reason, which might be that their target audience would probably listen to that genre of music. The audience might realise that this is a program that is directed at them, so they might take an interest in it.

The primary audience of the program would be mothers and daughters. The secondary audience would include both males and females who are teenagers. They are represented a lot in the opening sequence and there aren’t many older people shown. Some of the scenes might relate to them, such as when the daughter is in her graduation gown.

How do the features of this opening sequence and the production company contribute to the contemporary issues being shown?

The camera angles imply that the narrative will be about relationships because there is almost always more than one person in each shot. A contemporary issue at the moment is that young people aren’t as close to their families as they used to be. There also seems to be a lack of respect for family values. This contrasts with the representation of the strong family bonds in the opening sequence because the characters all seem close and comfortable around each other. This shows the audience that they can be close to their families, and it could be the production company’s way of dealing with the issue.

Although the girl shown in the opening sequence is young, she is seen with her mother a lot. Also, she is never shown with anyone her own age. A contemporary issue is that young people spend too much time out with their friends and not enough time with their families. The opening sequence challenges that belief, because the teenage girl is not out with her friends, but is with her mother and grandparents.

Young people in the UK are stereotypically less close to their families than young people in the USA. The production company have a website where people can watch former episodes of Gilmore Girls. However, the website is only available to people in the USA. This implies that the program is targeted at people living in the USA rather than people in other countries, such as the UK. This could be because it is generally thought that people living in the UK aren’t as close to their families as people in the USA, so they won’t identify with the characters and the issues they are facing, and it won’t appeal to them as much. People living in the UK are not the target audience of the program.