The Edge by Dick Francis (Novel) and Stingers (TV Drama) Essay Example for Free

The leaping by shaft of light Francis (Novel) and Stingers (TV Drama) seeRationaleThe texts I am studying are The Edge, by Dick Francis (Novel), and Stingers (TV Drama). The Edge is most an underc over epochnt working for a get laid Club. His phone line is to loose the rush along instauration of its biggest villain. The agent goes undercover on a racing train as a waiter. The episode of Stingers I refer to is titled Payback. The main typeface, dickhead Church, is investigation the murder of a hu firearmkind. He goes undercover as a memorial tablet-to-face assistant to a man who is working for a prominent businessman and handlewise the main suspect of son of a bitchs investigations. These texts are both base around crime, with the familiar themes of ridding the world of overturnion, and also the triumph of bully over evil. I chose these texts beca c any they both reconcile an insight into the minds of an undercover agent and the procedures and processes the y follow to stay undetected, which I find very intriguing. The link amid these texts is their themes. They both attempt to rid the world of putridness and get along reliable triumph over evil. I chose this link because it comes with very strongly in both texts.They both centre on their themes and the processes and techniques that are used by the characters. Describing my steads on this link become easier because it is the themes of the texts. I hope that a lot of troubles of the world would not come ab come on if at that place were no subversion in the world. Things such as corrupt patrol officers, and even whole law specialtys in almost(prenominal) countries, make the running of inn a harder job for the people responsible for the smooth running of a society than it already is. I regard that evil n incessantly triumphs. Anyone that goes down the path of evil pass on never go far. in that respect will always be some function to give up them eventu tot eachyy.Jou rnal A TV Drama Stingers Episode 119 Payback. Directed by Kevin CarlinStingers is a TV drama intimately a group of undercover agents. They disguise themselves as a partitionicular identity to go into a crime group and found out inside culture on the group.Plot OutlineIn this particular episode, Peter Church, the main character, is investigating a tot up of suspects involved with the killinging of a man. Peter is sent in undercover as a private assistant for a man named Rick Tyson. Peters jobs involve doing personal deeds for Tyson. On one occasion, his job is to take a briefcase full of money to a man as payment for trying to kill someone who was not doing as Tyson asked. The man, named Conrad, told Peter that he was a rich businessman named Stig Endquists hit man. tout ensemble through this investigation, Peter has had suspicions about his Head of Special Investigations, Detective Harris, plainly has never been able to project out how he was involved. Peter later figures o ut that in that location is a circle of people involved, and they all revolve around Stig Endquist. Tyson is Endquists personal messenger, Conrad is his hit man and Harris is using his position in the police force to keep Endquist out of trouble. The plot is continued into the next weeks episode, so this is all that has been discovered for the moment.Generic TechniquesThere are a few techniques used in most TV dramas to help shape character. In Stingers, in that respect were techniques such as camera angles and the most obvious technique of duologue. Camera angles piece of ass be used to coming into court emotions and feelings visually, while the dialogue abide get those feelings across verbally and elaborate for the see to iters. In some cases, stage spateting can also help to shape a character. If they are seen in a particular place with certain surroundings, it shows viewers a little bit about their attitudes and deportment. For utilisation, in this episode, Peter is seen a lot in a quiet local pub. This shows me the viewer that he is a quite, personal man that likes some casual time to himself or with a partner.Themes and ValuesI believe that the themes of this TV drama are based around ridding the world of corruption. All the episodes are about stopping the criminals of society and keeping society safe. The main example of this theme is Harris. He uses his position of power to help the criminals. This is corruption within the police force. This is what the undercover agents in Stingers aim to rid society of.Television Drama EssayThe episode of Stingers Payback, directed by Kevin Carlin, explores the themes and values of ridding society of its corruption and letting good triumph over evil. Peter Church, an undercover operative for the Australian Police, goes in disguise to gather inside in pissation about crime groups and use the in blueprintation to rid society of the groups evil deeds. In this particular episode, Peter is aggregation informa tion on suspects that may be involved in the killing of man. Every text, no study what form it may take, will always amaze some theme or value bed it. No text is ever yet a rambling, which has no meaning behind it at all. With the use of camera angles, setting and dialogue, the characters in this drama present the values and themes of the drama.Camera angles are the most prominently used technique in any visual text to show certain things within the text. a exactlyting ups, long offers, low angles and high angles are all examples of how the camera angle is used. In the episode of Stingers, all these are used at some point, especially to help display the themes and values through the characters. Peter Church is the main character, so he would be the one that the camera angles are concentrated on most of the time. He has a range of emotions throughout the episode. At times hes confused, others angry, and others quiet. But one thing that he is always is working as hard as he can to solve the crimes and stop the corruption. Peter is a very determined person, and the camera shows that in one scene with a tight up. He is studying the whiteboard with a list of suspects on it.The camera closes right in on his face and the viewer can see the concentration and aim on his face as he tries to make some sense of the information on the whiteboard. In another scene, Peter is delivering a briefcase for his employer while he is undercover. While doing this, he meets a man who killed his former partner in a previous episode. He confronts the man and is on the brink of shooting him and ridding society of another villain. The camera gets a close shot over the villains shoulder of Peters face as he is close to shooting him. His face shows anger at the villain who caused so much harm to an innocent person.This anger and emotion that is shown from the use of the camera angles in the drama has helped to let the viewers go to sleep how determined the character is to solving the problems of corruption in society. This can support an effect on the viewers because it will show them that the text stands for something and is not just a bit of dialogue and a few actors thrown together to make a TV show. shot is another element of a TV drama that can show values and theme through characters and is also shown through the camera angles.Setting helps to show a lot of things in any form of text. It is a lot easier to show things with setting using a visual text as there is less description needed. Setting helps to show values and themes as well in some cases. In Stingers, it is shown quite easily. Being an undercover police unit of measurement, most scenes are shot in the offices, so there are always things around the setting of the inhabits showing the theme of ridding corruption.For example, in the main room where Peter does all his planning of the cases, he has things such as boards with suspects pinned on them, certificates showing the achievements he or a member of his team have made while stopping crime in society, and police uniforms, which all give the viewers the impression that the characters are subscribe toing the themes and values of the drama. The other main setting that is used throughout the drama is out at the battle scene. This setting will usually show a contest between good and evil (police and criminal) and a majority of the time, it will be the good that comes out on top, and once again, backing up the view that the corruption of society is slowly diminish due to the works of the characters. While setting shows the themes and values visually, dialogue can be used in conjunction with setting to show viewers verbally.Dialogue is obviously a very important part of any text whether it is print or non-print and likely the easiest way to get a message across, or in this case, show a theme or value through a character. Unlike with the setting, dialogue makes the theme or value come across easier because it can be said straight out rather than the viewer have to analyse the setting to find out. Although the theme or value can be shown easier, there is more to the dialogue than just the words. The way it is spoken can get it across stronger because it may have the ability to make the viewer sit up and listen and realise what the character is formula straight away. For example, in the scene where Peter is confronted by the man who killed his friend and former partner, the man says you wont kill me. Blokes like you need a reason and Peter replies very strongly saying Ive got a reason. and his name is Oscar Stone It comes across to the viewers very strongly that Peter is committed to not only the revenge of his friend, but also to ridding corruption from society.These three techniques work well together to set the viewers mind and thoughts to show them that the characters in the text are committed to the themes or values that are trying to be brought across. They convince the viewers that the text h as meaning, so the viewers are more voluntary to believe and support the text.Journal B Novel Analysis The Edge, Dick FrancisDick Francis The Edge explores the life of Torquil Kelsey, an undercover operative for a Jockey Club in England. Torquil is appoint to be the invisible chivvy in the haystack. He wonders around the racecourses like any other racegoer, but in doing so, listens in and explores all business that goes on inside the courses. His main objective is to rid racing of one of its notorious villains, the fortunate but dodgy Julius Apollo Filmer. For months the Jockey Club have been trying to find some dirt, any dirt, on Filmer and have so far been unsuccessful. Torquil later takes a train ride in which Filmer will also be on. Torquil knows all too well that Filmer will be up to something. Filmer is later found shamed of paying someone to sabotage the train ride and Filmer himself of wilfully attempting to kill Daffodil Quentins vaulting dollar bill.Torquil Kelsey To rquil, or Tor as some characters call him as a nickname, is an undercover operative for an English Jockey Club. He has been assigned to go from course to course and find out any illegal deals pass on. He has an speculative nature. Being an undercover operative, he has the ability to be in a crowd without being noticed. He is very cluey. He can guess that certain things are going to happen before they do. Hes your ordinary good hombre. Hes not the mean cop who beats people up to get information. He has the good guy charm with women.Julius Apollo Filmer Filmer is the major racehorse owner around the area that the Jockey Club operates in. They have tried to get him warned off the course in the past but have never caught him. He is smart and smug. He never does his tasks evil deeds himself he will always have a hired goon to do his work. He always has some evil deed planed out in his mind and does w loathever he can do complete it. He associates with dodgy people, such as Daffodil Qu entin.ThemesThe main themes of this refreshful are based around the triumph of good versus evil. Its really your representative police bilgewater. Police get a suspicion that the bad guy is going to do something evil, police try catch the bad guy doing it, police do a lot of investigating, bad guy eventually gets caught.BeliefsOne major belief that I got out of this text was that the world should be rid of corruption. The aim of Torquil Kelsey is to rid the racing world of Julius Apollo Filmer and inturn ridding the racing world of the corruption he brings.Oral labour Based On NovelI believe the target audience of this novel is probably adults. Although I enjoyed rendering it myself, I think the majority of the readers will be older. Also, the novel, like most other Dick Francis novels, has an element to do with horseracing, so this may also appeal to anyone interested in horseracing. If this interview were real, it would probably be broadcast on an AM radio station such as 720 , which the station itself is aimed at the older part of society. The tape of this interview will be included with the rest of this assignment.Transcript presenter Im privileged to have a great author in the studio with me now. He has written such books as Smokescreen, Risk and High Stakes just to name a few. He is in Australia to gain his new novel The Edge. Good Afternoon, Dick Francis.Francis Thankyou. Its great to be here. supporter So, your new novel The Edge. It has just been released here. How do you expect it will move?Francis Well I certainly hope it will sell very well. I have worked long and hard perfecting it.Presenter I recently read this novel in preparation for this interview. I thought it to be a very good read. Me being 36, is that the age of audience you were intending this novel to be aimed at?Francis Yes, thats about what I was thinking. Its definitely too complex for anyone beneath maybe 16, but middle school onwards was the target. Its really a matter of cho ice though. No matter what age you are, if youre just not into crime novels, which this novel is, then you just wont like it.Presenter Yes. Now on that, would you like to fill our listeners in on the plot of this novel?Francis Certainly. The Edge is about a young man named Torquil Kelsey working as an undercover operative for an English Jockey Club. He is required to be the invisible needle in the haystack if you like. He must plod around various racecourses in England and investigate any unmated activities that take place and any odd characters to go with it. His main target is a villain named Julius Apollo Filmer. Filmer is a leader of corruption amongst the racing world. He is a bit like a King of Evil. He never completes his dirty deeds himself, but gets hired goons to complete them for him. He is in suspicion of a number of offences, so it is Torquils task to break Filmer. He gets his best opportunity on a racegoers train around Canada, which Filmer is attending. Ill stop th ere as to not ruin the story for anyone by giving too many details.Presenter Thats probably a good idea. You were formally a jockey before you turned to writing. Are any of the characters in the novel based on people youve come across in your time as a jockey?Francis There is always a certain amount of truth involved in some parts of every novel, but nothing is an exact copy of the truth.Presenter Tell us about our two main characters. Torquil the hero and Julius the villain.Francis Well, Torquil has been brought up by his Aunt Viv, an avid racegoer. He has always been associated with horses and horse racing since he was a wee boy, so his knowledge of horses has helped him with is job around the racetracks. He is very inquisitive, very cluey, is able to spot things that most people would simply turn a blind affection to. He is a charmer also. Very good with the ladies.Julius is your typical villain. Seems fine on the outside, but you know that on the inside, theres evil brewing and his mind is devising a plan. He is an evil mastermind. Has the ability to dress up the plans, but will never execute them himself. He must keep a clean ascertain with the public otherwise his plans will be given away, so the hired goon is his way of going about get that done.Presenter I found it interesting to note that you always made the story continuos. You would rarely jump from scene to scene, quite you always describe exactly where your characters where going. I recall a part where Torquil must go from one end of the train to the other, and you describe exactly where he is walking, instead of just jumping straight to where he was heading to with a new paragraph. Was this deliberate?Francis Yes, I believe that you must be very descriptive when writing a novel. Its not like a subscribe where you can show viewers visually, so you must describe the exact surrounding very thoroughly. I find that if you jump straight to it, you can sometimes confuse readers and miss important details of the surroundings.Presenter Well, thankyou Dick. I hope all goes well with the release of the novel and Ill look forward to reading more of your future novels.Francis ThankyouJournal CI received a very insightful view into the exertion of undercover policing after studying both the texts I chose. They showed a set of values that I had never really dwelled on before. The triumph of good over evil is something I am on a regular basis exposed to, but ridding the world of corruption and the reasons for doing so had never really been considered. I realised from these texts that corruption in any industry can ruin the industry completely for society if untreated. The racing industry for instance, I was shown in The Edge that if the villain Julius Apollo Filmer had gone on with his evil deeds forever without anyone ever even trying to stop him, he would have eventually taken control of that industry and injected so much corruption into it that the public would eventually lose ou t. For example, if he had taken control of every horse in some way, he would be able to dictate races and the public would lose in some way or another. These texts both support my views and in some ways support them more than I do.A majority of the people in society would not support corruption of any form and I am no different, but it never really meant much to me. I support the views of the texts but I have never realised the effects corruption can have until I examine these texts. Like the texts, I believe corruption should be stopped at all costs. I would hate to be in a society where things can happen like they did in Stingers. If the chief of a police unit was corrupt and letting crime go and even going to the extent of fate the crimes be committed, then I would be horrified because I put my trust in that unit only to find out it is supporting the things it is supposed to be protecting me from.I support the view of good triumphing over evil. To drop this view down to an exam ple at my level, it would have to be deterrence in schools. It always brings a smile to my face when I see a bully getting what he deserves in return for his wicked deeds he has performed on an innocent student. Another example of this would be in a game of football. When an opponent tries to pull off an illegal move on someone but cant fool the umpire, it is always rewarding to see the player who was doing the right thing get rewarded the free kick.In The Edge, it was rewarding when I read at the end that Julius Apollo Filmer is caught and convicted of his crimes after the determination of Torquil Kelsey to find that last ounce of information that would put Filmer away. So I very much support all values identified in these texts. The episode of Stingers that I refer to in my studies is not a complete story. It just focuses on part of an ongoing story that has continued from previous episodes, so the villains have not yet been caught. I enjoyed studying these texts, because they cha llenged and changed my views. Although they didnt have a different view to what I already had, they allowed me to explore the views with more depth than I had before.