Film Viewing Practice Essay "Agent Carter"

In the show “Agent Carter” we see how many different sound effects, camera shots, all the different editing, and different example of mise-en-scene. Examining and writing about these clips helps me learn how shots are utilized in an actual film and shows. It also helps me learn how different shots can be used to affect the audience and what they think. 

The excerpt starts by showing us a close-up of how “Captain America: The First Avenger” ends. We see when Steve Rogers crashes into the ocean and Peggy has to say goodbye to him. Then the shot transitions into an establishing shot of New York, this show helps the audience understand that it has been some time since the end of Captain America. There is then a wide camera shot showing a room of agents that hear a buzzer and stand up in order to wait for their assignments. We then see an over the shoulder shot of Peggy as her boss comes up to her and babies her. We see how Peggy goes from being below her boss when he is asking how she is doing, to being on his level when she asks for an assignment and he shoots her down. Also, the editing of the opening part of this clip shows how her boss only views Peggy as a fragile woman who should leave the work to the men. Some examples are when he calls her sweetie, also he tells her that the war is over and to let them handle it.

The next part of this clip shows a change in Peggy when she hands someone a folder and she finds a picture of Steve. Also, when they were editing this clip, they show us Peggy’s reaction then switches to the picture and then back to Peggy’s face. We then hear someone call for Peggy and it pans to a wide shot of her boss and male co-workers. He says they are going out for drinks, and we see Peggy’s face light up; but then her boss tells her to clean up some stuff in his office. In the scene we then see her boss leaving and turning the lights off, leaving Peggy in a dark room. 

In the next part of this excerpt, we hear a phone buzz and we remember from an earlier scene that this buzz means an assignment has come in. After Peggy has picked up the phone and written down all the details, we see a close up of her crossing out the recommended amount of people. Then we transition into a shot of Peggy walking up to this beat up old warehouse looking place by herself. That’s when 2 men come outside and tell her she must leave, at this point Peggy begins beating up the 2 men and as she is doing this, we are cutting to a shot of a guy inside that could see everything happening but is oblivious. Then we cut to Peggy fighting and finally the guy inside noticed because one of his friends got thrown through a window. The editing of these clips helps the audience realize that it is night and while everyone else is out Peggy is going to beat some bad guys without the help of a man.