House of Cards essay

House of Cards is a Netflix series that is based on the English BBC's House of Cards. House of Cards is a political thriller based around the main character called Frank Underwood who is the House Majority Whip and Zoe Barnes who is a news reporter. Barnes approaches Underwood and makes a proposition where he can tell her anything and she will keep him anonymous to try and get back at the government. It is a long form television series because it is available on Netflix but not channels such as ITV.

A convention of a political thriller is that there is something dramatic that happens and there is suspense and tension used to build up to the dramatic event. This is known as Proairetic code and an example of this is when Underwood is going undercover to leak the education bill to Zoe Barnes. Also, when the story is left without an explanation it is called the enigma code. An example of this is when Underwood gets Russo out of prison but says he needs his complete loyalty, we as the audience don’t know what kind of things Underwood will have him do. The political side of the conventions includes a power struggle within the government; this is evident when Underwood’s new position of Secretary of State was taken from him even though he was promised it. House of cards conforms to the conventions of both a political thriller and a drama making it a hybrid. I think this because it follows the conventions of the political thriller and some drama conventions. For example, a drama convention would be that it is similar to a real life event but it has been over exaggerated.

The press has been represented as doing anything to try and gain information and being very smart in their ways of doing so. For example, when Zoe Barnes goes to Frank Underwood’s house she is wearing very revealing clothes because she thinks that people in congress are easily swayed. Frank asks her if she thinks that he has never been asked this before and she has a smart answer of ‘You wouldn’t have let me in if you have’. Zoe Barnes has been represented using mise-en-scene because of her costume. When you first see Zoe she is in cheap looking clothes and her house is above a food shop, this is using mise-en-scene elements of costume and location to show that she is lower in status. Although she is in a low status home she has an expensive high status laptop that using the element of props shows that she is dedicated to work and is ambitious in what she wants to do which is to succeed. When talking to Frank, she says 'We're in a very gray area. Ethically, legally. Which I'm okay with,' this is proof that she is ok with doing anything in order to get a good story. 

Frank Underwood is portrayed through the use of sound as being ruthless because he blackmails Russo. The camera angles of when he looks and talks to the camera can show that he thinks he is always right because he predicts what someone is going to say pr says something that he wouldn't necessarily say to their face. Him and his wife are also simirla in the ways of which they are portrayed. His wife is called Claire Underwood and has been portrayed to appear all sweet and innocent but really isn't. For example she says that Frank Underwood get the job for himself when really she just wants the money.  She is ruthless and will do anything to get the power. She is in ways worse than Frank for the way she will do anything for power and to get what she wants.  She will manipulate and it appears to be all for the benefit of Frank when really it is for her. For example when she finds out he has been told he will be the Secretary of State, she starts planning everything she is gong to do to with the money he gets. Also, Claire helps Frank in the scheming in how he is going to get the position that he thinks rightfully belongs to him. Frank and Claire are the newer generation of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. This is because Claire is controlling Frank like Lady Macbeth did to Macbeth. 

Diagetic sound is used when Frank talks to the camera and with the speech. Non diagetic sound is also used though and this is when the source of the sound is not appearing on screen. The includes mdic and sound effects, music is important because it can build tension, can make the scene more intense and give alternative assumptions. Sound effects such as the dog getting hit by the car is non diagetic because you don't actually see this, this also helps to give a first impression of Frank Underwood as he is also in this scene and kills the dog. This is a all shown using non diagetic sounds.  The scenes are shot using prestigious locations including Washington DC. This is verisimilitude because they are using authentic locations to make the show seem more real. 

Most of the scenes are filmed using low key lighting, this adds suspense and tension and shows how serious the scene is. The lighting just adds more of a dramatic element to go along with the dialouge. They rely more on low key lighting to help tell the story than they do with the camera. They use natural and artificial lights, also blue lights which gives of a cold atmosphere. The camera angles also add tension, shots such as over the shoulder, switching, wide and close ups.  They never make the camera tip or pan around, they always use it still. This can show that there is a set idea and interpretations not loads of iras and interpretations from different people. 

One of the main representations within House of Cards is how power hungry people within Congress can be and how the press can be and how they will do anything for a good story. This is all demonstrated through Frank Underwood and Zoe Barnes. Frank Underwood agrees to look after the new secretary of Sate and teach him everything when really he is going to get rid go him and get the job himself. Frank is so power hungry that he even agrees to using the press in his plan. Corruption is also another representation within the Government and you can see this with the breaking of promises and Russo being pulled over by the police and how he tried to use his position to get out of trouble. He is the personal side of corruption because he has a record of solicitation, drugs, alcohol and things like that. He was also sleeping with his assistant- Christina.

Politicians are seen as only caring about themselves and wanting more money and power. Their views cannot be changed and they want one thing only and they don't care how they get it as long as they do. They are seen as being wrong and don't care about what they say. This is seen in House of Cards about how the politicians are represented. For example, Frank Underwood is planning on getting Secretary of State and doesn't care how he is going to get it. A real life example of how they don't care about what they say is she Donald Trump said that if his daughter wasn't his daughter, he would date her. Almost 7 out of 10 people believe the government is failing to fight corruption and 44% believe that the government is corrupt.